Chapter 127: Mahito.
"What's going on? Wasn't that cursed spirit already dead?"
Zenin Maki asked in surprise, looking at the cursed spirit's head that had exploded like a balloon.
"..."
Tatsuro, having seen the truth of the matter, wasn't planning to say it out loud. That cursed spirit was made from a human. A cursed technique that can change a human's soul and turn them into a cursed spirit...
This is troublesome. It seems a bit tricky. He once again gazed at the fourth-grade cursed spirits hidden in the surrounding forest. His pupils contracted violently.
Those cursed spirits were all made from animals, their souls were crying...
"Toge..."
"What's wrong?" Inumaki Toge, hearing Tatsuro call him, asked.
"Hurry and leave with Panda and Maki. It seems we've fallen into a trap..."
Tatsuro took off the backpack from his back and drew out his long sword.
"Come and be my test subjects, jujutsu sorcerers."
A cheerful voice came from underground. The earth loosened, and a white-haired earthworm-like cursed spirit emerged from it. Its body then began to twist and transform, finally taking on a human-like form, standing before them. There were obvious suture lines on its limbs and face, and its long blue hair was tied into three sections.
The cursed spirits lurking in the trees approached the four of them, letting out wails.
"Jee-jee-jee...!"
"Geh-geh-geh...!"
"Hiss-hiss-hiss..."
The sounds of various animals came from their mouths, making one's scalp tingle.
"This has gotten a little tricky," Panda said, warily observing the approaching cursed spirits. Logically, low-grade cursed spirits wouldn't actively attack. Was it because of this man?
"Tear him apart... cough!"
Inumaki Toge, preparing to make a move on the humanoid cursed spirit, spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Toge!?"
Panda and Maki were distracted.
"It's nothing, my throat is hoarse." Kneeling on the ground, Inumaki Toge said, tearing at his throat, "Cough cough, this guy is a Special Grade."
"Oh my, were you preparing to use 'Cursed Speech' on me just now? It seems the power gap is too large," Mahito said, sticking out his tongue and licking his lips. He continued, "I've been experimenting on this mountain for so long, and this is the first time I've met jujutsu sorcerers. Let me have a good feel of you all."
Hearing the opponent was a Special Grade cursed spirit, Panda and Zenin Maki exchanged a look. Panda shouted, "A mere Special Grade! Scram quickly! Be careful or my Big Brother Tatsuro will get angry and chop you into dregs!"
Panda: "Yeah, my Big Brother Tatsuro once single-handedly suppressed the Special Grade Curse User Suguru Geto! If you know what's good for you, scram quickly, or when my big brother gets angry, you'll be dead!"
"..."
"Can you two not include me when you're bluffing? I was just ambushed by that Geto fellow this afternoon..."
Tatsuro complained internally.
"Tatsuro..., Geto..."
Mahito touched his chin with his left hand, thinking for a moment. He recalled what Suguru Geto had said to him, "Don't get caught by a jujutsu sorcerer named Tatsuro. His cursed technique counters you perfectly; those eyes can directly tear souls apart."
"Oh! So you're Tatsuro, right?"
"..."
"Yeah, what's up?"
Tatsuro, seeing Mahito had no intention of attacking at the moment, also maintained a "no-fight-while-talking" attitude. After all, Maki and the others were here. If they were touched by his hands and he used his technique, they would die!
Although he could forcibly pull Mahito into his left eye, there was no guarantee he could kill him. After all, Mahito could change his soul's shape, maybe even turn into an earthworm like just now.
"It's great that we can talk normally. I heard from that person that your cursed technique can directly attack the soul. I happen to have a question I'd like to discuss with you."
Mahito, as if having found a kindred spirit, asked with an excited expression, "Tatsuro-kun, do you think the soul came first, or the body?"
"..."
Seeing Tatsuro didn't answer, Mahito continued, "You, who can see through the essence of the soul, should know, right? Does the soul reside within the body, or does the body wrap around the soul? What do you think?"
"That's a difficult question to answer," Tatsuro grumbled internally. He looked down at his hand. The soul resides in the body. Just like the current situation with Kurosaki Mafuyu and Kurosaki Tama, one body housing two souls.
He replied, "The former."
"No, it's the latter."
Mahito raised his right hand, then molded it into a long blade, saying, "The soul always comes before the body. The shape of the body changes according to the changes in the soul."
"That's just your cursed technique. Perhaps you were born like this, able to arbitrarily tamper with the shape of others' souls," Tatsuro explained from what he considered a professional standpoint.
"Since our views differ, then we can only have a fight."
Mahito's hands were enveloped in a dark purple cursed energy. He said with a smile, "I will turn you into one of my things, and then use those eyes of yours to properly observe this world!"
The system mission was issued.
[Mission: Defeat the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, Mahito. Mission Reward: 50 points, 400 cursed energy permanent increase.]
"Do we really have to fight..."
Tatsuro said speechlessly. The sage markings began to appear on his face, and a crimson skeleton enveloped his body. He said, "Panda, Maki, you two take Toge and leave. I'll take care of this and catch up. This is a Special Grade."
The two exchanged a look, also knowing that against a Special Grade, they would only be a hindrance.
Panda picked up Inumaki Toge, who had suffered a backlash from his 'Cursed Speech,' and said, "You have to come back quickly, Tatsuro. Don't fight him to the death."
Zenin Maki looked at Tatsuro's back, gritted her teeth, said, "I'll wait for you at the foot of the mountain," and then left.
"Of course. After all, I'm not that easy to kill."
Tatsuro rolled his shoulders, sensing the others had left. He said, "You know Jogo, right? The fire-breathing one."
"I know him. Why?"
"If you make it back alive, give him a message for me. The next time we meet, I'll shave off that Mount Fuji on his head!"
As Tatsuro spoke, his left eye began to bleed. He looked directly at Mahito's soul and pulled it into the 'Mirror World.'
"Hoo..."
The sound of breathing echoed in the space.
The surrounding scenery hadn't changed, but Mahito could no longer feel the cursed energy in his body at this moment, as if his soul had been ripped out. He looked down at his own hands and remarked with emotion, "What a magical cursed technique, to actually forcibly bring my soul into a space that belongs only to you. But this technique shouldn't be just this, right?"
Mahito curiously observed his surroundings. At this moment, he wanted Tatsuro more and more. He asked, "What grade are you, by the way?"
"Second-grade."
Tatsuro's voice echoed throughout the entire space. Four mirrors appeared in the sky above, and Tatsuro's image appeared in each, gazing down at Mahito on the ground.
He said, "Await the tearing of your soul."
"Crack—!"
As his right eye began to bleed, the space began to shatter.
He had dared to chase Suguru Geto alone before because his 'Mirror Shatter' was greatly enhanced under 'Sage Mode,' making him think he could solo-kill Geto.
But he hadn't expected to be ambushed by three Special Grade lurkers, which had made him incredibly frustrated. Trading blows with Geto wasn't worth it. He was truly annoying.
Even in death, he's still so treacherous!
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