Chapter 43 — Fourty Three Punch
"It's starting."
Along with Mahito's flippant tone, Kokichi felt the curse's hand cover the top of his head.
The way the curse acted like a patronizing godfather bestowing a gift from on high made him extremely uncomfortable. And besides, no matter how human a curse might look, the sensation of its touch was nothing like that of a real person. Human skin was warm, with hot blood coursing beneath it and a steady pulse beating below the surface—but a curse's body was made of cursed energy, carrying a gloomy aura that made his skin crawl.
Yet as Mahito's technique activated, Kokichi could feel his body gradually warming. His bones, muscles, and skin were all changing. His body was slowly transforming from a crippled Heavenly Restriction vessel into a healthy human body.
At the same time, through the doorway Mahito had entered, he could see the sky outside gradually shifting.
Although night and the curtain were both pitch-black, a sorcerer could easily tell the difference.
That special-grade curse user had lowered the curtain.
Kokichi knew that the moment his body fully recovered, the fight to the death would begin immediately.
…
At the same time, deep beneath the calm surface of the lake—
Saitama pinched his nose and slipped into the water, slowly sinking toward the lakebed. The cape on his back billowed upward from the resistance of the water, like a white jellyfish.
His red boots touched the muddy bottom. His cheeks puffed out from holding his breath. Using the faint moonlight, he glanced around, then bent down and picked up a small stone at his feet.
Saitama lightly tossed the stone in the water, estimating the resistance. The stone rose slowly from the throw, then gradually sank back to the lakebed under gravity.
His eyes followed the stone up and down. After confirming the resistance, he blew out a bubble and bent his knees like someone preparing for a standing long jump. His red boots sank slightly into the soft mud of the lakebed.
"Buh-guh-guh-guh. (Normal standing long jump.)"
In the next instant, Saitama pushed off hard with his toes. His bald head split through the water as his entire body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, trailing sharp white currents as he sped toward the giant mechanical puppet ahead.
At the spot where his feet had pushed off, the lakebed mud was violently gouged out by the recoil, forming a massive crater. The stirred-up silt instantly turned the clear lake water murky.
The mirror-like surface of the lake suddenly heaved into a massive wave that slammed into the shore. Several trees near the bank shook violently under the impact, their trunks groaning before snapping and collapsing one after another.
"Hm?"
Mahito was still modifying Kokichi's body, while the masked special-grade curse user—Geto Suguru—who was in the process of lowering the curtain heard the disturbance and glanced toward the lake.
"Waves… but no cursed energy detected. Is there some kind of water monster in there?" he muttered to himself, but didn't pay it much attention and quickly looked away.
Underwater, Saitama reached the mechanical puppet in an instant. However, his momentum hadn't fully dissipated, and he kept drifting forward.
In a split second, Saitama raised a hand and grabbed hold of one of the puppet's fingers—each as thick as a human torso.
He finally came to a stop. But with a burst of bubbles, the finger he grabbed snapped off underwater like a biscuit.
"!?!" Saitama stared blankly at the broken finger in shock.
After hesitating for a few seconds, he aligned the finger with the break and tried to stick it back on. One hand pressed against the puppet's palm while the other gripped the broken finger. He applied a little force.
Cracks spread outward from where he held it, and the mechanical finger completely shattered, slowly sinking to the lakebed.
"…"
Saitama released the small fragment still in his hand and glanced around guiltily. Eventually, his gaze settled on the puppet's head.
—There seemed to be an entrance there.
Afraid to use another standing long jump, Saitama instead paddled forward bit by bit like a frog. Floating near the puppet's head, he formed an L-shape with his thumb and index finger and pressed it against his chin, studying the head for a moment. Then he knocked on the outer shell curiously before hopping into the space inside.
"Bloop…" After seeing the inside of the puppet's head, Saitama couldn't help but open his mouth and release a bubble.
He discovered that the interior of the puppet's head was actually a spacious cockpit. At the center hung a pilot's seat connected to numerous tubes. On the opposite side was a display screen that was currently pitch-black.
So it really is armor?
Just as Saitama stood there staring blankly at the pilot's seat, the lake water outside suddenly began to shake violently.
Part of the hydroelectric facility seemed to collapse, and large chunks of debris fell into the water, trailing bubbles as they sank to the bottom. While Saitama was still confused, he suddenly felt a tremor beneath his feet.
The previously dark cockpit lit up. The surrounding screens glowed with a soft white light, and the water was rapidly drained out by the activated systems as air rushed in. The giant, which had been curled up in slumber, lit up its eyes and raised its enormous head.
The cockpit beneath his feet shook violently. Saitama quickly grabbed a hanging tube along the edge. At that moment, someone suddenly slid down from the thickest tube connected to the puppet's back like it was a playground slide.
And that person was naked.
"Huh? What's with this guy?"
Saitama froze, unable to understand why a naked person had suddenly slid out of a pipe. His voice was drowned out by the thunderous noise of the puppet moving. The other person didn't notice him at all and hurriedly began putting on clothes while the machine shifted around.
—The one who slid into the cockpit through the tube was, of course, Kokichi himself. The moment he confirmed that he had regained a healthy body, he immediately used a normal-sized Mechamaru at his side to smash through the floor of the hydroelectric station, entering the cockpit of the giant mechanical puppet hidden beneath the lake—the Ultimate Mechamaru—through a route he had prepared long ago.
After quickly getting dressed, Kokichi placed a hand on the edge of the pilot's seat and vaulted into it in one smooth motion. This wasn't something he had physically practiced with his frail body in the past—it was simply because he had simulated this battle in his mind countless times beforehand.
With a tap of his finger, he activated Ultimate Mechamaru's system screen.
As for cursed energy reserves, seventeen years and three months' worth had already been stored—no problems there;
Ultimate Mechamaru's systems were fully activated—no problems there either;
External communication signals…
Looking at the "No Connection" warning on the system panel, Kokichi frowned slightly.
He knew very well that even if he used the cursed energy he had stored over seventeen years to temporarily boost his attacks to special-grade level, victory would still be unlikely. After all, both of his opponents were special-grade as well.
Kokichi knew that the only way to ensure his survival was to contact Gojo Satoru and have him rush over to protect him immediately. Then he could provide information about the curses and Mahito as a cooperating witness to atone for his crimes. But the enemy had clearly anticipated this, so the curtain they set up was designed to block communication signals.
"Damn it…" he muttered. "If only I could contact Gojo Satoru."
"Why do you want to contact Gojo Satoru?"
"Well, isn't that obvious?" Kokichi replied irritably. "The enemy is a special-grade curse user and a special-grade cursed spirit. I have no intention of dying here. The only one who can defeat them and protect me is Gojo Satoru…"
Wait—who was just talking to him?
Kokichi's voice abruptly stopped. His annoyed expression shifted to stunned disbelief as he whipped his head around.
Standing behind him was a bald man in a soaked yellow bodysuit and white cape, wearing a foolishly blank expression.
"Eh?"
Wasn't this the cockpit of the Ultimate Mechamaru he had hidden beneath the water?
Hadn't he already confirmed that there were no cursed energy signatures around (no one present)?
Then why was there a bald guy here?
Kokichi's brain was overloaded by the sudden appearance of the bald man, but Saitama curiously continued, "By the way, why did you slide in completely naked just now?"
Kokichi's eyes flew wide open. "Aaaaaaahhhh!"
This bald guy had been watching from that moment?!
Saitama silently stood by, observing Kokichi's socially catastrophic scream with his usual stick-figure expression. Finally snapping back to himself, Kokichi shouted in exasperation, "How did you get in here? Do you even know what this place is?"
"Huh? I found some kind of armor underwater and got curious, so I came to take a look," Saitama answered.
"…" Kokichi felt like there was no reasoning with this bald idiot. But suddenly, he found the man's face strangely familiar.
After staring at Saitama for a few seconds, realization dawned. "You're a student from Tokyo School! The one Kamo one-shotted in the individual match…"
Even though they hadn't met during the team battle, Kokichi had seen Saitama through Mechamaru's eyes during the individual electronic fighting game match.
Black lines appeared beneath Saitama's eyes. "Hey, the second half of that sentence wasn't necessary, was it? You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Kokichi didn't respond. The moment he saw Saitama, a complete line of reasoning had already formed in his mind.
Saitama had been instantly defeated in the individual match and had no noticeable cursed energy—clearly a weakling. But he was a Tokyo School student. He had been in Tokyo with the others earlier today, yet now he had somehow appeared in Kyoto and even found the hydroelectric station where Kokichi had arranged to meet the curse users.
There could only be one explanation.
Tokyo School had already realized something was wrong.
At that thought, hope suddenly flared in Kokichi's eyes.
If Tokyo School had discovered the situation, didn't that mean Gojo Satoru might know as well?
—If so, there was a very high chance Gojo would come rushing over! He just had to hold out until then!
Just then, the sound of water roared. The massive mechanical puppet, Ultimate Mechamaru, finally burst out of the lake. The view before the cockpit shifted from unchanging water to the quiet lake surface under the night sky.
The battle was about to begin.
Kokichi had no time to continue talking to Saitama. Gripping the control levers on either side of the pilot's seat, he fixed his gaze forward and shouted, "The fight's about to start. It's going to shake violently. I can't look after you—if you want to live, don't leave the cockpit!"
Without waiting for Saitama's response, he pressed the charging button for Ultimate Mechamaru.
Below, Mahito's voice rang out. "Woooow—I've never fought something this big before. This is going to be fun."
Kokichi saw Mahito leap out of the room and land atop the dam, practically itching for battle. Meanwhile, the masked special-grade curse user stood with his arms folded on a slope at one end of the dam, seemingly with no intention of intervening.
The cockpit barrier in Ultimate Mechamaru's head allowed one-way visibility—only those inside could see out. Unless the cockpit itself was destroyed, those outside couldn't see in. That meant they definitely didn't know Saitama was inside.
Kokichi's thoughts raced.
Since Tokyo School had already discovered this, there was no need to focus on breaking the curtain. Once Gojo Satoru arrived, he would surely destroy it. In that case, the curse user's decision to stand aside—unaware of this—actually reduced Kokichi's pressure.
If so, he would fight Mahito first.
—Although his primary goal was to stall until Gojo arrived, Kokichi had already resolved that if the opportunity presented itself, he would eliminate Mahito at any cost.
The cursed energy counter on the screen ticked rapidly downward, instantly consuming one year.
"What's this?" Saitama pointed at the screen curiously. "Is that the armor's status panel or something?"
But Kokichi had no time to answer. He raised his arm into a combat stance. At the same time, Ultimate Mechamaru mirrored the motion, lifting its massive hand. Four fingers spread straight, and the cannon in its palm aimed at Mahito atop the dam.
…Four fingers?
Kokichi froze. Realization struck, and a chill ran down his spine.
The right hand of Ultimate Mechamaru had originally had five intact fingers. But now, for some unknown reason, only four remained. The crucial index finger was completely gone. In its place were torn wires hanging loosely.
—That was the most important finger. The launcher containing the capsule of "New Shadow Style: Simple Domain" was hidden inside it! That finger was his winning move!
Kokichi was utterly stunned.
Then a voice came from behind him.
"Ah, sorry," Saitama said, beads of sweat appearing on his bald head. "I didn't hold back just now and accidentally broke it."
"…"
Seeing Kokichi's silence, Saitama grew even more uneasy. "Um… was that finger important?"
Kokichi could hardly believe what he was hearing. Ultimate Mechamaru, though still a prototype, had been built by him to be extraordinarily sturdy—especially the right index finger that concealed the Simple Domain launcher.
And this bald guy claimed he had "accidentally" broken it?
Impossible.
"That finger…" Kokichi murmured, "was my trump card. Without it, I might lose…"
"Seriously?" Saitama's face turned green. "Uh, I can't afford to compensate you, but I still have some glue at home if you need it…"
Glue?
Kokichi was beyond shocked. Was this guy joking?
But Mahito didn't give him time to think.
Seeing Ultimate Mechamaru hesitate without attacking, Mahito smiled faintly. His legs suddenly transformed into powerful kangaroo-like hind legs, and with a fierce push, he launched himself high into the air, heading straight for Ultimate Mechamaru's head.
"Since you're not making the first move, I'll take the initiative," he said lightly midair. "You're definitely in the head, right?"
—Damn, exposed from the start?
Kokichi had no time to speak further with Saitama. He focused completely, aiming the cannon at Mahito.
"Ultimate Cannon!"
At this point, all he could do was stall for time and keep his distance from Mahito.
Kokichi knew that Mahito's technique, Idle Transfiguration, required him to touch a person's body with both hands and then distort their soul to alter the flesh. As long as he could prevent Mahito's hands from reaching him, he still had a chance. As for any damage from ordinary cursed energy attacks, as long as he survived, Ieiri Shoko could heal him afterward.
A flash burst from Ultimate Mechamaru's palm, instantly engulfing Mahito in searing cursed energy output. At the same time, the cockpit shook violently from the force of the attack.
Did it work?
Kokichi widened his eyes, staring fixedly in Mahito's direction. But less than two seconds later, a figure leapt out from the cursed flames of the Ultimate Cannon.
Mahito's originally snow-pale skin had been charred black by the blast, but the scorched surface was rapidly regenerating. As he ran at high speed, he spread his arms, and his body began to morph.
Human arms quickly transformed into the wings of a flying beast—not feathered like a bird's, but more like a bat's membranous wings.
"You understand, don't you? Attacks that can't touch my soul are meaningless against me."
Mahito beat his massive bat-like wings and took to the air. Kokichi had no choice but to continuously rotate Ultimate Mechamaru to track him. After pouring in two more years' worth of cursed energy, the mech's palms began firing small homing cursed energy shells in rapid succession, forming winding golden trails across the pitch-black night sky.
The cockpit spun in accordance with Mahito's flight path. Ordinary cursed energy attacks couldn't harm Mahito's soul, but the dense barrage from Ultimate Mechamaru also prevented him from closing in. For a time, the two sides reached a stalemate.
"Damn it… what a troublesome opponent…"
Kokichi muttered through clenched teeth, when suddenly something occurred to him.
Right—the cockpit was shaking this violently. He was secured to the pilot seat, but that bald guy behind him…
He absolutely couldn't let Saitama get hurt. That bald guy was from Gojo Satoru's side. He would need Gojo's protection afterward.
With that thought, Kokichi's heart tightened. Praying that Saitama hadn't been thrown to his death during the turbulence, he hurriedly turned around.
"Your armor's attacks are kinda like Genos's. Feels a bit like some space warrior or something. Do you know Genos?"
Saitama was still standing behind the pilot seat just as he had before the battle began. Seeing Kokichi turn around, he raised a hand and pointed at the fight outside the cockpit.
Kokichi's pupils shrank slightly.
This bald guy… had pretty solid footing.
Good. That meant he could counterattack without holding back.
With that in mind, Kokichi input another three years' worth of cursed energy all at once.
The index finger capable of firing the Simple Domain had already been broken off—long-range sniping was no longer possible. If he wanted to inject the Simple Domain into Mahito's body and destroy his soul, he would first have to use cursed energy bombardment to control Mahito's movement, then personally drive Ultimate Mechamaru in and force it in at close range.
"Ultimate Mechamaru!" Kokichi shouted. "Triple—"
"It's useless, didn't I say so already?" Mahito called loudly from the air. "Looks like even after I fixed you up with Idle Transfiguration, your little brain still hasn't recovered its proper intelligence, Kokichi-kun!"
Three Ultimate Cannons erupted from Ultimate Mechamaru's palms, transforming into three dazzling spheres of light that shot straight toward Mahito. Yet Mahito's face, illuminated deathly pale by the blast's glow, showed no trace of panic. Instead, he smiled.
"Domain Expansion…"
Mahito's facial features suddenly twisted as if the bones beneath them had been pulled away. His jaw drooped, and hands formed a seal within his mouth.
"Self-Embodiment of Perfection."
Enormous hands blotted out the sky, layering over one another as they surged forward, enveloping Ultimate Mechamaru. The massive mechanical puppet was now like a small sparrow toyed with in someone's palm.
"Oh—" Saitama looked up at the gigantic hands, mildly surprised.
Kokichi's hand trembled slightly. Cold sweat soaked his back.
When had Mahito awakened his Domain? He hadn't known at all!
Countless giant hands slammed down, crushing Ultimate Mechamaru face-first into the ground. The cockpit flipped ninety degrees, and Saitama hurriedly grabbed onto a support pole connected to the pilot seat.
Kokichi still tried to move the mech's arms using the control levers. But soon another massive hand seized Ultimate Mechamaru's head and smashed it heavily into the ground.
The operation screen beside him flashed red. The system displayed alerts:
Connection between cockpit and right arm interrupted due to signal failure.
Connection between cockpit and left arm interrupted due to signal failure.
Connection between cockpit and—
Mahito slowly descended to the ground, wings beating gently. After his bare feet touched down on the giant hands that formed the terrain, the wings rapidly reshaped, turning back into human arms that hung at his sides.
"Ever since I awakened my Domain, I've been wanting to find someone to test it on," Mahito said with a smile, stepping toward the cockpit in Ultimate Mechamaru's head. "After thinking it over, you seemed like the most suitable choice, Kokichi-kun."
"After all, the exchange event is already over. You're no longer useful."
As Mahito approached step by step, Kokichi clenched his fists. Unwillingness, regret, pain—and the images of his comrades—surged through his heart.
He had underestimated Mahito by failing to anticipate his Domain.
If the index finger launcher hadn't been destroyed, he might still have had a slim chance at turning things around. But now, he couldn't even move a single finger of Ultimate Mechamaru.
This was retribution for cooperating with curse users and cursed spirits.
There was no turning back.
Only one path remained.
The hand Kokichi kept behind his back trembled as he activated Ultimate Mechamaru's final function.
Though immobilized, he still had four "New Shadow Style: Simple Domain" capsules remaining, along with roughly ten years' worth of stored cursed energy.
This was a mutually assured destruction method. If he used it, survival would be impossible.
But it was the last way to exorcise Mahito.
He could only use the remaining cursed energy to self-destruct Ultimate Mechamaru—
Mahito drew closer. Through the one-way defensive screen of the cockpit, Kokichi saw Mahito's right hand rapidly swell, then hammer down like a sledgehammer, smashing through the outer shell of Ultimate Mechamaru's head.
Through the hole in the mech's head, Mahito's gaze fell upon Kokichi in the pilot seat below.
The special-grade cursed spirit leaned into the cockpit. Pale skin tugged at the stitched seams of his face as a twisted smile spread across it.
"…Found you~"
But just as Kokichi's finger was about to press the self-destruct button, a foot clad in a cheap red boot suddenly appeared on Mahito's grinning face.
In the next instant, Mahito was kicked square in the face.
With a thunderous boom, his body blasted backward like a cannon shell, smashing through the boundary of the Domain, then crashing through the curtain set around the battlefield. Finally, with a loud splash, he plunged into the lake, sending up water more than ten meters high.
The giant hands pressing down on Ultimate Mechamaru split open with white cracks. Then, along with the boundary of "Self-Embodiment of Perfection," they shattered with a crisp crack and dissolved into fragments.
The system screen beside the pilot seat lit up. The previously severed connections reestablished one by one.
Kokichi stared blankly, unable to hide the shock on his face, as he looked toward Saitama standing at the breach in the cockpit.
Saitama turned back, pointed in the direction Mahito had flown, and spoke with unusual seriousness on his simple, sketch-like face.
"If I take care of this guy for you… does that mean I don't have to pay for your armor's finger?"