Boom.
The world spun around me, and everything became a blur before I found myself flying, weightless and moving faster than I ever had.
The impact came before I could even process what had happened, my back crashed into the side of a building, the wall gave way, cracking into a million shattered pieces and a crater formed at the point of impact.
Seconds later, gravity did its job and I hit the floor hard enough to knock the breath out of me completely, my lungs refusing to draw air as I lay there for a moment, stunned.
The world rang around me, a sharp, high-pitched noise drowning out everything else as pain slowly began to seep in, spreading across my body like fire.
I coughed a mouthful of blood out, my head spinning like I had recently attended an MLM gathering.
Seriously, though, what happened? I was there, standing peacefully, minding my goddamn business and then that motherf*cker came crashing on the building side beside me and then...
Oh...
Forcing my arms to move, I pushed myself up slightly, my vision swimming as I tried to focus on the disaster standing in front of me. Dust still hung in the air, drifting lazily, however, I saw it clearly no matter how much my eyes refused to accept the reality.
Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General...
The crown jewel of the Ten Shadows Technique and the Zenin Clan...
MAHORAGA!
At least I now remembered who he was. My memories were on point, mostly.
The divine general just stood there, its massive form unmoving for just a moment as the wheel above its head remained unturned, almost mockingly calm as if I wasn't worth it.
I wasn't.
But damn it.
My eyes stung, going hazy at the ordeal thrown at me one after another.
Why...
Why me? What did I possibly do to deserve this?
Does God not wish me alive or something, or what? If so then be a man and tell me right to my face, I'll give you my life.
Stop making a game out of it...
Tears unknowingly trailed down my cheeks. It wasn't about being afraid of dying. I was ready for it.
But why after coming this far? What's the point?
The injustice of it all.
Made me rage out, wanting to complain to the high heavens.
But there was no time to mope. The disaster was right in front of me.
Just looking at it made something tighten in my chest, a quiet, creeping realisation settling in that this one I won't be able to survive.
Then it moved.
I didn't even see the motion properly, only the result. One moment it was there, and the next it was already in front of me, its blade descending in a clean, effortless arc aimed straight through me.
My body reacted before I could think, instinct taking over as I threw myself to the side. The blade missed me by a fraction, carving straight through the ground where I had been, splitting the floor apart as if it were nothing.
It was my instincts which once again saved me, my body moving on its own, out of the line of attack at the last possible second.
If I had the luxury of it, I might even have made a Dragon Ball joke right now.
I hit the ground awkwardly, trying to roll and create distance, but I was too slow.
Something slammed into me from the side.
The force of Mahoraga's backhand hit like a collapsing wall, and I felt my body lift off the ground again before I was sent flying back out through the building once again, practically coming back to where I started from.
For a second, I just lay there, trying to breathe, trying to move, but everything felt heavy, like my body wasn't responding the way it should.
Nothing was responding at this point as it should. Everything besides my god-forsaken luck, that is.
A big part of me just wished to give up already. There wasn't much left to live for here, there was no one in this world who I could call my own.
The world was a big enough mess as it was. Dying was an easy way out. Gives me a reason to complain more when I go back up there, to the reincarnation management body.
But damn it all, I didn't want to die. Not after coming this far.
I inhaled sharply, filling my damaged lungs with oxygen, it hurt. A lot. But I did what I possibly could and moved my body. Tried to feel my cursed energy and reinforce it around me.
'Come on, one last time, even if I'm dying here, I'll f*cking die fighting.'
My cursed energy obeyed, reinforcing me in time.
I forced myself up, my arms shaking as I pushed against the ground, every movement slower than it should have been. My body was already breaking down, that earlier healing after winning against Jogo had long been tossed into the trash bin, and the fight had barely even started.
Mahoraga stepped forward through the debris, closing the distance with the same steady, unstoppable pace.
Think... think. What can I possibly do?
My technique came to my mind, but it was on cooldown after using the domain on Jogo.
Running wasn't a strategy; there was no way I could outpace him when it came to adapting.
I barely dodged the next swing, the blade cutting through the air so close to me that I felt the pressure of it against my skin. The ground behind me split apart as the attack landed, and I stumbled back, struggling to keep my balance.
I couldn't fight back.
If I attacked, it would adapt.
And if it adapts, I die just that much faster.
F*CK!
So I kept moving, weaving and dodging as best as I could, relying entirely on instinct to stay alive. Another swing came, faster this time, and I ducked under it, my movements clumsy but just enough to avoid being cut down. A second attack followed immediately, forcing me to twist awkwardly, pain flaring through my side as I barely avoided it.
The only saving grace I found was that Mahoraga wasn't adapting to anything yet. He just mindlessly kept on swinging at me.
I had no doubt that he would start adapting if a few more of his hits didn't connect. Perhaps increase his speed, understand my general movement patterns, maybe even predict my movements.
I was done for if that were to happen.
I have to think of something, something fast.
A glancing hit caught my shoulder, and I felt myself spin before crashing into the ground again.
Everything was slowing down. That shoulder was definitely dislocated.
My reactions, my body, even my thoughts were starting to lag, and I could feel it slipping away from me with every second that passed.
Is this the end? Should I close my eyes and count to 10?
I had no idea why in times like this my mind had to joke around, like saying you can't change the outcome either way, why not just accept it and have fun.
Absurd as it was, I chuckled.
A chuckle originating from the deep helplessness and despair my situation.
And strangely enough, it really calmed me down. I gathered cursed energy onto my other arm and brought it down forcefully at my dislocated shoulder.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH"
Pain shot like a hot knife carving through my bones. Shouldn't have done it like that. But the act brought my focus back. Pain was indeed a useful tool at times.
With clarity and focus, a plan started to form inside my mind. Dangerous as it was and my last-ditch effort to make it out of here alive. But I'll be damned if I at least don't give it a try.
I slowly shifted my eyes and gritted my teeth. Mahoraga was almost on top of me again, the only grace I had being that he was aura farming and slowly walking towards me.
I forced myself up again, stumbling backwards, my breathing uneven and ragged as I tried to keep moving, to keep space between us.
My eyes also captured the slowly crawling figure of that blond boy who brought this disaster here.
'He isn't dead?'
'Then why is this asshole after me, go after that son of a b*tch.' I wanted to complain to Mahoraga but knew it was pointless.
A dark part of me wished to know if I were to kill that boy and Megumi Fushiguro, then would this end? Would this monster go back to the same shadows he crawled out of?
Most likely no.
As I walked further, I was blocked by yet another building.
A dead end.
Turning around, I saw Mahoraga standing in front of me, its massive form unmoving as the wheel above its head turned slowly.
'What did he adapt to?'
A question which honestly didn't matter at this point. But still, curiosity kills the cat, I guess.
"Fine... let's give it all I have."
Mahoraga raised his sword up high, ready to bring it down on top of me in one smooth swing and slice me in two.
However, just as his hand was about to fall, to end my life and my struggles, he stopped midway.
Something tugged him from behind and suddenly he was yanked out of his place by his long snake-like tail at the back of his head.
And then the entity went ahead and tossed the giant away like he weighed nothing.
"Already dying this soon. How fitting of a death for a human such as you," said my savior with clear disdain in his voice.
I couldn't care less about what he had to say though, I looked at him with distinct boredom, at how I had to face this face again so quickly.
"Less talking and more fighting." I pointed at Mahoraga, specifically at his head.
"Remember that shikigami can adapt to your attacks and techniques. We have to end him in one attack."
"Huh... you mean I have to end him in one attack, while you get to survive, human."
I rolled my eyes, even after dying this cursed sarcasm hasn't been lost.
"What will you do?" he asked.
"I'll use the domain and stop him when you're ready. I'll need some time, though..."
He scoffed at that.
I glared at his one big eye and said seriously.
"Don't use your fire until you're ready for the final attack. Go all out and remember that sword in his hands. It emits reverse cursed energy. Stay away from it," I explained.
He rolled his one big eyeball around, smoke emitting from his volcano head as he turned towards Mahoraga who had already switched to the stronger target between the two of us.
"Take it seriously; if that sword catches you, you'll die."
Jogo, or at least the sacrificial summoned version of him, looked down at Mahoraga and then the sword in the divine general's hand and then back to me.
"NAH!... I'll WIN."
xXx
A/N : JOGOAT is here guys...
I know many like his character somewhat, so I thought why not. Not like MC himself getting his ass out of this situation without Jogo's help.
Would appreciate stones if you can spare any. Thank you.
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