"Stop the match right nooooooow!!"
'Seriously, I gave them the rules before we even started! This isn't a life-or-death battle! This is for mutual growth! A productive sparring session! God, these battle-crazed golden troublemakers never listen!'
Gritting my teeth, I unsheathed Cursed Blade Muramasa from my waist and charged toward the center of the training ground, right where two massive waves of Cursed Energy were about to collide.
"Nobuyaki-san! Get back! And everyone watching, brace for impact!!"
"U-Understood!!"
Thanks to my chilling warning, the Zenin sorcerers—who at least had fast reflexes—instinctively crouched low and wrapped their bodies in a thick layer of defensive Cursed Energy.
However, the two participants in the arena showed no sign of withdrawing or pulling back their surging energy; they only drew closer.
It was a dizzying sight, like thousands of meteors charging head-on into a giant star.
Exactly 0.1 seconds before the cataclysmic collision.
My IQ isn't exactly 530,000, but my mind began to spin at full throttle.
'Mahoraga's Dharma Wheel? No. With the situation already this far gone, there isn't enough time for the Wheel to turn and adapt. Even the Cursed Energy used to summon it would be a waste!'
I couldn't just cut down one side, either.
If I only nullified Kanao's attack like I did her homing missile back at the net cafe, Jinichi's strike would tear her apart. The reverse was equally true.
'Then there's only one answer. I have to cleave the very eye of the storm where the two energies collide and explode!'
I began to funnel insane amounts of energy onto Muramasa's sharp blade—not negative energy, but Positive Energy.
BOOOOOM—!!!
The two massive surges of Cursed Energy finally clashed.
A titanic pressure and a shockwave generated from the point of impact erupted outward, pushing everything in the training ground away.
"Aaaaagh!!"
"Hold onto something! Don't let yourselves get blown away!!"
"Osu!"
"Yes, sir!!"
Even the skilled Zenin sorcerers, including Nobuyaki, screamed as they went flat against the floor, clinging desperately to pillars or rocks to endure the gale.
Within the raging storm, I poured massive Cursed Energy into my lower body, anchoring my legs into the ground like wedges. Then, I swung Muramasa down vertically toward the hypothetical center point where the two high-density energies were tangled and expanding!
K-KAAAAAANG—!!
But the masses of Cursed Energy, possessing immense weight, resisted my blade's attempt to bisect them. A terrifying tug-of-war began, the repellent force trying to shove me back.
"Gwaaaaaaargh!! Pour in every drop of Cursed Energy!!"
The muscles in my arms bulged as if they were about to burst.
The only thing that could neutralize an explosion of Cursed Energy—the accumulation of negativity—was Positive Energy, its polar opposite!
The blade infused with Positive Energy turned a blinding white, but the output was still insufficient to cleave the collision of these two monsters in a single blow.
'More!'
'More! More!'
'Stronger!!'
I squeezed every last drop of Cursed Energy remaining deep within my body and funneled it all into Muramasa.
SHHH-AAAAAAA—!!
The moment the white light on the blade surpassed its limit, Muramasa transformed into a pillar of soaring, intense white radiance.
"GWAAAAAAARGH!!!"
With my desperate roar, the flaming white sword carved roughly into the vortex of the expanding explosion.
CH-ZZZZZT—!!
Immense repulsion vibrated through my grip, trying to fling the sword away.
'Don't let go! Never give up!!'
I grit my teeth until I thought they'd shatter and threw my entire body weight into the downward stroke one more time.
CHIIIIIING—!
With a clear, crystalline sound, the blade broke through the limit. It drew a white line, perfectly bisecting the heart of the explosion.
Negative and Positive.
Yin and Yang.
Black and White.
The two opposing forces that had been repelling each other were strangely entwined through the medium of the sword strike, becoming one before shattering into waterdrop-like particles in mid-air and vanishing without a trace.
FLAAASH—
The storm that had been ravaging the Zenin estate evaporated as if it had all been a lie.
As the dust settled in the Zenin training ground, a heavy silence descended, making it feel as if nothing had ever happened in the first place.
"Huff... Huff! Referee!"
Breathing heavily, I sheathed Muramasa and called for the official.
Nobuyaki, covered in dust, staggered up from the floor and raised both arms above his head in a cross.
"VOID!!"
It was a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion to any observer, but no one in the arena dared to object. Every spectator was too busy collecting themselves after being swept away by the storm.
THUD—!
Kanao, who had squeezed out Cursed Energy beyond her limits, collapsed on the spot. Jinichi, who had been charging so fiercely, also dropped to one knee on the ground.
I spotted a female servant among those rushing over at the sound of the commotion and shouted urgently.
"You there! Whether it's the infirmary or anywhere else, take her to a place where she can rest comfortably, now!"
"Y-Yes! Understood, Young Master!"
Immediately after the servants hurried away with Kanao on their backs, Jinichi slowly stood up, brushing off the dust. He snorted, making no effort to hide his displeasure.
"Void? Hmph, how dull."
It was the lingering regret of a warrior whose blood had reached a boil only to be cooled. I lightly shrugged and walked toward him.
"Then, would you like me to see it through to the end? As a substitute for your guest?"
"Ho? That wouldn't be so bad."
He didn't even let me finish my sentence.
As if he had been waiting for this, Jinichi clenched his fists and kicked off the ground, soaring into the air. It was a jumping strike that used his entire body weight—the so-called Superman Punch.
But at the very moment Jinichi's massive frame cast a shadow over me—
SHRIIIING—!
I unsheathed my sword with lightning speed while simultaneously diving deep into his guard. I jammed the blade right into the center of Jinichi's face—between his left and right eyes—and used the momentum of his jump against him, slamming his body into the floor!
BOOM—!!
"He—He slashed him!!"
"Lord Hachiro!! What on earth are you doing!!"
Terrified spectators and Kukuru Unit members tried to rush toward me in horror. Right then, Jinichi, pinned to the floor, let out a thunderous roar.
"HALT!! DO NOT ACT RASHLY!!"
The crowd froze at Jinichi's command.
They soon witnessed an unbelievable sight.
'Eh? He wasn't cut? He's not split in half!'
'What's going on?'
There was only a clear red mark from the piece of steel pressed against the bridge of Jinichi's nose; not a single drop of blood was spilled. I smirked and made a gesture of pressing Muramasa against the palm of my left hand.
"Ah! Everyone, calm down. I didn't use the edge. I just used the steel to apply pressure."
After seeing it for themselves, the Zenin members finally sighed in relief, clutching their chests.
"Haha, simply pressing down won't cut anything. Now, Jinichi-san, are you satisfied?"
At my cheeky question, Jinichi rose from the floor and groaned, rubbing his brow.
"...Urgh. Fine, I lost."
"Oh, come on. Neither of us was at 100%. Let's just call this a light prank... Yeah, just a prank."
"Hmph... unpleasant. We'll settle this in a real spar later."
Jinichi declared a future rematch without backing down. However, I firmly waved my hand.
"No, no way. I have no intention of ever doing this crazy... exhausting stuff in the clan again. Instead, I heard a pretty decent gym opened up in the Kyoto downtown area. How about we go there together when we have time?"
Jinichi's thick eyebrows twitched at the sudden suggestion.
"Hmm? The clan's training halls are more than enough. Why would I bother with a space used by non-sorcerers?"
"Ayy, you haven't heard?"
I acted all exaggerated, tapping Jinichi's thick bicep muscles.
"I don't know what's gotten into the non-sorcerers lately, but apparently, 'muscle men' are all the rage.
Thanks to that, gyms are popping up like mushrooms in the downtown area, and I hear the weight machines are top-of-the-line and state-of-the-art. The quality of the pump is on a whole different level compared to the rocks in this clan's training halls."
"...Ho?"
At the mention of state-of-the-art muscle-building equipment, Jinichi's eyes sparkled curiously. He cleared his throat and nodded solemnly.
"Hmph. Very well. If you insist, I shall make a special exception to accompany you when I am free."
**
[ Zenin Estate, a Secluded Private Infirmary ]
"Hey. You alive?"
As I opened the sliding door and entered, Kanao, lying on the bed wrapped in bandages, replied with a hoarse voice.
"...No. I feel like I'm dying. It feels like every bone in my body is shattered."
"Stop lying. You're babbling just fine, so you must be okay."
I clicked my tongue and walked over, flicking my finger right at the center of her forehead.
Snap!
"Ow! Hey! Are you crazy?! I'm a critical patient right now!!"
"So? Who told you to fight like you'd lost your mind? You should have stopped and pulled back after showing off what you learned.
You insisted on seeing it through to the end and almost bit the dust."
At my scolding, Kanao pouted and looked away. She soon muttered in a discouraged voice.
"...That old man is really strong. In the end, my Cursed Energy ran out first and I collapsed, so I basically lost, right?"
It seemed her pride from her days as a yakuza boss had taken a significant hit. I snorted, finding it ridiculous.
"Well, obviously. That man is a martial artist to his core. But you're more of a... hunter, I'd say."
"What do you mean by that? We're both just hitting people and fighting, aren't we?"
"It's different."
I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed.
"If the training ground had been that net cafe where we first met, how do you think it would have gone? If you could have supplied yourself with unlimited Cursed Energy from all those computers, the result might have been different."
Kanao's eyes widened into circles.
"Jinichi is the type who fights with just his body and fists no matter where you throw him, so his combat power doesn't change much. But you're not like that."
I pointed with my chin toward the window of the infirmary and smirked.
"You're a hunter who finds an environment where you can utilize your Cursed Technique 100%, turning the situation in your favor and laying traps. Your domains and rules of engagement are just different."
"...."
"So don't get discouraged. Have some confidence, you dummy."
As she quietly listened to my comfort, I saw Kanao's cheeks turn a pale pink even beneath her bandages.
"...Ugh, fine. I get it."
Kanao suddenly pulled her blanket all the way over the top of her head and curled up into a ball. A grumbly voice drifted out from the lump of blankets.
"I'm tired and I'm going to sleep, so get out!"
"Oh, man! I went out of my way to worry and encourage you, and look at that attitude. I'm going, I'm going!"
I stuck my tongue out at the girl under the blanket and walked out, closing the infirmary door with a rattle.
Hearing her soft, rhythmic breathing through the door, I found myself letting out a small, unintentional chuckle.