Why isn't Yuta here already…? I mutter as I stare at the door. The curse outside is extremely agitated. It keeps screaming and scratching at the entrance. It's only a matter of seconds before it breaks in.
As I wonder why Yuta isn't here yet, I suddenly remember something from the original series. When Yuji and Nanami were searching for Mahito, they tracked his cursed energy signature.
Oh no…
I mumble quietly as I realize what I've done. I've been using my cursed technique for more than ten minutes to boil a pot of water. My cursed energy output must have been noticed by this curse.
Shit…
I keep staring at the entrance, then turn my head toward Tsumigi.
"Tsumigi-chan," I say softly. "My mom used to say good kids should hide when older people tell them to hide."
I smile gently at her.
"Let's play hide and seek, alright? Hide as best as you can."
I stand up slowly.
"Hide now, okay? When I find you, I'll buy you some burgers."
Tsumigi looks frightened, but she nods. She quickly stands up and runs toward the staff room.
Great... Now I need to fight this curse. My first real battle.
I haven't even had time to breathe since I got to this world. It's been less than nine hours since I came to this world.
And my dumbass forgot that when you use your cursed technique, others can sense it.
Just like moths flying to light… this thing came straight to me.
So yeah, no Yuta to save me. As I pushed some events further. In the original story, this accident should have happened a few hours later.
I stare at the door and begin walking toward it. The moment I step outside, I finally see the curse clearly. It's massive. He is massive.
A long, worm-like body stretches across the street. Its body twists and coils across the street. At least sixteen meters long.
Its head is nothing but a massive mouth filled with jagged teeth. No eyes. Just teeth.
The moment I step outside, the curse screams.
"RAWRAA—!"
It lunges at me instantly, its mouth opening wide as it tries to swallow me whole.
I immediately reinforce my legs with cursed energy and jump.
My control is still unstable, but the burst launches me nearly seven meters into the air. The curse slams into the ground where I was standing, shattering the pavement.
I land directly on its back. Without hesitating, I wrap my arms and legs around the curse's body and pour cursed energy into my technique. Flames erupt from my hands.
Massive flames burst out as I begin to burn the curse at point-blank range.
From a distance, it probably looks ridiculous. Like a burning fly clinging to a giant worm.
I dig my fingers into its back. My fingers pierce into its flesh like knives, tearing through the skin as thick purple blood begins to spill out.
The smell of burning flesh fills the air.
The curse thrashes violently.
"AAAAAAGH—! BURNING—! DIEE—!"
It twists its body wildly, trying to throw me off. Before I can react, its massive tail whips around and slams into me.
The impact feels like getting hit by a truck. I'm launched across the street and crash into a wall.
CRACK.
I cough violently as dust falls around me. That… really hurt.
But somehow I managed to reinforce the area that got hit.
Well… technically my whole body. The curse's tail is bigger than a car, so I didn't exactly have much choice. Besides, it's easier to use reinforcement on my whole body than a specific body part due to my terrible control
Still… surviving that feels like something to be proud of.
I slowly pull myself out of the wall and realize I created a small crater where I landed.
My body aches badly. My back and ribs scream in pain. But overall… I'm mostly fine.
I look back at the curse. Its condition is far worse than mine.
Its entire back is charred black. Burned flesh cracks and steams as smoke rises from the wounds.
The curse writhes slowly on the ground.
It has no eyes on its face, only that massive mouth, but I can still hear something strange.
It sounds like… sobbing.
"Hurts… hurts… hurts…"
The curse mumbles to itself as it wriggles in pain.
I blink. Maybe I'm not as weak as I thought.
Even when I poured that much cursed energy into my technique, my reserves barely dropped.
I guess I'm really blessed with how much cursed energy I have.
Ehh, whatever, I should gather my thoughts. Time to finish this.
I shake my head and refocus on the fight.
My cursed technique is flame manipulation. I can create fire, shape it, and control it however I want. Fire itself feels like clay in my hands. I can mold it into shapes, maintain the shape, or release it. If I let go of the shape, the stored energy detonates outward as a burst of flame.
What I did earlier was basically creating small shapes rapidly and releasing them instantly. That's why it looked like waves of fire.
Now I try something different.
I create several chains made of fire and whip them toward the curse. The flaming chains wrap around its body, tightening around it.
They aren't very durable.
Honestly, they're weaker than I would like.
But all I need is a few seconds.
The curse struggles violently as the chains burn into its skin.
"HOT—! HOT—! LET GO—!"
While the curse is pinned, I form another construct.
A longsword made entirely of flames. I rush forward as I grab the longsword with both hands.
The sword cuts through the curse's body with ease. The blade slices deep while the flames burn the wound.
I run along its body, dragging the blade across its side.
A massive gash opens across the curse's body.
No blood sprays onto the street as my flames instantly burn the flesh, stopping it from bleeding.
The curse thrashes wildly and finally snaps the flame chains apart. It lunges at me again with its massive mouth.
I dodge to the side and swing again. The flaming sword cuts across the other side of its body.
The second wound is just as deep. The curse lets out a horrible scream.
Then its movements begin to slow. This much damage is fatal.
Unlike stronger curses, this one can't heal itself with cursed energy.
The massive worm body twitches once… twice…
Then it stops moving.
Its body begins dissolving into black ash.
I let out a long breath.
I have to admit… my first real fight was thrilling.
Now I understand why seventy percent of the Jujutsu Kaisen cast are battle maniacs.
Cursed energy is literally powered by emotion.
If you keep fighting while surrounded by negativity… eventually something inside you changes.
Still, I made a lot of mistakes, I have zero battle experience, My flame chains were weaker than expected.
And I definitely shouldn't be hugging giant enemies without checking my surroundings.
I could probably fix the chain durability with a binding vow. For example, I could trade the burning effect for higher durability.
But it's too early to start making vows like that. I should learn more about jujutsu and my cursed technique first.
I recreate the flaming longsword and spin it around in my hand.
It's about 130 centimeters long. Honestly… it looks really cool. A medieval European longsword no sword tops this one.
I swing it through the air a few times before dissolving it.
I learned my lesson the hard way today. A curse found me because I wanted to boil water like Uncle Iroh.
Maybe I shouldn't use jujutsu unless I'm absolutely sure I'm safe.
I walk back to the convenience store.
"Tsumigi-chan…"
I open the staff-only door and see her hiding behind a storage rack.
"I found you." I chuckle and gently pat her head.
"Since I won our game, you should follow me, right? I'll take you somewhere to eat."
After calming her down, we leave the store and begin walking through the empty streets.
Honestly… I really need time to sit down and think.
Everything that happened today is insane.
I got isekai'd into a death game that wants to evolve humanity.
And in a few days, there will be people trying to kill me for points.
I don't think I can survive alone.
I should find Yuji. Or Yuta. Or Megumi. Anyone, really.
And I definitely shouldn't get cocky.
Tsumigi and I walk hand in hand through the ruined streets.
I keep scanning the sky and the roads.
At first, I was terrified of those flying curses… but after my first fight, most of them seemed rather weak.
Strangely, they keep their distance from me.
"They must be afraid of me," I say proudly. "Hehehe… must be my aura."
Tsumigi looks up at me.
"You smell bad," she says flatly. "Maybe that's why they stay away."
I cough awkwardly. I forgot she could see the curses
I was not prepared for this roast.
I look down at her.
"It's called aura, Tsumigi-chan."
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End of chapter
Well, yeah, just a water well on the ground that taps into groundwater