The moment those words left Kenjaku’s mouth, Mayoru, Kei, and Sakiko all looked at him as though he were trying to fool a ghost.
He had opened with a Maximum Technique and practically overflowed with malice, yet he was still pretending to be friendly?
Perhaps surviving for a thousand years required skin far thicker than that of ordinary people.
Kenjaku continued acting as though nothing had happened.
After all, he had already concluded that fighting now offered him no advantage.
He had survived for a millennium by knowing when to retreat.
His priority was to draw more information from Mayoru through conversation.
For that purpose, Kenjaku did not mind pretending to be friendly.
“That was merely a little joke.
To someone who can manipulate energy, wasn’t it no more than a gentle breeze?” ‘So he really did uncover part of my technique.’ Mayoru’s expression remained blank, but he was not surprised.
Kenjaku had apparently been spying on him throughout the earlier battle.
Given the old monster’s experience, it would have been strange if he had learned nothing.
Seeing Mayoru remain silent only strengthened Kenjaku’s conclusion.
It also confirmed something else.
Now was not the time to fight.
Kenjaku currently possessed no reliable method of injuring Mayoru.
Beginning a battle without sufficient preparation was not his style.
Therefore, his next move was to continue deceiving him.
He would extract more information and, ideally, persuade Mayoru to work for him.
Before that, however…
‘I should probably display some strength.’ Maintaining his false smile, Kenjaku summoned cursed energy.
Within the silence, he released a portion of the cursed spirits under his control.
Invisible shadows twisted through the air, followed by countless shrill cries resembling agonized screams.
Dense silhouettes emerged from empty space before Mayoru’s eyes.
Each one possessed a bizarre shape, baring fangs and claws.
They were monsters whose appearances should only have existed in ancient tales of the supernatural.
Yet one after another, they manifested behind Kenjaku like servants awaiting their master’s orders.
The temperature plummeted as though the depths of winter had suddenly descended.
Anyone witnessing such a sight would feel their blood run cold and wonder whether they had entered a nightmare.
Mayoru knew the most outrageous feature of Cursed Spirit Manipulation was its efficiency.
The user only spent cursed energy while controlling the spirits.
Once manifested, the cursed spirits fought using their own reserves.
That meant Kenjaku could command thousands—or even more—at the same time.
With so many cursed spirits appearing at once, their combined energy flooded the area and transformed the surroundings into a hell worthy of the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.
Kei and Sakiko fell speechless.
Among the thousands of figures, several possessed cursed energy comparable to the special-grade spirit from earlier.
Most of the others appeared to be Grade 1 or semi-grade-one.
This was power far beyond the imagination of ordinary sorcerers.
A single man who could form an entire army.
That was a special-grade sorcerer, an existence on a completely different level from a special-grade cursed spirit.
“Frightened?” Kenjaku spoke again within the silence.
“There’s no need to worry.
They won’t harm you.” “As I already said, I bear you no ill will.” He took a step forward.
Mayoru remained silent even as Kenjaku approached, causing a faint smile to appear on the ancient sorcerer’s lips.
‘As expected, I frightened him.’ No matter how ridiculous his technique was, Mayoru remained a beginner.
How could someone like that possess such extraordinary mental strength?
If Kenjaku could shake his composure, even temporarily, persuading him to cooperate would become much easier.
Mayoru was someone Kenjaku intended to kill eventually.
Until he discovered how to overcome that technique, however, the boy might still prove useful.
After all, Mayoru was only a recently awakened modern player.
He should be as easy to deceive as an innocent university freshman who knew nothing about society.
A partial display of strength would intimidate him, after which Kenjaku could tempt him with benefits.
Kenjaku had already prepared the rest of his speech.
He possessed valuable information and could even help Mayoru grow stronger.
By approaching him, learning every detail of his technique, and earning his trust, Kenjaku could eventually stab him in the back and eliminate him.
It was a perfect plan.
Unfortunately, its very first step went entirely off script.
“Ha.” Kenjaku heard laughter.
It came from Mayoru.
As though he had finally resolved something, Mayoru spoke excitedly before Kenjaku could continue.
“Let’s fight!” Kenjaku fell silent.
‘Wait.’ ‘Didn’t I just tell you I meant no harm?’ ‘I only released these cursed spirits to frighten you.
Why are you suddenly trying to start a fight?!’ He did not know that Mayoru had genuinely been debating whether to fight him.
From Mayoru’s perspective, Kenjaku was probably trying to intimidate him.
Kenjaku was a cautious person.
With so little information about Mayoru’s technique, he normally would not choose to attack recklessly.
That was exactly why Mayoru had been hesitating.
However, after seeing the recreated Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, Mayoru reconsidered.
He naturally understood that Kenjaku was placing him under pressure.
He also knew his current control over cursed energy could not compare to that of a special grade.
However…
‘He can’t defeat me.’ If Kenjaku were confident in breaking through reflection, he would have attacked instead of merely displaying his cursed spirits.
‘Then why shouldn’t I fight him?’ Should he do nothing simply because Kenjaku controlled thousands of cursed spirits, each of which might possess an unknown technique?
Should he avoid bullying Kenjaku merely because the battle might offer no benefit?
That was still the thinking of the weak!
A true powerhouse should bully other powerhouses!
Kenjaku had already displayed an army comparable to the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.
Whether Kenjaku wanted to fight or not, Mayoru intended to accept the challenge.
Otherwise, what was the point of possessing Vector Manipulation?
Feeling Mayoru’s battle intent surge into the sky, Kenjaku’s face twitched.
The boy was serious.
He was not bluffing or making some absurd joke.
After seeing the Night Parade, Mayoru hesitated for only a moment before abandoning every concern and deciding to fight him.
‘This isn’t how the script was supposed to go!’ ‘I already told him I had no ill will.’ ‘I only wanted to pressure him a little.’ ‘Does this brat simply refuse to feel pressure?!’ “You should think carefully.” Kenjaku made one final attempt to salvage the situation.
“There are still two young ladies beside you.” “Your technique is impressive, but can you truly guarantee their safety?” Mayoru nodded in complete agreement.
“You’re right.” “With so many cursed spirits, I might genuinely be unable to protect them.” Hope returned to Kenjaku’s heart.
“Then you—” “But that isn’t a reason for me to abandon the fight!” Mayoru immediately interrupted him.
“I’ll bring them with me during the battle.” “I can’t promise that I’ll protect them perfectly, but I’ll do everything I can!” After saying that, he turned toward Sakiko.
She had already been frightened motionless by the Night Parade and conveyed her thoughts entirely through her eyes.
Sakiko: ‘Am I going to die too?’ Mayoru: ‘Yep.’ Sakiko fell silent.
“In any case, as long as I remain alive, they’ll survive too!” Mayoru stared directly at Kenjaku as cursed energy surged around him.
“As for the two of us, we’ve already passed the point where words can settle this, haven’t we?!” Now the pressure fell upon Kenjaku.
The cold wind left him feeling strangely disordered.
He truly had not expected this boy to be a battle maniac who ignored intimidation and immediately wanted to explode the moment he saw an opponent display their power.
‘So do I fight him?’ ‘Right here, right now?’ Kenjaku currently could not overcome reflection.
He had no way to kill Mayoru.
Even if he somehow caught the boy off guard and killed the two girls beside him, what would that accomplish?
This battle offered Kenjaku no benefit.
Instead, it risked revealing his own abilities to someone he absolutely intended to eliminate in the future.
The answer was obvious.
Kenjaku returned Mayoru’s sharp gaze and summoned his cursed energy as well.
Compared to Mayoru’s crude flow, Kenjaku’s control appeared almost elegant.
At that moment, only one thought remained in Sakiko’s mind.
‘It’s over.’ ‘They’re really going to fight!’ She had barely escaped death at the hands of a special-grade cursed spirit, only to encounter the strongest curse user.
Worse still, her teammate was a complete battle maniac.
The enemy had offered to avoid fighting, yet Mayoru insisted on starting one anyway!
The man in Buddhist robes raised his hand.
He must have been preparing to summon an exceptionally powerful cursed spirit and begin the battle.
Sakiko swallowed nervously as her heart pounded faster than ever.
‘What should I do?’ ‘Should I trust Konoe?’ ‘But he’s a complete beginner.
How could he possibly match a veteran special grade in battle?’ A cursed spirit appeared.
It was an enormous bird whose wings seemed to conceal the sky.
‘Is the attack coming?’ Then Sakiko watched Kenjaku leap onto the summoned spirit and fly away at tremendous speed.
Sakiko fell silent.
Several seconds passed before she finally understood.
Geto Suguru had probably, possibly, perhaps…
Run away?
The strongest curse user, who had once occupied the entire jujutsu world single-handedly, had refused the battle and fled!
How could that be possible?
He was a special-grade sorcerer, someone capable of destroying an entire nation alone.
To ordinary sorcerers, he was practically an invincible monster.
Still in shock, Sakiko slowly turned toward the boy beside her.
Mayoru looked genuinely disappointed as he watched Kenjaku rapidly disappear into the distance.
He even released a regretful sigh.
An unbelievable thought appeared in Sakiko’s mind.
‘Could that special-grade sorcerer actually have been avoiding Konoe Mayoru’s wrath?’ ‘Was Geto Suguru…
afraid of Konoe Mayoru?’ …