While Kashimo Hajime secretly felt disappointed by Konoe Mayoru, Mayoru was also studying him.
One glance was enough to leave Mayoru captivated.
He was no longer the same complete beginner as before.
After Great Sakiko-sensei’s private lesson, he had gained a basic understanding of how cursed energy operated.
Combined with Vector Manipulation’s ability to observe cursed energy, Mayoru could sense the indescribable precision and harmony in Kashimo’s flow.
‘I want to copy him so badly!’ ‘If someone like this let me copy how he uses cursed energy, I can’t even imagine how far my Vector Manipulation would advance!’ Excitement stirred within him.
Hearing the disappointment in Kashimo’s voice, Mayoru smiled.
He was not offended.
Kashimo did not know him, but Mayoru had known of Kashimo for a long time.
Under normal circumstances, Kashimo would become the first player to earn one hundred points.
He was a genuine battle maniac whose cursed-energy skill overwhelmingly surpassed Mayoru’s.
Even an ordinary Grade 1 sorcerer probably could not last long against him.
It was no surprise that Kashimo found Mayoru’s cursed energy disappointing.
However, Kashimo’s opinion did not matter.
What mattered was how much Mayoru could learn from him.
With that thought, Mayoru stopped holding back.
He raised one hand and snapped his fingers.
The cursed energy lingering throughout the Tokyo harbor immediately began to stir.
Instead of using his own cursed energy, Mayoru took control of the energy around him and made it vibrate, producing the sound of a piano.
It was Togawa Sakiko’s technique, reproduced through Vector Manipulation.
Its effect was to improve his cursed-energy output and stimulate his brain, increasing his processing power.
“Music?” Rather than attacking immediately, Kashimo watched him with open boredom.
“That melody is a cursed technique?” “You use musical notes to strengthen the caster’s cursed energy?” “How…
dull.” Kashimo was also standing within the music’s range, so he could personally feel its effects.
His cursed-energy efficiency rose slightly, but the difference was insignificant.
The improvement might help this modern sorcerer, but so what?
His cursed-energy usage remained ugly and crude.
“After hearing Kenjaku’s praise, I expected an extraordinary technique.” “Is this really all you have?” Kashimo’s disappointment deepened.
He became increasingly convinced that Kenjaku had deliberately thrown some worthless garbage at him.
However, he soon froze.
They were standing beside a harbor filled with countless shipping containers.
Mayoru casually tapped one of them with his hand.
A metallic scrape rang out.
Amid the piercing sound of grinding steel, dozens of containers rose into the air and hovered behind Mayoru.
As a savage smile spread across his face, they aimed themselves at Kashimo like servants awaiting their master’s command.
With a single order, they would become cannon shells and rain down upon him.
“This power…” Even Kashimo withdrew some of his contempt.
“Does he possess a second cursed technique?” The sight was incomprehensible.
How could cursed-energy control that crude instantly command so many massive objects?
‘Kenjaku wasn’t lying.’ Finally realizing that the boy before him was anything but ordinary, Kashimo revealed a ferocious grin.
‘This brat has something interesting after all!’ Meanwhile, Mayoru was completely immersed in his exhilaration.
Accelerator must have felt the same way when he first realized he could control the wind throughout Academy City.
Now, Mayoru finally understood that excitement.
His processing power was rising.
With Sakiko’s technique supporting him, his brain operated at an unprecedented level.
The countless vectors flowing through the atmosphere, the earth, and the entire world felt almost within reach.
Even dozens of shipping containers could be brought under his control after only a short calculation.
“You’re the one who’d better not disappoint me, Kashimo Hajime!” As Mayoru spoke, the containers shot forward like falling stars.
In response, Kashimo released his first genuine laugh since reincarnating.
Electric arcs erupted as lightning surged around his body.
Kashimo was different from ordinary sorcerers.
His innate technique could only be used once in his entire life.
However, his cursed energy naturally possessed the properties of electricity.
Faced with the enormous containers crashing toward him, most sorcerers would have immediately tried to dodge.
Kashimo simply threw a punch.
His violent fist struck a heavy container and sent it flying backward.
It crashed into the sea behind him, raising enormous waves.
Dodging would undoubtedly have been easier.
But only worthless weaklings would choose that option.
Grinning wildly, Kashimo refused to take a single step back.
He swung his fists and knocked aside every container that descended upon him.
“What a lunatic.” Mayoru watched everything without much surprise.
Someone without this level of strength would never have been placed in this colony by Kenjaku or acknowledged by Sukuna.
However, Mayoru believed he had spotted an opening.
The instant Kashimo knocked away the final container, Mayoru appeared beside him.
Once he locked onto a coordinate and properly used the surrounding forces, Mayoru could close the distance at a speed resembling teleportation.
Even Kashimo froze in disbelief.
‘Fast!’ Although he had been striking away the containers, he had never stopped watching Mayoru.
How had the boy appeared beside him in an instant?
Ignoring Kashimo’s thoughts, Mayoru thrust both hands forward.
One hand would seal his cursed energy.
Upon contact, Mayoru could reverse its flow and prevent Kashimo from using it for reinforcement or activating his technique.
The other hand would reverse his blood flow.
Both were extremely simple forms of manipulation.
Like reflection, they required no precise directional calculations.
Mayoru merely reversed the original flow of the target’s blood and cursed energy.
Under ordinary circumstances, this was an unavoidable killing move.
Mayoru had used the same method to kill the earlier Grade 1 sorcerer.
For Vector Manipulation, killing someone was simply that easy.
However, Mayoru had still underestimated what it meant to be the strongest.
The strongest were called the strongest precisely because they defied common sense and could never be judged by ordinary standards.
Mayoru had calculated that Kashimo’s muscles would stiffen for an instant after knocking away the final container, leaving him unable to move.
Yet Kashimo evaded both approaching hands at the very last moment.
This was the strongest sorcerer from four hundred years ago.
There was no clear reason.
He merely sensed that touching those hands meant death and dodged with speed that surpassed common sense.
Mayoru’s surprise attack failed, leaving his body stiff for a brief instant.
Kashimo naturally refused to waste the opening.
He swung his right arm and raised his iron staff toward Mayoru’s head.
Lightning gathered around the weapon as Kashimo became certain of his victory.
He still did not understand the true nature of Mayoru’s technique.
He did not know how Mayoru had suddenly closed the distance.
His instincts also warned him that he would die if those hands touched him.
None of that mattered anymore.
“You’re still too inexperienced, sorcerer!” The lightning-covered staff came crashing down.
It targeted Mayoru’s head during the instant he remained frozen after his failed attack.
Certain that the blow would smash his skull apart, Kashimo sneered.
“In other words, I win, Konoe!” …