A gigantic and misshapen Curse stood there, crouched in the shadows. Its body was a grotesque mix of twisted limbs, and its face was a horrifying mass of misaligned eyes and mouths. When it saw Ryosuke, it flinched.
"What is a human doing here?" growled the creature, its voice deep and raspy.
Ryosuke felt sweat bead on his forehead. According to what he had read in the manga, a Curse capable of speech was likely a class 1. This was a far more formidable opponent than he had planned to encounter.
The Curse approached, its monstrous face just inches from Ryosuke's.
"How can you see me? The other humans cannot," it rasped.
The creature's nauseating stench nearly made Ryosuke step back, but he remained still, turning his gaze away to avoid showing weakness. His fingers tightened around the rusty metal bar, which suddenly transformed into a brand-new, gleaming, and sharp weapon.
Ryosuke smiled softly, maintaining his calm.
"It's a good thing you're a powerful Curse," he murmured. "You're going to help me gain experience. Be worthy of it."
The Curse recoiled, clearly surprised by the surge of energy.
Ryosuke didn't wait a second longer. He lunged forward, brandishing his newly refined metal bar. The impact shook the walls, and the creature crashed violently against a crumbling section, revealing a hidden room behind it.
Ryosuke straightened up. "First hit, confirmed," he murmured with satisfaction.
But his opponent, far from being defeated, slowly rose, brushing off its twisted limbs with an eerie calm.
The Curse squinted its many eyes, fixing Ryosuke with growing curiosity. "How… How can a mere human see me and… touch me?" its rough voice vibrated in the air.
Still holding his transformed weapon, Ryosuke suddenly understood. A smirk appeared on his lips. "I see this is the first time you've encountered a jujutsu sorcerer," he said calmly. "Humans can also control cursed energy. That's how we see creatures like you… and touch you."
He extended his bar with a confident gesture. "And I'm here to kill you."
A malevolent grin stretched across the Curse's distorted mouths. "Fascinating…" it murmured, captivated, its eyes fixated on the aura surrounding Ryosuke.
But Ryosuke didn't let himself get distracted. He leaped again, ready to land a decisive blow. However, before he could reach it, a sudden gust of wind of unexpected force hit him head-on. He was thrown through several walls, his body flying through the building like an arrow before crashing heavily into a ruined room.
The Curse burst into laughter, its voice echoing through the abandoned hospital.
"Amuse me a little," it growled, a sinister smile on its face. "I want to see how far you can go."
Ryosuke slowly got back on his feet, dusting off his clothes. He smiled to himself, murmuring quietly, "Cursed energy really is convenient… I didn't feel a thing from the impact."
He placed his bag on the ground, a little intrigued. "Why am I not even out of breath?" He furrowed his brow. From what he knew from the manga, enveloping oneself in cursed energy constantly should be exhausting. But here, he felt no fatigue.
A mystery to solve later. For now, he tightened his grip on his metal bar, fixing his gaze on the Curse, which remained waiting, unmoving.
"Here we go again."
Ryosuke charged once more.
Just like last time, a gust of wind surged, violently throwing him back. But, the next instant, he was already leaping again, reappearing just behind the Curse, faster than ever. This time, he was going to strike where it hurt.
Suddenly, another gust of wind scooped him up and hurled him against the ceiling, sending him straight up to the fourth floor.
Dust swirled around him, and the slab cracked under the impact. Yet, when the Curse appeared in the gap, it was unharmed.
Ryosuke, also unharmed, emerged on its flank, quicker than a shadow, surprising the creature with his speed. He struck with all his might using the metal bar, but at the last moment, an invisible wind shield blocked his attack.
The shock sent Ryosuke flying backward, once again crashing through the walls.
He stood up again.
"Let's see who gives in first, alright?" he shouted, a smirk on his face.
Ryosuke charged at the Curse again, his metal bar still tightly gripped in his hands. His movements were faster, more precise, each strike aiming at a different point of the invisible shield that separated him from the creature.
The sound of his footsteps echoed through the dilapidated corridors of the psychiatric hospital, accompanied by the crash of his attacks. But despite his efforts, his weapon always hit the same obstacle: the invisible shield, formed by gusts of wind that the Curse controlled with disconcerting ease.
The monster, impassive, watched Ryosuke with growing interest, a glint of malice in its many eyes. Its deformed mouths curled into a smile that would have chilled anyone else to the bone.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Next Chapter : The Thrill of Shonen Combat