Chapter 71: Throwing in the Towel! Throwing in the Towel!
When the Cursed Technique was activated, the large Cursed Spirit that was holding Hayasaka Ai and attempting to swallow her was completely covered by a blue Cursed Technique effect.
The Cursed Spirit's entire body trembled violently. Then, the mouth that only roared began to utter things only an exploited corporate slave would say.
"So tired, I'm so tired, I want to retire. No motivation, I don't want to work 996~
I want to take a bath!"
The Cursed Spirit's movements fully displayed the weariness and exhaustion of a corporate slave after a long day of work. It looked like it had completely lost the will to fight and collapsed limply on the ground. If it could lie down, it absolutely wouldn't stand up.
The fatigue of work seemed to have erased the Cursed Spirit's desire to even eat people; it just wanted to slack off.
Hayasaka Ai was also released by the Cursed Spirit. Freed from the restraint, she fell to the ground from its palm. Although the height was over three meters, Hayasaka Ai, whose body had sustained multiple fractures from the Cursed Spirit's grip earlier, only felt pain, not life-threatening injury, thanks to the spontaneous protection of her own Cursed Energy.
Hayasaka Ai herself probably couldn't believe it. She was only thinking of a small rebellious act, yet the years of pent-up grievances and resentment had directly awakened her Innate Cursed Technique.
"And this is my Cursed Technique?!"
If the narrow-eyed, bun-haired Cult Leader (Geto) were here, he might have congratulated Hayasaka Ai on evolving from a monkey to a human. Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened when she saw the Cursed Spirit in its slacking state.
Gaining the talent for an Innate Cursed Technique meant Hayasaka Ai had become an entry-level Sorcerer. She could now see the ugly Cursed Spirit in front of her even without that candle. This peculiar feeling was quite good, making Hayasaka Ai feel slightly out of control. Her body was now filled with power. If she were her former self, she could beat at least ten people now.
The Innate Cursed Technique is a technique that every Sorcerer is born with. It cannot be reproduced through copying or other means; it is either inherited through blood or imprinted in the genes. Generally, the Innate Cursed Technique is supposed to awaken at a very young age. For someone like Hayasaka Ai to awaken it at this age is quite rare.
The name of this Innate Cursed Technique also appeared in Hayasaka Ai's mind, which made her slightly lose her composure.
'Seriously, why is it called [Throwing in the Towel]!'
[Slacking Cursed Method] abbreviated as [Throwing in the Towel]. Hayasaka Ai didn't know why the name of her Cursed Technique was so strange.
Cursed Technique Effect 1: Throwing in the Towel! Throwing in the Towel!
The person or Cursed Spirit affected will experience the pleasure of being exploited 996-style, lose all motivation, and only want to slack off.
Well, as a workhorse with no holidays for 365 days, waking up at 5 a.m. and going to bed past midnight, with only five hours of sleep, she wanted to retire, not work, and just slack off. But she was oppressed by the Shinomiya family and could only occasionally "slack off" by watching "Road Roller Videos" before bed, only to start working again the next day. Hayasaka Ai herself probably didn't know that her greatest desire was to leave the Shinomiya family and completely slack off as a NEET who was served food.
The [Slacking Cursed Method] was the embodiment of this wish in Hayasaka Ai's heart. She didn't want to become an executive of the Shinomiya family like her parents; she just wanted to slack off.
"A mental manipulation Cursed Technique, huh."
Quite rare.
It's similar to strong crowd control. Physical attack Cursed Techniques are not rare nowadays; Cursed Techniques involving mental manipulation are what catch people off guard. Satoru Gojo's Unlimited Void and Hikigaya Hachiman's Sleeper's Utterance are both mental pollution-type attacks, providing ultra-strong control. Hayasaka Ai's awakened Innate Cursed Technique is probably similar.
After deployment, the Cursed Spirit's mental state became unstable. According to the Cursed Spirit's killing instinct, it should have attacked Hayasaka Ai, but now it showed no motivation, lazily resting on the ground, immobile and without any offensive power.
However, Hikigaya Hachiman still noticed a scarlet glint containing undisguised murderous intent in the Cursed Spirit's eyes. He felt the Cursed Spirit's consciousness was gradually returning to clarity.
"The Cursed Technique effect should be about to be dispelled."
Hikigaya Hachiman realized this, but just like before, he didn't intervene, instead allowing the Cursed Spirit to forcefully break free from the Cursed Technique's effect using Cursed Energy.
Whether Hayasaka Ai realized it or not, once she entered the world of Sorcerers, her life would be more brutal than before. If an ordinary person's Cursed Energy is weak, they can pretend they don't see Cursed Spirits. But for someone like Hayasaka Ai, pretending she doesn't see them is no longer effective.
She will be more susceptible to Cursed Spirit attacks than before. This is why Satoru Gojo constantly travels across the country to find potential Sorcerer candidates and bring them back to Jujutsu High.
Unless one has a terrifying Special Grade Cursed Spirit as a bodyguard, like Okkotsu Yuta, the aptitude of a Sorcerer is a curse, not a blessing, for the weak. Enduring a little hardship now will greatly increase the chances of survival later when facing Cursed Spirits.
"When you encounter a Cursed Spirit you can't defeat, running while the Cursed Technique is active is the right way." This was the lesson Hikigaya Hachiman wanted to teach Hayasaka Ai.
Hikigaya Hachiman's judgment was accurate. The Cursed Spirit broke free from the effect of Hayasaka Ai's Cursed Technique with only a slight struggle.
Suddenly, Hayasaka Ai felt a sharp, needle-like pain in her head. A vision of a ferocious Cursed Spirit roaring madly at her appeared in her mind. After a momentary dizziness, blood flowed down from Hayasaka Ai's nose, staining the front of her clothes. Her brain was throbbing with unbearable pain.
This was the Cursed Technique backlash caused by the technique being broken.
Hayasaka Ai couldn't even stand steadily and collapsed to the ground. The feeling of power she had moments ago completely vanished.
"Roar!"
Moreover, since Hayasaka Ai could see the Cursed Spirit with her naked eye, this massive monstrous thing, with its huge, blood-red eyes staring at her, was terrifying. The enraged Cursed Spirit had completely recovered from its "tired corporate slave" state and became more aggressive. Because the food (Hayasaka Ai) had done something earlier that made it feel like there was nothing left to live for in this world.
Even a Cursed Spirit couldn't handle the 996 grind and just wanted to "die and jump off a building."
Now that it had recovered, it was immediately furious and wanted to grab Hayasaka Ai again to devour her whole.
Hayasaka Ai immediately panicked and tried to use the Cursed Technique again, but without experience in using Cursed Techniques, the difficulty of casting the technique again increased greatly compared to the accidental casting earlier. Furthermore, the reckless release of Cursed Energy almost drained her reserves.
Running out of Cursed Energy is definitely not a pleasant experience and even carries the risk of death.
Hayasaka Ai felt she had lost control of her body and could only watch helplessly as the Cursed Spirit's open mouth came closer and closer to her.
"Now you know, Hayasaka."
But just then, a familiar voice appeared beside Hayasaka Ai's ear. Hikigaya Hachiman originally wanted to see Hayasaka Ai use the Cursed Technique again, but who knew that her chaotic Cursed Energy release would only get her this far.
"Even with a Cursed Technique, if you can't beat the Cursed Spirit, you just can't beat it."
The scene Hayasaka Ai saw was the instantaneous annihilation of the Cursed Spirit that was unbeatable to her. Blood-colored thorns shimmered with a seductive red glow in the dark night. These adult-arm-thick thorns pierced the Cursed Spirit's body, tearing it completely apart from the inside. The purplish-black, bloody chunks of flesh flying everywhere in the ruins gave an evil feeling to the scarlet thorns.
Hayasaka Ai's gaze fell upon the young man walking towards her, whose eyes were as seductive as crimson gems. His handsome face and pale skin made him look like a dark prince from a Western fairy tale—elegant yet deadly.
"Hikigaya-kun?"
Hayasaka Ai's tone carried a hint of uncertainty. Because she was now a Sorcerer, she could perceive the strength and the powerful residual energy of Hikigaya Hachiman's Cursed Technique, which was chilling.
Kaguya-sama said that Hikigaya-kun was a very powerful Sorcerer. Although she had only heard the Young Lady talk about it, Hayasaka Ai had never actually witnessed Hikigaya-kun in action. She saw it today, and he was indeed very formidable.
"Yes." Hikigaya Hachiman nodded. He hadn't forgotten his original intention, which was to show her the brutal blood-soaked rules of the Sorcerer world. If possible, he didn't want his former deskmate to end up in a square box.
The most crucial thing for a Sorcerer is to realize one's own weakness and know one's limits. There have been too many bloody cases at Jujutsu High where forcing oneself only led to death, and sometimes the Sorcerer didn't even leave behind a whole corpse because of the Cursed Spirit. Hikigaya Hachiman simply waved his hand, and the residue of the Cursed Spirit's remains instantly vanished.
However, the future is still long, and there is still plenty of time for guidance. So, Hikigaya Hachiman's tone became slightly more relaxed.
"Hayasaka, congratulations on becoming a Sorcerer."
"Oh, thank you."
The sudden congratulations left Hayasaka Ai a little slow to react. Of course, the main reason was that Hikigaya-kun appeared too suddenly, making her brain lag a beat.
"Wait, this is not the time to talk about this."
Even after she was safe, the anxious Hayasaka Ai's first thought was Kaguya Shinomiya. At this point, she didn't bother to hide her mistress-maid relationship with the Young Lady. "Hikigaya-kun, Kaguya-sama is here too."
Although the Cursed Spirit here was resolved, Hayasaka Ai had been separated from the Young Lady. She wouldn't feel relieved until she confirmed the Young Lady's safety. Hayasaka Ai wanted to stand up, but the toll of using the Cursed Technique was too great, making her feel like her entire body was falling apart. She couldn't stand up at all.
"Regarding that, you can rest assured, Shinomiya is fine."
Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head.
"I've already exorcised all the Cursed Spirits in this hospital."
Hikigaya Hachiman was able to find Hayasaka Ai quickly using a detection Cursed Technique. At that time, he had also conveniently dealt with the Cursed Spirits rampaging throughout the entire hospital.
"Also, instead of worrying about others, how about worrying about yourself first."
Hearing Hikigaya-kun say that the Young Lady was fine, Hayasaka Ai's heavy heart finally dropped, but Hikigaya-kun's last sentence made her slightly stunned.
"?"
"Yes." Hikigaya Hachiman reminded Hayasaka Ai in a serious tone. "You were too desperate just now. Do you know that running out of Cursed Energy can kill people?
Look, you can't stand up now..."
Hearing Hikigaya-kun's angry words, Hayasaka Ai suddenly realized that the reason he was angry was because she wasn't taking care of her own body. No one had spoken such words of concern to her for so long that it made Hayasaka Ai feel slightly distracted and a little overwhelmed.
Hikigaya Hachiman crouched down and looked at the foolish-looking Hayasaka Ai. This girl usually seemed so bright, yet she was so clumsy when it came to her own well-being.
"I can use the Reverse Cursed Technique. Tell me where it hurts."
Hikigaya Hachiman was afraid Hayasaka Ai didn't know what the Reverse Cursed Technique was, so he explained it further. "It's a healing technique. I can heal your injuries."
The Reverse Cursed Technique is best for targeted treatment. Although this was a hospital, there were currently no facilities to give Hayasaka Ai a comprehensive check-up. So, Hikigaya Hachiman asked her to name all the painful spots, which also saved them the trouble of getting medical registration and treatment.
"No, I know, Hikigaya-kun." Hayasaka Ai said quickly. "I feel significant pain in my left leg, abdomen, and right wrist, as well as some other minor scrapes."
Hikigaya Hachiman nodded. "It might be a bit intrusive, but let me check if there are any bone dislocations." The Reverse Cursed Technique is not omnipotent. If a bone is dislocated, it shouldn't be allowed to keep growing in the wrong direction.
"It's fine." Hayasaka Ai knew Hikigaya-kun was a very proper person, so she wasn't afraid. However, as she watched him hold her leg in his arms to check, Hayasaka Ai still felt a little embarrassed. Especially when he pressed on her ankle, covered by her small stockings. The pain and a subtle feeling mixed together, making her heart feel incredibly delicate.
Looking at his serious expression, a sense of guilt welled up in Hayasaka Ai's heart because she couldn't help but let her mind wander.
Hayasaka Ai suddenly remembered what she said earlier about "pushing her butt," and her face blushed even more.
Having actually experienced it once, did she really need to "push" such a strong arm? Hayasaka Ai felt she was a talent. Why did she come up with such a ridiculous reason at the time? Was it truly because the pressure she put on herself was too much, leading Hayasaka Ai to not know when she had become this way?
Was her mind filled only with inappropriate thoughts? She didn't want this self. And Hikigaya-kun's hand was so warm.
Hikigaya Hachiman used the Reverse Cursed Technique to heal Hayasaka Ai's wounds. As she felt the warm sensation radiating from the treated injuries on her body, a sense of guilt followed. Kaguya-sama must still be worried about her right now, yet Hayasaka Ai was enjoying the treatment from the Young Lady's crush. This moment of monopolizing Hikigaya-kun's gentleness made Hayasaka Ai feel a sense of remorse.
'I'm sorry, Kaguya-sama.'
But this sense of relief, intertwined with an indescribable feeling of immorality, made Hayasaka Ai forget about everything else.
Hikigaya-kun's Reverse Cursed Technique felt to Hayasaka Ai like soaking in warm spring water after a long day of work, washing away all the fatigue—it was very stress-relieving.
Hayasaka Ai's long legs were very slender but not skinny. Since she exercised well in her daily life, he could feel healthy muscle. The places prone to dislocation, such as her ankles, were all fine. Hikigaya Hachiman immediately treated her with the Reverse Cursed Technique.
"All done, Hayasaka."
"Oh, okay."
Lost in the moment, Hayasaka Ai felt a little reluctant for Hikigaya-kun to leave her side.
But she was even more surprised when she saw the changes in her body.
The cuts and scrapes on her skin were completely healed. She thought some of the wounds would leave scars, but her skin was still white and clear. As for the internal injuries like bone cracks, although she couldn't know exactly how well they had healed, the pain was completely gone, so they should be fine.
"Let's go find Shinomiya." Hikigaya Hachiman said. "The cleanup crew from the Sorcerer Association has also arrived." Hikigaya Hachiman felt that what he said to Sakiko earlier was too absolute. Support Sorcerers might not be needed, but the cleanup staff was necessary. Thankfully, these cleanup workers from the Sorcerer Association had arrived.
"Um, Hikigaya-kun, aren't you curious about the relationship between Kaguya-sama and me?" Hayasaka Ai asked.
"I'm not curious." Hikigaya Hachiman often saw Hayasaka Ai and Kaguya Shinomiya secretly hanging out together back in freshman year.
"I attended a banquet hosted by Shinomiya's older brother last time."
Hearing Hikigaya-kun's words, Hayasaka Ai remembered. At that time, Kaguya-sama saw the photo of her and Hikigaya-kun that Chika-chan had sent. The Young Lady was furious. Although Kaguya-sama didn't say anything, the expression in the photo clearly read, "Oh, so you're eating alone, huh?"
"One of the ladies who received me was named Hayasaka."
"That would be my mother." Hayasaka Ai's mother, Hayasaka Nao, was Shinomiya Oko's absolute confidante and the second-highest figure in Oko's faction.
"The Hayasaka family is subordinate to the Shinomiya family. I apologize for hiding it from you earlier." Hayasaka Ai said apologetically. "Because Kaguya-sama didn't allow me to reveal our relationship at school."
"It's no big deal." Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head.
This was somewhat like the subservience between noble families, which was very common in the Empire where the original Hikigaya Hachiman came from. There were many sons of minor nobles who joined the Astartes selection to improve their family's status. Therefore, Hikigaya Hachiman had low prejudice toward background.
After all, as long as everyone served the Empire, they were good brothers.
"Besides, you are a Sorcerer now. If you tell them, both your family and the Shinomiya family will heavily invest in cultivating you, right?" Hayasaka Ai's Cursed Technique was quite rare—a mental manipulation Cursed Technique. "A person's birth cannot be chosen, but a person can actively decide what their future will look like."
"There's no need to feel embarrassed or sad about being from a family subordinate to the Shinomiya family."
Because Kaguya-sama's status in the Shinomiya family was low, Hayasaka Ai had long been looked down upon and suffered grievances from the main Shinomiya family members.
Facing Hikigaya-kun's guidance and the portrayal of the convenience that her Sorcerer identity would bring, Hayasaka Ai's heart trembled.
"You definitely have the aptitude for it.
Wait a moment; perhaps a middle-aged man with bandages will come to invite you to join the Tokyo Jujutsu High School."
Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head. Why was Satoru Gojo still fighting so cautiously? In his opinion, wouldn't a Unlimited Void have ended it long ago?
Hikigaya Hachiman guessed that Satoru Gojo wanted to wake up Okkotsu Yuta and test his control over Rika Orimoto so he could have a better understanding. And after using Unlimited Void, Rika Orimoto would essentially be useless.
Hikigaya Hachiman needed to go to the pharmacy to find some stimulating drugs to wake up Okkotsu Yuta.
"Hayasaka!"
Hikigaya Hachiman had destroyed the barricade the Cursed Spirit had created earlier. They were already very close to Kaguya Shinomiya's location, so hearing Kaguya Shinomiya's voice was not strange.
"Is that Hayasaka!"
Kaguya Shinomiya had many small cuts on her body and looked quite disheveled and covered in dust, which contrasted sharply with Hayasaka Ai, who, though not as clean, had no visible wounds. Even Kaguya Shinomiya, whose expression was usually incredibly cold, became gentle at this moment. She quickly walked forward and hugged Hayasaka Ai.
"You idiot, why did you do that just now?
If it weren't for you, I would have..."
Hayasaka Ai noticed that Kaguya-sama's hands were scratched by stones, and her fingernails were even a little bloody from digging through the rubble of reinforced concrete earlier.
Who would have thought that a simple medical check-up for the Young Lady would lead to such a serious Cursed Spirit attack? This reunion made them feel as if they had been separated for a lifetime, and they cherished each other greatly.
"Never mind that, Young Lady, let Hikigaya-kun treat you first." Hayasaka Ai reminded Kaguya Shinomiya that Hikigaya-kun was also there. The Young Lady was probably too excited to see
Hayasaka Ai and didn't even notice her crush standing beside her, just assuming a kind Sorcerer had saved her.
"Huh?"
The scene of sisterly reunion instantly froze on Kaguya Shinomiya's face. She stiffly turned her head to the side and saw that familiar face.
"Hikigaya-kun?"
"Yes, I'm here."
Kaguya Shinomiya's heart skipped a beat.
"Wait, Kaguya-sama."
Hayasaka Ai was familiar with the Young Lady's personality, which was to present her most perfect side to her crush. Having messy hair, a dusty face, and looking disheveled in front of her crush—for the Young Lady, she might as well just die.
Hayasaka Ai firmly grabbed the Young Lady's arm, preventing the face-covered Kaguya Shinomiya from leaving.
"Hayasaka, let go of me!" The fact that she was currently in such an unpresentable state, which she knew without looking, made Kaguya Shinomiya feel suffocated.
"Kaguya-sama, Hikigaya-kun won't dislike you!"
In the end, Hayasaka Ai convinced Hikigaya-kun to treat Kaguya Shinomiya.
Hikigaya Hachiman called a Sorcerer Association vehicle to send the mistress and maid back, then he returned to the battlefield, administered a series of drugs to Okkotsu Yuta, and successfully woke him up from his coma.
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New Fanfiction!
Hachiman please tone down your Inner Thoughts
While waiting for Yukinoshita in the clubroom, he unexpectedly travels to the world of Classroom of the Elite and becomes the representative of Class B.
Initially, he only intended to keep a low profile while helping Class B escape its tragic fate from the original story, and incidentally saving Ichinose Honami.
However, why these girls seems to know what am I Thinking?
Read ahead (40 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting