Chapter 83: Preliminary Instruction
Hikigaya Hachiman made an appointment to train Mutsumi Wakaba tonight in the "Unparalleled Sword Maiden" technique she had awakened, which featured the "one second, four hits" (one sword, four breaks) mechanic. In Hikigaya's eyes, she reminded him significantly of Nanami, the guy who used to make money for him through private equity.
As a former Grade 1 Sorcerer, Kento Nanami used the "Ratio Technique," which forcibly created weak points. He could apply a forced weakness at the 7:3 point on an enemy; once he hit this "vital point," it would trigger a "critical hit" effect.
Mutsumi Wakaba's "Cucumber Sword Maiden" was the same, but instead of creating just one, she achieved "four breaks in one second," creating four "vital points." It was essentially a superior version of the Ratio Technique, perfectly suited for combat against curse users and cursed spirits.
If Satoru Gojo found out about Mutsumi's technique, his eyes would likely turn green with envy, and he would do whatever it took to kidnap Mutsumi and bring her to Jujutsu High.
Hikigaya Hachiman knew that the small bird, which was completely constructed from a Cursed Technique Reversal structure, couldn't possibly exist just to be the "mouthpiece" for the silent Mutsumi. However, this also made Hikigaya wonder: if that bird could turn into a sword, could a sword turn into a firearm?
Cold weapons carry the risk of close combat, whereas firearms allow for long-range attacks. If it were a sniper rifle, one could perform assassinations from a distance. The technique Mutsumi mastered was equally useful for sniping enemies. Even if it couldn't turn into a sniper rifle, a boltgun would be fine.
Hikigaya Hachiman quite missed the sensation of the .75 caliber boltgun, where every shot resulted in an explosion. But technology didn't allow for it; while he could build a chainsword without a disruption field, he couldn't build a boltgun with that much caliber and explosive power. As for a substitute like a Vulcan cannon, the "feel" was only average.
Hikigaya Hachiman had originally thought Mutsumi would refuse—not just because exorcising cursed spirits is absolutely not child's play but a life-and-death struggle with real blades, but also because of Mutsumi's personal factors: she suffered from a severe lack of subjective will. Previously, even regarding the band where she had so many beautiful memories, she was able to say that sentence:
"I have never felt happy in the band."
But if she wasn't happy, why did she stay at home practicing the guitar constantly to ensure her technical level wouldn't drop when she was needed? This was also Mutsumi's rebellion against her unchanging life; even someone as obedient as her has moments of defiance. Furthermore, for Mutsumi Wakaba, this was a chance to feel "needed" once again. Mutsumi
also believed that Hachiman would not harm her and was capable of leading her toward a better future.
Hikigaya Hachiman actually quite enjoyed training recruits.
Recruits are the continuation of the Legion's life. In his era, recruits relied purely on training with real weapons; there were no "fast-track" machines. The technology to upload knowledge into the brain to create "Instant Astartes" didn't exist yet.
However, those were matters for the evening. Since Yukinoshita left for school very early in the morning, Hikigaya Hachiman simply put all the items from the trunk into his spatial ring, planning to place them in the Service Club later. There was no rush; it was exam week, so there was plenty of free time.
On the way to school, even without rolling down the car window, Hikigaya Hachiman could see the considerable anxiety on the faces of the students along the road. The difficulty of exams at Shuchiin is extremely high; for most people, it's essentially over before the exam even starts. Most members of Shuchiin are heirs to great families or large financial conglomerates; it's fine if they are an only child, but if they have siblings, failing an exam is practically an early exit from the succession race. Therefore, these students don't dare to relax for a second.
For Hikigaya Hachiman, there was no "exam atmosphere" at all. Come to think of it, did he make a bet with someone? Too much had happened; Hikigaya had almost forgotten.
When he parked the car and walked from the back gate toward the front, he looked up even before hearing the familiar footsteps.
It was the first "rough diamond" Hikigaya Hachiman had discovered: Hayasaka Ai.
What Hayasaka Ai had awakened was a technique similar to a mental attack; once hit by her technique, the target becomes lazy and loses their will to fight. Although it's a technique without offensive power, it is excellent for crowd control. Hikigaya estimated that Mei Mei would likely envy Hayasaka's technique, as it would be a godsend for those strong in martial arts.
Hayasaka's expression was the same as the last time Hikigaya saw her—quite displeased. It was clear she had just been lectured.
"Good morning, Hayasaka." Hikigaya Hachiman offered a greeting.
The other party had clearly learned her lesson this time. Because the matter of her reporting as a "traitor" had been accidentally witnessed by Hikigaya Hachiman, Hayasaka Ai had moved to the even more deserted second floor.
Shinomiya Oko's people were so annoying. Since the eldest daughter, Kaguya, had been attacked by a cursed spirit, it was impossible for Hayasaka Ai to hide it. So last night,
Hayasaka worked a "night shift" to slightly streamline and modify the story, reporting only what could be told to the Shinomiya main family.
However, regarding her own awakening of a Cursed Technique and the fact that she and her master were saved by Hikigaya-kun, she didn't mention a thing. Hayasaka Ai knew that if she exposed her talent for jujutsu, she would 100% be transferred directly to the Shinomiya main family rather than remaining by Kaguya's side.
As for Hikigaya-kun, it was Hayasaka's selfishness; she didn't want the Shinomiya family to know their actual progress—that they could already be considered friends.
This morning's call from Shinomiya Oko was to confirm further details with Hayasaka. But she really had reported everything she could. Yet the other side still suspected she was hiding important intel and interrogated her relentlessly. It made Hayasaka feel like a criminal; how could she not be angry? Her good mood in the morning was completely ruined by those bastards, making her particularly unhappy.
"Good morning, Hikigaya-kun." Hayasaka Ai paused for a moment, not expecting to meet her savior here.
"Are you getting used to your identity as a jujutsu sorcerer?"
Hikigaya Hachiman noticed her sour mood and offered a reminder: "If you feel mistreated, I'll tell you a good method: go resolve the person who is causing the problem."
Hearing Hikigaya's blunt words, Hayasaka Ai smiled, thinking he was joking. Even though she had become a sorcerer, with an ability that seemed more like a gag, the prospect of opposing the Shinomiya family was still a long way off.
She didn't realize that in the jujutsu world, once one gains formidable power, "sharpening one's blade" against one's own family is a very common occurrence. The jujutsu world is a place where "strength is king"; those with strength can even ride on the heads of the weak.
Hikigaya Hachiman knew well that while violence might not solve the problem, it can solve the person who caused it.
"Thanks to Hikigaya-kun, I feel that awakening jujutsu is a very good thing."
Hayasaka Ai had originally wanted to be a sorcerer; after all, it was cool. "And if it weren't for Hikigaya-kun, even if I awakened a technique, it wouldn't be of much use."
Hayasaka was very aware that her half-baked technique couldn't even kill a single cursed spirit.
"Awakening a technique is your own business," Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head.
"Besides, I didn't do much."
It was the negligence of the Jujutsu Headquarters that led to so many civilians dying in that accident. Hikigaya Hachiman had also detected a reconnaissance technique that didn't
belong to the Headquarters' forces, indicating that another faction was also concerned with the news on the ground.
Hayasaka Ai shook her head; she knew the score. Without Hikigaya-kun's help to save the situation, she and Kaguya would have certainly died. But since Hikigaya didn't want to mention it, she didn't dwell on the topic, instead keeping the debt of gratitude deep in her heart.
"Being a sorcerer is really hard work, having to face so many disgusting things every day."
After just one morning, Hayasaka was already a bit fed up. She sighed toward Hikigaya Hachiman.
It was fine within the Shinomiya estate and Shuchiin, but the problem was the journey here. Although Hayasaka usually watched "hardcore" movies, when these monsters actually walked off the screen and into reality, it still left her mentally exhausted.
She couldn't look at them with a normal mindset. On the road, one could see bloody, dismembered body parts running happily everywhere. Fortunately, most were low-level cursed spirits; even if they knew Hayasaka could see them, they had no killing power and could be subdued with a single strike from a stick. Moreover, Hayasaka was a talent trained in professional combat and swordsmanship.
Hearing Hayasaka say this, Hikigaya Hachiman just smiled. Seeing these "ghostly things" is something a sorcerer must experience. For someone like Mutsumi Wakaba, although she had awakened, she couldn't see cursed spirits and therefore didn't have as many worries.
"Speaking of which, I was in too much of a hurry last time."
Usually, for a novice sorcerer who has just entered the door, the teacher who leads them in should impart certain self-defense methods. Last time, Hikigaya Hachiman was primarily concerned with quelling the chaos caused by that Special Grade Vengeful Cursed Spirit. His interactions with Hayasaka Ai and Shinomiya Kaguya were mainly for reassurance; he hadn't taught any jujutsu combat techniques.
So, hearing Hayasaka's aesthetic fatigue regarding those cursed spirits and her concern that they might attack, Hikigaya Hachiman asked right then:
"Do you have a blade?"
In fact, cursed energy isn't strictly necessary; even ordinary tools can carry "cursed tools." Objects found at hand, when reinforced by cursed energy, can exert powerful destructive force.
Though Hayasaka found it strange, she nodded. "I do."
After saying that, she immediately reached toward her skirt. her blade was primarily strapped to her thigh. Hikigaya Hachiman very gentlemanly averted his gaze.
Hayasaka's persona at school was that of a "gal," so her outfit pushed the limits of the school rules; she wore a miniskirt and had her jacket tied around her waist to prevent "wardrobe malfunctions." But while she protected herself from others, she didn't protect herself from herself; as she actively lifted the skirt, the paleness beneath that "absolute territory" was clearly visible.
If Hikigaya hadn't looked away, Hayasaka wouldn't have realized how suggestive her actions were. Her own face turned red unknowingly.
"It's okay, I'm wearing safety shorts."
Hayasaka Ai held a small blade in her hand. Although blades are contraband at Shuchiin, for the final line of defense responsible for Kaguya's safety, it was standard equipment. This slender, sharp knife was the most portable weapon for Hayasaka, allowing for a total surprise attack.
"Give it to me."
Though puzzled, Hayasaka obediently handed the small knife to Hikigaya. What Hikigaya felt upon taking it was not the coldness of metal but the warmth of body temperature. It made sense; body temperature is generally higher in places where blood circulation is fast. Hayasaka hadn't thought of this at first, but after accidentally touching Hikigaya's hand and feeling the temperature difference between a boy and a girl, she suddenly realized she had "warmed up" the knife. Her body stiffened instantly.
But for Hikigaya Hachiman, who was merely there to teach, he didn't think much of it. He held it in his hand and said to Hayasaka:
"Look closely. What do you see?"
Hayasaka immediately shook her head, clearing the stray thoughts from her mind and focusing all her attention on the blade.
"I see a thin layer of cursed energy wrapped around the blade."
"Yes, this is the extension of cursed energy." Hikigaya Hachiman nodded.
He went on to explain that this technique is the most basic application of cursed energy for sorcerers to resist cursed spirits.
"We only need to extend the cursed energy to the surface of the object to cause damage to cursed spirits.
Now look again. Can you see any difference in the fluctuations of the cursed energy on the blade between the first time and now?"
Hikigaya's cursed energy was red, so it was particularly visible. When it was first applied, it simply flowed smoothly and covered the blade, making the whole thing glow. The second time it was attached to the blade, it took on a "sawtooth" shape. This application of cursed energy
is more suitable for combat. That is, it applies a special cutting technique to the weapon; in Hikigaya's hands, it could achieve something similar to a molecular disruption field.
Although what Hikigaya Hachiman taught was very basic, for Hayasaka Ai, who had just entered the jujutsu world, it was still her first time encountering these concepts.
Seeing Hayasaka tentatively extend her own cursed energy to the knife, it showed that since she had undergone professional training, she possessed a certain degree of combat awareness. Her physical foundation and stamina were excellent, and with professional combat training and experience, what she lacked was only the control of cursed energy. In other words, if she went to Jujutsu High for a bit of advanced study on the use of cursed energy, the sorcerers there would be more professional than him.
"Today is an exam day, so let's stop here for now," Hikigaya Hachiman said to Hayasaka.
"If there are any problems, contact me directly on my phone. But you still need actual combat; real combat is where true experience comes from."
Thus, Hikigaya Hachiman felt he had to make these new-generation sorcerers fight against cursed spirits so they could grow faster. Otherwise, they would always be flowers in a greenhouse.
Hikigaya Hachiman had asked Yukinoshita Yukino last time; their exam seats should have been in the same classroom. But even after the first exam had ended, Yukinoshita hadn't shown up. Why was she absent?
Hikigaya Hachiman found it a bit strange; hadn't she left the house very early? Taking advantage of the break between exams, Hikigaya put the things from his ring into the Service Club, planning to organize them at noon or when Yukinoshita arrived.
Hello everyone! I'm VarieTL
Thank you as always for your support!
I wanted to announce that I posted a new Fanfiction!
Saving the World with Crossovers, starting with replacing Natsuki subaru with Hikigaya Hachiman
Kawata Osamu transmigrated and became a God.
Wonderful start, right? Unfortunately, this world is destined to be destroyed by the Abyss...
The only thing he can do is try to merge many worlds together thanks to the "Children of the World."
If he can show everyone their adventures and evoke enough emotion, the worlds will merge! Kawata Osamu decided to start by replacing Natsuki Subaru with Hikigaya Hachiman!
2nd Arc: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka in Redo of Healer
3rd Arc: Shirogane Miyuki in Inuyasha
4th Arc: Kousaka Kyousuke in Overlord
I have already posted 264 Chapters of this Fanfiction!
Mostly because it's really really good, so I wanted to continue working on it XD
Read ahead (40 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee com/varietl or ko-fi edwriting