Chapter 79: Interstellar Flight.
"Very good, my name is Aoi Todo! Come at me together!"
Aoi Todo watched the charging Okkotsu Yuta, his initially excited expression turning grave. There's a shadow of a cursed spirit behind him. A person cursed by a vengeful spirit, huh?
Interesting!
"Defeat him! Yuta...!" Rika Orimoto's voice echoed in Okkotsu Yuta's ears.
"Mm, I will defeat him. Lend me your power, Rika."
Okkotsu Yuta responded softly and charged forward directly. Having been trained by Maki and Tatsuro for a long time, his close-combat abilities were naturally not weak.
Although he didn't have his own cursed technique, Gojo-sensei had told him he was Rika's vessel and would inherit Rika's technique in the future. Fueled by the conviction to defeat Todo, Okkotsu Yuta delivered a clean and decisive slash.
Aoi Todo easily dodged. Just as he was about to attack, he suddenly felt something on Yuta repelling him; the punch he threw couldn't get close!
What is this!
Still in surprise, the repulsive force instantly vanished. Okkotsu Yuta's second slash came out!
"Swoosh—" The blade flashed, and blood splattered.
Aoi Todo quickly retreated, touched his cheek, and looked at the bloodstain on his hand, a serious expression in his eyes. Too bizarre. That punch actually couldn't get near, as if space itself was being infinitely superimposed, forever unreachable.
Clap! A white light flashed on everyone's forehead in the vicinity.
Puzzled, Todo noticed a string of English letters, 'Imai', had appeared on his arm at some point, like a marker.
Looking up at Okkotsu Yuta, he found a similar mark on the back of Yuta's hand, though the English word was 'Mimosa'.
One meant 'Imai' (a Japanese surname), the other 'Mimosa' (a type of plant). Clearly, the translated meanings had no connection; they merely served as markers for a cursed technique's activation.
Clap!
Todo made a judgment in just 0.1 seconds. He clapped his hands, decisively using 'Boogie Woogie' to swap places with Okkotsu and attack Kirara Hoshi.
Okkotsu Yuta, not understanding what was happening, was suddenly swapped. Seeing Aoi Todo now in his previous position attacking Kirara Hoshi, he shouted, "Senior, watch out!"
Kirara Hoshi merely glanced at the attacking Aoi Todo, seemingly unfazed.
As expected, the fist stopped halfway, unable to get closer. No matter how much force Aoi Todo used, he didn't advance an inch, as if facing an eternally unreachable truth.
Just as Todo was wondering what this cursed technique was all about, Okkotsu Yuta attacked him from behind with his sword. But the result was the same as Todo's – he couldn't get close.
"Huh? What's going on?" Now it was Yuta's turn to be confused. Just a moment ago, his slash had connected, but now he couldn't get near?
The three were now in a stalemate. Aoi Todo couldn't approach Kirara Hoshi, and Okkotsu Yuta couldn't approach Aoi Todo.
But Aoi Todo, priding himself on his 530,000 IQ, had already more or less understood the principle of this cursed technique. The user wasn't Okkotsu Yuta, but this Kirara Hoshi.
Those two can approach each other, but I can't approach either of them. Correspondingly, while the technique is active, they can't approach me either. This is a 'rule-based Cursed Technique'.
Meaning, when the technique is activated, the user must also adhere to its rules. Since it's a rule, there must be a way to make contact with them; otherwise, the user also wouldn't be able to make contact, unless the technique is deactivated.
Having roughly figured it out, Aoi Todo withdrew his fist and scanned his surroundings. This was a dead end. He had encountered the two of them, who were chasing a 'rat,' just as he entered, though he didn't know where the 'rat' had run off to now.
'Gacrux'
The English word on the wall instantly caught Todo's attention. Having a rough idea, Aoi Todo said, "The principle of your cursed technique should be based on the 'Southern Cross' constellation, right?"
Hearing the principle of their cursed technique revealed, Kirara Hoshi's pupils constricted. Seemingly realizing their poor emotional control, they quickly patted their face, muttering, "Damn it!"
This reaction also let Todo know he had guessed correctly. If 'Imai' on his body represented 1, then Okkotsu Yuta and Kirara Hoshi should represent 3 and 4.
For 1 to touch 3 or 4, it must pass through 2. And that 'Gacrux' behind him should be 2.
A very simple cursed technique principle, but if one didn't understand it, they could be played to death. After all, the user could deactivate and reactivate the technique at any moment.
While Okkotsu Yuta was still wondering what the 'Southern Cross' was, the sound of clapping echoed again.
Aoi Todo and Kirara Hoshi swapped places. Todo reached out to touch 'Gacrux' on the wall, but... just like before, he couldn't make contact.
Todo now understood. This wasn't 2, but 5! The only one on the field marked as 2 should be that dog!
Kirara Hoshi, having been swapped, didn't dally. They touched the rubble on the ground and infused it with cursed energy. All of it was inscribed with the 'Imai' mark. As the technique was inscribed, the cursed energy-enhanced stones quickly flew up, shooting towards Aoi Todo.
Same mark; the weaker will approach the stronger. This was also one of the rules of 'Interstellar Flight'. But its drawback was that it could only be used on one person at a time. If one wanted to use it on someone else, one mark had to be erased.
Meaning: Todo was No. 1, Shura No. 2, Okkotsu Yuta No. 3, Kirara Hoshi No. 4, and the wall No. 5.
They could throw objects bearing the same mark as a target towards that target, and the thrown objects would continuously stick to the target until they crushed them to death.
But if they wanted to use it on two people simultaneously, they would have to remove one of the five marks and then re-mark it with the same insignia.
Aoi Todo shattered the stones with a few punches, but even smaller 'Imai' marks appeared on the broken pieces, clinging to Todo.
"This is..."
Todo glanced at the cursed energy contained in the stones and clapped his hands lightly. The stones swapped places with Shura, who was lying unconscious on the ground.
"Even this works?"
Kirara Hoshi was extremely speechless at this moment. They hadn't expected their usually invincible technique to meet its counter. Now that their technique had been completely figured out, it meant they were as good as useless.
Next, it could only be left to their junior, Okkotsu Yuta.
Deactivating the technique, the rubble clinging to Aoi Todo fell to the ground. Kirara said to Okkotsu Yuta, "Sorry, my technique was broken. Next, it's up to you, junior."
Yuta nodded. "Mm, I understand. But you've already done your best, senpai. There's no need to blame yourself. It was me who wasted the opportunity you created."
"As long as you know. Then make up for your mistake properly," Kirara Hoshi said with a smile. They had been in this situation before. First-years, huh? Not everyone is like junior Tatsuro – kind on the outside, meticulous in mind, but also a battle maniac.
This evaluation might not be universal, but at least that's what they thought.