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Young Fish and Reverse Punishment, Part 5

Nanami attacks the cursed spirit that Mahito summoned from his cursed technique, exorcising it with one swipe in its weak spot he was able to pinpoint.

"You're not bad," Mahito says as he summons two more transfigured humans into his hand and throws them in Nanami's direction.

Nanami blocks the attack with the hilt of his weapon, just to be blown backward. But luckily enough, he was able to land on his feet.

"Hm..." Mahito hummed out.

'How fun!' Mahito thought with a smile trembling on his lips.

'He changes people's shapes, but does their mass stay the same? Either way, it's not a good match for my technique.' Nanami mused.

"...elp. HHH...elp"

Nanami stared at the cursed spirit underneath his feet as it spoke, hearing the pleading tone.

He could remember Shoko telling him that once a person was disfigured, there was no way to help them. And that it'd be a good idea that if they attack, to kill them seeing as it's for the sake of the victim as well.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry. I practiced a lot so that even if I changed their shapes, they wouldn't die immediately. The brain? Consciousness? It's still not perfect. The sweat of the soul trickles out like that sometimes. Don't worry about it. Let us continue," Mahito says as he rubs the back of his head.

Nanami wipes away a stray tear that escapes the cursed spirit's eye, knowing that its human emotions are still there.

"I'm not worried. I don't bring my personal feelings into work," Nanami says.

Mahito started laughing. "What a terrible liar! Your soul is wavering. Um... What rank are you?"

Nanami wipes away the blood off of his blade by swiping it in the air.

"Grade 1," Nanami answered.

"No wonder you're strong. Perfect for experimentation. Lucky me. Thanks!" Mahito exclaimed as he got close to Nanami and sent an attack straight at the man's abdomen area.

Nanami clenched his teeth in pain as he swiped his blade in Mahito's direction, causing the said male to jump backward.

"Did I surprise you with how much faster I got all of a sudden? I can even change the shape of my own soul. Even if sorcerers can protect their bodies using cursed energy...they can't protect their souls. First off, one must acknowledge one's soul. Without that, it's impossible. But it seems you're subconsciously protecting your soul using cursed energy. Otherwise, you'd just be another pawn to me. Well, after two or three more times...you'll no longer be human," Mahito boasted as he pointed his hands in Nanami's direction which were covered in cursed energy.

"Is that all you've got...Grade 1 sorcerer? You did a lot of running. Are you at your limit yet?" Mahito asks as he stares down at Nanami who is leaning up against a pillar.

A sigh left Nanami's lips. "How unfortunate. I'm now working overtime," he muttered.

Mahito's eyes widened at the sudden change of atmosphere surrounding Nanami.

'What...? His cursed energy...is increasing!!' Mahito thought in amazement before jumping down to see eye-to-eye with the sorcerer. 'Overtime? He restricts himself based on time! He was limiting his power until now!'

"Interesting!" He exclaimed.

"My cursed technique can divide a subject with lines and forcibly create a weak spot at the ratio of seven to three. The lines don't have to measure up to the target's full length or wingspan. Head, torso, biceps, forearms... I can decide what part to divide," Nanami says as he walks toward Mahito, his cursed energy surrounding him.

'He's divulging his technique!' Mahito thought in amusement as he licked his thumb. "You're not playing around," he points out.

'In order to exorcise this spirit, I'll have to either...'

"And this technique...is also applicable to nonliving things," Nanami says before running off to the side.

'...keep dealing damage until the spirit runs out of cursed energy, which is not realistic...'

"Running again?" Mahito asks as he chases after Nanami.

'Or...completely destroy him with one blow.'

Nanami pulls a fist back and punches. 'Ratio Technique: Collapse.'

Mahito's eyes widened in shock when he saw the wall beside him start to crumble and head in his direction.

'What power! And what was that streak of cursed energy? An expanded cursed technique...applied to the destruction!! A large-scale attack, and he doesn't care if he gets hit while doing it... I better...' Mahito trailed off in thought.

"Dodge this."

Nanami's sudden close appearance causes Mahito's eyes to widen as he is attacked from behind and to the knee.

"I shall take my leave. You should do the same after you fix your leg," Nanami says as he starts to walk away. "We'll meet again...if we're both still alive by then."

Mahito watches Nanami walk away, not noticing the huge piece of debris heading toward him from above.

✧˖*°࿐

"Huh? An earthquake?"

"Yeah... Felt like about a 2.0?"

Itadori groaned quietly as his phone beeped and headed to voicemail.

"No good. I can't reach Ijichi. Can we start questioning him now?" Itadori grumbled.

Junpei looks between Itadori and (Y/n) with a questioning look on his face.

"(Y/n)...are you able to reach Ijichi?" Itadori asks, looking over at the (H/c)-haired cursed spirit who was standing near the riverbank.

"Hm? Ah, nope. He must be busy or somethin'," (Y/n) replied.

Itadori huffed softly in annoyance.

Junpei looked at the duo, confused. He was told by Mahito, himself, that sorcerers were Mahito's enemies...but these two in front of him, especially Itadori, seemed different from what Mahito told him.

"ARGH! Forget it! I'll just ask him!!" Itadori shouts.

(Y/n) jolts at the sudden shout, staring at Itadori with a dot-eyed expression.

Itadori then sharply turned in Junpei's attention.

"Hey, people died at the movie theater you went to. Did you see anything? Maybe something weird like this?" Itadori asks as he holds up a fly head.

"No, I didn't. I only became able to see things...recently," Junpei answered.

(Y/n) narrowed his eyes when he saw Junpei's hands tremble.

'He's lying...' The cursed spirit thought.

"Oh... Then I got nothin' for ya!" Itadori exclaimed as he plopped himself down beside Junpei.

"That's it?" Junpei asks, dumbfounded.

"But our superior's coming soon, so can you wait a bit?" Itadori replied.

Junpei sweatdrops. "Sure..."

"Anyway, what movie were you watching?" Itadori asks.

"It's an old movie. You wouldn't know it," Junpei answers.

"Tell me! Tell me!" Itadori urged.

"Earth Worm Man 3," Junpei replied.

(Y/n) starts to deadpan before flickering his eyes upward, taking notice of the familiar cursed energy.

Pupils became slit as (Y/n) makes eye contact with the figure.

Geto gives a surprise look when he notices that he is caught looking over.

Suddenly, his dark-colored eyes shrunk in fear when he saw (Y/n) mouth a name toward him while the said cursed spirit flipped him off.

And that name?

Kenjaku.