Chapter 93: Plan Exposed and Domain Expansion Descends
Rin looked at Aoi Todo, saying nothing, simply standing quietly in the center of the ruins.
The hem of his black trench coat still swayed gently in the wind, but the amusement in his eyes had faded, replaced by a barely perceptible trace of endurance.
This was not him deliberately putting on an act; rather, the backlash from that Cursed Speech Technique was making his throat burn with pain.
It was his first time using the Inumaki family's Cursed Speech Technique.
Logically, there was no need to be so extreme against Kento Nanami, but he insisted on pursuing "absolute certainty," directly pushing his Cursed Energy to maximum output.
The effect was indeed astonishing; Nanami, who could directly withstand Special Grade Cursed Spirits, was completely defeated without even a chance to resist, collapsing softly to the ground.
However, the backlash was equally fierce; his throat felt as if it had been run over by a hot iron, and even swallowing brought tearing pain.
But for Rin, this injury was merely a fleeting inconvenience.
Reverse Cursed Technique activated instantly; warm Cursed Energy spread through his throat, and the burning sensation receded at a visible speed. In just a few seconds, his originally hoarse throat completely recovered, leaving no trace of discomfort.
He even couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, with Reverse Cursed Technique as a fallback, this Cursed Speech Technique had practically become a "perpetual motion machine" that could be used and replenished at will.
His gaze returned to the few people in front of him, and Rin's interest grew again. He noticed that after Nanami's defeat, this group not only didn't turn and flee but instead adopted a fighting stance.
Especially Aoi Todo, who actually walked directly towards him, his eyes astonishingly bright, without any fear, but rather radiating a determined eagerness to fight.
"Oh? Not fleeing, but coming towards me instead?"
Rin's voice had regained its previous composure, carrying a hint of playfulness: "More backbone than I expected."
Todo didn't reply, simply spread his feet shoulder-width apart, clenched his right fist at his waist, and the Cursed Energy around him surged. It was the starting stance for Boogie Woogie, ready to initiate position swapping at any moment.
Zenin Mai, Kasumi Miwa, and Mechamaru quickly dispersed, circling to Rin's side and rear, maintaining a safe distance of about ten meters.
Mai held a modified pistol in each hand, their muzzles aimed at Rin.
Kasumi Miwa drew her long sword, its blade glowing with a faint shimmer of Cursed Energy, clearly accumulating power to activate Simple Domain.
Mechamaru's lenses rotated rapidly, scanning Rin's Cursed Energy fluctuations, ready to give an early warning at any moment.
This coordinated formation made Rin raise an eyebrow. It seemed this group had already thought of a countermeasure on their way here.
He wasn't wrong.
Just as they were rushing to the battlefield, Kamo Noritoshi's voice had sounded with anxiety:
"Todo, have you thought about it? If Rin directly activates his Domain Expansion, we won't even have time to react; we'll be instantly killed! What should we do?"
At that time, Todo heard this and suddenly laughed, his eyes full of confidence:
"If he really activates his Domain Expansion, that would be the best outcome."
"The best outcome?" Kamo was stunned, his brows furrowing even tighter:
"If he activates his Domain Expansion, we won't be able to hold him off, and we won't wait for Senior Yuki Tsukumo to arrive. How can that be a good outcome?"
"Have you forgotten the basic rules of Cursed Techniques?"
Todo slowed his pace, lowering his voice a few notches to ensure only those around him could hear:
"Domain Expansion consumes an enormous amount of Cursed Energy and triggers 'Cursed Technique burnout.' Once activated, it cannot be used again for the entire day.
Do you think Rin would still have a chance if he were in that state, facing Yuki Tsukumo?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, his tone becoming more certain:
"So our mission has two layers: outwardly, it's to stall him and wait for reinforcements.
Covertly, we need to force him to use his Domain Expansion as much as possible. As long as he dares to expand it, we've already won half the battle."
These words instantly sobered Kamo and reassured Mai and the others.
Standing before Rin now, remembering those words, Todo felt even more confident. What he had to do was constantly harass Rin with Boogie Woogie, forcing him to use his Domain Expansion to escape the predicament.
Rin watched as the group fanned out around him. His body, beneath the black trench coat, leaned slightly forward, and he suddenly spoke, his tone calm yet filled with the composure of someone who saw through everything:
"You're trying to stall me, waiting for that Special Grade called Yuki Tsukumo to arrive, aren't you?"
A single sentence, like a clap of thunder, exploded in everyone's ears.
Zenin Mai's finger on the trigger suddenly paused, Kasumi Miwa's long sword almost slipped from her grasp, and Kamo Noritoshi's pupils sharply contracted.
The plan they had repeatedly deliberated on their way here was exposed by Rin in a single sentence, as if their every thought had been clearly seen by the opponent.
"Don't just stand there! Attack!"
Aoi Todo was the first to react, roaring and breaking the stagnant air.
At this point, it was meaningless to dwell on whether the plan was exposed; they could only seize the initiative before Rin actively attacked.
Before his words finished, Todo had already charged towards Rin like an arrow released from a bowstring. His right foot pushing off the ground sent gravel flying, and his right fist clenched, Cursed Energy condensing into a pale blue orb of light at his knuckles, intending to drag Rin into close-quarters combat.
But his speed, in Rin's eyes, was ridiculously slow.
In just a few months, Rin's reaction speed had far exceeded Todo's comprehension.
Watching his fist about to strike Rin's chest, Todo even felt the burning heat of colliding Cursed Energy, but the figure before him suddenly dissipated like mist, leaving only a faint afterimage.
"This move again!" Todo's heart tightened.
The last time they fought, he fell victim to this illusion, and now facing it again, he still couldn't find a way to break it.
Before he could adjust his stance, an iron elbow, cutting through the air, slammed heavily into the side of his face!
The attack method was familiar, but the force was several times stronger than last time.
Todo felt his vision go black, his teeth violently rattling, and his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the wall of a street-side shop.
With a loud "boom," a large hole was created in the concrete wall. Todo fell into the shop, the sound of collapsing shelves, accompanied by his grunt, instantly drowned in the clamor of the battlefield.
Yet, the people surrounding them not only showed no panic but instead exchanged glances, a glint of "success" flashing in their eyes.
The moment Rin's figure solidified again, a crisp "slap" sound suddenly came from the smoke where Todo had crashed through the wall.
"Boogie Woogie, activate!"
Todo's voice came from the smoke, tinged with weakness, yet full of certainty.
Rin sharply lowered his head, only to see a palm-sized silver robot, Mechamaru's miniature puppet, beneath his feet.
When Todo was sent flying earlier, he deliberately hid this puppet under the rubble, using the attack as cover to let it quietly approach Rin.
As Boogie Woogie activated, the puppet instantly expanded, transforming into Mechamaru's full form. Its metal arms tightly embraced Rin's left arm, and its legs wrapped around his waist and abdomen like vines, firmly locking his body.
"Plan successful!" Mechamaru's electronic voice carried a hint of excitement:
"Don't think about breaking free! My metal body can withstand the impact of powerful Cursed Energy!"
Almost simultaneously with Mechamaru locking onto Rin, remote attacks from all sides instantly arrived.
Zenin Mai held a gun in each hand, pulling the triggers so fast that the shots blurred into a line. Specially made Cursed Energy bullets, trailing faint purple light, aimed directly at Rin's chest.
Kasumi Miwa took a deep breath, sweeping her long sword. A half-meter-wide azure sword energy tore through the air, slashing towards Rin's waist.
Kamo Noritoshi condensed blood arrows at his fingertips; three blood-red arrows, with sharp whistling sounds, aimed at Rin's limb joints.
They had already prepared, even if it meant accidentally injuring Mechamaru, they had to severely wound Rin the moment he was restrained.
After all, Mechamaru's main body was still in a protective capsule at Tokyo Jujutsu High; what they saw was just a puppet he controlled. Even if it was destroyed, it could be rebuilt, but missing this chance to restrain Rin would make it as difficult as ascending to heaven to trap him again.
Todo crawled out of the shop's ruins, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and stared intently at the center of the battlefield, which was engulfed in attacks.
But looking at the area shrouded in smoke and Cursed Energy, the unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger.
Everything was too smooth, so smooth it was as if Rin was deliberately cooperating with their act.
The smoke gradually cleared, but everyone's smiles instantly froze on their faces.
Where Rin had been standing, a colossal figure now stood.
It was a pitch-black Special Grade Cursed Spirit Gargoyle. Its muscular arms were covered in dark red patterns, and its massive bat wings, like shields crafted from obsidian, firmly protected Rin beneath them.
The bullets, sword energy, and blood arrows from before, hitting the Gargoyle's wings, only left a few shallow white marks, unable to even break its skin.
The Gargoyle slowly spread its wings, revealing the unharmed Rin beneath.
His left hand held a metal head, the head of Mechamaru's puppet, with wires still sparking and sizzling.
Rin's fingertips glowed with a faint Cursed Energy luster, and a playful smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he scanned everyone's shocked faces:
"Construction Cursed Technique, Crimson Blood Manipulation Technique... Not bad, two more Cursed Techniques I can use."
Todo's pupils suddenly constricted, and he finally understood.
Their plan's success was, from the very beginning, Rin's deliberate indulgence.
He intentionally allowed Mechamaru to restrain him, intentionally endured everyone's attacks, only to analyze the principles of Mai and Kamo's Cursed Techniques up close and copy these abilities.
Just then, a cold whisper, like a ghost, drilled into everyone's ears, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression that froze everyone's bodies, making even breathing difficult.
"Domain Expansion."