Chapter 122: Come on, Zen'in Toji!!!
As Emiya's voice fell, two figures, one tall and one short, gradually emerged from the shadows.
A man resembling a hoodlum walked in front, followed closely by an old Sorceress carrying long prayer beads and wearing a haori. The former was clearly a subordinate of the latter.
The main reason Emiya could sense their arrival ahead of time was that the Sorceress made no attempt to conceal the Cursed Energy surrounding her.
Even after she fully revealed her figure, the ripples of Cursed Energy covering her body were still clearly visible.
"Did she complete the preparations for her Cursed Technique before choosing to expose herself?
Is it a high-intensity Cursed Technique with complicated steps, or is it that..."
Because every person's [Innate Technique] varies greatly from one individual to another, some extremely unique techniques can emerge.
Just as Gojo Satoru's [Limitless] requires the prerequisite of the [Six Eyes] to be used, some immensely powerful Cursed Techniques also require complex prerequisites and conditions—similar to how Fragarach requires the opponent to use their trump card first.
Aside from overwhelmingly powerful techniques, auxiliary Cursed Techniques like that of Kyoto School teacher Utahime Iori also require numerous pre-activation conditions, which Emiya learned after the Exchange Event.
But regardless of which type of [Innate Technique] the two Curse Users in front of him possessed, it would be difficult for Emiya to interrupt a technique that had already been activated.
"Onii-chan, didn't you say this mission was for us brothers to complete? Why did this old hag come too?"
Kechizu, the younger brother, perfectly inherited the excellent quality of Eso, revealing his relationship with the Curse Users in just a few words, though this didn't require much extra confirmation.
The old Sorceress, gently twisting her prayer beads, didn't bother to address the two brothers. Instead, she fixed her gaze purposefully on Emiya.
"Do you remember the Curse User you killed a little over a month ago, the one named Awasaka Jiro?"
"Awasaka Jiro?"
Emiya thought for a moment after hearing the question before concluding, "The Curse User whose ability was [Reversal]? Is he your accomplice?"
For a person like a Curse User, the description of 'companion' is inappropriate; 'accomplice' is closer to the mark.
Emiya genuinely hadn't really remembered that guy's name; he might not have recalled it if that man hadn't been the only Curse User he had personally dealt with.
"But I didn't kill him; I only sent him where he belonged."
That kind of guy deserved to be locked up in prison for life. As for whether he should be killed, that was for the Higher-Ups to consider.
"For a once-free Curse User, losing freedom is more terrifying than death.
Although our freedom was taken away after Gojo Satoru was born, we will eventually reclaim it... He was, after all, someone this old woman worked with. Helping him kill his enemy is only reasonable."
They used to rely on Cursed techniques to kill others and commit crimes to earn bounties and ill-gotten gains. Their life was infinitely more colorful than that of Sorcerers.
She genuinely hated Sorcerers and Gojo Satoru, who had taken away that freedom.
"It just so happens that the higher-ups also issued a commission to kill you, so we might as well combine the two matters."
Even though they were effectively helping Curses, these Curse Users still pursued profit.
As long as there was profit, it didn't matter if they, as humans, betrayed their species and sided with the Curses; after all, humanity had already rejected them.
Maintain a human bottom line for Curse Users? Don't be ridiculous.
"That sounds really noble, doesn't it? So-called revenge is just secondary; the real reason is just the reward, right?"
Emiya would not hesitate to mock these unprincipled Curse Users, especially since the opponent had already declared they were targeting him.
"It doesn't matter. You might as well laugh while you still can.
I have confirmed in advance that Gojo Satoru has gone abroad for a commission. There is no one in all of Japan who can save you."
Speaking with such confidence, this Sorceress clearly knew that she was absolutely no match for the [Strongest], and she only dared to act secretly under the condition that she had a guarantee.
But judging from her confident tone and expression, her Cursed Technique might genuinely be something very special—
"This old woman's [Innate Technique] is called [Seance Technique]. It is a Cursed Technique that uses one's own or another's body as a medium to install the body and soul information of a deceased person into the new vessel. The prerequisite for the technique is obtaining a part of the deceased person's body required for the seance.
In other words, as long as a part of the body can be obtained, even a Sorcerer from a thousand years ago can be resurrected, and their Cursed Technique and power perfectly reproduced.
The only drawback is the need for a long period of chanting, but this old woman has already completed that process thanks to the barrier being deployed."
Whether one calls it cautious or confident, she completely revealed her Cursed Technique information in exchange for a [Binding Vow]. Then, she looked up at the man standing in front of her.
"Begin, grandson."
"Yes, Grandma."
Upon receiving the Sorceress's command, the man unhesitatingly threw the small bottle he had been holding in his hand into his mouth...
So, there was still a final step that hadn't been implemented. Was it because the process of incarnation successfully consumes Cursed Energy every moment it is active, and this was to maximize efficiency?!
Is the final step of the Seance instantaneous? Or will there be a buffer period?
Emiya thought of many things in that instant, but no matter who the intended target of the Seance was, attempting to stop the opponent immediately was the most important thing.
"I won't let you get away with it so easily!"
"Trace On!!!"
Several blades immediately projected and fired from behind Emiya, piercing toward the two Curse Users who were casting the Cursed Technique at extreme speed.
Boom!
However, the blades were intercepted halfway by a sudden burst of blood spikes.
"Sorry, sorry. Although I don't think much of this old hag either, they are still considered our brothers' accomplices."
Eso, supported by the blood wings on his back, stood in the air and made a shushing gesture towards Emiya. Kechizu, who enjoyed watching the chaos, immediately started bouncing in place.
"Onii-chan is right!"
Thud!
Itadori Yuji's door-slab sword slammed heavily onto the guy's head.
"This is no time for you to talk!"
Honestly, the two of them didn't look like they were engaged in a fight to the death; Emiya would have believed they were just playing around.
But the focus clearly wasn't over there, but on the Sorceress who had just completed the Seance Technique under Eso's obstruction—
"Come on... Zen'in Toji!"
The already solid Cursed Energy around the Sorceress reached its peak at this moment. Let alone Emiya, who couldn't comprehend the flow of that Cursed Energy, even Gojo Satoru with his [Six Eyes] couldn't understand and replicate another's Cursed Technique here.
But undoubtedly, the young man's figure had already begun to transform.
Not only was his build being pulled taller and longer, but his originally plain face was now etched with ferocity, as his other half had sprouted a completely different face.
That face was practically brimming with excitement and arrogance.
"How does it feel, grandson?"
The Sorceress looked up at her masterpiece.
"Very good, Grandma.
And it's a feeling I've never had before...!"
The grandson, whose hands were clenched tightly, was eager to immediately begin his first fight after inheriting this power.
Although this was only a change in physique and appearance, the person inside was temporarily still the Curse User from moments ago, yet his aura had undergone an earth-shattering transformation, leaving no trace of his original demeanor.
"Zen'in Toji? Who is that Sorcerer? Why does that name sound familiar?"
The dumbfounded Itadori Yuji began to scratch his head.
"But that guy looks so strong just standing there!
Emiya-sensei, should I fight this guy?"
The one thing Itadori Yuji was least afraid of was challenging a strong enemy. This was the confidence his greatsword gave him!
"You go deal with those brothers, no... if possible, you should leave here immediately, find Fushiguro and Kugisaki, and take them with you.
I'll hold him here."
Emiya had never seen the man's true appearance, but if he was truly the person Emiya imagined him to be, Itadori and the others absolutely could not stay here any longer.
At the very least, Emiya couldn't guarantee that he could protect them in this situation...
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