章 37: MAKI!
As the sky darkened with the weight of battle, Nue flew in tight, anxious circles above the building. The sense of urgency was palpable as Megumi's group darted across the roof, their breaths coming in ragged gasps. Megumi, eyes scanning the chaos, glanced up at the sky and shouted to his shikigami, "Nue, stay focused! Toge's holding Hanami back. We need you to be ready!"
Nue responded with a determined cry, diving into the fray with unwavering resolve. Yet, as the battle raged, the situation deteriorated swiftly. Toge, his body trembling from exertion, was barely holding his ground against Hanami. His voice, strained and cracking, commanded Hanami, "Blast Away!"
But Hanami, with a sinister grin, seized the opportunity as Toge's strength faltered. With a savage swiftness, Hanami's elongated, spiked limbs speared through the air and struck Nue. The shikigami let out a pained, haunting cry before falling.
Hanami's attention shifted immediately to Noritoshi, who was struggling to recover from the previous attacks. Hanami's movements were a blur of lethal precision. His powerful limbs pummeled Noritoshi into the ground, each blow resonating with terrifying force. Noritoshi grunted in pain, trying to shield himself, but Hanami's onslaught was relentless.
Three wooden spheres, larger than basketballs and crackling with energy, hurtled toward Noritoshi. The sight was almost too quick to follow. Megumi, acting on sheer instinct, hurled himself in front of Noritoshi. "Get down!" he yelled, grabbing Noritoshi and pulling him out of the way just as the spheres whizzed past, smashing into the rooftop and sending debris flying.
"Damn it," Megumi muttered, looking at the mess left behind. "We need to regroup."
Hanami, sensing his chance, loomed menacingly over Megumi. The first-year sorcerer prepared to summon another shikigami, but the absence of Nue was a heavy blow. Toge, despite his exhaustion and the evident strain on his voice, stepped forward with a grim determination etched across his face.
"Stay back, Megumi," Toge said through gritted teeth. "I've got this."
Without waiting for a response, Toge locked eyes with Hanami, his gaze unflinching. He took a deep breath, channeling every ounce of his remaining strength. "Blast Away!" he commanded, his voice carrying the full force of his cursed speech.
The air erupted with a deafening crack, and Hanami was blasted across the rooftop, his form flying backward with tremendous force. The impact sent debris scattering and left a stunned silence in its wake.
Megumi, watching in awe and relief, rushed to Toge's side. "Toge! Are you alright?" he called out, concern evident in his voice.
Toge, his energy spent, collapsed to the ground. His breathing was ragged, and sweat dripped from his forehead. "I…" as he collapsed.
As Hanami closed in on Megumi, the young sorcerer readied himself to summon another shikigami. His earlier ally, Nue, had faded away, leaving Megumi vulnerable. He glanced towards Toge, who, despite being exhausted, stepped forward with unwavering resolve.
"Toge, are you sure you're up for this?" Megumi asked concern etched on his face.
"I've got it," Toge replied with a strained but determined expression. "Stay back, Megumi. I'll handle this." Which is pretty much, gibberish to me. So here, "Bonito Flakes."
Toge faced Hanami directly, his gaze unflinching. He took a deep breath, mustering every ounce of his remaining strength. "Blast Away!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.
The effect was immediate and devastating. Hanami was hurled backward with tremendous force, his body slamming into the rooftop with a bone-rattling impact. The ground shook, and debris flew through the air as Hanami skidded to a halt, struggling to regain his composure.
As Hanami recovered, he sensed another presence behind him. He turned, his eyes narrowing as he saw Maki approaching. "You think you can cut me with that pathetic sword?" Hanami taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.
Maki didn't hesitate. She swung Miwa's sword with precision, aiming directly for Hanami. The blade connected with Hanami's form, but to Maki's dismay, the sword shattered into pieces upon impact. Hanami's taunting smirk widened as he brushed off the attack.
"Is that all, child?" Hanami mocked.
Before Hanami could react further, Megumi seized the opportunity. He moved swiftly, his eyes locked onto the left branch extending from Hanami's body. With a precise strike, Megumi slashed at the branch located within Nanami's eye socket—the very spot he had deduced to be Hanami's weak point.
Hanami let out a howl of pain and surprise, the attack landing with significant force. "Impressive," he admitted through gritted teeth, "but you'll need more than that to defeat me."
Megumi didn't let up. He reached into his bag and pulled out a cursed tool, presenting it to Maki. "Use this," he said, handing over the weapon.
Maki took the staff, examining its weight and feel. Her eyes widened slightly. "It doesn't quite feel right," she said, unsure.
"That's because it's not a typical weapon," Megumi explained. "It's a three-section staff designed for powerful, dynamic attacks. It'll give us an edge."'
Before the Goodwill Event commenced, Maki had entrusted Megumi with a highly coveted Special Grade Cursed Tool. This weapon, valued at least five hundred million yen, was not just an ordinary cursed tool but one of the most formidable in existence. Its strength could potentially turn the tide of any battle.
As the fight on the rooftop escalated, Maki wielded the Special Grade Cursed Tool: Playful Cloud, a red three-section staff. The staff's power was legendary, and its use was a game-changer in combat.
With a determined glare, Maki gripped the Playful Cloud and swung it with expert precision. The staff connected with Hanami's defenses with a resounding crack. The sheer force of the impact shattered Hanami's guard and struck the exposed branch protruding from his face.
The blow was so powerful that Hanami was sent flying off the rooftop, his body tumbling through the air before crashing into the forest below. The ground shook as he landed hard, rolling several meters before coming to a stop.
Hanami staggered to his feet, visibly wounded but not defeated. He focused his cursed energy on his injured arm, starting to heal the damage with a mix of regenerative ability and cursed energy. Despite the pain, a twisted smile formed on his face as he assessed the situation.
"That was a good hit," Hanami admitted, his voice laced with a mix of grudging respect and irritation. "I didn't expect you to have such a strong arm."
He glanced back up at the rooftop, where Maki and the others were preparing for their next move. Hanami's eyes narrowed as he began to formulate his counterattack, knowing he needed to adapt quickly if he was going to turn the battle in his favor.
In the shadows of the forest, Megumi summoned his Divine Dog: Totality. The massive, white beast, once defeated, had its energy transferred to the remaining Divine Dog, enhancing its strength and speed exponentially. As Totality emerged, its form crackled with raw power, and its movements were almost a blur.
Hanami, still reeling from the impact of Maki's earlier attack, found himself caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the enhanced Divine Dog. Its claws slashed through the air with remarkable agility, landing several deep gashes on Hanami's defensive arm. Each swipe left visible wounds, forcing Hanami to retreat momentarily to regroup.
"Impressive," Hanami grunted, struggling to keep up with the Divine Dog's relentless assault. "But not enough."
Maki seized the opportunity, charging at Hanami from the rear with swift determination. Her intent was clear: to strike at Hanami's vulnerable eye socket branch with her blade. However, Hanami's reflexes were quick, and he managed to block Maki's attack with a sudden, forceful sweep of his arm. The clash of their weapons echoed through the forest, a sharp metallic sound.
Hanami's surprise grew as he realized Maki was wielding Megumi's sword. His momentary distraction was costly. From behind, Megumi swung Playful Cloud with precision, catching Hanami off guard. The red, three-section staff connected with Hanami's back, sending him stumbling forward.
"Nice move!" Maki called out as she pivoted, exchanging glances with Megumi.
The two sorcerers coordinated their attacks with practiced ease, each delivering a blow that aimed at Hanami's known weak point. The combined force of their strikes was formidable, cutting into Hanami's defensive arm and exposing his vulnerability. Hanami winced as the strikes landed, his defensive branch shuddering under the assault.
"Looks like you're not so invincible after all," Megumi taunted, trying to capitalize on Hanami's weakened state.
However, just as victory seemed within reach, Hanami unleashed a desperate counterattack. A burst of cursed energy erupted from his body, and Megumi felt a sudden, searing pain in his torso. Looking down, he saw that a Cursed Sprout, a sinister, thorn-like curse, had emerged and embedded itself into his flesh.
"Damn it!" Megumi cursed, staggering slightly from the unexpected pain. He could feel the cursed energy spreading, threatening to overwhelm him.
Maki's eyes widened in alarm as she saw Megumi's distress.
The spear pierced through the air, and with a brutal thrust, it lodged itself into Maki's arm. She grunted in pain, but Hanami's eerie calmness showed his disdain for her struggle.
"Nice reaction," Hanami said, his voice dripping with condescension. "If you hadn't moved just in time, it might have pierced your heart."
Maki grimaced, the wound throbbing with every heartbeat. Hanami continued to taunt, "You sorcerers are always so full of openings when your allies are hurt. It's a weakness I can exploit."
The Cursed Sprout embedded in Megumi's torso had taken its toll. Divine Dog: Totality, which had been a relentless force against Hanami, dissipated into nothingness as the cursed energy within it waned. Megumi watched with frustration as his powerful ally vanished, the cursed energy depleting rapidly.
Maki, determined to keep fighting despite her injuries, swung her sword with fierce intent. But Hanami's agility allowed him to dodge her strikes with ease. He sneered at her, noting her weakened state.
"Good attacks," Hanami said with a smirk, "but you're not as sharp as you were before. Wounds have a way of dulling even the most skilled fighter."
With a swift motion, Hanami knocked Maki aside, sending her crashing to the ground. He followed up by summoning a branch from the water, which coiled around Maki with a serpentine grace. The wooden appendage wrapped around her, constricting her movements.
"No!" Megumi shouted, his heart sinking as he saw Hanami lift Maki off the ground by her neck. Despite her attempts to defend herself, Maki's strength was waning, and her resistance was growing weaker.
"Stop!" Maki managed to cry out through clenched teeth, her voice strained. "It's time to tag out."
Before Megumi could react, a new presence surged onto the battlefield. The ground shook as a powerful force approached, pushing Hanami back and breaking his hold on Maki. The cursed spirit reeled from the sudden pressure, barely managing to evade the incoming threat.
Emerging from the shadows were Yuji Itadori and Aoi Todo, their presence commanding attention. Yuji's face was set with determination, his eyes locked on Hanami with fierce resolve. Beside him, Aoi Todo stood tall, his imposing figure radiating confidence.
"Looks like we've got some new players," Todo said with a grin, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "Didn't want to miss out on the fun, did we?"
Yuji, catching his breath from the chase, nodded firmly. "You guys okay?"
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