Capítulo 39: Brotherly Jumping?

Impressed by the battle's escalation, Hanami shed his robe, revealing a grotesque sight—a black arm sprouting from his shoulder, with a rosebud growing out of it. The sight was both unsettling and awe-inspiring. Hanami, with an air of determination, admitted, "I need to try harder."

Without warning, Hanami unleashed a torrent of wooden branches that erupted from the ground and the trees surrounding them. The branches whipped through the air with alarming speed. Yuji and Aoi narrowly evaded the onslaught, their movements fluid and precise. Yuji's eyes widened at the sheer range and speed of the attack.

Aoi, assessing the situation, shouted, "Don't be fooled by the range! Cursed spirits sacrifice power and speed for these kinds of wide attacks!"

Hanami, having morphed out of the branches, extended his fingers and fired a barrage of Cursed Buds. The small, deadly projectiles shot out with pinpoint accuracy.

Yuji and Aoi, reacting swiftly, dodged the Cursed Buds and countered with a coordinated attack. Aoi launched a powerful strike, while Yuji followed up with a precise kick. Their combined efforts damaged Hanami's jujutsu guard, causing him to flinch.

Just as they prepared to press their advantage, the ground beneath their feet gave way. The wooden branches that had appeared to be manipulating the area were part of a cursed technique and were dispelled in an instant. The sudden loss of footing threw Yuji and Aoi off balance.

Hanami took advantage of their vulnerability, balancing himself effortlessly on a wooden ball that hovered above the ground. He prepared to skewer the falling sorcerers with wooden spikes protruding from the ball. His eyes glinted with malevolent intent.

Reacting on instinct, Yuji and Aoi executed a quick maneuver. "BROTHER!" As Hanami's spikes descended towards them, they kicked off one another, their movements synchronized in a display of agility and coordination.

They narrowly avoided the spikes, landing safely a short distance away. The wooden spikes embedded themselves into the ground where they had been moments before, creating a dangerous field of jagged wood.

Aoi, landing beside Yuji, glanced over at him with a determined grin. "This is just the beginning. Stay sharp and keep pushing forward. We've got him on the ropes now."

Yuji, catching his breath and eyes locked on Hanami, nodded. "Right. Let's finish this!"

As the battle raged on, Hanami's demeanor shifted from cold calculation to something resembling genuine enjoyment.

The cursed spirit recalled a conversation with Mahito, who had urged him to embrace his true nature. "Give in to your instincts," Mahito had said with an unsettling grin. "It'll make you stronger. Embrace your nature as a cursed spirit. If you keep holding yourself back, you'll enjoy fights less."

Embracing this newfound mindset, Hanami's excitement grew. He unleashed a burst of cursed energy, causing a field of vibrant, yet ominous, flowers to bloom across the battlefield.

The blossoms emitted a faint, eerie glow, momentarily blinding Yuji and Aoi. The field of flowers was not just for show; it was part of Hanami's strategy to disorient and trap his opponents.

Before Yuji and Aoi could fully recover from the floral assault, Hanami followed up with a sudden torrent of wooden branches, erupting from the ground and the trees once more. The branches lashed out with vicious speed, creating a chaotic and dangerous environment. Yuji and Aoi danced through the onslaught, their movements a testament to their skill and agility.

Hanami, amidst the chaos, couldn't help but admit to himself with a smirk, This is actually quite exhilarating. I haven't felt this way in a long time.

As Yuji and Aoi continued to evade the relentless attacks, Hanami's enjoyment was palpable. His eyes glinted with a mixture of malice and amusement. He had given in to the thrill of combat, letting his instincts guide him.

Aoi, noticing the shift in Hanami's demeanor and the escalating intensity of the fight, turned to Yuji with a decisive expression. "We need to turn the tide. It's time for me to release my cursed technique."

Yuji, still focused on dodging Hanami's attacks and countering when possible, nodded in understanding. "Do what you have to do. I'll keep him occupied."

In a dimly lit alley behind a school, Aoi Todo stood towering over a high schooler who was slumped against a wall, nursing a bloody nose. The high schooler had picked a fight with a chip on his shoulder, and Aoi, uninterested but ever ready to teach a lesson, had quickly ended it with a series of powerful blows. As the bruised student stumbled away, Aoi's expression remained indifferent, reflecting his boredom with the petty scuffle.

Watching from the shadows was a woman accompanied by a lurking curse, intrigued by the display of Aoi's strength. She approached Aoi with a smile that suggested both curiosity and amusement. "Well done," she said, her voice smooth yet edged with a hint of something darker. "You've got quite the knack for this. Tell me, Aoi, what kind of girls do you like?"

Aoi, momentarily taken aback by the question, shrugged. "I guess... tall girls with big butts," he replied casually, not expecting much from the exchange.

The woman chuckled, her eyes glinting with something inscrutable. "Interesting choice. Hey, I'm kinda busy now but wanna possibly be killed curses one day? No? I take that as yes."

As she turned to leave, Aoi was left with a lingering sense of anticipation, the woman's words resonating with him despite their casual nature. He couldn't shake the feeling that something greater was on the horizon.

Present Day: Battlefield

As the battle rages on, Hanami is momentarily thrown off by Aoi and Yuji's relentless assault. However, Hanami's movements are swift, and he manages to catch Aoi off guard. A massive root erupts from the ground, ensnaring Aoi's foot. Before Aoi can react, the root swings him around with brutal force, slamming him into a sharp, protruding spike.

"Watch out!" Yuji shouts as Hanami takes advantage of the distraction. The cursed spirit charges at Yuji with renewed ferocity, aiming to finish him off while Aoi seems incapacitated.

Just when it seems Aoi might be out of the fight, he performs a swift maneuver. With a surge of cursed energy, Aoi claps his hands together, triggering his cursed technique. In an instant, Aoi and Hanami switch places.

The spike that had been impaling Aoi now drives through Hanami's spiked roots, pinning him against the ground. Hanami roars in surprise and pain, realizing the effectiveness of Aoi's technique.

Aoi, catching his breath and wincing from the impact, stands up and addresses Yuji. "My cursed technique is called Boogie Woogie. It allows me to trade places with anyone I choose. All it takes is a clap to activate it."

Yuji's eyes widen with understanding and concern. "So you can swap places with anyone at any time?"

"Exactly," Aoi replies with a determined grin. "It's a simple technique but incredibly versatile. The key is to use it strategically."

Hanami, still struggling against the spike and his roots, glares at Aoi. "Your technique... it's troublesome."

Aoi nods, acknowledging the cursed spirit's frustration. "That's the point. And we're not done yet. We need to finish this fight before Hanami has a chance to adjust."

Yuji, now fully grasping the potential of Aoi's technique, quickly adapts to the new strategy. As Aoi and Yuji coordinate their attacks, Aoi claps his hands to switch places repeatedly with Yuji. The rapid exchanges throw off Hanami's judgment and timing, making it nearly impossible for him to mount an effective defense.

"Keep the pressure on!" Aoi yells over the chaos. "We need to keep him off balance!"

With their combined efforts and Aoi's Boogie Woogie disrupting Hanami's movements, Yuji and Aoi relentlessly strike the cursed spirit from multiple angles.

Hanami's attempts to counter are thwarted by the constant shifts in position, and the cursed spirit struggles to regain control. Each successful strike from the sorcerers weakens Hanami further, leaving him vulnerable to their relentless assault.

As Hanami reels from the combined onslaught, he realizes that his defenses are failing. "This... this can't be...!" he gasps, as Yuji and Aoi press their advantage with renewed vigor.

As Hanami stands exposed to the relentless attacks by Yuji and Aoi, Yuji focuses intensely, preparing for his next move. His eyes narrow as he channels his cursed energy, his entire being tuned to the precise moment he needs to strike.

Recalling Nanami's words about Black Flash, Yuji knows that the technique isn't just about raw power but about entering a state where cursed energy flows as naturally as breathing.

Nanami had mentioned that using Black Flash repeatedly is like an athlete reaching their peak performance, and his record of four consecutive uses was a testament to the technique's potential. For Yuji, this moment is about pushing past his limits and achieving that same level of mastery.

Aoi, standing to the side, watches with a mixture of pride and excitement. His eyes are almost misty as he sees Yuji channeling his cursed energy with remarkable precision. "That's it, Yuji!" Aoi calls out, his voice filled with encouragement. "Show him what you're made of!"

Yuji's focus sharpens as he positions himself for his attack. With a powerful burst of energy, he strikes Hanami with the first Black Flash. The impact is explosive, sending shockwaves through the cursed spirit. Hanami grits his teeth but finds himself unable to recover as Yuji follows up with a second strike, then a third. Each blow lands with the same intense, radiant energy of Black Flash, shaking Hanami to his core.

Hanami's eyes widen in shock as he tries to dodge the fourth strike. He braces himself, expecting Aoi to use his Boogie Woogie technique to swap their positions. However, Aoi has a different plan.

He claps his hands, but instead of activating his technique, he keeps his position. Hanami, anticipating the switch, is caught off guard when Yuji unleashes the fourth Black Flash directly. "Just cus I clap, doesn't mean I'm using Boogie Woogie."

The fourth Black Flash hits Hanami with a staggering force, its energy tearing through the cursed spirit's defenses. The sheer power of the attack sends Hanami crashing to the ground, his form battered and heavily damaged from the relentless onslaught.

Aoi, watching the scene unfold, can barely contain his emotions. "You did it, Yuji!" he exclaims, his voice choked with emotion. "I knew you could do it, Brother!!"

Yuji, breathing heavily, stands over Hanami, who is struggling to get up. "You were right, Aoi," Yuji says with a determined look. "I needed to push past my limits." Junpei Yoshino flashes by in Yuji's mind, 'Next time, I won't lose.'