Chapter 162 – Chapter 150 – Shall We Stay?
In their swift advance, the trio eventually landed. For the two being carried by Lin Qi, the thrill was far greater than the most thrilling roller coaster in the world.
After all, roller coasters at least had seat belts and armrests.
However, they were not strangers to such stimulating experiences, and thus would no longer be sick upon landing.
Before Shinkawa Theatre’s curtains, Lin Qi seemed to have sensed something. Raising his head, the expression on his face immediately fell.
At the same time, Satoru Gojo, who was floating in the sky, also noticed his arrival, and smiled broadly as he came before the three: “Ah, Lin-san, I didn’t expect them to have called you too.”
“Tch, what a big scene, would require you and me both?” Lin Qi raised an eyebrow and added, “Now I can’t help but ask for extra pay.”
“Probably for insurance.” Satoru Gojo revealed a mask of mysteriously teasing smile.
“So it turns out you didn’t tell them about my strength?” Lin Qi didn’t give him any face and guessed the answer after some thought, “Then why don’t you go in?”
“Because I can’t go in,” he sighed helplessly and stretched his arms, “This curtain seems to bar everyone from entering freely and only refuses me. To break this rule, one must thoroughly understand my cursed energy.”
“Still a traitor issue?” Lin Qi recalled what Satoru Gojo told him last, “Then take your time to break through this barrier. We’ll go in first.”
The black-haired young man grinned mischievously, “You’d better hurry, or we may come back empty-handed.”
“20 minutes,” Satoru Gojo responded with a smile.
Lin Qi smirked without a word, neither testing nor doubting Satoru Gojo’s judgment. He led Yukinoshita Yukino and Hachiman Hikigaya through the curtain.
He trusted Satoru Gojo’s judgment quite a bit, after all, he might now be the only person capable of matching blows with him.
As for Ryomen Sukuna?
He would wait until he collected all twenty fingers.
Lin Qi landed precisely at the intersection of Kabuki-cho Street. Though it was a bit far from Ninomiya Hitomu and others, the scenes were almost identical, if not more horrific.
As soon as they passed through the curtain, they saw a woman’s dismembered figure being tossed out from a nearby low building, her entrails spilling mid-air.
A grotesque Grade 3 Cursed Spirit popped out of the broken window and was sliced to pieces along with the building by a casual slash from the black-haired youth.
“Tsk, couldn’t control it.” Lin Qi appeared unperturbed.
He turned to look at Yukinoshita Yukino, whose eyes were wide open, struggling to hold back vomit. Hachiman Hikigaya did the same as Yoshino Junpei, vomiting the fried noodles they had just eaten.
They could hardly continue fighting now.
Lin Qi couldn’t help but look up to the sky in his heart and ponder.
He didn’t fault the two for their weak mental fortitude because he himself felt a surge of anger seeing the merciless massacre, which caused him to lose control and slice off an entire building.
Sighing in exasperation, Lin Qi said to the two, “Better step aside, stay next to Satoru Gojo. At least you won’t worry about danger.”
“No, I can…”
Junpei’s muted voice seeped out but was interrupted by Lin Qi, “What use could you possibly be under those circumstances?”
“…”
Yukinoshita Yukino lowered her hand, forcing down the acidic water that rose to her throat. She took a deep breath, determinedly looking at Lin Qi with unwavering eyes.
“I can do it,” she repeated firmly, “I can fight.”
Facing Yukinoshita Yukino, finally Lin Qi conceded, turning to focus on Hachiman Hikigaya, who was completely sick: “Are you staying too?”
“I’m warning you, I might not be able to protect all of you throughout, this is a terror attack instigated by Curse Sorcerers, not a routine training session,” Lin Qi warned, “Staying might result in death.”
“Cough… then I…”
‘Then I leave,’ he almost said out loud, feeling he wouldn’t be much help anyway.
Hachiman Hikigaya lifted his head, bewilderedly staring at a street turned into a battlefield, where a body lay just meters away.
It was a man, likely well-dressed an hour ago, but his body was now barely recognizable, with half of his head amputated, staring blankly at Hachiman from under the other half.
The bloodshot eyes glared at Hachiman, filled with a mix of terror and despair, silently accusing him as if posing questions.
How could he remain indifferent to such chaos? Could he just walk away unaffected?
“I…”
Trembling lips rolled over his throat, swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
Stay or go?
Could his presence make any difference when he was merely a powerless Grade 3 Curse Sorcerer? And next time, it could be his body sprawled lifeless.
But was it worth it?
Any reason that could compel him?
In his bewilderment, he heard a scream from the alleyway not far ahead. A couple dashed out in panic, clearly in love from their matching outfits.
They originally came to Shinjuku for a date, but suddenly heard screams, wondering what was happening. Then people started dying inexplicably. Limbs were severed, blood spattered everywhere. Suddenly, monstrous creatures appeared, causing pandemonium.
Panic-stricken, they escaped and ended up in Kabuki-cho.
Believing a deserted alley would be safe, they were wrong. The monsters found them in short order.
“Help! Save us!”
Desperately, they cried out, hoping against reason someone might save them.
Yukinoshita Yukino reacted quickly, intending to help. But someone had a faster response.
An intangible attack annihilated the three pursuing the couple, slicing the Grade Three Cursed Spirits into fragments.
Dark purple blood splashed onto them, and stopping abruptly, they realized they were saved!
Miracles, indeed, happen sometimes.
Rejoicing in their deliverance, they held each other tight, drenched in purple rain.
This scene jolted Hachiman deeply.
Unbidden, in his mind echoed a memory from summer camp, a statement by Lin Qi—
“I don’t want my students to content themselves begging beneath others’ eaves once they enter society; they should endure temporarily, yet strive forward, not settle.”
So, he wanted to impart the thirst for power.
Only by running, can one never become stronger?
Avoiding isn’t the mindset of a strong.
No, he certainly wasn’t strong…
A new belief clashed with his old convictions, like scorching his mind. Disordered thoughts simmered hot, then cooled under harsh realities.
“I…”
The rationale to stand and fight against Curse Spirits…
Am I foolish!? Wrangling over the obvious!
To save lives, does one need a reason?
“I will stay,” the boy mumbled finally.
…
After school: then becoming a Curse Sorcerer
