Chapter 7 – A Convenient Opponent

◇《POV: Renma》

—Shnk.

A sharp, vicious pain blooms in my abdomen, and I drop my gaze.

The knife clutched in Fake Shinano’s hand had been driven straight into my heart.

“Kah—…”

Breathing turns brutal, and I fling my left hand out in a thrashing motion.

Shallow.

I draw haku into my body and repair my heart, then put distance between me and Fake Shinano.

Ah, crap.

Of all times, I get jumped when my haku reserves are low.

And while I’m standing here fumbling around, incarnated Yuuri is still burning through haku.

“At this rate, I won’t be able to strengthen Mekki. Real Shinano—go call Yuuri.”

“W-Wait—what’s Mekki!? Miyama-kun’s Unique Jujutsu!? Don’t drop a brand-new concept on me now!!”

Shinano didn’t see where I got stabbed, so she doesn’t really grasp what’s happening.

Perfect. If possible, you get the person you’re guarding off the front line.

“Yeah, it’s basically that! I’ll tell you later, so hurry—go!”

“O-kay! Don’t die!”

Shinano spins on her heel and heads for the room.

Of course, Fake Shinano has no intention of letting that happen.

The brooch pinned to her chest flares with light, and black pillars shoot up around us like they’re enclosing the area.

Fake Shinano’s cursed tool.

“【Iron Cage】.”

Shinano smacks her head against a pillar, then grabs at it like she can force her way through.

Naturally, it doesn’t budge an inch.

“I think I’m trapped! This is bad—what do I do…!? …Wait, huh!?”

While Shinano has her path blocked by the Iron Cage, the regular customers walk right through like nothing’s there.

It’s probably an effect that only activates against jujutsu users.

From the outside, it would look like Shinano is slamming into empty air.

“Just as you suspect, this Iron Cage is invisible to ordinary people. And neither will I appear to them.”

Fake Shinano smiles like she just nailed it.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect to find my target during a break. A situation where I—someone with no combat ability—have to stall you alone… one could say this is quite a convenient situation for you.”

I’m not about to take her at her word, but there’s no one suspicious nearby.

Could this actually be a chance?

From her attitude, she’s definitely Minegi’s side.

If I can capture her here, taking the organization down should go a lot smoother.

I pour cursed energy into my right hand, and the power of my soul—“My Unique Jujutsu is 【Hallucination Projection】.”

“……”

I drop the cursed energy and step back.

If my memory’s right, it’s a jujutsu that overlays hallucinations onto other people.

This just got annoying.

“You won’t harm good people. What a wonderful creed—so moving that I subscribed to your channel without thinking.”

It’s not a creed—it’s a restriction—but there’s no benefit in correcting her, and she probably knows that already.

“Uh-huh. Want me to thank you? Or should I pitch you a membership, too?”

“Not right now, unfortunately. This body is borrowed.”

Fake Shinano points at her own body.

“What does that even mean? If it’s projection, how does that turn into ‘the body is borrowed’!?”

“First—her claim that she’s acting alone and lacks combat ability is true. Otherwise, she wouldn’t use something this roundabout.”

“Exactly. Even I think it’s ridiculous—luring an ordinary person by projecting that woman’s appearance, then having them charge in with a knife.”

“Huh? But then doesn’t that ordinary person become a bad guy? Then Miyama-kun should be able to fight!”

“My true body is contracted with a 【Brainwashing】 cursed tool. You understand now, yes?”

“Bragging while you explain it yourself… you sound proud.”

“I am. I’d say it was a good idea—though it looks like there’s also some idiot who nearly died, so I guess it counts as a success?”

“Even if she’s fake, no guy’s staying calm when a beautiful girl like Shinano gets up close.”

“That’s not even an excuse. At my level, I don’t feel any attraction to a woman that mediocre anymore.”

A crease forms between Shinano’s brows.

Her gaze hardens even more as she stares at Fake Shinano—like she could kill someone with pure eye pressure.

“Huh? Yeah, okay, now I’m sure—you’re Sero. I’m an idiot for even fluttering for a second.”

“Only realizing it now? If your brain is that pathetic, you’re beyond saving. You’re a perfect match for that posturing moron over there.”

“Hah!? Like hell I’m a match for Miyama-kun!! I’m absolutely the one who’s higher-class!!”

That’s enough. You’re playing right into his hands.

Even if I say “his,” it’s unclear whether Sero’s true body can accurately grasp the situation right now.

It’s also beyond weird that the ordinary person projecting Fake Shinano is acting exactly like her.

Still, the more I sit here agonizing, the more time I give him—exactly what he wants.

“But of all things, it’s an ordinary person. A jujutsu user would’ve been more convenient.”

“…Personally, I’m glad it’s an ordinary person.”

For a split second, Fake Shinano looked shaken.

Did something happen that’s inconvenient for her?

I run back through our conversation.

With the pursuers getting closer by the second, digging through my memory is risky—it leaves me open—but I don’t have another option.

Thinking about it, there were a few unnatural points in what she said.

【Brainwashing】 is absolutely some random lie she tossed out.

If she really had something like that on hand, it would make no sense not to use it on us.

What matters is whether attacking Fake Shinano triggers my restriction, and where Sero’s true body is.

The ordinary customers walking around sometimes pause and throw Shinano and me curious looks, but none of them show any sign of noticing Fake Shinano.

And then, I suddenly remember what Shinano said she experienced inside Minegi Workshop, Ltd.

Why was Sero able to notice Shinano back then?

And on the flip side—why couldn’t he notice her until that moment?

A jujutsu convenient enough to solve every one of these questions…

—Convenient?

Don’t tell me that’s Sero’s Unique Jujutsu?