https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-94-The-Tokyo-Cattle-and-Horses-Don-t-Encounter-Urban-Monsters/12808947/
Chapter 95: Overtime Is Impossible
Chapter 95: Overtime Is Impossible
Lu Ke had known for a long time that this world was filled with extraordinary powers. Ever since he was a child, he saw all sorts of monsters that ordinary people couldn't perceive. They were everywhere—on the ground, in the air, in the ocean, and in every corner of the world.
These monsters were nothing like the creatures from the Natsume's Book of Friends he had read in his past life. They were hideous, twisted, and ominous, with grotesque shapes and a strong desire to attack and destroy.
When his parents were still alive, they had warned him that the boundary between their world and another was very thin. One misstep could lead him to cross that line.
So, he pretended not to see, hear, or touch these monsters, acting as if he were a normal person to live longer.
But good luck doesn't last forever.
When he was twelve, his family was preparing for a trip when they were attacked by a powerful monster. The car was torn apart, and his parents were brutally killed. Only he managed to escape.
...
"Really, how did I end up in this situation again?"
This was the third time he had directly encountered such a monster. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to use the formal term his ex-girlfriend had called them...
"Curseis?"
Lu Ke sighed. After meeting his ex-girlfriend and learning that he was in the Jujutsu Kaisen world, he knew this day was inevitable.
After all, jujutsu sorcerers and curses always attract each other.
Indeed, Lu Ke was a jujutsu sorcerer, at least in theory.
In reality, he had never inherited any techniques from his lineage. His combat abilities were probably even weaker than Yuki Midoriya, who at least knew how to use the Yakumo technique and some basic spells.
Moreover, Lu Ke had become quite numb from his daily routine, with little emotional fluctuation. He had never received professional training and couldn't control his curse power. Apart from being able to see curses, he was no different from an ordinary person.
Creak~
A sound like something scratching against the wall echoed, and a cold, eerie presence from the next room made Lu Ke's hair stand on end.
He should have noticed it earlier, but years of overtime had dulled his senses. Work was truly a pile of dogshit.
Overtime was even worse!
Lu Ke mentally scoffed, not answering the question from the next room. He opened the door and prepared to rush out.
As soon as he opened the door, the men's restroom, which had been normal a moment ago, had completely changed. Everything was old and decayed, with a red and blue hue enveloping the space. Blood slowly dripped down the walls.
Most importantly, the exit was gone.
In its place was a blood-stained, mottled red wall.
"Is this supposed to be Silent Hill?"
Lu Ke stared speechlessly at the red wall, ran up to it, and kicked it with all his might. As expected, it didn't budge.
Clearly, this curse's curse power had transformed the environment, even more terrifying than the old woman curse he had encountered on the train the second time. It was probably on par with the curse that had attacked his family.
Last time, his ex-girlfriend had saved him, but this time, he might not be so lucky.
The door to the next stall creaked open slowly, revealing an indiscernible darkness inside.
A malevolent voice echoed again, this time with a hint of impatience.
"Do... you... want... blue... paper... or... red... paper?"
He couldn't answer. Answering meant death.
But waiting would also mean death. Lu Ke felt the cold presence growing stronger, indicating that the curse was about to attack. It hadn't moved yet, likely because it was bound by certain rules.
These widely spread urban legends were known as imaginary curses, different from the typical curses born from the unintentional grudges of ordinary people. They were bound by the collective imagination of humans.
For example, the Slit-Mouthed Woman would ask, "Am I beautiful?" before attacking. Kaya would target those who stepped into the house first, and Sadako would make a death call.
However, these stereotypes can only have a slight effect on these cursed spirits and can't truly stop them from killing.
Just like now, even if Luk doesn't answer, the cursed spirit will eventually make a move, possibly assuming that he defaults to both options.
He'll probably be bleeding and having his neck squeezed at the same time.
"If I could, I'd prefer a less painful way to die."
With his escape route blocked and no strength left, Luk felt surprisingly calm in this dire situation.
After all, living under constant pressure, he had occasionally thought about death.
It was just a shame that he hadn't managed to save up 50 million yen to buy his dream house and car, and enjoy a peaceful retirement.
But given his current work intensity, dying suddenly was also quite likely.
He calmly commented, coldly watching the cursed spirit, a withered male body with a blue-tinged face and blood dripping from its feet, crawl out of the toilet stall.
"Do... you... want... the... blue... paper... or... the... red... paper?"
The cursed spirit's third question, which would likely be its last.
The surrounding environment worsened, and Luk felt a dizziness coming over him. His vision blurred, and a bone-chilling coldness suddenly pierced through his marrow, making his body stiffen.
"To hell with you, I just want to make money, you damn thing."
Luk barely managed to flip the cursed spirit the middle finger and squeeze out what might be his last words.
"Red paper... blue paper!"
The cursed spirit roared and charged at Luk, red and blue light about to engulf him.
Boom—
A massive shockwave blasted through the red wall, sending debris flying and stirring up a cloud of dust. A figure walked into the isolated mirror world.
The newcomer was tall and slender, with neatly styled golden hair, wearing a white suit with a yellow polka-dot tie and green glasses, holding a bandaged katana, giving off a contradictory aura of a white-collar worker mixed with a gangster.
"Imaginary cursed spirit— the red and blue paper in the toilet. Is this urban legend becoming popular again?"
Glancing at the mummified cursed spirit, the newcomer looked around.
"The cursed energy has warped the surrounding environment, forming an incomplete domain. However, it's limited to the toilet due to the urban legend's stereotype, so let's call it a Level 1 cursed spirit."
Luk stared at the newcomer, "Nanami?"
Nanami Kenjin, the curse user, turned his attention to Luk. Despite the dire situation, he remained unusually calm and even bowed slightly to Luk.
"Long time no see, Fujiwara Luk. I heard you quit the company not long after I left."
"Yeah, because I offended a stupid old—"
"Roar!"
A pained roar interrupted their conversation. The ignored cursed spirit's body suddenly swelled, and a red beam of cursed energy shot toward Luk.
Clang—
The bandaged katana deflected the beam, and Nanami Kenjin stepped in front of Luk, blocking the attack. The skin where the beam hit began to ooze blood, as if the pressure difference had caused it to rupture.
"Let's catch up later, Luk. You should get out and wait for me to exorcise this cursed spirit."
Nanami mentally noted that the cursed spirit's abilities matched those in the urban legend. The red beam causes bleeding, so theoretically, the blue beam would twist limbs.
In terms of strength, breaking through the cursed energy's defense posed no threat to Nanami, but it would be fatal to an ordinary person or a weak curse user like Luk who couldn't use cursed energy protection.
"Be careful. I'll take my leave."
Realizing he would only be a burden, Luk turned and ran out. The cursed spirit, seeing this, immediately tried to chase after him but was blocked by the bandaged katana.
"Personally, I hate overtime, so let's get this over with quickly."
(End of Chapter)
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