I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [22]
"If that little kid refuses to undergo assimilation," Gojo said under the tree shade, his gaze unwavering. "Then she won't be forced to do it."
"Is that really okay?" Suguru chuckled, unsurprised. "We might end up having to fight Master Tengen, you know."
"Don't worry; there'll be a way."
"We're the strongest."
Gojo and Suguru had already reached a mutual understanding: if Riko Amanai felt any unwillingness toward assimilating with Master Tengen, then they would both do whatever it took to help her—even if it meant opposing Tengen and the people behind him.
It could be said that Baobhan Sith did what they had long intended to do; the difference was that she'd never consulted the person involved, and her methods were a lot more… brutal.
"I didn't do it for the Star Vessel," she'd explained flatly. "I just can't stand Tengen and those self-righteous zealots from the Star Religious Group. I'd like nothing more than to crack their heads open and see if their brains are as absurdly shaped as their ideas."
When Geto had encountered Riko Amanai earlier, he could tell she looked more relaxed, her smile more genuine, as if a heavy, invisible weight had been lifted.
Thus, Baobhan Sith's actions were indeed a kindness.
She had saved a girl who had been imprisoned in an invisible sea, severing her shackles and setting her free.
"Jasmine, Jasmine! Get over here! Don't hang around that gloomy, creepy guy with the weird bangs," Baobhan Sith called from the lectern, waving her over. Obedient as ever, Jasmine flashed an apologetic smile to Suguru before trotting to Baobhan Sith's side.
The smile on Suguru's face wavered.
I take back what I said. She really is a nuisance.
A crimson apple, shiny and tempting, was tossed into the air, caught in a fair, slender hand.
"Oh? You look annoyed." Baobhan Sith glanced at the two of them, smirking. "Good, I'm glad you're upset. Your discomfort is my source of joy. Ah, what a delight—it even boosts my appetite."
She took a bite from the apple and settled onto the lectern, looking down at them. "Your misery is the only entertainment you lowlifes can provide me, so suck it up."
Not like you could beat me, anyway.
That's precisely what Baobhan Sith's gaze seemed to convey.
After Gojo learned the Reversal Technique, he immediately sought out the Star Religious Group and ran into Baobhan Sith, who had just emerged from their domain.
With Gojo practically high on the thrill of his newfound power and Baobhan Sith's utter disinterest in explaining anything, the two could only speak with their fists.
Not long after, Gojo found himself planted into the ground like a carrot.
"I'll admit, mastering Reversal has brought you to a whole new level, but you're still far from fully cooked in my presence."
With his mastery of Reversal came an understanding of Red and the ability to layer his Limitless Technique with Reversal into Hollow Technique: Purple.
For the first time, Gojo managed to break through Baobhan Sith's EX-ranked magical defense.
This was a feat most Casters couldn't accomplish!
With a single Hollow Technique: Purple, he shattered Baobhan Sith's defenses, reducing everything in its path—whether marble or luxurious decor—to nothingness.
Luckily for her, the dress she wore was a magical weave that auto-repaired as long as she had mana. And with the Holy Grail providing her endless mana, she didn't lack for resources. Otherwise, she might have appeared before Gojo next in a state of serious… exposure.
Baobhan Sith, Battle Damage Version.JPG
After her favorite dress was ruined, Baobhan Sith, still smiling sweetly, utterly crushed Gojo.
"No matter how many times I slice you, you keep putting yourself back together. You're less like a pest and more like a cockroach."
"Rude brat. You haven't even outgrown calling for your mother; you're just a kid pretending to be an adult."
Sprawled out across the chair's back, Gojo raised his middle finger toward her. Suddenly, the atmosphere became suffocating, filling the entire classroom.
"Oh, I almost forgot; you insulted my mother." Baobhan Sith's petite frame brimmed with mana, flowing like a dragon's surge into the sea or a tiger's prowl through the woods, ready to tear everything—including bone and flesh—apart.
"You said the one thing you shouldn't have. This won't end with mere slicing; I'll grind you into dust from the toes up!"
"Ha! I should repay your hospitality properly too!"
Blue Cursed Energy and crimson mana clashed and churned, tearing into each other's territory.
Even the residual waves from their clash made the entire building tremble, forcing Geto to summon curses to shield himself.
Jasmine, meanwhile, was unaffected; the crimson mana surrounded her protectively, parting like water around a rock.
Luckily, the two of them had enough restraint to take the battle outside, to the schoolyard.
In truth, neither was entirely careless.
Gojo was wary of getting scolded by Yaga-sensei.
Baobhan Sith was reluctant to damage the building, lest she be forced to pay for repairs.
The fight ended in a draw.
Baobhan Sith had to use her Noble Phantasm to land a hit, while Gojo could heal any injury, no matter how severe, with Reversal.
And although Hollow Technique: Purple could pierce her defenses, Gojo's full-power attacks weren't enough to seriously harm her, and Baobhan Sith simply restored herself with her magic.
In the end, they fought until sunset, neither able to bring the other down.
"What kind of technique even is that? Why does my Cursed Technique seem to lose most of its power against you?"
Sprawled across the pockmarked schoolyard, Gojo didn't seem to care about his disheveled appearance; his uniform was reduced to mere scraps glued to him with dried blood.
"I should be the one asking you. You can even heal your brain with that Reversal technique? Are you sure you only just learned it?"
Baobhan Sith, though standing, looked visibly drained.
She'd used her Noble Phantasm on him dozens of times; while her mana was endless thanks to the Holy Grail, her stamina was not.
"Are you Captain America's cousin or something? Spending an entire day like this… your persistence is identical."
"Captain who? And does he look as good as me?"
"Would you look at a piece of trash before taking it out?"
I don't know about 'good,' but he sure has a… firm figure.
During their first bout at the Star Religious Group, they'd reached a stalemate much like this one.
It wasn't until Gojo discovered that Baobhan Sith's absurd defenses only applied to Cursed Energy that he thought he'd found her weakness, laughing gleefully as he charged her for close combat.
Apparently, he'd forgotten that the petite girl before him was more than capable of overpowering even the Sorcerer Killer in raw strength.
Otherwise, how do you think Baobhan Sith had planted him into the ground in the first place?
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T/N: yayyy, I know some people will be like thats unbelievable! Heroic Spirits are stronger blah blah blah but let's just enjoy the story! Not to mention she's in a servant container so her power is limited!