THE BOYS: The Wrong Main Character

After three days, Mark took Yuji into the woods near Jujutsu High. They had walked far enough that the school was no longer visible through the trees, and Yuji finally looked around, unable to ignore how strange the whole thing felt.

"Teach, why are we out here? Did something happen?"

Mark walked a few more steps before stopping. He turned around with a faint smile.

"Yuji, you know the higher-ups want you executed, right?"

Yuji frowned. "Yeah, but why are you bringing that up now?"

Mark didn’t answer immediately. He just looked at him, and that alone made Yuji uneasy.

"They offered too much for your head," Mark said. "I couldn’t refuse."

Yuji stared at him.

"Teach...?"

He took a step back.

Mark sighed. "This is the problem with dumb kids. You don’t notice what’s happening until it’s already happening."

"What are you talking about?"

Mark pushed his bangs back.

Yuji barely saw him move.

Mark disappeared and appeared directly in front of him, driving his foot into Yuji’s stomach.

BOOM!

Yuji flew backward and crashed into a tree, the impact knocking the air from his lungs. He hit the ground and rolled several feet before stopping.

Mark didn’t rush after him. He simply stood there and watched.

Yuji slowly pushed himself up, one hand pressed against his stomach.

"Why...?"

Mark looked at him without any expression.

"Now you understand why I brought you here."

He took a step forward.

"I’m here to kill you."

Yuji had barely regained his balance when Mark was already attacking again. A punch came straight for his face. Yuji ducked, and Mark’s fist smashed into the tree behind him.

CRACK!

The trunk split.

Yuji stumbled away, breathing hard.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Money."

Mark didn’t hesitate.

"Didn’t I tell you? No hard feelings. We’ve known each other for two weeks. That’s not a long time."

He looked Yuji over.

"They offered me enough money to make killing you worth the trouble."

Yuji stared at him.

Mark shrugged.

"So why would I say no?"

He activated his Third Gate of Life.

His body disappeared.

Yuji’s eyes widened as Mark appeared behind him, one hand reaching for his neck. Yuji ducked just in time, but Mark’s kick caught him in the side and sent him stumbling across the dirt.

Mark watched him recover.

"It’s easy to kill you."

There was no boasting in his voice. He was simply stating what he saw.

"You don’t know how to properly use cursed energy. You don’t have a cursed technique. Half the time, you don’t even know what you’re doing."

Yuji clenched his fists.

Mark continued.

"You’re always talking about saving people. Helping people. Making sure nobody dies alone."

"So what?"

"Nothing."

Mark took another step.

"I’m just telling you that those ideals won’t save you."

Yuji glared at him.

"You think they’re pathetic?"

"I think they’re nice."

Mark’s eyes stayed on him.

"Just not useful when someone is trying to kill you."

Yuji’s jaw tightened.

"You rushed into danger because someone needed help. You keep throwing yourself into situations without knowing what you’re dealing with. That’s not enough."

"That’s enough."

Mark gave him a small, almost pitying smile.

"Why? Because it hurts to hear?"

Yuji lowered his stance.

"I said shut up."

"Then make me."

Yuji charged.

"Because, see," Mark said, "those ideals did nothing to save you."

That got to him.

Yuji swung.

But this time, something from Megumi’s lesson came back to him.

Cursed energy comes from negative emotions.

Use it.

Yuji focused on the anger in his chest instead of letting it consume him. He pulled that energy inward, trying to control it.

A dark layer of cursed energy began gathering around his body. It appeared first around his fists and forearms before spreading over his shoulders and the rest of his body. The control was rough, but it was there.

Mark noticed.

"Finally."

Yuji tightened his fists and attacked.

Mark threw a punch.

Yuji ducked underneath it and drove his fist toward Mark’s stomach.

Mark moved back just enough to avoid the full force.

"Hm."

Yuji followed with another punch, this time pushing cursed energy into it.

Mark blocked with his forearm.

The impact forced him several steps backward.

Yuji looked down at his fist, watching the cursed energy flicker around it.

"I can use it without a cursed technique..."

Mark gave him a small smile.

"Yeah. You figured out the easy part."

Yuji raised his fists again.

"But it’s useless."

Mark’s expression went flat.

"Fourth Gate of Pain."

The pressure around him changed.

Yuji barely had time to react before Mark disappeared.

Where—?

Something smashed into Yuji from the side.

His entire body flew through the air. The trees spun around him before his back slammed into one of them.

BOOM!

The trunk cracked from the impact.

Yuji dropped to the ground, coughing as the cursed energy around his body flickered.

Mark stood several meters away, completely untouched.

He didn’t look excited. He didn’t look impressed.

He just looked at Yuji.

"You learned how to use cursed energy."

Mark walked toward him.

"Good."

Yuji tried to stand.

Mark didn’t help him.

"But don’t mistake that for being strong."

Yuji forced himself upright.

Mark watched him struggle and shook his head slightly.

"I’ll give you this much. You’re tougher than you look."

His voice remained cold.

"But you’re still nowhere near strong enough to fight someone like me."

Yuji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised his fists again.

Mark sighed.

"Still getting up?"

Yuji stared at him.

"Yeah."

Mark’s expression softened for barely a second.

Not sympathy exactly. More like disappointment.

"That’s why I almost feel bad for you."

He stepped forward.

"Almost."