Truth be told, in his twelve years as a Jujutsu Sorcerer, this was the first time Yuu had ever laid a hand on a normal person.
Yuu stared at his hand, savoring the sensation—or rather, the lack thereof. His thoughts swirled.
Imagine being a sprinter bursting off the starting line for a hundred-meter dash, only to have the referee blow the whistle five meters in.
Underwhelming.
He felt no satisfaction from that punch. Just a hollow sense of disappointment.
"That guy... was way too weak."
Yuu looked down at the buzz-cut thug lying on the pavement outside like a sack of spoiled meat.
He had held back. Significantly.
To avoid killing the man, he had only used a tiny fraction of his Cursed Energy and pulled the punch to half-strength. Even then, the impact was devastating.
Inside the noodle shop, one of the remaining men finally snapped out of his trance.
"Wh... Who the hell are you?!" he screamed, his voice trembling with terror.
The man clutched his metal pipe so hard his knuckles were white, his whole body shaking.
Anyone with a brain could see that this kid wasn't human.
A martial artist? A psychic?
Or maybe a Magical Beast in human skin?
Whatever he was, he was way out of their league.
Silently, Yuu retracted the Cursed Energy from his fists and feet. He calmed the chaotic flow of his aura.
Currently, he couldn't maintain "Ten" while actively channeling Cursed Energy. The harder he focused on his Cursed Technique, the more his aura became unstable, and vice versa.
If he could master using Ten—or even more advanced Nen techniques—while simultaneously reinforcing his body with Cursed Energy and applying the attractive force of his Technique... his punches would hit like tactical missiles.
"But sadly, I'm a Conjurer/Transmuter mix... relying on Enhancement-style brute force isn't my path," Yuu thought.
"The key to getting stronger isn't punching harder. It's figuring out how to shape my Nen into something useful."
Yuu knew where his talents lay. He dismissed the thought and looked coldly at the trembling men.
"My name... telling you would be pointless."
"People don't usually introduce themselves to ants before they step on them. And honestly, I don't care about your names either. To me, you're just nameless trash."
Yuu scanned the remaining four thugs from left to right.
"I'll give you two choices..."
"One: Run away now, and never come back."
"Two: Come at me all at once. I don't want to waste any more time."
The man closest to Yuu gritted his teeth, his fear turning into desperate aggression.
"Don't get cocky, you little brat!"
In a flash, he pulled a pistol from his jacket. The barrel was aimed straight at Yuu's forehead, his finger already squeezing the trigger.
He didn't hesitate.
BANG—
A gunshot cracked through the air.
A copper bullet, wrapped in the fire of the muzzle flash, tore through the space between them.
The distance was less than six feet. It all happened in a split second.
Before anyone's expression could even change, the outcome was decided.
But the result... defied logic.
The muzzle flash faded. The bullet, which should have pierced the boy's skull, slowed down.
It slowed to a crawl, as if it had hit an invisible wall of molasses.
It hung in the air, suspended about five inches from Yuu's temple.
Everyone could see it clearly.
It wasn't that time had slowed down.
The bullet had stopped.
---
"H-How did you do that?!"
The shooter's arrogance vanished, replaced by sheer panic.
"Ever heard of the Paradox of Achilles and the Tortoise? It's the same principle," Yuu explained with a smile, plucking the floating bullet out of the air.
He explained the concept simply: By dividing the space between the object and himself infinitely, the object would constantly approach him but never actually reach him.
This was the defensive application of the Limitless Cursed Technique: the Infinity barrier.
It covered his body, slowing down anything that tried to touch him until it appeared to stop completely.
It was an unfair, cheat-like ability.
While the bullet couldn't touch him, he could certainly touch it.
Right in front of their eyes, Yuu squeezed the bullet between his fingers, reinforcing his grip with Cursed Energy.
He crushed the copper slug into a flat disc and tossed it onto the floor.
"M-Monster!!"
That was the breaking point. The gunman screamed, backing away so fast he stumbled. His hands shook so violently the gun slipped from his grip and clattered to the floor.
---
Technically, Yuu was the victim here.
But looking at the terrified faces around him, he felt like the villain.
"Hey, the bullet started it..."
Yuu ignored the retreating gunman and walked forward calmly. He picked up the discarded pistol.
Using the same method, he twisted the steel barrel into a pretzel with his bare hands.
"Are you guys leaving? Or are you waiting for an invitation?"
"Unless... you want me to make the first move?"
Yuu's cold voice was the final straw.
The thugs scrambled over each other to get out the door. They ran for their lives, barely remembering to drag their unconscious boss with them.
Watching them flee, Yuu cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted after them.
"Remember! If I ever see you again..."
"Well..."
He didn't finish the threat. instead, he crushed the ruined pistol into a ball of scrap metal, letting the screeching sound of twisting steel do the talking.
He left the rest to their imagination.
---
Yuu walked back into the shop.
He looked at Maldo, who was still standing there in shock, and offered an apologetic smile.
"I'll pay for the door... but it might take a few days."
Yuu opened his eyes, revealing his clear blue irises to the old man.
Maldo blinked, snapping out of his daze.
He stared into those crystalline blue eyes and muttered, "So you're not blind..."
Honestly, after witnessing that display of supernatural power, Maldo was terrified. But seeing the boy's calm demeanor—and remembering that he had fought to protect the shop—the fear faded into awe.
Maldo had a hundred questions. Who are you? What are you?
But the words stuck in his throat.
He decided not to ask. Knowing too much about people like this rarely ended well.
Instead, Maldo smiled weakly.
"Your noodles are cold... let me make you a fresh bowl."
He turned to head back to the kitchen, but Yuu gently grabbed his arm.
"Never mind the noodles. Who were those guys?"
Maldo was silent for a moment before answering.
"Mafia."
"Well, low-level thugs, really. They work for the Mafia, collecting debts and doing the dirty work no one else wants to do."
"Like human trafficking?" Yuu asked, remembering the thug's comment.
"Exactly," Maldo nodded grimly.
"Every year, they grab homeless people nobody will miss, or debtors who can't pay up. They sell them to auctions or... harvest their organs."
"Years ago, I borrowed money from them to pay for my wife's medical bills."
"Unlike other debtors, I'm too old to be worth anything as a slave or for parts. So... they keep coming for the shop. It's the only thing I have left."
Maldo looked at Yuu with serious eyes.
"You scared them off today, so they probably won't be back for a while. But the Mafia holds a grudge. You're a target now."
"Finish your noodles and get out of here. It's not safe for you to stay."
Maldo turned and walked toward the back room.
"Wait here. I have a few things of value left..."