Chapter 46: Chapter 46: The Saint and the Crisis
"Born from darkness, into the deepest abyss."
"All filth and corruption, be cleansed."
Standing at the gate, Ijichi formed a seal and cast a barrier that enveloped the entire juvenile detention center.
The already gloomy sky instantly darkened, as if night itself had descended.
"A special-grade cursed spirit, huh? The higher-ups must think really highly of you weaklings," White Zetsu complained, crossing his arms behind his head, visibly irritated.
Nobara tightened her grip on her hammer and shot back, "Mommy's boy, don't act like you're not a weakling yourself."
"If you're so great, why don't you go in there, save everyone, and we'll just wait outside for you?"
Glancing at White Zetsu, who was trailing behind the group, Nobara mocked, "What's the matter? You're not scared, are you?"
"Scared?!" White Zetsu scoffed, "Back in the day, I fought a cursed spirit called Yamaguchi. We cut our way from Hongxing all the way to Bolan Street!"
"Then from Bolan Street to Chenghua Avenue, and from Chenghua Avenue all the way to Erxian Bridge!"
"Along the way, I slaughtered at least eight hundred special-grade curses!" White Zetsu pointed dismissively toward the depths of the center. "That trash in there? One snap of my fingers and he's gone!"
"Eight hundred special-grade curses?" Nobara snorted. "Why don't you go in there, snap your fingers, and take care of it for us? Then we'll come in and save the people."
White Zetsu stopped in his tracks, shaking his head. "For you lot, what's inside is perfect for honing your skills. It's better if I don't interfere."
"Nobara, White Zetsu, if you keep bickering, the people inside will all be dead by the time you're done," Yuji interjected with a sigh of exasperation. "Our mission is to save people, not fight."
Between White Zetsu's constant boasting and Nobara's short temper, the two were like oil and water, bickering every single day and giving Yuji a perpetual headache.
"White Zetsu, what about your cursed tools?" Fushiguro asked, his expression serious. They could be facing a special grade—now wasn't the time to hold back.
"They were confiscated a few days ago."
Fushiguro blinked. "Why?"
"That bastard Gojo wouldn't let me use them on missions, and then Mirai took them away," White Zetsu shrugged. "Besides, that Red Lotus blade was never really mine to begin with."
Nobara frowned. "We were briefed on the mission this morning. You knew we were dealing with a special grade, so why didn't you bring the tools?"
"I would have if I could..." White Zetsu spread his hands helplessly. "But Mirai was assigned to an overseas mission by the higher-ups a few days ago."
"Who knew something like this would happen so soon after he left?"
Not only was Gojo absent, but even Mirai had been suddenly sent away.
A vague sense of foreboding stirred in Fushiguro's chest.
"Come on, we need to get inside. There are injured people waiting for us."
Before Fushiguro could say anything, Yuji pushed the door open and walked straight in.
---
"What... what is this?"
Yuji looked up in shock at the distorted hallways and the seemingly endless maze of floors.
"Where's the door?!" Nobara's forehead was dotted with cold sweat as she glanced around in panic. "Where's the entrance we just came through?!"
Standing at the back, White Zetsu had somehow donned a pair of sunglasses and crossed his arms, striking a mysterious pose.
"This is a half-formed domain~"
"The strange scenery you're seeing now is all created by the cursed spirit's power within its incomplete domain."
White Zetsu's calm explanation only deepened Yuji and Nobara's sense of unease.
"Relax. A half-formed domain isn't as terrifying as you think," White Zetsu said dismissively. "This trash? Nowhere near the level of Mirai's domain."
At his words, both Yuji and Nobara sighed in relief.
If this domain was on par with Mirai's...
Or even close to the one Jogo had used... they'd be walking straight into a death trap.
"White Zetsu is right. You two need to calm down," Fushiguro said, composing himself. He quickly formed a seal, summoning his shikigami—his jade hound.
Its pure white fur bore intricate markings on its forehead, and its deep yellow eyes gleamed.
Compared to Mirai's summoned creatures...
Fushiguro's jade hound was smaller, gentler, and far less lethal.
"Don't worry, it's already picked up the scent of the entrance."
Fushiguro followed the jade hound forward, warning the others. "Let's find the survivors and get out. Even if it's an incomplete domain, this cursed spirit is beyond our ability to exorcise."
Yuji and Nobara nodded and quickly followed.
Saving the survivors was their only priority—they had no intention of fighting a special grade.
---
The group of three, led by the jade hound, reached the third-floor balcony.
In the corner lay three mangled bodies.
Yuji knelt beside the least disfigured one, struggling to accept the reality before him.
The name tag on the corpse's clothing matched the name of the woman who had been sobbing outside the police line.
"Fushiguro, let's get this guy's body out of here first," Yuji said firmly. "The mother outside... she couldn't possibly handle just being told her son is dead. She needs to see him, at least."
Fushiguro grabbed Yuji by the hood, his voice just as resolute. "There are still two other survivors whose fates are unknown. Leave the body here for now."
"Are you kidding me?!" Yuji spun around, his anger rising. "This place is a maze! How will we even find it again if we leave it here?"
"We don't need to find it," Fushiguro said coldly. "I never planned on coming back to rescue him. I said we'd leave the body here."
Saving selectively, prioritizing the lives of "good people."
That was Fushiguro's long-held belief.
"Leave it here?!" Yuji grabbed Fushiguro by the collar, glaring. "What are you talking about?!"
A rare flicker of anger crossed Fushiguro's face. "This is a juvenile detention center! A prison for young criminals!"
"The guy you want to save was driving without a license when he hit and killed a little girl on her way to school!"
"And it was the second time he did it!"
Fushiguro tightened his grip on Yuji's collar and demanded, "What if the person you save takes someone else's life in the future?"
Yuji bit down on his lip, unsure how to respond.
"You two!"
"Can't you pick a better time and place to argue?!"
Nobara stomped over, shouting, "Both of you, cut it out right now!"
Watching the scene unfold from the back, White Zetsu's lips curled into a subtle, hidden smile.
"Such a saintly nature... it seems Yuji still has a lot of growing up to do."
White Zetsu whispered to himself before hurrying over, pretending to play the mediator.
"Thud."
Suddenly, the ground beneath Nobara and White Zetsu gave way, and the two were swallowed up as if they had fallen into deep water.
"Yuji!"
Catching a glimpse of his shattered shikigami, Fushiguro shouted, "Run! Get out of here, and we'll figure out how to save Nobara and White Zetsu later!"
Fushiguro grabbed the dazed Yuji, ready to make their escape, but then froze in place.
Cold sweat dripped down his face uncontrollably...
In front of him, just inches from their faces, loomed the special-grade cursed spirit.
Danger was upon them.
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