Chapter 545: -538- Phase 4
Due to Kurahashi Miyo's overly serious tone, the atmosphere at the scene became somewhat unpleasant.
"Grandmother?"
Kyouko hesitated on whether to question Kurahashi Miyo, but she was urged by her.
"Alright, Kyouko, take the item out first. We can't let it stay in the Onmyou Academy any longer."
Kurahashi Miyo attempted to focus everyone's attention on the matter, not wanting to explain too much.
Unfortunately...
"It seems this has deep ties with Yakou."
Rozen, who had already regained his breath, straightforwardly pointed this out, causing Kurahashi Miyo to fall silent.
This was akin to an acknowledgment.
But even if Kurahashi Miyo didn't acknowledge it, it wouldn't remain hidden, right?
After all...
"I was specifically told not to touch it. Besides being related to Yakou, there's no other possibility, right?"
Rozen didn't look at Kurahashi Miyo, just gazing at the box inside the compartment as he spoke.
"Well, I'd like to see what's inside this box."
After saying this, Rozen completely disregarded Kurahashi Miyo's instructions and reached out to touch the box in the compartment.
"Wait...!?"
Kurahashi Miyo was completely taken aback by this possibility.
"Akikan!"
"Akikan, no!"
Natsume and Kyouko unconsciously called out.
However, Rozen remained undeterred, extending his hand and touching the box inside the compartment.
In the next moment, Rozen took the box from the compartment.
"—!?"
Kurahashi Miyo, Natsume, and Kyouko simultaneously held their breath, their entire bodies tensing up.
However...
"Nothing seems to have happened, right?"
Rozen nonchalantly held the box, his tone somewhat mischievous.
That look made it seem like he was deliberately teasing everyone.
"Akikan..."
"You really..."
Natsume and Kyouko both breathed a sigh of relief, but then started complaining, seemingly quite startled.
Even Kurahashi Miyo's voice came out sternly from the mouth of the black cat.
"Next time, don't be so reckless!"
Kurahashi Miyo's rare stern tone made it clear she was also quite concerned.
"Alright, alright."
Rozen responded without any remorse, looking at the box in his arms.
Holding the box like this, Rozen still didn't sense anything unusual inside. It was as if he was holding an ordinary box, making it impossible to imagine what dangerous cursed item related to Yakou could be inside.
Moreover, looking at the weight, it seemed like it wasn't carrying something particularly heavy. It was even quite light, making it impossible for anyone to fathom what could be inside.
In this situation, Rozen couldn't help but be curious.
"Hey." Rozen curiously proposed, "Can I open the box?"
This question naturally could only have one answer.
"No!"
The black cat's face turned serious.
"If you open the box, the contents inside could very likely be affected by the miasma and go berserk. Absolutely don't do it!"
Saying this, Kurahashi Miyo's voice carried an unquestionable emotion.
"Is that so?"
Rozen couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
Since it was a cursed item related to Yakou, Rozen was genuinely interested in this so-called forbidden cursed item. Not because of the rumors about him being the reincarnation of Yakou, but because this was something left behind by the acknowledged first great person in the world of jujutsu and magic.
For Rozen, who loved mysteries and exploring the realm of magic and jujutsu, this was truly fascinating.
However, Rozen knew where to draw the line.
Since it was highly likely that opening the box here could cause some astounding disaster, Rozen naturally wouldn't do so, knowing this fact.
Otherwise, he would be just like the kind of magus he despised the most—disregarding everything in pursuit of exploring mysteries, using any means necessary. Rozen would absolutely never do such a thing.
Given this, Rozen readily gave up.
"So, what should we do now..."
Just as Rozen was about to suggest having either Natsume or Kyouko carry the item out of the Onmyou Academy while he dealt with the Nue, an anomaly occurred.
"Rumble..."
It was as if an earthquake was happening—the entire Onmyou Academy building shook, and the deafening sound echoed all around.
Caught off guard, everyone was almost knocked to the ground by the shaking, barely managing to stabilize themselves.
However, at this moment, the miasma filling the air surged like a black hurricane, suddenly increasing in concentration several times over.
Simultaneously, the miasma, now materialized like a solid, began to cause physical harm in the building.
"Bang!"
Glass shattered.
"Boom...!"
The ground cracked layer by layer.
"What's this...!"
"Phase 2...!"
Seeing the miasma, now practically substantial, inflicting physical damage to the surroundings, Natsume and Kyouko both exclaimed.
Yes.
The miasma within the academy had finally escalated to Phase 2.
With the Nue at the center, multiple spiritual disasters were forming one after another.
What did this mean?
It meant that the Nue had finally reached that level.
"Phase 4..."
Kurahashi Miyo's voice was heavy.
At this stage, the Nue had become an undeniable threat.
If not dealt with soon, these Phase 2 spiritual disasters forming around the Nue would inevitably evolve into Phase 3, causing enormous disasters not only to the Onmyou Academy but also to the entire Tokyo.
———'Night Parade of a Hundred Demons.'
This was no joke.
One misstep, and a legion of spiritual disasters might form, spelling catastrophe not just for Tokyo but possibly the entire archipelago of the Far East.
It couldn't be left unattended.
This was the only definite decision.
"You..."
Kurahashi Miyo seemed to have a plan in mind, ready to instruct Rozen, Natsume, and Kyouko.
However, before that, Rozen had already spoken.
"Don't worry."
Rozen smirked and spoke like this.
"Even if they're slow, those guys should have arrived by now."
This sentence had just come out of Rozen's mouth when, in a corner of the Onmyou Academy, two powerful spiritual energies that even dense miasma couldn't conceal soared.
These two spiritual energies were the independent exorcists who, like Rozen and the others, had hurried here.
"Mr. Kogure...!?"
"And the 'Ogre Eater' is here too!"
Natsume and Kyouko's eyes lit up.
It seemed that Kogure Zenjirou and Kagami Reiji had rushed to the Onmyou Academy and were currently battling the Nue, now evolved to Phase 4.
Rozen immediately handed the box to Natsume.
"You two should leave first; I'll go and take a look."
After saying this, Rozen ran out of the director's office.
"Akikan!"
"Wait!"
Natsume and Kyouko hurriedly called out, but it didn't make Rozen stop.
In no time, Rozen disappeared.
The two girls looked at each other.
"Kurahashi-san..."
Just as Natsume hesitated, preparing to hand the box to Kyouko and have her leave first, while she chased after Rozen, Kyouko was the first to notice.
"Grandmother!?"
Kyouko's astonished voice made Natsume look in the direction of the black cat.
But there, the black cat was already gone, leaving only a talisman lying on the floor.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone