บท 30: Cursed Spirit Manipulation
Since unauthorized individuals weren't allowed inside the classroom, the three and Kuroi Misato had to stand guard outside the teaching room.
"I really don't get what the higher-ups are thinking. Seriously, satisfying every single demand? They're way too lenient," Gojo Satoru grumbled, clearly irritated—though it was unclear whether his frustration was aimed at the higher-ups or Tengen Riko herself.
"Don't talk like that, Satoru. Even though she looks carefree now, once she's assimilated, she'll never see her family, friends, or anyone important to her again," Suguru Geto softly chided, his tone calm. After a brief silence, he added, "Let her enjoy herself. Our job is to protect her."
"...Miss Riko doesn't actually have any family. She lost them in an accident when she was young… I've been the one taking care of her ever since," Kuroi Misato explained, stepping forward and bowing deeply to the two. "At the very least... please let her spend more time with her friends."
"Well, aren't you her family then?" Geto interrupted gently.
"...Yes, yes, I suppose so," Kuroi bowed even lower.
Minamoto Sōjun leaned against the wall, scrolling through his phone as he kept an eye on dark web updates. The bounty on Tengen Riko had risen again—now up to 30 million yen.
Suddenly, Sōjun looked up and approached the group. He turned to Kuroi. "Someone's coming. Where's Riko right now?"
Kuroi was startled but forced herself to remain calm. She glanced at her wristwatch and replied, "At this time… she should be in music class, either in the music room or the chapel."
"Should we head to the chapel first? Why didn't she inform us?" Kuroi looked anxiously at the others. "The location changes depending on the music teacher's arrangement!"
"Satoru, you go to the chapel. Miss Kuroi, head to the music room," Geto quickly decided. "I'll handle—"
"I'll deal with the curse users. Geto, you go with Kuroi to the music room," Sōjun interrupted, signaling with his eyes.
And keep Kuroi safe.
Geto nodded in understanding.
"No matter what happens, meet back here immediately," Sōjun instructed.
The group nodded and split up.
Sōjun disappeared in an instant, reappearing at the place where the cursed energy was most concentrated.
Not far away, a burly man stood in the school courtyard, a strange paper bag over his head. His left eye scanned the surroundings through a hole in the bag, revealing a cold, indifferent gaze.
He looked around and tugged at the bag, exuding a menacing aura filled with bloodlust. "Thirty million yen? I skipped lunch to get here. Food always tastes better after a kill."
"Too bad. You won't even get to die on a full stomach," a voice rang out ahead of him.
Huh?
A shadow loomed over the bag-headed man. He looked up sharply, meeting the gaze of a tall figure with a pair of striking, otherworldly eyes.
"Miss Kuroi, don't worry," Geto reassured her as they ran side by side.
Were the intruders remnants of Q? Or assassins hired by the Star Religious Group?
If it was the latter, things could get tricky. They wouldn't know who the enemy was or how many there were.
He silently analyzed the situation.
Huh?
Geto suddenly stopped, extending an arm to block Kuroi.
An old man with a white cloth tied around his head stood in the hallway, blocking their path.
Geto didn't look back. "You head to the music room. I'll handle this."
He stepped forward.
Kuroi immediately turned and left.
The old man glanced at her but quickly dismissed her as an ordinary person.
"That uniform... You're a student of Jujutsu High, aren't you?"
As he spoke, the old man clasped a talisman in his right hand, channeling cursed energy into it. The talisman ignited, summoning two shikigami that flanked him protectively.
Geto responded by summoning two kappa-like cursed spirits.
"No medium? And summoning cursed spirits in a way that differs from a shikigami user... Could it be—Cursed Spirit Manipulation?" The old man's thoughts turned grim, though his voice remained composed.
"Spot on. Living long does bring wisdom," Geto replied calmly.
Forcing cursed spirits into servitude, making them obey one's commands—this was Cursed Spirit Manipulation. The technique didn't require any medium; it solely depended on the user's ability to command the spirits with their cursed energy. There was no limit to the number of spirits one could control...
The old man's mind raced with the implications.
Geto took a step back as the kappa spirits charged at the old man.
The old man squinted. While Geto's technique clearly outclassed his, his combat style still seemed tied to the mindset of a shikigami user.
And he was too young—his inexperience was a glaring weakness.
I know exactly what he's planning.
The old man watched the charging kappa spirits, confidence surging within him.
This type of sorcerer, who recklessly commands spirits to attack, while being ill-suited for close combat and leaving themselves defenseless... There's no easier target to kill.
"You seem to be plotting something, but it's all pointless," Geto interrupted his thoughts.
A massive worm-like cursed spirit suddenly emerged, filling the entire hallway.
The old man froze in shock. So, the first two spirits were just a distraction?
The worm spirit opened its massive jaws, lined with spiraling rows of sharp teeth, and lunged at the old man. The walls and floor cracked under its sheer force as it bore down with devastating intent.
"And now… it's over," Geto said, watching the worm spirit.
Bang—
The old man burst through a window behind Geto, laughing maniacally. "Haha! You failed because you left a blind spot for yourself!"
He held a dagger, his expression twisted with madness as he lunged at the surprised Geto. "Die!"
I've won. So naïve!
Snap—
A hand...
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