The cursed spirit stepped toward Mei Mei one slow, deliberate pace at a time, the corners of its mouth curling upward as it savored the intoxication of its own power.
"Human… entertain me."
BOOOOM!
With a violent stomp, the ground split apart. Its body blurred into an afterimage as it blasted forward. A single fist, wrapped in blinding lightning, hurtled toward Mei Mei like divine judgment.
"…Let's hope the others get here soon."
Mei Mei gripped her axe and braced herself. She had no choice but to meet the blow head-on.
CLANG!!
Steel and flesh collided with a deafening ring. Lightning exploded outward from the cursed spirit's fist, numbing half of Mei Mei's body in an instant. The raw force hurled her across the ground once again.
She wasn't even close to being a match.
Pale-faced and breathing hard, Mei Mei felt the numbness creeping deeper through her body. If she didn't retreat now, she wouldn't have the chance.
Her opponent's strength, both physical and otherwise, was overwhelming.
"What's wrong, human? That's it? I haven't even started trying yet!"
The cursed spirit's thunderous voice shook the air. Another lightning-coated punch flew forward, relentless.
Mei Mei blocked again with her axe while quietly activating her technique—Black Bird Manipulation.
"Oh? Your hand-to-hand skills aren't bad. Now, hurry up and show me your cursed technique!"
Its grin twisted into madness. One of its hobbies was observing the abilities of sorcerers, using them as fuel for its own evolution.
"My cursed technique is ridiculously weak, you know. But… if you insist, I guess I can show you."
Mei Mei parried, muttering dryly. If her technique hadn't been so underwhelming, she never would have honed her physical combat this far.
But even a weak technique had its uses.
Kicking off the ground, she snapped her fingers. "Bird Strike!"
SHOOM!
A crow shot forward like a bullet, so fast it broke the sound barrier, aimed straight at the cursed spirit's head.
Sensing danger behind it, the curse instinctively tilted aside.
BANG!
Half its head exploded, feathers and gore scattering in the air.
"Tch, just a little off. That would've been a clean kill." Mei Mei grimaced. Still, the fight should be easier now. Against an ordinary special grade, that attack would've been enough to end things.
Unfortunately, this one wasn't ordinary.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Human! You actually managed to injure me!"
Excitement surged across its twisted face. The ruined half of its head rapidly regenerated, flesh knitting back together. In its hand, lightning condensed into a massive black cross-shaped sword, radiating lethal energy.
The scales across its body glowed brighter, lightning arcs snapping and hissing, its cursed energy suffocating.
"…That's it then. This fight's over."
Mei Mei's frown deepened. Special grades already had terrifying regeneration— and this one was beyond even that.
No number of Grade 1s would be enough. Only another special grade sorcerer could handle this.
"Utahime! Fall back!"
Her body shot backward. Survival came before money.
"Human, where do you think you're going?"
The hulking curse flickered like lightning, appearing behind her in an instant. Raising its thunder-sword high, it grinned with sadistic glee.
If she stayed and fought, it would toy with her. But if she tried to run— there was only one outcome.
"Mei Mei!!"
Utahime's pupils shrank, her heartbeat skipping in terror. This curse was far beyond anything they could handle!
"…Damn it. I still haven't saved enough money."
Resignation flashed across Mei Mei's eyes. She couldn't even raise her axe in time. At least she had left her brother enough funds to live comfortably.
"Found you."
A shadow dropped from above. A crimson staff— the special grade cursed tool Playful Cloud— came crashing down with monstrous force.
Veins bulged across a muscular arm as the staff smashed into the cursed spirit.
"Wha—?!"
The curse sensed danger, whipping its head around.
But what greeted it was only a blazing red blur.
BOOOOOOM!!
Its body bent like a bow, hurled violently through several high-rises, smashing everything in its path before vanishing into a heap of rubble.
"Another moment later, and we'd have lost a promising young lady. You alright?"
Jinsuke glanced at Mei Mei, who could barely keep her grip on her axe.
"Hahh… barely. I almost died. If they don't raise my pay after this, I'm done with Jujutsu High."
Mei Mei struggled to her feet, her body still buzzing with numbness.
"Mei Mei! Are you okay!?"
Utahime rushed to her side, helping her stand, worry etched all over her face.
"I'm fine, little Utahime. Don't worry." Mei Mei forced a smirk, leaning on her.
"You two get clear. Leave this one to me."
Jinsuke's lips curved as he stared at the cursed spirit rising from the rubble. Finally— a true special grade. And not an ordinary one, either.
"Be careful! This thing's not like the others!" Mei Mei called out sharply.
"Oh? No wonder I didn't sense you before. You have no cursed energy."
The curse stepped free of the wreckage, its skull fully restored. Having its head smashed twice had irritated it.
"A human without cursed energy… already decided how you'll die?"
It slashed its lightning sword. A massive bolt of thunder roared toward Jinsuke.
CRACK-BOOM!
Jinsuke casually swung Playful Cloud, shattering the lightning apart.
"Another curse that underestimates people without cursed energy."
He reassembled the staff, then vanished into a blur, charging straight at the curse.
If he wasted too much time, someone else might swoop in and steal the kill. And he wasn't about to let that happen.
"Tch! Your speed is the only impressive thing about you."
The curse snarled, lightning erupting from its body as the two clashed.
Their afterimages collided again and again, shockwaves shaking the city as they fought from ground to sky and back again.
"Gulp…"
"Mei Mei-sensei, should we… help him?" Utahime swallowed hard, staring in awe.
The cold, distant Jinsuke was trading evenly with a monster of a special grade.
"Help? With what? Your technique doesn't work on him."
Mei Mei rolled her eyes. Jinsuke had no cursed energy— Utahime's amplification ability was useless. And in her own condition, she couldn't back him up either.
As for the other Grade 2 and lower sorcerers— they'd only get in the way.
"…True." Utahime nodded awkwardly.
"Wait— wasn't Kusakabe-sensei assigned to the same team as him? Where is he?"
"Haah… haah… finally made it!"
At that exact moment, Kusakabe stumbled into view, gasping for breath.
He had sprinted and dashed the whole way. Seeing Jinsuke already locked in battle with the special grade, he could only groan,
"Did he fly here or something?!"
Turning to the others, he asked,
"Mei Mei, Utahime— you two okay?"
"If Jinsuke-sensei had been one second later, you wouldn't be seeing us right now" Utahime said grimly, quickly explaining what had happened.
"This curse is that strong?"
Kusakabe's eyes flicked to the battlefield— to Jinsuke, smiling like a madman as he attacked relentlessly, and the special grade, struggling to keep up.
"…So the rumors were wrong. Jinsuke-sensei isn't trying to prove anything."
No. Looking at this scene— it was clear.
He just genuinely wanted to kill curses.