"Zenin-sensei, you don't have to get involved this time — leave it to us."
On the way, Hakari rested his hands behind his head, looking completely at ease, as if this so-called Grade 2 Sorcerer examination was just a formality.
Beside him, Kirara wore the same unconcerned expression.
After months of training and several encounters with cursed spirits, the two had grown confident. With their current skills and teamwork, a Grade 2 exam didn't even require their teacher's supervision.
"Pretty confident, aren't you?" Jinsuke glanced at the pair's lazy demeanor but said nothing more.
"My rule for missions with students is simple — as long as you're still breathing, I won't step in."
"Even better" Hakari grinned. Right now, his enthusiasm for exorcising curses was burning hot — and when Hakari got passionate, he always gave it his all.
"According to intel, this time it's a Grade 2 cursed spirit, about a few dozen kilometers from here" said Kirara.
"Once we take it out, the mission's done."
The trio drove toward the location and arrived an hour later at a cave entrance at the edge of a mountain near a busy district. A foul stench wafted out. A garbage truck sat parked nearby, and a sanitation worker in full gear was clearing debris at the cave mouth.
"You sure it's here? This looks like a damn sewer entrance." Hakari frowned as black water trickled from the tunnel.
"Pretty sure" Kirara said, handing out three masks.
"If nothing's gone wrong, the cursed spirit's hiding inside."
Whoosh! Ahhh—!
Before Kirara could finish, a white thread shot from the darkness and instantly wrapped around the sanitation worker, yanking him violently into the tunnel.
The three exchanged glances — no doubt now.
"Let's go! If we don't move fast, that guy's dead!" Hakari shouted, rushing into the sewers, Kirara right behind him.
Jinsuke stood at the entrance, hesitating. A curse that lived in a place like this… was almost enough to make him gag.
Boom!
Moments later, cursed energy flared violently inside — they had already engaged.Judging by the energy, it really was just a Grade 2 spirit. Losing interest, Jinsuke decided to stay outside. The stench alone was punishment enough.
Meanwhile, deeper in the sewer—
Hakari and Kirara followed the white thread until they spotted the cursed spirit.
"So it's just a spider, huh?" Hakari scoffed at the half-human-sized creature before them.
"Finish it quickly" said Kirara, eyeing the sanitation worker now mummified in webs.
"Alright, let's do this." Hakari snapped his fingers, and a massive train appeared from thin air, barreling straight toward the spider.
ROAR!
The tunnel thundered as the train slammed into the curse, sending it flying before dissolving into cursed energy.
A mark appeared on the spider's body — and a matching one on the sewer wall. Suddenly, an invisible pull yanked the spider right back, slamming it brutally against the concrete.
BANG!
Blood sprayed. The spider shrieked in pain, forcing itself free with its eight legs, green eyes flashing with fury.
Whoosh!
White threads shot from its abdomen, followed by a spray of toxic green fluid. Hakari and Kirara dodged just in time — the venom splashed onto the wrapped-up sanitation worker.
AAAHHH!
His muffled screams echoed as his body writhed, then quickly melted away, leaving only bleached bones.
Hakari grimaced. "Damn… that's brutal." A Grade 2 curse indeed had some bite.
"Hakari! Don't give it another chance — finish it in one go!" Kirara moved swiftly, marking the walls in all directions, as well as herself and Hakari, to avoid friendly fire.
"Okay! Time for the exciting part!" Hakari's energy surged as he unleashed his full power.
With Kirara's support, he summoned one vehicle after another — trains, dump trucks, even tankers — each one slamming into the spider with overwhelming force.
For over ten minutes, the repeated collisions shredded the cursed spirit's strength. Finally, its energy gave out; its body collapsed into a pulpy mess and dissolved into nothing.
"Done!"
Hakari threw his hands up, closing his eyes in satisfaction — savoring the rush of victory from his chaotic, slot-machine-style fighting.
"Phew… too bad we couldn't save that guy"
Kirara sighed, wiping sweat from her forehead as she looked at the remains.
"Let's go. Nothing we could've done."
They were still only Grade 3 sorcerers — barely worth mentioning. After this, they'd probably get promoted to Grade 2. With time, both could easily reach Grade 1 or semi-Grade 1 before graduation.
Relaxing after the fight, they turned to leave — when suddenly, from deeper within the sewers, a thick web shot forward like a bullet, piercing straight through their stomachs.
Splurt!
Both coughed blood, eyes wide with shock, before being yanked violently into the darkness. Only then did they realize — spiders rarely live alone.
"Damn it! We got scammed by HQ intel!"
With their limited experience, they hadn't yet learned how often the school's mission data turned out wrong.
Now, there was only one thought left in their minds—
"Where the hell is our teacher?!"
Outside—
Jinsuke found himself facing someone both unexpected and all too familiar.
"You again? You just can't stay out of my way, huh?" Geto glared at him, frustration written all over his face.
Finding a good cursed spirit these days wasn't easy. Ever since betraying Jujutsu High for his own vision of the future, every time he tracked down a promising spirit… this man showed up — only to slaughter it right in front of him.
"Seems like fate keeps bringing us together, Geto boy" Jinsuke said with mild amusement.
He was honestly surprised. Since when did Geto care about mere Grade 2 curses? Wait— no. That couldn't be it.
Jinsuke's eyes narrowed. If Geto was here, then whatever was inside wasn't just a Grade 2.
"We'll chat later," he said, his expression turning serious. "I need to check if my two students are still alive."
With that, his figure vanished.
Only then did Geto realize — their cursed energy signatures inside had suddenly gone silent.
"You bastard!" Geto shouted, chasing after him — determined this time to snatch the prey before Jinsuke could destroy it again.