Mei Mei watched the Special Grade avian cursed spirit take flight again, diving down like a bolt of black lightning. A cold smirk played across her lips.
Although the opponent's speed was indeed ridiculous, to Mei Mei, who spent her life on the edge of death, a beast fighting on pure instinct was no threat at all.
"Ui Ui, step back,"
Mei Mei barked.
Her hands gripped the massive battle axe—half a head taller than herself—as highly condensed cursed energy erupted around her.
"Yes, Sister!"
Ui Ui retreated dozens of meters without hesitation, giving Mei Mei room to work.
He knew when she wore that expression, things were getting serious.
"If speed is what you want..."
Cold, glacial killing intent replaced the mercenary glint in her eyes.
"Then I'll show you what it means to have nowhere to run!"
"Black Bird Manipulation!"
With her shout, the sound of fluttering wings emerged from the shadows of the ruins behind her.
Flap flap flap—
A second later, hundreds of black crows radiating an ominous aura surged out of the darkness like a flood.
These weren't ordinary birds; they were shikigami deeply infected by her cursed energy and bound to her command.
Their eyes glowed with an eerie red light, and they carried a stench like rotting meat.
"Go. Tear that big bird to shreds."
Mei Mei tilted her chin up like a queen, issuing orders to her avian legion.
"Caw!"
With a cacophony of shrill caws, the crows turned into black arrows, swarming the Special Grade spirit.
"Screech!"
The spirit was clearly enraged.
As a Special Grade, it was the absolute master of the skies; it wouldn't tolerate low-level crows challenging its authority.
It spread its massive, metallic wings—ten meters wide—and spiraled mid-air to meet the swarm.
Boom!
Two black currents collided in the sky.
Feathers flew, and shrill screams mingled with the clashing of metal, creating a bone-chilling symphony of death.
The spirit's steel feathers were like sharp blades, slicing through a dozen crows with every flap.
But the crows knew no fear, throwing themselves forward in suicidal waves, biting and clawing at its body.
While they struggled to pierce its metallic defense, the constant harassment severely crippled its speed and mobility.
"Now!"
Mei Mei finally moved.
Her long, powerful legs kicked off the ground, launching her like a cannonball and leaving a visible sonic boom behind.
"Die!"
Mei Mei raised the massive axe high.
The blade gleamed with a terrifying chill, descending upon the spirit's head with the force of a thunderbolt.
"Screech!"
The spirit reacted quickly despite the swarm.
Sensing the fatal threat, it flapped its wings and lurched several meters sideways, narrowly dodging the blow.
"Clang!"
The axe grazed the edge of its wing, sending a shower of sparks into the air.
"It dodged?"
Watching from afar, Ui Ui broke into a cold sweat.
The spirit's speed and reflexes were far beyond their expectations.
However, Mei Mei didn't look discouraged; a mocking sneer curved her lips.
"Did you think my attack was that simple?"
Almost as soon as she spoke, the spirit let out a blood-curdling scream.
"Screech!!!"
It realized in terror that Mei Mei's axe swing was a feint.
Her real target wasn't its head, but...
"Pshht!"
As it tilted to dodge the axe, a Crow King—larger than the rest and wreathed in black flames of cursed energy—appeared beneath its belly like a ghost.
The Crow King plunged like a black sword into the softest feathers of its underbelly without hesitation.
Hidden beneath those feathers was the spirit's core:
A massive eyeball glowing with a sinister purple light.
"Bird Strike!"
Mei Mei's voice echoed like a death sentence.
Boom!!!
The Crow King instantly detonated all its cursed energy, turning into a terrifying storm of black power.
This was the ultimate technique of Black Bird Manipulation: forcing a crow to commit suicide to unleash an explosion far beyond its limits.
Under an attack of this magnitude, not even a Special Grade could escape unscathed.
"Crack..."
With a crisp sound, the hidden purple eye shattered into a web of cracks.
"Screech..."
The spirit gave one last desperate, weak cry as its massive body began to crumble and dissolve.
Within seconds, the once-unrivaled master of the skies turned into motes of cursed energy, vanishing into the dark Shibuya sky.
"Phew..."
Mei Mei flipped gracefully in the air and landed firmly on the ground.
She shouldered her axe and lightly dusted off her clothes, her face regaining its calm, effortless elegance.
It was as if she hadn't just slain a Special Grade, but merely crushed a bothersome bug.
"One more problem solved."
She looked up at the dispersing murder of crows, a flash of calculated stinginess in her eyes.
"A loss of a carefully raised crow... but considering the generous payment Boss Yoru provided, it's still a profitable deal."
"Sister, you're amazing!"
Ui Ui ran over, his eyes full of fanatical worship.
"A monster of that level is nothing before you!"
"Stop the flattery, Ui Ui,"
Mei Mei replied, rolling her eyes, though a hint of a smile touched their corners.
"This fight was just a minor interlude. The real trouble is still ahead."
She turned toward the center of Shibuya, where a pillar of black cursed energy still pierced the clouds.
Even from this distance, she could feel the soul-shuddering pressure.
That was the aura of the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna.
'Even that monster has awakened... Boss Yoru, are you really sure you can win?'
Mei Mei wondered silently to herself.
Though she had absolute confidence in Yoru's strength, facing a legendary nightmare like that made even her falter.
However, she quickly brushed the thoughts aside.
"Whether he can win or not, we've taken the money, so we have to do our jobs."
Her gaze turned firm again.
She knew that in this final battle deciding the future of the jujutsu world, while she and Ui Ui couldn't join the core conflict, their roles were still vital.
"Let's go, Ui Ui."
Mei Mei shouldered her axe and strode toward the next rescue point.
"Shibuya is only going to get busier from here."
As her voice faded, the streets of Shibuya fell into a deathly silence once more.
Only the whistling wind remained, as if signaling the arrival of an even greater storm.
And the terrifying power Mei Mei had just displayed left those observing from the shadows deeply wary.
Just how much more of her power had this money-grubbing woman hidden away?
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