"So, do you believe me?"
"..."
Should she believe him?
Honestly, Mai wasn't entirely sure. She felt like she had never seen anyone more captivating than this boy in front of her, whose bright smile seemed to light up the room.
Humans are sensory creatures. Everyone's drawn to beauty, whether they realize it or not.
As she felt her heart stir, Mai blushed slightly, trying to push those thoughts away.
"... Yeah, I believe you," she finally nodded, her voice steady.
At the moment, she couldn't think of any other way. To Mai, Ryuji was more than just a sorcerer—he was a beacon of hope, someone who made her feel less alone. Slowly, she stepped forward and placed her hand in his.
"Target contacted: Mai Sakurajima. A purple ability entry has been triggered. Would you like to load it?"
A purple entry? That's already pretty impressive.
Ryuji grinned slightly, feeling the warmth of her hand in his. Meanwhile, Mai, a bit embarrassed by the touch, stayed silent.
Without wasting any time, Ryuji began channeling his cursed energy.
The problem with Mai was both simple and complex.
It was complex because, for an ordinary person, even one with exceptional talent, there'd be no way to resolve the issue of her fading existence.
But for a skilled sorcerer with a strong reservoir of cursed energy, it was a simple task. All he had to do was use his own cursed energy to calm the chaotic energy inside her. Once that was balanced, her technique would settle down on its own.
And now, that's exactly what Ryuji was doing.
"So warm…"
Mai could feel something flowing through her body, spreading from where their hands touched. It was a soothing warmth.
The next moment, everyone saw it—a girl with striking beauty slowly appeared in front of Ryuji, holding his hand.
"What the...?"
"Is that… Mai Sakurajima?"
"Amazing!"
The others couldn't hide their surprise. An incredibly beautiful girl had suddenly materialized out of thin air.
At the same time, memories of Mai Sakurajima started flooding back into their minds. After all, she had been a child star, quite famous back in the day. When she'd been in school before, plenty of classmates had approached her because of her fame. Some asked for autographs, others tried to befriend her, but most just wanted to be part of the hype.
"Thank goodness! You can all see me now!"
Noticing the stares from everyone around her, Mai was so overwhelmed with relief that she nearly cried. Without thinking, she threw her arms around Ryuji in a grateful hug.
"Ahem!"
Utaha cleared her throat, her voice carrying a teasing note.
"No matter how happy you are, you can't just hug someone else's boyfriend, you know~?"
Realizing what she'd done, Mai's face flushed deep red, and she quickly stepped back.
"S-sorry! I was just too happy!"
No one held it against her. After all, it was understandable. Being invisible to the world, feeling abandoned by everyone—now that she was seen again, who wouldn't be emotional?
Ryuji, on the other hand, remained casual, as if nothing had happened.
Not that he minded at all.
Honestly, he wouldn't even mind if it happened again.
"Alright, alright."
Ryuji waved a hand, signaling for everyone to calm down.
"Let me explain something real quick. What I just did was use my cursed energy to stabilize yours. But this isn't permanent. If you don't learn to control your cursed energy, there's a good chance you'll disappear again completely because of your unstable sense of existence."
"This... so it's not solved yet?"
The room fell quiet. The other girls, who had been joking just moments ago, now looked on with concern.
Jokes aside, they were good people at heart. They knew when something serious needed their attention, so they kept quiet to let Ryuji continue.
"What should I do then?"
Mai felt panic welling up again.
"I thought you'd be more concerned about what cursed energy even is!"
Ryuji gave a wry smile. This girl wasn't following the usual script.
"Let me explain what cursed energy and techniques are first."
"Uh... okay," Mai nodded, still a little shaken, but she listened intently.
Ryuji didn't bother with too many details. He kept it simple, giving her a basic rundown.
Mai listened, her face growing more and more serious. If she hadn't experienced this herself, she never would've believed that such a thing as cursed spirits and sorcerers existed in their seemingly peaceful world.
"So… does that mean I have the potential to become a sorcerer?"
Hearing this, Utaha, Yukino, and the others looked at Mai with envy.
They, too, wished they had the talent to be sorcerers. But unfortunately, they didn't. It was something they had to accept, no matter how helpless it made them feel.
"Well, before we get into that, why don't you tell me how you ended up like this?"
Ryuji asked, leaning back. This wasn't a typical world they were in an anime world after all, so things didn't always follow conventional logic.
For Mai, her fading from existence wasn't just adolescent syndrome, like the show had originally suggested. It was caused by something far more dangerous—cursed energy.
"Okay."
Mai trusted Ryuji, especially after what he'd just done for her. She nodded and began recounting her story.
In short, Mai had debuted as a child star. With her striking looks, she gained a lot of fans. Naturally, her mother became her manager.
That wasn't a problem in itself.
But while Mai loved acting and enjoyed being in the spotlight for her craft, her mother had other priorities. As time went on, she began to see Mai as little more than a tool for making money. Soon, Mai was being forced into endless commercials. The final straw was when her mother signed her up for an underwear ad without her consent.
That was when Mai snapped. She gave up her acting career and returned to school, hoping for a normal life.
But fame followed her. Back at school, she couldn't escape the attention—autograph requests, random students trying to chat with her for clout.
"At that point, I remember thinking, 'It would be so nice if no one could see me, if I could just live in peace,'" Mai said softly. "The next day, it happened. No one could see me anymore."
Everyone nodded, starting to understand what had happened.
"Emotional states can affect cursed energy. Your emotions must've fluctuated so much that it unconsciously triggered your technique."
It was a reasonable explanation.
"That's horrible! Using your own daughter just to make money!"
"Seriously!"
The girls were visibly upset after hearing Mai's story. They couldn't believe her mother had treated her that way.
Mai, however, stayed silent, her expression unreadable.
Perhaps she was angry at her mother, but in the end, that was still her mom. No matter how much she resented the situation, she couldn't bring herself to speak badly about her.
"Is there a way to fix this completely?" Mai asked, her voice filled with hope.
Ryuji had mentioned earlier that her problem wasn't permanently solved yet. If there was a chance it could happen again, she didn't want to go through that loneliness a second time.
She looked at him, hoping for a miracle.
"There are two ways," Ryuji said, raising a finger.
"First, I could send you to Jujutsu High."
"Jujutsu High? Is that the place that trains sorcerers?"
Ryuji had mentioned it earlier when explaining sorcery and cursed spirits. But Mai had no intention of becoming a sorcerer. All she wanted was to be normal again.
"What's the second option?"
Hearing her question, Ryuji grinned and pointed to himself.
"The second option is… I'll teach you."
"Huh? You'll teach me?"
Mai was genuinely surprised. Somehow, she trusted Ryuji more than the idea of going to Jujutsu High.
But at the same time, she couldn't help feeling a bit unworthy.
"Don't underestimate yourself," Ryuji said, reading her thoughts. "Your technique is really special. It can erase your own sense of existence, but I suspect it can also erase someone else's too. You could make a person disappear entirely. Think about how terrifying that potential is."
The girls all looked at Mai with wide eyes. They hadn't considered that angle before, but now they were starting to see just how powerful her technique could be.
"I've never thought about making someone disappear. I just want to go back to normal, to live a quiet, ordinary life."
Mai didn't want to experience being erased from existence again, but she also didn't want to stand out like she had in the past. Ordinary was good enough for her.
"So, have you decided to learn from me?"
"Yeah."
Mai nodded seriously, her mind made up.
As for learning how to control cursed energy, Ryuji didn't see it as much of a challenge. After all, he had a cheat code of sorts.
Sure, he wasn't exactly an expert in training techniques himself, but he knew someone who was!
"Mr. Ryuji?" On the other end of the phone, Kento Nanami, who was in the middle of exorcising a cursed spirit, sounded somewhat confused after receiving Ryuji's call.
"You want to know how to control cursed energy? No problem, I'll send it over shortly."
In the world of sorcery, non innate techniques and the method of controlling cursed energy wasn't exactly a closely guarded secret. And since it was Ryuji asking, Nanami saw no reason to refuse.
"Thanks a lot."
Ryuji could hear the sounds of battle on Nanami's side, indicating he was in the middle of dealing with some cursed spirits.
"How's it going? Need any help?"
Ryuji had a good impression of Nanami, and if he was in trouble, Ryuji didn't mind offering a hand.
"It's just a grade 2 cursed spirit."
Nanami chuckled softly.
"But, it is lunchtime right now. Having to work during lunch really ruins my mood."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Ryuji ended the call.
Nanami worked quickly. After finishing his exorcism, he compiled the techniques into a document and sent it over to Ryuji.
"Wow, this is way longer than I expected."
Ryuji glanced at the file on his phone, somewhat surprised by how detailed it was. He hadn't realized just how much went into learning to control cursed energy.
"Wait, has Ryuji never practiced before?"
Seeing his reaction, the girls in the service department couldn't help but feel a little confused.
After all, Ryuji was so powerful—it didn't make sense that he had never practiced.
"Well, there are always people in this world who get a little help from luck," Ryuji smirked.
"Some people are just born with advantages."
Take Yuta, who I met not too long ago as an example.
He had never trained a single day in his life, yet the amount of cursed energy he possessed was even more exaggerated than Gojo's.
That's why people say that being a sorcerer is all about talent.
The potential a sorcerer has in the future can often be seen from the very beginning.
"..."
Although it sounded a bit like boasting, after seeing Ryuji's abilities firsthand, the girls just exchanged smiles and didn't say anything more.
"It's too complicated to explain cursed energy in general terms. Just give me your hand!"
Ryuji raised a hand towards Mai.
With just one glance, he had already understood the flow of her cursed energy.
Before, he had only done this to unlock an entry-level understanding. This time, however, holding hands was for something serious.
"Uh! Sure!"
Mai didn't think much of it and placed her hand in his.
The next moment, Ryuji began channeling his cursed energy through his palm, guiding it into her body.
"Now, I'm going to use my cursed energy to guide yours through your body. How does it feel?"
Mai had already closed her eyes by then. After hearing Ryuji's question, she concentrated for a moment and replied.
"It feels... itchy and a bit painful, but also kind of amazing!"
"..."
What a weird way to describe it!
Not only Ryuji, but even the other girls in the club couldn't help but exchange glances, slightly exasperated by her words.
"Ugh!"
Apparently, Mai also realized how strange her description was. Her face flushed red.
"Ahem!"
Ryuji cleared his throat and pulled his hand back. Mai, for a moment, even felt a bit of loss.
"Alright, now just follow this pathway and circulate your cursed energy on your own."
"Okay!"
Knowing that it was important, Mai calmed herself down and nodded seriously at Ryuji before starting to practice on her own.
Ryuji then turned his attention to Miko and Hana.
"I almost forgot earlier because of everything going on. Both of you have the potential to become sorcerers since you each possess some sort of innate techniques, so I'll teach you how to control your cursed energy!"
He had meant to mention it before but got sidetracked. Now seemed like the perfect time to learn together.
"Hmm!"
Miko didn't think much of it. For her, as long as she could protect herself and not burden Ryuji, that was enough. Hana, on the other hand, was more curious.
"I wonder if we'll get some sort of special technique?"
"Actually, some sorcerers can only use their cursed energy but never awaken their own techniques."
Having the talent to be a sorcerer was one thing, but awakening a technique was something else entirely.
"But don't worry. For Miko, I think your technique will likely be related to your eyes."
According to the anime's description, Miko's Yin-Yang Eyes were among the most advanced out there. That was no small thing.
So, if she awakened a technique, it would likely involve her eyes.
"As for Hana, I'd say you're a natural-born user of the Reverse Cursed Technique."
"Reverse Cursed Technique?"
Hana looked at him curiously.
"Yeah. Cursed energy is born from negative emotions, so it's often seen as negative energy. But the Reversal Technique uses positive energy. This ability can be used for healing, which is why people with it are often called the strongest healers."
Hana's cursed energy felt particularly intense and warm—a telltale sign of someone capable of using the Reverse Cursed Technique.
It reminded Ryuji of Shoko, a student who had trained alongside Gojo and Geto. She was a natural-born healer and now one of the few irreplaceable medical talents at Jujutsu High, protected for her invaluable skills.
"Wow, really?"
The always cheerful and innocent Hana seemed to grasp Ryuji's point, but she wasn't too concerned about the details.
"Hehe! Since Ryuji thinks I can, then I'll learn it!"
She was easygoing—if Ryuji told her to learn, she would. The rest didn't really matter to her.
Seeing Hana's carefree attitude, Ryuji couldn't help but smile. He explained the method of controlling cursed energy to both her and Miko.
Meanwhile, off to the side, Utaha, Eriri, Yukino, and Saki couldn't help but feel a little left out.
After all, they had seen the existence of these special curses, and naturally, they too wanted to possess such mysterious power. But Ryuji had already told them before that they lacked the talent to become sorcerers.
Now, they could only watch the others practice, feeling envious.
"Ahem!"
Noticing the change in their expressions, Ryuji cleared his throat, deciding it was time to say something.
"Well, you don't have to be too disappointed. In the world of sorcery, there are spells that can allow ordinary people to gain the ability to become sorcerers."
The simplest example was a certain cursed spirit known as Mahito, one of the Four Great Curses of Calamity. His technique, Idle Transfiguration, allowed him to alter a person's body, granting them the ability to manipulate cursed energy.
"Really?"
Upon hearing this, the girls couldn't help but look at Ryuji expectantly.
"Don't worry, there will be opportunities."
He smiled and waved it off, and his words successfully eased their feelings of envy. After all, they trusted him.
Ryuji himself had always been quite envious of Mahito's Idle Transfiguration technique. It was a more advanced form of healing than the Reversal Technique, and the only real counter to it was an attack directly aimed at the soul.
But that limitation applied only to Mahito because he had nothing but Idle Transfiguration to rely on.
Ryuji, on the other hand, was different.
With his countless entries and cursed techniques, he could kill someone before they even got close enough to pose a threat. Let's see them try to mess with his soul.
And who knows? He might even stumble upon a soul-related technique in the future.
Speaking of which, the Four Great Curses of Calamity should be surfacing soon.
After all, there wasn't much time left before Suguru Geto would launch his Night Parade of a Hundred Demons against Jujutsu High.
"Tsk, the Four Great Curses have some pretty good techniques."
Whether it was Jogo, Dagon, Hanami, or Mahito, they all possessed useful abilities.
Of particular note was Dagon's domain, said to be the most beautiful of all domains.
If he could snag that ability, it would be quite a catch!
But he wasn't in any rush. He'd face them sooner or later anyway.
***
Meanwhile, in a dense forest, a short figure with a volcano-shaped head stood among the trees Jogo, one of the Four Great Curses of Calamity.
At this moment, Jogo was using his flame technique to incinerate an urban legend that had been terrorizing the area.
"So, this is the special curse born not long ago? It certainly possesses a different kind of power compared to us cursed spirits."
As he watched the remnants of the urban legend dissolve into nothingness, Jogo's deep voice echoed through the woods.
Behind him stood three other cursed spirits.
One of them, a grotesque, two-meter-tall creature resembling a baby, was Hanami, the one closest in appearance to a real human.
"Jogo, you're amazing! Truly worthy of your reputation!"
The voice belonged to Mahito, who was laughing as he watched Jogo's display of raw power.
"Now that we're all gathered here, why not begin our assault on the humans?"
Mahito was born from humanity's darkest emotions, and it showed in his excitement. There was a reason he was called the manifestation of human malice.
Hanami, however, was more cautious.
Her mature, sisterly voice floated over to Jogo and the others.
"The emergence of these urban legends is beyond what we expected. And I hear there's someone named Satoru Gojo, said to be the strongest sorcerer alive. If we make a move now, we might—"
Although she didn't finish her sentence, the meaning was clear.
The Four Great Curses were powerful, but they were not invincible.
"..."
After a moment of silence, Jogo responded in a low voice.
"I'm not afraid of dying, and it doesn't matter if I'm the one to laugh a hundred years from now. As long as it's a cursed spirit who triumphs in the end, that's enough for me."
"Jogo..."
Among the Four Great Curses, Jogo acted the most like an elder brother.
Later, in his attempt to recruit Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses, he would challenge him to a duel, offering his life as a wager—only to lose in the end.
"Don't worry, Hanami, I won't act recklessly. But first, we need to understand more about these urban legends."
What intrigued Jogo the most was the unique nature of these urban legends.
"I can feel it. After destroying that one, my power increased."
"What?"
The other curses were startled by his admission.
For a special-grade cursed spirit, increasing power further was incredibly difficult. But now, it seemed that defeating these urban legends could do just that.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go find more of them!"
Mahito exclaimed excitedly.
Jogo didn't object.
***
Later that night, Ryuji sat on the couch, watching Haruno kneeling before him, a curious expression on his face.
"How did you find the time to come here?"
He hadn't expected to see her waiting for him when he got home.
"Is your family's company that free these days?"
By all accounts, Haruno should've been busy.
"It's all because of you!"
Haruno spoke with a bit of exasperation.
"Thanks to you, our family successfully secured the help of the Shinomiya family, and all our company's problems have been resolved!"
At this, Haruno's mood visibly dimmed.
"I worked so hard to stabilize the company's decline, and in the end, a single word from the Shinomiya family solved everything…"
At this moment, Haruno truly understood what it meant to be part of a top-tier conglomerate.
Compared to that, the Yukinoshita family was nothing.
"And you probably know what my mother's like. I planned to handle some company matters before coming here, but she settled it all and insisted I come over."
As she said this, Haruno shook her head slightly.
She knew her mother well enough. It was all about using her to connect with Ryuji.
But in truth, when she first met him, her only interest had been his immense strength. She hadn't considered using that strength to benefit her family.
"Hahaha!"
Ryuji chuckled lightly at her words.
"Well, in the end, wasn't it still your own achievement?"
He patted her gently on the head.
"..."
It was true, she couldn't argue with that.
"By the way!"
Suddenly, Haruno remembered something and looked up at him.
"I feel like…"
"Don't forget why you're here."
"..."
What kind of 'business' was this?
She shot Ryuji a look of disbelief but still lowered her head, continuing.
"The company was in trouble because of a few accidents at our new construction sites. At first, we thought they were just that accidents. But now, it seems like they might not be accidents at all…"
"Before, when I didn't know there were any strange curses, I didn't think much of it. But now that I'm aware, maybe there really is something… unnatural."
The weekend wasn't far off, so Ryuji agreed to help Haruno when the time came. As for the "price" of his help, well… let's just say that by the time Ryuji went to school the next morning, Haruno was still fast asleep, clearly too exhausted to get out of bed that day.
Today's class was another exam. After all, it had only been one day since the last one, and the tests weren't finished yet. The results would be posted next week, and Yukino and Yumiko seemed excitedly anticipating the day.
Ryuji simply watched their excitement with an amused smile, saying nothing. He was curious if they'd still feel that way after the results were announced.
The weekend arrived quickly, and Ryuji kept his promise. He made his way to one of the construction sites owned by the Yukinoshita family. Haruno had something urgent to attend to, so Ryuji was going alone.
Meanwhile, elsewhere…
"I'm heading out!" Eriri called as she prepared to leave the house.
Sayuri, lounging on the sofa, frowned as she took in Eriri's casual outfit.
"Haven't I taught you better than this? If you're going to meet Ryuji, you should dress up properly. How else are you going to make him notice you?"
Sayuri always worried about her daughter's lack of effort.
"No, Mom!" Eriri groaned in frustration. "Ryuji's busy today! It was Shiyu who invited me out!"
Originally, Eriri had wanted to ask Ryuji out on another date. After their last one had ended in disaster, she had been eager for a do-over. But since Ryuji wasn't available, and Shiyu had invited her instead, Eriri agreed.
"Ah, I see!" Sayuri sighed in disappointment. "You're just going out with other girls."
Such a waste of an opportunity, she thought. She waved Eriri off dismissively.
"Alright, go on, then."
"..."
Eriri shot her mother an irritated look before heading out the door.
"That girl doesn't know how lucky she is," Sayuri muttered to herself as she watched her daughter leave.
If she'd had the chance to meet a man as perfect as Ryuji when she was younger, she would have gone for him without hesitation. Unfortunately, it was too late for her now.
Sayuri had long since accepted the reality of her own marriage. Ever since Eriri was born, her father, Spencer, had been stationed abroad as a diplomat. The real reason, of course, was that Spencer's first love lived in that country. Sayuri knew this, but she didn't care.
Their marriage was never about love to begin with. Back then, the Sawamura family had faced a crisis, and her marriage to Spencer had been a means to save the family. Sayuri had used her charm to win over Spencer, who came from a wealthy background.
That's why she later moved away from the Sawamura family and became determined not to use Eriri for any arranged marriage. Her own marriage was already a mess, and she would never allow her daughter to go through the same thing.
"Hah…"
Thinking back on it now, Sayuri felt like her mindset had changed a lot over the years. She took a deep breath and calmed down. At least her life wasn't so bad now—she lived peacefully with Eriri, and Spencer could stay with his first love for all she cared.
Just as Sayuri was deciding whether to watch some anime, the doorbell rang.
"Hmm? Is Eriri back already?"
She was always forgetting things, so it wouldn't be surprising if she returned.
Sayuri didn't think much of it as she made her way to the door. But when she saw who was standing there, she froze.
"Why are you here?"
The man at the door was none other than Spencer, Eriri's father.
But Spencer, who had once been a well-dressed, handsome man, now looked like a mess. He had a scruffy beard, dark circles under his eyes, and a gaunt frame.
"What happened to you? Did something happen with your first love?"
Sayuri's question was half in jest, but Spencer's silence said it all.
"Ah…"
Sayuri was genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected that guess to be correct.
"So, what are you planning to do now?" she asked.
Even though she had no feelings for Spencer anymore, he was still Eriri's father. She wasn't about to throw him out.
"I just came to grab a few things… and to leave a gift for Eriri," Spencer finally said. His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time.
"A gift for Eriri? Alright, come in."
Hearing that it was for her daughter, Sayuri let him inside.
Spencer quickly packed up some belongings and a few valuable items. It was obvious that he intended to sell them off to pay some debts. Though Sayuri noticed, she didn't say anything. Those were things he had bought long ago, and she had never used them.
After a bit of packing, Spencer placed a small clay fox figurine on the table.
"What's this?" Sayuri asked, skeptical. "Is this supposed to be the gift?"
The doll looked like something you'd pick out of a trash bin.
"Don't underestimate it," Spencer said, his voice suddenly serious. "I got this from a temple overseas. It's supposed to bring peace and protection. Keep it here, and it will safeguard Eriri."
Spencer knew how to get Sayuri's attention. And sure enough, anything related to her daughter immediately made Sayuri take things more seriously.
"..."
Even though the doll looked a little shabby, as long as it could protect Eriri, that was enough for her.
"Fine, just leave it here."
The villa was big enough one little doll wouldn't take up much space. Although she did wonder why something from a temple would be in the shape of a fox instead of a Buddha or a monk.
"I'll be leaving now," Spencer said abruptly, as if in a hurry to get out.
"..."
Why was he in such a rush? Whatever, Sayuri thought. It's better if he leaves anyway less of an eyesore.
Once Spencer was gone, Sayuri didn't return to the sofa. Instead, she headed to her room to pick out a comic to read.
She had initially started reading manga to have something in common with Eriri, but over time, she had grown to enjoy it herself.
As she walked away, she didn't notice the faint red glow that began to flicker in the eyes of the small clay fox figurine on the table.
Meanwhile…
Spencer didn't go far after leaving the villa. His once gaunt face now twisted into a grotesque and sinister expression.
"Soon… Mary, you will be resurrected soon!"
Mary was the name of Spencer's first love. Just as Sayuri had guessed, Mary had recently died in a tragic accident. This twisted love had warped Spencer's heart.
"The fox spirit said that if it absorbs my daughter's vitality, it can transfer that energy to Mary…" Spencer's eyes glinted with a light red glow as he continued to mutter to himself.
"Just wait, Mary. You'll be back soon!"
His mind was clearly under the influence of the so-called "fox spirit," and now Spencer's heart was completely consumed by it. He was willing to sacrifice his daughter just to bring his long-dead first love back to life.
---
"Is this the place?" Ryuji asked himself as he arrived at one of the Yukinoshita family's construction sites. There weren't any workers around.
According to Haruno, this was the site where the most accidents had happened. While other sites had the occasional mishap, here, accidents occurred nearly every day. It wasn't normal.
All work on the site had stopped, and the area had been cordoned off to keep people away.
After taking a quick look around, Ryuji didn't notice anything unusual at first. He simply stepped over the barrier and walked into the site.
"Hmm?"
The moment his foot hit the ground, Ryuji sensed it.
"There's some serious cursed energy here."
From the outside, it was invisible. But as soon as you stepped in, the overwhelming cursed energy became apparent.
"Special grade," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. The level of cursed energy here had to be at the special grade. No wonder things had been going wrong.
Haruno's hunch had been right there was definitely something sinister here.
Ignoring the oppressive atmosphere, Ryuji continued walking deeper into the construction site. The further he went, the heavier the cursed energy felt.
"This is getting interesting."
Ryuji smirked, feeling a sense of excitement build inside him.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps and a faint yelp.
"A girl?"
Ryuji was a bit surprised. Could there be another sorcerer here?
Following the noise, he turned a corner and saw a girl holding her head, trembling and screaming.
"Ahhhh!"
"..."
Ryuji raised an eyebrow, watching the girl panic as she continued to wail.
"What a loud voice," he muttered to himself, slightly amused by the scene.
"G-ghost! There's a ghost!" the girl shouted, clutching her head even tighter.
Without hesitation, Ryuji raised his hand and lightly knocked her on the head.
"Stop screaming. Even if there were a ghost, it would've run off by now with how loud you're being."
"Ah!"
The girl rubbed her head, blinking in confusion as the pain snapped her out of her hysteria. Slowly, she looked up at Ryuji, realization dawning on her face.
"Wait… you're not a ghost?"
"Have you ever seen a ghost this handsome?" Ryuji asked, half-joking as he looked at her with a smirk.