"Is this the mission site?"
Tokiya Shingen glanced ahead at the eerily silent hospital. He and Maki stood at the entrance, each carrying a long, cloth-wrapped bag on their backs.
Maki adjusted her glasses.
"The 'Windows' confirmed it. There's a Grade 2 cursed spirit inside. They discovered it a bit late, so it's already spawned a number of weaker curses."
(Note: "Windows" are non-sorcerers capable of detecting cursed spirits. They monitor designated regions and report anomalies.)
"After evacuating the hospital, they reported it. Honestly… that blindfolded idiot has a lot of confidence in us—sending us to handle a Grade 2 right off the bat."
Cursed spirits and sorcerers were generally ranked from Grade 4 (lowest) to Grade 1, with Special Grade above them all.
Normally, a sorcerer could defeat a cursed spirit of the same grade—so Maki wasn't exactly worried.
Still…
Wasn't this supposed to be a gradual process?
"I'll set up the barrier."
Shingen formed a hand sign and spoke clearly:
"Born from darkness, darker still within darkness. Purify all filth and impurity."
A gray-black curtain descended from above the hospital, sealing it off from the outside world.
This "Curtain" prevented civilians from seeing or entering—and hid any abnormal phenomena from the battle.
Not long after entering—
They encountered several cursed spirits.
Their limbs resembled blades or needles, twitching unnaturally.
The moment they noticed Shingen and Maki—
They rushed forward.
Maki pulled open her bag, revealing her naginata. She spun it once behind her back and smirked.
"Hah. The weaker they are, the more they love to swarm."
She kicked off the ground—
Launching herself forward like an arrow.
The curses screamed meaningless phrases:
"It hurts—"
"Don't want to die—"
Before they could reach her—
Maki moved.
Her entire body twisted with explosive force, her feet stepping rapidly across the ground as she passed through them in an instant.
Her naginata traced elegant arcs through the air—
Clean.
Precise.
Deadly.
By the time she stopped—
The curses froze.
Their cries cut off.
A low gurgling sound escaped—
Then—
Purple-black blood erupted from their necks, torsos, and limbs.
Their bodies collapsed—
Falling apart into pieces.
Just as Maki steadied herself—
A sound echoed behind her.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
She nearly stumbled.
Turning back with a dark expression—
She saw Tokiya Shingen.
Standing there.
Bow tucked under his arm.
Applauding seriously.
"…That was amazing, Maki! Clean cuts, perfect targeting—"
"Shut up! Go find the curse already!"
Maki felt an odd embarrassment rising.
Because—
He meant it.
That made it worse.
Shingen blinked.
He genuinely thought that attack was incredible.
The way she used rotational momentum to cut through multiple vital points in one motion—
It wasn't just skill.
It was—
Cool.
Maki walked ahead stiffly, naginata in hand.
Shingen waved.
"I'll search from the rooftop. Call me if anything happens!"
Without waiting for a reply—
He scaled the outer wall with ease—
Reaching the five-story rooftop.
From above, his field of vision widened.
He saw Maki rush into the dark building below—
Then turned and entered from the rooftop door.
The curses here were weak.
Shingen barely had to try.
Using his bow, Exterminator, he eliminated them with single shots.
He even had enough control to prevent excessive destruction.
Another arrow flew—
A curse resembling a floating white sheet disintegrated instantly.
"…Huh. That one almost looked cute."
He tilted his head.
Like a creepy version of a teru-teru bozu…
Then—
His expression changed.
A surge of cursed energy erupted from a nearby annex building.
Noise followed.
That was Maki's direction.
Shingen moved instantly.
A blue afterimage streaked down the hallway—
Faster than the eye could follow.
He shattered a window—
Leaping out—
Crossing nearly ten meters mid-air.
Another arrow formed—
Breaking through the opposite building's window.
Landing smoothly—
He focused.
The disturbance came from below.
Second floor.
Using stairs would be too slow.
"…Sorry."
He raised his bow.
A deep blue arrow formed—
Aiming through layers of concrete—
Locking onto the massive cursed energy below.
Maki's energy was faint—
So the target was obvious.
He waited—
For the perfect moment.
Then—
Released.
The floor exploded.
A hole tore downward—
Piercing through the structure.
Below
Maki moved carefully through the corridors.
She couldn't see curses naturally—
Only through her special glasses.
She had no cursed technique.
Her cursed energy was minimal.
But in exchange—
Her body was extraordinarily strong.
This was known as a Heavenly Restriction.
A condition imposed at birth—
Taking something away—
And granting something else.
Whether it was a blessing or a curse…
That depended on the person.
She had already cleared several curses—
When she reached the second floor.
More appeared.
Their bodies made of shredded cloth—
Twisting, writhing—
Pouring out from patient rooms.
Maki charged forward.
Her blade swept through them like a storm—
Leaving destruction in her wake.
But then—
She stopped.
A warning instinct triggered.
She turned—
Just in time—
The wall exploded.
Dark tendrils shot through the debris—
Striking her naginata.
A massive force—
Crushing down—
Sending her flying backward.
She crashed through another wall—
Landing in a hospital room.
"Ghk—!"
She stood quickly—
Dodging the next attack—
Using walls and floor to regain momentum—
Then—
She saw it.
The real cursed spirit.
Its body—
A mass of filthy cloth strips—
Wrapped tightly together.
Below—
Black mist churned.
Within it—
Something wriggled.
Something alive.
It had no face.
No limbs.
Only writhing fabric—
And something monstrous hidden beneath.
Maki smiled.
"So you've got some intelligence, huh? Hiding and ambushing…"
"…Good. Makes this more interesting."
She charged again.
Dodging attacks—
Cutting through the cloth—
Closing distance.
Her blade struck—
Tearing through its body.
But—
It didn't matter.
The damage healed instantly.
"…Not the core."
Her eyes sharpened.
"There has to be a weak point."
She continued probing—
Using terrain—
Avoiding attacks—
Searching.
Then—
A rumble.
Above.
The ceiling shattered.
A blue arrow shot through—
Vanishing—
Then—
A hole exploded through the curse's body.
Then another.
Then another.
The curse shrieked—
But—
It began healing again.
Then—
A figure dropped from above.
"Woohoo~"
A black flash of energy—
Distorted space—
And—
A punch.
For a split second—
Time seemed to pause.
Then—
The impact.
A Black Flash.
The explosion obliterated half the curse's body—
Revealing its core:
A grotesque mass of writhing flesh—
Covered in eyes.
"Weak point!"
Maki moved—
But—
Shingen was faster.
His fist struck again.
Black energy erupted.
The core shattered—
Piece by piece—
Until nothing remained.
Shingen blinked.
"…Huh?"
"I didn't even use that much force… why'd it die so fast?"