Chapter 6: Erasing Fear
For this mission, Utahime Iori felt no concern whatsoever.
The opponent was a Grade 3 cursed spirit—something either Mai Zen'in or Kasumi Miwa could deal with effortlessly.
As for Ren…
Recalling the boy's pale, pitiful expression—his face carrying a trace of lingering fear—Utahime pressed her lips together, then couldn't help but smile softly.
In truth, if that cursed spirit were to encounter Ren head-on, it would be the one in trouble.
As a Polymorphic Soul Isomer, even his raw physical strength alone already rivaled that of a Grade 1 sorcerer—let alone his terrifying cursed energy reserves and his near-miraculous innate technique.
In reality, he was the most dangerous presence among the three.
It was just that… his very first encounter with a cursed spirit had been an exceptionally rare and powerful one. That experience had carved a deep scar into his psyche, causing him to severely underestimate his own strength.
So this mission wasn't just about teaching him the procedures and precautions of exorcising cursed spirits.
More importantly—
It was about rebuilding his confidence.
About erasing his fear of cursed spirits.
Utahime lifted her head, black hair fluttering in the wind.
She was full of anticipation for the boy who would return—having reclaimed his confidence.
...
Inside the abandoned factory.
A catfish-like creature with six human arms and legs slowly rose up from the floor. Its grotesque appearance sent a chill down Ren's spine.
Mai Zen'in raised her revolver and fired.
Bang.
The catfish cursed spirit shattered into pieces.
"Is it… over?" Ren asked, breathing slightly heavily.
"No."
Mai calmly reloaded bullets into the cylinder.
"We're just getting started. These are small fry—don't even qualify as Grade 4."
She glanced at his ashen face.
"Hey," she asked casually, "is this your first time seeing a cursed spirit?"
Ren nodded—then quickly shook his head.
"Actually… it should be my second time."
The first time would've been that blue-haired, stitched-faced monster.
The memory surged back without warning—
Countless giant hands kneading his body at will.
Bones crushed.
Flesh bursting apart.
His body mashed together with more than a dozen others into a single, grotesque mass of blood and meat—
The recollection hit him like a hammer.
Ren's face went deathly pale. His teeth chattered uncontrollably.
Cursed spirits…
Was he really going to face monsters like that again?
"So basically, you've only seen cursed spirits recently," Mai said, not bothering to dissect his wording.
She studied his face—how he struggled to suppress nausea and fear.
Then, unexpectedly, she put away her usual cold expression.
Her eyes grew deep, distant.
As if she'd been reminded of something herself.
She reached out, instinctively wanting to grasp the boy's tightly clenched fist—just like… her sister once had for her.
After a brief hesitation, she changed her mind. Instead, she lifted her arm and patted his shoulder.
"You'll get used to it," she said quietly, in a tone meant to reassure.
Ren nodded.
"To speed up that process," she continued, "the next time we run into a low-level cursed spirit, you'll handle it."
"…What?"
"I know it's hard," she said flatly, "but that's an order."
"Hold on—"
The flicker of gratitude he'd just felt vanished instantly. Ren snapped back angrily,
"Who do you think you are, ordering me around? We're classmates!"
"Utahime-sensei told you to observe and learn from us, didn't she?" Mai replied matter-of-factly.
"So right now, you should treat Miwa and me as your teachers. And when a teacher gives an order, you follow it."
"Hurry up!"
As she spoke, another winged human head drifted down from the ceiling.
Mai shoved Ren hard in the back, sending him stumbling forward.
"Ah—!"
The grotesque head—blood leaking from its facial features, its swollen purple skin stretched tight—rushed toward him. Its rotting lips opened and closed, releasing a bone-chilling, rasping laugh.
Ren screamed and instinctively swung his arm—
A brilliant blue blade of cursed energy shot out.
Shhk!
The monstrous head split cleanly in two and fell, dissolving into black smoke before it even touched the ground.
But that wasn't all.
Still reeling, Ren vaguely heard a series of crack—boom— sounds from above. Dust and debris rained down from the ceiling. When the smoke cleared and he looked up, he froze.
A massive gash had been torn through the ceiling.
Through it, he could clearly see the floor above. And the one above that. And the one above that…
He had sliced through an unknown number of floors with that single strike.
"See?"
Mai stood behind him with her arms crossed, speaking calmly.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. You're stronger than them—far stronger."
"After all, you're a monster who entered school already possessing Grade 1 sorcerer–level strength."
Ren blinked, still shaken.
Only now did he finally gain a clear understanding—of the difference between the blue-haired cursed spirit Utahime had mentioned, ordinary cursed spirits, and his own strength.
All fear, ultimately, came from insufficient firepower.
After that, Ren personally eliminated several more cursed spirits.
This fully confirmed it—the blue-haired stitched-faced cursed spirit he'd encountered before was an exceptionally rare and terrifying existence. The vast majority of cursed spirits were utterly helpless before him.
The shadow that encounter had cast over his heart finally dissipated.
The dark, winding corridors ahead no longer felt terrifying. The cursed spirits that occasionally appeared no longer stirred fear in him—only curiosity.
He found himself studying their grotesque forms intently, wondering just how far a "cursed spirit" could twist and deform.
"Draw!"
Miwa shouted sharply. Her katana flashed from its sheath, a streak of silver light cutting a cursed spirit cleanly in half.
Watching the blue-haired girl—hair flying, delicate face filled with killing intent—Ren nodded silently.
His teammates were reliable.
Sure, his ideal teammate would've been the brass-bodied Mechamaru—but Miwa and Mai, who at first glance seemed rather ordinary, were far from weak.
He still didn't know the full extent of their strength, but so far, every time they acted, the cursed spirits were dispatched in a single blow.
By the way…
Ren turned his head, looking at the two girls on either side—one wielding a blade, the other firing a gun—whose presence made him feel inexplicably safe.
"Mai. Miwa," he asked,
"what grade sorcerers are you?"
On Ren's own student ID, his rank was listed as Grade 2.
According to Utahime, he already possessed Grade 1–level power. But officially becoming Grade 1 required recommendations from multiple Grade 1 or higher sorcerers and passing a series of assessment missions—a strict, formal process.
Since he had just enrolled, there was no way he could've completed those steps yet. So he was stuck—temporarily—at Grade 2.
The revolver's rapid gunfire suddenly stopped.
The gleaming sword light dimmed slightly.
"…Grade 3,"
the two girls answered quietly, almost in unison, after a brief silence.
"…Huh? Grade 3?"
Ren's brain stalled for a split second.
"You bastard, what kind of tone was that?" Mai exploded.
"I didn't—" Ren turned toward her.
"Don't look at us like that!" Mai snapped, mortified and furious.
"I know exactly what you're thinking!"
"What… look?" Ren stood there dumbfounded, then awkwardly shut his mouth.
A flush spread across Mai's pale cheeks. She looked like someone who'd been thoroughly underestimated and was now burning with rage.
But heaven was his witness—Ren had no such intention.
Or rather… he hadn't even had time to form it.
He was simply surprised.
Utahime had assigned these two as teammates, saying they could easily handle Grade 3 cursed spirits. He'd assumed that even if they weren't on Mechamaru's level, they'd at least outrank the cursed spirits they were fighting.
Yet they were the same grade?
Then what did "easy" even mean?
…Utahime-sensei.
Ren recalled that gentle, dignified face and felt a jolt of disbelief.
She wouldn't be setting me up, would she…?