Chapter 3: Disturbance
"Cursed Technique: Lapse — Blue."
The air trembled the moment the technique formed.
A dense sphere of swirling blue cursed energy compressed between Gojo Satoru's palms, vibrating with terrifying force. The space around it warped slightly, as though reality itself struggled to endure the pressure being condensed into that single point.
Then—
BOOM.
The sphere shot forward.
The technique streaked through the forest like a meteor of condensed gravity, tearing leaves from branches and dragging the surrounding air violently toward it. Trees bent as the suction pulled at them.
The cursed spirit sensed the danger instantly.
With a guttural snarl, it halted its charge.
A black portal tore open behind it like a wound in space itself.
The curse leapt backward—
Vanishing into the void just as the Blue tore past the spot where it had stood.
The technique smashed into the ground instead.
The earth collapsed inward as if crushed by invisible hands, soil and stone dragged violently toward the core of the technique before the energy dissipated with a thunderous crack.
Satoru clicked his tongue.
"Huh. Quick little thing."
His body shifted immediately into a ready stance. Behind the casual grin, his Six Eyes were already scanning every inch of the battlefield.
Left.
Right.
Above.
Below.
The forest felt unnaturally quiet.
Then—
His pupils shrank.
"Under—"
A portal ripped open directly beneath him.
A gray limb exploded out of the darkness, claws slicing upward toward his torso.
But Satoru was already moving.
He pushed off the ground and flipped backward, his body twisting midair with unnatural grace. The claws tore through empty air where his body had been a moment before.
He landed several meters away, sliding across the dirt as he steadied himself.
The curse emerged fully from the portal, its long limbs twitching like a predator denied its prey.
Satoru straightened slowly.
"Hey now," he muttered.
"You're getting a little handsy."
Without hesitation he raised his palm again.
Another Blue formed.
This one smaller.
Faster.
He flicked his fingers.
The condensed energy bullet shot forward like a cannon round.
The cursed spirit reacted instantly.
Another portal appeared in front of it—
And a second portal opened several meters behind it.
The Blue disappeared into the first vortex…
…and burst out of the second one behind Satoru.
The gravitational pull dragged violently at his clothes.
Satoru stepped aside casually, letting the technique tear a crater into the earth behind him.
"…okay," he admitted.
"That's actually pretty clever."
Before the cursed spirit could press the advantage—
A voice roared from above.
"DON'T FORGET ABOUT ME!"
The monster looked up.
Descending from the sky like a falling meteor was Suguru Geto.
Beside him dropped an enormous cursed spirit shaped like a traditional Daruma Otoshi doll, its massive body crashing down toward the enemy.
The curse reacted instantly, diving into another portal just before the doll slammed into the clearing.
BOOOOM.
The ground shattered.
Dirt and splintered roots exploded into the air.
Geto landed beside the massive doll, sliding into a combat stance as he scanned the battlefield.
The forest fell quiet again.
Only the rustling leaves remained.
Geto frowned.
"This curse is troublesome."
His eyes narrowed.
"With all that teleportation, landing a decisive hit is difficult."
Satoru cracked his neck.
"Yeah."
He stretched his arms lazily.
"A weak curse… and a coward."
As if on cue—
Another portal opened behind him.
The creature lunged again.
But this time—
Satoru moved before it even emerged.
He spun casually and kicked backward.
His foot connected with the creature's skull the instant it exited the portal.
CRACK.
The curse was launched violently out of the vortex and skidded across the dirt.
It scrambled to open another portal to escape—
But Satoru had already fired another Blue beside it.
The gravitational pull yanked the creature sideways just as the portal began forming.
The technique struck.
BOOOOM.
The cursed spirit shrieked.
"ARRRGHHH!!"
Its left arm disintegrated instantly, torn apart by the crushing gravitational force.
Black cursed energy leaked from the wound like smoke.
Before it could recover—
A barrier suddenly snapped shut around it.
A transparent dome of cursed energy enclosed the creature completely.
The curse slammed its claws against the barrier frantically.
Nothing happened.
It tried opening a portal.
Still nothing.
Suguru Geto walked calmly toward the trapped creature.
Behind him, the Daruma doll spirit stood with its hands raised—its power forming the containment barrier.
"Well," Geto said quietly.
"That settles things."
The cursed spirit snarled, slamming its body repeatedly against the barrier.
Geto looked down at it calmly.
"Don't bother trying to open your portals."
He adjusted his sleeve.
"This barrier suppresses the use of cursed techniques."
His expression remained calm.
"Including your teleportation."
Satoru walked up beside him, hands in his pockets.
He leaned forward slightly, grinning at the kneeling curse.
"Well… that was disappointing."
He shrugged.
"I thought we'd get a real fight."
The curse hissed violently.
Satoru pointed a finger at its head.
Blue energy gathered again.
"Time to wrap things up."
Geto lifted a hand.
The barrier vanished instantly.
"Cursed Technique: Lapse — Blue."
The condensed sphere shot forward.
BOOM.
The curse's head exploded instantly.
But before the spirit could fully dissipate—
Geto extended his palm.
The remaining cursed energy was forcibly compressed, pulled inward, and condensed into a small black orb.
The sphere floated neatly into Geto's hand.
He stared at it briefly.
Then sighed.
"…this part never gets easier."
Without hesitation—
He swallowed it.
The bitter taste spread across his tongue immediately.
Geto grimaced.
"Ugh."
"That was disgusting."
Satoru gave him a cheerful thumbs-up.
"Hey, at least we got a decent curse out of it!"
He stretched happily.
"Mission completed!"
Geto raised an eyebrow.
"Not quite."
Satoru blinked.
"Huh?"
"That wasn't the curse mentioned in the report."
Satoru froze.
"…what."
Geto crossed his arms.
"The reports described a semi Special Grade curse capable of deploying a Domain."
He glanced at the forest.
"This one had an interesting technique, but its cursed energy signature doesn't match the one I sensed earlier."
Satoru's smile slowly disappeared.
"So…"
"…that wasn't the target."
"Correct."
Satoru's face fell into an exaggerated pout.
"Man… that sucks."
Then suddenly—
His eyes widened.
"…wait."
He slowly turned toward Geto.
"Hey."
"Sanjiro and Shoko are still in the hospital."
Geto's expression changed instantly.
"…damn."
Both of them realized the problem at the same time.
Without another word—
They bolted.
Both sorcerers sprinted through the forest at terrifying speed, racing toward the hospital where the remaining cursed energy still pulsed.
---
Several hundred meters away…
A woman stepped quietly from behind a tree.
She had short black hair that reached her neck.
Across her forehead ran a series of grotesque stitches.
Her calm eyes watched the retreating figures of Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto.
"…interesting."
She spoke softly.
"They defeated it faster than expected."
Her name was Kaori Itadori.
Or rather—
Kenjaku.
Her gaze shifted toward the distant silhouette of the abandoned hospital.
"That curse was only a semi–special grade."
"And yet those two handled it effortlessly."
She folded her arms thoughtfully.
"…the plan may require adjustments."
Then her lips curled into a faint smile.
"But first…"
Her eyes gleamed with quiet curiosity.
"…let's see how the little brother compares to the strongest."
She turned away and disappeared silently into the forest.
---
Meanwhile…
Inside the hospital.
The hallway was destroyed.
Broken tiles littered the floor.
Walls were cracked.
Bones covered nearly every surface.
White bones.
Blue bones.
Orange bones.
Some protruded from the floor.
Others jutted from the ceiling like spikes.
At the center of the destruction—
Shoko Ieri lay unconscious on the ground.
Bruised.
Breathing weakly.
Several meters away stood something far worse than the earlier curse.
A large white cursed spirit.
Its body was covered in pale scales.
A single enormous eye sat in the center of its face.
No mouth.
A twisted horn protruded from its forehead.
Its long black tail coiled through the air like a serpent.
And that tail currently held Sanjiro Gojo suspended several feet above the ground.
The tail tightened around his neck.
Sanjiro struggled weakly.
His small hands clawed at the scaled appendage.
But his body was far too small.
Too weak.
He forced cursed energy into his hand.
A bone blade formed instantly.
He swung it desperately at the tail.
CRACK.
The bone shattered instantly.
Even enhanced with cursed energy—
It hadn't been enough.
The curse tilted its head, its single eye staring coldly at the struggling child.
Then it raised its clawed hand.
The sharp talons aligned directly with Sanjiro's chest.
Ready to pierce his heart.
Sanjiro's vision blurred slightly.
His grip weakened.
But even then—
A crooked smile tugged faintly at the corner of his mouth.
"…man."
His voice came out hoarse.
"…this really bites."
The claws began to descend.
The hospital trembled under the weight of cursed energy.
And somewhere far away—
Two sorcerers were running toward the battlefield.
But would they arrive in time?
Or would Sanjiro's second life end here—
Before it had even truly begun?
To Be Continued…