Another month passed in the blink of an eye.The weather had grown noticeably colder—scarves were now a common sight.
Tokiya Shingen still took on the occasional mission, but interestingly, no curse users had come after him again.
As for Dōjigiri, it proved incredibly effective in combat.
There was simply nothing Shingen couldn't cut through with it.
Honestly, he had even considered testing it against a special-grade curse—just to see if it could slice through that level of defense as well.
Unfortunately, while special-grade curses were no longer as rare as before, they still weren't something you could encounter on a whim.
Meanwhile, Gen Naoto's technique had gradually become clearer through repeated use.
She had officially named it:
"Spirit Manifestation Technique."
Its most basic application was exactly what she had described before—
astral projection.
For most sorcerers, the concept of the soul was vague.
It couldn't be seen.
Most couldn't even perceive it.
But cursed energy acted as a medium.
Even if they couldn't directly sense their soul, some sorcerers unconsciously protected it when reinforcing their bodies with cursed energy.
Naoto had demonstrated her technique to everyone.
But the "soul" wasn't anything like a transparent human-shaped ghost.
Normally—
It couldn't be seen at all.
Yet somehow, Naoto could make it observable.
Panda had immediately freaked out.
"THERE'S A GHOST!"
He was promptly punched by Maki.
To be fair, a faint, mist-like humanoid shape would make anyone think they'd encountered something paranormal.
But according to Naoto—
Souls didn't actually have a fixed form.
They couldn't even be properly described visually.
Only approximated with metaphors.
"Gojo-sensei feels like a mountain," she explained.
"A really tall one, with snow on the peak… and sunlight shining down."
"What about me?" Panda asked eagerly.
Naoto hesitated.
"…Like a triple-scoop ice cream."
"And Maki?"
"Like a tree."
There were some she couldn't describe at all—
like Toge Inumaki and Yuta Okkotsu.
Only vague impressions.
As for Tokiya Shingen—
"…You're like a perfectly still lake."
"It looks calm and beautiful…"
"…but somehow it makes me uneasy."
Beyond that, her technique had real combat value.
When fully activated, her cursed energy took on the properties of her technique—
allowing her to directly damage the soul.
This was confirmed during a mission assigned by Satoru Gojo.
She had completed it alongside Kento Nanami.
With Nanami backing her up, the curse in that mission had suffered miserably.
Once Naoto's soul-targeting attacks landed—
It was exorcised almost immediately.
Nanami reportedly gave her a very high evaluation.
This ability reminded Shingen of someone else—
a certain curse named Mahito.
A special-grade curse tied to the soul.
"…If I run into something like that," Shingen thought,
"I'll just cut it a few more times."
"Eating ice cream in this weather, huh?"
A voice sounded behind him.
Shingen turned.
He had just taken an ice cream from a vending machine.
It was Gojo.
Without a word, Shingen grabbed another and handed it over.
"Cold weather ice cream has its own charm."
Gojo smiled faintly and accepted it.
Shingen took a big bite, then glanced behind Gojo.
There was an unfamiliar man.
"Sensei, who's that?"
Gojo shrugged.
"No need to know."
"Higher-ups."
"He's here for the sword."
The man stepped forward and bowed.
"I am Iwai Sabu, representing the higher administration."
"We request the transfer of this special-grade cursed object."
"To prevent any chance of the hypothetical vengeful spirit Shuten-dōji re-emerging."
Shingen exchanged a glance with Gojo.
Gojo just shrugged.
Shingen tried one last angle.
"This belongs to the Gen family—"
"The matter has already been settled," Iwai interrupted politely.
"The head of the Gen family has agreed."
"This sword now belongs to the higher administration."
That settled it.
Shingen tossed Dōjigiri over.
Iwai carefully caught it and wrapped it in talismans.
Then bowed and left.
"…Shame," Shingen muttered.
"It was a great weapon."
Gojo tossed his empty ice cream box into a trash can.
"No problem."
"Once the curse is removed, you can apply to use it again."
"It's not a pure cursed object—just a blade with a curse attached."
Then he turned slightly.
"I came for another reason."
"There's a mission."
"Special."
Shingen raised an eyebrow.
Gojo explained:
"A criminal organization has somehow cultivated a curse."
"And formed a kind of symbiotic relationship with it."
"We can't just wipe them out directly."
"So we'll cooperate with the police."
"We exorcise the curse."
"They handle the criminals."
Shingen sighed.
"So we have to fight in front of them."
"And keep things subtle."
"…Now I see why you picked me."
It was practically tailored for him.
"With your technique, you can finish it before they even react."
Gojo added:
"And Nanami will go with you."
"Because the curse may be tied to a special-grade cursed object."
"High risk."
"Got it," Shingen said.
"I'll take it."
"…And my Grade 1 promotion?"
Gojo grinned.
"This is your evaluation."
Later—
"Nanami-senpai."
Shingen bowed politely.
Nanami gave a small nod of approval.
Even as Gojo's student—
He seemed… grounded.
Though the red hair…
Shingen chuckled.
"Cosplay."
"Himura Kenshin."
Nanami said nothing.
Soon—
They were in the car, driven by Kiyotaka Ijichi.
Nanami sat upright in the back—
neat blond hair, tinted glasses, beige suit.
The picture of a corporate professional.
"Shingen," he said calmly.
"You understand the mission?"
Shingen summarized.
Nanami nodded.
"This is your evaluation."
"I'll intervene only if necessary."
"Be careful."
They arrived.
A compound in the suburbs.
High walls.
Barbed wire.
Like a prison.
Nearby—
Armed police waited in a forest.
Nanami showed identification.
A man approached.
"I'm Kobashi Nobuhide."
"I'll coordinate with you."
"After you finish, contact us."
"And if possible—leave the criminals alive."
As they approached—
Shingen asked,
"They know about sorcerers?"
"Only him," Nanami replied.
"He can see curses."
"But can't exorcise them."
At the gate—
"Are we just going in?" Shingen asked.
Nanami pulled out his blade.
"Stealth would be ideal."
"But with this level of surveillance…"
Shingen followed his gaze—
cameras everywhere.
"…So we've already been spotted."
He drew his sword.
"Then let's go."
A flash of light—
The gate split open.
Inside—
Armed men rushed out.
"Oh? Guns?" Shingen grinned.
He paused.
Mission rules.
"…Right."
He activated his technique.
In an instant—
Weapons fell.
Enemies collapsed unconscious.
Nanami watched quietly.
"…Young people these days."
Shingen advanced through the building.
Anyone who tried to attack—
Dropped before they understood what happened.
Then—
He found something else.
A basement.
Cages.
Inside—
People.
Mostly young women.
Bruised.
Broken.
Silent.
Shingen looked away.
"…Later."
Not yet.
The curse came first.
Upstairs—
Luxury.
Gold.
Marble.
A sharp contrast.
Men in suits watched security feeds.
On screen—
A red-haired boy waved at them.
A fat man slammed the table.
"Where did this brat come from?!"
"Why hasn't he been stopped?!"
Fear crept beneath his anger.
Their men—
had fallen instantly.
The leader remained calm.
"Relax."
"The 'God' hasn't acted yet."
Then—
He ordered:
"Bring five offerings."
Silence.
Fear.
Excitement.
Mixed emotions filled the room.
And on the screen—
Shingen kept moving.
Below—
He followed the growing cursed energy.
His expression darkened.
Then—
A scream echoed.
Close.
Very close.