Under the suppression of Takumi's overwhelming mana, the Slit-Mouthed Woman could only lower her head in submission.
Even when she tried to fight back with hatred, her malevolent will was instantly shattered before it could take form.
Her mouth tore open along the corners, revealing a glimpse of her Cursed Spirit nature beneath the human façade.
"Uuugh!!"
Her eyes widened in panic—the first time she had ever felt so powerless, so utterly helpless.
Takumi's expression remained calm, yet the aura of authority surrounding him grew heavier and more sacred. To him, such a mere pseudo–Cursed Spirit deserved no pity. Beings like her could only be tamed through absolute strength—until they understood what it meant to serve and to obey.
He gathered mana in his palm and struck, intending to give this Cursed Spirit a lesson she would never forget.
The Slit-Mouthed Woman tried to resist, desperately absorbing his mana to convert it into her own cursed energy and strengthen herself.
Her cold, pallid skin gradually flushed with color under the surge of vitality. For the first time, she experienced emotions—fleeting, fragile, and human.
As her mind cleared, her trembling stopped. The fear in her eyes was replaced by a strange peace… a serenity beyond fear itself.
But the torrent of energy coursing through her body was too much to bear. Within seconds, the heat of his mana began to scorch her from within, fissures spreading across her porcelain skin.
"I… I'm ascending… to Nirvana…"
She whispered softly, visions flashing through her mind like a lantern reel. All the years she had spent spreading terror and killing humans flashed before her eyes—until he appeared.
That man, with his unshakable strength, had given her a fleeting taste of something she had never known—happiness.
In that instant, she was no longer a mindless Cursed Spirit driven by instinct… but a being who truly possessed a soul.
"Thank you…"
A faint, serene smile appeared on her beautiful face. Holy light shimmered over her body, and in her mind's eye, she saw a halo descending from the heavens—guiding her upward, inviting her to ascend.
"The hell you are—don't you dare!!"
Seeing her body begin to fade away, Takumi's face twisted in panic. Without hesitation, he invoked [Spirit Arts—Spirit Possession], forcibly reconsolidating her form.
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and exhaled deeply. His exorcism ritual had gone a bit too far—he had nearly purified her out of existence.
This was his first Cursed Spirit, after all. There was no way he could let her vanish just like that.
Steadying her weakened form, Takumi dared not push her any further. Thankfully, his Gravity Magic was still active—if it weren't, his force might've completely annihilated her.
"[Spirit Arts]!"
Clasping his hands against her trembling body, Takumi guided the raging life energy through her system. The Slit-Mouthed Woman's broken form began to solidify again.
Endless vitality transformed into cursed energy, flooding through her being.
The mark of his ownership spread across her body and deep into her soul. Her power soared—she broke past the boundary of quasi–Grade 1, becoming a true Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.
When her consciousness finally returned, her moist, trembling eyes locked onto Takumi. In those blurred pupils, his reflection filled her entire world.
She tried to lift her hand toward him, but her strength gave out, and she collapsed weakly.
Though he had helped her regain form, the vast life energy inside her was too much for a Cursed Spirit to handle—it left her exhausted, her body unable to contain it all.
Looking at the mess around him, Takumi sighed and decided to leave. She would need time to digest that power—this was a necessary step toward becoming a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
Still, before he left, he glanced back at her.
"Her eyes just now… didn't look violent at all. Could it be my exorcism ritual actually worked?"
He frowned, checking her stats through the compendium. "Affection level… what the—100!?"
Staring at the full affection bar, Takumi was silent for a long moment. Then, with a sigh, he conjured a bed inside the Hundred Ghosts Compendium and gently laid her down upon it.
She'd earned special treatment, after all.
Returning to the real world, Takumi wrapped his arms around Maria and Mio, feeling a wave of relief wash over him.
The Slit-Mouthed Woman really had drained a lot of his yang energy.
"Guess I'll have to visit her a few more times later…" he muttered, half amused, half tired.
"Haah~~~"
Feeling the weight of fatigue, Takumi closed his eyes.
Time slipped by.
Morning sunlight streamed through the window, falling across his face. He instinctively reached to the side—but his hand met no familiar softness.
Then suddenly—thud!
A heavy object landed squarely on his stomach.
"Pff—!" Takumi's eyes snapped open.
The first thing he saw was Yuki Suou's mischievous face hovering above him. From this angle, he could see her smooth white neck, the delicate curve of her collarbones, and the faint outline of her chest brushing against his view.
"Good morning, onii-chan~ Did you miss me?"
"Yuki? What are you doing here?"
Blinking himself fully awake, Takumi frowned slightly in confusion. Mio and Maria were nowhere to be seen—so how had Yuki slipped in?
Seeing his lack of excitement, Yuki puffed her cheeks. "Ehh~? What's with that reaction? This is a cute little sister's surprise wake-up attack! You should be thrilled!"
She twisted her petite waist playfully, flashing a teasing smirk.
"By the way, onii-chan… you're looking a bit drained. Kidney problems maybe?"
"…" Takumi's fist clenched.
This damn little gremlin really knew how to push his buttons.
He had spent the entire night leveling up Mio and Maria—and even helping the Slit-Mouthed Woman ascend. Both of them were exceptional existences—a dream demon and a Cursed Spirit of rare potential. And on top of that, his body constantly endured dozens of times the normal gravity for training.
He had carried all that weight—literally and figuratively—and now this girl dared to mock him?
As irritation rose, the temperature in the room spiked. Yuki's face turned bright red, heat rushing through her body as she stammered, "O-Onii-chan, you're such a siscon~!"
"Siscon? I'll show you a real siscon!"
The next moment, Takumi leaned forward and kissed her deeply, shocking her into silence.
"Mm! Mmm~…"
Her legs trembled slightly in feigned resistance—but after a few seconds, she melted completely into the kiss.
No one knew how long it lasted, until—
Knock, knock, knock!
The knocking on the door startled them both awake.
...
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