After successfully moving the citizens to safety, Ace walked toward the edge of the barrier. Seeing this, Masachika called out to Yuji and Chisaki to follow him.
They followed Ace, expecting to meet Ogami. However, the sight before them left Masachika, Yuji, and Chisaki stunned.
Hundreds of grotesque and repulsive creatures Grade 3 Cursed Spirits were swarming the blue dome of light generated by the Barrier Book. They were clawing, biting, and brutally slamming their bodies against the surface of the barrier.
'System, why are there so many curses gathered here? This isn't natural,' Ace asked internally.
[These Cursed Spirits are currently under someone's control.]
Ace frowned. 'A curse user... Geto? No, it should be Kenjaku. System, is Kenjaku nearby?'
[The presence of an entity matching Kenjaku's profile has been detected within a 300 meter radius.]
'What is his goal?'
[He is observing to assess the combat capacity of the Sword of Logos organization through you.]
"What on earth are those things? They look even worse than the Yokai from before," Masachika asked, clenching his fists as cold sweat began to bead on his temples.
"I suppose you and Chisaki-senpai are seeing them for the first time. Those are Curses," Ace replied without looking away.
"Akashi-kun, can the barrier hold? There are so many of them," Chisaki said.
"Yes, the barrier is secure. Those are only Grade 3 curses. Unless their numbers reach tens of thousands or a Grade 1 or higher intervenes, this barrier won't budge," Ace explained with a reassuring, calm tone.
Masachika looked at Ace with a deadpan expression. "You just raised a flag."
However, right after those words left his mouth, four stronger curses emerged from behind the swarm.
Ace went silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Curse me and my big mouth..."
"I told you," Masachika said.
"Stand back," Ace commanded firmly as he created a mirror on the asphalt. From the mirror emerged a mechanical green minotaur, Magnugiga.
"W-What is that, Senpai?! A robot? A mechanical monster?!" Yuji exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement despite the lingering fear. As a fan of science fiction, seeing Magnugiga emerge from a mirror was an incredible sight.
Ace glanced at Yuji briefly before refocusing on the horde of curses. "Something that will wipe out those curses," Ace answered shortly.
He stepped forward, placing his right palm on Magnugiga's back and flowing his aura into it. The mechanical parts began to shift and slide open, revealing rows of cannon barrels and hidden missile launchers across its body.
"Wait, Ace! Isn't it a bit much to use that much destructive power in the middle of the city?!" Masachika shouted warily, seeing the massive energy gathering within the robot's body.
"Relax, Masachika. My barrier will absorb the vibrations so the surrounding buildings won't collapse," Ace replied. He glared at the four Grade 1 curses that were beginning to charge. "End of World," Ace said softly.
BOOOOOM!!!
In an instant, Magnugiga unleashed a massive barrage of artillery. Missiles streaked forward, obliterating the Grade 3 curses swarming the barrier, while lasers from its eyes fired straight through the newly arrived Grade 1 curses. Explosion after explosion illuminated the darkness of Shono City.
The three of them shielded their eyes from the blinding light. "The destructive power... it's immense," Yuji said.
At the same time, on a nearby rooftop, a man with a stitched scar across his forehead, Kenjaku, smiled thinly while stroking his chin. "Interesting... Is that his cursed technique?" A figure approached him. "Shouldn't we go down there? It seems Grade 1s aren't enough to see the full extent of his abilities," the one-eyed figure, Jogo, asked.
Kenjaku let out a soft laugh, cold and calculating. "Not yet, Jogo. This isn't over."
Back at Ace's position, the heat from the residual explosions still hung in the air. After unleashing the barrage, Ace waved his hand. Slowly, Magnugiga's mechanical body was absorbed back into the asphalt, returning to the Mirror World.
The thick black smoke began to drift away, revealing the scene ahead. Apparently, the devastating attack hadn't completely wiped out the threat. Three Grade 1 curses remained, having taken cover behind a much larger Grade 1 curse with thick, hardened skin that was now shattered.
Ace turned to Masachika, Yuji, and Chisaki, who were still on high alert. "Do you want to fight one each, or do you want to take one down together while I handle the rest?" Ace offered, pulling out the Jaaku Dragon book.
"Jaaku Dragon!"
Ace transformed into Calibur, clad in his dark purple armor.
Seeing this, Yuji wasn't just impressed; he completely lost control of his enthusiasm. His eyes widened so much they nearly popped out, and he began running around Ace with frantic hand gestures.
"UWAHHH! AKASHI-SENPAI! WHAT IS THIS?!" Yuji yelled, his voice echoing through the area. "This armor! It's like a superhero! Look at the dragon head on the shoulder! And the color... that dark purple is so cool! Can I get one like this too?!"
Masachika couldn't hide his admiration either. He walked around slightly to inspect the Calibur armor. "The metallic purple... and the dragon design. Ace, if you entered a cosplay convention with this, you'd win every award."
Yuji even tried to touch the shoulder guard of the armor before Chisaki landed a heavy blow to the back of his head.
"OUCH!" Yuji groaned, clutching his head.
"Hey! You two!" Chisaki's shrill voice broke their fanboy moment. She stood there, her face flushed red with anger, fists clenched. "Masachika! Itadori-kun! Are you idiots?! We are in the middle of a battlefield, surrounded by disgusting monsters, and you're busy admiring a costume?!"
"But Senpai, it's not just a costume, it's-" Yuji tried to defend himself.
"Shut up!" Chisaki cut him off sharply. She gripped her weapon tightly, trying to regulate her shaky breathing, and looked at her two friends. "The three of us should fight one together first. We need coordination to avoid a fatal mistake."
Calibur nodded in agreement. "Of course. A wise choice." Calibur took out the Gansekiou Golem Wonder Ride Book and scanned it on Kurayami.
"Gansekiou Golem!"
"Final Read! Jaaku Gansekiou Golem! Shutoku Issen!"
Calibur pointed his sword forward, and two stone hands shot toward two of the cursed spirits, crushing them instantly.
"There, now you can fight the last one freely," Calibur said.
Masachika, Yuji, and Chisaki froze. Their mouths hung open as they watched two Grade 1 curses which had looked so threatening be destroyed in a single strike.
"Hey, Ace... is defeating a Grade 1 really that easy?" Masachika asked in disbelief.
"No. Grade 1s are still extremely dangerous for most people. A tank wouldn't be enough to withstand their attacks, let alone destroy them," Calibur replied.
Just as Calibur finished his sentence, the atmosphere shifted unnaturally. The night sky, previously lit by explosions, was suddenly covered by a thick, sticky gray fog. In the blink of an eye, the asphalt of Shono City vanished, replaced by a vast space with pillars resembling the inside of a living creature's stomach, its walls covered in disgusting fine hairs.
"Eh? What is this?!" Yuji exclaimed, dropping into a stance. "This feeling... it's just like when I fought the curse at the Juvenile Detention Center!"
"Stay calm. It's common for Grade 1 curses to have separate spaces like this. We are inside its Domain."
In front of them stood a Grade 1 curse with many small legs and a body covered in fine hair, it looked like a giant caterpillar.
"So gross..." Chisaki grimaced, regulating her breath and raising her sword. "Yuji, Masachika! Let's go!" She dashed forward.
"Got it!" Yuji replied. He lunged first, his speed increasing drastically. With a single slash of his blade coated in cursed energy, he tried to cut the side of the caterpillar's body. CLANG! The sound of metal clashing rang out; the creature's skin was as hard as steel.
"Its skin is hard!" Yuji yelled.
Masachika moved calmly, observing the caterpillar's attack pattern as it tried to lash them with its spiked tail. "Itadori, distract the head! Chisaki-senpai, attack the underside when it lifts its body!"
Their coordination began to take shape. As the caterpillar tried to bite Yuji, Masachika jumped high and slashed one of the eyes on the curse's face. Meanwhile, Chisaki slid underneath the creature, delivering a series of rapid slashes to its softer underbelly.
"One more strike!" Chisaki shouted.
Calibur watched them, staying on guard in case Kenjaku and his group made a move. 'Masachika and Chisaki-senpai can use Touki while Yuji uses cursed energy. If he can use Touki, he should be able to use an aura, but why isn't he using it?' Calibur wondered.
The caterpillar curse shrieked in pain after Chisaki's slash tore through its soft belly. A thick green fluid sprayed out, but the creature still had the energy to rampage. With its remaining strength, it fired thousands of sharp black hairs from its back like a rain of needles.
"Take cover!" Masachika shouted.
The three of them immediately dove behind the fleshy pillars supporting the domain. A rapid thud-thud-thud followed as the hairs embedded themselves deep into the pillars. However, the curse didn't stop. With a quick, slithering movement, it lunged toward the pillar where Masachika was hiding and swung its massive spiked tail.
THWACK!
Masachika parried the tail's impact with his sword, but the momentum was too great. He was thrown back violently, slamming into the domain wall. "Ugh!" Masachika groaned, his vision momentarily blurring.
Seeing its prey grounded, the curse opened its jaws wide and prepared to lunge at Masachika. Just before its fangs reached him, Yuji dashed in from the side.
"Don't touch him!" Yuji thrust his sword with all his might, piercing through the curse's tail and pinning it to the floor.
The creature was stuck, thrashing its body but unable to move forward. Feeling threatened, the caterpillar lifted its front half high to turn and attack Yuji.
"Now!" Yuji shouted the signal.
Chisaki didn't waste the opening. She ran at full speed and delivered a horizontal slash across the monster's exposed neck, which was unprotected by hair. SLASH! A large wound opened, making the monster scream.
Yuji quickly pulled his sword from the tail and ran to Masachika. "Masachika-senpai! Are you okay?" Yuji asked while helping him up. Masachika knelt, clutching his chest, his breath ragged from the impact. "I... I'm fine. Just a bit short of breath," he replied through gritted teeth.
"Masachika-senpai, Chisaki-senpai! Hold that thing down!" Yuji yelled. "I'll deliver the final blow!"
Chisaki and Masachika nodded in unison. Despite their heavy breathing, they lunged forward. Chisaki slashed at the small legs on the caterpillar's right side to make it lose its balance, while Masachika, having just stood up, exerted his remaining strength to attack the curse's head.
"Now, Yuji!" Masachika shouted as he held back the curse's fangs with his violently trembling sword.
Yuji took a stance, but the curse suddenly made an unexpected move. It threw its entire body weight to the side, creating a powerful shockwave. Yuji, who was running fast, took a direct hit from the creature's side.
"ARGH!" Yuji was sent flying, rolling across the floor. His sword slipped from his grip and was thrown toward a distant pillar.
Yuji struggled to get up, his eyes searching for his sword. He wanted to run for it, but he saw Masachika and Chisaki in great danger. Masachika, still struggling to breathe, was becoming overwhelmed by the pressure of the monster's head. Chisaki screamed, trying to divert its attention, but the caterpillar had already locked onto Masachika as its primary target.
"Damn it... no time!" Yuji muttered.
Yuji ignored his sword. He clenched his right fist tightly, took a deep breath, and focused every ounce of cursed energy he possessed into his fist. He lunged with his abnormal, pure physical speed.
'I'll make it in time!' Yuji thought.
He jumped, gliding through the air right in front of the monster's face. His energy concentration reached its peak, the space around his fist seemingly distorting.
"HUAAAA!!!"
BOOM!!!
As Yuji's fist slammed into the giant caterpillar's head, a flash of thick black lightning exploded from the point of impact. It was a Black Flash.
Calibur, watching from a distance, was quite surprised. 'Black Flash... even in this mixed-up world, Yuji is still a main character.' Calibur smiled thinly behind his helmet.
As the curse disintegrated into ash, the domain began to fade, returning the four of them to Shono City.
'Why is this Grade 1 curse so weak? Is it because Kenjaku is using it just to test our strength?' Calibur thought.
Kenjaku, who had been observing from a distance, stroked his chin. "Hmm... Judging by their performance, they are at least Grade 2. And since they appear to be just ordinary junior members, it can be assumed that most Sword of Logos members are Grade 2 or higher."
Kenjaku glanced at Jogo, whose head was already venting hot steam, as well as Hanami and Mahito standing behind him. "Let's go. We're done here."
"You're joking," Mahito stepped forward. "We've come all this way, and you just want us to go home after watching that boring show?"
Jogo snorted, thick smoke billowing from the holes in his head. "Be quiet, Mahito."
"Eh, Jogo, don't you want to try fighting the person in the purple armor?" Mahito asked.
Kenjaku waved his hand casually. "Fine, do as you please."
"Yay!" Mahito cheered gleefully and immediately leaped from the rooftop, darting toward Calibur and the others with lightning speed.
"Tsk, that brat is always making things difficult," Jogo grumbled as he followed with boiling anger, while Hanami trailed silently behind him.
Back at Calibur's position, he approached Masachika. "Come here, I'll heal you." Calibur pulled out an object resembling an ambulance and pressed it against Masachika. The healing process began.
"What is that?" Masachika asked.
"Something I made for healing, though the process takes some time," Calibur replied.
Clap... clap... clap...
A rhythmic sound of applause broke the silence of the night that had just begun to settle.
"Incredible! Simply wonderful!" Mahito emerged from the darkness, walking casually while still clapping his hands.
Instantly, Yuji, Masachika, and Chisaki stood up and took their combat stances, even though their bodies were still sore. "Who are you?!" Yuji shouted, his instincts screaming that the creature before him was on a completely different level than the caterpillar from before.
Calibur remained standing still, his hand slowly shifting to the hilt of Ankokuken Kurayami. He wasn't surprised, but he was wary.
"Oi, Mahito! Don't act on your own!" Jogo's deep voice echoed as he landed heavily on the asphalt, crushing the road beneath his feet. Hanami appeared beside him.
"Hehe, sorry Jogo, they just looked so interesting," Mahito replied airily.
Calibur drew his sword slightly from its scabbard, allowing dark energy to leak out. "Yuji, Masachika, Chisaki-senpai... Stay behind me."
Both sides now stood face-to-face, prepared for a massive confrontation.