~~~>Something Is Wrong<~~~
It had been a few days since the fight.
But things didn't feel normal.
Not even a little.
Yuji stood outside, looking at the sky.
It was clear.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
"…I don't like this," he said quietly.
From behind him, Nobara replied,
"Wow. Since when do you use your brain?"
Yuji sighed. "I'm serious."
Megumi walked up beside them.
"…He's right."
Nobara looked at both of them.
"…Okay. Now I'm concerned."
~~~>The Feeling That Won't Go Away<~~~
Megumi crossed his arms.
"…The cursed energy in the city hasn't gone away."
Yuji frowned. "Even after we destroyed that thing?"
Megumi nodded.
"…It's still here."
Nobara tilted her head.
"…So like… leftovers?"
Megumi shook his head slowly.
"…No."
A short pause.
"…More like… pieces."
~~~>A Strange Call<~~~
Just then—
Megumi's phone buzzed.
He picked it up.
His face changed slightly.
"…We need to go."
Yuji blinked. "Already?"
Nobara grabbed her hammer.
"Good. I was getting bored."
~~~>The Scene<~~~
They reached the place quickly.
It was a small street.
But something felt off.
Too quiet.
No people.
No sound.
"…Where is everyone?" Yuji asked.
Then—
They saw them.
Three people.
Standing still.
Not moving.
Not even blinking.
Yuji stepped closer.
"…Hey?"
No response.
He waved his hand in front of one of them.
Nothing.
"…This is creepy."
Megumi crouched down.
"…They're alive."
Nobara frowned. "Then why aren't they moving?"
Megumi looked serious.
"…Because something stopped them."
~~~>It Appears<~~~
The air shifted.
Yuji turned quickly.
"…Did you feel that?"
Megumi stood up instantly.
"…Yeah."
Something moved behind them.
Not fast.
But wrong.
Like space itself was bending.
Then—
It appeared.
---
It wasn't a full curse.
Not really human either.
Its body flickered.
Like it didn't fully exist.
"…What is that?" Nobara said.
Megumi answered quietly.
"…A fragment."
~~~>The Broken Thing<~~~
The thing looked at them.
Its voice was broken.
"OUT… COME…"
Yuji clenched his fists.
"…That sounds familiar."
Megumi nodded.
"…It's connected to Kurotsume."
Nobara stepped forward.
"…Then we destroy it."
~~~>The Fight<~~~
Yuji ran first.
Fast.
He punched—
But his fist went through it.
"…What?!"
Then suddenly—
It hit him back.
Yuji flew backward.
"Ghh—!"
Nobara attacked next.
"Hairpin!"
The explosion hit—
But the thing flickered again.
Still there.
Still not gone.
"…This is annoying," she said.
~~~>Megumi Figures It Out<~~~
Megumi watched carefully.
"…It's not stable."
Yuji got up.
"…Meaning?"
Megumi looked at him.
"…It doesn't fully exist yet."
Nobara crossed her arms.
"…So how do we kill something like that?"
~~~>Yuji Tries Something Different<~~~
Yuji stared at it.
Thinking.
"…Wait."
He stepped forward again.
But this time—
He didn't attack.
Nobara blinked. "What are you doing?"
Yuji didn't answer.
He just walked closer.
Slowly.
The thing reacted.
"ERROR…"
Yuji reached out his hand.
Megumi's eyes widened slightly.
"…He's not fighting it."
~~~>Contact<~~~
Yuji touched it.
The moment he did—
The thing shook violently.
"UNSTABLE… UNSTABLE—"
Yuji focused.
"…Calm down."
His cursed energy flowed—
Not strong.
Not aggressive.
Just steady.
---
The fragment started to shrink.
Its shape breaking apart.
Then—
It disappeared.
~~~>Everything Returns<~~~
The three frozen people suddenly collapsed.
Breathing again.
Moving again.
"…They're okay," Nobara said.
Megumi nodded.
"…Yeah."
~~~>Something New<~~~
Yuji looked at his hand.
"…That felt different."
Megumi stood beside him.
"…You didn't destroy it."
Yuji nodded.
"…I fixed it."
Nobara blinked.
"…Since when can you do that?"
Yuji scratched his head.
"…I don't know."
~~~>But It's Not Over<~~~
Megumi looked around the empty street.
His expression serious again.
"…This isn't the only one."
Yuji looked up.
"…You think there are more?"
Megumi nodded.
"…Definitely."
Nobara sighed.
"…Of course there are."
But It's Not Over Megumi
I looked around the empty street.
His expression serious again.
"…This isn't the only one."
Yuji looked up.
"…You think there are more?"
Megumi nodded.
"…Definitely."
Nobara sighed.
"…Of course there are."
Ending yuji clenched his fist slightly.
"…Then we deal with all of them."
Megumi didn't smile.
"…Yeah."
But deep down—
He knew something worse was coming.
Because this…
Was just the beginning.