The old man saw the Chisato, and his frustrated expression softened. He slowly walked over to Chisato, glanced at Utahime Iori, and frowned.
"Who is she?"
"Master Ashiya," the Chisato bowed her head slightly in respect, then introduced her. "This is a Jujutsu Sorcerer I happened to find while on patrol. She's excellent—she could even tell the difference between me and a human. She's also brave, daring to come and test me alone even though she knew I was a Cursed Spirit. She was curious about our way of life, so I decided to bring her to see Master."
"Jujutsu Sorcerer..." The old man glared at Utahime Iori, pondering. "The Spiritual energy on you is already very faint. Being able to see through the difference between her and humans proves your eyesight is exceptionally strong. Such a Jujutsu Sorcerer usually isn't weak, yet I don't see any signs of a struggle on either of you. You must have let her bring you here on purpose."
This old man doesn't recognize me!
Utahime Iori breathed a sigh of relief deep inside.
To some extent, Utahime was a celebrity. Her Cursed Technique, Solo Forbidden Zone, was a very powerful support-type technique. At the same time, she was a teacher at Kyoto Jujutsu High. Her ability to hold a teaching position at Jujutsu High proved that she had a solid foundation and powerful connections.
It was natural that the Chisato didn't recognize her, but since she had already been brought into the heart of the Cursed Spirits' nest, she no longer hoped to remain hidden.
But looking at them now, these people seemed even more ignorant than she had imagined...
In that case, maybe I can survive for a while as a spy.
Utahime Iori made a judgment in her heart and was about to casually give a fake name to fool them, but at that moment, a huge pressure of wind descended from the sky, causing her to swallow the words she was about to say.
Everyone looked up to see a massive black bird descending from the sky. It was a crow over five meters in length. This giant crow landed inside the courtyard with a heavy thud.
A voice rang out from atop the crow:
"Big Sister! Teacher Ashiya! I've brought someone back!"
The crow extended its wings, letting them touch the ground like a slide, but the owner of the voice didn't use the wings at all to fly down. She had a pair of black wings, and when they unfurled, the wingspan was almost enough to cover her entirely.
To say she was riding a giant crow would be an understatement; she was almost like a giant crow herself.
Yet, she didn't look like a crow at all. She wore a white shirt that accentuated her figure, a buttonless leather jacket over it, and jeans on her lower half—outfits that only a woman with exceptionally beautiful curves would dare to challenge. The woman descending from the sky was exactly such a person.
She was graceful and elegant, her body's curves like rolling mountains, her legs straight and slender, soft and beautiful. Her expression carried a spring-like allure. When she looked at you, you could see a hazy reflection of yourself in her eyes, like a sorrowful fairy in the mountains inviting you in.
But as soon as she moved, her terrible personality was exposed.
She dropped from the sky and hugged the Chisato. Being tall, she only had to stand slightly on her tiptoes to press the Chisato's head between her two towering peaks.
Maintaining the posture with her head almost squeezed between those peaks, Chisato said in a muffled voice, "Kazeha, do not be rude in front of the guest."
"Ahhh, I really love Big Sister's serious personality!" Kazeha wore a look of enjoyment. "As expected, Big Sister is the cutest!"
An older sister calling a young girl "Big Sister"...
Utahime Iori took a deep breath.
A third Intelligent Cursed Spirit...
No, those twin girls on the martial arts field seemed to be Intelligent Cursed Spirits as well, which would make five.
Utahime Iori felt her scalp go numb.
She thought that an Intelligent Cursed Spirit like Mahito appearing would be enough to shake the world, but in reality, she had seen five right here, and there might be even more outside.
She had already had a bad premonition when she saw the little girl opening the door earlier, and now that premonition had come true—
—this could already be called a tribe.
The old man suddenly pulled out a bamboo sword from behind him and whacked Kazeha on the back of the head. Kazeha cried out in pain and let go of the Chisato.
The old man roared, "Didn't I tell you not to be rude in front of the guest?!"
Kazeha cutely stuck out her tongue and turned her gaze toward Utahime Iori.
Utahime's mind raced as she immediately flashed a smile and said, "My name is Shian."
"Ahem, isn't this the teacher from Kyoto Jujutsu High, Miss Utahime Iori? Why have you found the time to come here as a guest?"
Suddenly, an elderly woman's voice came from the giant crow.
Utahime's heart sank, and she looked toward the giant crow.
It turned out the giant crow hadn't extended its wings just for Kazeha to get down; there were others on the crow.
An old woman was descending from the crow's wing, supported by a young man. She had her white hair tied back, her body was small and hunched, and her hands were behind her back. Because of her age, her eyes were almost impossible to open, narrowed to mere slits.
Utahime recognized her at a glance.
"Ha, isn't this Ogami Granny? You actually dare to show your face in Japan? I thought Satoru had scared you so much you'd never come out of seclusion again," Utahime mocked loudly.
Ogami Granny chuckled and said, "The same goes for you, Miss Utahime. I don't think you came here of your own accord, did you?"
Kazeha produced a leaf fan from somewhere and laughed.
"Ohoho, it looks like she's a captured prisoner."
Utahime clicked her tongue; her life as a spy was over before it had even begun.
She didn't care anymore and immediately spoke to the Chisato with righteous indignation:
"This old woman is a scumbag who commits all sorts of evils. I swear she kills people not even for profit, but out of pure interest! People like her living in this world are a blight on human civilization. If you are truly a guardian of humanity, you should kill her right now!"
Ogami Granny was unfazed.
"Your head must be muddled, Utahime Iori. This is the headquarters of the Cursed Spirits, yet you talk about being guardians of humanity."
The Chisato suddenly asked, "Do you kill people out of pure interest?"
Ogami Granny was stunned.
The young man beside Ogami Granny suddenly stepped in front of her. He was drenched in sweat and said tremblingly, "Grandmother, this woman... something is wrong with her."
Utahime perceived that the pricking sensation of the Simple Domain on her body had intensified. A visible circle of blue Domain instantly covered Ogami Granny and the young man.
Even though the Chisato wasn't looking at Utahime, she still felt a massive pressure descending, as if all the fear in the world were converging there.
It was like a vision of all the malice in the world being concentrated; it was no wonder the young man was so nervous.
Utahime looked at the old man out of the corner of her eye.
She remembered that when the Chisato introduced her master, she said her swordsmanship was taught by someone named Ashiya Sadatsuna, a figure from a thousand years ago. She had thought it was just someone with the same name and hadn't paid it much mind, but now a terrifying hypothesis emerged.
This old man might truly be that legendary master swordsman from a thousand years ago.
Only Ashiya Sadatsuna himself could teach such a terrifying Simple Domain!
The old man had no intention of stopping it; instead, he wore a smile as if watching a show.
He said cheerfully, "Ogami, you'd better answer carefully. Mahito really dotes on Chisato. Even if Mahito invited you here, he would never punish Chisato for killing you here."
Kazeha covered her lips with her maple leaf fan and stopped laughing, leaving only her fox-like eyes visible. Those eyes no longer held spring-like allure, but were as cold as a harsh winter.
Ogami Granny immediately realized that her next answer would determine her life or death.
This was bad!
Mahito had always maintained a high level of trust among the Curse User community, which was why she had come here so defenselessly. She hadn't expected that she might be killed by his subordinates before even seeing the Lord of Curses!
Ogami Granny didn't answer immediately. After thinking for a while, she said cautiously, "I am a Curse User."
The Chisato hesitated.
Ogami Granny breathed a sigh of relief and patted the young man's back, signaling him to step down.
Good, they were reasonable... being reasonable was good.
The old woman straightened her back and said with conviction:
"The ecology of us Curse Users is to kill and harm people; killing is a necessary condition for our survival. Just as you followed your instincts to harm people before you became a 'Holy Spirit,' right? The reason I have come here now is to change my nature, just as you evolved from a Cursed Spirit into a 'Holy Spirit.'"
The Chisato nodded slightly.
"You will be free of your nature."
"She's clearly talking nonsense! You actually believe her?" Utahime Iori pointed at Ogami Granny, incredulous.
The Chisato said quietly, "I know better than anyone how terrifying it is to be troubled by instinct. Before being remodeled and given rebirth by Master, I was muddled and dazed, knowing nothing of good or evil, less than a beast. It was Master who gave me a new life and bestowed my name upon me. I understand her very well."
Utahime's mouth twitched, and she turned to look at the old man.
"Is this how you teach your disciple?"
The old man said cheerfully, "Isn't this great? Would you rather see a crazed Cursed Spirit who is completely hopeless about reality? Look at her now—how cute she is. Full of hope for society, full of ideals for the future, and she never wavers in her will; she's an old-school samurai."
The old man looked deeply at Utahime and asked, "Seeing such an Intelligent Cursed Spirit, don't you feel a sense of reassurance?"
It's so damn reassuring! I'm starting to worry about her!
Kazeha added, "We are different from humans. We are immortal beings from birth, and therefore our ideals do not disappear due to lifespan. When we decide to do something, we don't care if it takes a thousand or ten thousand years. We have no need for despair."
Is this the composure of immortality?
Utahime was stunned.
Ogami Granny glanced at Utahime and said calmly, "Don't worry about my activities. Soon, I will disappear from your sight."
"Disappear?" Utahime frowned. "You're willing to stop harming people?"
"Can I say it?" Ogami Granny asked.
The old man said indifferently, "You don't think she'll be walking out of this place, do you?"
Utahime clicked her tongue but didn't resist.
She had already prepared herself when she stood here; shouting and screaming now would be too undignified. Utahime wasn't a sore loser. She remained standing there with an unfazed expression, as if she hadn't heard the silent death sentence.
"Mahito has been recruiting test subjects lately, and I've signed up," Ogami Granny said meaningfully. "I'm in the first batch—the very first one, to be precise. Once my results are out, more Jujutsu Sorcerers will come after me. Perhaps all the Curse Users in the world will come."
"Test subjects, signing up... and all the Curse Users in the world."
Utahime's mouth twitched.
"I thought the Curse User community was made up of more selfish people."
"He promised the test subjects reincarnation," Ogami Granny said with a smile. "Literal 'reincarnation'—being born from a mother's womb to live another life."
Utahime Iori's pupils shrank.
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