Shimane Prefecture coastal area.
A sedan was speeding down the road.
The three people in the car were Jujutsu Sorcerers and an Assistant Supervisor from Jujutsu Headquarters, responsible for handling this curse incident.
"Haaah."
A Jujutsu Sorcerer yawned.
"How long has it been? We're still not there."
The speaker was Yamamoto Kuma.
He was a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer responsible for this incident.
Name: Yamamoto Kuma
Technique: Blazing Cursed Method
Moves: Incineration, Pillar of Flame, Flame Blade
Hobbies: Smoking, exercise
Dislikes: Water, cold.
"It has been a long time, indeed, but we shouldn't be far. This Cursed Spirit can't possibly leave the island nation, can it?"
After speaking, the Jujutsu Sorcerer in the back seat, dressed in priest's clothes, picked up a telescope and looked into the distance.
The speaker was Kanzaki Shingo, who was sitting in the back of the car, a Jujutsu Sorcerer assigned to assist Yamamoto Kuma on this mission.
Name: Kanzaki Shingo
Technique: Song of Baptism
Moves: Baptism, Blessing, Judgment
Hobbies: Watching movies
Dislikes: Monks
Due to his Technique's abilities being more geared towards support, Kanzaki Shingo was only a Grade 2 Jujutsu Sorcerer.
Kanzaki Shingo and Yamamoto Kuma were assigned to this mission together because the Cursed Spirit had the ability to spread curses.
Kanzaki Shingo was there to prevent Yamamoto Kuma from being cursed by the Cursed Spirit and encountering an accident.
The Cursed Spirit captured by Jujutsu Headquarters had accumulated enough Cursed Energy by midnight yesterday.
The Cursed Spirit then constantly tried to break free and escape.
After preparing for monitoring, Jujutsu Headquarters released the Cursed Spirit, and the three of them followed the Cursed Spirit, wanting to see what was truly hidden behind it.
"Oh, something's happening."
Kanzaki Shingo, holding the telescope, suddenly said.
"Where? Let me see."
With that, Yamamoto Kuma snatched the telescope from Kanzaki Shingo.
Kanzaki Shingo rolled his eyes, then pointed towards the place where he had just seen a strange figure.
A black figure appeared on the sea surface, and its direction of travel was precisely the target they were monitoring.
"That direction is… an island?"
Yamamoto Kuma looked through the telescope in the direction behind the Cursed Spirit; that was likely where the Cursed Spirit originated, and also the hiding place of the mastermind.
"Just in case, you go prepare the boat."
Yamamoto Kuma instructed the Assistant Supervisor, then got out of the car with Kanzaki Shingo and rushed to the shore.
"Following it for several hours finally paid off."
"Alright, alright, Jujutsu Headquarters was quite generous this time, so stop complaining."
Kanzaki Shingo comforted the short-tempered Yamamoto Kuma.
Soon, the two arrived at the shore.
To their surprise, the Cursed Spirit did not follow the black shadow on the sea and leave; instead, it just stood there motionless.
The next moment, the black shadow in the sea came ashore and bit into the Cursed Spirit's shadow.
Screech.
The sound of flesh being torn rang out.
Even though only the shadow was attacked, it produced the same effect as attacking the body itself.
Under their astonished gazes, only a severed foot of the Cursed Spirit remained, slowly dissipating.
"Kanzaki, what was that?"
"I don't know. At first, I thought it was a fish-shaped Cursed Spirit, but now, it looks more like… a shadow."
Kanzaki Shingo spoke with some uncertainty.
"Hmm, indeed, it's almost as if a shadow turned into a monster."
"A monstrous fish Cursed Spirit that looks like a shadow? Speaking of which, I recall a legend."
"What?"
Yamamoto Kuma looked at Kanzaki Shingo; he knew that this person knew a lot because he often traveled around preaching.
"It is said that long ago, there was a man-eating yokai in the sea called Shadow Crocodile. This yokai looked like a pitch-black monstrous fish. It would eat the shadows of fishermen underwater, and then the fishermen's bodies would vanish into thin air."
Kanzaki Shingo recounted an interesting rumor he had heard before.
These were all heard from believers.
"I see, no wonder they assigned me to this mission."
After hearing Kanzaki Shingo's story and recalling what he had just seen, Yamamoto Kuma was filled with confidence.
No wonder Jujutsu Headquarters said this monster was afraid of light.
It's normal for shadows to be affected by light.
This shadow Cursed Spirit is restrained by my Blazing Cursed Method; the advantage is mine.
Soon, a small boat appeared before the two, and the Assistant Supervisor waved to them.
The group took the boat to a nearby small island.
"This must be the place."
Yamamoto Kuma stomped out his cigarette butt, unstrapped the katana from his back, and led the way into the cave.
"These are… talismans?"
Kanzaki Shingo's gaze swept over the scattered yellow talismans and the broken shimenawa around them.
"It was man-made after all, wasn't it? Let's finish this quickly and go back to collect our pay."
"You're really confident, aren't you?"
"Of course, I'm a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer. I can't be so unlucky as to encounter a Special Grade on a mission, can I? If you're that unlucky, go stand aside and don't involve me."
"How could that be? I am blessed by the Lord. If anyone's unlucky, it's you."
Saying this, Kanzaki Shingo even pulled out a Bible from his priest's coat, adopting a posture ready to preach.
"It's here."
Yamamoto Kuma's eyes sharpened, looking at the prominent well opening in the cave.
The Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile swam out from it.
Cursed Energy surged, and Yamamoto Kuma's katana ignited with flames.
Seemingly sensing the threat, the Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile began to circle around the two, not daring to approach.
"Stop dawdling. If you won't come, then I will."
The short-tempered Yamamoto Kuma launched the first attack.
He pushed off the ground and charged towards the Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile.
The Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile, with several fins and a tail that somewhat resembled a blooming flower, began to accelerate its movements, constantly dodging Yamamoto Kuma.
Clang.
The katana, burning with flames, cut into the ground and also struck the continuously moving Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile.
Hiss, hiss.
The Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile let out a pained cry, similar to a snake's hiss.
Looking at the Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile, which clearly had a piece missing from its body.
Yamamoto Kuma burst out laughing.
"Haha, though it looks strange, it's still a Cursed Spirit after all. If it has Cursed Energy, it can be harmed. Die!"
With that, Yamamoto Kuma pushed off with his legs to keep up with the fleeing Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile, and the flames on his blade intensified.
Boom.
Yamamoto Kuma swung his katana, and flames formed a ring around the Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile, then a Pillar of Flame rose from the ground.
The Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile dissipated in the flames.
"Done and dusted."
"Yamamoto, be careful!"
"Huh?"
Yamamoto Kuma, who had relaxed after seeing the Cursed Spirit disappear, suddenly heard his companion's cry of alarm.
Splish.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
Another Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile appeared from the shadows.
Its wide-open mouth bit off Yamamoto Kuma's right arm, which was holding the sword.
"Die, Incineration!"
Flames gathered in Yamamoto Kuma's left hand and quickly spewed out; the Shadow Crocodile that had just ambushed him was covered and exorcised by the violently erupting sea of fire.
"Ugh ah."
Yamamoto Kuma looked at his severed right arm in pain; a gray-black curse was spreading on it.
Kanzaki Shingo immediately came to Yamamoto Kuma's side.
"Abyss."
…"Heavenly Light."
…"Divine Blessing."
Kanzaki Shingo began chanting the incantations, and with the incantations' enhancement, the effect of Baptism became even more pronounced.
The curse on Yamamoto Kuma's wound began to dissipate.
"Damn it, what was that just now?!"
Yamamoto Kuma said through gritted teeth.
"It should be the second one."
"Huh?"
"That Cursed Spirit just now appeared from the shadow of the rock. There should be more than one Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodile."
The next moment, a massive surge of Cursed Energy erupted from the well.
The two looked at the well opening in horror.
There, Cursed Spirit Shadow Crocodiles emerged one after another.