Curse Return: Demon Void Girl Doesn't Want to Be a Weakling

After training, the four of them sat on the stone steps beside the training field.

Huzhang sat cross-legged on the ground, unscrewed the mineral water bottle and took a big gulp, then handed the bottle to Fuhei.

Fu Hei took it, but didn't drink it; he placed it at his feet.

Kugizaki was still staring at his palm. The curse nails had dissipated for quite some time, but the sensation of those seven seconds still seemed to linger on his palm.

"If I master the Cursed Nail technique," she slowly clenched her fist, "how many targets can I hit simultaneously?"

"It depends on how you allocate your spell power." Mashiro sat on the top step of the stone steps, gently wiping away the rain. "You can only condense one strand right now. Stabilize this number first."

"And then?"

"After that, we can try multiple condensations. Two, three, each one needs sufficient penetrating power and a large amount of incantation injected. With more, the power of a single condenser will decrease, so we need to find a balance."

Kugizaki nodded, opened and closed his fingers several times, feeling the flow of cursed power within his body.

Itajimaru stood up from the ground, walked over to Mashiro, and looked unusually serious. "Mashiro-nee, you just said my rhythm was too predictable. But if I don't control the rhythm, how can I guarantee that every punch will hit the right spot?"

"Your problem right now is that you're controlling too much." Mashiro raised her hand and pointed in the air with her fingertips. "The angle, power, and speed of every punch you throw are all planned in advance. Left punch to probe, right punch to strike, left punch to probe again, right leg to sweep again. Fushiguro saw through this pattern after watching it twice."

Tiger Staff turned to look at Fu Hei.

Fu Hei nodded. "Yes, I was able to block the entire third wave of attacks."

Itachi's expression froze for a moment, then he slowly sat back down on the ground. "So it's not that I'm not fast enough, it's that I'm too easy to see through."

"The speed is fast enough, but the rhythm is too honest," Mashiro said. "Look at Fushiguro. He's controlling two Treasure Dogs at the same time, while also moving his own position and looking for opportunities to attack."

"Every move he makes is based on improvisation, without any pre-planned procedure. Your physical condition is better than his, but you are still at the stage of using your brain to direct your body."

"You can start learning how to deceive people in real-world situations now."

Itari raised her eyes and continued, "It's not about controlling the rhythm, it's about breaking the rhythm. Intentionally let your opponent see your punching habits, and then next time you throw the exact opposite punch."

"You only truly strike when he feels he understands you. Your physical condition is better than anyone I've ever seen; now, use your brain too."

Itadori looked down at his fist, stood up, walked to the center of the arena, and threw two punches into the air. He didn't use any magical power; it was just a pure physical test.

The first punch is a straight strike, and the second punch is suddenly redirected halfway through, stopping the force of the straight punch and turning it into a sideways swing.

The movements are still a bit clumsy, but the direction is right.

Fushiguro glanced at Itajimaru, then turned to Mashiro. "You just said my shikigami control and movement are already quite good. Is there anything you want to change?"

"There are too few types of shikigami, so you'll have to collect them yourself. There are no obvious weaknesses in terms of control," Mashiro said.

"But if your opponent suppresses both you and Yu Quan at the same time, you will be forced into a position where you can only dodge. When you circled around my side just now, your attention was completely focused on Yu Quan, and you lost your sense of position, which is why I was able to subdue you from behind."

"Sense of location." Fuhei repeated the word.

"While controlling the shikigami, you must always know where you are, not by relying on peripheral vision or intuition, but by treating your own position as information that must be updated in real time."

"The Jade Dog can be repelled, but you can't be cornered. When you flank, leave yourself a way out."

Mashiro absorbed Murasame into her body, and the blade transformed into a stream of light that disappeared into her palm.

She stood up from the stone steps and brushed the sand off her pants. "That's enough for today. Everyone should practice what they've learned back home."

After finishing his shadowboxing practice, Itadori walked up to Mashiro with a serious expression. "Mashiro-neechan, next time I'll definitely force you to use your right hand."

Mashiro looked at him with a hint of provocation, "Oh my, can someone as insignificant as Itadori Yuujin do that?"

Itadori smiled, his eyes resolute. "Just wait, Mashiro-nee. One day I will slay you."

Kugizaki was still researching how to condense the cursed nails when she heard her phone vibrate. She took it out of her pocket and glanced at it.

Itajō picked up the water bottle from the ground, took two steps out of the training field, then turned back and asked Mashiro if she wanted to go to the cafeteria together.

Mashiro said no, and then her phone screen lit up again.

A LINE message from Gojo Satoru.

"Gojo Satoru": Mashiro-chan, I heard you were a coach again today?

Mashiro leaned against the wall by the training field and typed.

"Mashiro": Who told you that?

"Gojo Satoru": Fushiguro. He said you saw through the opponent's attack pattern at a glance, and that you defeated Hisahito in training using only your left hand.

"Gojo Satoru": Oh right, you also taught Kugizaki how to use the cursed nails. When are you coming to the vocational high school as a full-time teacher? I'll pay you a salary.

Mashiro looked down at the screen, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Mashiro": You can't afford to hire me. I charge by the task.

"Gojo Satoru": Waaah, so cruel.

"Gojo Satoru": By the way, I still haven't seen the live demonstration of the water control technique. Nanami gave me a general overview, but I really want to see a live demonstration.

"Mashiro": As I mentioned last time, the report will now be a presentation.

"Five Insights": The report is still being written; I'll give it to you in a few days.

"Mashiro": The demonstration will be in a few days.

"Five Insights": Do it, do it, do it.

Just as Mashiro was about to put her phone away, it rang again.

"Seven Seas": An urgent mission requires your presence.

"Mashiro": What kind of?

"Nanami": In Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, the observation station at the window reported unusual fluctuations in magical energy last night. Preliminary assessment indicates it's at least level one, but the exact level needs on-site confirmation. There are currently no jutsu masters there capable of handling this alone. This is a formal mission assignment.

Mashiro looked at the message. Saitama wasn't too far, but it would still take some time to get there from Tokyo.

"Mashiro": When are we leaving?

"Nanami": The sooner the better. The mission briefing has been sent to your email. The person at the window will meet you at the station, and someone will take you to the scene after you arrive.

"Mashiro": I understand.

Mashiro put her phone in her pocket and stood up from the stone steps.

As Itari was about to walk towards the cafeteria, he noticed her stand up and turned around.

"Mashiro-nee?"

"We have a mission." Mashiro tugged at his sleeve. "We need to head towards Saitama immediately."

Huzhang nodded.

He didn't ask any more questions. Mashiro was very strong, and besides, there were other people with her.

"Then be careful on your way," he said, then added, "Are you staying for dinner tonight?"

"I probably won't be back for the next couple of days, so don't wait for me."

When Mashiro walked out of the training field, the sunlight was shining brightly in the corridor.

Chichibu City is located in the northwestern part of Saitama Prefecture. The fastest way to get there from Tokyo is by taking the Shinkansen to Kumagai Station and then transferring to the Chichibu Railway.

The observation station for the window is located near Chichibu Shrine, and the mission area is in the direction of the mountains and forests, so it should be a cursed spirit related to the terrain.

The entire journey takes at least an hour and a half each way.

On her way to the station, she sent a LINE message to Gojo Satoru.

"Mashiro": Nanami has given me an urgent mission to Saitama. I'm setting off now.

Gojo Satoru didn't reply. She waited for a few minutes, but still received no message.

Are you busy? I usually reply very quickly.

"Never mind." She zipped up her coat a notch; the wind was cooler than usual today.

The Shinkansen took forty minutes to travel from Tokyo to Kumagai Station.

When she transferred to the Chichibu Railway at Kumagai Station, the platform announcements were broadcasting the stop times for each station along the line.

There weren't many passengers in the carriage. An elderly woman was sitting opposite me with shopping bags, two backpackers were looking at a map, and the other seats were empty.

Mashiro sat by the window, looking out at the scenery gradually changing from the residential area of ​​Kumagaya to the mountainous area in the direction of Chichibu.

The cedar forest grew denser, and tunnels appeared one after another.

My phone vibrated.

She looked down at the screen; it was a supplementary message from Nanami.

The observation station's report indicates that the spell energy fluctuations are strongest in the valley on the east side of the mountain forest. The level three spellcaster sent by the window has been out of contact for four hours since the last communication last night.

She replied that she received the message, and then opened Gojo Satoru's LINE chat window again.

There has still been no reply.

She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes to rest.

The Shinkansen journey to Chichibu Station took a total of one and a half hours. The person who met Mashiro at the Chichibu Observatory was a female assistant supervisor wearing glasses, who was waiting for her outside the station.

Mashiro got into the car with her and listened to her report on the details of the mission.

The fluctuation of the cursed power has lasted for more than twelve hours. The observation station has attempted three remote scans. During the last scan, the cursed power level jumped by at least two levels, and the growth rate of the suspected cursed spirit is far beyond expectations.

"We need you to confirm the level of the cursed spirit. If it is level one or higher, we will exorcise it directly."

Mashiro nodded.

As the vehicle ascended the mountain road, the cedar forests on both sides blocked out the sun, making the light increasingly dim.

There was no paved road near the top of the mountain, and the rest of the journey had to be done on foot. She followed the female supervisor along the mountain path for ten minutes, and the terrain gradually became steeper, with the dirt road under her feet turning into a gravel slope.

Then she sensed the cursed power, which wasn't the density one would expect at level one.

She frowned and continued walking uphill until she entered a valley and saw the cursed spirit.

It sits in the center of the canyon, its body resembling a mixture of rotting tree roots and mud, at least twice the size of Chaoyin. It is not yet fully formed and is still growing.

It's not Grade 1. It's almost Grade Special.

She first moved herself out of the cursed spirit's attack range, then sent a LINE message to Nanami with only three words.

"Mashiro": Quasi-Special Grade.

Nanami replied almost immediately: "Understood. Can you exorcise it?"

"Mashiro": Okay. It will take some time.

"Nanami": Be careful.

Mashiro exited her phone to the LINE home screen and glanced at Gojo Satoru's chat window.

He hasn't replied yet; the last message was still the notification she sent when she said she had set off.

She put her phone away and then pulled Cong Yu out of her palm.

Mashiro gripped Murasame, the blade gleaming faintly in the dim valley.

She took a few steps down the gravel slope, the soil beneath her feet soft, damp, and carrying a putrid smell.

The cursed spirit was still slowly wriggling at the bottom of the canyon, its root-like tentacles extending outwards, each end of which burrowed into rock crevices or the base of tree roots, as if absorbing nutrients.

Its near-superior level curse density made the surrounding air feel stuffy, and with each breath, one could feel the curse power adhering to the tracheal wall, like inhaling a thin toxin.

Mashiro stopped about twenty meters away from the cursed spirit, raised her left hand, spread her five fingers slightly, and activated the water control technique.

Water molecules in the surrounding air were drawn away and condensed into a dozen thin water needles in her palm, which then shot out rapidly. The target was not the cursed spirit's body, but the tentacles that were embedded in the rock.

The water needle hit its mark precisely, and the moment the tentacle was severed, it spurted out a dark green liquid.

The cursed spirit's body shuddered violently, then let out a low roar. Several tentacles that hadn't embedded themselves in the rock instantly rose up and swept towards Mashiro's direction.

Mashiro took a step forward, unleashing a horizontal slash from Murasame, the blade making a hissing sound as it touched the tentacles.

However, the tentacle was not severed; it was only cut halfway in. The mucus that gushed from the wound quickly solidified, forming a layer of black, gelatinous substance on the surface.

Its regeneration speed is so fast; it's not an opponent that can be defeated in one go.

As Mashiro thought this, she dodged the sweeping attack of the tentacles, and the water wall that condensed upon landing blocked her from the side.

The tentacles struck the water wall with a heavy thud, causing the water wall to tremble violently, but it did not shatter.

While using Murasame to cut through the approaching tentacles, Mashiro extended her perception into the body of the cursed spirit.

Its body is entirely water, forming a huge water cavity in the center of its torso.

It is surrounded by dense roots, and the water cavity is connected to each tentacle through a central hub, responsible for transporting nutrients and magical power.

If I hadn't learned the water control technique before, this would definitely have been a long and drawn-out war.

But it's different now.

Mashiro switched Murasame to her left hand, and gathered countless water needles in her right palm, precisely shooting them into the cursed spirit's body.

The moment the water needle entered the cursed spirit's body, she activated the water control technique.

"We'll drain you dry from the inside out!"

The cursed spirit's body suddenly swelled, its internal water cavity was forcibly stirred by external force, the liquid core began to go out of control, and the surface of several of the thickest tentacles cracked, with dark green liquid seeping out from the cracks, falling to the ground and burning into white smoke.

But it is not dead yet. Even if the internal circulation of a quasi-special-grade cursed spirit is disrupted, its body can still maintain its function with the remaining cursed power.

Instead of trying to attack Shiro with its tentacles, it retracted all its tentacles, then split open from the top of its torso, revealing a giant mouth made of wood chips and rotting mud, and swallowed her whole.

Mashiro looked up as the shadow of the giant mouth loomed over her, and the Dharma wheel above her head began to spin.

Instead of backing down, she went to meet her.

Cong Yu was gripped by her hand, and a sonic spell was applied to the blade, causing high-frequency vibrations to resonate with water molecules.

She pushed off the ground and was launched into the giant maw.

The blade pierced the upper wall of the throat, and the sound waves vibrated from the blade throughout the entire oral cavity. Water molecules resonated and changed from a liquid to a gaseous state, expanding a second time, and the air pressure also changed abruptly.

His entire mouth was burst open, and bits of wood and mud mixed with dark green liquid exploded in all directions.

Mashiro emerged from the shattered opening and landed on the ground. Her Murasaki Blade was covered in a layer of dark green residue, which she flicked off with her wrist.

A deafening roar came from behind, and the cursed spirit's body began to disintegrate from the inside out. Its tentacles twitched unconsciously a few times before coming to a complete stop.

She used a water manipulation technique to extract all the remaining liquid from the remnants of the cursed spirit. A fist-sized, dark green water sphere hovered above her palm before she flung it against the mountain wall, scattering it into harmless water stains.

The Falun gradually stopped, and before they could even adjust, they were killed.

It's an elemental advantage; if you don't know how to control water, it won't be so easy.