Day One of the Mission.
Sōjun Minamoto and his team arrived outside the residential complex where the Star Plasma Vessel was located. The first thing Satoru Gojo did was head straight to a vending machine and buy himself a drink.
Suguru Geto followed and bought two bottles.
The two strolled over to Sōjun Minamoto, looking more like tourists than sorcerers on a mission.
"Something feels off," Sōjun Minamoto said, casually catching the drink tossed his way. He shaded his eyes with one hand and looked up toward a certain spot on the high-rise.
Before he could finish—
Boom~~
A thunderous explosion rang out from one of the windows.
The three of them immediately looked up...
Sōjun Minamoto clearly saw the blast shatter the glass, twist the window frame, and blow the entire balcony off. Shards of glass scattered across the surrounding area as thick smoke billowed out.
A figure followed right after the smoke, plummeting in freefall. She wore a middle school sailor uniform, twin braids, and a headband. Sōjun Minamoto, having reviewed the dossier, instantly recognized her—it was their target, Riko Amanai.
Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto could only make out a small black dot.
The Six Eyes can perceive Cursed Energy in intricate detail. But in terms of raw eyesight, Sōjun Minamoto didn't think Star Eyes were inferior.
"!"
"?"
As the figure fell halfway down the building, the two men exchanged glances and nodded.
"Yeah."
A quick look confirmed it—this was the target.
"I'll head up and check it out." Sōjun Minamoto gestured to them. A flash of black light flickered beneath his clothes, and his body twisted, gradually becoming translucent. In the next instant, he appeared at the window and delivered a kick that sent a masked, flamboyantly dressed man flying out.
It was obvious the guy was trouble.
Suguru Geto followed up seamlessly, summoning a manta ray-shaped Cursed Spirit. It rose into the air and caught the Star Plasma Vessel.
"Ahhh~~"
A terrified scream drifted down from above—it was the Q Group member Sōjun Minamoto had kicked, plummeting toward the ground.
Geto summoned another Cursed Spirit, this one made of bloated, fleshy masses, stacked with human heads.
The grotesque spirit wrapped itself around the falling man, merging with him midair. Their bodies fused into one grotesque whole, the mouths of the many heads murmuring, "Come on, give us a kiss…"
Hideous as it looked, there was something almost romantic about it.
Sōjun Minamoto entered the living room and helped a fallen maid to her feet. She woke with a start, but upon seeing the ID he had prepared in advance, she exhaled in relief and immediately began scanning the room.
"Lady… where is the lady…"
Just then, Suguru Geto flew in through the window, carrying the unconscious Riko Amanai in his arms.
The maid rushed over, helped her onto the sofa, and, seeing she was unharmed, finally relaxed.
"I'm Misato Kuroi, the caretaker responsible for the Star Plasma Vessel," she said, regaining her composure. "Thank goodness you made it in time."
...
Meanwhile, on the other side, Satoru Gojo encountered a curse user skilled with throwing knives.
Several blades shot toward him—only to freeze midair right in front of him.
They appeared motionless, but in reality, they were shrinking the gap between them and their target by infinitesimal increments. Trapped in a state of limitless approach, they could never actually land a hit.
Gojo dealt with him effortlessly.
The teams regrouped.
Upon learning that the defeated curse user had been the strongest asset of the Q Group, the captured Q members turned pale.
...
By that morning, the Q Group's strongest had been taken out, and the organization collapsed.
So far, things were playing out as Sōjun Minamoto remembered—but he didn't expect them to continue that way.
The butterfly has flapped its wings. The storm has yet to come…
Regardless, the three arrived in time and successfully secured the Star Plasma Vessel—Riko Amanai.
She was still unconscious. Suguru Geto gave her a gentle push, but she didn't respond. He stood up, looking a bit helpless.
"If only Shoko were here. She's the only one who knows Reverse Cursed Technique."
"Maybe we should take her to a doctor?" Gojo suggested.
"Heh..." Sōjun Minamoto chuckled.
Everyone looked at him.
He stepped forward, brushed past the others, and placed a finger on Riko's forehead, full of confidence.
"Leave it to me. I know a little about healing too."
Blood bloomed at his fingertip. Several short tentacles sprouted on Riko's face, writhing chaotically before quickly falling off and vanishing.
"Hey, hey, maybe we should just go to the hospital?" Geto said, reaching out to stop him.
Kuroi stepped between them, arms out to hold Sōjun Minamoto back.
Gojo picked Riko up. "Let's just take her to the hospital."
"It's fine," said Sōjun Minamoto, pointing at her.
Everyone looked over to see Riko's eyelids flutter, then suddenly snap open.
Still dazed, she looked up—right into the face of a white-haired man in sunglasses. She glanced down—she was being cradled in his arms like a princess.
"Ew—!"
She slapped Gojo across the face and leapt from his arms, pointing at him and shouting, "You tried to kill me! You should die first!"
A vein popped on Gojo's temple.
"Pfft~~"
"Kukuku~~"
Sōjun Minamoto and Suguru Geto both stifled their laughter.
"Riko-chan, take it easy. We're not the ones who attacked you," Geto said with a polite smile.
"Liar!" Riko pointed at him again. "You and that weird haircut—total liar face! There's no way you're a good guy!"
Geto's smile twitched. He and Gojo simultaneously grabbed her arms and legs, twisting her around.
"Riko-chan" Sōjun Minamoto cut in, unable to watch anymore, nearly cracking from holding back laughter.
"Ahh! Scary eyes! Terrifying eye guy!" Riko shrieked, still not letting up, tearing into all of them one by one.
Sōjun Minamoto blinked. This girl was too rude—and sharp with words.
He turned to Misato Kuroi. "Why don't you introduce yourself first, Kuroi-san?"
...
"Lady!!"
"Kuroi!!"
The two reunited in an emotional embrace. Riko finally settled down.
"She's way more feisty than expected," Gojo said, rubbing his face.
"I thought she'd be moody about the whole assimilation thing. Was trying to figure out how to talk to her," Geto added with a nod.
"Hmph! What a pathetic thought!" Riko scoffed, proudly pointing at herself with a thumbs-up.
"Listen up—Tengen-sama is me, and I am Tengen-sama!"
The three exchanged glances and facepalmed silently.
Still a total chūnibyō?!
"Hey, why do you call her Riko-chan?" Gojo asked.
"It's just how I address her," Sōjun Minamoto replied.
"Then why not Amanai, or just Riko… or even Riko-rin?"
"'Amanai' sounds too formal. 'Riko' feels too personal. And 'Riko-rin'? That's pushing it—makes it sound like we're super close or something."
"Fair," Geto chimed in, imitating a bratty schoolgirl voice. "She totally talks like someone with zero friends~"
"Makes it easier to send her off with a clear conscience."
The three of them kept chatting casually.
Riko, still going, was saying, "After assimilation, I'll become Tengen-sama, and Tengen-sama will become me. You all have to respect me like you respect Tengen-sama."
Then she suddenly raised her voice—
"At that moment, my thoughts!! My heart!! My soul!! Will live on in this world!"
Her face flushed. "All of you better listen up!"
"And I talk just like a normal person at school!"
She pointed at Sōjun Minamoto. "Also, what kind of narcissistic freak are you?!"
"Ah…" Riko gasped. "School!!"
All three immediately sensed trouble.
And sure enough—
"Kuroi! What time is it?!"
"It's still morning, but school would be…"
"Shut up! I said I'm going!"
So much for taking her back right away.
...
Elsewhere in the city, on the top floor of a skyscraper, two men stood before a wall of windows, overlooking the bustling cityscape.
"It's begun," the suited man said softly. "The Star Religious Group spares no expense. That much, I can guarantee."
He glanced at the man beside him. "So, Zenin? Assassinating the Star Plasma Vessel. You're not joining in?"
The other man was tall and muscular, hands in his pockets, dressed casually—and wearing slippers.
"I'm not a Zenin anymore. I married into another family," he said, turning with a grin. A vertical scar cut across his lip. "Haha, call me Fushiguro now."
"Alright. I'll take the job."
"Then I'm counting on you, Sorcerer Killer."