Chapter:49 The Shrine(3/?)

*.*Gojo's Pov.*.

Gojo wandered through the dense forest, her hands in her pockets and a carefree smile on her face. The encounter with the cursed spirits had barely been a warm-up, not even enough to add a bit of excitement. It was something akin to crushing ants that crossed her path.

Now her only hope of excitement was the so-called 'strong' curse spirit or yokai that inhabited the shrine. But if that wasn't half as exciting as she hoped for, then she could always ask Renko for a refund. Of course, the refund being a kiss... or maybe... something more?

'NO! Get your head out of the gutter! She's a high school student!"

Indeed, the kiss with Kono-chan had felt... odd, somewhat sensual yet innocent.

She shook her head, dismissing such thoughts from her mind and focusing on the task at hand. As she walked through the forest, Gojo's feet led her straight towards the shrine.

She could feel an intense amount of curse energy being concentrated on one spot and yet not being used or consumed. This was odd, surprisingly so, considering that most curse spirits and Yokai usually consume curse spirits in abundance to maintain their strength. 

The dense foliage cast shadows on the forest floor, creating an unnecessarily creepy atmosphere,

'Seriously, what's with these curse spirits and their creepy aesthetics." 

Gojo's keen eyes scanned the surroundings, looking for any signs of lingering spirits or potential threats. She chuckled to herself, thinking about Kono-chan's reaction if she came face to face with a Yokai. 

In all honesty, the girl had potential, that much was clear, but there was still a long way to go before she could handle things on her own. However, that long way...

Her mood darkened as she thought of all those acquaintances who died along the line of sorcery. There were some she could have saved if she was there and some that would have simply faded away, with or without her help. No matter how great their potential was, death always came for them.

She had come to know that growing attached to someone was the worst possible mistake a sorcerer could make. People were fragile more so than even glass and making a bond, be it physical or emotional, will always end in disaster.

Gojo shook her head, clearing away the somber thoughts. She had made her peace with the harsh reality of their world long ago. The life of a sorcerer was one of constant battles, loss, and sacrifices. It wasn't a life for the faint of heart.

As she approached the shrine, the concentration of curse energy became more palpable. The eerie stillness that had settled over the area hinted at something dangerous.

For once Gojo felt a bit elated, knowing that Kono-chan's guess had not entirely been a bust. Whatever caused the curse energy to saturate to this level must be something well in the special-grade ranking.

She would need to tread carefully from now on, no matter how strong a curse spirit was, it never shied away from using dirty means to achieve its goals.

The path led her through the dense forest, the trees casting long shadows in the dimming light. She could almost hear the curse energy flow in the air, the sound was similar to the sound of water flowing through a stream...

Well, to be honest, she was walking alongside a stream so...

Shaking the embarrassment out of her mind, she made her way to the shrine visible in the distance. The curse energy around the wooden structure was dense, swirling around the area like an invisible maelstrom.

Standing at the entrance of the shrine, Gojo surveyed the surroundings. The shrine itself seemed ancient and run down too, its architecture was adorned with weathered carvings and faded paint.

A sudden gust of wind rustled the leaves, and Gojo's eyes narrowed. She could sense a presence, an entity that surpassed the usual cursed spirits. The curse energy emanating from within the shrine held a distinct, commanding quality.

"An ancient Yokai? Interesting,"

Gojo muttered to herself, her gaze fixed on the entrance.

Before she could take another step, the air seemed to ripple, and a figure materialized at the threshold of the shrine. It was a yokai, not the one inside the shrine but a different one, its body was slightly indistinct and ethereal.

The yokai's eyes, glowing red like burning charcoal, locked onto Gojo. There was a moment of silent acknowledgment between the sorcerer and the supernatural being. Gojo's lips curled into a mischievous smile as she stepped forward.

"Well, well, looks like I finally found something worth my time."

The yokai, seemingly unfazed, regarded Gojo with a mixture of curiosity and disdain, mostly the latter of the two. It spoke in a voice that echoed through the clearing,

"Sorcerer, your presence here is an affront to the balance. Leave now, or face the consequences."

Gojo chuckled, her carefree demeanor undisturbed.

"Consequences, you say? Now, that's something I'd like to see."

The yokai's eyes flared, maybe in anger or annoyance, either way, its form pulsed with raw energy. A warning ensued from its mouth,

"I am the Guardian of this Shrine! And you shall not trespass as long as I stand."

Gojo tilted her head, her eyes narrowing in mock contemplation.

"Oh, come on now. Don't be such a buzzkill. I was hoping for a bit of excitement, and here you are, threatening me with consequences. How about we settle this with a game instead? Winner gets the shrine, deal?"

The yokai seemed taken aback by Gojo's nonchalant proposal.

"This is not a matter for games, sorcerer. The shrine holds powerful Yokai that must not be disturbed. I must protect it."

Gojo groaned as she heard the Yokai's warning,

"Great! A serious yokai guard. This isn't fun at all! How about this?"

her grin widened, and she cracked her knuckles in anticipation.

"You tell me all the secrets of this shrine and whatever is inside and I might consider letting you live."

The yokai's eyes narrowed, its ethereal form pulsating with an intensity that hinted at its displeasure.

"I shall not bargain with a mere mortal! Leave now, or face the wrath of the guardian."

Gojo sighed, feigning disappointment.

"Oh well, worth a try. You yokai types are all so uptight. But I guess I'll just have to take a look inside for myself."

With a sudden burst of speed, Gojo closed the distance between them in an instant. The Yokai was caught off guard and attempted to strike back, but Gojo stood still, letting the attack clash into her 'Infinity' barrier.

The force behind the attack was strong enough to create shockwaves capable of uprooting a couple of trees in the forest behind Gojo.

"Is that all you got? I must say it's quite disappointing."

She disappeared from her spot and appeared next to the spirit before disappearing again and appearing behind her. 

The guardian Yokai realized that Gojo was circling it, like a playful cat taunting its prey. 

"Just a peek won't hurt, right?"

Gojo teased.

The yokai was frustrated and angry, and it launched another attack. However, Gojo easily dodged it and countered with a swift kick. The impact sent the yokai crashing into the entrance of the shrine, causing the ancient wood to creak and groan under the force.

Gojo approached, her eyes shining with excitement. The yokai, still defiant, attempted to stand and retaliate. But before it could make a move, Gojo's hand shot forward, and she placed it on the yokai's chest. The guardian's body trembled, restrained by an invisible force.

"What's this? You're pretty strong for a guardian yokai, but you're still no match for me,"

Gojo said, her voice filled with amusement. The yokai struggled against the invisible force, its ethereal form flickering in and out. Gojo, however, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the encounter.

The guardian's struggles intensified, its eyes burned with flames of indignation as Gojo effortlessly restricted its movements.

"So, what's the deal with this shrine? What's hidden inside that's got you so worked up?"

Gojo's question hung in the air, and the yokai remained silent, refusing to divulge any information. Despite its ethereal nature, Gojo could sense its frustration and defiance.

"Oh well, if you won't tell me willingly, I'll just have to find out for myself."

She smashed her fist into the spirit's face, splattering it across the shrine's floor. But it seems that Gojo underestimated the spirit's vitality, for its body, though momentarily stunned by the unexpected brutality, started to pulsate faster and faster.

"Hmm, is that all you got?"

The spirit, having somehow regenerated its head, scoffed at her,

"Dream on filthy mortal."

It appeared to be preparing for some sort of suicidal attack, however, Gojo remained poised and calm, weaving through the spirit's blows like she was dancing with it. She ducked under a blow and came up with a fierce kick aimed towards the guardian's chin.

The guard was caught off guard and staggered back, opening up room for Gojo to move closer. She slammed her fist into its torso, blowing a hole through its body.

"Now stay put and answer my questions."

*Cough*

"Dream on bitch."

The guardian writhed in agony, its form beginning to dissipate as it struggled to regenerate from the damage. However, it remained determined to fight against her, the hole in its torso healed in a matter of seconds.

Gojo was relentless, continuing to launch relentless attacks. She appeared behind the guardian, slamming her fist into its spine. The force ripped through its body and sent it flying toward the shrine. But she kept pressuring it, striking its face, legs, and arms. She even ripped off its arm as a means of testing its durability.

The guardian desperately struggled to avoid the shrine, but Gojo seemed to have caught the rhythm of the fight and was anticipating its movements, following it and striking with renewed ferocity. She was beginning to get irritated at its refusal to surrender and answer her questions.

"What!? Tired?"

Taunted Gojo as she smashed the arm she had ripped off. 

The guardian's defenses were gradually slipping. It was becoming visibly fatigued, its movements no longer as fast and aggressive as before. Even so, its resilience was nothing to scoff at, and it refused to show any weakness.

Gojo's eyes narrowed, as she observed the guardian's deteriorating condition with a look of contempt. She could sense that the fight was entering its final stages, her frustration slowly escalating. It seemed she would need to press her attack with greater intensity to put an end to this.

"Answer me already, damnit!"

Gojo unleashed a fierce barrage of attacks. The guardian, weakened from previous damage, could no longer keep up with her intense pace. She ripped off its other arm as well, rendering the spirit fully defenseless.

However, the guardian still had one more trick up its sleeve. Just before Gojo could close the distance and land a killing blow, the spirit opened its mouth as wide as it could, ripping its own cheeks, and released a concentrated wave of curse energy.

"DIE!"

The wave spread out in all directions, blowing away the trees and vegetation in a massive blast.

The enormous blast overwhelmed the guardian. It seemed the amount of curse energy it was expending was too great to maintain and it collapsed. It fell to the ground with a sound like a boulder hitting the earth.

Gojo stood above the guardian's now lifeless body, completely unharmed but a bit irritated, her anger still boiling over its refusal to divulge any kind of information.

"Hmph, useless scum."