Chapter 210: Can I Ask You to Die?  

"So, I was right." 

The curse that had been hiding for so long finally revealed itself, but instead of panic, Hikigaya Hachiman let out a quiet sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. 

Its presence wasn't as overwhelming as he had feared. Compared to that octopus-like curse in Shinjuku, this one was much weaker. 

It was probably just a level-two curse. If they gave it their best shot, they might be able to handle it. 

"The enemy is here, Hikigaya!" Yoshino Junpei was tense. In their previous missions, dealing with enemies of this level had always been Nanami-sensei's job. 

"I see it." Hikigaya Hachiman took a deep breath, steadying himself. "For now, let's give it a try. If we can't win, we run." 

When an enemy moves from the shadows into the open, it actually becomes less threatening. 

The small worship hall was a bit cramped for the gargoyle-like curse before them. It hunched over, its rough stone hands gripping the doorframe as it struggled to squeeze out. 

Seeing the cracks forming where its hands gripped the frame, Hikigaya Hachiman instinctively swallowed hard. 

Maybe… this won't be so easy. 

Countless eerie eyes covered the curse's body, all staring straight at Hikigaya Hachiman and Yoshino Junpei, sending a shiver down their spines. 

Slowly, it opened its mouth. Though its body was stone, its jagged teeth gleamed menacingly, and strands of green saliva dripped from its jaws, as if it were drooling over its next meal. 

Then, with a deafening roar, the towering figure—over two meters tall—smashed through the offering box in front of it and lunged at the two young sorcerers. 

Despite its massive size, the gargoyle moved with surprising speed—far faster than any stone statue should be capable of.

"Get out of the way!" 

Hikigaya Hachiman's pupils shrank sharply as he shouted to warn Yoshino Junpei while rolling to the side to dodge. 

Compared to Hikigaya's somewhat clumsy evasion, Yoshino Junpei had a much easier time avoiding the attack. His jellyfish shikigami could float in the air, so he just had to let it carry him away to safety. 

"Yodotsuki!" 

As soon as Yoshino Junpei spoke, the tentacles of his jellyfish shikigami shot forward like lightning. However, when the venomous tentacles struck the gargoyle curse's body, they simply retracted weakly. 

They couldn't even break through its defense. 

Not only did the shikigami's attack fail to harm the gargoyle, but it also enraged the creature. 

A massive fist, larger than Yoshino Junpei's head, came crashing down at him. He quickly retreated into his jellyfish shikigami's body. The punch landed on the soft, cushion-like surface of the shikigami, absorbing most of the impact. He was still sent flying, but the attack didn't do much damage to him. 

It just left him feeling a little breathless from the force. 

Seeing that the frail-looking boy had survived its punch, the gargoyle snorted, releasing two jets of hot air from its nose. Its frustration was visible—it was getting angrier by the second. 

The creature stomped toward the fallen Yoshino Junpei, completely unaware of the attack coming from behind. 

With his cursed energy reinforcing his body, Hikigaya Hachiman leaped high into the air and smashed his fist down on the gargoyle's rocky head, making it stagger. The eerie, single eyes covering its body blinked shut for a brief moment. Hikigaya, meanwhile, flipped and rolled, landing right in front of Yoshino Junpei. 

"Ugh…" 

The dead-fish-eyed boy sucked in a sharp breath and shook his right hand. 

Force always comes in pairs. 

He hadn't expected this thing's head to be so tough. Even with cursed energy reinforcing his fist, the recoil was still painful. 

"ROAR!!!" 

The ambushed gargoyle let out an enraged bellow, sending a gust of wind mixed with a foul, rotting stench straight at Hikigaya Hachiman. 

But before the stench could fully spread, a massive whip struck the gargoyle and sent it crashing to the ground. 

If a single tentacle couldn't hurt it, then the solution was simple—twist and bind multiple tentacles together into a thick, heavy whip. 

Thanks to Nanami Kento's training, Yoshino Junpei's combat instincts had improved a lot. He was no longer just a rookie sorcerer holding everyone back. 

The two exchanged a glance and nodded at each other, their confidence growing. 

Aside from the troublesome barrier that trapped intruders, this cursed spirit's attacks seemed very simple and predictable. 

If this was the full extent of its power, then they definitely had a chance to win. 

As long as one of them kept it occupied, the other could land effective attacks. 

The two split up, rushing toward opposite sides of the gargoyle. After getting back on its feet, the creature immediately charged at Yoshino Junpei. 

It seemed to have locked onto him because his shikigami had dealt more damage. 

Its massive, mountain-like body barreled toward him, shaking the ground with every step. 

The jellyfish shikigami floated in front of its master, its tentacles hardening and twisting together. The tip sharpened into a dark, glowing drill. 

The drill-like tentacle stabbed forward, striking the gargoyle's solid chest. Cracks spread across the surface, and the beast's charge slowed for a moment. 

The cursed spirit stopped in its tracks and grabbed the drill-shaped tentacle lodged in its chest, yanking the jellyfish shikigami toward it. 

Hikigaya Hachiman moved in quickly from behind, but suddenly, grotesque eyes sprouted across the gargoyle's back. 

The moment those eyes locked onto him, his pupils shrank. 

His body froze. 

It was as if he had been turned to stone by Medusa's gaze—his movements were completely paralyzed. 

The gargoyle roared in fury, swung the captured shikigami around, and hurled it straight at Hikigaya Hachiman. 

The jellyfish shikigami slammed into him, sending him flying. 

The dead-fish-eyed boy was thrown backward uncontrollably, crashing through a tree before rolling several times along the ground. He barely managed to stop himself. 

He struggled to push himself up, but suddenly, a mouthful of blood spilled from his lips. That last attack had left him with serious internal injuries. 

"Hikigaya!?" Yoshino Junpei called out in concern. 

But the gargoyle had already turned back to him, raising its massive fist once again. 

Hikigaya Hachiman gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stretch out a hand toward the cursed spirit. In an instant, a huge amount of his cursed energy drained away. 

The gargoyle's arm was frozen inside a mirror. A crisp shattering sound echoed through the air, and the trapped arm broke into pieces. 

But this was his limit. 

Ignoring his destroyed right hand, the curse spirit swung its left hand upward and slammed it hard against Yoshino Junpei, sending him flying. 

His body crashed straight into the prayer hall, colliding with the beams and getting stuck. 

"Cough, cough!" Yoshino Junpei let out a few dry coughs, blood mixed with saliva dripping from his mouth. 

He had let his guard down… 

Watching the gargoyle curse spirit walk toward the prayer hall, Hikigaya Hachiman clenched his fists, struggled to get up, and lifted his leg, ready to charge at it. 

He seemed to have completely forgotten the strategy he had set before the fight—to retreat if he couldn't win. 

Just then, a voice he didn't recognize suddenly echoed in his ears. 

"Cursed Spirit Manipulation." 

Before the words even finished, the gargoyle's movements suddenly froze. It let out an unwilling roar, and in the next moment, its entire body lit up with a dazzling blue glow. 

Its body began to twist and distort, as if being pulled in by an immense force. It was sucked toward the hand of a man who had appeared out of nowhere, transforming into a glowing blue sphere. 

Hikigaya Hachiman stared blankly at the man who had suddenly appeared, dressed in a five-layered kasaya. The man curled his lips slightly, and under Hachiman's astonished gaze, he casually popped the glowing sphere into his mouth and swallowed it. 

"I actually quite like this type of cursed spirit," Kenjaku said with a slow smile. "It may not be very strong, but its natural barrier technique is useful for stalling time." 

As the gargoyle curse spirit was absorbed, the entire barrier shattered in an instant, and the three of them found themselves back in the dilapidated shrine. 

Kenjaku turned his head and set his gaze on Hikigaya Hachiman. 

Hachiman instinctively tensed up. 

"A student from Jujutsu High?" Kenjaku greeted him with a smile. "Didn't expect to run into someone from the school here. What a coincidence." 

Was this man an ally? 

No matter what, he had saved both him and Yoshino Junpei. Hachiman relaxed slightly and forced a stiff smile. "Um… thanks for saving us, senpai." 

"No problem." Kenjaku squinted his eyes and smiled. 

"Now then, as a token of gratitude… could you die for me?" 

… 

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