Chapter 167: Sudden Appearance

Erina found herself struggling to understand Alice. After managing to tie with her in their little contest, shouldn't Alice be frustrated or annoyed? Instead, she seemed completely focused on something else.

"Ryuji, I didn't get a chance last time. Would it be okay if I got your contact information this time?" Alice asked, pulling out her phone with a bright smile.

"Of course!"

Ryuji agreed without hesitation.

Kaguya, though feeling a pang of jealousy, maintained her composure. She knew better than to show her emotions openly in such a setting.

Senzaemon, watching Alice exchange numbers with Ryuji, allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. Alice always knew how to take initiative. His eyes drifted to Erina, who stood there looking somewhat bewildered, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Erina was brilliant, but her single-minded focus on cooking sometimes made her miss the bigger picture.

Ah well, he thought. She'd learn, eventually.

"Ryuji!"

Alice opened her mouth to say more when suddenly—

Boom!

A massive explosion rocked the school grounds.

Being the weekend, the campus was mostly empty, but the few students who were there began screaming and scrambling in every direction.

"What's going on?"

Senzaemon shot up from his chair, alarmed.

As the head of Totsuki Academy, any threat to the school was a threat to everything he'd built.

The rest of the group exchanged worried glances, but Ryuji's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the source of the commotion.

"This energy… a special-grade cursed spirit?"

With Ryuji's honed senses, he could easily pick up on the malevolent aura, even from a distance. And the fact that it was a special-grade cursed spirit meant this wasn't an ordinary disturbance.

But why here, at Totsuki Academy?

"Run! Get out of here!"

"It's a monster!"

"It's a cursed spirit!"

"Everyone, run!"

The few remaining students who had seen the cursed spirit ran in panic, their shouts ringing out across the campus.

"Cursed… spirit?"

Erina's eyes widened in disbelief. In her world, even if she knew cursed spirits existed, they felt like distant, almost mythical dangers. The idea of one appearing right here at Totsuki was unfathomable.

"Let's get out of here!"

Panic surged through her, and she instinctively moved to leave.

But then she noticed that no one else seemed as frantic as she was. Alice, Senzaemon, even Kaguya—all were surprised, yes, but none were running.

"...?"

Am I the only one who looks ridiculous here? Erina thought, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

Alice shot her a sideways glance and smirked. "Erina, isn't it the cursed spirit that should be running?"

Following Alice's gaze, Erina turned to look at Ryuji.

Of course! The strongest sorcerer was standing right there. If anyone should be running, it definitely wasn't them.

Realizing this, Erina's cheeks flushed even more. How could she have panicked like that?

Ryuji, catching Alice's comment, chuckled. "I didn't expect Miss Alice to have such faith in me."

"Of course!" Alice responded without hesitation, her voice confident. "I've been looking forward to seeing you again since the last time we met."

Alice wasn't shy or reserved, she spoke her mind without a second thought. There was no need to hold back, especially not with Ryuji.

Kaguya's eyes narrowed, jealousy flaring. How could this girl be so bold? And why did she feel a stab of envy watching her?

She had to admit, she wished she could be as open as Alice.

"Hahaha!"

Ryuji laughed, unable to hold back. He stood up, glancing around at the others.

"Let's go see what kind of cursed spirit we're dealing with."

Special-grade cursed spirits didn't just show up without a reason. The fact that one had appeared at Totsuki meant there was something unique about it.

With that thought, Ryuji felt a thrill of anticipation.

Seeing him stand, the rest of the group followed suit.

Normally, when faced with a cursed spirit, the first instinct would be to run. But when someone like Ryuji was by your side, running didn't even cross your mind. Even a special-grade cursed spirit seemed manageable.

Meanwhile, in the school's courtyard, a grotesque monster stood at seven or eight meters tall, cobbled together from what appeared to be various food ingredients.

It laughed maniacally, its voice echoing as it swung its massive arms, hurling globs of what looked like gourmet food in all directions.

Though the thrown projectiles appeared harmless, almost appetizing at a glance, the reality was far different. Anything they touched began to corrode instantly, whether it was plants, the ground, or even buildings, the substance ate through it with terrifying speed.