Chapter 29 – Five Gates Unleashed! Brutality!
"This time… you're not getting away."
Geto Suguru activated his Cursed Spirit Manipulation, releasing dozens of powerful cursed spirits, one of which was a Special Grade.
"So it was you. Now, I definitely won't lose!"
The cursed spirit turned to face Geto with absolute confidence.
It could feel the overwhelming strength coursing through itself.
"Is that so?" Geto smirked.
The stronger the opponent, the more excited he became. Bringing along members of his Geto faction hadn't been for nothing.
"Oi, brat Geto—this prey is mine. Don't even think about stealing it. Otherwise, I'll just feed your cursed spirits to it instead."
Zen'in Shinsuke picked up a broken piece of Playful Cloud, glaring at Geto.
"…You again?" Geto's expression soured.
Memories of when Shinsuke snatched away his Yamazaru King resurfaced instantly.
"This time, I won't let you take my prize."
Ignoring Shinsuke's warning, Geto commanded his swarm of spirits to charge the Special Grade.
"Rooaaar!!"
"Come—yes, make me even stronger!"
The Special Grade howled, hurling itself into the horde, smashing fists into cursed bodies. It longed to recreate its devastating attack.
"Tch. And yet I'm the one accused of stealing prey?"
Shinsuke glanced at Playful Cloud in his hands. Should he follow Toji's method and sharpen it to a lethal edge?
But that would destroy a five-hundred-million-yen cursed tool…
"No. I'll get it repaired. Might even hand it down to Maki one day."
Deciding, Shinsuke blurred forward, appearing beside Kusakabe's group, tossing him the broken weapon.
"Teacher Kusakabe, hold onto this for me."
Using a one-time strategy like Toji's wasn't ideal.
"O-Oh… okay!" Kusakabe took the bloodstained weapon, dazed.
"Then… what do we do now? Retreat? Or wait for Gojo to arrive?"
This spirit wouldn't fall so easily. It had even pulled off Black Flash. Once its technique burnout ended, it would recover, becoming even more terrifying.
At worst, they could leave the cursed spirit to Geto—it would at least prevent casualties.
Or… they could stall until Gojo showed up to finish it.
Hearing this, Shinsuke's gaze shifted from Kusakabe to Utahime and Mei Mei.
"You're right. We've got injured. We need to pull back."
He then walked toward Mei Mei, eyeing the massive axe at her side.
"That axe of yours—it's a cursed tool too, right? Mind if I borrow it?"
Playful Cloud was powerful, but blunt. A sharp weapon would save strength.
"Use it however you want. Break it, I won't make you pay."
Mei Mei handed it over without hesitation. A single axe meant nothing compared to the life debt she owed him.
"…Thanks."
Shinsuke stretched, gripping the axe, eyes gleaming at the chaotic melee in the distance.
"Geto, I gave you a chance."
Since it wasn't appreciated, he saw no reason to hold back.
"Time to end this."
With a tremor, a surge of blistering heat erupted from him.
Gate of Limit—Open!
In an instant, Shinsuke forced open five gates at once.
Violent blood-qi flooded his body, muscles swelling, skin turning crimson, veins bulging grotesquely.
The overwhelming aura blasted Kusakabe and the others several meters back.
BOOM!!
With a single toe tap, the ground within meters caved in, spiderweb cracks spreading outward.
In the next heartbeat, Shinsuke was already among the cursed spirits.
"Die."
The axe swung. His figure split into afterimages, weaving between the horde.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!!
In just seconds, every cursed spirit—including the Special Grade—was reduced to chunks of flesh, bursting apart into clouds of blood mist.
"…Impossible?!"
Kusakabe's group hadn't even processed what happened before the battlefield was drenched red.
"What the hell just—"
Geto's face twisted, instantly recalling his Special Grade cursed spirit back to his side.
Luckily the Special Grade's vitality was still intact — even though half its body had been blown apart, it could still be salvaged. The dozens of lesser cursed spirits, however, were completely finished.
"Damn you, human! You didn't use your full strength just now!"
Only one cursed spirit remained, roaring in fury. By relying on its just-restored technique it had barely escaped the massacre. It hurriedly reattached its severed arm and re-formed two lightning swords from its technique.
"I will not be defeated!!"
Wrapped in lightning, the cursed spirit tried to evolve again.
Slash—!
In the next instant, Zen'in Shinsuke — his whole body radiating raw qi and blood power — blurred past. His giant axe tore the air, leaving a streak of blood across the spirit's torso.
"No way!!"
The spirit, about to be split in two, unleashed a brutal burst of cursed energy that pulled its halves back together. If it could heal in time, it still had a chance. It could still grow stronger!
But Zen'in Shinsuke gave it no time.
You've got a powerful recovery? Fine — let's see whether you recover faster or I cut faster.
All anyone could see was an afterimage smashing into the spirit again and again: arms, limbs, torso — blood flew, real flesh tore apart; the scene grew unbearably brutal. For a moment it was hard to tell who the villain actually was.
With a wet, final slap — the spirit's regeneration could no longer keep up. Its body was gone, reduced to a puddle of shredded meat. In its last moment of awareness its consciousness sank deep and it saw Zen'in Shinsuke.
"You were strong… a shame you met me."
This had been a cursed spirit with huge potential — but it had been discovered before it reached its peak, or it might have been a real problem.
…After reviewing its short life, the spirit's last sliver of consciousness faded away.
Spirits like it never truly die: as long as humanity retains a primal fear of natural disaster, they can be reborn. It would return someday — but would it still be the same? Would it still hunger to grow stronger?
"Damn you… next time I'll make sure you don't win!"
Geto Suguru glared at the ruined Special Grade with a grave look. What the hell was going on with this one? Why did his plans keep getting foiled by that man?
Plan failed again — Geto had no choice but to withdraw and postpone his scheme. He'd hoped to add one powerful Special Grade to his forces; instead he'd lost dozens.
Zen'in Shinsuke didn't care about Geto's thoughts. A fierce heat surged from the scripture into his bones, finally pouring into the jing gate acupoint.
[Gate of Joy 3% → 15%]
The Joy Gate's unlock progress jumped from 3% to 15% — the fastest advancement he'd ever seen. A powerful Special Grade, plus several first-rate cursed spirits among Geto's dozens, had caused the sudden spike.
Shinsuke exhaled, visibly satisfied.
"Cursed spirits are useful things. You've got to kill them…"