After class ended, Tetsuya went to the Service Club. When he opened the clubroom door, he saw Yukino inside.
She was sitting as usual, but the atmosphere around her felt different from normal. She still carried that cold, unapproachable aura, but it seemed slightly faded.
Instead, she looked lost in thought. Tetsuya guessed she still hadn't forgotten what happened last night, no matter how hard she tried.
Hearing the door open, Yukino turned and saw him.
This man, brought here by Shizuka-sensei, was someone she didn't know very well. Even though the club only had two members, just the two of them, he still seemed like an ordinary male student… albeit a handsome one.
Yet unexpectedly, he knew things that were anything but ordinary. Evil spirits? Ghosts? Were they really real?
Yukino, raised in the distinguished Yukinoshita family of Chiba City, intelligent, somewhat perfectionistic, and solitary, had never believed in ghosts or evil spirits.
To her, they were unscientific. Illogical. Contrary to physics and reason.
But she had been wrong. Evil spirits and ghosts were real. They existed. And she had even encountered one the night before.
That terrifying experience, being chased by a creature that looked like a mass of hatred, remained vivid in her memory.
So today, Yukino Yukinoshita wanted to know the truth about this world.
"What's wrong, Yukinoshita?" Tetsuya asked, noticing her staring at him.
Watching him sit across from her, Yukino took a deep breath and asked, "That creature last night… the strange thing you called an Evil Spirit. What… are they really?"
"Them? Didn't I already say? They're evil spirits, the souls of the dead who linger in the physical world because of lingering regrets. More importantly, I'd like to know how you're doing. Can you still see them now?"
Yukino frowned but shook her head. "No… I can't see them. But I still feel something… something unsettling."
She looked at him seriously. "Last night, you didn't tell me why I could see that Evil Spirit. How exactly am I able to see them? I've never seen anything like that before."
Tetsuya gave a meaningful smile and interlaced his fingers on the table. "I also said last night, you shouldn't have been seeing an Evil Spirit. You should have been seeing a Cursed Spirit."
"A… Cursed Spirit?" Yukino's frown deepened. "What is that this time?"
"Unlike Evil Spirits, which are the souls of the dead lingering because of regrets, Cursed Spirits are born from human negative emotions that produce Cursed Energy."
"And when that Cursed Energy accumulates…"
Tetsuya explained in detail everything he knew. Though he hadn't felt the need to explain it all last night, since the young lady wanted to know, he would tell her everything.
About Cursed Energy. About Cursed Spirits. About their activities in the world.
Listening to this felt like opening a door to a new world for Yukino.
But instead of a pleasant world, it was a horrifying one.
Like a nightmare.
She had never imagined that behind society's noise and daily life, terrifying creatures lurked in secret, quietly observing humans, ready to kill at any moment. This truth shook the young lady of the Yukinoshita family deeply.
Yukino calmed herself, breathing in and out several times until she regained some composure. Her gaze toward Tetsuya softened, less cold, more purely curious, even though she knew that curiosity would only take her deeper.
"Are Evil Spirits and Cursed Spirits everywhere? If so… are kidnapping and murder cases related to them?"
Tetsuya shook his head. "Not entirely. Some cases might involve Evil Spirits or Cursed Spirits. But humans can do those things too. You know,bhumans can be crueler than demons."
Yukino nodded. She knew that very well.
"Then… can Cursed Spirits be dealt with?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice.
"Don't worry. Cursed Spirits are usually handled by Jujutsu Sorcerers. They specialize in hunting Cursed Spirits to prevent harm to humanity."
"I see…"
Yukino nodded.
Just then, the clubroom door was knocked on. Yukino blinked in surprise. It was rare for anyone to visit this club. Besides herself, only Tetsuya and Shizuka Hiratsuka knew about it.
Who could it be?
"Um… excuse me, is this the Service Club?" a nervous female voice called out.
Yukino adjusted her expression and looked toward the door. A black-haired girl with dull-looking eyes entered.
When Miko stepped inside and saw Tetsuya there, her face immediately lit up.
"Student, do you need help from the Service Club?" Yukino asked calmly, returning to her cool, untouchable persona.
Miko realized there was someone else present, a beautiful girl with a cold face and indifferent expression. Facing Yukino felt more intimidating than facing any Evil Spirit.
"I… I need help from Hiratsuji-san…"
"Hiratsuji?" Yukino frowned and glanced at Tetsuya.
Tetsuya smiled and waved. "You came, Miko. Come here."
Miko approached nervously, her body trembling slightly with each step. "It's because… Hiratsuji-san said you could help me."
"Help?" Yukino raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed, I'll try to help you," Tetsuya nodded at Miko, then told Yukino, "She can also see Evil Spirits."
"What?" Both girls were stunned, looking at each other.
Before they could speak, Tetsuya continued, "But unlike you, Yukinoshita, who only started seeing them recently, Yotsuya Miko has been able to see Evil Spirits for a long time."
"I see…" Yukino understood, her tone softening noticeably. "If I may ask, Yotsuya-san… since when have you been able to see them?"
Tetsuya was curious too.
Miko tried to recall. "If I remember correctly… it was during the second semester of my third year in middle school… Around that time, I suddenly started seeing those horrible things…"
Yukino felt sympathy for her. She, Yukino of the prestigious Yukinoshita family, had only seen one Evil Spirit and already suffered nightmares. But this seemingly innocent girl had been seeing them for nearly two years?
Yukino knew how horrifying they looked, even from just one encounter. She couldn't help but admire Miko's mental resilience. If it had been someone else… if it had been her… she might have gone mad.
"You've done well, Yotsuya-san."
Miko was slightly startled by the sudden praise. She nodded faintly, unable to hold back her tears.
Yukino smiled gently. "My name is Yukino Yukinoshita, second-year, Class J. It's nice to meet you."
"My name is Yotsuya Miko, second-year, Class B… I'm in the same class as Hiratsuji-san."
After that, Miko turned to Tetsuya with hopeful eyes. "Hiratsuji-san… is it true? Can you really help me? Help me… so I won't see them anymore? Please!"
She bowed a full ninety degrees, showing just how much she had suffered.
Tetsuya smiled faintly. "I'll do my best."
He stood and said to Miko, "Please stand right there."
Miko nodded nervously, clenching her teeth. Her heart desperately hoped Tetsuya would succeed.
Under the shocked gazes of both girls, Tetsuya stood before Miko, and suddenly, a black katana appeared in his hand, emanating a chilling aura.
"H-Hiratsuji-san! That's not what I meant!" Miko screamed hysterically, looking ready to run.
Yukino's eyes narrowed sharply. "Wait, Hiratsuji! You're not planning to—?!"
"Relax. It's not what you think," Tetsuya reassured them calmly, gripping Mugen Saika in his hand. "Miko, don't panic. Close your eyes."
He needed to "destroy" Miko's Spirit Sight using Mugen Saika. Of course, he wasn't going to cut her eyes, that wasn't necessary. He had only drawn Mugen Saika for better results. While he could use its power without directly holding it, wielding it physically allowed him greater control.
"We're starting now."
A dark red aura immediately appeared along the blade of Mugen Saika. Ignoring Yukino's shocked and slightly horrified gaze, Tetsuya swung the katana in front of Miko's closed eyes, without touching her, the blade merely passing before them.