“The path of a Bodhisattva is a great path that stays far from discrimination, much like the simple actions of an infant.
Thus, it is called the Infant’s Path.” The Cursed Spirit had been exorcised, yet contrary to what Taira no Minamoto expected, the barrier did not dissipate.
It seemed the Curse was merely the occupant of the domain, not its architect.
Since the barrier couldn’t be destroyed from the inside, the “Stakes” anchoring it were likely still intact.
A bird in a cage, a monkey in a cell—the cornered beast still fights.
Minamoto looked at the unconscious forms of Inumaki Toge and Zen’in Maki.
He abandoned the idea of hunting for the Stakes himself; they would have to rely on Gojo-sensei breaking in from the outside.
There were still a fair number of low-level Curses roaming within the barrier.
Minamoto coordinated with Panda, and the two of them set up a defensive perimeter around their fallen teammates.
Since the remaining Curses weren’t particularly strong, the two handled them with ease.
Panda watched as Minamoto shattered a Curse with a single, well-placed kick.
Marveling at the sheer physical force, he couldn’t help but ask, “You didn’t use any Cursed Energy to reinforce that, did you?
Where does that strength come from?” Minamoto punched through another Curse, killing it instantly.
“You really want to know, Panda?” He adopted an incredibly solemn expression.
“100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run.
Every single day for three years.
You can do it too.” “Psh, fine, keep your secrets,” Panda huffed, raising a paw in a mock threat.
“I know a One Punch Man quote when I hear it.
I watch anime too, you know!
Don’t look down on pandas!” Minamoto offered a small, silent smile.
In truth, he had been training relentlessly since childhood.
He had finally attained this level of physical power—reaching a monstrous “Strength: C” rank in terms of raw physiology.
With Cursed Energy reinforcement, he could briefly push that to a B-rank.
He was officially a “stathouse.” According to his memories and experience from his past life, he estimated his current parameters at roughly Strength C, Cursed Energy B, and Agility C.
Under Gojo’s tutelage, he wasn’t exactly “the strongest,” but he was more than capable.
Speaking of Gojo…
what the hell was he doing?!
It had been ages and there wasn’t a peep from him.
Wasn’t he going to check on his precious students?
A persistent rustling sound began to echo from above, growing louder by the second.
Spiderweb-like cracks spidered across the ceiling.
A spray of debris struck Minamoto’s shoulder just before a massive explosion rocked the room.
Light flooded into the dark hospital.
Caught off guard by the collapsing ceiling, Panda lunged forward, using his bulky body to shield Maki and Toge.
Minamoto hurriedly projected a shield to deflect the falling stone slabs.
“Gojo-sensei!” he roared.
“I’m definitely making you pay for this later!” Gojo Satoru stood above the hole, a bag of sweets dangling from his hand.
He slowly lowered his arm, having clearly just used a casual blast of Red to obliterate the barrier.
His face held absolutely no trace of an apology.
“Maa, maybe I went a little overboard,” he said, his voice as flippant as ever.
Seeing Minamoto lower his shield with a look of pure fury, Gojo teased, “What’s the matter, Minamoto-kun?
Did I scare you into crying?
Couldn’t handle things for the time it took me to buy a snack?” The commotion finally roused the two unconscious students.
They looked up at the massive hole in the ceiling and realized exactly what had happened.
They also knew that complaining to Gojo Satoru was a waste of breath, so the four of them collectively decided to ignore him.
In the distance, Kiyotaka Ijichi came running toward them, face pale and drenched in a cold sweat.
He skidded to a halt and bowed deeply to Gojo.
“Mr.
Gojo!
This is entirely my fault!
I was negligent in my investigation and allowed the first-years to face a Semi-Grade 1 Curse.
Please, dispose of me as you see fit!” Gojo patted Ijichi on the shoulder.
“No, no, relax.
I didn’t see this one coming either.
If even the Six Eyes couldn’t detect this Curse properly, how could you?
Go back and have someone tear this place down.
The Cursed Energy was being funneled downward; someone hid the Stakes deep underground.
Investigate that.” Without waiting for a reply, Gojo turned on his heel.
The four students could tell his mood wasn’t nearly as bright as he was pretending.
They followed him in silence.
Minamoto spoke up, deliberately aiming for Gojo’s weak spot.
“Gojo-sensei,” he called out loudly, “is that yam cake for us?
You’re so thoughtful!” He shot a look at the other three.
Catching on instantly, they began to pile on the praise.
Gojo’s mood brightened visibly.
“No way!
This is my favorite wagashi, it’s famous nationwide!
I was planning on eating these on the flight back.
Well…
I guess I can spare one for each of you.” As Gojo hummed a tune and led the way, the four students ate their yam cakes and exchanged looks.
Their eyes said it all: He’s such a child.
Gojo-sensei is way too easy to handle.
A bizarrely catchy song drifted back to them: “Princess, princess, sparkling bright, cast a magic spell to grow up fast…” Fukuoka Airport, Evening.
Rain lashed against the windows of the terminal.
The preliminary investigation results had come in, and Ijichi sent the report to everyone’s phones.
They read it in silence.
Only Gojo sat sipping tea, his expression dark.
An oppressive, foul aura seemed to linger in the air.
Minamoto turned off his phone, the screen going black.
He put in his earplugs and pulled down his eye mask, plunging his world into darkness.
The roar of the jet engines drowned out the group’s collective sorrow.
All he could feel was the cold vibration of the seat as the plane pierced through the rain, banking away from the city that had left them all with a bitter taste in their mouths.
Kiyotaka Ijichi stood by the ruins of the hospital, watching as the investigators brought out formalin jars containing fetuses.
He was used to this.
As someone who could only graduate as an Assistant Director, he had seen the depths of human cruelty while following Gojo Satoru.
Curse Users.
Those wretched beings consumed by their own desires could no longer be considered human.
Lacking the power to change things, all he could do was continue his work in the shadows, silently cleaning up the mess.