Under Gojo Satoru’s arrangements…
Ronova entered the haunted house alongside Megumi Fushiguro.
She wasn’t tackling the mission alone.
Megumi was her partner.
Gojo’s intention was obvious.
He wanted the two of them to build a bond.
After all…
Relationships forged through life-and-death experiences were often the strongest.
Just like Naruto and Sasuke.
Or Gojo Satoru and Suguru Geto.
Even when ideals diverged…
A genuine bond could sometimes survive.
That was why Gojo deliberately paired Ronova with Megumi.
Unfortunately…
Ronova had only one opinion of her partner.
He was dead weight.
It wasn’t because she disliked him.
Nor was it because she lacked social awareness.
It was simply because…
The current Megumi was painfully inexperienced.
At this point in time, he was still a Grade 2 sorcerer.
A capable young sorcerer by ordinary standards…
But far from exceptional.
Ronova couldn’t help comparing him with other prodigies.
Aoi Todo, while still a Grade 1 sorcerer, had already defeated a Special Grade cursed spirit.
Megumi, meanwhile, had spent years learning under the strongest sorcerer alive…
Yet his practical combat ability still fell noticeably short of that standard.
Of course…
Ronova also knew comparisons weren’t entirely fair.
Todo and Megumi possessed completely different fighting styles and personalities.
Megumi had tremendous potential, but he often hesitated and lacked confidence in his own strength.
Even Gojo himself had repeatedly criticized that mindset.
Still…
At this stage…
Ronova honestly couldn’t shake the feeling that Megumi needed much more real combat experience.
Following Megumi…
Ronova stepped into the abandoned mansion.
According to the mission briefing…
The house had stood abandoned for more than twenty years.
Long ago…
A woman had allegedly been murdered there by her husband.
After that incident…
Paranormal rumors gradually spread throughout Tokyo.
People claimed to hear crying inside the house.
Others reported seeing ghostly figures in the windows.
Naturally…
It became a famous location for thrill-seekers.
For years, nothing particularly serious happened.
Until recently.
More than seven people had entered the building…
And never returned.
The disappearances eventually drew the attention of Jujutsu Headquarters.
After confirming the presence of cursed energy…
The mission was assigned.
Gojo, however, handed it over to Megumi and Ronova as a field exercise.
“My name’s Megumi Fushiguro.” As they cautiously walked deeper into the mansion…
Megumi introduced himself in a quiet voice.
He had already recognized Ronova.
She was the mysterious Special Grade cursed spirit Gojo had secretly spared.
Although he didn’t understand why…
Megumi trusted Gojo completely.
If Gojo had chosen to protect her…
Then there had to be a reason.
Because of that…
He treated Ronova politely.
She nodded.
“Ronova.” After a brief pause…
She asked, “Have you gone on many exorcism missions with Gojo before?” Megumi shook his head.
“This is only my third.” In truth…
He had only recently graduated from middle school.
Before entering Tokyo Jujutsu High…
Gojo had started taking him on real missions to gain practical experience.
Most of his previous training had been classroom instruction.
Ronova nodded thoughtfully.
“So…” “Have you ever exorcised a cursed spirit completely by yourself?” Megumi hesitated.
Then quietly shook his head again.
“…Not really.” Ronova understood immediately.
“I see.” “No wonder.” Megumi looked confused.
“No wonder what?” Ronova pointed downward.
“You didn’t notice…” “That you’ve been standing on a cursed spirit this whole time.” “…What?” Megumi instinctively looked down.
His face changed instantly.
Beneath his feet…
A grotesque cursed spirit lay flattened against the floor.
Its enormous mouth slowly split open into a terrifying grin filled with jagged teeth.
Megumi’s heart nearly stopped.
He reacted immediately.
Leaping backward…
He formed a hand sign.
“Ten Shadows Technique!
Divine Dog!” A black Divine Dog burst from his shadow and lunged toward the cursed spirit.
The two instantly collided.
Meanwhile…
Megumi prepared to support his shikigami.
But before he could move— Two pale arms suddenly burst from the wall behind him.
They seized both of his wrists.
“What—?!” Before he could react…
He was violently dragged straight into the wall itself.
Ronova calmly watched everything happen.
“…” Then she wandered into the kitchen.
After a short search…
She found several unopened bags of potato chips.
“…Lucky.” She opened one.
Crunch.
Crunch.
She leisurely watched the battle while eating snacks.
Several minutes later…
The Divine Dog tore the cursed spirit apart.
At nearly the same time…
Megumi finally escaped from within the wall.
He looked rather disheveled.
But fortunately…
He hadn’t suffered any serious injuries.
After seeing Ronova casually eating potato chips…
He frowned.
“…Are you here to exorcise cursed spirits…” “…or visit someone’s house?” “Why are you acting like you’re relaxing at home?” Ronova shrugged.
Megumi sighed.
“It doesn’t matter.” “The cursed spirit’s been exorcised.” “We can report the mission complete.” Ronova smiled faintly.
At that moment…
She became even more certain.
The current Megumi was still far too inexperienced.
Out of respect for Gojo…
She decided to give him a hint.
“Try sensing your surroundings again.” Megumi looked puzzled.
“…Why?” “Just do it.” Although confused…
He closed his eyes and carefully expanded his perception.
Several seconds later…
His expression changed.
“…A barrier?” He finally noticed it.
The atmosphere inside the mansion differed drastically from the outside world.
The cursed energy here was unnaturally dense.
The entire building felt more like a habitat for cursed spirits than a place meant for humans.
Ronova nodded.
“Close enough.” “I noticed it the moment we walked inside.” She glanced around the mansion.
“A cursed spirit capable of constructing a barrier like this…” “…do you really think it would be defeated that easily?” Megumi’s pupils contracted.
She was right.
Barrier Techniques required an extremely high level of mastery over cursed energy.
Even if this wasn’t a true Domain Expansion…
It was still evidence that the enemy possessed intelligence and considerable power.
A mere Grade 2 cursed spirit shouldn’t have been capable of creating such an elaborate environment.
Which meant…
The one they had just defeated…
Was never the real enemy.
Megumi realized the truth.
Unfortunately…
He realized it too late.
Something suddenly flew toward him at incredible speed.
Instinctively…
He caught it.
“…?” Looking down…
His face instantly turned pale.
What he held in his hands…
Was the severed head of his Divine Dog.