Curse Reply: After choosing Nawa, the cursed spirit cursed me for being cruel.

"Songstress~ over here~" Gojo Satoru's voice, like a ghost, suddenly rang out from very close behind her.

The songstress was so frightened that her hair stood on end. She turned around abruptly and slashed behind her with a hand chop imbued with magical power, but she missed.

Snapped!

A light tap on the forehead landed precisely on her forehead, the force just enough to make her cry out in pain and clutch her forehead, almost bringing tears to her eyes, but without actually injuring her.

"Hahaha! You're too slow, songstress!" Gojo Satoru's figure had already appeared ten meters away, laughing so hard he was doubled over.

"Gojo Satoru! I'll kill you—!!!" The songstress was so angry that her face turned red. She didn't care about tactics anymore and was about to rush forward.

On the other side, Xia Youjie faced off against the third-grade girl wielding two knives.

The girl moved with incredible speed, her blade flashing like a sudden storm, clearly demonstrating her expertise in close-quarters combat.

However, each of her sharp thrusts was perfectly blocked by a faster cursed spirit beside Xia Youjie.

Another cursed spirit spewed out sticky threads of cursed energy from its flank, restricting her movement.

The girl gritted her teeth, attempting to force her way through. Cursed power condensed on the blade as she slashed at Xia Youjie's true form.

Xia Youjie simply turned his body slightly, and with two fingers he seemingly casually pinched the blade that she was slashing down with all her might!

The girl's pupils contracted sharply, and no matter how hard she tried, the blade remained motionless as if it were welded shut.

"Not bad swordsmanship, but unfortunately lacking in strength." Xia Youjie commented gently, flicking his finger to deliver a subtle burst of power.

The girl's dagger flew out of her hand and landed on a nearby tree. She tried to retreat, but her feet were entangled by cursed vines that had somehow spread out and she was unable to move.

Meanwhile, Duanmu Yan's opponents were Kamiki Kawaiichi, who had just completed his mimicry, and the tall, livid-faced third-year boy who had just pulled himself out of the tree trunk.

"Join forces! He's all alone!" the boy roared, gathering his magical power once more. His body gleamed like a rock as he strode forward, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly. He threw a powerful punch at Duanmu Yan's face.

Kamiki Kawaichi also gritted his teeth and followed. The imitation of the Nawa armor greatly improved his speed and strength. He made a fist with his right hand and condensed a red-glowing energy blade in the shape of the Molten Scale Blade, slashing at Duanmu Yan from the side.

Duanmu Yan remained calm. Facing attacks from both sides, he advanced instead of retreating, slightly shifting his body to avoid the boy's powerful punch. He then used his left elbow to strike down, accurately hitting the boy's wrist.

The force of the boy's forward charge, combined with Duanmu Yan's smash, caused his fist to deflect and slam heavily into the ground, creating a shallow crater.

At the same time, Duanmu Yan's right hand shot out like lightning, precisely catching the blade that Shenmu Chuan Gu was slashing at.

The imitation energy blade was vastly different from the real Molten Scale Blade. In Duanmu Yan's hands, it only lasted for a moment before collapsing with a deafening roar.

Shenmu Chuan Gu was startled and tried to back away, but Duanmu Yan took the opportunity to release his grip, turning his grasp into a palm, and gently pressed it against the chest of his imitation armor.

Kamiki Kawaya was sent flying uncontrollably, rolling several times on the ground before coming to a stop. His replica armor flashed a few times before collapsing, revealing his pale, sweaty face.

From the start of the battle until all four Kyoto academy students were rendered incapacitated, the entire exchange lasted less than a minute. The overwhelming difference in strength, coupled with the three's effortless, even theatrical, attitude, made the exchange seem exceptionally brutal.

Gojo Satoru clapped his hands, as if brushing off non-existent dust, and said with a grin, "Done~ You promised 10% of your strength, I didn't use any more."

Xia Youjie walked to the frozen girl, waved his hand to disperse the curse and vines, and even helped her pull the short knife nailed to the tree, handing it back to her with a smile, "Here's your knife back, hold it tighter next time."

The girl took the knife, her face flushing red and then turning pale, biting her lip without saying a word.

Duanmu Yan walked up to the songstress and Kamiki Kawaiichi, glanced at the tall boy who had just gotten up from the ground and looked utterly defeated, then bent down and easily helped them up, one in each hand.

"Can you still walk?" he asked.

The two nodded silently and helped each other to their feet, though their steps were a little unsteady.

"Go over there." Duanmu Yan pointed in the direction where the white flag was planted in the glass, then turned around first, signaling them to follow.

Gojo Satoru and Natsuyu Suguru followed leisurely. Gojo Satoru was still savoring the moment: "That technique that can copy armor is really good... Hey, Kamiki, right? We'll talk about it later..."

The four students from Kyoto School supported each other, following behind Duanmu Yan, their heads hanging low, their bodies covered in dust and minor scratches, creating a somber atmosphere.

The feeling of powerlessness caused by the gap in strength is more unbearable than physical pain.

As they approached the medical station near Xiaozi, Duanmu Yan stopped and glanced back at them.

"Although you are opponents, you are not bad."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to walk towards Gojo Satoru and Natsuyu Kei, who were already impatient and starting to urge him on.

The four students from Kyoto were stunned for a moment. They looked at Duanmu Yan's retreating figure, then at each other's disheveled appearance, their feelings complicated.

This simple comment, while not exactly comforting, strangely diluted the bitterness of the crushing defeat.

At least, their all-out effort was seen, and they even gained the...recognition of one of the strongest trio?

"Tsk, Duanmu actually knows how to compliment people." Gojo Satoru muttered.

“After all, he’s Duanmu.” Xia Youjie smiled.

Shoko had already stood up and pointed to the white flag on the ground: "Wounded soldiers, line up, one at a time. You, the one with the swollen forehead, come over here first and apply ice. You two, apply ointment to your superficial wounds yourselves. You, who's exhausted, sit down and rest for ten minutes..."

The four students from Kyoto School obediently did as instructed.

On the other side, Gojo Satoru, Natsumi Yuki, and Duanmu Yan had reunited.

"Then, the hunting competition officially begins!" Gojo Satoru said with great enthusiasm.

Chapter 47 Ninety-Nine Yuki

"Then, the hunting competition officially begins!"

“The level-two cursed spirits are distributed in several different areas.” Duanmu Yan took out the detector.

"We'll split up and then regroup to count," Xia Youjie said.

The three exchanged a glance, then instantly transformed into three streaks of light, rushing off in different directions within the barrier.

The next few hours were nothing short of a one-sided massacre for the remaining level-two cursed spirits within the barrier.

The process was predictable.

Ultimately, thanks to Six Eyes' extraordinary perception of curse energy fluctuations and the terrifying mobility brought by Azure, Gojo Satoru, with an extremely slight advantage, was the first to complete the exorcism of the fifth level-two cursed spirit.

"Haha! I won!" Gojo Satoru raised his hands high, beaming with pride.

Xia Youjie shook his head helplessly; he had taken down four. Duanmu Yan had also killed four, resulting in a tie.

The final whistle blew, and the barrier dissipated.

The four students from the Tokyo school, along with the four students from the Kyoto school who had recovered after simple treatment by Glass, and Atsuya Kusakabe, who was serving as the supervisor and looked exhausted, appeared together on the open ground at the starting point.

The result was self-evident; Atsuya Kusakabe announced the match result listlessly, with Tokyo High School winning.

Nocturnal Moth Masamichi gave a few routine lectures with a stern face, such as "Don't be arrogant" and "Go back and strengthen your training," but everyone could hear the ease in his tone.

The headmaster of Leyan Temple also said a few polite words, but he looked even more tired and aged.

Looking at his three friends, who were covered in dust but still full of energy and discussing what to eat, Masamichi Noi sighed and shook his head.

Well, at least nothing major happened.

They won, but this victory... was too much like Gojo Satoru's style.

"Alright, that concludes the exchange. You'll have half a day of free time. Meet at the station this evening to return," Masamichi Noi said finally. "Don't cause trouble, especially you, Satoru."

"Okay, okay~" Gojo Satoru waved his hand dismissively, already eagerly pulling Xia Youjie and Duanmu Yan to discuss, "I heard that Kyoto's matcha desserts and kaiseki cuisine are very famous! Come on, come on! I know a few old shops!"

Just as the three were about to slip away to try some of Kyoto's delicacies, a deep, powerful engine roar suddenly came from afar, approaching at an extremely fast speed.

A stylish heavy motorcycle roared into the school gate like a wild horse, drawing a beautiful arc across the square before coming to a steady stop not far from the group.

The cyclist deftly kicked off the kickstand, straddled the bike with long legs, and dismounted with a clean and decisive motion.

She casually removed her equally black helmet, revealing a head of dazzling long golden hair that shimmered like honey in the sunlight. The woman appeared to be in her early twenties, with a beautiful face, a natural upturn at the corners of her mouth, and a languid yet wild smile. She was tall and athletic, dressed in a fitted leather jacket and pants, exuding a powerful aura.

She casually hung her helmet on the handlebars, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Moth Masakazu and the three boys with distinct personalities beside him, her smile deepening.

"Hey, kids, and Director Moth too, long time no see." Her voice had a unique husky magnetism, and her tone was relaxed and casual.

The moment this woman appeared, the gazes of Gojo Satoru, Natsumi Yuki, and Duanmu Yan all sharpened slightly.

It wasn't because of her appearance or how she appeared, but because of the powerful magical energy emanating from her.

Very strong, extremely strong, at the top-tier level.

Gojo Satoru was the first to recognize the person. He raised an eyebrow, his blue eyes behind his sunglasses scrutinizing the other person. His tone was as casual as ever, but lacked his usual cynicism: "Tsukumo Yuki?"

Night Moth Path clearly recognized the newcomer. He frowned slightly, stepped forward, and said in a deep voice, "Wu, show some respect to Special Grade Ninety-Nine."

After saying that, he raised his hand and, without hesitation, gave Gojo Satoru a sharp rap on the head.

"Ouch!" Gojo Satoru cried out dramatically, clutching his head.

Although he possesses limitless techniques, he doesn't always activate his full-body defense. Moreover, he usually doesn't deliberately use techniques to block attacks from teachers like Night Moth, which are purely educational and not intended to kill.

"A mere spell can't withstand a teacher's care," Xia Youjie added with a smile.

Duanmu Yan quietly watched the sudden appearance of the legendary top-level sorcerer, Tsukumo Yuki.

My memory of this woman is somewhat complicated.

She is elusive and has unique ideas, which some people privately call her a disgrace to the Special Grade, but Duanmu Yan does not believe that someone who can be rated as Special Grade is truly weak.

However, he didn't really have any good feelings towards her. Perhaps it was due to the influence of his lingering memories that he felt some of her ideas were too idealistic, and they might even be related to some of Xia Youjie's later choices.

"May I ask what business you have with us?" Duanmu Yan asked, his tone calm and polite, but with an underlying distance.

Yuki Tsukumo seemed quite interested in the scene of Gojo Satoru being beaten up. He smiled and then turned his gaze to Duanmu Yan, looking him up and down with a look of inquiry and interest in his eyes.

Instead of answering Duanmu Yan's question directly, she crossed her arms, leaned forward slightly, and asked in a relaxed tone:

"Before we get down to business, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Gojo Satoru and Natsumi Yoshiki before finally returning to Duanmu Yan. A knowing smile curved her red lips: "What kind of women do you... like?"

The air fell silent for a moment.

Gojo Satoru chuckled, put his hands back in his pockets, and said with his usual arrogance and impatience, "Hey, auntie, if you came here just to ask this kind of boring question, then you can leave. My time is precious, and I don't have time to play this kind of childish game with you."

"Oh dear, the six-eyed girl from the Gojo family, her temper is just as bad as the legends say." Yuki Tsukumo wasn't angry at being called "auntie," but instead laughed even more happily. She waved her hand, but her gaze was firmly fixed on Duanmu Yan.

"But don't get me wrong, my target this time isn't you, little god."

She took two steps forward, getting closer to Duanmu Yan, her eyes, which seemed to see right through people, staring directly at him: "I've come to find you, Duanmu Yan."

Duanmu Yan met her gaze without flinching, and calmly asked, "Looking for me? Why?"

Yuki Tsukumo didn't answer immediately. She glanced at Masamichi Yagami, Satoru Gojo, and Natsume Yuuki beside her, her meaning clear.

Masamichi Yagami frowned, but ultimately gave Gojo Satoru and Natsuyu Suguru a wink: "Satoru, Suguru, let's leave for a bit."