The veil falls, and the world outside becomes a blur as we step into the abandoned hospital. The air feels thick, like a blanket of dread is draped over every broken wall, every cracked window. The group is tense, but we all know what we came here to do: find the curses, exorcise them, and get out.
"Alright," Gojo says as he casually adjusts his blindfold. "I'll be around. You guys handle it. Just... don't get caught."
With that, he vanishes, and we're left standing at the entrance of the hospital, staring into the darkness.
"Keep your guard up," Maki says, her polearm already in hand as she leads the way down the first hallway. "It's quiet for now, but that just means it's waiting for us."
I nod, following her closely. This place has the distinct feeling of something that should be avoided — a quiet kind of evil. I can't shake the feeling that something's watching us.
"Yo, Panda," I ask, breaking the silence, "What's your deal? You always seem so laid-back, but you're a curse exorcist, right? Why do you even do this?"
Panda glances back over his shoulder and gives me a half-grin. "It's simple, man. I'm not just here to fight curses. I've got my own reasons. The way humans treat pandas... it's messed up. They think we're just tools for entertainment, but I'm here to set things straight."
"Really?" I blink. "I didn't expect that."
He laughs. "You believed me. Damn you must be dumb."
Before I can argue back, Maki cuts in, her voice as sharp as her polearm. "Focus, rookie. Let's keep moving."
We press on, and soon the team splits into two pairs. Maki and I take the left corridor, while Panda and Inumaki head the opposite way.
It's not long before we run into trouble.
A strange sound reaches my ears — a low, eerie hum. I turn to Maki, but she's already on alert.
"There," she mutters, pointing toward the end of the hallway.
And then, we see it. The curse.
It looks like a bird, but with its twisted, malformed wings and a body made of darkness, it's far from natural. It has large, beady eyes that glisten in the dark, and its claws are jagged and sharp. But the worst part? The curse's ability to throw glowing, explosive rubber balls. They pulse with cursed energy, and I know we're in for a wild ride.
The bird-like curse screeches, its beak opening wide as it launches a ball directly at us. It's fast. I barely dodge, but Maki isn't so lucky. The ball explodes, sending shards of debris flying, but she's already on the move, blocking with her polearm.
"Stay close," Maki orders as we maneuver around the curse, trying to find an opening. The ball explosions are relentless, forcing us to stay on the move. Each time one explodes, the shockwave knocks us off balance, but Maki doesn't flinch. She's too focused.
The bird-curse screeches again, flapping its twisted wings and launching another barrage of glowing balls. I manage to deflect one with my cursed energy, but the next one clips Maki's side. She grits her teeth but doesn't slow down. The fight is taking a toll on both of us.
"Damn it," I mutter under my breath. "How are we supposed to kill this thing?"
Maki grits her teeth, eyes narrowing. "Keep moving. I'll get in close."
She lunges forward, swinging her polearm with deadly precision, but the curse is fast. It dodges, and its tail whips toward her, knocking her back. She's momentarily stunned, but I'm already on the move, helping her back to her feet.
"We need to finish this fast," I say, my heart racing. "I can't keep dodging those damn balls forever."
Maki nods, determination in her eyes. "I've got an idea."
She charges again, but this time, she doesn't try to land a hit. She's baiting the bird-curse, leading it toward her. The curse takes the bait, launching another ball. Maki ducks, and it flies past her, exploding on impact with the wall behind.
She doesn't stop. She's in close now, polearm poised to strike.
THWACK!
She hits it. Hard. The curse screeches, stumbling back. But just as Maki takes a breath, the curse's head jerks up, and the thing lunges at her, claws outstretched.
"Maki, move!" I shout.
But it's too late.
The bird-curse is on her, its mouth snapping open, aiming to bite down on her neck. Maki's eyes widen in shock as she struggles to break free.
Without thinking, I reach for the cursed hammer Gojo gave me. It feels heavier now, like it's calling to me. I rush forward and swing it with everything I've got.
SMASH!
The curse's head snaps back. It staggers but doesn't fall. I swing again, harder this time.
SMASH!
And again.
SMASH!
Finally, the curse's body gives way, its head caving in with the final blow. It drops to the ground, twitching. I take one last swing, making sure it's gone.
The hospital is silent once again.
Maki stands up, breathing heavily but unscathed. "You… you saved me."
I lower the hammer, wiping sweat from my brow. "Yeah. Don't mention it."
I glance down at the remains of the curse, still not quite understanding what just happened. Something feels off, but before I can think too much about it, I speak the words, almost instinctively: "Arise."
The cursed energy stirs. The bird-like curse's remains twitch, and a dark shadow begins to reassemble. Slowly, the body reforms, this time under my control.
It opens its mouth, and as it does, I feel the pull of the shikigami's power. It's mine now.
Maki stares at me, her eyes wide. "You... you did this before."
It is my ability. I can control curses I exorcise. Make them my shikigami.
I nod. "Seems like it. And it's got a few tricks up its sleeve."
The curse flicks its wings, and I see the balls start to form. Small, glowing, explosive rubber balls. It's the same technique the curse used on us, but now, it's mine to command.
Maki crosses her arms. "You've got a lot to learn. But you've got potential."
I grin. "Thanks, I think."
As we regroup with Panda and Inumaki, i am relieved they are alright. It was a wild trip. amd there's more to come.