The smell of dust and mold fills my lungs as I enter the storage unit. This is definitely the place that guy said to meet him at, but it doesn't look like anyone has been here in over a decade.

"Helloooo. Old monk guy? I'm here. Now what do you want from me?"

...

Silence. The only response I get is the creaking of the walls. The tension on my face falls into irritation as I walk to the center of the room. It's big for a storage unit, but still not much more than a box. It's dark, the empty room illuminated by scant beams of artificial light from outside spilling through the bars on the windows up above.

Stupid stupid stupid! I really came all the way out here just because some weirdo in monk's clothes said he wanted to speak with me and said some vaguely threatening things? What business would a Buddhist monk have talking with a young girl in an old storage unit, anyway? He's probably just some fake creep who thought I was easy prey. Sucks for him because I'm about to give him the beat down of his life whenever he shows up.

"But I think my proposal might be of interest to you, miss. I know what incredible things you're capable of, and...
I suspect I know what happened 12 years ago, on that mountain, Rika Orimoto."

My chest twists in a knot, somewhere deep in my head there's a painful throbbing. Yeah... that's why I'm standing here like an idiot. I can't just ignore something like that.

Gritting my teeth, I spin on my heels to exit the storage unit. I'll wait another minute or two outside, but there's no reason to poison my lungs with this rancid air just to beat up a creepy old pervert.

Thump

The hair on the back on my neck prickles up. There's a familiar weight surrounding me, tense and heavy. I spin around to face the dark.

How in the world-?! There wasn't anything here a moment ago! I would have sensed the monster when I entered if it had been here the entire time. Even the ones that are good at hiding can't erase their presence entirely.

On instinct, I toss my bag to the side and summon my blade to my right hand. There's no one else around, I can engage the monster right here.

Something wriggles in the dark, like a maggot. A deformed head comes into view; the shape is reminiscent of an elephant head, but the eyes couldn't be anymore wrong. Faintly, I can see a furry mane just behind the oversized ears. Crawling on bulbous, over-extended limbs, the monster is much larger than me-- far too large to hide in this box of a room.

No matter, size is the least signifier of strength when it comes to these monsters.

Springing on my feet, I transfer my sword to a two-handed grip as I dash at the abomination. It's horribly large eyes fixing on me as it wails.

"I don't wannaaa... I don't wanna leave behiiiiind..."

"Shut up!"

My wakizashi slices straight for the creature's eyes, clipping its forehead instead as it swings its trunk at me. I jump to the side just in time to avoid it. The trunk shoots out like it's made of rubber, slamming into the wall to my back right.

Recovering my balance with a hop, I click my tongue and face the monster once more. Its eyes following me, it tries to swipe at me with one of its feet-- which I just now see are large bear claws. Fortunately, the beast's large size and mismatched body make its flexibility poor. Until it has turned to face me fully, I can dodge any of its swipes as easily as stepping to the side.

I won't give it that chance.

In this small space, there's no room for me to get a running start. No matter. Taking a deep breath, I focus on my legs. Strength flows into them like a warm tide and I rush forward. In only two steps, I leap at the monster. It tries to swipe at me once more, a second too late. I kick off the knotted joint and launch myself straight onto the creature's back. With my blade back in a single hand, I grasp onto the furry mane to stabilize myself.

The monster thrashes and wails as it tries to buck me off, almost slamming into a wall in the process. Pouring power into my arms now, I grip as tight as I can.

"Woah there, careful or you might bring the whole building down on us!"

With a smile, I turn the sword in my hand and raise it to stab the monster's head--

--and am met with the feeling of warm breath on the back of my hand.

Spinning in place, only now do I see what the monster's backside looks like-- an equally malformed horse's head, pale yellow teeth large, but no doubt strong, and long neck twisting to an unreal degree in order to reach me. Its jaw is opened wide, aiming straight to my head.

"Dammit!"

With no time to lose, I thrust my blade into the gaping maw. Angled slightly upwards, it sinks through misshapen flesh with ease and exits from between the horse's eyes.

With a gargled wail, the monster throws its second head back-- taking my sword with it. As if sensing an opportunity, the elephant head rears downwards and its leg kick up to leap towards the wall.

"So you want to crush me, huh?"

I spin back around to face the remaining head. Sacrificing my stability on the back of the beast, I throw both of my hands high in the air, as though gripping something.

"Too bad, I'm nowhere near out of tricks!"

Filling with dark matter for only a fraction of a second, I summon my second wakizashi back into my hands as I slam my arms down. Between the strength of my magical energy and the momentum, the blade slides clean in and then some, scoring a deep gash.

Thick purple blood sprays out, only to dissipate into black dust once it hits air. The monster deflates with an agonizing cry-- defeated. My twin blades fall to the ground to the front and behind me as the monster fades away completely.

I, too, sink to the floor amidst the black dust. With relief, I finally allow myself a long blink and a deep exhale.

Clap Clap Clap

"What an incredible performance!"

The sharp sound of applause and a man's voice snap me out of my victory daze in an instant. Immediately, I am back on my feet and the sword in front of me is in my hands-- pointed straight at the room's entrance. A long-haired figure now blocks it, tall and wide and grinning ear-to-ear.

"That was a Semi-Grade 1 curse, and you exorcised it with ease. I had intended to test your capabilities, Orimoto-chan, but it seems I gravely underestimated you."

"You-! You're that weirdo monk! What the hell do you want from me?! Were you controlling that monster?"

Red flashes behind my eyes and that dull ache returns to my brain. I need to cut this man down, I need answers, I need to know how he could possibly know about-

My legs, which I had tried to propel forward, lurch in place. All of a sudden, there's a constriction around my entire body.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Orimoto-chan. I don't want to fight you; I’d much rather have a nice chat with you.”

I flick my eyes down. Something that looks like hundreds of thin arms, with tiny wriggling hands, twisted into cords is coiled around my body. Legs, waist, torso, arms, back, neck-- every part of me is held still by an improbable force. I grit my teeth and glare at that horrible man.

"You're controlling these monsters. Are you their boss, or something?"

He cracks a smile, almost a laugh.

"'Boss'? You’re making me sound like some super villain on a television show. Yes, I am controlling these curses, 'monsters' as you seem to call them, but I am not on their side."

"Then who are you?! And what do you want from me?"

The man solemnly walks forward as he speaks, stopping a single pace in front of my outstretched blade. Sweat drips down my cheek. Certainly, it must just be from the adrenaline and strain of my battle just now… Right?/p>

"My name is Suguru Geto. I am a jujutsu sorcerer, the same as you, Orimoto-chan. Your actions here in Tokyo have been of great interest to me, so you'll have to forgive me for taking the liberty of looking into your background."

"And that's how you knew my name? You really are a perv."

"Hahaha! Call me whatever you'd like, Orimoto-chan. I have also learned that you are from Sendai City in Miyagi Prefecture. Seven years ago, you were the center of a miraculous incident where a young girl suffered from what were initially believed to be fatal injuries in an accident, only to make a full recovery. Three months ago, you moved here to Tokyo and, despite not being affiliated with Tokyo Jujutsu High, you have been exorcising curses since. Why is that?"

Talk about a stalker! The man's, Geto, apparently, smile falls when he asks his question. Everything about this man sets me on edge, but right now all I can do is play along.

"I'm assuming by 'curses' you mean the monsters and by 'exorcise' you mean kill? Why wouldn't I kill them? They're disgusting, and creepy, and they put people in danger. Most of all, I'm the only one with the power to kill them."

Geto's creepy smile returns, as if he's pleased by my response, somehow.

"What a heroine of justice! You are incorrect, however. You are not the only one with the power to battle curses."

With those words, the things constricting my body loosen. I almost fall to the ground from the sudden change. In front of my very eyes, those arm-like things slide like ribbons towards Geto, being absorbed into him somehow. At the same time, there's a shift in the air, like a window being thrown open. My eyes widen. My hands shake.

It's almost the exact same feeling as the magic I use to kill monsters, but with an after effect like that of the monsters themselves.

"You... can use magic too."

"'Magic.' Yes, and there are many others who can use 'magic' too. It would seem that you, Orimoto-chan, awakened long ago to your potential as a sorcerer without anyone noticing. Yet even with this incredible power at your fingertips, you, at such a young age, chose to turn it upon curses rather than your fellow humans. For such a noble heart, I would like to invite you into my family."

I can't help but visibly grimace at the word. Family? I don't need that sort of thing. All I need anymore is Yuta.

"And what's in it for you? No one makes a deal just for the sake of 'nobility.'"

"A talented ally, of course. Even without a drop of training, you have developed a voracity for exorcism that puts the most acclaimed of sorcerers to shame. If you would let me teach you, you could become amongst the strongest in my family. With my help, you could defeat any curse you come upon."

I bite down on my tongue in contemplation. That's it? He just wants to train me in killing monsters? None of this makes any sense, and yet somehow, my sword is slipping back into dark matter and absorbing into my hands.

"Answer me this, first. What about you? You can already control the monsters. Why do you want them dead."

"Because it is my one and only wish to see a world without curses come into fruition."

There isn’t any hesitation or hidden intent in Geto’s voice. A simple answer, a simple smile, and a simple glint in his eyes that says something I don't understand.

"And you, Orimoto-chan. You don't strike me as the sort of girl who would put her life on the line purely to protect humanity. Tell me, what is it you really wish for?"

I don't like it. I don't like the way this creep looks right through me. I don't want to answer his question either, it’s none of his business, but somehow it bubbles out my throat anyway.

"Because... because there's someone I can't risk losing. I can't stand the idea of such ugly things existing in the same world as him. That's all... he's the only thing that matters to me."

In the blink of an eye, Geto kneels in front of me with both of my hands clasped together and held in his.

"Then what do you say... we help each other bring our wishes into reality, Rika-chan?"

"Ah-..."

His eyes. Staring into his eyes feels the same as when I peered into the darkness where that elephant monster laid not 10 minutes ago. Somehow, the room smells like wet earth and dry wind. I can feel a migraine setting in.

But... this is all for Yuta, right?

Slap

"Don't grab my hands like that. I hate it when men touch me."

Yes, this is all for Yuta's sake.