"Is it over?"

  At this time, Miku timidly poked her head out to look around. The one-eyed cursed spirit had been exorcised, and the sky, which had grown unnaturally dark, had returo normal. The oppressive atmosphere had lifted signifitly.

  "Let's go," Ryuji said, gng at her briefly before stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking away.

  "Wait for me!"

  Miku, realizing he was leaving, hurried to catch up with him. Even though the monster was gone, she wasn't brave enough to stay alone in such a pce. In her haste, she nearly tripped, but Ryuji caught her just in time.

  "Successfully tacted target: Miku Nakano! A purple entry has been triggered, do you want to load it?"

  Ryuji raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. He hadn't expected the entry ter now he thought if it didn't happen the first time, it wouldn't ter. But it seemed like a pleasant surprise.

  "That…"

  Miku's shy voice broke the silence. She hadn't thought much earlier, but now, as she looked at Ryuji up close, she seemed a little flustered. Her mind was rag.

  Ryuji, without any ulterior motives, simply let go of her.

  "Be careful ime."

  "Hmm… hmm," she muttered, l her head, falling into step behind him. She followed silently, unsure of what to say. Ryuji didn't know how to respoher, so he left it at that.

  Whatever, Ryuji thought, fog his attention elsewhere. Let's check that entry.

  The notification about the entry had e up, and now he wao see what it was.

  "Purple Entry: Ag!"

  That wasn't from Miku he remembered that origgered earlier, with Mai Sakurajima.

  Thinking ba it, if not for this opportunity, Ryuji would have almost fotten about it.

  "Eh, let's just depose it."

  It didn't seem particurly useful, so Ryuji decided to break it down.

  , he checked the ry that had just triggered from Miku.

  "Purple Entry: Ag!"

  "...???"

  Ag again? Ryuji furrowed his brows. What kind of ability was this? After a closer look, he realized it was just reted to cospy.

  Now that he thought about it, Miku did have a hobby of dressing up as her sisters. Did this mean if you married Miku, you'd teically be marrying all five? (T/N: Fuutaro fumbled the bag big time)

  "Hiss!"

  Shaking his head, Ryuji pushed the thought away. He couldn't help ughing to himself, though. It was a strange idea, but not pletely off the mark.

  "Alright, let's break this down too," he said, choosing deposition again.

  Holy, he didn't see why something like cospy would rank as a purple-level entry. Maybe it was just the "heroine effect," elevating otherwise mundane abilities.

  For most people, something like this wouldn't eveer as an ability.

  "[Talery system]

  Host: Ryuji Hoshino

  Bloodline: Human

  Loaded entries: Soul Dev [Red], Yin-Yang Eyes [Gold], Presence cealment [Gold],Tranquility [Gold], Reverse Cursed Teique [Gold], Motrag Physique [Gold], Third Dimension, Dreamwalker [Gold], Physical Strengthening [Gold], Cursed Speech [Gold], Shadoution [Gold], Iron Fist [Purple].

  Points: 76,120!"

  Not bad another 2,000 points added.

  When the purple entry is triggered ten times, he'd get a free purple draw.

  All in all, Ryuji retty satisfied with the current progress.

  "That…" Miku's voice brought Ryuji back to reality as they walked out of the stru site together. She hesitated for a moment, then gathered her ce.

  " I ask you for a favor?"

  "Hm?"

  Ryuji paused and gnced back at her.

  "Could you take me home?"

  Miku k robably too much to ask, but after everything that had just happened, she didn't have the ce to walk home alone even if it was broad daylight.

  "Take you home?"

  "I…"

  She lowered her head quickly, her face turni red.

  Whoever said the "hero saving the damsel" trope was outdated was wrong.

  "Hahaha!"

  Ryuji couldn't help but ugh at her flustered respo was just too cute.

  "Alright, alright! I'll take you home," he said, still chug. He didn't have anythier to do anyway. At most, he'd just send a message to Haruo let her know the problem at the site was resolved.

  "Thank you!"

  Miku's face lit up as she quickly followed him.

  As they walked, curiosity got the better of her. "Um, what was that monster back there?"

  "Well," Ryuji began, gng at her. "Sooner or ter, everyone's going to know, so I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you in advance."

  The existence of cursed spirits wasn't going to stay hidden forever. Ordinary people would learn about them eventually, and sidering what Miku had just been through, it robably better to expin.

  So, as they walked, Ryuji gave her a quick rundown of the world of curses.

  ***

  Meanwhile, in the domain of Ryomen Sukuna, on a throne of bones, Sukuna slowly opened his eyes.

  "Another one gone…"

  He had just sehe loss of another finger. Just like before, it hadn't beeroyed merely vanished. He could no longer feel its presence.

  "So, there's a capable sorcerer in this era, after all," Sukuna mused, a wicked smile curling his lips.

  The first time, he hadn't been too ed, but now, with a sed finger lost, it was different. Each of his fingers tained a part of his power, and losing o losing oweh of his strength.

  If it were just o wouldn't be an issue. He could pensate. But with two already gone, and the possibility of losing more, even when he fully resurrected, he wouldn't return at full strength.

  "Tsk."

  Sukuna's grin widehough it didn't reach his eyes.

  But he wasn't oe blindly. There was no point. He'd recim what was his in time.

  "My time is ing soon," Sukuna whispered to himself. The moment roag. He knew his finger hadn't beeroyed it had simply been pced somewhere beyond his reach.

  Once he found out who was responsible, he'd retrieve what was his.

  "Wait for me," Sukuna chuckled. "What belongs to me will always e bae."

  ***

  At the same time, Ryuji had no idea that he was already on Sukuna's radar.

  But even if he had known, he wouldn't have been worried. He had anticipated this whe Sukuna's fingers into his space, sealing them off from the world.

  The worst-case sario? A fight.

  He still had time before Sukuna's full resurre, and Ryuji didn't doubt that he would grow strong enough to face even the curse king by then.

  By that time, even if Sukuna were at his peak, Ryuji was fident he could knock him down.

  ***

  "Is this the pce?"

  Before long, they arrived at Miku's house. It was a rge, luxurious home a fitting residence for a family supp quintuplets.

  "Well, thank you!"

  Miku hadn't expected the walk home to feel so short. She was a little disappointed, actually. As they stood by the entrance, she realized she didn't want the time with Ryuji to end just yet.

  Suddenly, she blurted, "Why not e inside for some tea?"

  "..."

  Ryuji chuckled. He knew she probably meant it ily, but still, he couldn't help but find the situation amusing.

  If it had been an older, more experienced woman, the ht have had a different meaning. But Miku was still just a girl.

  "No, I've got other things to do. I'll take a raincheck," he said with a smile. There would be plenty of opportunities iure, so there was o rush.

  Miku's face fell for a moment, but she quickly nodded. She assumed he had to go deal with more curses elsewhere after all, he was some kind of hero.

  " I get your tafo, at least?"

  "Sure."

  Ryuji didn't refuse. After exging numbers with Miku, he turo leave.

  But before he walked away, he gnced up at the sed-floor window of Miku's house.

  There, peeking curiously from behind the curtains, were four other heads all watg what was happening with great i.

  "Huh. Looks like I caught some attention," Ryuji muttered with a smirk.

  Ihe rest of the Nakano sisters were watg the se below, each with their own thoughts.

  Could it be that Miku's in love?" Ichika, the eldest sister, teased with a sly grin.

  "Ah, this is iing," Nino chimed in, raising an eyebrow. "What a shame though…"

  "What do you mean, 'what a shame'?" Yotsuba asked, tilting her head curiously.

  "That boy is so handsome!" Nino added, her tone a mix of envy and pyful annoyance.

  Miku, meanwhile, stood at the front door, watg Ryuji's figure slowly disappear dowreet. She gnced down at the taformation saved in her phone, her heart beating a little faster.

  She hadn't expected su intense day, nor did she expeeet someone like Ryuji. Now that he was gone, she felt oddly empty but a part of her was hopeful, knowing they'd likely see each ain. After all, they attehe same school, and their paths were bound to cross.

  Thinking about this made her feel a bit more rexed, but just as she turo go inside, she was ambushed by her sisters.

  "Miku! Spill the details!" Ichika grinned, stepping in front of her. "Who was that guy?"

  "Yeah, who was he? You're not hiding something from us, are you?" Nino pressed, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

  "I—It's not what you think!" Miku stammered, her face immediately turning red. "He's just a friend. He helped me out today."

  The four sisters exged gnces, clearly not buying her expnation. Miku rarely had iions with guys, and the fact that this boy had personally walked her home had them all on edge.

  "e on, Miku," Ichika coaxed, ing an arm around her. "You tell y sister the truth."

  "I-It's nothing like that!" Miku insisted, her embarrassment growing. "He just… He just saved me from a monster!"

  "A monster?" Yotsuba's eyes widened. "What kind of monster?"