Sometimes, I 't help but sigh; if only all cursed spirits were as simple-minded as this, wouldn't the world be a better pce?

  "Who's there?" Some of the manor's security personnel frowned as they spotted the approag figure. They moved in to disperse him, but as they got closer, they realized what they were dealing with. The guns on his head and arms made it clear this wasn't a person. It was a cursed spirit. A real cursed spirit.

  "A curse! It's a curse!"

  "Run!"

  If it had been an ordinary intruder, they could have ha easily. But now that they saw it was a cursed spirit, they didn't waste a sed before running back. The Shinomiya family's sary might be good, but no amount of money was worth dying for.

  "Tsk."

  The Gun Curse Spirit, normally eager to kill any human in his path, merely scoffed this time. He wasn't here for these insignifit creatures; he was here for the sorcerer ihe manor. His true oppo was waiting for him just ahead.

  "Let me see if the so-called stro sorcerer is really worth all the hype!" he sneered.

  Thanks to Kenjaku's manipution, he believed that Ryuji was the true stro sorcerer, not Gojo Satoru. That fidence, mispced as it was, had lured him right here.

  Without another word, the Gun Curse Spirit raised his hand, its end f the barrel of a pistol. No need for a magazine; curse energy gathered at the muzzle instead.

  "Bang!"

  The shot echoed like thunder, rattling the entire manor.

  "What was that?"

  "What's going on?"

  The sudden otio waves of panic through the ba hall as people looked around, startled and fused.

  "Boom!"

  An explosion ripped through the manor. Every building and structure surrounding the main hall was obliterated in an instant. The shockwave made the manor look as though it had been nothing but a flimsy set of cardboard walls.

  "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

  Walls crumbled, debris flew, and the guests began screaming as they frantically tried to shield themselves from the falling rubble.

  "Help!"

  "What's happening?"

  "Save us!"

  Most of the guests had no idea what was going on. For them, this ure terror.

  Meanwhile, Mei Mei, who had been expeg something like this, g Ryuji. She noticed that he hadn't even flinched; he still held his wine gss, calm and posed. Her own ay rexed a little.

  With just a wave of her hand, she deflected any debris that flew her way.

  Others, like Erina, were frozen in fear, watg as a rge piece of rubble hurtled toward them, uo rea time.

  Am I... going to die? The thought struck Erina as her eyes widened, staring at her impending fate.

  "Dissipate," Ryuji anded, his voice carrying a hint of cursed energy that radiated outward.

  Instantly, all the rubble disied into ash and vanished before it could reayone.

  "This…"

  After a moment of stunned silence, many of the guests turo look at Ryuji. Realization dawhey had just been saved by him.

  Erina stared at Ryuji in awe. Seeing something like this live was so much different from watg it on a s. She finally began to uand the overwhelming power of a real sorcerer.

  Alice, however, just chuckled as she observed her cousin's rea.

  "Well, Erina? Starting to feel a bit small?"

  "..."

  For once, Erina had nothing to say, only bowing her head, a bitter expression on her face.

  "Mom!"

  Eriri's voice broke through as she checked on her mother. She already had her sketchpad out, ready to activate her teique, but seeing that Ryuji was in trol, she put it away.

  "Looks like it's your cursed spirit fan club," Mei Mei smirked as she walked up to Ryuji, her voice ced with sarcasm.

  "Oh? Pnning to deal with it for me?" Ryuji chuckled, clearly amused.

  "That depends. What do I get for my troubles?" Mei Mei teased back, her fideg his.

  "pensation, huh?" Ryuji preteo think it over, befiving her a sly smile. "How about me?"

  "Deal!" Mei Mei replied without a sed thought.

  "Then don't even think about leaving tonight," Ryuji added with a grin, matg her boldness.

  Mei Mei wasn't shy in the slightest. She was a seasoned sorcerer, and she knew what she wanted. Pying coy wasn't her style.

  At that moment, the ominous sound of footsteps drew everyone's attention. Those who had po thank Ryuji froze iheir faces paling as they realized the source of the footsteps.

  Through the clearing dust, they could see the intruder: the Gun Curse Spirit. Slowly, he stepped through the broken walls and debris, heading straight for them.

  "What… what is that?"

  "A monster! A monster!"

  "That's… that's a cursed spirit?"

  People shrank back, horrified by the sight. The Gun Curse Spirit's grotesque form, with a head resembling an assault rifle and arms shaped like pistols, was enough to instill terror in anyone.

  "Whie of you is Ryuji?" the Gun Curse Spirit demanded, his voice thick with malice.

  The guests turo Ryuji, looking bewildered and terrified.

  "So, it's you," the Gun Curse Spirit said, log his gaze onto Ryuji. A twisted grin spread across his mouth. "I've heard you're the stro sorcerer around. I'll kill you and prove to everyohat my firepower makes me the ultimate cursed spirit! Hahahahaha!"

  Ryuji, still unfazed, simply took a sip from his champagne gss. "Quite the eventful evening," he remarked with a faint smile.

  Seeing Ryuji's rexed demeanor, the Gun Curse Spirit seethed with anger. "Are you mog me?" he growled.

  Unfazed by the cursed spirit's rage, Ryuji's calm smile only deepened. His indifference seemed to infuriate the Gun Curse Spirit even more.

  "Die!" it roared, lifting its pistol-shaped hand and firing a curse-imbued bullet straight at Ryuji's head.

  "g!"

  Before the bullet could reach him, Mei Mei intercepted it with her two-handed axe, sparks flying from the impact.

  The Gun Curse Spirit's eyes narrowed as he took in Mei Mei's stance. "Who the hell are you?"

  "You want Ryuji? You'll have to get through me first," Mei Mei replied, lifting her axe with a fearless grin.

  The Gun Curse Spirit's expression twisted into fury. Without hesitation, he unleashed a rapid-fire barrage of curse bullets at her.

  "Bang! Bang! Bang!"

  Each shot came with deafening he cursed energy tearing through the air toward Mingmei.

  "g! g! g!"

  But Mei Mei deflected each bullet with skill and precision, closing the distaween them with each step. Her axe met every shot, sending sparks flying.

  "You're tougher than I thought," the Gun Curse Spirit growled, but his fidence remained unshaken. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head-mounted assault rifle, charging it with even more cursed energy.

  "Die!" he roared, firing a massive bst that sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, cracks spreading in all dires.

  From behind, Sonoko gasped, watg Mei Mei struggle uhe inte. "Mei Mei! Are you okay?"

  Tomoko put a reassuring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Let's stay back. Mr. Ryuji will know what to do."

  "Rex," Ryuji said with a calm smile. "Mei Mei handle herself."

  And sure enough, as the dust began to settle, Mei Mei's silhouette emerged, her clothes slightly torn but otherwise unscathed.

  High above, a bck crow circled, ready to strike.

  "Bck Bird Manipution—Kamikaze!" Mei Mei shouted, activating her ultimate move.

  The crow ignited with cursed energy, diving toward the Gun Curse Spirit with blinding speed, its feathers glowing with deadly i.

  "What—?" the Gun Curse Spirit barely had time to react.

  "Boom!"

  Junkdog