The smoke from the explosion gradually dissipated.
The Grade 1 Cursed Spirit, Utusunagami, had been completely exorcised.
Not far away, the two heavily injured individuals had also fallen unconscious.
A pale blue light flashed, and Emiya appeared beside them.
After Yuki's visit to Tokyo Jujutsu High, Eichi had instructed Zen'in Shuji to constantly monitor the missions assigned to the school.
That morning, upon seeing Nanami and Haibara accept a mission to exorcise a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit, Utusunagami, he immediately contacted Emiya, who was the closest to them.
Emiya arrived at the mission location as fast as possible.
However, he wasn't in a rush to act.
Even if it was a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit, Emiya, though keeping some distance, was confident he could kill it with a single shot using his superb archery skills.
And he was certain he wouldn't harm Nanami or Haibara.
In fact, if Nanami hadn't arrived in time, Emiya would have fired the arrow the moment Haibara was about to be bitten by Utusunagami's large mouth.
As for why he didn't step in from the beginning?
Because this was Nanami and Haibara's mission. It was their trial.
People often say that there's great terror between life and death.
Those who face life-and-death experiences often undergo tremendous shifts in mindset.
Just like Nanami, who chose to enter society after losing Haibara. Like Satoru, who attained the Way at Tokyo Jujutsu High after standing on the edge of life and death, proclaiming himself the strongest.
A life-threatening situation like that could make one realize many things.
So Emiya didn't act immediately.
He simply waited quietly in the shadows until the final moment.
"Well done, young men."
Emiya gave the two severely injured individuals a basic treatment, then projected a grenade.
After pulling the pin, he tossed the grenade outside the barrier.
Because Haibara had intentionally drawn the Cursed Spirit away, the battlefield had shifted from the center to the edge of the barrier.
As a result, Emiya only needed a little force to throw the grenade outside the barrier's range.
Barriers set up by Assistant Supervisors during missions typically don't have a sealing function.
Since most Cursed Spirits tend to stay within their territories, they rarely wander far.
So, these barriers are primarily used to obscure and conceal the battle, blocking sight and sound.
The main goal is to prevent public panic.
Therefore, even if gunshots or grenade explosions occurred inside the barrier, the Assistant Supervisor outside usually wouldn't hear them.
But this time, he did.
Boom.
The sound of the grenade explosion echoed outside the barrier.
The Assistant Supervisor, waiting in the car, immediately opened the door and got out.
"That sound just now...?"
He immediately realized something.
The sounds of battle had gone beyond the barrier's range, which meant Nanami and Haibara might have been forced to flee.
The Assistant Supervisor's body trembled slightly.
He was deeply worried about the two Jujutsu Sorcerers on the mountain, who he still saw as children, and terrified of the Cursed Spirit that even trained sorcerers couldn't handle.
"Damn it, I don't care anymore."
The Assistant Supervisor quickly ran up the mountain, pressing tightly on the dial pad of his phone.
Once he confirmed the situation, he would immediately call for reinforcements.
Soon, a scene of destruction came into view.
Torii gates shattered by earthen walls. A shrine collapsed from seismic shocks. A forest path carved open by the massive body of the Cursed Spirit.
The Assistant Supervisor rushed up the mountain and soon spotted the two heavily injured youths lying on the ground.
"They're badly hurt, but thankfully, no vital organs were hit."
He finally let out a sigh of relief.
He immediately made a call, not for combat reinforcements, but to summon nearby medical staff for urgent support.
If one lacks proper knowledge and skills, it's best not to move those who are seriously injured.
He could handle minor wounds, but anything more severe ran the risk of worsening their condition with careless movement.
After doing everything he could, the Assistant Supervisor began to carefully inspect the surrounding environment.
Shattered trees, deep craters in the ground... and lingering traces of Cursed Energy in the air that hadn't fully dispersed yet, making his body tremble slightly.
"Grade 1... What the hell are those guys from the Window doing?!"
He cursed the Window a few times in frustration.
A Grade 2 and a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit were completely different threats.
"Are these two... another pair of geniuses?"
He looked at the two unconscious figures on the ground.
"Are they two more geniuses? Tokyo Jujutsu High really has been producing a lot of talent lately. Compared to that, Kyoto's side…"
Assistant Supervisors often communicate with each other, mainly to gather information on the personalities and strengths of the Jujutsu Sorcerers they assist.
In a sense, they function as semi-support staff. Besides logistics and backup, they're also responsible for looking after the sorcerers they accompany.
So he was also aware of the current students at Kyoto Jujutsu High.
He had heard that most students from Kyoto came from the Big Three Families. Working with them meant not only being respectful, but also enduring being scolded frequently.
By comparison, the sorcerers at Tokyo Jujutsu High had much better personalities.
Soon, medics arrived with stretchers and carried the two gravely injured young men away.
They would receive immediate treatment. Once stabilized, they would be returned to Tokyo Jujutsu High.
There, the full-time medical specialist, Ieiri Shoko, would ensure their full recovery.
From behind a large tree, Emiya watched silently. Then, he turned and left.
This was their achievement. It wouldn't be right for him to appear.
If Emiya showed up, the nature of the incident would change.
Even if he swore that the Grade 1 Cursed Spirit had been exorcised by the two of them, not everyone would believe it.
Tokyo Jujutsu High infirmary.
Having completed the treatment, Shoko was reviewing the report submitted by the Assistant Supervisor.
"Grade 1 Cursed Spirit Utusunagami, misclassified as Grade 2 due to a Window's error. The responsible Window has already been punished accordingly."
Was that little punishment even effective?
Feeling irritated, Shoko opened the window and lit a cigarette.
Puff.
As smoke curled up into the air, she turned to look at the two unconscious youths.
She recalled asking Eichi not long ago why he had suddenly decided to put them through hellish training.
Eichi's reply was that he hoped they'd be able to fight a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit. Or, at the very least, escape from one.
'If those two had died... I guess I would've been sad for a while.'
Shoko had a good impression of the two.
Compared to her three classmates, these juniors were practically little angels. Exemplary younger students.
Click.
The door opened, and Eichi, looking slightly dusty from travel, walked into the infirmary.
"How are they?"
Seeing the two lying peacefully on the beds, Eichi finally let out a breath of relief.
He couldn't relax until he confirmed with his own eyes that Haibara was truly safe.
"Don't worry. Thanks to you, both of them are fine."
Shoko stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray.
"That's good."
(To be continued.)