The sesshoseki sank into Mei's chest, and a scarlet light began to flicker around her body.
At the same time, the injuries on Sanzu Kawa, who stood before her, rapidly healed.
Tamamo-no-Mae, as a Special Grade jujutsu sorcerer during her lifetime, naturally possessed Reverse Cursed Technique. However, after her death, when she transformed into a Special Grade Cursed Spirit, she no longer used it.
This was because Reverse Cursed Technique was like a lethal poison to Cursed Spirits. Any contact with it would result in death or severe injury.
However, losing Reverse Cursed Technique meant nothing to Tamamo-no-Mae, as Cursed Spirits inherently possessed powerful regenerative abilities.
The current Sanzu Kawa, under the transformation of the sesshoseki, had already acquired some traits of a Cursed Spirit.
Therefore, unless a vital point was struck, it was difficult to inflict effective damage on him.
"This cursed energy… is it that old man again?"
While Sanzu Kawa was observing Mei's transformation, a familiar cursed energy made him alert.
Just as Stand users were drawn to each other, both sides used the power of the sesshoseki, and at close range, they could naturally sense one another.
"He's fast. This is troublesome."
Sanzu Kawa withdrew his gaze and looked down at Mei on the ground.
"I can't let her be discovered this soon."
In the next instant, Sanzu Kawa moved away from her at high speed, periodically releasing waves of cursed energy from the sesshoseki.
Before long, Sanzu Kawa was intercepted by Tsuchimiya Utata.
Earlier, Utata had been about to receive treatment from Medea.
The sudden appearance of that cursed energy, one he would never forget, made him change his decision.
It belonged to the curse user who had targeted the sesshoseki and murdered his wife.
This was an enemy Utata had to eliminate.
Whether for his late wife or for his daughter, Tsuchimiya Kagura, who was about to inherit Byakuei.
"Not running this time?"
Utata stared intently at the young man before him, who was much smaller in stature.
"Opportunities for a sesshoseki to deliver itself are rare, so picking it up along the way works for me."
Sanzu Kawa smiled casually, as if he had already seen through Utata completely.
"Arrogant."
Utata's anger surged at those words.
As the strongest sorcerer in the Tohoku jujutsu world, he was not only a Grade 1 sorcerer himself, but also commanded the Shikigami Byakuei, which stood at the top even among Grade 1 Shikigami.
No one had ever dared to look down on him like this.
Moreover, this man was his sworn enemy.
"Shikigami Release, Byakuei."
A massive canine head manifested behind Utata. Inugami Byakuei opened its enormous jaws and lunged at Sanzu Kawa.
With a single bite, Inugami Byakuei tore Sanzu Kawa in half.
The next moment, his body scattered into countless butterflies.
Snap.
Sanzu Kawa reappeared and snapped his fingers.
The butterflies around Inugami Byakuei instantly transformed into countless fireballs, igniting across its body.
"Roar."
These flames were Tamamo-no-Mae's foxfire, channeled through Sanzu Kawa.
Several fox-shaped flames wrapped tightly around Inugami Byakuei.
"Hmph."
While Sanzu Kawa pressured Byakuei, Utata was not idle.
He moved swiftly across the rooftops and quickly closed the distance.
A fist filled with cursed energy smashed toward Sanzu Kawa's head.
A foxfire construct that had been charging at Byakuei abruptly turned back and blocked the punch.
Boom.
The foxfire exploded on impact.
The scattered flames instantly swallowed Utata's field of vision.
When his sight cleared, Sanzu Kawa had already closed in.
"The sesshoseki. I'll be taking it."
Sanzu Kawa shaped his palm like a blade and slashed toward Utata's right wrist, where the sesshoseki was embedded.
"Don't even think about it."
Utata kicked toward Sanzu Kawa's abdomen.
Seeing this, Sanzu Kawa abandoned the attack.
A vast surge of cursed energy erupted from him, and countless foxfires shot toward Utata.
"What?"
Utata was shocked and immediately began dodging while commanding Inugami Byakuei to counterattack.
"No need to be so surprised."
Sanzu Kawa smiled smugly.
"The sesshoseki is a Special Grade Cursed Object to begin with. Is it strange that it can unleash Special Grade power?"
He gently brushed aside the bangs covering his left eye.
The sesshoseki that had replaced his eyeball was fully revealed.
"Besides, I possess more than one sesshoseki."
The sesshoseki were formed after the death of the Special Grade Cursed Spirit, the Nine-Tailed Fox Tamamo-no-Mae, and there were nine in total.
Three years ago, with only a single sesshoseki, Sanzu Kawa had attacked the Tsuchimiya family to seize their second one.
Due to his lack of combat experience, he was ultimately defeated by Mrs. Tsuchimiya.
Over the past three years, under Tamamo-no-Mae's guidance, he had located five sesshoseki through their resonance.
Of the remaining three, two were in the possession of the Tsuchimiya family, while the last was sealed within an extremely troublesome barrier, which he planned to deal with last.
According to Tamamo-no-Mae, that barrier was extraordinarily intricate, to the point that even she could barely sense the sesshoseki inside.
Once it was removed, the person who set the barrier would inevitably notice, so it was best to leave it until the end.
Moreover, based on the feedback from the sesshoseki within, that barrier contained many valuable things.
"Die here, old man of the Tsuchimiya family."
Sanzu Kawa spread his hands, and countless foxfires pressed down relentlessly on Utata.
"Don't underestimate me, brat."
Utata roared in fury and formed hand signs.
The aura around Inugami Byakuei surged violently, breaking through from Grade 1 to Special Grade.
"Roar."
Byakuei let out a thunderous howl.
The foxfires were torn apart and scattered.
"Oh? Interesting. Going all out, are you? But you only have one sesshoseki, while I have five."
A scarlet light engulfed Sanzu Kawa's body.
His cursed energy soared once again.
He was no longer the boy from three years ago, who had power but did not know how to wield it.
With Tamamo-no-Mae's guidance, both his strength and combat experience had advanced greatly.
"Now's the chance."
'Do not rush.'
Just as Sanzu Kawa was about to move, Tamamo-no-Mae's voice stopped him.
'He is doing this on purpose. He wants to drag you down with him.'
Her voice echoed in his mind.
"Then I'll wait."
'Below.'
Pfft.
Sanzu Kawa looked down in shock at the shadow beneath him.
Countless shadows erupted upward, transforming into long spears that pierced through him.
Several kilometers away, Eichi had fully immersed his consciousness into the Shadow World.
Using it as a medium, he extended his reach across several kilometers and severely injured Sanzu Kawa with a single strike.
Sanzu Kawa leapt away from his original position as countless butterflies gathered around him, lifting him into the air.
His wounds are regenerating. Reverse Cursed Technique? No. This feels more like a Cursed Spirit. Is he similar to Choso?
Eichi made his judgment.
Limitless Cursed Technique: Ten Shadows Treasure Wheel, Chimera, Fusion.
The shadows on the ground began to churn violently.
A massive white serpent rose skyward, followed by Nue.
In an instant, the figures of Nue and the great serpent fused together.
Chimera, Feathered Serpent.
Crackling with lightning, the Feathered Serpent launched a swift assault toward Sanzu Kawa.
(To be continued.)