A strange feeling settled in Geto Suguru's chest.
The white-haired boy in front of him knew too much—his name, his ability, even Nanako and Mimiko.
Who is he?
Setting aside his doubts for now, Geto followed Gojo Satoru and Ieiri Shoko into Screening Room No. 1.
"How do you know the cursed spirit is in this room?" Geto asked.
As a Cursed Spirit Manipulator, he could sense nearby curses. But Gojo pinpointed its exact location with eerie accuracy.
Gojo pouted. "Suguru, you really forgot? I have Six Eyes! No cursed spirit can hide from me."
Geto glanced at the sliver of brilliant blue peeking from behind Gojo's sunglasses but said nothing.
The theater was silent—too silent.
The dim ceiling lights barely illuminated the room, leaving deep shadows in the corners.
Then—
"ROAR!"
A twisted, clawed arm lurched from behind the movie screen.
Another arm followed. Then a gnarled, deformed leg.
Finally, the cursed spirit fully emerged—a grotesque mass of eyes in various colors, fused together with no discernible head. Its mouth gaped open, dripping thick mucus onto the floor.
"Could this thing be any uglier?" Gojo muttered.
Shoko lit a cigarette. "You've seen worse."
Geto, eyes flicking to the cigarette, deadpanned. "Smoking is prohibited in theaters."
Shoko laughed, exhaling a puff of smoke. "You're way more innocent than you look."
Gojo threw an arm around Geto's shoulder. "See? I told you, Suguru is adorable."
"ROOOAR!"
The curse screeched again, as if insulted.
Gojo sighed. "So noisy."
Without hesitation, he lifted his hand.
A surge of pure blue cursed energy spiraled forward, slamming into the curse's grotesque form.
The difference in power was staggering. The Grade 2 curse barely resisted before its body began glowing blue—then vanished completely.
One attack.
Geto stared.
A Grade 2 spirit was strong—not invincible, but not weak.
Yet Gojo took it down as if it were nothing.
How?
They were the same age.
How could someone so young wield this much power?
Shoko, unbothered, took a slow drag of her cigarette. "Alright, Satoru, let's go. You still have eighty pages of the Sorcerer's Code to copy."
Gojo visibly deflated. "Why hasn't someone invented a punishment-copying machine yet?"
Shoko shrugged. "If that existed, Yaga would just find a worse punishment for you."
Gojo perked up. "Oh! Since I got in trouble because of Geto, he should help me copy it!"
Geto, utterly confused, pushed Gojo's arm off him. "Sorry, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You don't? Then—"
BOOM.
A thunderous crash shook the entire theater.
Shoko's cigarette nearly fell from her lips. "Didn't they say there was only one cursed spirit here?!"
Geto scanned the area. No other curses were present.
Gojo's Six Eyes, however, saw something else entirely.
Not a curse.
Something darker.
Something… different.
Without waiting, Gojo ran toward the source of the noise, his long legs effortlessly clearing the theater steps. Geto and Shoko followed close behind.
The next theater was much larger, meant to hold hundreds. The walls were lined with top-tier soundproofing materials.
And yet—a massive hole had been blown through one side.
A creature loomed in the darkness.
At first glance, it resembled a cursed spirit—but something was off.
It stood over four meters tall, its body humanoid but hollowed out, with a gaping hole in its chest.
A strange white mask covered its face.
Shoko's eyes widened. "What the hell is that?!"
Cursed spirits could phase through walls without leaving damage.
But this?
This thing had physically broken through the reinforced concrete.
Gojo adjusted his sunglasses. "It's a 'Hollow.' A different kind of evil spirit."
Geto narrowed his eyes. "I've never seen one before."
"That's because normally, they're taken care of by the 'Shinigami' before they cause problems."
The three turned toward the new voice.
At the entrance of the ruined theater, an orange-haired man stood.
A massive sword rested on his shoulder.
He looked completely unbothered—as if this entire situation was routine.
Gojo tilted his head, sunglasses slipping slightly. "Who the hell are you?"