Ryosuke remembered that time clearly. It was when Yuta Okkotsu joined Jujutsu High, and the threat of Geto began to manifest.
The Cursed Spirit Parade was approaching—an event of catastrophic scale that would forever change the world of exorcists.
A shiver of excitement ran through Ryosuke. It was soon. He would soon cross paths with Yuta, Maki, Panda, and the others. Characters he had only seen in the pages of a manga or in anime episodes would become real for him.
But at the same time, a shadow of worry loomed over his excitement. Ryosuke wasn't a hero. He was just an ordinary high school student—or at least, he had been until recently.
And even with this new power, could he really face the events that were about to shake the world of Jujutsu?
He knew this world wasn't a game. The fights were brutal, the enemies lethal. And even with his power, Ryosuke wasn't sure he was ready. He wasn't invincible. There were countless abilities and things that could harm him.
He closed his notebook with a determined gesture.
"No matter. I still have time. I need to prepare. I need to fully test my abilities before the real danger begins."
He stood up and quickly changed, swapping his school uniform for more casual clothes—a black hoodie and a pair of sneakers. After one last glance in the mirror, he left his room and walked downstairs with newfound confidence.
"Mom, I'm going out!" he called, poking his head into the kitchen. "I'm going to a friend's place, we're hanging out tonight."
His mother, a bit surprised, looked up from the curry simmering in the pan. "It's Friday, you should rest. But alright, be careful on the road and be back before ten."
"Promise!" he replied with an innocent smile. He glanced at Sayuri, who was now watching him with curiosity.
"Your beloved sister is coming with you," she teased, her eyes gleaming mischievously.
"Don't even try," he retorted with a wink before closing the door behind him.
Outside, Ryosuke walked through the dimly lit streets, lost in thought.
His power—he already understood the basics: he could alter and destroy things with cursed energy. He had seen it work on plants, but he needed more. He wanted to know just how far he could go. A power he didn't fully understand could turn against him.
The thought of using his powers on a human briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Too dangerous, too unpredictable… and too soon. He considered using it on himself, but that was even riskier. Even though he felt like he could control things, a natural caution held him back from trying without properly testing first.
Especially since it was highly likely that he'd end up using the spell on himself eventually.
He stopped at the entrance to a dark alley. His eyes landed on a stray cat, sitting on an old cardboard box, lazily licking its paw. The animal didn't seem to care about Ryosuke's presence, its eyes half-closed.
A slightly sad smile crossed the boy's face.
"Sorry, buddy," he murmured, staring at the cat. "It's for science… well, sort of."
Slowly, he approached the feline, careful not to make too much noise. His hands were sweaty, and his heart was beating faster than usual. He had never done this before, and part of him wondered if he should just abandon the idea.
But another part—the one that understood the danger of the world he was now in—told him that he had to understand his power at all costs. If he wanted to survive.
In a split second, he lunged, grabbing the cat by the scruff of its neck. The animal struggled, letting out furious meows, its claws desperately trying to scratch him. Ryosuke held it at arm's length, his eyes focused on the creature.
"Calm down, I'm not going to hurt you," he murmured, though the cat had no reason to believe him.
A few minutes later, Ryosuke found himself in a secluded spot, away from prying eyes. He had slipped into a small abandoned courtyard, behind a building where no one was likely to pass at this hour. The walls were covered in graffiti, and garbage bins littered the ground. The perfect place for his experiments.
The cat was still struggling in his arms, swiping at the air without managing to escape. Ryosuke held it firmly, feeling his heart beat faster and faster. His hands trembled slightly, but he refused to let the animal go. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his thoughts, before focusing on what he had already done with the plants.
He stared at the cat, and almost instantly, the same glows he had seen with the grass appeared. Three distinct flickers. The first glow, the weakest, seemed to envelop the cat's physical body—its muscles, its bones, everything that made it a tangible creature. The second was brighter, more powerful. Ryosuke knew, deep inside, that it represented the animal's soul, its thoughts and primal instincts.
As for the third glow… it was different this time. With plants, it had been still, but here, it seemed to move, vibrating with strange, wild energy. This was the cat's spirit.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Next Chapter: Terrifying Power