Vermouth and Chu Mengxi were each facing off against a pair of mushroom-shaped cursed spirits.
"What level are these mushrooms?" Broly asked.
"...Only Grade 3," Nobara replied after a brief pause.
Grade 3, huh...
Perfect for training.
In the Jujutsu Kaisen system, Grade 3 cursed spirits were weak enough to be eliminated with ordinary weapons, like a simple handgun.
This translated to a combat power of barely 5 units. Broly narrowed his eyes as he assessed Vermouth and Chu Mengxi, trying to gauge their power levels.
Their energies were hard to measure; they were far weaker than what he was accustomed to.
'I definitely need to get one of Frieza's Scouters someday,' he thought. But even without a device, he estimated that both had at least 10 units of power.
They weren't Goku—not even close.
But with 10 points, they could replicate some of Goku's early feats: things like destroying a car with a concentrated attack.
Facing Grade 3 spirits, which had less than 5 points of power, was like squashing bugs. The only way these curses could pose a challenge was through sheer numbers.
Even so, it was clear that Vermouth and Chu Mengxi just needed to get past their initial discomfort. Once they did, the fight began to tip in their favor.
"Hah… hah…" Chu Mengxi was breathing heavily, a satisfied smile forming on her face. "Well, now that we've officially trained, next time we face monsters in our own universes, there'll be nothing to fear."
Broly narrowed his eyes at her words.
Her statement confirmed something he had already suspected: Chu Mengxi didn't come from an ordinary universe.
Meanwhile, Vermouth, who seemed much more accustomed to combat, also smiled.
This time, however, it wasn't her usual seductive, calculated smile. It was genuine—a smile of excitement and enthusiasm. Even for someone like her, defeating supernatural beings for the first time was a unique experience.
"Broly, how did we do?" Vermouth asked, tilting her head slightly toward him. With a graceful motion, she brushed her platinum blonde hair aside, her smile charming yet tinged with sincere pride.
"For your first fight, you did well," Broly replied with complete seriousness.
Chu Mengxi rolled her eyes at his lack of enthusiasm but chose not to comment. Instead, she turned to Nobara, who had been quietly observing.
"Are you alright, Miss Kugisaki?"
Nobara flinched slightly at the question but quickly replied, "I'm fine. Thank you so much for coming to help me! I really don't know how to thank you."
"Heh, it's nothing," Chu Mengxi said, waving her hand dismissively. "After all, that's what group members are for—to help each other, right?"
Broly nodded calmly, and Vermouth followed suit with a faint smile. Seeing their gestures, Nobara gave them a genuine smile in return.
"Even so, I still want to thank you! Oh, and could you stop calling me Miss Kugisaki? Just call me Nobara."
"Alright, Nobara"
The atmosphere began to relax, but just as it seemed like the situation was under control, a sudden notification jolted them back to reality.
In the Chat Group
The Strongest Man on Earth: "@Legendary Super Saiyan, @The Witch of a Thousand Faces, @I'm Not the Flower of the School, @I Know How to Use a Hammer."
The Strongest Man on Earth: "Come on, tell me! How's it going? Did you manage to save Miss Kugisaki? Was the mission worth it?"
I'm Not the Flower of the School: "Cough, cough… Relax a little! We're all fine, no one got hurt. And of course, we saved Nobara!"
The Witch of a Thousand Faces: "What's the matter? Don't you trust us? Or is it that you don't believe in Broly?"
I Know How to Use a Hammer: "I'm fine now. The only thing left is to deal with the Special-Grade cursed spirit."
I Know How to Use a Hammer: "Really, thanks to everyone for worrying about me."
The Strongest Man on Earth: "But…"
I'm Not the Flower of the School: "But what? I know exactly what you're going to ask. You were worried we wouldn't be able to interact with the cursed spirits, weren't you?"
I'm Not the Flower of the School: "Well, Broly already anticipated everything. Our energy is completely capable of dealing with cursed spirits. There's nothing to worry about."
Bloody Habanera: "Ah, that makes sense… Well, I feel more at ease now."
The Strongest Man on Earth: "Still… Broly's intellect is impressive. It's incredible how he's always one step ahead."
I'm Really an Archaeologist: "So, what now? What's the plan? You've already saved Nobara—wouldn't it make more sense to retreat before things get worse?"
The Legendary Super Saiyan: "Retreat? That word doesn't exist in the Saiyan vocabulary. If I accepted this mission, it's because my goal is to destroy that curse."
...
With Broly leading the group, his imposing figure marched forward like a giant.
Behind him followed Vermouth, Chu Mengxi, and Nobara, keeping a steady pace. Although Nobara had barely recovered a fraction of her cursed energy, she had no intention of staying behind.
Not when her companions were involved. Retreating wasn't an option.
"Broly, your outfit isn't the same as last time," Chu Mengxi commented playfully, walking beside him and eyeing him with curiosity.
Broly barely turned his head toward her. "Yeah, I'm on the payroll now."
He offered no further explanation. Chu Mengxi, however, simply chuckled. That straightforward and blunt response was so typical of him, it was almost amusing.
"From a distance, it's not so obvious, but up close…" Vermouth said suddenly, removing her sunglasses with a casual flick and tossing them to the ground. "You realize just how incredibly strong you are, Broly. You really radiate… security."
Her gray eyes, now unobstructed, glimmered with a seductive intensity, though there was something deeper in her gaze.
Broly, for his part, showed no reaction. His expression remained as stoic as ever.
From behind, Nobara couldn't help but interrupt, "Everyone… I feel a little bad cutting into your chat, but could we pick up the pace? I'm scared that by the time we get there, my companions might already be dead…"
Hearing her tone, Chu Mengxi and Vermouth exchanged quick glances before both looked to Broly.
Under their expectant gazes, Broly simply nodded.
"Of course. Let's go."
________
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