The air in the dimly lit hideout was heavy with cursed energy, a palpable, suffocating force that would have driven an average sorcerer to their knees. But the one standing beside Suguru—no, Kenjaku—was far from ordinary.

The gathered cursed spirits, each a monstrous embodiment of humanity’s fears, were already waiting when Kenjaku stepped into the room, the presence at his side a quiet storm. Mahito was the first to react, tilting his head with an eerie grin, eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Ooh, what’s this? You’ve brought a pet, Kenjaku?”

“Hardly,” Kenjaku replied smoothly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “This one is my lover.”

That got their attention. Hanami, silent and imposing, shifted slightly as if assessing the claim. Jogo’s flames flickered dangerously, skepticism radiating from him. “A sorcerer? With you?” His voice was laced with disbelief. “I find that hard to believe.”

Choso’s crimson eyes lingered on Kenjaku’s companion, expression unreadable. He wasn’t as quick to dismiss things as the others, but there was clear wariness in his gaze.

Mahito, ever the provocateur, took a step forward, an unsettling gleam in his eyes. “If you’re with Kenjaku, that means you share our goals, right?” He leaned in closer, his twisted grin widening. “Or did he just find you interesting?”