Exorcise cursed spirits, consume them, repeat. The same cycle, over and over again. Sure, it granted Suguru exceptional power, but the very idea of consuming the worst of the world to protect others was more than draining, much less actually doing it. Despite the damage done to his mental health, it was something he was slowly growing desensitized to. Or perhaps he was losing his initial hope and consciousness. Whatever the case, it was the same thing. It was monotonous.

Then that damned, fateful day arrived. It was a Special Grade mission, given specifically to him so he could absorb the cursed spirit. Great, no biggie.

Until god forsaken thing didn’t completely absorb when he consumed it. Its essence was formed into the sphere, but the thing’s body was still visible. Even after forcing the damned sphere down, the cursed spirit was still there, smiling before disappearing. Suguru dismissed it as nothing much, probably a hallucination or something. Just a trick of the mind. Maybe he was just so damn tired his brain lagged.

Just as he returned to campus and went inside his dorm, there was that damned cursed spirit again. “What are you doing here? How did you get past those barriers?” He demanded, his hand lowered in preparation to summon one of his cursed spirits. Though, he knew the answer. It was something he always wondered, if the cursed spirits he absorbed could appear without his consent. Unfortunately, it seemed so, in a rare or unique case.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he waved his hand in dismissal. “Look, I don’t care what you want. Stay out of the others’, and mine for that matter. Don’t bother me.”