It was another day by the sea, and after several days of searching, Suguru finally found the target of this commission, the Rainbow Dragon.
Speaking of which, this commission had been taken by Satoru on Suguru's behalf.
After learning that the Gojo Family had a cursed tool suitable for him, Suguru began taking jobs to earn money.
Along the way, he did not forget to confirm the status of the cursed tool with Satoru.
Satoru usually did not care much about his family's affairs. In his opinion, those decaying, rotten elders were far less interesting than Eichi and Suguru.
However, he happened to know about Playful Cloud, since it was a rare Special Grade cursed tool. At the time, Satoru had even borrowed it to play for a while.
But because he kept bumping his head while using it, he stopped.
Moreover, it was not cool at all. He swung it around for ages, and there were no special effects.
After remembering that such a thing did exist, Satoru gave an affirmative answer.
So Suguru worked even harder.
Under these circumstances, when Satoru came to hang out with Eichi, he remembered a big commission and asked Suguru if he would take it. Suguru accepted without hesitation.
It was a large, nine-figure commission.
Satoru knew about this commission because its issuer was the Jujutsu Headquarters, and the Gojo Family had discussed it internally.
However, they later felt the risk was too great and wanted more compensation, so they did not respond.
After all, the enemy to be dealt with in this commission was a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
The Rainbow Dragon was a Special Grade Cursed Spirit born from people's fear of dragons and snakes. It possessed a body that even a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer would find difficult to damage, as well as powerful speed, strength, and amphibious combat ability.
The Jujutsu Headquarters had organized two attempts to exorcise it, but both failed, and several Grade 1 and Grade 2 sorcerers were injured.
Unlike other Cursed Spirits, whose activity range was small and relatively fixed, the Rainbow Dragon's range was vast, almost covering half of the island nation.
This gave the Jujutsu Headquarters a huge headache.
Previously, when exorcising Cursed Spirits, they would obediently remain at their birthplace. Headquarters only needed to send a few sorcerers from commoner backgrounds to investigate, then gather personnel for a subjugation based on the Cursed Spirit's condition.
However, the Rainbow Dragon's activity range was too wide, so they could only search and fight at the same time.
But the Rainbow Dragon would fly for a while and swim for a while, and they could not keep up.
Leaving it alone was not an option either. Its harm was too great, even affecting the island nation's fishing industry to some extent.
To solve the problem as quickly as possible, the Jujutsu Headquarters simply offered a bounty.
There was no other way. Before Satoru intervened in the Jujutsu World, the strongest power was actually held by the Three Great Families. Almost all high-ranking officials at Headquarters were from the Three Great Families, and mobilizing enough masters for missions required their consent.
But the Three Great Families would not act without sufficient incentive. They were unwilling to move unless the benefits were substantial. In the end, Headquarters made this decision.
On one hand, they urged the Three Great Families to form a Cursed Spirit exorcism team as soon as possible. On the other hand, they offered a bounty to see if a few brave individuals would deal with the Rainbow Dragon.
Thus, through Satoru's introduction, this commission fell into Suguru's hands.
The weather after the rain was exceptionally clear, and a dragon-shaped Cursed Spirit, entirely silver-white and ethereal under the rainbow, emerged on the sea surface.
In the sky, Suguru, standing on a manta ray Cursed Spirit, looked at the Rainbow Dragon with fervent eyes.
That was not only his second Special Grade Cursed Spirit, but also the final payment for Playful Cloud, the cursed tool of his dreams.
The more he looked at the Rainbow Dragon, the more pleasing it became to his eyes.
Unfortunately, unlike divine dragons that could summon clouds and rain, avert disasters, and bestow blessings, the Rainbow Dragon, born from the fear of dragons and snakes, brought only harm to an area.
"Vultures."
Dozens of vulture Cursed Spirits appeared and flew toward the Rainbow Dragon.
The Rainbow Dragon, which was flying toward a fishing ground, seemed to sense something.
It turned and looked at Suguru in the sky and the flock of vultures flying toward it.
"Roar!"
A terrifying roar erupted from its mouth.
The Rainbow Dragon twisted its body and flew toward Suguru.
Suguru controlled the manta ray to dodge, while commanding the vultures to obstruct the Rainbow Dragon's vision.
In an instant, several ferocious-looking Cursed Spirits appeared on the Rainbow Dragon's body.
These Cursed Spirits were generally Grade 2 or higher, and among them was one Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.
A praying mantis Cursed Spirit wielded its dual blades, attacking the Rainbow Dragon's body, but the strikes only sparked a bit of fire and left no marks.
Fish with mouths full of sharp teeth bit into the Rainbow Dragon, but similarly failed to break its defense.
The Grade 1 Cursed Spirit, on which Suguru had placed high hopes, opened its gaping maw, but its bite only managed to lightly scratch the Rainbow Dragon's skin.
"Its hardness is truly terrifying."
After speaking, Suguru turned and flew toward the sea.
The Rainbow Dragon pursued closely from behind.
Soon, the battlefield descended to the sea surface.
"Kraken."
Over a dozen huge tentacles shot from the seabed, tightly coiling around the Rainbow Dragon's body.
"Roar!"
The Rainbow Dragon roared angrily, then twisted, attempting to break free.
Its sharp teeth were like divine weapons, biting off the Kraken's tentacles.
But the Kraken's mission was already complete. The high-speed Rainbow Dragon had been successfully intercepted and dragged into the sea.
"Umibōzu. Great Sea Monster. Ame-onna. Merman. Bottle-Gourd…"
Dozens of Cursed Spirits skilled in water combat appeared around the Rainbow Dragon, including several Grade 1 Cursed Spirits.
Thanks to Eichi's help, the number and strength of Cursed Spirits Suguru possessed at this time were far greater than in the original timeline.
Although the Rainbow Dragon was strongest on the field in terms of power, speed, and defense, as the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. Faced with dozens of Cursed Spirits systematically taking turns to attack, it could not cope.
Its attacks either missed or were blocked by Grade 1 Cursed Spirits, while other Cursed Spirits' blows continuously landed on its body.
Even if the injuries were minor, they accumulated over time, making the Rainbow Dragon suffer.
On the constantly surging sea surface, a giant sea turtle Cursed Spirit slowly moved.
On the turtle's back, a huge figure stretched its long neck into the water, and black mist surged, enveloping the Rainbow Dragon's entire body.
It was the Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
The illusion interfered with the Rainbow Dragon's judgment, and its movements gradually became distorted.
Suddenly, several pufferfish-like Cursed Spirits burrowed into its belly and then exploded.
The Rainbow Dragon's body swelled instantly, then quickly returned to its original slender form.
But Suguru knew it was injured.
Sensing danger, the Rainbow Dragon began to struggle fiercely, wanting to escape the battlefield and regroup.
"Has it arrived?"
Suguru looked into the distance. A black dot was flying toward them, faster and faster.
The Rainbow Dragon finally broke through the encirclement and burst out of the sea. Under Suguru's control, the Special Grade Cursed Spirit leaped from the sea turtle's back, its gaping maw biting the middle of the Rainbow Dragon's body. Its four limbs tightened, holding the Rainbow Dragon and pulling it toward the sea surface.
"It is a bit off."
Glancing at the black dot's trajectory, then at the Rainbow Dragon still struggling, Suguru acted.
A black fissure opened behind him, and a giant worm Cursed Spirit rushed out, crashing hard into the Rainbow Dragon.
"Yuki-onna."
A figure in a kimono with a hairy face, green skin, and demonic fangs appeared behind Suguru.
A biting cold wind mixed with snow howled past, temporarily freezing the Rainbow Dragon's body.
Several more tentacles appeared, pulling the Rainbow Dragon toward the black dot's path.
"That is more like it."
Just then, the black dot that had been flying for so long finally appeared before the Rainbow Dragon.
A tiger-like body full of explosive muscle, huge wings, and long horns jutting from its head.
This figure, similar to the legendary vicious beast Qiongqi, was the Chimera Qiongqi, a Fusion created by Eichi using Tiger Funeral, Nue, and Piercing Ox.
(To be continued.)
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