### Chapter 13: Attack from the Curse User Group!
A long while later.
Amanai Riko walked out of the clothing store, carrying a shopping bag with an outfit inside, a satisfied expression on her face.
Kuroi Misato followed beside Amanai Riko, and the two walked out of the mall together.
"The younger of the two should be the Star Plasma Vessel."
"If I let the others in the organization know, the credit will definitely be snatched away."
"Just two ordinary humans. Even though I'm only a scout for [Q], I should be able to deal with them."
Not far behind the two, the strangely dressed woman thought to herself.
Then, she quietly followed them.
"Thank you, Misato."
Walking on the street, carrying the clothes Kuroi Misato had paid for, Amanai Riko smiled happily.
"This is what I should do for you, Young Lady."
Kuroi Misato shook her head.
At this age, other ordinary children were carefree, enjoying the protection of their parents.
But Young Lady Riko, from the moment she was born, bore the mission of being the 'Star Plasma Vessel' to be assimilated by Master Tengen.
Her life was destined to last only a dozen or so years.
Now, because of that identity, she couldn't enjoy entertainment with friends and had to be cautious whenever she went out.
Just a simple shopping trip made Young Lady Riko so happy...
Looking at Riko like this, Kuroi Misato felt even more heartache.
"Hey, Misato, when those Jujutsu Sorcerers arrive, I can still be with you, right?"
"I will be with you until the assimilation, Young Lady."
"Then I..."
"Wait, Young Lady!"
Just as Amanai Riko was enthusiastically about to say something more, she was interrupted by Kuroi Misato's outstretched hand.
The girl was stunned, but then she suddenly noticed a woman with a strange wavy hairstyle walking towards them from ahead.
"Misato..."
"That person might be a Curse User intending to harm you, Young Lady."
Kuroi Misato's face was solemn, her gaze sharp.
She took a step forward, shielding Amanai Riko behind her.
"Hehehe, I found the right one. How lucky."
"I wonder what kind of reward the leader will give me if I bring back the Star Plasma Vessel's corpse."
Umekawa Kuko took small, seductive steps, swaying her hips as she walked.
Her brown wavy hair also swayed behind her head.
Licking her red lips, she couldn't wait to see the shocked reactions of others in the organization and the reward the leader would bestow upon her.
"Which Curse User group are you from?"
Kuroi Misato stared coldly at Umekawa Kuko, grabbing a broom from the wall.
Holding the broom handle with both hands, she bent her body slightly, assuming a combat stance.
"Clearly just an amateur, yet you seem to know some things about the Jujutsu world."
However, Umekawa Kuko obviously wasn't prepared to waste words with Kuroi Misato.
Without explanation, her eyes widened, her facial expression becoming exaggerated, and she charged straight at Kuroi Misato.
Kuroi Misato didn't hesitate or show fear in the face of an unknown enemy, meeting the charge with her broom.
"Heh, your movements are too slow. Amateur is amateur."
Watching Kuroi Misato swing the broom, Umekawa Kuko showed disdain.
She bent down and dodged the former's attack.
With a flick of her right wrist, a capless fountain pen fell from her sleeve and was gripped firmly.
Cursed Energy concentrated on the sharp nib as she stabbed towards Kuroi Misato's exposed neck.
"Die obediently!"
Seeing the attack about to land, Umekawa Kuko grinned savagely.
If hit, this amateur had absolutely no chance of survival.
"Misato!"
Amanai Riko shouted anxiously.
Facing the life-threatening attack, Kuroi Misato maintained a calm expression.
With a twist of her hands, the broom head that had swept past Umekawa Kuko's head suddenly changed direction, smashing fiercely down onto Umekawa Kuko's head from above.
"...Impossible!"
Umekawa Kuko's expression froze, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed face-first onto the ground.
However, just moments before losing consciousness, she pressed a button inside her sleeve.
"Misato, are you hurt?"
Amanai Riko trotted to Kuroi Misato's side and asked with concern.
"I'm fine, Young Lady."
"That person wasn't strong, but there might be other Curse Users attacking you, Young Lady. Let's leave quickly."
Kuroi Misato held the broom in one hand and pulled Amanai Riko with the other, ignoring the gazes and discussions of passersby, running quickly away from the scene.
Leaving Umekawa Kuko lying on the sidewalk.
Pedestrians seeing this walked around her, with only a few pointing from a distance, but none approaching.
Not long after.
Two masked men, dressed even more peculiarly than Umekawa Kuko, arrived at her side.
Arms crossed, they looked down at her disheveled hair and somewhat wretched unconscious state.
"Looks like she was defeated."
"Useless. Let's just leave her here to wake up."
"Yeah, the Star Plasma Vessel shouldn't have run far. We should be able to catch up if we chase now."
"Let's go."
...
"I'm sorry, Misato. It's all because of my willfulness that we were exposed..."
Being pulled along by Kuroi Misato, Amanai Riko's delicate face was full of guilt.
If she hadn't insisted on Misato taking her shopping again after eating, they wouldn't have been attacked.
And she wouldn't have made Misato fight a dangerous enemy to protect her.
"It's not your fault, Young Lady. Don't worry, Young Lady, I will definitely protect you."
Kuroi Misato comforted her, but her left hand gripping the broom handle tightened unconsciously.
Thinking to herself:
"That person must be a member of some Curse User group, although I don't know why she was so weak..."
"More enemies will definitely attack Young Lady later. We need to get the sorcerers from that side to protect Young Lady as soon as possible."
"Hopefully, there are no accomplices of that Curse User nearby—"
However, the more one worries, the more likely it is to happen.
Kuroi Misato stopped abruptly.
Staring at the two masked men blocking the road, dressed even stranger than Umekawa Kuko but with many similarities in style.
Feeling the oppressive aura emanating from them, a bead of sweat rolled down Kuroi Misato's smooth cheek.
"This is bad..."