Yet, he couldn’t understand.

Why? Why would the True Person, who was supposed to twist others’ souls, have his own soul twisted?

Could it be that this Curse Master, like the True Person, also has the ability to twist others’ souls?

"You don’t need to worry about that, you just need to die."

Duanmu Huai held his weapon and slowly walked toward the monk.

"You know, there’s a story about Christmas - Santa Claus will visit the homes of children at midnight. If they’re obedient good kids, he’ll give them gifts. But if they’re naughty kids, Santa will kill them..."

As he spoke, Duanmu Huai raised his Sharp Blade.

"Santa’s clothes are dyed red with the blood of naughty kids, you know?"

"You, what do you want!?"

At this moment, the monk was already pale, stumbling backward, unable to stand steadily, and fell directly to the ground. He could only sit there in despair, watching Duanmu Huai walk toward him. Although he also possessed great Strength, at this moment, facing Duanmu Huai, the monk didn’t even have the thought to resist.

He looked at Duanmu Huai as if looking at an incomprehensible, indescribable Monster. This was not a Human but some Monster wearing human skin!

Like a scene in a horror movie where the victim in Despair watches a serial killer with a chainsaw approaching.

"With such Strength, you could do anything! Why! Why do you still follow those old men’s orders?"

"I have only one purpose."

Duanmu Huai raised his Sword.

"To eliminate all Curse Spirits and Guard Humans, it’s that simple."

As he said this, Duanmu Huai swung his weapon at the monk.

"—I know the method!"

With the monk’s heart-wrenching scream, Duanmu Huai’s Sword stopped above his head. The monk stared at the cold light in front of him, trembling and sweating.

"Speak."

"...Alright, alright."

The monk nodded tremblingly, swallowed, and looked at Duanmu Huai.

"Do you know, outside of Japan, Curse Masters and Curse Spirits are extremely rare, almost nonexistent."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Huai became interested.

"This is the first time I’ve heard that. What is the reason? It can’t be that your people have high Quality."

Piling quantity to improve Quality is an ancient unchanging rule. Originally, Duanmu Huai thought that since Japan had so many Curse Masters, other countries must have more, given that there are many countries in the world with larger populations than Japan. Since Japan has Curse Masters, other countries should have them too.

"Do you know Tianyuan?"

"Who? Never heard of her."

"I thought so too."

The monk smiled bitterly.

"She was a Curse Master a thousand years ago, a contemporary of Two-faced SuNu."

"Oh? So this old lady has lived a thousand years?"

"More than just that."

As the monk spoke, he gritted his teeth.

"You know, every Curse Master possesses their own unique Technique, and Tianyuan’s Technique is immortality. However, this spell is not completely immortal. Tianyuan ages, and once she ages to the point of dying, her Technique activates, evolving her to the next realm—an existence somewhat like a Curse Spirit."

As he spoke, the monk became more agitated.

"Curse Spirits survive on instinct. Tianyuan doesn’t want to evolve, so every 500 years, she finds a suitable person to assimilate, resetting her lifespan to avoid aging and maintain sanity. Moreover, Tianyuan has set up Barriers all over Japan to monitor the situation and it is precisely with Tianyuan’s Strength that Japanese Curse Masters possess such powerful Curses and Barriers..."

"Alright, I understand your point."

Duanmu Huai interrupted the monk’s story, as someone who’d experienced many similar cases.

Ever since visiting Subspace before, Duanmu Huai has had a suspicion: why is Subspace so close to the real world?

Everyone knows—well, all players know—that although Subspace is quite grotesque, there’s a thick Barrier between it and the real world. Not even a Chaos Evil God can break through and invade the real world on its own; they can only influence and control Humans through weak spots, creating mass killings and various supernatural events to weaken the real world Barrier, thus facilitating World Fusion with Subspace.

Initially, Duanmu Huai thought the Subspace in this world was gradually merging with the real world. But when he heard this monk say that only in Japan are Curse Masters and Curse Spirits so pervasive, Duanmu Huai immediately noticed something was amiss.

This means someone is weakening the Barrier between Japan and Subspace!

Later, the monk confirmed Duanmu Huai’s suspicion.

Tianyuan.

A Psychic who has lived for a thousand years and covered Japan in her Barrier. As previously mentioned, a large number of supernatural events and abnormal deaths weaken the Barrier between the real world and Subspace. Although the reason for Tianyuan doing this is unknown, it results in the Barrier here being weakened, leading to more people influenced by Subspace developing Spiritual Energy. Their Strength further catalyzes the increase of Subspace Creatures—Curse Spirits.

Curse Spirits take form through Human fear, killing Humans, creating more unnatural death events, thinning the real world Barrier...

Hmm, in other words, it’s all because that old undying one refuses to die peacefully.

Then conversely, as long as Tianyuan dies... most of the problem is solved.

"Where is that old undying one?"

"At the Magic High School."

The monk gave an honest answer.

"However, finding Tianyuan is not easy. She’s an expert in Barrier Techniques. In the High School, only one of more than a thousand constantly shifting doors leads to Tianyuan’s Hongxing Palace. Since you’re a Special Grade Curse Master, requesting to see Tianyuan should get you permission."

"Very well, thank you for the information."

As he finished speaking, the Sword flashed.

The monk didn’t even have time to react; his head, along with his body, was split in half by Duanmu Huai. Even at the last moment, the monk wore a dazed smile, seemingly unable to understand what had happened.

"This is a wonderful Christmas gift, I accept it."

Duanmu Huai picked up the box said to be sealing Gojo Satoru that had fallen from the monk’s hands and smiled slightly at his corpse.

"But it’s a pity you’re still a naughty kid needing Santa’s lesson."