25 ~ Twenty-Five

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[W]hile Gojo's relentless teasing of Panda's continued, Yuta's attention momentarily drifted away, his gaze fixating on something beyond their immediate conversation.

"What's wrong, Yuta?" Maki's keen observation didn't miss the subtle change in her friend's demeanor.

The shift in Yuta's focus caught Gojo's attention too, his playful demeanor faltering for a moment as he followed Yuta's gaze.

"Where's L/N-san?" Yuta demanded, noticing your absence and the discarded plastic bag on the ground.

Nanami and Gojo exchanged glances, their features immediately shifting into a serious expression.

"She couldn't have gone too far," Gojo remarked, his tone reflecting a sense of tense urgency.

"Let's find her, first," Nanami added, his eyes scanning the crowd of people, searching for any trace of your presence.

"Tsuna." It was Toge's hasty whisper that drew their attentions to your whereabouts his eyes fixed on something across the road. "Tsuna Tsuna."

Following Toge's indication, they spotted you being led by a grotesque cursed spirit into the darkness of an alleyway. The creature's twisted features, sickly green hue, disproportionate eyes, and contorted neck sent chills down their spines.

"Split into two teams," Gojo commanded, his voice firm and authoritative. "Nanami, Maki, Panda, set up a perimeter and create a veil. Yuta, Toge, come with me. We need to follow her."

With a sense of urgency, the group instantly sprang into action, knowing that the situation had suddenly taken a turn for the worse.

In a flash, Gojo darted across the road, leading Toge and Yuta into the alleyway where you were last spotted.

As Nanami's veil began to descend behind them, cloaking the surroundings, a sudden surge of curse energy rippled through the air, powerful and unfamiliar.

It was a jarring presence, one that didn't belong to any known special grade sorcerers. The possibility of a special grade cursed spirit loomed ominously in their minds.

Gojo's pace slowed slightly at the echoing sound of shattering glass in the alleyway.

From a third-floor window you emerged, your expression stern and cold. But accompanying you was a grotesque, worm-like cursed spirit, its gaping maw threatening to engulf you.

In a brief moment, Gojo Satoru caught your eye. Instinctively, you tried to push the child in your arms toward him, but your timing faltered, leaving both of you vulnerable.

Reacting swiftly, Gojo sprang into action, his command clear and firm. "Toge, don't hold back." With lightning speed, he intercepted you mid-air, securing you in his arms as the cursed spirit's maw rebounded against an unseen barrier.

Upon landing, Gojo remained composed as Toge unleashed his cursed technique, bellowing, "Get crushed!" An invisible force descended from above, pulverizing the cursed spirit to the ground, dark liquid oozing from its wounds.

Breathless and shaken, you found refuge in Gojo's embrace, the child you rescued clinging tightly to you.

But their efforts seemed futile as the worm-like cursed spirit began to stir from its position.

"Rika!" Yuta's voice cut through the chaos as he sprang into action too, his cursed spirit by his side. Together, they delivered the final blow.

The sequence of events unfolded so rapidly that there was no time to fully comprehend what had just transpired.

"This was an awfully reckless move on your part, Y/N-chan," Gojo's mild reprimand rang out above your head.

As the worm-like cursed spirit lay lifeless, its grotesque form creating a morbid scene around your surrounding, Gojo Satoru lowered you gently to the ground.

Your legs trembled, threatening to give way beneath you.

Just then, a distant wailing caught your attention, your head snapping in its direction.

While you saw the figure of the little girl crying out of sheer sadness, the others merely perceived the grotesque cursed spirit that had led you into the alleyway earlier.

"Yuta, take care of it," Gojo ordered, his voice firm.

But your disapproval was swift. "Stop. Don't. I beg you," you pleaded, halting Yuta's impending strike.

Instead, you handed the little boy to Gojo and approached the weeping girl. Kneeling in front of her, you took her hand in yours.

"Why are you crying?" you demanded, your voice trembling. "I saved your brother, didn't I?"

"L/N-san, what are you—" Yuta began, but Gojo silenced him with a raised hand.

Watching with interest, Gojo Satoru observed as you imbued your hand with cursed energy, causing the others to gasp in surprise.

It was the same special grade cursed energy they'd felt earlier.

In that moment, the memories and emotions of the little girl flowed through you, as if you were being possessed by her sadness and despair.

It was a strange form of communication, but you understood her pain.

"I'll take care of him. You can rest easy now, okay?" you reassured her, your voice gentle.

The others watched in astonishment as the cursed creature transformed before their eyes into the shape of a little girl dressed in tattered clothes, her tears still streaming down her face.

With a tender embrace, you comforted her as her figure began to fade into bluish dust. "Rest easy, I'll take care of everything," you promised, until she vanished completely.

A solitary tear traced its path down your cheek. With a quick gesture, you wiped it away.

"L/N-san, are you alright?" Yuta's voice carried genuine concern.

"Yeah, I'm okay," you reassured him with a nod, retrieving a small earring from your coat's pocket and putting it back on your left ear.

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