𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬

┌──── ∘°❉°∘ ────┐

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬

└──── °∘❉∘° ────┘

𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

--MISA MOVED QUICKLY THROUGH THE FOREST, her pace steady as she followed the faint traces of Toge's cursed energy. It didn't take long before she spotted him in a small clearing, crouched beside one of Megumi's shikigami dogs. The large, shadowy canine sat obediently as Toge gently petted its head, his usual calm demeanor making the interaction oddly heartwarming.

Misa smirked, stepping into the clearing. "Didn't peg you for a dog person, Toge."

Toge glanced up, his hand still resting on the shikigami. "Bonito flakes," he replied, his tone cheerful as always.

Before Misa could tease him further, a sudden, overwhelming wave of cursed energy hit them like a freight train. Misa froze, her body tensing instinctively as the oppressive aura filled the air. It was suffocating, heavy, and far more intense than anything she'd ever felt before.

Toge's hand stilled on the shikigami, his head snapping toward the source of the energy. His usually calm expression tightened, and his violet eyes narrowed in focus.

Misa exchanged a glance with him, her own face reflecting the unease bubbling in her chest. "You feel that too, right?" she asked, her voice quieter than usual.

Toge gave a short nod. "Salmon," he said, his tone clipped.

Their eyes turned in unison toward the edge of the clearing, where something began to emerge from the shadows. A slimy, disfigured creature crawled into view, its body twisted and grotesque. Its eyeless face was a void of darkness, and its gaping mouth seemed to stretch unnaturally wide, filled with the same inky blackness.

Misa's hand instinctively flicked with cursed energy, her eyes narrowing. "That thing's... gross," she muttered, her tone laced with disgust.

The creature emitted a low, guttural noise, its movements jerky and unnatural. But as revolting as it was, both Misa and Toge could tell—this wasn't the source of the cursed energy that had rattled their senses.

"No way," Misa murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She took a step closer to Toge, her instincts screaming that something far worse was nearby. "It's not that thing... is it?"

Toge didn't answer, his gaze locked on the creature as his cursed energy flared subtly in preparation. They both stood frozen for a moment, the oppressive atmosphere pressing down on them as they scanned the shadows for the true source of the overwhelming power.

The forest around them grew eerily still, and the tension crackled in the air.

Misa's eyes remained fixed on the grotesque creature as it let out a low, gurgling sound. Just as she began to shift her weight, preparing for a fight, the creature's movements suddenly ceased.

Without warning, its head was severed in a single, fluid motion. The dark void where its eyes had been seemed to collapse inward as its body slumped to the ground.

Misa let out a small gasp, her hand instinctively holding onto Togo's uniform. "What the...?" she muttered, glancing at Toge, who remained unnervingly still.

Their eyes met briefly, a silent exchange of unease and readiness, before they both turned their attention back to the forest.

From the shadows, something began to emerge. Slowly, deliberately, a figure stepped into view.

It was tall, humanoid in shape but distinctly unnatural. Its skin was a mottled blend of earthy tones, white being the main one, textured like tree bark, with clusters of moss and flowers growing along its limbs. Two, gnarled horns protruded from its head, and its empty eyes glimmered with an unsettling, faint light.

Misa's breath caught in her throat as she instinctively took a step back, her muscles coiled and ready. Her mind raced, trying to process what she was seeing.

"What... is that?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Toge's expression tightened, his lips pressing into a thin line as he shifted his stance. His cursed energy subtly flared, a clear sign that he was preparing for whatever this thing was.

The figure stood motionless for a moment, its presence alone exuding a suffocating, overwhelming sense of cursed energy. The air seemed to grow heavier with each passing second, the tension between the sorcerers and the mysterious being crackling like static electricity.

Neither Misa nor Toge moved, their instincts screaming at them to stay alert as the figure loomed before them, radiating an aura of unmistakable danger. The scene ended in an eerie, chilling silence, with the forest holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.

The curse moved suddenly, its arm slicing through the air with a commanding motion. In an instant, the ground beneath them erupted in an explosion—not of fire, but of tree bark and roots. Massive, jagged spikes of wood shot outwards, twisting and splintering like they had a mind of their own.

"Shit!" Misa hissed, reacting on instinct. She thrust her hands forward, summoning a shield of ice that formed a protective dome around her and Toge. The wooden spikes slammed into the icy barrier, sending them hurtling backward with the force of the explosion.

The shield cracked and shattered as they were launched into the air, tumbling helplessly toward the school. Misa gritted her teeth, bracing herself for impact, but before she could hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around her midsection.

"Toge?" she gasped, her eyes wide as she looked up to see Toge holding her firmly. His face was calm, but his grip steady as he adjusted their trajectory midair.

"Salmon," he said simply, his voice reassuring.

With a precise burst of cursed energy, Toge landed gracefully on the roof of the school, still carrying Misa. She blinked in surprise, her heart racing from the sudden chaos.

"Thanks for the save," she muttered, her voice a mix of gratitude and disbelief.

Toge gave her a small nod, his attention was drawn to the courtyard below.

The bark and roots from the explosion weren't done. They moved like living creatures, slithering and writhing toward the battlefield where Megumi and Noritoshi were locked in combat. The wooden tendrils exploded into a chaotic web of spikes, interrupting their duel with a sudden, violent intrusion.

Megumi's voice rang out, sharp and commanding as he tried to assess the situation. "Inumaki! Misa!" he shouted, his tone a mixture of urgency and concern as his eyes snapped toward the rooftop where they stood.

Misa and Inumaki still perched on the roof, their gazes fixed on the chaos below. The massive spiked roots continued to surge, the curse's ominous presence looming over the battlefield.

As the chaos unfolded below, Toge's expression shifted, his usually calm demeanor now laced with urgency. He looked to Misa, who he was still carrying firmly. His violet eyes locked onto hers for a brief moment and down at Megumi and Noritoshi who watched in confusion before he spoke with a commanding tone.

"Run away!"

The cursed speech reverberated through the air, carrying a weight that left no room for argument. Misa felt her body tense at the order, but she quickly nodded, understanding the severity of the situation.

Without hesitation, Toge leapt from the rooftop, and Misa, still being held by him, instinctively dropped from his grip and began running herself. The two of them landed lightly on the ground below, their movements quick and fluid as they began sprinting through the forest surrounding the school.

Misa ran alongside Toge, her steps perfectly in sync with his. Her mind raced as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, his focused expression keeping her grounded despite the chaos they'd just left behind.

"You're really good at this whole 'leading by example' thing," she quipped between breaths, her tone carrying an edge of humor despite the tension.

Toge didn't respond verbally, but the faintest tilt of his lips betrayed his amusement.

The sound of the living roots tearing through the earth echoed behind them, growing fainter as they pushed forward. Misa clenched her fists, her determination matching Toge's as they navigated the dense forest.

Though the danger wasn't far behind, the two of them moved with purpose, their shared understanding unspoken but clear: they had to regroup, and they had to survive.

As Misa and Toge sprinted through the school grounds, they quickly caught up to Megumi and Noritoshi, who had already started moving toward the gates. The four of them ran in tense silence, the oppressive aura of cursed energy growing stronger with every passing second.

"We need to get out of here!" Noritoshi shouted, his voice sharp as he glanced over his shoulder at the writhing mass of cursed roots that were relentlessly pursuing them.

The gates of the school loomed ahead, their heavy iron frames a beacon of potential safety. The group pushed forward, their focus singular: get out before the cursed energy reached them.

But just as they neared the gates, Misa's senses flared. A sudden, intense spike of cursed energy radiated from behind them, rushing toward their position like a tidal wave. Her eyes widened in realization, and she skidded to a stop.

"Stop!" she screamed, her voice cutting through the chaos.

The others halted immediately, their instincts kicking in just as the massive roots of cursed energy shot forward. The iron gates were penetrated with a deafening crack, the roots splintering through the metal like it was paper.

Before Misa could react further, Megumi was already moving. He threw himself in front of her, shielding her with his body as the jagged edges of the roots tore through the air.

"Misa!" he shouted, his voice strained.

Gritting her teeth, Misa summoned her cursed energy, thrusting her hands forward to create a shield of ice. The crystalline barrier erupted in front of them, intercepting the roots just enough to minimize the damage. The impact sent a spray of frost and splinters in all directions, the force of it pushing the group back slightly.

The shield cracked under the pressure but held long enough to blunt the worst of the attack. Misa stumbled back into Megumi, her breathing heavy as she steadied herself.

"You okay?" Megumi asked, his voice low but steady as he glanced down at her.

"Yeah," Misa muttered, brushing herself off as she turned to survey the damage. Her ice shield was already melting, and the roots continued to writhe and twist ominously, their presence still a looming threat.

The four of them stood there for a moment, catching their breath, their eyes fixed on the path ahead as the cursed energy pulsed around them. The air thick with tension and unspoken resolve.

The four of them froze, their breaths heavy and uneven as they turned their eyes toward the gates. There, perched atop the twisted mass of iron and roots, stood the cursed spirit. Its towering form was shrouded in the writhing tendrils of bark and vines, as if it were one with the forest itself.

The creature's skin, mottled and textured like ancient tree bark, seemed to shift in the dim light, and the flowers blooming along its body swayed unnaturally, as though breathing. Its empty, glowing eyes scanned the group below, exuding an aura of menace so overwhelming it felt like the air itself was suffocating them.

Roots continued to slither and twist around the spirit, spreading out in all directions, cutting off every potential path of escape.

Misa clenched her fists, her eyes narrowing as she instinctively took a step back. "Nowhere to run," she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible.

Megumi's gaze remained locked on the cursed spirit, his expression dark and calculating. Noritoshi's jaw clenched, while Toge's hand hovered near his throat, ready to act if needed.

The cursed spirit didn't move, but its presence alone was enough to paralyze the grounds with its oppressive energy. The scene ended with the four sorcerers standing at the ready, their eyes fixed on the spirit above them, knowing that the real fight was about to begin.

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚