Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

The activity classroom at Sōbu High was empty, filled with the aroma of cooking.

Itsuki bit into rice balls and sushi, her face beaming with happiness. In contrast, Ichika's joy seemed somewhat diminished.

This couldn't be helped. Who would have thought her sister would discover her sneaking food? To keep it secret from Miku, she had to split the bento in half. Fortunately, she had hidden another bento in advance for a late-night snack.

Even Itsuki didn't know about the other bento.

Originally, Ichika had wanted to give that bento to Miku. After all, it was a meal specially prepared for her by Daiki. But who could have guessed Itsuki would find out?

Even enjoying a meal freely had become a luxury. Hopefully, they could keep it a secret from Miku for a while longer.

"How is it that even the simplest rice balls and sushi can taste this good?" Itsuki was utterly perplexed. Though they were the simplest of dishes, the taste was completely different.

"Indeed, I almost thought Daiki-kun had trained at Tōtsuki."

Since their family had become wealthy, they had tasted many high-class dishes. Nino even ordered a lavish feast every day that could be called sumptuous. But those dishes from high-end restaurants couldn't compare at all.

Perhaps only at Tōtsuki Academy, which monopolized culinary prestige, could they possibly find top chefs who surpassed Daiki's culinary skills.

Itsuki remained silent, lost in thought.

She had wanted to remind Ichika again that this should be the last time. But recently, these words had been appearing too frequently. Even if she said it, her sister probably wouldn't listen. She could only hope that her sister knew her limits and wouldn't take things too far.

After hastily finishing the rice balls and sushi, the two sisters returned to their respective classrooms.

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As evening fell and school let out, Daiki walked Miku home.

Itsuki and Ichika had already returned to the apartment with Yotsuba, taking the car. Nino, however, opted to get her nails done with some female classmates before heading back.

After escorting Miku to the apartment and bidding farewell with their customary kiss, Daiki made his way home.

By the time he finished dinner, Miku's messages had flooded his screen. With a sigh, he carved out some time to chat with her.

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The rain fell steadily, its damp, cold air making people instinctively wrap their clothes tighter.

"Nino, we're heading back first then."

Waving goodbye, the others departed for home.

Nino deftly opened her phone, initially intending to have the driver pick her up. Realizing the apartment wasn't far, she decided to walk instead.

Gloomy clouds obscured the sky as visibility gradually dimmed. The light drizzle slowly intensified into a heavy downpour.

"I remember there's a shortcut around here." Nino entered an unfamiliar alley, hoping to save some distance.

The pitch-black passage seemed different from usual. Strange, faint noises echoed from its depths. She struggled to place the familiar yet unsettling sound.

Suddenly, Nino halted, holding her breath.

In the corner, amid a pile of garbage, lurked an eerie figure. Its posture suggested it was gnawing on something.

A chill ran through her body as she began to slowly back away.

At that moment, lightning flashed across the gloomy sky. The dazzling white light illuminated the alley, revealing the monster's appearance.

A zombie!

Rotting flesh hung from its skeletal frame. Dark red blood vessels clung to flesh that seemed ready to slough off. Its gray-blue pupils showed no trace of life, its teeth grotesquely exposed.

Nino's pupils contracted as she turned to sprint away.

The zombie glanced at its half-eaten, indistinct meal, then at the fleeing figure, but ultimately didn't give chase.

[Alright, come back after you finish eating.] The Zombie Devil, controlling the zombie through a contract, said warily.

In the past, someone like Nino wouldn't have escaped at all. But times had changed. Life after dark had become increasingly perilous. Ordinary people, Devil Hunters, and Devils alike — the night's hidden malice could claim any of them at any moment.

As the woman fled, the grotesque zombie's gaze followed her toward a massive curtain covering the ground in the distance.

The jujutsu sorcerers' "Curtain" — a technique that obscured ordinary people's vision, allowing sorcerers to exorcise curses undisturbed. A deployed Curtain meant jujutsu sorcerers were active in the area.

The Zombie Devil had no desire to face these human monsters, fearing it might be exorcised along with the Curses. With this in mind, it directed its puppet to leave the area.

Meanwhile, the oblivious Nino sprinted on, only realizing something was amiss when she rushed into the Curtain.

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"The intel was wrong! This is clearly a Special Grade Cursed Spirit!" Mai Zenin aimed her technique-crafted gun at the Cursed Spirit.

Kasumi Miwa, her blue hair flowing, gripped her sword's hilt.

"I swear it was only Grade 2 when I observed it earlier! How did it suddenly jump to Grade 1? Unless..."

A chilling possibility dawned on Kasumi and Mai. Could this Grade 2 Cursed Spirit have devoured a Special Grade Cursed Object?

"What's our next move? Wait — someone's entered the Curtain." Mai's words trailed off as she spotted the intruder.

Before they could react, the massive Cursed Spirit was upon them.

Bang!

The terrifying force shattered the glass. Kasumi dodged the attack, thanks to her extraordinary perception. She and Mai then coordinated, using the buildings as cover.

"It's too strong!" Kasumi clutched her left arm, which was nearly immobilized.

A Special Grade Cursed Spirit could easily decapitate them with a casual attack. Fortunately, this one had just been born, and its intelligence wasn't fully developed. It toyed with the two of them like a cat playing with mice.

Nino, who had stumbled into this scene, stood dumbfounded — her worldview completely shattered. Kasumi seized an opportunity to pull her to safety.

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Nino's delayed return worried her four sisters. They couldn't even reach her by phone; it seemed to be turned off.

| Miku-chan— Red Princess♡ |

| Daiki-kun, I have to go. Something seems to have happened to Nino. |

Miku, who had been chatting enthusiastically, suddenly sent this message.

Daiki walked to the balcony and looked in three directions. At the edge of his vision, he spotted a faint black curtain.

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