Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

"Iroha, you must be lying! Miss Mei Mei said that a Sorcerer's power depends on their Cursed Power and Innate Technique. Senpai's techniques are clearly slashing and flames!"

Until now, Ayase couldn't forget when the three of them entered the Magano — those terrifying invisible slashes and the mushroom cloud that rose into the sky. The high-temperature flames had detonated in the Magano, releasing enough power to instantly purify all the surrounding Impurities.

How could Daiki, who possessed such formidable techniques, possibly master such an improper ability? This girl was clearly talking nonsense.

Hearing this, Iroha's mouth twitched slightly — she knew her friend had unknowingly fallen deep into her Senpai's woven gentleness.

She explained helplessly, "I have no reason to lie, and besides, aren't I proof myself? The increase in Cursed Energy is undeniable!"

Ayase was instantly speechless.

Such surging Cursed Energy couldn't be refined in just a day or two. As she had suspected, Iroha had secretly taken a shortcut.

While she felt indignant, she fell silent — this meant that the practice still had legitimate reasons. If the story about the King of Curses weren't fabricated, wouldn't Daiki be in danger while they were wasting time?

Her silence was undoubtedly a boost of confidence for Iroha, who pressed on, "We're already wasting Senpai's time asking about Jujutsu knowledge! Is it wrong for me to offer some compensation for you and Kirino? Ayase! We must prioritize the bigger picture!"

The earnest persuasion made even herself wipe her forehead. This kind of intense fabrication really wasn't her strong suit.

Surely through this persuasion, her friend would understand her actions!

"But... that's not what you said in the kitchen before!" Ayase's expression was hesitant, clearly believing Iroha's words.

The total increase in her Cursed Energy couldn't deceive her eyes. Daiki must really possess that strange ability. As for the King of Curses's perspective, she maintained a wait-and-see attitude. However, her friend did have one point right.

Daiki was the Jujutsu Inspector General, bearing the future of the entire Jujutsu World. Now they were wasting his time with these trivial training matters.

This wasn't right at all!

"Wasn't I just worried about you then? If you hadn't been there, why would I have been afraid to speak my mind!"

The pitiful expression left Ayase stunned in place. What did this have to do with her?

"I was mainly worried you'd throw yourself at Senpai without thinking. If I hadn't stopped you, you'd be the one compensating!"

"Eh? How is that possible? I would never do something like that! That would be immoral! It wouldn't be fair to Miku-senpai!" The flustered Ayase hurriedly waved her hands in denial.

"So you're saying it doesn't matter if it's unfair to Daiki-senpai?" Iroha teased with a smile.

Ayase was once again at a loss for words. That wasn't what she meant, but expressing her feelings seemed somehow inadequate.

"That... that's not what I meant!" Her voice trailed off as she lowered her head in thought.

"Well, we're all tired today. Think it over, Ayase!"

Iroha felt the timing was perfect — tomorrow she could smoothly approach Daiki's side and peacefully advance.

She failed to notice that Ayase, with her naturally obsessive personality, could easily become trapped in an endless mental spiral.

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In the end, Ayase was so lost in thought about how to compensate Daiki for wasting his time that she didn't even hear Iroha closing her bedroom door.

"Is the King of Curses very powerful?" She instinctively searched on her phone.

But the information she found couldn't possibly be reliable — most of it was half-truths mixed with wild exaggerations.

"The King of Curses literally means the Curse king, the supreme king who can command all Curses! Has two heads and four arms." Ayase's heart sank.

Her only real experience with the Jujutsu World had been entering the Magano. Beyond that, she'd only had contact with Mei Mei.

Looking back now, how naive!

"Just because Senpai is strong, I assumed the Jujutsu World was safe. How could it be easy for him when he carries the future of the entire Jujutsu World! If even Iroha can compensate him, then..."

Her neck flushed red. Her fair, jade-like face took on a charming blush.

"Iroha is right! Senpai's strength is his own burden! We must find a way to repay what we owe him! Like she said, personal concerns don't matter! We must think of the bigger picture! For the future of the Jujutsu World and all humanity!" Ayase clenched her small fists, her heart racing.

She unconsciously glanced toward Iroha's bedroom and, finding no movement, slipped out and headed straight for Daiki's room next door.

When Mei opened the door, she was slightly surprised — she had expected Iroha, but instead found the usually rigid and serious Ayase.

"Miss Mei Mei, I need to see Daiki-senpai about something!" Too embarrassed to explain herself, Ayase kept her head down, not daring to look directly at the mature woman.

"Daiki-kun, well, he might be busy at the moment." Mei glanced meaningfully toward the master bedroom.

"It's fine, I'll just go in and take a look!"

Mei's mouth twitched — after witnessing what was inside, could anyone really come back out?

Creak—

The bedroom door closed.

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Next door, Iroha drifted into dreamland with a smile on her face.

In her dream, she stood on a vast prairie, galloping on horseback with Daiki, while Miku and Mei Mei could only watch.

Oh right, there was also Kirino and Aya... wait, where was Ayase?

As her thoughts became clearer, her perspective suddenly shifted to reveal Ayase sitting prominently in front of Daiki, while she was relegated to being just a spectator!

"Huff Huff Huff..." Iroha jolted awake, looking around frantically.

Her tension melted away as she noticed the faint light outside the window.

"That scared me!" She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

Realizing it had all been just a dream, she lay back down.

She had almost thought she'd been NTR'd!

"Hmph, I'm a pure love warrior wearing a bull's head!" Smacking her lips twice, Iroha drowsily collapsed back into sleep.

Little did she know...

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『Host has collected Mai Zen'in!』

『Reward: Innate Technique — Construction!』

『Host has collected Ayase Aragaki!』

『Reward: Grace — Sunshine!』

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T/N: If you want more chapters like this, check out my Patreon! Take a look at my other translations too, you might like them!

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