Anime Collector: Starting With the Malevolent Shrine

A terrifying and grotesque malevolent shrine rose from the ground. Eerie creature bones formed its foundation, while four blood-red, ravenous mouths emerged from its sides. Vivid, dripping blood formed a dome that covered the entire sky.

In an instant, the survivors from the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division were pulled into the domain. Horror etched their faces as they gazed upon the transformed environment.

Himeno stared blankly at the malevolent shrine that had risen nearby. It resembled a bloody slaughterhouse more than a demon-supressing shrine. A figure stood directly in front of it.

Hoo—

The sound of breathing echoed clearly. Beads of sweat trickled down Himeno's forehead.

Then, the world plunged into deathly silence.

The squad leader, his arms completely devoured by the demon, widened his eyes. The other survivors stared in terror at what loomed behind her.

Himeno's gaze swept over the ground, which resembled a sea of blood. There, in her line of sight, was the very demon they had been pursuing.

The Ghost Devil!

It appeared like a long-haired female ghost, but beneath its skirt were not feet, but countless arms — a sight that sent shivers down one's spine.

What made Himeno break out in a cold sweat was the Ghost Devil's arm resting on her neck, unnoticed until now. With just a slight effort, it could snuff out her life as easily as squeezing a chick.

Her heart raced, her throat constricting.

۞ Innate Technique ⟴ Dismantle! ۞

Suddenly, countless streams of blood burst from the Ghost Devil's body. Its densely packed, eerie arms had been completely severed in an instant.

Only its head fell to the ground, uncertainty filling its eyes. Those eyes, brimming with an eerie and sinister feeling, rolled about aimlessly.

The surrounding members of the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division who witnessed this all shuddered.

"That is—"

"Shut up!" The squad leader, completely disregarding his wounds, interrupted Himeno in a hushed voice, "This is domain expansion from a jujutsu sorcerer! It's a killing technique that only Special Grade jujutsu sorcerers and cursed spirits can use. Don't speak carelessly — absolutely do not speak carelessly."

His words trembled with fear. The other experienced members of the Devil Hunters Division also shivered.

Jujutsu sorcerers and the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division were separate organizations, but the Jujutsu Headquarters and the Public Bureau occasionally communicated.

The veteran members of the Devil Hunters Division had heard of jujutsu sorcerers and knew that only those of Special Grade could achieve a complete Domain Expansion.

What is Special Grade?

Jujutsu sorcerers classified Cursed Spirits into grades: Grade 4 Cursed Spirits, the weakest, could be killed with just a baseball bat imbued with cursed energy. However, a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit would require tanks to defeat it.

At Special Grade, their power increased exponentially. Even carpet bombing with intercontinental missiles might not kill a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.

In the entire Jujutsu world, sorcerers who mastered Domain Expansion were rare. The Devil Hunters weren't sure whether to consider this encounter lucky or tragic.

Daiki walked behind Himeno and picked up the Ghost Devil's head.

『Detected host collecting Ghost Devil!』

『Reward: Ghost Devil Pledge — Ghost Hand!』

{T/N: Contract is when both parties have to give something. Pledge is when the system forcefully used the power of the Ghost Devil. The MC doesn't have to give something in return.}

As the cold mechanical voice echoed, Daiki sensed a mysterious change. An invisible hand materialized in the void, instantly reaching all parts of the domain with his thoughts.

Hum!

The Malevolent Shrine's domain vanished, and the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division members returned to their original space.

The Ghost Devil's power was pathetically weak! After the Domain Expansion, Daiki merely raised a finger. An invisible slash reduced the Ghost Devil to ribbons.

Its feeble strength didn't even offer the satisfaction of bullying the weak. The only noteworthy aspect was perhaps its invisibility.

Those gripped by fear couldn't perceive its traces. In all other aspects, it was small fry at best.

'It got my hopes up for nothing.' Daiki thought. He'd deliberately observed for a while to prevent any surprises. Once he grasped the Devil's true nature, disappointment set in.

"Ju... Jujutsu sorcerer, sir..."

The Devil Hunters Division survivors eyed him uneasily. Though young in appearance, the Domain Expansion had instilled a sense of reverence.

"Does the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division have contacts with private demon hunter organizations?" Daiki asked bluntly. Fumbling around like headless flies would waste time.

He had no interest in joining the Public Safety Division as a workhorse. Private Organizations offered the best channel for information.

"Y-Yes... we do..." Himeno, realizing he'd saved her life, nodded quickly.

Her mother, a Private Devil Hunter, had died on a mission after misjudging a Devil's true strength. They'd been defeated and killed outright.

This was why she joined the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division — to gain more power and utterly destroy that Devil!

However, today's events shattered her naive ambitions. Even a random Devil could inflict heavy losses on the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division.

What about the Devil she was pursuing? Its strength would surely eclipse the Ghost Devil's! Could she truly avenge her mother with her own power?

Moreover, her father's health had deteriorated since her mother's death. His depression worsened daily, and his time seemed limited. If something were to happen to her too, what would become of her younger sister?

With her mind in turmoil, Himeno provided the contact information for the Private Sector Organization — an online forum accessible only with verified credentials.

Daiki logged into the forum using her identity key. As expected, he found a wealth of information channels.

Having obtained what he sought, he departed without delay.

Himeno watched his silhouette vanish into the darkness, suddenly frozen in place. It took several calls from the squad leader to snap her back to reality.

"Captain, I—"

"Go back, register, sign the confidentiality agreement, and you're free to leave." The squad leader interrupted, anticipating her decision, "Don't feel pressured; it's a common situation. Your quitting might even be for the best. The demons in the Devil Hunters Division... they're not suitable for contracts."

Gazing at the armless squad leader, Himeno's heart churned. Yet, she resolved to quit the Public Safety Devil Hunters Division.

Her decision solidified when she checked her phone — her father had passed away. If something were to happen to her as well, who would care for her younger sister?

Amidst her grief, Himeno felt a flicker of gratitude for encountering that mysterious and powerful Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer. Without him, today might have spelled disaster for her sister as well.

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Upon returning home, Daiki immediately delved into researching the Ghost Hand.

Despite the Ghost Devil's feeble strength, its collection value proved surprisingly high. The Ghost Hand — a reward from the collection — was far from ordinary.

❊❊❊

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