Following the order determined by the tournament draw, Tokyo Jujutsu High went first in the opening Exorcism Assessment. Qingxiao, Satoru Gojo, and Suguru Geto entered as a team, stepping into the Dedicated Cursed Spirit Exorcism Competition Venue.
The venue's interior was spacious, with towering trees all around blocking the view from outside.
The air reeked of the bloody rot unique to cursed spirits. A cursed spirit with stable Semi-Grade 1 strength lurked in the shadows.
The tension from the clash outside the venue had yet to fade. Suguru Geto looked helplessly at Qingxiao beside him, who appeared perfectly calm, as though nothing had happened, and shook his head.
"You really moved fast back there. The moment I heard Naoya start insulting someone, I reached out to stop you. Before I could even finish speaking, you were already gone."
Satoru Gojo immediately chimed in beside him, grinning mischievously.
"Hahaha! My Six Eyes saw everything! The guy had barely gotten out 'the one beside' before you charged out, Qingxiao."
Faced with their back-and-forth teasing, Qingxiao merely curled his lips into a faint smile. He glanced across the dim venue and changed the subject.
"Enough chatting. Let's hurry up and exorcise the cursed spirit. I'm in a rush."
He had never taken this little assessment seriously. All he wanted was to finish the fight quickly and end the first round early, so he could properly settle the score with Naoya Zenin in the upcoming Round-Robin Match.
Satoru Gojo readily nodded at that and took off his sunglasses. His Six Eyes activated instantly, a pale blue glimmer flashing through his eyes.
Dense networks of cursed energy and the location of the cursed spirit hiding behind a rock came clearly into view.
"Found it. Behind the stone pillar at three o'clock."
The instant he finished