Ultimate Man [JJK X SOL]: Loading Golden Entries at The Start

The school day began uneventfully as Ryuji and Miko approached the school gate.

As they neared the school gate, and the chatter of students grew louder, Ryuji's steps slowed. He let out a small sigh, his free hand brushing against his side. "Presence Concealment," he muttered under his breath, a faint ripple of cursed energy emanating from him.

In an instant, it was as though he had vanished from sight. To those without cursed energy, Ryuji was now nothing more than a passing shadow. Miko, still clinging to him, didn't react. 

Noticing the students passing by didn't react to seeing Ryuji as usual, she realized he must have hidden his presence using his ability. She couldn't help but smile as she recalled the moment she had once been on the receiving end of it too.

"Not in the mood for the stress today?"

"Something like that," Ryuji replied with a faint smile.

They passed through the gates unnoticed, the usual whispers and stares absent.

---

Class was, predictably, dull. With exams just around the corner, the teachers had shifted focus to revisions, droning on about topics most of the students had heard a hundred times before.

Ryuji barely paid attention, his chin resting on his hand as he gazed out of the window. The sunlight filtered through the trees outside, casting shifting patterns on the classroom floor. A bird flitted by, its movements far more engaging than anything happening inside.

Behind him, Miko was scribbling furiously in her notebook.

"Ryuji," she whispered, leaning forward. "If you keep staring out the window, you'll miss everything."

He didn't bother turning. "I think I'll survive," he replied lazily.

---

When the bell rang for break time, Ryuji and Miko wasted no time leaving the classroom. The halls bustled with activity; students chatted and laughed as they made their way to their usual hangouts. Ryuji and Miko headed straight for the service club room.

Inside, the atmosphere was lively. Utaha, Mai, Saki, Arisu, Yumiko, Yukino, and Hana were seated around the room, their conversations overlapping as they discussed everything from the upcoming exams to mundane school gossip.

"Ryuji!" Yumiko called out, waving him over with a grin.

He nodded in greeting, sliding into an empty seat. "Looks like everyone's here," he remarked, glancing around.

"Of course we are," Utaha said, her tone teasing. "It's not like we'd miss the chance to hang out with you."

Ryuji smirked but said nothing, letting the girls' chatter wash over him. The topics ranged from exams to trivial school gossip, punctuated by occasional bursts of laughter, a welcome change from the monotony of class.

---

Ryuji's relaxation was cut short. The faint hum of cursed energy prickled at the edges of his senses. It was unmistakable, a special-grade cursed spirit. He straightened slightly, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the room. The others noticed his shift in demeanor immediately.

"Do you feel that?" he asked, his voice cutting through the room's chatter.

The girls fell silent, their expressions shifting as they tuned into the cursed energy. Before anyone could respond, distant shouts echoed down the hallway, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.

"Students are running, something is wrong." Arisu said, her voice tight with concern.

Without a word, they all stood, following Ryuji as he stepped into the corridor. The scene outside was chaotic. Students were scattering in every direction, their screams mingling with the eerie sound of clattering footsteps.

And then they saw it.

At the far end of the hallway stood a cursed spirit. It loomed tall and gaunt. Its body was pieced together from desks, chairs, and crumpled exam papers, each fragment fused with grotesque precision. Pale parchment skin was marred by smudged ink and frantic red corrections, its eyes glowing like glaring desk lamps.

Its face, a warped clock with hands spinning erratically, was the centerpiece of its grotesque form. Around its neck hung a noose of tangled cheat sheets, and its elongated fingers, sharp as pencils, dripped black ink that sizzled as it hit the floor.

"Time's up," the cursed spirit growled, its voice echoing through the hallway. "Failure awaits."

The oppressive aura it emitted sent students scattering in terror, their screams fading into the distance.

"What the hell is that?" Mai muttered, her voice low.

"A cursed spirit," Yukino replied, her expression grim. "A special grade one, I think."

The spirit moved with jerky, unnatural motions, its steps echoing like falling pens. Its voice boomed, distorted and haunting, filling the hallway with mantras that sent shivers down their spines.

"Time's up." "Failure awaits."

Shadows danced along the walls, forming equations and essay prompts that seemed to taunt the fleeing students.

Ryuji tilted his head slightly, his expression a mix of incredulity and mild annoyance. "A book-themed cursed spirit?" he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with disbelief.

"What the hell is going on with this new generation of cursed spirits?"