-523- Direct break through

Meanwhile, the students of the Onmyou Academy, undergoing their advancement exams, were also trapped in a perilous situation.

"The miasma is getting stronger!"

"How is this possible!?"

"What's going on!?"

The students cried out one after another, plunging the scene into chaos.

"Calm down, everyone!"

"Please, calm down!"

Natsume and Kyouko had been loudly trying to persuade everyone since the beginning, but it was in vain.

There was no way.

Since some time ago, for unknown reasons, the miasma forming the spiritual disaster before them kept intensifying. The billowing black smoke, like a volcanic eruption, burst forth, growing stronger and stronger.

In this situation, the barrier used to isolate the spiritual disaster began to waver. The students forming the barrier were in a panic, and the exorcism team inside the barrier were even more affected by the intense miasma.

Their complexion turned pallid, and not only that, their spiritual energy became disordered. They appeared extremely uncomfortable, on the verge of fainting at any moment.

In the face of this situation, an ordinary student couldn't cope. It was normal for things to descend into chaos.

Even the three instructors were shaken.

"What's going on?"

"Why did the miasma suddenly strengthen?"

"Even if it's the witching hour, the activation of spiritual disasters can't possibly be this fast!"

The three instructors hesitated whether to interrupt the exam or not.

The current situation was like this, and truly no one could calm down at the scene.

Including Rozen, who had already been too busy to attend to this side.

When Rozen noticed the intensifying miasma, he also sensed that the spiritual veins underground suddenly became scorching like magma, chaotic to the extreme. At the same time, the miasma seemed to continuously appear far away from here, making Rozen's "Spirit Sight" seem as if it was being used excessively, causing it to heat up.

"What's going on?"

Rozen, concentrating, allowed his "Spirit Sight" to see spiritual energy phenomena in a farther location while his expression changed constantly.

This was evidently an abnormal state.

Moreover, it was not an ordinary abnormal state.

Although because of the distance, Rozen could only vaguely sense that spiritual disasters were occurring successively within Sekigome, just confirming this point was astonishing enough.

Even though it wasn't impossible for multiple spiritual disasters to occur simultaneously, the occurrence of so many at once was highly unusual.

Furthermore, the spiritual veins were already in complete chaos, and the spiritual energy in the air was gradually being replaced by the miasma.

This phenomenon made Rozen subconsciously recall that event.

———"Jou-i Daihara".

"Could it be..."

An idea sprouted in Rozen's mind.

Just then,

"No good!"

Natsume's exclamation resounded, instantly grabbing Rozen's attention.

Following that, Rozen saw.

"Crack!"

With a crisp sound, the floor tiles directly beneath the spiritual disaster suddenly cracked open.

"Boom!"

In an explosion-like noise, the miasma ignited like flames, erupting fiercely from underground.

Affected by the miasma, the ground began to crack, and the glass of the surrounding buildings shattered.

The intensified miasma had finally caused physical damage.

In the classification of spiritual disasters, miasma of this magnitude was referred to as..

"Phase 2!?"

The expressions of the instructors changed dramatically.

At the same time,

"We can't hold on much longer!"

"Quick, reinforce the barrier!"

Natsume and Kyouko simultaneously shouted in anxiety.

Upon a closer look, Natsume, who had been performing exorcism since a while ago, could no longer keep up with the intensity of the miasma. The jutsuryoku formed by the nine-character mantra was completely scattered by the fierce miasma. Kyouko's barrier finally cracked, unable to hold.

As for the other students, several of them were now kneeling on the ground, vomiting, and some had simply fainted, clearly unable to withstand the spiritual disaster reaching phase 2.

Only at this moment did the three instructors finally couldn't sit still.

"Quick!"

"We can't let the miasma continue to strengthen!"

"Hasten the reinforcement of the barrier's strength!"

The three instructors immediately stepped forward. Two of them formed hand seals, maintaining the barrier along with Kyouko. One stood beside Natsume, brandishing an Talisman, using jujutsu, striking at the spiritual disaster.

The pitch-black miasma momentarily froze slightly, but struggled fiercely.

With this, the barrier, which had become somewhat stable with the addition of the two instructors, once again became shaky. The cracks on the ground where the miasma was emanating spread gradually on the floor tiles, shattering one by one, revealing the dark earth beneath, allowing the miasma to continuously gush out as if endlessly.

"Is it still strengthening!?"

Natsume's expression finally became somewhat grim.

"Impossible."

Kyouko's complexion turned slightly pale.

The faces of the three instructors turned even bluer.

If this continued, let alone continuing the exam, even the safety of the students was becoming questionable.

If it really came to that, their responsibility would be immense.

Just then,

"————————————————"

As this mantra resounded throughout the venue, an immense jutsuryoku was released, transforming into substantial force, acting upon the unstable barrier.

"Clang!"

Originally wavering, under the immense jutsuryoku and jujutsu, the barrier suddenly stabilized, as if it had instantly solidified, radiating a strong light.

"This..!?"

Natsume's eyes brightened, immediately turning his head to look towards the direction of the jutsuryoku.

All the students and instructors present also turned their heads and looked in that direction.

Rozen's figure entered everyone's field of vision.

Only to see, Rozen forming hand seals, chanting solemn mantras.

It was the true mantra of Ucchusma, the king who purifies the impure.

The one who recognized this mantra first was not Natsume, nor the instructors; it was Kyouko.

Because, this was the mantra Kurahashi Genji had used years ago during the jujutsu battle against Rozen to resist Rozen's jujutsu.

It could be used to form a barrier and further strengthen it.

Now, Rozen had invoked it, earning amazed looks from Kyouko.

However,

"Everyone, leave that area immediately."

Rozen abruptly issued this ultimatum.

Then, the incantations from his mouth changed.

"————————"

Instantly, an immense jutsuryoku released from Rozen transformed into flames.

Rozen was chanting the subduing spell of Fudō Myōō — "Fire Realm Jutsu."

"Everyone, quickly leave this place!"

This time, Natsume finally reacted first, hastily issuing a warning and running out.

Seeing this, both the students and the instructors sensed the danger and panicked, frantically escaping.

The fiery red flames surged abruptly at this moment, transforming into a wandering dragon. They shot towards the miasma trapped within the barrier.

"Boom—!"

The fire clashed fiercely with the miasma, creating an explosion and shockwave, blasting in all directions.

Under this impact, some students stumbled, some fell, filling the whole square with cries of shock and distress.

The flames clashed with the dense miasma like a whirlpool on the entire small square.

Shortly after, under the impact of the massive fire, the miasma gradually dissipated like dust.