Springfield, MO - A mysterious outbreak of a rare and deadly disease has been traced to a Japanese curse that was allegedly performed by a disgruntled employee of a local sushi restaurant.

According to sources, the employee, who goes by Taro Yamada, was fired from his job at Noroi Sushi for stealing fish and tampering with the orders. He then decided to take revenge on his former boss and co-workers by performing a ritual known as ushi no toki mairi, which involves visiting a shrine at night and hammering nails into a straw doll representing the target.

Yamada reportedly obtained the straw doll from a shady online seller who claimed it was infused with kodoku, a type of poisonous magic that uses insects and reptiles. He then sneaked into the shrine at 2 AM and nailed the doll to a sacred tree while chanting curses.

However, something went wrong with the ritual, and instead of affecting only his intended victims, the curse spread to anyone who ate at Noroi Sushi in the past week. The symptoms of the curse include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, and eventually turning into a cursed fish.

The local health authorities have confirmed that at least 20 people changed from the curse so far, and more than 100 are in critical condition. They have also issued a warning to the public to avoid eating any sushi or raw fish until further notice.

The police are currently looking for Yamada, who is believed to have fled the city using another identity. They have also contacted the Japanese consulate for assistance in finding a way to lift the curse.

Meanwhile, Noroi Sushi has been shut down indefinitely, and its owner, who goes by Kenji Suzuki, has expressed his shock and sorrow over the incident. He said he had no idea why Yamada would do such a thing, and that he always treated him well.

"I don't understand why he hated me so much," Suzuki said. "I gave him a good salary, a nice uniform, and free sushi every day. He was like a son to me."

Suzuki also denied any involvement in the curse, and said he was not aware of any Japanese magic or rituals. He said he was just a simple businessman who wanted to share his love of sushi with the people of Springfield.

"I love this city and its people," Suzuki said. "I hope they can forgive me for what happened. I'm sorry for everything."