Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

Passing by the handwashing basin, he could hear the crisp sound of running water and the faint chirping of cicadas. Taking a closer look, he noticed that these things, which he wouldn't normally pay attention to, were all very well taken care of. There were many of them, and they were quite complicated, and neither he nor his grandfather were the type of people who knew how to handle such things...

As I pushed open the door and casually said, "I'm home," a pleasant voice called out from inside the room as I was changing my shoes in the entryway.

After putting away my shoes and entering the courtyard, I noticed a difference from when I left in the morning. Many of the carelessly placed and dirty items had returned to their original places, and the warm yellow light made it feel especially lively.

There was no sign of the person who had just spoken in any direction, but just as he found a place to sit on the sofa, a voice with the same tone came from the kitchen next door.

"I'm preparing dinner, would you like me to make you some?"

"No need, I just ate."

As he spoke, he found a seat at the tea table, took out the book from his chest, and began to read it again.

However, his mind wasn't on that; instead, he continued to study the system in his mind.

Although I don't know its exact origin, the interface and layout are detailed, comfortable, and very convenient.

Skipping over the "Tasks" and "Backpack" sections he had previously looked at, Yue Ren focused his attention directly on the last interface called "Character" and opened his attribute list.

Name: Kawasaki Etsuto (Li Xunhang)

Age: 16

Height: 171 cm

Intelligence: 7

Strength: 6

Speed: 4

"Charm: 5"

Constitution: 6

「技能：阅读lv4（2/50），锻造lv3（29/30），剑术lv3（15/30）」

Reading Level 4: (As a top student, you excel at this) Effect: Moderately increases memory, comprehension, and immersion during reading.

Forging lv3: (A skill passed down through at least three generations. The teacher is very dedicated, and you are also very diligent. You have just started learning.) Effect: Slightly increases your ability to identify forging materials, control the force, and forge weapons.

Swordsmanship lv3: (A hobby, which you have successfully mastered with the help of a suitable environment and a tenacious character) Effect: Smooth use of swords and other bladed weapons, slightly increasing damage.

Special Skills: None

"Energy: Spell Power (50/50)"

Current status: Normal

(Note: The average attribute of a normal human being is 5.)

Yue Ren carefully examined each of his data points and, after comparing them, had to admit they were quite accurate. For example, his intelligence score was 7, which was above average. He was indeed a top student in his grade, with a deviation score consistently between 65 and 71, placing him among the elite of his age group. It was normal for his intelligence to be higher than that of ordinary people.

He also has strength, slightly greater than that of an average person. Indeed, as a forging apprentice, he is someone many adults cannot beat in an arm-wrestling match.

"..."

As for the skills that follow, they are not much different. Reading is the foundation of learning, and as a good student, his reading is bound to be excellent. It is also the skill that he spends the most time on. Forging is what the old man hoped he would inherit, and it is also one of the troubles that has been bothering him since the old man's death.

As for the final swordsmanship, it's already been clearly stated above: interest.

Japanese students often join clubs, and he was no exception. On one hand, his parents were swordsmiths, and on the other hand, perhaps his soul carried the weight of his past life, he had been very interested in kendo since childhood. He joined the kendo club early on and took it quite seriously, accumulating a solid foundation over the years. This is why he was able to react first to the cursed spirit's body today; the speed of that disgusting thing was still within his acceptable range.

The Yue people also saw a "+" symbol after each attribute, as well as the progress.

速度4，后面是（0/50）；5，是（0/100）；6，是（0/200）7，是（0/400）8，是（0/800）9，是（0/1600）

The greater the range, the more outrageous it is. Although the specific difficulty of obtaining it is unknown, judging from the nature of this system, it probably won't be that easy.

Having understood this, he went straight back and then entered his "backpack".

First, I clicked on the first card.

A notification sound came to my mind.

"You have used the New Player Bonus Card (Gold), drawing..."

This was followed by a series of unique shipping sound effects.

"Attribute points +1, attribute points +1..."

"Born to Obtain a Technique Awakening Card (Gold)"

"Attribute points +1..."

Weapon: Black Key (Normal)

"Attribute points +2"

......

Finally, after ringing thirty times, everything stopped.

The final results were: 54 attribute points, one "Golden Awakening Card of the Born Technique", and one "Black Key (Normal) Weapon".

Two more familiar terms, one of which further convinced him of the state of the world.

"The Art of Life"

A very important thing about the Curse Return World is the innate ability that can be used under the impetus of the Curse Power. It cannot usually be obtained through cultivation and has unique genetic characteristics.

It is an ability that beings called sorcerers are born with. In layman's terms, "spell power" is the magic power of a mage, while "innate spell" is a spell. However, it is special because it can only be determined by bloodline and cannot be obtained through hard work or learning. In this sense, it should be more like the spell of a warlock.

Not every sorcerer possesses a born spell, and each person who has a born spell has a unique spell that is difficult for others to imitate or replicate.

Thus, a harsh reality emerges: the existence of a sorcerer is a profession that relies on talent. The upper limit of their abilities is determined by their talent. It's one thing if someone has talent but doesn't work hard to develop it, but a sorcerer without talent can never become a true "strongman" no matter how hard they try.

If it truly is a world of magic, then the cruelty of that world is absolutely evident. Without the power to protect oneself and one's family, one might end up dying without even knowing how.

There's this ultimate villain, Ryoumen Sukuna, who might appear at any moment. His methods are so ruthless that he can wipe out ordinary people without them even knowing what happened. And then there are all those other strange and bizarre things...

This system not only granted him magical power, but also allowed him to acquire innate techniques. At this moment, Yue Ren had a new understanding of its potential.

Turning our attention to the newly appeared card, its description was quite simple.

"Born to Awaken the Technique" (Gold)

Introduction: Awaken the life-giving technique that suits you.

After quickly glancing at the description, Kawasaki Etsuto clicked to use it.

"Acquire the Life-Generating Technique: Tracing the Origin"

Without noticing any changes, Yue Ren returned to the character interface and found a new change in his special skills.

"Tracing the Origins lv1 (0/10)"

Introduction: Perceive the essence of an object through contact with magical power. (The more complex the object and the greater the difference in strength, the more magical power is consumed.)

Note: Using it with a large discrepancy may result in failure and backlash.

"..."

That's it? Are you kidding me? This has absolutely no offensive power.

His body subconsciously activated his magical power, and surprisingly, the trajectory of the magical power within his body seemed to be different from last time. When the magical power touched the book in his hand, some information and memories suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Memories of all the important periods in the book's history, from its compilation to the present, flashed through my mind.

General Principles of Forging

Material: Xuan paper

Time: 107

Introduction: A sword forging method from beginner to expert. (Having been refined and improved by several generations, it is a mature craft; mastering it completely can make one a master forger.)

The usefulness of this skill exceeded Yue Ren's expectations. Yue Ren immediately realized the potential of this skill. If it were just a peaceful world, it would undoubtedly be a divine skill for him, who wanted to become a blacksmith. He could know the specific details of materials and tools as soon as he started using it. This was a skill that many blacksmiths longed for.

but--

Yue Ren sighed slightly. This world didn't seem peaceful. Such skills became less useful in the face of life-or-death crises.

It really is a spell that suits him perfectly; it is indeed very suitable for a blacksmith's apprentice.

However, Yue Ren wasn't too worried. He was born with a spell, already had a system, and possessed spell power, so he wasn't helpless. Even those without spell power could become tyrants, so with spell power, he wouldn't fall to a lower level. It was enough that he could become stronger through hard work.

Moreover, any skill can be equally outstanding when practiced to a high level. This innate technique is only at such a basic level and it already has such outstanding effects. Who knows what level it will reach after it is upgraded? After all, it has been judged by the system to be a gold-level item.

Thinking this, Yue Ren turned his attention to the second, even more valuable card in his backpack.

"Job Placement Card (Black Gold)"

How to use: Click

Brief Summary: The time has come to truly determine whether you're unlucky or lucky, young one, call out my name! [Single pull yields gold]

"..."

The introduction is meaningless and doesn't provide any useful information, but that name... Yue Ren probably means some kind of profession. It really has the feel of a cheap online game gacha pool.

I was a little annoyed, but then I thought, "It's come to this point, how bad can it be?" So I decided to just use it.

But before he could do anything, a familiar, pleasant voice came from the dining table next to him.

"Is there...something wrong with you today?"

Turning my head, I saw a beautiful figure sitting at the dining table, with a three-dish meal and soup laid out in front of her.

He was currently staring at the Yue man, or rather, more at the book he was holding, with a hint of struggle on his face.

At seventeen or eighteen, she is in the most beautiful stage of a girl's life. Her already beautiful features, coupled with light makeup, are enough to make her stand out on the street. In particular, the beauty mark at the corner of her mouth is the finishing touch.

Her beautiful long hair mostly draped over her back, and her figure was impeccable—any more would be bulky, any less would be slender. The distinctive school uniform she wore accentuated her upper body curves, while the pleated skirt and breathable black tights on her lower body perfectly blended youthful and alluring feelings.

This is a bit strange. Logically speaking, even high school girls rarely wear black pantyhose like this; they usually wear stockings... But it's really appealing.

Without a doubt, she is a black-haired, straight-haired senior student type who can be immediately recognized in any anime. Coupled with the faint expression on her face, she is simply an untouchable, aloof flower.

However, this beautiful girl was pleasing to the eye but did not evoke any desire in Yue Ren. There was only one reason for this: she was his nominal older sister, Kawasaki Hizuru.

"Yes, sister, the doctor said my injury has almost healed, so I'd like to know about the situation at home."

Gazing into the other person's beautiful yet somewhat indifferent eyes, Yue Ren spoke directly.

Rihe's eyes trembled slightly; how long had it been since she had heard that title?

"..."

"Okay, I also wanted to tell you... Wait a minute!"

After saying that, she ignored Yue Ren and began to clean up the mess in front of her.

Yue Ren withdrew his gaze and did not focus his attention on the system again. Instead, he turned it off. He knew the other party's speed and that there was simply not enough time to continue studying it. He could continue later; there was no need to rush.

Sure enough, after only a few minutes, the girl's figure reappeared in Yue Ren's sight.

However, she was also holding something that looked like a document in her hand.

He approached the Yue man and handed him the document.

The boy was puzzled, but after taking it and opening it, he was immediately struck by two large characters.

"will"

"While you were in the hospital, Grandpa's funeral was held and his body was buried in the cemetery not far away."

"Afterwards, some relatives came to visit us, but as you can probably tell, they were just using this as a pretext to covet Grandpa and Father's property. But don't worry, I've already turned them away, and what you have in your hands is the root of the problem."

Kawasaki Hitsuru glanced at his "younger brother" who was reading the content and continued.

"That was Grandpa's will. To put it simply, the workshop and this house belong to you, and the accumulated assets, which amount to nearly 50 million yen, will be split between us in a 60/40 split."

"..."

The room fell silent for a moment, then the girl spoke again with a barely audible whimper.

"Since I'm already an adult, there's no problem with the procedures. So, all you need to do now is continue your studies. The house and workshop are now in your name. If you want to see them, I can give them to you. As for money, I'll keep the large sums for you for now. I'll give you your allowance every month, and the rest when you turn eighteen."

"I'm looking at apartments and will be moving out in a week at the latest. That's the general situation. Any objections?"

"..."

"have!"

Upon hearing this, Rihe frowned and sighed softly.

"explain."

"Don't bother looking for another house. This is our home together. Even though Grandpa is gone, you'll always be my sister, and I don't want you to leave."

As he said this, Yue Ren put down the documents in his hand and looked at the other person without flinching.

Upon hearing this, Rihe was first taken aback, then his expression trembled slightly, he felt his eyes were a little blurry, and his cheeks unconsciously flushed slightly.

Mustering her courage, she glanced at the boy's earnest and unwavering gaze, then instinctively looked away as if staring directly at the sun.

"Phew... Okay, I won't look anymore, I'll leave it."

These words seemed to have exhausted all her strength, and her delicate body trembled slightly.