Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

Upon hearing this, Mingming burst into laughter, her voice clear and cheerful: "I'm starting to like you. How about it? Become my exclusive spell tool supplier after graduation? I guarantee you'll be satisfied with the price."

"I'll consider it."

Yue Ren gazed at the fleeting scenery outside the window, a slight smile playing on his lips.

While a financial offensive may be effective, earning respect and interest through strength is a more solid foundation for an alliance. His goal is to prevent this woman from siding with the opposing side, but he has no objection if she wants to join their side; after all, the more helpers the better, right?

He focused his attention on the task module.

"Mission Complete"

"Skill points +100, attribute points +100"

"Received: Lucky Card (Gold) x1, Guardian Card (Silver) x1"

The rewards for defeating a top-tier cursed spirit are indeed generous. Even disregarding the special cards obtained, the attribute points alone are equivalent to about a month's worth of training. It's definitely worth it. And the last two cards are quite interesting as well.

As its name suggests, the Lucky Card provides a luck boost, slightly improving daily luck and significantly increasing luck in crucial moments. However, it requires daily wear, making it a kind of god-tier card.

As for the other Guardian card, its effect is passively activated after a user is selected. When a user receives fatal damage, it forms a very powerful shield to help resist the damage. However, it only has one effect and disappears immediately after use. It's a one-time use card, which is not bad.

The amount for this mission has been reassessed and is several times more than before. This is the difference in level and strength. Compared with a special-grade curse spirit, even a special-grade curse embryo can only stand aside. The two are not even on the same level, not to mention that it is a special-grade curse spirit that can use "domain expansion".

For someone like Mingming, not pursuing the responsibility for the misjudgment of intelligence was already a sign of her magnanimity. Although she had exchanged all of this right for real benefits, for those in power, things that can be settled with money are not a big deal. Therefore, the reward for this mission was very generous, and the final price was set at 200 million yen.

Mingming transferred 90% of the money to Yue Ren, meaning she only kept 20 million, which Yue Ren didn't expect.

Along with the large sum of money came a sentence: "This is a reward for saving my life." This gave him a deeper understanding of the other party's character; he weighed everything in terms of interests, which was quite understandable.

He was never involved in this matter from beginning to end. After all, it was just a sum of money. For him now, money was not something he lacked. Compared to that, the results of this mission were what he valued most.

However, since they had gone to such lengths to get it, I couldn't refuse them, so I accepted the money.

For a woman like Mingming, such a decision might actually bring them closer together.

Back at the college, they encountered Yi Gu and his two companions in the corridor, while not far away, Gou Juan was watering flowers, clearly the group was chatting.

"Oh, they're from Yue!"

"Brother Yue, it's so good to see you back."

"Hmm, how's your mission going? Are you getting along well with Dogroll?"

Upon hearing this, Yi Gu instantly wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

"Senior Dog Roll is amazing. I... am still too weak. Even with the weapon you gave me, I'm still holding you back..."

In reality, he was quite capable. With the help of the mask provided by Yue Ren, Gou Juan easily completed the task. Xia Youjie, who was observing them, also seemed to have discovered that Gou Juan's mask was a very powerful cursed tool. He released a cursed spirit test that was even more powerful than in the original work. Although he was ambushed, the two of them still managed to complete the exorcism with their extraordinary talents.

However, the enhanced cursed spirit released by Xia Youjie, a top-level sorcerer, was no ordinary creature. Yi Gu's small mistake during the process still put him in danger. In order to protect him, Gou Juan was injured, which was the root of Yi Gu's disappointment.

The Yue man stepped forward, smiled, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't underestimate yourself. No one is born strong; they all need time to grow. Even the strongest, Teacher Gojo, is no exception. So there's no need to blame yourself. You should use that time to train. You're no longer powerless in this mission, isn't that the biggest achievement so far?"

The genuine comfort touched the boy's sensitive heart. He might have instinctively rejected empty or pretentious words, but what Yue Ren said was true, which made him truly feel joy.

From being unable to do anything when he first arrived and having to rely on Rika's unpredictable abilities to break the deadlock, to now being able to cooperate with Inugami, he has indeed improved, and Yueren's affirmation of this makes the boy feel very confident.

"Yes, Brother Yueren, um... I want to make the infusion of magical power into the weapon smoother. I wonder if you have any ideas? Maki said you know."

He glanced at Maki, but she didn't meet his gaze, seemingly having a falling out. However, Yue Ren knew in his heart that this was her biggest pain point, something that couldn't be resolved in a short time, so he decided to put it aside for now.

Let's turn our attention back to the sacrum.

"So you're already starting to learn control? Hmm, that's not bad. I do have some related skills; I'll teach you tomorrow."

"Really? Thank you so much."

Yi Gu felt the true brilliance of his peers from the Yue people, a brilliance that could warm people's hearts.

He put his arm around the other person's shoulder and offered a comforting smile.

"Then grow up quickly. Once you master Rika's power and become a genuine Special Grade, I'll be able to rely on you."

"Brother Yue is joking. How could I possibly surpass you so quickly? But I will try my best."

Saying goodbye to his still somewhat shy junior, it was almost time to go home. Yue Ren originally wanted to go to the workshop to pack up and prepare to go home, but after seeing Maki's somewhat lonely figure, he hesitated for a moment and then chose to follow her.

"Maki!"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, the girl instinctively turned around and saw the boy who evoked complex emotions within her, still sporting that familiar smile.

"Come with me for a moment, shall we go and talk?"

"Huh? Why would I...?"

She instinctively wanted to argue, but seeing the boy walk towards the empty classroom without turning his head, she hesitated for a few seconds with difficulty.

After finally letting out a "tsk," he obediently followed.

On the way, she kept asking herself why she had listened to this guy.

"Tell me, what's going on?"

Find a place to sit down, and seeing the somewhat awkward girl, Yue Ren got straight to the point.

"What's going on? What are you talking about?"

The girl tried to hide something, but all she got in response was Yue Ren's serious gaze, which held no other emotion, only the feeling of looking at someone intently.

Maki subconsciously shifted her gaze, a barely perceptible blush appearing on her face.

That's it. It's precisely because of this feeling that she doesn't like making eye contact with him... She feels unworthy of that gaze.

"We've been friends for so long, but I suddenly realize I don't really know you that well. Could you tell me about yourself? As a classmate and a friend, is that alright?"

"..."

Time ticked by, and finally, Maki gave up first, saying in despair:

"Ahhh... what do you want to know?"

"Let's start with the simplest thing. Your glasses... they don't have a prescription, right? So why do you keep wearing them? I don't think you need them to decorate yourself."

"..."

After hesitating for two seconds, Maki spoke.

"If you're a cursed artifact blacksmith, you should be able to tell easily, right? Do I really need to tell you?"

"You are my friend, my partner, Maki. I will never ignore you as a person, so you have to tell me."

The expression on the boy's face didn't seem fake; he genuinely considered himself one of their own, or at least a person.

Looking at the earnest guy in front of her, and recalling everything from when they first met until now, Maki ultimately chose to believe him. Or rather, she needed someone to confide in who wouldn't look down on her, so she spoke up.

"My family... the Zenin family, like the Gojo family that Gojo guy belongs to, is one of the three top families that train sorcerers."

"Do you know what the minimum qualifications are for becoming a sorcerer in a family like this?"

"You saw the cursed spirit?"

"That's right. As you can see, even ordinary people can see it when they are near death or in other special circumstances, but I need this thing to see those disgusting guys clearly."

As she spoke, Maki took off the glasses from her eyes, wiped them, and then put them back on.

"Without this thing, I can't even see the cursed spirits, let alone exorcise them."

"Furthermore, I have almost no magical power. The magical tools I use are all things that inherently possess magical power. That's me—a weakling, a freak, who is almost impossible to become a true sorcerer. Are you satisfied with that?"

When she said this, the girl was clearly somewhat resigned to her fate.

The Yue people, on the other hand, showed a gentle smile that indicated their agreement.

"No, I just feel that being brave enough to say these things is the real you, Maki. Thank you for your trust in me."

"Varied......"

Why do you want to become a sorcerer?

The boy's continued questioning made Maki realize that he didn't mean to mock her, which gave her more motivation to continue talking.

Then she proudly raised her head.

"Because I can't stand the way my family looks at me, I'm going back as a Level 1 Spellcaster to see those guys' long faces, and then I'll wipe that shitty family out of the ground."

"If that's the case, why bother hiding it?"

"..."

"Do you think we'll all laugh at Maki for being so strong, straightforward, and resilient?"

"I don't......"

The sincere words and expression made Maki unable to look directly at him again. She didn't understand why the guy in front of her trusted her so much. She had never had this experience before, and her mind was in a mess. She was at a loss.

"Since that's the case, then don't bow your head. You've already crowned yourself with the 'crown' of the strong. If you hesitate and bow your head, the 'crown' will fall off."

"Hahaha, what are you saying so seriously? So childish, haven't you even graduated from junior high yet?"

Maki was amused, but Koji didn't seem to notice anything amiss and continued on.

"I believe that true strength, besides martial prowess, also requires an indomitable spirit. Maki, you have that potential. You've come this far on your own, bravely resisting the injustices of reality. 'Your strength is unique.' Sooner or later, you will become a true powerhouse. At that time, the so-called families will be nothing more than something to be wiped out at will. Why bother with their opinions?"

"..."

There wasn't a trace of falsehood in her words, which left Maki speechless. After a long while, she finally spoke with a bitter smile.

"How can I, someone who can't even be seen by cursed spirits, become a true powerhouse? Tell me!"

She slammed her hands on the table and shouted the second half of her sentence, finally revealing the vulnerability in her heart. At this moment, she was like a fragile little girl who needed comforting.

The Yue man did not step forward, but continued speaking calmly.

"Once upon a time, there was a man who had a title called 'Heaven and Tyrant.' That's right, he was someone chosen by 'Heaven and Curse,' just like you. But unlike you, he had absolutely no curse power. Yet, this very man almost killed our strongest teacher, Gojo Satoru."

".......!!??"

Maki stared wide-eyed at Echigo, as if trying to catch any hint of a lie in his expression, but unfortunately, she failed.

The boy remained earnest, as if stating a fact.

"The 'binding from heaven' is different from the usual self-imposed constraints; it's a 'binding' forcibly imposed on the body from birth. In a sense, it's a cruel joke by heaven, but undeniably, while this binding takes something away from you, it always gives you something in return."

"That 'Heaven and Tyrant,' as the price of losing all his magical power, gained superhuman athleticism and magical endurance. Moreover, his zero magical power allowed him to freely enter and exit the barrier without being detected. He could not see the magical spirits, but he could perceive them and magical power through his five senses. He was truly a superhuman."

"Those of you with martial prowess should know how terrifying someone who cannot be detected by magical power and possesses such a terrifying physique is to a sorcerer, right? After all, sorcerers are mostly 'vulnerable' when they are caught off guard."

"..."

"So he also has another title: 'Spellcaster Killer'."

"For the commission, he killed many sorcerers and curse masters. In his last mission, he encountered Gojo Satoru, the strongest among them. In the end, he almost killed this strongest by using his special abilities and strength. Why do I say almost? Because our Gojo-sensei comprehended the 'Reversal Technique' at the moment of his death, healing his fatal wounds. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see him now."

"And do you know the name of such a person?"

"What...?"

Maki was incredulous that such a person existed, so much so that she almost subconsciously pressed for answers.

"Fuhei Shen'er! Or rather, Chanyuan Shen'er, since Fuhei is the surname he acquired when he married into the family. By seniority, he should be your uncle!"