Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

"A cursed tool that can damage cursed spirits, a weapon that sorcerers occasionally use. I asked Yue Ren for it. Tiger Staff, you don't have any means to damage cursed spirits right now, right? Just take it and use it for now."

"Koshito...that Kawasaki Koshito-senpai?"

Tiger thought of the boy of the same age who gave him a great sense of security yesterday. Cursed tools... Yesterday, Fukuro introduced the other person's title as "Strongest Cursed Tool Forger". Is this the kind of thing?

Tiger looked at the exquisite short sword in his hand with a puzzled expression.

Does that mean he's a swordsmith? How can someone so young create something like this? Amazing!

For a moment, Tiger developed a special kind of respect for his senior, Kawasaki Etsuto, that he had for a craftsman.

"We'll talk about controlling the spell power later. For now, use this. Be careful, though. This thing is very sharp. Even by my standards, anything made by the Yue people is a masterpiece. If you get hurt by accident, you can only blame yourself for being careless."

The man who had just touched the blade and gotten a small cut on his finger nodded like he was pounding garlic. He didn't know anything else, but he had never seen such sharpness before.

Afterwards, Gojo Satoru instructed Tora not to release Sukuna, and then the two embarked on their first exorcism journey.

"Are you sure it's okay? With Yue Ren's work, even an ordinary person can exorcise the cursed spirit inside, right?"

Watching her classmate walk into the building, Fushiguro Megumi finally couldn't hold back any longer.

It feels like a simulation game where you get amazing gear at the start. While it certainly boosts your combat power, does such a simplistic solution really make people realize the seriousness of the problem?

"Hehehe, it's alright. Cursed tools are, in a sense, the crystallization of human wisdom. Isn't Maki a cursed tool user too? No matter how good a weapon is, it depends on how the user uses it, right? If he can use it well, what's wrong with considering it part of his combat strength?"

Gojo Satoru saw things more clearly than anyone else. As the strongest, he understood the essence of power better than anyone else. In a real battle, no one would be foolish enough to think that it was unfair for the opponent to have a good weapon. Being able to obtain such a weapon was itself a testament to their strength.

The reason why humans have been able to stand at the top of the food chain on Earth is precisely because they have used their intelligence to transform things in nature that do not belong to them into their own power. Must we abandon our swords and spears and fight to the death with lions in order to prove our strength?

Anyone stupid enough to do that would be considered an idiot.

Weapons are created for human use. The idea that one should resolutely refuse to use them to demonstrate one's own strength is simply based on the fact that such strength is insufficient.

Just as ordinary swords are useless against sorcerers, what if it were a Zanpakuto from Bleach or a Noble Phantasm from Type-Moon?

Does Gojo Satoru not want to use a weapon? It's just that there aren't any suitable magical artifacts for him to use. Even top-grade magical artifacts can be easily destroyed in his hands, and they don't even meet the standard of being able to fight alongside him. He has been eyeing Echizen's sword strike for a long time.

The reason why the previous magical artifacts seemed dispensable was partly because they were scarce and expensive, and partly because, apart from a few top-grade ones, most of them could not provide much help to the user, so they seemed somewhat tasteless and a pity to discard.

But things are different now. The Yue people have single-handedly turned top-grade spell tools into wholesale items, and they are even specially enhanced versions for individual users. This is equivalent to raising the individual strength of sorcerers by a huge margin out of thin air, which is a completely different concept.

It's as if he single-handedly accomplished what a group, society, or even a nation would have to do with all its might, directly adding a layer of 'life protection benefits' to the group of sorcerers.

If Gojo Satoru raised the upper limit of the power that a sorcerer could achieve, then Koshito raised the lower limit of the life guarantee for all sorcerers. The two had equally significant effects. If we had to distinguish them, Koshito's effects were more concrete, as the benefits he provided were tangible and visible to everyone.

Gojo Satoru provides a deterrent force similar to a "nuclear bomb," which is equally important, but most of the time people don't see it.

Tiger and the others are the same. Having Yue Ren is their good fortune. I have people here to increase our combat power. If you, Cursed Spirit, are not convinced, then find a genius who can improve the entire clan. Otherwise, you'll be obediently trampled.

Isn't this what inter-racial wars are all about?

"You're the one who should go. You know the rules of the Yue people: every student gets a free opportunity to have their own custom-made spell tools made. This is something other spellcasters dream of right now, so why don't you go?"

Upon hearing this, Fushiguro Megumi slowly lowered her head, her face showing difficulty and struggle.

Senior Yue Ren had indeed mentioned this matter to him, but in the end, he still couldn't bring himself to do it.

"...You've helped me so much..."

"Hahaha, you just can't understand Yue Ren's thoughts at all... Oh well, you can figure it out yourself, after all, growth is your own business."

Without directly revealing Yue Ren's true intentions, Gojo Satoru actually quite enjoyed seeing these struggling expressions. In his view, this was the essence of youth; some things needed to be figured out by the young themselves, and excessive interference from others would only backfire.

However, the way he expressed this state of mind... it's no wonder he's now in a situation where he's disliked by everyone.

"Now I'm even more curious about something else: how did you get your hands on that magical artifact, teacher?"

"Well..."

Gojo Satoru recalled the scene from half an hour ago.

"Yue Ren, do you have anything suitable for a newbie? Give me one, your new junior is waiting."

The door to the Yue Artisan Workshop was suddenly pushed open, and what came into view was that familiar white hair and that face with a sly smile.

To avoid being rejected, he even used his junior as a shield when he opened his mouth, even though what he said was indeed true.

The Yue man ignored him, pointed to the weapon rack not far away, and continued his forging work.

Gojo Satoru raised an eyebrow and walked to the table. The three different types of cursed tools on the table made him smile with a bright "I see" expression.

A short sword, a hammer, and a katana—it's clearly a very exquisite piece of work.

This is such a peculiar combination. If he still doesn't know who it's for after all this, he's a terrible teacher.

Clearly, these things were all designed in advance by the Yue people, and based on the characteristics of each of the current three members, they can each make up for some of their shortcomings.

He originally planned to give it as a gift when he met the trio, but since Gojo Satoru came to him instead of borrowing Maki's magical artifact like in the original story, he decided to let him do it for him. It was a way of serving as an errand boy.

But in the end, Gojo Satoru only took the short sword.

After all, as a teacher, you can't deprive students of the opportunity to form bonds, can you?

Looking at the boy in front of him who was struggling with his own conscience, Gojo Satoru smiled slightly.

Your seniors, full of love for their juniors, have already prepared "entrance gifts" for you, but unfortunately, these young people are all very awkward.

They completely misunderstand the other person's hope that "everyone can have a better chance of survival in the event of a sudden crisis."

For Yue Ren, the greatest value of the things he forged was to help those innocent and kind sorcerers and those around him gain more peace. He was willing to be bothered no matter how many times he was troubled for this purpose. But you, kid, are making things difficult for yourself. It's even more outrageous than trying to flatter someone and ending up hurting them. You're just being self-righteous and causing trouble for others.

However, Gojo Satoru, who saw through everything, didn't intend to explain directly. After all, this was part of the fun, wasn't it? Ah, Fushiguro's conflicted little expression was strangely delightful...

The focus shifts back to Itadori and Kugizaki. Itadori, who was kicked out by Kugizaki to search another floor, easily spotted the cursed spirit trying to hide and ambush him thanks to his naturally keen senses.

Tiger easily took advantage of his opponent's carelessness and swung his knife.

To Tiger's surprise, the slash seemed to encounter no resistance whatsoever, cutting through the monster like tofu, cleaving it in two while the monster was completely bewildered.

This cursed spirit is completely different from the one I encountered with Fuhei yesterday.

Only then did he realize just how powerful this seemingly exquisite short sword truly was. It was a weapon with both stunning looks and formidable strength; even someone like him, who was indifferent to such things, had begun to like it.

I couldn't resist showing off a couple of times with a fierce and energetic air, the crisp sound of it cutting through the air was very pleasant to hear.

Another ten minutes or so later, the two emerged safely with a child, marking a perfect end to Tiger's first official mission.

However, their expressions were somewhat off after they came out.

"Teacher, was the weapon in this idiot's hand really made by that senior named 'Kawasaki Koshito'?"

Yes, that's right.

"Does he sell these things? How much do they cost? Are there any discounts for classmates...?"

A series of questions came out of the spirited young woman's mouth, and one could clearly feel an emotion emanating from her—a longing; she also wanted something.

It's no wonder the girl reacted this way; after all, what she had just witnessed was truly shocking.

What does it mean to cleave a cursed spirit ten meters away in two with a single swing of a knife from a distance?

Upon hearing this, Gojo Satoru smiled slightly, deciding to keep it a secret for now.

"Well, you'll have to wait until you go to the school to find him in person..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fuhei, who was unwilling to see his classmate being teased, immediately interrupted him.

"Senior Yue Ren will forge a suitable spell tool for each student free of charge. This is a rule he set after enrolling. Almost every second-year and even third-year senior has one. You just need to go to him once."

"real!?"

Faced with two pairs of bright eyes, Gojo Satoru smiled helplessly, looking somewhat disappointed that his prank had failed.

"Yes, this is the Yue people's care for you. These things can be sold for hundreds of millions outside."

"Wow, what an amazing senior! I've decided, even though we've never met, he will be the senior I respect the most from now on!"

Kugizaki's eyes instantly turned into the shape of money, he clapped his hands with a face full of happiness, and his body almost went limp like a noodle.

As a user of cursed artifacts, she undoubtedly understands the relevant market very well. Who wouldn't love a senior who gives you a "superior cursed artifact" right from the start?

"Yeah, me too, even though we've met once."

"Don't tell me the same thing, you idiot!"

Why?

"No means no..."

Watching the students playing around ahead, Gojo Satoru followed behind them with a smile on his face, feeling that there was nothing happier than this moment.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, the scene appeared exceptionally beautiful.

A day later, as expected, the other two met Yue Ren in the workshop, led by Fushiguro Megumi. Tiger first expressed his gratitude to Yue Ren, both for what had happened before and for forging a short sword for him.

Kugizaki also took this opportunity to obtain his own "cursed tool".

Just as Fuhei had said, after the matter was mentioned, Yue Ren immediately took out the items and thoughtfully explained their uses to them.

For example, besides being sharp and releasing spiritual energy, Hu Zi's short sword's greatest function is to disrupt spells. Yes, the Yue people have crafted a spell tool for Hu Zi similar to the Tian Ni Mou, which should help Hu Zi better execute his "reckless" tactics.

Especially when facing cursed spirits, having a part of his body severed by a single strike out of thin air, and being instantly shattered by several strikes when trying to defend with spells... Just thinking about it makes me feel sad for the cursed spirits who faced him.

As for Kugisaki, the Yue people crafted an axe-hammer for her, one side being a hammer and the other an axe, increasing her melee attack options. At the same time, based on the enhanced spell effects, they added a construction spell, which can directly form spell nails by inputting spell power. This eliminates the need to prepare more nails, making it easier for her to attack. It also enhances the "Shuling Spell" to deal higher damage.

Originally, the cursed tool prepared by Yue Ren only had the effect of the previous construction technique. However, after Kugizaki heard that Yue Ren could create more exclusive "cursed tools" by familiarizing himself with the technique, he made a request based on the principle that it is a fool not to take advantage of a bargain. Naturally, Yue Ren did not refuse.

After all, he was quite interested in Kugizaki's techniques, and after learning about them, he temporarily made some improvements for her.

The two who witnessed the Yue people's forging process for the first time were deeply shocked. Among them, Huzhang was the one who was most deeply moved. He could see into the soul and only when he saw the absolute focus of the Yue people during the forging did he vaguely understand why this senior gave him a feeling like flames.

In his eyes, the Yue people were like a fireplace in winter, something to be longed for, but when it came to the 'cold' that threatened human life, he was the most severe nemesis.

That was the feeling he got from this senior, so even though it was only their second meeting, he had already listed him as someone he could trust.

As for the katana that was ultimately given to Fukuro, the other party did not want it, and Yue Ren did not force him. Anyway, the item was with him, and he could come and take it whenever he wanted.