Curse Return: Swordsmith Start

Through the technique, the old man's resolute determination can still be clearly recalled.

After the break, she shook off these worries, glanced at the task list, and began a new attempt.

Unlike this morning, many things need to be changed during this forging process.

Both raw materials, charcoal and iron, need to be replaced. Charcoal will be replaced with coal, and sponge iron will be replaced with Damascus steel. He hasn't used this metal often, but at this moment he feels he can handle it.

The evaluation of the previous weapon is already very clear: the raw materials limited the development of the technology, just like you can't build an iron airplane from a wooden box.

Meanwhile, the open-air firebed was replaced with a more scientific and reasonable forging furnace, since the temperature of charcoal and firebed at around 1300 degrees Celsius was simply not enough to withstand the melting point of Damascus steel, which is around 1500 degrees Celsius.

Other processes are slightly different, but not by much; they are just adjustments made based on the properties of the materials. The real change is in the forging process, where he used his magical power this time.

Following the method learned from that book and the katana, he enveloped the forging hammer with magical energy and hammered it into the material little by little at a specific rhythm.

However, unlike the coldness the old man felt, Yue Ren felt his icy magical power becoming increasingly intense under this stimulation. What he didn't realize was that his body was gradually self-regulating, finding the most suitable and effective way to achieve his goal. This subtle change was the essence of the difference between a "genius" and a "normal person"—their inherent abilities taught them self-regulation, and this is how things should be done...

At the same time, with each strike and with absolute focus and precise control, his consciousness was "connecting" with his magical power, and his control was gradually increasing.

The magnitude may be imperceptible, and the process may be slow, but it is indeed increasing little by little.

And so, as the last hammer fell, as his consciousness returned from his focus, and as the new blade was pulled from the sink with a hiss, a blade enveloped in azure incantation appeared before him.

The spell power was infused, and the sanctification formula belonging to the "Black Key" was engraved. After some time, when all the follow-up work was completed, a "spell tool" was born in his hands.

As the final blade was completed, a system notification sounded in my mind.

"Task progress increased..."

"Job placement task"

Difficulty: Intermediate

"Mission Objective: Forge an unconventional weapon imbued with energy (1/5)"

Time Limit: None

"Reward: Attribute/Skill Points, Class unlocks to the next stage"

An involuntary smile curved his lips, signifying that Yue Ren had successfully taken his first step. Without a doubt, he had now become a qualified spell tool forger.

The preparations and bargaining chips for getting in touch with higher vocational colleges have been partially completed.

Immediately, holding the weapon he had forged himself, Yue Ren activated his spell.

"Tachi" (Silver)

Material: Damascus steel...

Time: 1 days

Process: Treadle steelmaking method

Usage: Infusing it with cursed power will trigger fire-attribute damage on cursed spirits.

Description: A masterpiece crafted by a skilled swordsmith, made with excellent materials and masterful techniques, the material's properties are perfectly utilized, making it a fine piece worthy of being passed down through generations. It has an additional restraining effect on cursed spirits (for a first-time forged extraordinary weapon, such quality is proof of genius).

Just as he thought, each grade has a fundamental difference, and without a qualitative change, it cannot become a high-grade item. It's very rigorous.

Looking at the time, it was past four o'clock, already afternoon. Yue Ren wasn't in a hurry. He picked up the two katanas he had forged, which were almost identical except for the blades. At the same time, he found a large piece of Damascus steel, about half a meter long, and placed it in the open space outside. Yue Ren took out the ordinary katanas first.

That's right, he wants to test it.

Using the "test weapon" naturally, Yueren unleashed a horizontal slash in an instant, employing the actions that best showcased the weapon's characteristics.

"boom--"

A crisp chopping sound, and the sound of something shattering, rang out.

A knife mark about three or four centimeters long appeared on the ten-centimeter-thick steel block in front of him, while the weapon in his hand... in the short time it had been held in front of him, turned into pieces and scattered on the ground.

Yue Ren was slightly taken aback, gaining a deeper understanding of the skill "Testing Object"... Previously, it had always been applied to forging, but in terms of attack, it was an even greater skill that allowed weapons to break through their limits.

Making such a cut on a pure steel block would have been impossible for a weapon forged from sponge iron, yet he still exerted normal force, which is enough to demonstrate the high quality of his martial arts skills that incorporate the principles of forging.

Moreover, this was only at a low level; he had only learned a fraction of what old man Muramasa had taught him...

Putting aside his thoughts and without feeling sorry for the weapon that had just been forged and was now damaged, Yue Ren picked up the newly forged magical tool.

The same posture, the same movement, the same force.

With another crisp collision sound, this time there was no sound of steel breaking.

The next moment, the upper half of the steel block slid down from the oblique cut surface under gravity, making a heavy groan, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror.

He held the katana in front of him, its cold light still gleaming, as if nothing had happened.

Having understood, he once again prepared to strike, this time incorporating his own magical power, and sparks were faintly visible on the blade.

"Cen—"

With a crisp sound and sparks flying, it was still split in two, but the cross-section now resembled a heated soldering iron.

Looking at the katana, which was still completely undamaged, Yue Ren finally smiled, and then he burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha......"

The joy of successfully taking the first step is ultimately impossible to suppress, and Yue Ren has no intention of suppressing it either. Why should one suppress oneself during the best years of life? This is something that should be laughed out loud.

After releasing his joy, Yue Ren put away his new knife, extinguished the furnace, and put all the tools back in their original places before leaving the forge.

Today's success was joyful enough, and it was already afternoon. In order not to arouse his sister's suspicion, he had to keep an eye on the time.

However, there is one more thing to do before that.

Upon arriving near the abandoned building discovered yesterday, unsurprisingly, Yue Ren received another temporary mission notification after getting a certain distance away, at almost the same distance as yesterday.

Fortunately, at least in his current state of relative power, he no longer needs to worry about unknowingly venturing into dangerous territory.

With a mix of joy and nervousness, he glanced around to make sure no one was watching before scaling the barbed wire fence and ignoring the "No Entry" sign as he headed toward the abandoned building.

The entire floor appeared relatively intact from the outside. After forcibly breaking the lock, a familiar feeling filled my heart. Just like the first time, there was an unsettling, chilling, and nauseating atmosphere, only several times stronger.

Maintaining alertness, Yue Ren began a cautious search. So far, he could not sense anything unusual, but he could feel a threat, though he did not know where it came from.

Yue Ren estimated that the other party was probably watching him from some corner, or even more powerful, it was hiding in a building, or the building itself was its body... but that was probably impossible. According to the mission's hints, it hadn't reached the point where he couldn't resist it yet, so it shouldn't be a level two or level one cursed spirit.

Moreover, those highly skilled in cursed spirits and spells at this level cannot simply ignore them; they are themselves a huge threat and source of pollution, and leaving them unattended would lead to major problems.

At the same time, it's impossible for that level of magical energy fluctuation to go undetected.

That's why he came here. There are indeed dangers, but in order to improve his strength as soon as possible, he thinks it's worth a try. After all, combat strength is something that needs to be tested and improved in actual combat.

Ignoring the piles of garbage everywhere, Yue Ren investigated room by room with great patience, but this guy seemed to be losing patience.

As he turned the corner, from a blind spot behind him, a hideous monster silently emerged from the wall of the room, which had appeared perfectly normal before. It opened its enormous maw, large enough to swallow a human whole, and aimed at the Yue man.

Just as it was about to deliver a fatal blow, from behind its unseen back, the Yue people it regarded as its prey laughed.

With lightning speed, a katana appeared in his hand, and he turned and slashed horizontally. The cursed spirit, who had not expected this, could not dodge this attack from behind.

Half of its mouth was sliced ​​off, but what made this one more powerful than the cursed spirit the Yue people had encountered was that it reacted at that moment. Instead of retreating in pain when attacked, it extended its claws even more violently, aiming straight for the Yue people's throat.

Although the wary Yue people did not expect this, their experience of making a living under the old man Muramasa gave them experience in dealing with this situation.

He slightly shifted his foot to the side, dodging the seemingly swift attack that could tear through the air. The easily pierced concrete floor did not affect him. Using the momentum of his turn, he delivered another elegant and nimble slash with his katana. A cold glint flashed, and an arm was severed.

This time, the opponent could not bear it any longer, because not only was there a slash, but the cut did not bleed as before. Instead, it resembled a cigarette being lit and burning. This continuous pain was unbearable for the opponent.

That's right, Yue Ren went all out from the start, using his new sword and its new effects. His opponent was an enemy whose strength he didn't know, and using his full strength from the beginning was the only way to be responsible for his life. He didn't want to put on a show of pretending to be weak while actually being weak.

Therefore, he used his martial arts skills to the fullest extent, and taking advantage of the opponent's stiffness caused by pain, Yue Ren swiftly and cleanly beheaded it.

"Mission Complete"

Rewards: Skill Points +20, Attribute Points +20

The corpse gradually disappeared as the sword was sheathed with a beautiful flourish, and the gradual return of the surrounding environment and system notifications brought Yue Ren a slight sense of relief.

In summary, it was a dangerous battle, but still within Kawasaki Koshito's tolerance level.

The results were encouraging; in just half an hour, he achieved several times the success of a full half-day of dedicated effort. Indeed, danger and opportunity coexist.

After putting the weapon back into his backpack and checking to make sure there were no problems, he set off and left the desolate place.

Having successfully forged the cursed tools, he became increasingly adept at dealing with cursed spirits, and with the increase in his attribute values, today's gains undoubtedly far exceeded his expectations.

In high spirits, he bought a lot of ingredients on his way home. It was a rare opportunity, and the timing was right. It seemed like a good choice to try cooking himself. He couldn't let his older sister cook every time.

Besides, he also wanted to try the taste of his hometown again.

One week later—

——08:27

It was still early morning, but the temperature was getting hotter and hotter, and there was no trace of coolness in the air at this time.

Today, the Yue people did not choose to leave early, but instead chose to enjoy breakfast together after their sister had prepared it.

There's only one reason: he won't be going to the workshop today; he's going to school instead.

Wearing the school uniform that had been sitting for a while and had just been washed by his sister yesterday, he left home amidst his sister's words of "May you have a safe journey."

Some might ask, is there any need for normal schooling in this world? It can only be said that this is, of course, part of the Yue Ren plan. He needs to prepare for contact with the college, and the most important point is that he cannot show his difference. He cannot show in any way that he knows information about the college. He needs to make himself a "normal person" and make the contact a normal coincidence.

Everything was done to avoid attracting attention. If possible, he wanted to go to the vocational college as an ordinary student, which would be enough to open up knowledge to him and provide training, without any unnecessary trouble.

His expectation was to "develop" rather than cause trouble; that is, to quietly enter the village without firing a shot.

Perhaps the students and teachers at the vocational college are not bad, but he does not want to attract the attention of the so-called higher-ups, which is better for both himself and the "classmates" he is about to meet.

So now he has to go to school to maintain his persona of not knowing anything about this world.

As he strolled along, the closer he got to the school, the more people he saw wearing similar clothes. However, unlike him, the others were all walking in twos and threes, and it was rare to see someone like him walking alone.

Soon, they arrived at the school.

It is worth noting that, in addition to the students entering, there was also a teacher with a cane and a disciplinary committee member standing at the entrance.

They are responsible for checking students' appearance and demeanor, and those who do not meet the standards will be singled out.

There was nothing wrong with the Yue people's attire, but the fact that he entered alone still made the two of them glance at him a little longer, and that was all.

After changing my shoes, I followed my memory and arrived at the familiar classroom, Class 1 of Grade 1.

Sitting in his seat amidst the surprised gazes of his classmates, Yue Ren began his normal school life.

Ignoring the strange looks around him, based on his experience, unless someone was looking for trouble, these looks would disappear in the next few days. After all, he had just entered high school, spent less than a month in this classroom, had a car accident and had to take leave, and then another month had passed. Anyone would be curious about such a situation.

As for him, he was quite emotional. It was really surprising that the high school life he missed in his previous life had come back in this form. It was quite a sight to behold.