:What the hell are you?! No wait... this Cursed Energy... you're a goddamn Special Grade?!"
The Kappa Cursed Spirit reacted immediately upon seeing Renji casually shatter its attack, coupled with the Cursed Energy spilling from Renji's body.
Renji's palm, coated with Cursed Energy, condensed a powerful acid of Cursed Energy.
Whoosh!
Sizzle!
Under the Kappa Cursed Spirit's shocked gaze, an attack identical to its earlier acid slammed into its body. In an instant, its body began to dissolve, its Cursed Energy dissipating with sizzling white smoke.
"You little bastard..."
The Kappa Cursed Spirit vanished into thin air, leaving behind only the residual Cursed Energy of a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit gradually fading away.
[Ding! Host's first kill of a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit – Kappa. Gained 3 experience points.]
[Current level: Tier 0, Level 3 (3/30)]
"Time to grind some experience."
Renji charged into the forest, leaving only a silhouette against the moonlight.
...
Only when the few remaining roosters in the village raised a wave of sound did Renji lift his head from the forest.
At this moment, his clothes were already dyed purple by the blood of various low-grade Cursed Spirits. The quality of Jujutsu High's black uniform was just that good, ordinary clothes would have rotted away long ago.
Renji summoned his status panel.
[Host: Okkotsu Renji
Level: 5 (1/50)
Identity: Apprentice Agent
Abilities: Infinite Cursed Energy, Copy, Strong Acid Attack (2/3)
Items: None
Rating: Ordinary Human (F-)]
After killing Cursed Spirits all night, the experience gains from those low-grade Cursed Spirits were getting lower and lower.
At first, a single Grade 3 Cursed Spirit gave three experience points, but later, three Grade 3 Cursed Spirits barely gave one point. There was only that one Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completing the quest.]
[Reward obtained: Longsword Cursed Tool: Natsume (B+)]
The next second, a silver-white longsword slowly materialized in Renji's hand. The hilt was wrapped in runic bandages that could control Cursed Energy output, and a faintly chilling aura could be sensed from the tsuba.
Whoosh!
Renji theatrically held the longsword horizontally across his chest. A glint of silver light reflected the dawn's sunlight into the tree shadows.
"I'll need to find someone to teach me swordsmanship when I get back."
Renji walked along the mountain path towards the tent.
A short while later, he spotted Mitsuki Kumoko.
"Mitsuki-san, what are you doing here?" Renji asked.
Kumoko first handed a set of Jujutsu High uniforms to Renji, then spoke with a serious expression, "Okkotsu-san, Ieiri-san said you should go see her in the village as soon as you return. She also instructed me not to take down the curtain, so I've been waiting here for you."
"What happened?" Renji entered the tent.
"It seems... they've discovered a Cursed Undead." Kumoko said nervously.
"What's that?" Renji asked casually as he put on the clean uniform.
Kumoko was taken aback for a moment, then remembered that Renji had only been exposed to knowledge about Cursed Spirits for less than a month.
"A Cursed Undead is a husk parasitized by a Cursed Spirit. Those humans appear no different from normal people, but their internal organs have been completely corroded by curses. After being eroded by the Cursed Spirit's Cursed Energy, they become containers for the Cursed Spirit to store Cursed Energy. The difference from a dead person is that they are very dangerous." Kumoko adjusted her glasses on the bridge of her nose.
Containers for storing Cursed Energy?
"Generally, how long does it take for a Cursed Undead to form?" Renji asked.
Kumoko frowned. "That depends on the strength of the Cursed Spirit's Cursed Energy output. Generally, a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit can create a group of Cursed Undeads in three days, while a Grade 3 Cursed Spirit needs ten or even several decades to create one."
"I understand. Thank you, Mitsuki-san." Renji walked out of the tent, slinging the longsword over his back.
He looked towards the direction of the village.
If the residual Cursed Energy above the village yesterday was like a tangle of chaotic threads, today, it was like ribbons that had already gained some thickness.
At the same time, inside the village.
Shoko stood before a little boy, her eyebrows furrowing.
'How strange... they're all Cursed Undeads? The mission report said the villagers were normal humans, didn't it?' She thought to herself, a cigarette dangling from her lips.
She placed her hand on the little boy's head.
Reverse Cursed Technique!
Whoosh!
The Cursed Energy gathered in Shoko's hand scattered in all directions, indicating this child was already beyond saving.
However, strangely, when she had arrived at this village yesterday, Shoko distinctly felt that the few villagers she interacted with were living humans, only slightly eroded by curses, not life-threatening. Yet today, even the villager cured by the Reverse Cursed Technique yesterday had become a Cursed Undead.
Overnight...
Turned into Cursed Undeads?
No... that's not right...
There was a curtain in place, and that Grade 1 Cursed Spirit's Cursed Energy should have been concealed.
Shoko pinched the cigarette at her lips between her index and ring fingers, exhaled a puff of smoke, and then walked out while deep in thought.
After all, Cursed Undeads have no self-awareness. As long as they aren't controlled by the Cursed Spirit's main body or attacked, they're just dead ordinary humans.
Just as Shoko was thinking, the little boy suddenly opened his eyes. Those black pupils rolled around a few times before fixing intently on Shoko's back. Then, something seemed to wriggle beneath the surface of the little boy's skin, emitting a disgusting, squelching sound.
"Hmm?"
Shoko's pupils contracted as she instantly turned around.
In just a few moments, the little boy's body had become incredibly grotesque, stretched apart like noodles by something, his belly inflating like a balloon, almost bursting through the roof.
"Jujutsu Sorcerer... die!" The little boy's voice turned sharp and ethereal.
Boom!!!
A terrifying shockwave mixed with a nauseating stench of decay exploded.
Renji, who had just run to the village entrance, was blasted by the terrifying shockwave, unable to open his eyes, and could only cross his arms in front of him to resist the impact.
Once the shockwave subsided, he immediately ran towards the location of the explosion.
"Shoko!"
Renji gasped for breath. His body hadn't undergone Jujutsu High's systematic training, so right now, he was just a sorcerer who was considered Special Grade only in terms of Cursed Energy, while all other aspects were roughly at Third-Grade level.
Rustle... Rustle...
Rubble and debris covered the courtyard.
"Okkotsu-kun, you've got quite the nerve. It's only been one night, and you're already calling me by my name. But... seeing how worried you are about me, I'll allow you to call me by my name, just like those two jerks." Shoko's lazy yet cheerful voice sounded from behind Renji.