Then, on the second day, I forced myself to step beyond the limits I should have respected. My body still felt sore and unbearably heavy after the intense training and the creation of a Cursed Tool the day before.
Every muscle seemed to protest against being moved, my joints felt stiff, and my breathing had yet to fully stabilize. Even so, I did not allow myself any excuse to stop. I accepted the pain as part of the process, something I had to endure if I truly wanted to grow stronger.
On that day, I managed to create two Cursed Tools at once: the Shield Watch and the Blade Knife. These two cursed tools served complementary roles, like two sides of the same coin.
The Shield Watch focused on self-defense, acting as a protective barrier that shielded its user from danger. Meanwhile, the Blade Knife was created purely as an offensive tool, a flexible weapon that prioritized speed and sharpness above all else.
The process of creating them was far more difficult than making the Movement-Enhancing Boots. While those boots demanded strength and a steady flow of energy, the Shield Watch required an almost perfect stability of Cursed Energy.
Even the smallest mistake, a flow that was even slightly too fast or too slow, could cause the structure of the shield to collapse before it had the chance to fully form.
I failed over and over again. The Cursed Energy I gathered was wasted, dispersing uselessly into the air and leaving behind a dull, lingering ache deep within my body.
Each failure drained my focus and stamina, making my head feel faint and light. Yet through those repeated failures, I slowly began to understand the correct rhythm of the energy flow. Eventually, I found the balance I was looking for.
When the shield finally formed for the first time, I could feel a heavy pressure around my wrist. The watch seemed to transform into a focal point of Cursed Energy, drawing in and restraining the flow of energy around it.
The sensation was uncomfortable, as if an invisible weight clung to me constantly, demanding my full attention so that the flow would not waver even slightly.
[Name of Cursed Tool: Shield Watch]
[Type: Active]
[Function: 1. By channeling Cursed Energy into the wristwatch, the user can form an energy shield composed entirely of pure Cursed Energy. This shield is capable of directly blocking both physical and energy-based attacks, with its durability depending on the amount, quality, and stability of the Cursed Energy supplied by the user.]
[2. The shape, size, and density of the energy shield can be freely altered according to the user's will while it is active. The shield may be condensed to withstand powerful attacks focused on a single point, or expanded to protect a wider area. However, the larger the protected area or the denser the shield's structure, the greater the consumption of Cursed Energy, which directly accelerates the depletion of its active duration.]
[Rules: 1. Activation of the Shield Watch occurs the moment Cursed Energy is channeled into the watch. Once activated, the energy shield can be maintained for up to ten full minutes. After this time limit is reached, the shield will disappear automatically without warning, regardless of the combat situation or the user's intentions.]
[2. While the shield is active, any changes to its form, expansion of its coverage, or increase in its strength will further accelerate the depletion of the ten-minute duration. The Shield Watch has no automatic adjustment system, meaning that the management of Cursed Energy relies entirely on the user's judgment, instincts, and experience.]
[3. After the shield disappears, the Shield Watch cannot be used again immediately without re-channeling Cursed Energy from the beginning. Each activation is always counted as a new use, and any remaining time from the previous activation cannot be stored or carried over.]
Once the Shield Watch was complete, I did not allow myself the luxury of proper rest. I immediately moved on to the creation of the Blade Knife.
Unlike the Shield Watch, which demanded stability in the flow of energy, the Blade Knife required absolute precision in form and structure, down to the smallest detail.
I had to ensure that the transformation process from a short blade into a katana was seamless, without even the slightest crack or imbalance.
The smallest structural error could prove fatal, causing the weapon to break or shatter in the midst of battle, at the very moment I would need it the most.
Time and again, I canceled the process midway. Each time I sensed even the slightest disharmony, I pulled back the Cursed Energy, allowing the weapon's form to collapse before it could become permanently flawed.
At last, after an exhausting series of trials and focus that was nearly depleted, I managed to achieve a perfect transformation. Its form was stable, its structure solid, and Cursed Energy flowed within it smoothly, as if the weapon itself had accepted my existence as its creator.
[Name of Cursed Tool: Knife Sword]
[Type: Active]
[Function: 1. By channeling Cursed Energy into the knife, its shape extends and physically transforms into a katana with a length of approximately 120 cm. This transformation is real, not a pseudo-illusion. For the duration of its activation, the metal structure, weight, balance, and even the curvature of the blade truly change, making this weapon equivalent to a traditionally forged katana.]
[2. In its katana form, Knife Sword possesses sharpness and durability enhanced by Cursed Energy that continuously flows along the blade. Every swing feels firmer and more stable, capable of cutting through hard physical objects, piercing defenses, and slashing energy-based attacks, as long as the user's Cursed Energy quality and stability remain at an adequate level.]
[Rules: 1. Once activated, the katana form can only be maintained for a full hour. When this time limit is reached, the Cursed Energy sustaining the transformation will naturally disperse, and the weapon will automatically revert to its knife form without requiring any additional command from the user.]
[2. After the transformation ends, Knife Sword cannot be reactivated immediately. The user must wait a full minute for the internal structure and flow of Cursed Energy within the tool to stabilize before channeling energy into it again to transform it back into a katana.]
Both Cursed Tools took hours to complete. My concentration was continuously drained, and every minute slipped by without me even realizing it.
When I finally lifted my head and became aware of my surroundings, the sky had already turned a reddish orange. The sun was on the verge of setting, leaving behind the faint, gradually fading glow of dusk.
By the time I returned to the orphanage, there were only about twenty minutes left before six in the evening. The moment the door opened, Yukina's expression immediately changed.
Yukina's gaze sharpened, a mixture of relief at my safe return and anger she could not conceal.
Without any small talk, Yukina scolded me for coming home too late. Her voice rose, clearly filled with worry for my safety.
I could only lower my head and apologize, my voice sounding weak. My body began to feel unbearably heavy, the exhaustion I had been holding back finally crashing down all at once.
Then, as the third day began, the atmosphere of my training became slightly calmer. My body was still tired, but my mind was far more stable.
My focus remained sharp, no longer disturbed by excessive pain. On that day, I succeeded in creating one new Cursed Tool, a barrier-type Cursed Tool.
This tool was extremely important to me. With its existence, my movements in battle would become far freer and more controlled.
In addition, this barrier served to prevent disturbances that could draw the attention of ordinary humans when I had to face Cursed Spirits, something that would be extremely dangerous if left unchecked.
[Name of Cursed Tool: Barrier Pen]
[Type: Active]
[Function: 1. By channeling Cursed Energy into the pen, the user can form an invisible barrier that functions as a spatial boundary. This barrier cannot be seen from the outside, blends seamlessly with the surrounding environment, and can only be sensed upon contact or when a being attempts to pass through it.]
[2. Any creature inside the barrier cannot escape by any means while the barrier remains active. The pressure of Cursed Energy within the barrier walls automatically adjusts to suppress escape attempts. The barrier will persist until the user consciously decides to deactivate it, or until its maximum duration is reached.]
[Rules: 1. Once Cursed Energy is supplied, the pen will levitate in midair and become the central point of the barrier's formation. From this point, the barrier expands to form an enclosed space with a diameter that can be determined by the user at the moment of activation.]
[2. The barrier cannot be removed unless the user consciously cancels it or until the one-hour time limit is reached. Once this duration expires, the barrier will automatically disappear, the Cursed Energy will disperse, and the pen will return to its normal state.]
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