[Cursed Tool Name: Pen Ring]
[Type: Active]
[Function: 1. The ring can change form into a pen through the user's flow of Cursed Energy. This transformation is physical rather than illusory, meaning the pen can be touched, has weight, and can be used like a real object for writing or inscribing marks.]
[2. The size of the ring can adjust itself to the user as long as Cursed Energy is supplied in a stable manner. This adjustment is semi-permanent and can be altered again at any time through a new flow of energy, ensuring that the ring remains comfortable to wear without compromising the stability of its form. Even if a finger is injured or swollen, the ring will follow those changes without tightening or loosening itself in a dangerous way.]
[3. In its pen form, the Cursed Energy channeled into this tool is converted into ink. The greater the energy supplied, the more ink is produced, with its density, color saturation, and line sharpness all depending on the quality, stability, and purity of my energy. The lines inscribed will not break or fade as long as the flow of Cursed Energy is maintained.]
[4. By dripping blood onto the surface of the ring, the Pen Ring becomes bound to the user as its primary owner. This bond is personal and absolute, meaning the ring cannot be activated, transformed, or used by anyone else without the conscious permission of the bound user.]
[Rules: 1. Whenever Cursed Energy is channeled into the ring form, the Cursed Tool will immediately transform into a pen. Conversely, when Cursed Energy is channeled into the pen form, it will revert back into a ring. This transition occurs instantly, without any intermediate phase, in order to prevent energy instability and structural damage.]
[2. In pen form, the Pen Ring can only maintain its transformation for one hour. Once that time limit is reached, it will automatically revert to a ring regardless of the user's will or condition. This mechanism functions as a limiter, preventing excessive energy consumption that could damage the ring's structure and endanger the user.]
[3. To transform the ring back into a pen after this time limit, the user must channel Cursed Energy again from the beginning, with the same energy cost as the initial transformation. In this way, each use carries a measurable consequence and cannot be performed carelessly.]
This pen was far easier to shape into a ring compared to my notebook. The reason was simple: this time, the ring did not possess any additional function to revert itself when the word "Return" was spoken. There was no backup function, no hidden layers of mechanism that needed to be preserved.
There were no verbal commands that had to be embedded, no complex structures that forced the object to obey spoken instructions. Because of that, the design of this ring-type Cursed Tool was far more compact, the flow of Cursed Energy much smoother, and I was able to form it far more quickly than my notebook, which had more complicated functions and demanded a much higher level of stability.
"Ugh!" A wave of exhaustion struck my body all at once. The muscles in my shoulders and back felt heavy, as if pulled down by an invisible weight, while my breathing faltered slightly. I could clearly feel the throbbing at my temples, pulsing in time with the residual flow of energy that had not yet fully settled.
Once that Binding Vow ended, the side effects came without mercy.
My head ached, as though pressure were building from within, and my body was flooded with fatigue from forcing my focus and concentration beyond normal limits, while also expending far more Cursed Energy than I should have.
It felt like wringing myself dry, driving my body to work far past its natural capacity.
It was irritating. I needed to train so that my focus and concentration could improve without relying on a Binding Vow.
Otherwise, every creation of a Cursed Tool would always demand too high a price from my own body—and that was not a pattern I could accept in the long run.
Which meant that as long as I still had to rely on a Binding Vow every time I activated my Innate Technique to create a Cursed Tool, I would keep draining myself over and over.
A pattern like this clearly couldn't be allowed to continue for too long, or sooner or later my body would reach its limit.
"I should rest for a bit before heading back. I don't want to go home in a state of complete exhaustion and make Yukina worry again," I murmured softly while looking up at the sky, letting my breathing gradually become steady.
The sun now hung directly at the center of the sky. Its blazing light poured straight down, dazzling to the eyes, yet at the same time a reminder that the day was still far from over.
The warmth of that light seeped into my skin, as if telling me that I still had time—enough time to recover before finally making my way home.
…
…
…
Evening eventually arrived. The sunlight began to tilt westward, filtering through the gaps between the trees in a soft, golden hue. I straightened my clothes, brushing and patting at my pants and shirt to knock off the dust that had clung to me after a full day of activity.
Grains of dirt and dried leaves fell to the ground at my feet. After making sure there was no more grime left, I immediately started walking away, leaving the forest where I had trained behind, allowing the quiet to slowly swallow the traces of my presence.
My steps felt lighter, even though my body still held the remnants of fatigue. My muscles ached, my breathing hadn't completely settled, and a faint throb in my joints reminded me that today's training had been anything but light.
Even so, a sense of satisfaction covered everything. Without hesitation, I headed back toward the orphanage, following the familiar path I knew by heart, as if my feet were moving on their own without needing any command.
I walked while taking in my surroundings. The rows of houses looked utterly ordinary, the streets were quiet, and the sound of my footsteps echoed softly between walls and fences. This city always felt calm on the surface—too calm, as if it had never been touched by any kind of chaos.
There were no shouts, no panic, only routines continuing as usual. And yet I was certain that beneath that calm, there were more than enough Cursed Spirits roaming about, unseen by ordinary people.
They hid in dark corners, in old buildings, in places humans ignored, waiting without ever being noticed.
Once I succeed in creating a Cursed Tool that can actually be used for combat, I'll go out and hunt down a few Grade 4 Cursed Spirits to exterminate.
I've already pictured the routes, the points most likely to become their nests, and how I'll approach them without drawing unnecessary attention. I won't be reckless. I'll choose targets with the lowest risk, making sure every battle unfolds under my control.
I won't use them only as combat training to sharpen my skills and build experience, but also as a way to test the Cursed Tool I'll have created.
I want to see how that tool responds under real pressure, not just in the simulations or theories I construct in my head. Every fight will become data, every clash a lesson.
I want to know how far the weapon can channel my Cursed Energy, how it reacts in actual combat, and whether its design and function are truly suited for fighting Cursed Spirits.
Whether its flow is stable or instead wild. Whether its form makes movement easier or ends up restricting me. I want to find its weaknesses early, before a small flaw turns into an injury that can't be undone.
I only hope there are no Grade 3, Grade 2, Grade 1, or—worse—Special Grade Cursed Spirits in this city. If I were to run into something at that level right now, I might die stupidly before I even manage to do anything.
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