Middle school was a goddamn circus. Tiny desks, shitty rules, kids whining over homework, teachers thinking their existence mattered. Everyone else saw it as normal life. I saw it for what it really was: a training ground, a cover, a testing field.
I was Von. Eleven in body, twenty-one in mind. And everything about me screamed danger, even if the world didn't notice.
Arthur and Lancelot, my oldest puppets, now sleek, blocky, and imposing, sat snug in my backpack, twitching with cursed energy, waiting for my orders. The newer puppets, well-crafted but clearly mechanical, followed my commands without hesitation. No longer ugly prototypes—they were impressive mini-soldiers, Grail-character inspired, visually intimidating even at small size.
Vow Two was starting to click. Every cursed fragment they absorbed taught them something new—clumsy at first, but growing stronger. It was time to test what they could do.
Fuck patience. Let's see how far they can go.
School Life as a Front
"Von! Did you do the math homework?" some dumbass kid whined.
I glared. He didn't matter. Obedience and survival were the only rules. "Maybe. Maybe not. Fuck off."
Whispers spread through the class, perfect cover. My tiny army of cursed puppets remained hidden in my bag.
I tugged at Arthur's arm slightly. "You see them too, right?" I muttered.
Arthur didn't answer, but he didn't need to. He and the others sensed every cursed fragment I felt.
I glanced at the window. Shadows shifted—subtle, flickering. Curses. I could see them clearly.
I whispered:
"Every cursed spirit leaves a stain… a flicker. Tiny things—movement, heat, tension. I notice. I see them. Weak, strong, it doesn't matter."
First Field Test
The bell rang. Kids swarmed the halls like ants. Perfect distraction. I slipped out the back door, puppets in tow.
A small curse flickered near the alley. Weak, harmless—but perfect for a first test.
"Arthur, Lancelot… others, pay attention," I whispered.
The well-crafted puppets moved fluidly, surrounding the creature. Fragments of cursed energy flowed into the new puppets. They shivered, pulsing faintly, and one of the newer ones stiffened and grew taller, reaching roughly human-like height, still distinctly puppet-like but clearly well-designed and imposing.
I muttered:
"See that? That's instinct kicking in. They're learning. And I can see every tiny energy spike… every curse hiding in the shadows. They're all fucking visible to me."
From deeper shadows, a bigger, twisted curse appeared, spikes jutting from its body, eyes glowing with malice.
"Arthur, Lancelot, flank. New puppets, block and absorb. Grow if you need to. Kill," I ordered.
The taller puppet swung, releasing absorbed cursed energy in a crude mimic of the curse's attack. The others followed, some growing taller instinctively, some on my command. All looked sharp, professional, and intimidating, not clumsy or ugly.
The curse shrieked. Chaos erupted. Shadows collided, cursed energy clashed with sharp, blocky limbs. I didn't flinch. I cataloged every movement, every misstep.
Pain, destruction, chaos—they're tools if you know how to use them.
After the battle, I crouched in the alley. Puppets pulsed faintly with absorbed energy. Some were taller now, imposing but still clearly puppet-like, blocky forms reflecting Grail-character inspiration.
I whispered:
"See, little ones? That's how it works. Every curse leaves a trace. You just have to notice it. That's what makes us predators, not prey."
Arthur's fist twitched, Lancelot's shadow pulse flickered—both perfectly obedient.
Ten puppets. Special Grade. Every curse technique they consume will be ours. And I can see them all.
I returned to school just in time for homeroom. Kids jabbered, teachers droned. Puppets in my bag pulsed softly, taller now, ready to expand further if commanded.
"Von! Did you even—" some idiot started. I ignored him. They didn't matter.
All that mattered were my puppets, my cursed energy, my ability to see every curse in the area.