章 10: Threads of Control
Exhaustion pulled at me as I collapsed onto the soft bed. It had been one hell of a day – the test, the weird stuff with Sumiko, and a ridiculous amount of BBQ (courtesy of Gojo). A contented sigh escaped my lips. All things considered, today was… a success.
As my muscles started to relax, a familiar itch tugged at the corner of my mind: the System. With a flick of my mental focus, the familiar blue screen came into existence.
[Name: Kaito Murakami
Title: None
Grade: 4
Level: 3 (910/3000 XP)
Techniques:
. Enhanced Development (MAX)
. Phantom Threads (Lvl 3)
Attributes:
. Strength: C+
. Agility: B+
. Endurance: C+
. Vitality: C+
. Sense: C+
. Curse Energy: SSS+
. Cursed Energy Control: D+
Attribute Points: 29
Inventory:
. Guide to Cursed Energy Control]
My eyes danced over the screen. It felt surreal seeing the tangible proof of my growth. Just a few days ago, Phantom Threads had been barely a concept, and now it was a leveled-up technique. A subtle pulse radiated from it. I shifted my focus to Cursed Energy Control. For the first time, this pulsed as well, improving from D to D+.
A grin spread across my face. "Looks like thanks to Enhanced Development, I can level up my techniques just as fast," I mused, the pieces falling into place. This was huge. It meant I could push myself further, faster. My gaze drifted to the last item in the inventory. It was time to dive into the Guide to Cursed Energy Control – that miserable D+ was an eyesore. But this… maybe it held the key?
"I finally have time to actually read this thing," I muttered, propping myself up on a pillow. With a mental command, the guide materialized.
Chapter 1: Fundamentals
The introductory stuff was pretty basic: how curses are born, how cursed energy works… stuff I mostly knew from Gojo's half-baked explanations. What caught my eye was a section on the nature of curses themselves.
Curses are pure negative energy. They are born from human fear, hatred, and other negative emotions. This energy is inherently chaotic and destructive.
Interesting. It made sense. But the next line made me pause:
The power of a curse is directly proportional to the strength of the negative emotions that created it.
That meant the curse I fought in the school, fueled by my fear of death... should have been much weaker. Why weren't all the curses I encountered so pathetic? The guide didn't offer answers, but it sparked a burning curiosity. Just how much control did humans have over the curse-creation process? Was it even something that could be controlled?
I skimmed further, looking for any explanation of why my control over cursed energy was so abysmal. The answer was a simple one: practice. According to the guide, the ability to manipulate cursed energy was a skill, honed over countless hours of training. Apparently, some people had natural talent for it, but most had to work their butts off to see any kind of improvement.
Well, I wasn't afraid of a little hard work. The guide included a series of exercises for beginners. They didn't sound too complex, focusing on visualization and focusing cursed energy into specific shapes. It was a starting point, at least.
Closing the guide, I decided to give one of the exercises a try. The first was fairly basic: visualize a ball of energy in my hands and rotate it, counterclockwise and then clockwise.
I settled into a cross-legged position, trying to clear my mind of the day's distractions. Slowly but surely, a ball of crackling energy – crimson with streaks of blue – started to come into focus in my palm. Rotating it counterclockwise proved simple enough. But when I tried to reverse the spin… that's when things got interesting.
The ball of energy flickered, and a strand of Phantom Threads lashed out, dissipating the energy with a soft pop.
"Whoa," I whispered, staring at my hands in disbelief.
It seemed that Cursed Energy Control and the Phantom Threads were more connected than I initially thought. The system had already established that they drew from the same well of energy. But now it seemed there was a deeper level of interaction I needed to figure out.
The implications were staggering. If I could increase my Cursed Energy Control, my ability to use phantom threads would increase exponentially. I flipped through the Guide to Cursed Energy with renewed interest.
A section on advanced techniques caught my eye. Apparently, the ability to control cursed energy flow was essential. Most sorcerers unconsciously channeled energy from the gut, where their negative emotions churned. This, the guide explained, led to a disjointed, delayed flow.
True masters, it went on, visualize their cursed energy as an extension of their being, not something channeled through their bodies. They exist in the world with their entire mind, body, and soul as one.
The guide stressed the interconnected nature of the mind and body. Control over emotions wasn't just helpful, it was essential in mastering cursed energy manipulation. This explained why my own attempts were so chaotic. In the heat of combat, doubt and fear had a way of sneaking in, disrupting my focus.
A new exercise presented itself: simply being aware of my own emotional state while simultaneously channeling cursed energy. The guide promised this simple awareness was the first step towards greater mastery. I had to learn to calm the storm within if I ever hoped to control the storm raging around me.
My body vibrated with a mixture of exhaustion and excitement. Tomorrow, I'd tackle it again. And the next day. I knew with time, and plenty of trial and error, my control would improve. And when it did, those higher grades would be within my grasp.
Next morning
The final steps of the 5K were a blur. My lungs screamed for mercy, my legs threatened mutiny, but a stubborn streak inside me pushed onward. Finally, I collapsed onto the soft grass by the track, gasping for air, my senses muddled.
Thank you, system, for that sweet, sweet auto-recovery. A wave of warmth washed over me, reinvigorating my body.
As my breathing slowed, my gaze drifted towards the horizon. The first hint of dawn stretched across the sky, a vibrant blend of orange and pink. Something about that transition from darkness into light, the promise of a brand-new day, had always stirred a sense of inspiration within me.
This quiet moment, this in-between state before the world awoke...it was perfect for putting the Guide to Cursed Energy Control to the test. I sat up straighter, settling into a cross-legged position in the dew-laden grass.
Closing my eyes, I delved inward. Summoning my cursed energy was now second nature, a familiar thrumming beneath my skin. But as the guide had made clear, the real work lay in control.
I let myself sink deeper, searching for that quiet center beyond ambition, beyond the chatter of my mind, where only the essence of me existed. My breath slowed, matching the stillness of the early morning.
With newfound clarity, I focused on the raw, churning pool of energy. I didn't fight it, didn't try to force it into submission. Instead, I just...observed. The energy roiled and twisted, a reflection of my own inner turmoil. My frustration from the night before began to melt away, replaced by a sense of curiosity.
A flicker of movement caught my attention. A thin, unruly thread of my cursed energy had detached from the main cluster. It danced and swirled before my mind's eye, responding to the slightest shift of my intention.
The hunt was on! My focus narrowed, fixating on that rebellious thread. It took all of my concentration just to keep it from dissipating completely. Loops, spirals, even a halting attempt at a figure eight – each movement was a tiny triumph over the chaos.
A warmth bloomed in my chest – not the fiery heat of battle, but something calmer, subtler. I wasn't just pushing this energy, I was becoming a part of it. With each successful twist of my will, I imposed a semblance of order on the disharmony within.
The world dissolved around me as I fell into a silent battle against myself. Sweat glistened on my skin, and the ache in my body screamed for rest. Yet, I continued the exercise. Finally, the sun was fully risen, casting long morning shadows. A cool wind had picked up, carrying the scent of grass and damp earth. My body ached with the delicious burn of concentrated effort.
A sense of quiet contentment washed over me. No flashy victories, no dramatic breakthroughs. But the guide was right – this was a beginning.
[Name: Kaito Murakami
Title: None
Grade: 4
Level: 3 (910/3000 XP)
Techniques:
Enhanced Development (MAX)
Phantom Threads (Lvl 3)
Attributes:
Strength: C+
Agility: B+
Endurance: C+
Vitality: C
Sense: C+
Curse Energy: SSS+
Cursed Energy Control: C
Attribute Points: 32
Inventory:
Guide to Cursed Energy Control]
A genuine smile spread across my face. Cursed Energy Control had increased from D+ all the way to C. Now, should I spend some attribute points? I focused my attention on Strength, willing it to increase. It looked like five points were required to level Strength up.
"Five points, huh?" I mumbled aloud. Well, it was worth a shot. With a mental command, I poured five attribute points into Strength. An odd tingling sensation ran down my arms, and a golden light pulsed around the attribute – it had leveled up to B-.
I clenched my fists, feeling a sudden surge of power. This was… different. The change in my body was subtle yet undeniable. I was not just stronger, but the whole sensation of strength felt different. It was hard to explain – clearer, more focused.
A smirk curved my lips. Okay, maybe spending some points wasn't such a bad idea after all. It would be interesting to see just how far this could go.
The thrill of seeing my progress in the system faded, replaced by the stark reality of the mundane life of a student. Sure, I had a little boost now, but I still had so much to learn. Just as the thought crossed my mind, a voice pierced through my internal monologue.
"So, Fushiguro, what do we actually do in class?" Iitadori asked.
Fushiguro didn't even look up from his phone. "When Gojo's here, he might give us some exercises to do. But usually, we just train, go on missions, Debrief missions, recover from missions, and train again."
A nod escaped me. It wasn't the thrilling answer I'd hoped for, but at least I was mentally prepared. Kugisaki and Sumiko drifted into their own conversation, excitedly making plans to visit a cafe after school.
Turning back to Fushiguro, a mischievous grin crept onto my face. "Hey, when are you taking Itadori and me out to shop? We're still waiting on that promise, you know."
Fushiguro finally lifted his gaze from his phone and blinked. "What?"
Itadori piped in, "Yeah, dude! You said you'd get us something after our first mission, remember?"
Realization dawned on Fushiguro, bringing a scowl to his face. He let out a muttered, "Damn, I forgot."
The door creaked open just then, saving Fushiguro from further embarrassment. Gojo strolled in. "Good morning, class!" he announced, his usual cheeriness on full blast. In his hand, he held several small, pale green packages.
He handed one to each of us, "Enjoy! It's green tea mochi, my favorite."
Skeptically, I unwrapped mine. The mochi was soft and dusted with a green powder. I took a cautious bite, and... damn, it was good. A little sweet, but the flavor of rich green tea balanced it out. A wave of simple pleasure washed over me. This might be the last good thing you eat before…, a traitorous thought whispered in the back of my mind. I quickly pushed it away.
Gojo made his way to the front of the room, his goofy charm shifting into something more serious. "As you all know, this isn't your normal college. There are no tests or papers to grade. All you are here to do is hone your skills in a safe environment and go on missions. What you do on your own time is up to you, but just know that you will need to train in order to defeat curses. What you don't do here, could cost you out there."
His words hit harder than he probably intended. A wave of tension rippled through the air, then vanished as fast as it had come. But rather than the usual chatter filling the space, a heavy silence settled over the room. It was the kind of silence that spoke of things no one wanted to voice out loud.
Gojo switched back to his upbeat self. "Let's make this an exciting and productive year, shall we?"
I chewed on the remaining mochi thoughtfully. Gojo's words weren't exactly comforting, but they were a stark reminder of the reality ahead of us. Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, the threat of danger lingered just beneath the surface.
Three Weeks Later:
July 3rd, 2018
West Tokyo City
Eishuu Juvenile Detention Center
A tremor rippled through the unseen world. Within the walls of Eishuu, something stirred – a curse womb witnessed by several civilians. Whispers reached Jujutsu Tech, whispers of an apparition with immense power... a potential Special Grade threat had been born.
No time for deliberation. Five Jujutsu Tech first-years received their orders – an urgent deployment, the harsh reality of their chosen path thrust upon them. Itadori, Kugisaki, Fushiguro, Sumiko... and Kaito. And of these five, at least one would not return.
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