Reward

[Congratulations for completing the task!] The system notification sounded in Takashi's mind, confirming his success in recruiting Jogo. He felt a mix of relief and satisfaction as he saw the task being marked as completed.

"Thank you, Jogo. I look forward to working together," Takashi said with a smile on his face.

"However, the academy is still not quite done yet. The construction is still in progress, and the only teacher apart from you is me."

Jogo nodded in acknowledgment, his fiery form flickering as he considered Takashi's words. "Fine, I'll help you bring in instructors. But, there's no way I'm helping with the construction."

Takashi chuckled, understanding Jogo's aversion to manual labor. "That's fair, Jogo. The cursed spirits are already handling the construction, so there's no need for help with that."

"Alright, then let's meet at your academy once everything is ready."

Takashi nodded, and handed Jogo a paper which contained the coordinates of the academy. With their plans set in motion, Takashi summoned the bird-like cursed spirit once more.

'Huh, since I'm using this cursed spirit so much, how about I give it a name?'

As the cursed spirit arrived, it seemed to sense Takashi's intention through Cursed Spirit Communication. With a sense of understanding, the bird-like cursed spirit chirped softly, seemingly eager to accept the name Takashi had in mind.

With a smile, Takashi gazed at the bird-like cursed spirit, "From now on, your name shall be Kazura," Takashi said.

Kazura's red eyes gleamed with a sense of acknowledgement as if it understood and accepted its new name. And with that, they disappeared, leaving Jogo who was deep in thought.

'Interesting, does he have a Cursed Technique like Geto? No.. it didn't seem like he was controlling it, it should be something else.'

With that, Jogo left the devastated area, absorbed in his thoughts.

As Takashi entered his modest apartment, he immediately went to his bedroom. As he entered, drowsiness and exhaustion hit him like a wave, and he collapsed on his bed.

After a few hours of sleep, Takashi woke up. He felt better than ever, however, he felt that something was different. His cursed energy flowed through his body with newfound harmony.

'Ah right, I almost forgot.' Takashi thought, as he remembered his fight with Jogo. 'I managed to do two Black Flashes consecutively, that must be the reason.'

Takashi experimented with his newfound control of cursed energy. After he was done, it was time to choose his rewards for completing the task.

[Task completed!]

[Guaranteed reward: 50.000 Curse Points]

[Rewards:

1. Flame-Infused Cursed Sword: A cursed sword that is imbued with the power of cursed flames, enhancing its cutting ability and allowing the user to unleash fiery attacks.

2. Advanced Cursed Spirit Communication: Unlock a more powerful version of the Cursed Spirit Communication ability, allowing for better communication and control over cursed spirits.

3. Cursed Talisman of Flame Suppression: A talisman that grants resistance to fire-based attacks and can suppress fire-based cursed techniques.

4. Cursed Fire Manipulation: An ability that allows the user to generate, manipulate and control flames with great precision and power.]

Takashi immediately crossed out the first and third options. He already had Playful Cloud as a weapon, plus he didn't really need a talisman that grants resistance to fire.

So, he was torn between the second and fourth options.

'If I recall correctly, a human brain can only store 4 Cursed Techniques. And, I already have two, but there's a possibility I'll be able to buy something from the Shop that allows me to bypass that... wait the Shop!'

Takashi suddenly recalled a very important item that was being sold in the Shop, and he immediately opened it.

[Shop]

[Slot-ticket: Can be used on a reward for it to appear in the next batch of rewards. (Cost: 20.000 Curse Points)]

'Damn, it's expensive. It's almost half of what I've got from the task, but it's worth it.'

With determination, he confirmed his purchase, and the Slot-ticket disappeared from the Shop. With that, a black ticket appeared in his palm, and he instictively knew how to use it. He tore it in half, and used it on Advanced Cursed Spirit Communication.

Nothing happened, except the ticket dissipating into black dots, but Takashi knew that it worked. With all of that done, he chose Cursed Fire Manipulation as new information appeared in his mind.

He extended his arm, and a small orb of fire began to appear on the tip of his finger. Takashi marveled at the small orb of fire dancing on his fingertip. It glowed with an intense heat, yet he felt a sense of control and harmony as he manipulated the flames with ease.

"This is incredible," he whispered, a smile spreading across his face. Feeling the pull of excitement, Takashi decided to test the limits of his new ability. He focused on expanding the flames, and to his surprise, they responded, growing in size and intensity without losing his grasp.

As the flames swirled around him in a controlled dance, Takashi's mind raced with possibilities. 'I feel like a kid... hehe.'

With a thought, he also activated Encompassing Abyss, extending the barrier to a 15 meter radius. The invisible barrier of the Encompassing Abyss expanded, surrounding Takashi and the swirling flames.

Once again, he focused the flames into a small orb. Using Energy Leech, he absorbed the cursed energy from the surroundings, and directed it into the small orb of fire.

As Takashi drew more and more cursed energy into the fiery orb, he could sense its power growing exponentially. It grew into a large fireball, and the flames danced with high intensity.

However, in his excitement and curiosity, Takashi failed to notice that the flames were becoming increasingly unstable. In itself, Takashi wouldn't have trouble controlling the flames, however, he also activated Encompassing Abyss, which also required his attention to maintain it.

As he continued to pour cursed energy into the orb, the flames began to surge uncontrollably, their fiery tendrils reaching out beyond his grasp. The room's temperature soared, and Takashi struggled to keep the flames contained.

He marveled at how well the two abilities complemented each other. The barrier amplified the effects of the flames, making them more potent and precise. The swirling fire seemed to respond to his thoughts, shaping into intricate patterns and displays at his command.

'Wait.. maybe I shouldn't do this here?' Takashi thought, as he tried to stop everything.

But it was too late.

'Oh shi-'

With a sudden burst of energy, the fiery orb exploded, sending a shockwave of flames and force in all directions. The apartment was engulfed in a violent blaze as the explosion shattered windows and tore through walls.

Takashi was thrown back by the force of the blast, his body colliding with a wall. He was undamaged, however, his apartment was not. The apartment was now an inferno, and the blaze raged on, consuming everything in its path.

[Name: Takashi Suzuki]

[Age: 17]

[Curse Points: 30.000]

[Curse Academy System Level: 1]

[Cursed Energy Amount: Immense]

[Cursed Energy Output: High]

[Abilities:

Cursed Spirit Communication

Cursed Energy Manipulation

Cursed Energy Reinforcement]

[Cursed Techniques:

Barrier Reflection Technique

Encompassing Abyss

Cursed Fire Manipulation]

[Heavenly Restriction:

Barrier Reflection Technique - Minor Restriction

Physical Body - Modified Restriction

Sense - Modified Restriction]

...

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I'd appreciate some power stones. :)