The infirmary at Tokyo Jujutsu High smelled of incense and clinical sterile solution. Akira sat on the edge of the bed, his skin still prickling from the residue of Gojo's energy. Across from him, the white-haired sorcerer leaned against a cabinet, tossing a small, blackened wooden box in the air.
"You're a freak of nature, Akira," Gojo said lightly. "But a useful one. The higher-ups are debating whether to turn you into an experimental subject or just execute you. For now, you're my 'special student'."
Suddenly, a semi-transparent screen flickered in front of Akira's eyes. It was no longer crimson; it had turned a cold, calculating blue.
[New Environment Detected: Jujutsu High]
[Main Quest Unlocked: 'The Ascendance of the Sin Eater']
[Objective: Reach Grade 3 Sorcerer Level within 7 days.]
[Reward: Skill 'Soul Insight' (Allows seeing the flow of cursed energy in living beings).]
[Penalty for Failure: Permanent Hunger Frenzy (Loss of Sanity).]
Akira's stomach growled, a sound like grinding stones. The "Penalty" sent a chill down his spine.
"I need... to eat," Akira whispered, clutching his midsection.
"Patience, kid," Gojo replied, noticing the violet flicker in Akira's eyes. "I've got just the thing for your first 'lesson'. There's a Grade 3 spirit lurking in the school's basement training grounds. It's a 'Curse of Neglected Tools'. Think of it as an appetizer."
[Sub-Quest Triggered: 'The Iron Feast']
[Task: Consume the Core of the Grade 3 Tool Curse.]
[Bonus: Absorb at least one Cursed Tool fragment.]
Akira stood up. His body felt lighter, but the void in his chest was expanding. He followed Gojo to the basement, a dark, damp arena filled with discarded practice weapons.
The air shifted. From the shadows, a mass of rusted blades and jagged metal rose, held together by a thick, black sludge. It roared, a metallic screech that hurt Akira's ears.
"Go on," Gojo said, stepping back into the shadows. "Show me how you handle a meal that fights back."
Akira didn't hesitate. He lunged, but the Curse swung a massive arm made of rusted katanas. He dodged, the blades whistling past his ear.
[Enemy Analysis: Cursed Tool Amalgam (Grade 3)]
[Weakness: Exposed Core behind the central hilt.]
[Hunger Status: Critical. 300% damage boost for the next 60 seconds.]
The red aura around Akira flared. He wasn't thinking about technique; he was thinking about the "Penalty". He ran straight into a hail of metal, letting a rusted blade pierce his shoulder. He didn't flinch. Instead, he used the blade as a bridge, pulling himself closer to the monster's chest.
He gripped the central hilt and, with a guttural roar, bit down on the metal.
CRUNCH.
The sound of teeth meeting cursed steel echoed through the chamber.