The air in front of him rippled. A translucent blue interface snapped into existence, hovering sharply against the backdrop of the Tokyo skyline.
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED] Milestone Reached: 500 Cursed Spirits Eradicated. (Session Tracker: 400+ targets eliminated since 14:00).
[REWARDS DISPENSED]
+20,000 System Points (Milestone Base Payout)
+5,000 System Points (Hidden Condition: Session Grinder)
[ SYSTEM BALANCE UPDATE ]
Previous Balance: 20,000 SP
Current Balance: 45,000 SP
Ren let out a slow breath, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. Forty-five thousand points gave him breathing room. It wasn't enough to buy another Special Grade weapon modification, but it was enough to keep him alive in an emergency.
Before he could swipe the screen away, a second notification window shattered into view, bordered in gold instead of the usual blue.
[ BONUS MILESTONE UPGRADE INITIATED ] Due to the excessive volume of kills processed without taking damage, the System has authorized a direct optimization patch to the user's most unstable asset.
Innate Technique: Construction (Origin: Mai Zen'in)
Status: Upgrading from 1-Star ➔ 3-Star Efficiency.
Ren blinked, standing up straighter.
"Show me the conversion metrics," he muttered.
The screen shifted, displaying a clean, clinical breakdown of his cursed energy economy.
[ TECHNIQUE OPTIMIZATION REPORT: CONSTRUCTION ]
Previous State (1-Star Efficiency):
Status: Critical Energy Bleed.
Mechanic: Without natural affinity, the user's body wasted 90% of channeled energy as ambient heat and friction during the creation of matter.
Cost Example: Constructing a standard 9mm lead bullet required 500 CE Units. Constructing a complex object (e.g., a steel combat knife) required 15,000 CE Units.
Current State (3-Star Efficiency):
Status: Stabilized Conversion Rate.
Mechanic: The System has bypassed the user's lack of innate talent, streamlining the molecular assembly process to mimic a Grade 2 Sorcerer's natural output.
Cost Example: Constructing a standard 9mm lead bullet now requires 50 CE Units. Constructing a complex object (e.g., a steel combat knife or a flashbang) now requires 2,000 CE Units.
Ren stared at the numbers, running the math in his head.
Fifty units for a bullet. Two thousand for a flashbang. the technique was finally practical. He didn't have to treat it like a suicide button anymore.
He held out his left hand.
Let's see.
He pictured a standard 9mm hollow point. He didn't force the energy, just let the newly optimized system handle the molecular heavy lifting. A faint spark of blue energy snapped over his palm, and a cold brass casing dropped into his bare hand.
Ren rolled it between his fingers. The weight was perfect. No heat bleed. No friction burns. Just cold, hard ammunition.
He flicked his thumb, tossing the bullet off the roof into the dark alley below.
"Yeah. That works."
He dismissed the interface. The blue panels shattered into dust and faded into the damp Tokyo air.
He checked his phone. 11:58 PM.
Two minutes to Halloween.
Ren walked to the edge of the tar-paper roof.
He stepped off the ledge, dropping into the alley below.
...
October 31st. 1:15 PM.
The sun was bright, the autumn air was crisp, and the outdoor terrace of the Shibuya café was packed.
Ren sat at a small iron table near the railing, nursing an iced Americano. He was dressed in the full Tokyo Jujutsu High uniform—the stark, pitch-black tunic, matching tailored trousers, and the distinctive gold swirl button resting at his collarbone. With Nightfall's scabbard sealed safely away in his inventory, he sat comfortably, leaning back in the iron chair.
To the rest of the world, given that it was Halloween afternoon, the strict, militant uniform just looked like an incredibly high-end, tailored cosplay.
Unfortunately, it made him look a little too good.
"Excuse me."
Ren didn't look up from his phone screen. "Seat's taken."
"There isn't a chair there." The voice was persistent, accompanied by the clinking of cheap jewelry and a heavy wave of floral perfume.
He finally looked up. Two girls, probably university age, were hovering right at the edge of his table. The one talking was leaning in, casually playing with the end of her hair, her smartphone already unlocked in her other hand. Her friend stood a half-step back, blushing furiously and refusing to make eye contact.
"We saw you sitting by yourself," the first girl said, offering a practiced, highly confident smile. "Are you waiting for someone? We're heading to a Halloween party later in Roppongi. You should come."
Ren took a slow sip of his coffee. The ice rattled against the plastic cup. "I'm busy tonight."
"It starts late. We can just exchange Lines for now." She held her phone out across the table.
"No thanks."
She blinked. Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she doubled down, leaning a little closer. "Come on, don't be boring. Do you have a girlfriend or something?"
"I do." Ren dropped the last trace of polite, customer-service warmth. His expression deadened into a cold, flat stare, his eyes turning so sharp and hollow that the temperature around the table seemed to physically drop.
The girl's confident smile shattered. Her breath hitched, basic survival instincts suddenly overriding the System's charm. She quickly pocketed her phone, taking a hurried step back.
"Right. Weirdo," she muttered, though her voice shook slightly. She grabbed her friend's arm and hastily steered them both into the crowded crosswalk, not looking back once.
Ren sighed, slumping back against the iron chair. He rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Can't even drink coffee in peace," he muttered to his iced Americano. The System's passive charm trait was exhausting. "I'm going to get assassinated by a jealous boyfriend before the curses even make their move."
"It is a terrible burden, being so highly in demand."