Curse Returns, a gamble from the start, I awaken dual spells

The principal's office remained quiet for a long time.

Throughout, Moth's expression remained unchanged, showing neither approval nor disapproval.

He just stared at Rito in silence, as if trying to discern something from him.

"Are you finished speaking?"

The moth's voice was deep, but not cold.

"You said you didn't want to use Shunping's death to cover up your own story. You said your answer was 'to become stronger and protect those around me.'"

He placed the cursed corpse on the table, clasped his hands together, and slowly sat up straight.

"Rito, do you know why I asked you that question?"

The person in charge did not answer.

"Because everyone who wants to become a sorcerer says something similar."

"Becoming stronger, protecting, responsibility, mission... there's nothing wrong with these words in themselves. But if a person hasn't even figured out why they're standing here, then these words are just what they think they should say."

The moth paused for a moment.

"You say that's not your answer? Good, at least you didn't try to fool me with fancy words."

"But truth alone is not enough; truth is just the starting point."

He stood up and walked around the desk. The cursed skeleton doll behind him creaked and groaned, like rusty joints being forced into motion.

"You need to know what you really mean by saying, 'Become stronger, protect those around you.'"

The moment the words left his mouth, Cursed Corpse leaped off the table and pounced on Rito.

"So fast!" Rito's pupils contracted sharply upon noticing the speed of the cursed corpse.

He dodged the first punch as it came down.

boom!

The fist grazed his cheek and smashed into the bookshelf behind him, leaving a large dent.

But before he could adjust his balance, the second punch arrived.

In his haste, he could only raise his hand to block.

boom!

The immense impact caused Rito to slide half a step backward, his shoes scraping against the floor with a screeching sound.

The curse continued.

It has no breathing, no rhythm, and no human instinct to "pull back after throwing a punch."

It's more like a wound-up machine, punching one after another, each punch heavier than the last.

Soon, Rihito discovered a fatal problem.

He had no chance to release the spell.

The attacks from the Cursed Corpse were too dense; the intervals between each punch were so short that he could only block, dodge, and block again.

"It's too fast, there's no chance at all."

"No matter how powerful the technique is, it's meaningless if you can't touch it."

boom!

After a minor mishap, Rito was punched in the shoulder and crashed into a bookshelf.

The bookshelf shook violently, and several books fell down.

At that moment, the sound of a moth rang out:

"Your technique is very strong, and you have great potential."

"But, Rinto, a sorcerer's battles are never just about spells."

As he spoke, Curse Corpse threw another punch at Rito's head.

His fist slammed into the wall beside his ear with a loud bang.

"When the technique fails, all you can rely on are the most basic things."

"How much of that do you have now in terms of spell power enhancement, physical skills, judgment, and reaction time?"

The person in charge is too busy to answer.

But he knew that these were the things he lacked most.

As a newcomer who had only recently awakened his spell, he had very little combat experience.

So rare that sometimes you have to gamble your life to win the final victory.

He won the first few times, but what about the rest? Does he have to gamble every single time?

The moth's voice continued:

"Your file states that you had already fought against a top-tier cursed spirit before the second assessment."

"The fact that you survived means you do have something."

His voice paused for a moment.

"But can you still use it now?"

"It's not about waiting for others to push you into a corner; it's about now, this very moment, when you still have a choice. Can you proactively use it?"

This statement slowed Li Ren's actions by half a beat.

In that split second, Cursed Skeleton's fist struck him squarely in the abdomen.

"hateful--!!"

Li Ren's face turned pale, he bent over, his stomach churning, and his breathing was abruptly interrupted.

"You can't even defeat a single cursed corpse, so what makes you think you can protect those around you?"

Liren supported himself with one hand on the ground and raised his head.

At this moment, he was in a terrible state.

A metallic taste rose in his throat, and his right arm trembled slightly.

The feeling of the curse power flowing through my body is getting thinner and thinner, with only about 30% remaining.

Last time I fought a real person, I burned away nearly 40% of my curse power by unleashing my domain.

Now only 30% remains, which is theoretically insufficient to achieve that goal.

Perhaps the moment he expands his domain, his magical power will be exhausted, leaving him at the mercy of others.

But... there's no other choice anymore.

Let's gamble!

"I don't know what kind of answer would satisfy you, but I know one thing."

Rito spoke, his voice soft but very steady.

"When Shunping died, I didn't have time to do anything. Now, if someone is killed in front of me, I still can't do anything."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his right hand, his thumb hooking his index finger, while his little finger and ring finger tucked inward.

The curse power was extracted from the depths of the body, like the last bit of firewood being thrown into a furnace.

In the distance, the cursed corpses brought a gust of evil wind and rushed towards him again.

"So, when you ask me why I want to become a sorcerer, my answer is still the same—to become stronger and protect the people around me."

"I know this isn't a beautiful sentence, but it's the only thing I'm certain of right now."

Li Ren's voice echoed in the icy, pervasive atmosphere of the principal's office.

He looked up, towards the direction of the moth.

His magical energy was almost depleted, and his vision was beginning to blur. He didn't know what expression Moth was wearing.

But...maybe this is what he wanted to see!

"Domain Expansion—Static Universe!"

In an instant, the gray mist exploded around the rational man.

The floor, bookshelves, walls, and windows were all instantly covered with a thick layer of white frost.

The temperature in the principal's office plummeted in an instant, and even the breath exhaled instantly condensed into icy mist.

The cursed corpse's fist stopped less than five centimeters from Rito's forehead.

Its joints were covered with ice crystals, and its movements became stiff.

Every inch of movement required overcoming the immense resistance brought about by the low temperature, and the fabric groaned and creaked in the freezing cold.

Rito ignored it, because the cursed corpse no longer posed any threat to him.

He slowly stood up from the ground.

My body stopped trembling, and my back was perfectly straight!

The silence lasted for about three seconds.

Then, the cursed corpse retreated.

It stepped back from in front of the man, retreating behind the desk like a hound that had been called back.

"You've passed."

Moth's tone remained unchanged, as if what had just happened was merely a routine classroom question.

"Go get your school uniform!"

The next second, the domain gradually collapsed, the frost began to melt, and the principal's office quickly returned to its original temperature.

The domain was forcibly expanded, but it only lasted for six seconds.

Rito stood there, his magical power completely exhausted. Although his legs were weak, he stubbornly refused to fall.

"...Why?" he asked.

Moth turned around, walked back behind the desk, and sat down.

He picked up the unfinished cursed skeleton doll and lowered his head again.

"There is no death without regrets for sorcerers."

"But at least you can make your death worthwhile."

Li Ren remained silent for a long time.

Then he bowed deeply.

He turned around, pushed open the door, and walked out.

The light in the corridor was much brighter than in the principal's office.

Nanami leaned against the wall outside the door, holding a cup of coffee that had gone cold.

He glanced at Rihito, who was disheveled, his magical power depleted, and blood still clung to the corner of his mouth.

"It's approved?"

"……Um."

Nanami didn't ask any more questions. He straightened up and walked to the other end of the corridor.

"Come on, I'll take you to get your school uniform."

The rational person followed.

I took only two steps when my legs suddenly gave way, and I almost fell.

He steadied himself against the wall and continued walking forward.

Nanami didn't turn around, but her steps slowed down a beat.

At the end of the corridor, sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a bright patch of light on the floor.