Gojo leaned back, a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Well, Renko-chan, the choice is entirely yours. You can either join up with me and pretend like we never talked about you doing a bit of snooping around for me. Or, you can take me up on the offer."
Renko tilted her head in confusion,
"And I can't simply refuse your offer?"
Gojo chuckled,
"Sure, if you want, you can join up with the old coots and get forced into a marriage contract with one of the clans. Or they might even cut you open to see why you can increase your curse energy reserve."
Renko grimaced at the thought of being dissected.
"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"
Gojo shrugged nonchalantly.
"Well, not everyone in the traditional faction is that extreme, but a majority of them are those who would do whatever it takes to maintain the status quo. The choice is yours, Renko-chan, join me, enjoy the benefits, and help me keep an eye on the traditionalists, or refuse and take your chances with them."
Renko sighed, wondering if listening to this white-haired, unhinged woman was a big mistake. Now that she thinks about it, what even made her listen to this woman?
Gojo tilted her head, a soft smile plastered across her face.
'Ah, yeah. I am a bit pent-up huh?'
It has been around one and a half months since she was sent to this world, and if she remembers correctly, then the last time she had sex was almost two months before her death. She was seriously pent up by now, and Gojo just happened to be the kind of woman she was interested in, but...
'It's more trouble than it's worth.'
"Fine,"
she said, finally breaking the silence.
"I'll join you, but I want this alteration in the contract, the benefits, and all of it in writing. I need some assurance that you won't just throw me under the bus when things get tough."
Gojo nodded, seemingly satisfied with Renko's decision.
"Smart choice, Renko-chan."
"And stop calling me 'Renko-chan,' my name's Renko!"
She has had enough of this 'chan' business.
Gojo chuckled,
"Ok, so I can't call you 'Renko-chan.' Renko Ivanov, RenKO, IvaNOv. I got it! I will call you Kono-chan from now on!"
Renko narrowed her eyes, a mix of annoyance and resignation evident in her expression,
"Die."
Gojo chuckled,
"Anyway, Kono-chan, I'll meet you again on Saturday, let's take care of this 'strong' curse spirit you were talking about. And keep your schedule clear for this Sunday we'll be going to Kyoto!"
Renko sighed yet again,
'Kyoto? That's an eight-hour ride to and from there. This bitch!'
As Gojo finished the last pie, she stood up, stretching her arms.
"Well then, Kono-chan, I'll see you on Saturday. Meet me at the foot of the mountain, don't keep me waiting."
With a playful wink, Gojo strolled towards the door. Renko watched her leave, a mix of annoyance and resignation on her face. The door closed, leaving Renko alone in her apartment, contemplating the bizarre turn of events.
After a few seconds of looking around, she realized that the Gojo-woman had taken all four of her cursed bayonets. But that was not the major problem, what actually troubled her was,
*Sigh*
'I am horny as fuck!'
Remembering that it has nearly been four months only made it harder for her to put the thought out of her mind.
'Guess I ought to look through the new weapons I unlocked.'
'Status'
*
[Name: Renko]
[Occupation: High School Student, Jujutsu Sorcerer(Grade 4)]
[Title: Delinquent]
[Level: 5]
[Experience: 35/500]
[HP: 300/300]
[HP Regen: 1HP/Per Min]
[CP(CE): 200/200]
[CP Regen: 1.1CP/Per Min]
[Attributes:]
[Strength: 10]
[Vitality: 10]
[Dexterity: 11]
[Spirituality: 20]
[Wisdom: 11]
[Luck: 100]
[Stat Points: 0]
[Skills]
[Active]
[Innate Technique: Malevolent Arsenal(1): 405/1000
Antique:
1)Cursed Bayonet: 30CP (Available) (Lv. Common: 0/1,000)]
2)Cursed Flintlock Pistol: 50CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 60/100)
3)Cursed Flintlock Musket: 80CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 40/10)
- Lead Ball Ammunition: 10CP (Available) (Lv. Normal: 03/1,000)
- +25% Reload Speed
- Minie Ammunition: 15CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 10/100)
- +10% Accuracy
- Nessler Ammunition: 15CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 30/100)]
- +10% Armor Penetration
4)Cursed Fusil de Chasse: 120CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 0/100)
5)Cursed Blunderbuss: 120CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 0/100)
- Buckshot Ammunition(6 Balls): 30CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 0/100)
- +10% Reload Speed,
- +5 Damage per Ball.
- Birdshot Ammunition(15 Balls): 30CP (Available) (Lv. Inferior: 0/100)
- +25% Chances of Inflicting Bleed Effect(-0.5%HP/Per Sec for 20 Sec),
- +2 Damage per Ball.
6)Cursed Puckle Gun: 300CP (Unavailable)
[Cursed Energy Reinforcement(1): 53/100
[Observation(1): {Level Up At Character Level 10}]
[Passive]
[Avatar(Max): Innate]
[Cooking(5): 210/500]
[Cleaning(4): 10/400]
[Danger Sense(Innate): (0/0]
[Gun Mastery(2): 138/200]
[Marksmanship(5): 420/500]]
[Knife Mastery(2): 175/200]
[Basic Stealth(10): 685/1,000]
[Driving(4): 090/400]
[Bloodlust Detection(10): 190/1,000]
[Intimidation(1): 15/100]
[Perks]
[Fortune's Favor]
[Destiny's Chosen]
*
It was nice knowing that she had more weapons at her disposal, especially when they were shotguns. Those were the best when it came to taking down targets that could tank a couple of hits or taking down a group of 'em at once.
[Inferior Cursed Blunderbuss: Semi-Fourth Grade Cursed Tool]
Durability: 8/8
Damage: 4 Per Pellet
Spread Range: 20m cone
Types Of Ammunition: Buckshot(6 Pellets), Birdshot(15 Pellets)
Reloading: Manual (30CP), Autoload (50CP)
Stat Requirements: Strength(10), Dexterity(8)]
[Fusil de Chasse: Semi-Fourth Grade Cursed Tool]
Durability: 15/15
Damage: 15 (single projectile), 2 (Per Pellet)
Effective Range: 30m straight, 15m cone
Types Of Ammunition: Lead Ball, Buckshot(3 Pellets), Birdshot(7 Pellets)
Reloading: Manual(Lead Ball/10Cp, Pellets/50% CP), Autoload (25/40CP)
Stat Requirements: Strength(8), Dexterity(6)]
'So what's the difference between the two of them?'
Apparently, A blunderbuss could only fire buckshot or birdshot while the Fusil could fire a lead ball, buckshot, and birdshot. It's just that the number of pellets a Fusil could fire was roughly half that of the blunderbuss and therefore, the price for the ammunition was also cut by half.
But there was just this teeny problem that was gnawing at her mind.
'It's too damned complicated!'
Indeed, reloading a Fusil was too complicated for a hit-and-run tactic user like her.
First one had to pour in the black powder, then they had to stuff the cork, another bit of powder, then the pellets, and another cork before priming the firing pan.
Sounds faster than a flintlock but in truth it was twice as time-consuming.
*Sigh*
'Strange, I ain't feeling too hungry today.'
Looking down at the dustbin, she realized she had just munched through a pack of Choco-pies while talking with Gojo, no wonder she wasn't feeling hungry after such a heavy snack time.
'Might as well finish up a couple more tasks on the list.'
She took out the bag of books she had purchased earlier that day and started placing them on the coffee table, setting each book face so she could read what skill she would get from it.
[Skill Book: Basic Carpentry Detected]
[Learn Skill: Basic Carpentry?]
{Yes} {No}
'Of course yes'
[Skill Book: Basic Architectural Design]
[Learn...
'Yes!'
[Skill Book: Basic Blacksmithing...]
'Yep'
[Skill Book: Basic Metalwork...]
'Yeah'
[Skill Book: Basic Smelting...]
'You bet your ass yes'
[Skill Book: Basic Threadwork (Tailoring)...]
'Yes'
[Skill Book: Basic Leatherworking...]
'Yada'
[Skill Book: Basic Engineering...]
'Yep'
[Skill Book: Basic Carving...]
'Get it over with already! Yes'
[Skill Book: Basic Pottery...]
'Yeah'
[Skill Book: Basic Sculpting...]
'Yep'
[Skill Book: Basic Cartography...]
'Yeah, yeah, get it over with already.'
[Notification!]
[Minimum of 10 Basic Craftsmanship Skills Detected]
[Would You Like To Combine all the Basic Skills?]
{Yes} {No}
*Sign*
"Sure, why not?"
[Congratulations!]
[New Skill 'Basic Craftsmanship' Acquired]
[Basic Craftsmanship(1): 0/100
Description: A skill that allows the user to craft anything. Rejoice, this is the second skill with such grand potential that you have acquired.
0.1% Chance of Granting an item a special skill
Registered Blueprint: 0]
Renko sat back, satisfied with the new skill acquisition. She found herself pondering the various crafting possibilities that might open up with this newfound skill. Carpentry, blacksmithing, metalwork, threadwork, leatherworking, engineering, carving, pottery, sculpting, and cartography—all condensed into one comprehensive skill.
'So, I'm basically a one-person crafting guild now.'
She smirked, her mind buzzing with ideas about all the stuff she could create using her new skill.
Renko was already toying with the idea of spending her summer break rebuilding the shrine from scratch and leveling up the skills she would acquire from the books, but this only made things easier for her.
'I will make a personalized weapon! Oh, wait...'
Her innate skill itself was one big arsenal, what other weapons could she want? She pushed that idea aside for the moment, focusing on the more immediate possibilities.
'If I can somehow restore the durability of the junk weapons, or maybe I can upgrade them somehow, or create specialized gear... I could truly become a walking arsenal!'
Just like that Gojo-woman said, and the biggest perk of all? If she could indeed restore and re-craft her cursed bayonets, then she wouldn't have to expose her true innate ability in front of all those old geezers that Gojo told her about.
Maybe she could pass off as someone with some sort of rare craftsmanship ability.
******
{Author Note}
[Upload schedule is as follows:
- TTS: Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- 100 Power Stones: 1 extra chapter (Only 2)
- There might be an irregularity in my uploading pattern from this week till January 30th since I am currently having my papers.
- Will try and write more and better content.
- Thank you for your precious support.
- Also, naming random characters such a pain in the ass!}