Cursed Energy

Gensei remained unfazed, meeting Ryan's penetrating gaze.

"You like to play the smart young man, don't you? So tell me... Have you ever heard of the Jujutsu world, Masachika?"

Ryan tilted his head, a wry smile beginning to form.

"No... Should I have?"

Without answering immediately, Gensei sighed. He walked over to a nearby shelf, picking up a strange object. It was a totem, wrapped in intricate scriptures and symbols that Ryan couldn't identify. Gensei held the item in front of him, letting Ryan examine it.

Ryan, with the same smug expression, observed the object in silence. Meanwhile, Gensei moved to a table in the center of the room, where a dagger rested, gleaming under the dim light. He picked up the dagger and, with meticulous care, began to remove the seals that enveloped the totem.

Even before the last seal was removed, Ryan felt something in the air. It was as if an oppressive energy emanated from the walls, something he couldn't identify, but which instigated his curiosity.

"Interesting..." he thought, glancing quickly around. "Definitely not a trick. This energy... it's flowing everywhere. There's something big buried here."

When Gensei removed the last seal, he threw the totem to the floor firmly. His voice carried a grave and implacable tone.

"You are young and immature, Masachika. You ran away from your duties too soon, hiding from the true purpose of our lineage."

The energy radiating from the totem became visible. It was black and formless, pulsating like something alive, until it began to take the shape of a grotesque creature. Ryan watched the scene without moving a muscle, while Gensei, dagger in hand, prepared to act.

Despite his advanced age, Gensei demonstrated impressive reflexes. Even before the creature finished forming, he advanced with surgical precision, piercing the monster and dismantling its existence. The creature emitted a horrible sound as it slowly dissolved into black smoke.

Gensei cleaned the dagger and observed the spot where the monster had disappeared. His voice was somber, almost didactic.

"This, boy... is a curse. There's no point in crying or trembling before it, because—"

He stopped as he looked at Ryan, expecting to find dread or at least surprise. Instead, Ryan stood with his arms crossed, his expression completely indifferent. Noticing Gensei's confused look, he raised an eyebrow, speaking with disdain.

"What? Was that it? Relax, I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to still be able to move like that at your age."

Gensei closed his eyes for a moment, clearly irritated, but soon regained his composure.

"You said you didn't know the Jujutsu world. So explain to me: how can you remain so calm in the face of a curse? Have you encountered something like this before?"

Ryan looked away, examining the walls again, as if he were more interested in them than in the question. When he finally answered, his tone was presumptuous but thoughtful.

"I'm not sure. The energy is different, but... I've seen things that resemble it."

Gensei approached slowly, wiping the blade with a cloth as he spoke.

"And what do you know about cursed energy?"

Ryan tilted his head, his smirk reappearing.

"Cursed energy? Hmm..." He paused dramatically, as if savoring the tension. "You know, I'll be honest with you, Gensei. I know divine energy... Maybe there's some connection between them."

Silence hung in the air as Gensei stared at Ryan, clearly intrigued. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, and both knew this was just the beginning.

Gensei frowned for a few seconds, as if studying Ryan in silence. Then, he sighed deeply and fixed his eyes on him, with an expression that mixed patience and authority.

"Imagine the following..." he began, his voice heavy with gravity. "You are like a kettle about to boil, but instead of steam, what comes out of you is energy. Only this energy is not something benign. It is the byproduct of your darkest emotions."

He walked slowly to an ornate leather armchair, each step echoing in the silent room. As he settled in, he continued, gesturing to the opposite chair for Ryan to sit as well.

"Fear, anger, envy..." Gensei enumerated, gesturing slightly with his hand. "These things you pretend not to feel, but which are there. Rotting in the depths of your being, like emotional garbage. Cursed energy is that: the conversion of the worst into fuel for something... bigger."

Ryan walked to the indicated armchair, sitting down with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. He watched Gensei, but his eyes wandered around the room, analyzing the environment.

"This force is raw, corrosive, and unstable," Gensei continued, pouring wine into two crystal glasses. He handed one to Ryan before continuing. "It is born from repressed emotions, from the emotional garbage that human beings accumulate. The more these emotions grow, the stronger this energy becomes. But there is a problem: almost no one can control it."

He took a small sip of the wine, looking at Ryan with the calmness of someone who knew exactly the weight of his words.

"It's like playing with fire while you're covered in gasoline."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, holding the glass of wine, but still not drinking it. His gaze remained fixed on Gensei, who continued in a didactic tone.

"When this energy is not channeled, it manifests as curses. Horrible creatures, born of hatred, suffering and despair. Just like the one I just showed you."

Gensei twirled the glass, watching the reflection of the liquid as he spoke with a disturbing calmness.

"I expected a reaction from you, I confess. It wasn't exactly what I had in mind..." He paused briefly, assessing Ryan carefully. "But maybe it's for the best. That curse was low-level. Too weak to be a challenge for any minimally competent jujutsu sorcerer."

Ryan took a small sip of the wine, finally showing more interest. His expression changed subtly, but he still seemed more intrigued than impressed. Gensei, however, continued, keeping his tone serious.

"If you have the ability to manipulate this energy—as jujutsu sorcerers do—you can shape it, transform it into a weapon, create unique techniques and even tools. But that requires much more than strength."

He raised the dagger he had used against the curse, examining the blade with the eyes of one who knew its stories well.

"It requires training, mental strength... and a considerable degree of insanity. After all, we are talking about manipulating the essence of human pain without allowing it to devour you."

Placing the glass on the table beside him, Gensei picked up a small remote control. His expression became more serious, almost theatrical.

"The Suou family... is one of the oldest in the world of sorcerers. You know that we have built an immense fortune and earned respect in society. But perhaps you have never wondered how we did it."

Ryan leaned back in the armchair, crossing his legs with a smirk.

"Interesting... I've always wondered how far the family's influence went."

Without hesitation, Gensei continued, pressing a button on the remote. A mechanical sound echoed through the room as the walls began to open, revealing hidden compartments. Inside them, lined shelves displayed weapons of all kinds: katanas, daggers, spears, war hammers, and other tools gleaming with a sinister aura.

"This is how we did it." Gensei gestured towards the weapons, his voice deep and laden with purpose. "Creating cursed tools."

He ended with a purposeful pause, watching Ryan as he awaited his reaction.

Ryan rose from the armchair, his eyes finally wide with surprise. Gensei observed the reaction with satisfaction, allowing an arrogant smile to appear on his lips. He stood up with an air of superiority, his voice full of pride as he resumed his explanation.

"Since the Heian era, our family has been one of the most important in the creation of cursed tools..." He stopped beside Ryan, holding the dagger used to exterminate the curse.

Ryan took the dagger from Gensei's hands, analyzing it with a sharp look.

"Yeah... There's something interesting here." He twirled the blade, observing the strange flow of black energy that seemed to pulsate like a living flame. It was similar to the energy he had channeled before—in the bathroom, in the restaurant—but even more chaotic, like an untamed beast.

Gensei assumed a professorial tone, as if giving a lecture.

"The creation of a cursed tool is a complex and extremely laborious process—"

"Look," Ryan interrupted him with a tired sigh. "You're not trying to turn me into a blacksmith, are you?"

Gensei narrowed his eyes, his tone growing heavier.

"I want you... to take the Suou family back to the glory it deserves."

Ryan smirked, almost mockingly, as he twirled the dagger between his fingers.

"Ah... Now it's starting to make sense."

He held the blade firmly, and suddenly the cursed energy started to get out of control. The power seemed to writhe around the dagger like a serpent about to strike, and the atmosphere became heavier, oppressive.

Gensei took a step back, perplexed.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Ryan kept a cold look, ignoring the question as he muttered to himself:

"Damn... This is a complete mess. Too noisy, unstable... Difficult to manipulate."

Suddenly, Gensei shuddered. A strange sensation ran through his body, as if something was scraping his soul. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as Ryan continued, oblivious to the growing tension.

"Shit... This crap is going to dilute like this."

The black energy that enveloped the blade began to weaken, like fire being extinguished. Gradually, it gave way to something completely different: a golden, glowing energy, so intense it seemed to radiate heat and light.

Gensei stood still, his eyes wide, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Impossible..." he murmured.

Ryan tilted his head, placing his hand on his waist with a frustrated sigh.

"Damn... I think I destroyed the cursed energy and replaced it with mine."

He raised the dagger, now pulsating with a golden light, and looked at Gensei with nonchalant disdain.

"Hey, Gensei, I think I screwed up your little knife."

The old man remained paralyzed, his face a mixture of shock and fascination. Then, slowly, he brought his hand to his face and began to laugh. At first, it was a low laugh, almost restrained, but soon it turned into something macabre, almost maniacal.

"Heheheh..."

Ryan took a step back, narrowing his eyes.

"Fuck... The knife was rare, wasn't it?"

Gensei's laughter increased, echoing off the walls. He leaned against the wall for support, his voice now loud and hysterically elated.

"HAHAHAHAHA! I KNEW IT! I ALWAYS KNEW THE LEGENDARY SUOU FAMILY WOULD RETURN!"

Ryan took another step back, watching Gensei as one analyzes someone who has lost their sanity.

"Yeah... I think he broke."

But Gensei ignored everything around him, his eyes glazed over as he continued shouting:

"After so long... Finally, the world will see! Those idiots will understand that the damn Six Eyes is not the only one capable of unbalancing everything!"

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