Chapter 5: Spirit Forge Technique

(Morning, 6:00 AM)

...

Last night, I was awake until midnight practicing Hatsu and Spirit Energy, waiting until now to use the knife.

I already checked, Iris and everyone else are still asleep, meaning I can use Spirit Energy without worrying.

Walking over to my pillow, I flip it over and that's when I see it...

A long kitchen knife with a black handle and silver blade. It has a small reflection of the morning sun's glare coming from the window.

Most won't notice, but this is a Spirit Energy-infused knife. I made this knife which Iris brought me a month ago to protect myself.

By using Spirit Energy, I can outline the knife with it to realize the structure behind each atom.

Then, by squeezing my Spirit Energy into each atom and rearranging them into a more compact form; without affecting the shape, I can make the knife much more durable and sharp.

Although I am just infusing and improving a tool using Spirit Energy, I called this technique Spirit Forge after the other inner world which helped me reach this point.

The Spirit Forge technique allows me to infuse Spirit Energy, but I still wonder if I can infuse other things like lightning and water. Unfortunately, the water failed and lightning will most likely fail if I can even obtain it without dying.

The reason I asked Iris to bring me a knife yesterday was to use Spirit Forge to make the new knife better than the old one I am holding. I decided on it today because the improvement I made in this one month was more than I made in the last six months before it.

Thinking back to Hatsurei-ho's progression, I feel my grin widen...

I grab the new knife with my right hand. Holding the cold handle, I feel more focused. Then I put my left hand on the surface of the blade.

Rei is complete.

First, I slow my breathing but keep my eyes open. I make sure not to completely enter a state of Hatsu, more like a partial way through it.

Slowing my breathing to the point where my heart beat to around 35 BPM, I feel a sense of peace. Keeping myself conscious in the real world, I continue...

The second thing I do, lifts my left hand slightly, resting my index and middle fingertips on the surface of the blade. Slowly I create Spirit Energy on my fingertips, allowing only a small amount to coat the outer surface.

Now, I feel myself becoming part of the blade. Imagining myself within the atoms, seeing my energy filling each crevice. This is the third step that brings me to Rei.

Now I use my Spirit Forge technique and compound the atoms into chunks, then divide them again. I repeat this process a few times until they are adapted to Spirit Energy.

Finally, I compress their density without changing the form of the matter, effectively making it heavier and sharper.

To end this, I consciously release my tight grasp of Spirit Energy over the atoms, making me wake up from the trance.

...

Looking outside, I see the same morning sun through the window, "Damn!"

Although my eyes were open, they were not too dry. What felt like one hour was only just a couple of minutes.

You are reading story Forging with Curses at novel35.com

This blade is much better than the previous one...

The other infused knife which I used my technique went from 700 grams (1.54 lbs) to 2500 (5.5 lbs). That is around a 350% increase!

Although that is impressive, this knife is different. Just by holding it, I can feel the heavy weight which I usually never feel unless I carry Iris.

This blade went from 700 grams to 7800! Over an 1100% increase! (7800=17.2 lbs)

Now, most would ask, 'Why does weight matter, isn't it just something that makes using it harder?'

Although that is right, the weight holds a deeper meaning...

My Spirit Energy is the reason why it is so heavy. By filling it with energy, I have reestablished the definition of this blade. Now it is a blade meant for hunting ghosts and humans! The shape is similar, but it is now able to cut concrete walls, and dropping it from the Burj Khalifa will not even cause it to break!

The potential of my Spirit Forge technique is limitless!

I can't help but say with a grin, "Now I can use my engineering and forging skills to have a chance against the ghosts. The new ghostbuster is in town baby!"

After my celebratory speech, I calm down and decide to hide the weapons under the floorboards instead of my pillow or bedsheets.

I have decided to call these tools I use my Spirit Forge on, 'Cursed Tools' because they are meant to curse the target, hopefully, ghosts as revenge...

...

I walk over to the sleeping Iris...

Seeing her sleeping so soundly, I feel that waking her up would be totally immoral.

Her innocent childlike face while sleeping with a thumb in her mouth. Who would ever disturb the beauty of sleep of a small child?

I would... "IRIS!!! WAKE UP! FIRE!!!!! RUN!!!! WE ARE GONNA BE KILLED!"

Jolting up, she headbutts me in the jaw, "VULCAN! SORRY, WE NEED TO LEAVE HURRY!"

My body is stronger, but that still hurt like hell, "Iris I was just joking, there is no fire. I am the hottest thing in this room anyway, all fires would extinguish before me, muahahaha!"

Clenching my teeth, I get smacked across the face.

Seeing her smiling while pointing her finger at me, Iris responds, "Vulcannnn~. You say that every morning, you shouldn't joke like that, what if it really happens?"

"No worries Iris, if that happened, I'd just pick you up and throw you out the window. I am a hero that saves people from fires, like a firefighter! Oh yeah, I wanted to remind you that cleanup duty is yours for today, see ya!" Bolting outside, I head to the nearby garden to grab breakfast. It's fun to bully Iris in the morning since she is so disoriented.

I might be a little evil, but she knows that I am just joking. And I know that she knows that I know... if that makes any sense. We are friends, so we have a dynamic of I make fun of her and she does nothing.

Wait... maybe it's all in my head, I better go apologize either way...