For a moment, a strange, heavy silence settled over the Occult Research Club room.
Natsume and Yashiro, one tall and one small, both stared at the result of his purification with matching expressions of shock, confusion, and mild existential doubt.
The... girl, who for convenience still counted as "Sadako," was standing timidly where she had appeared. The hem of her white dress swayed slightly in the air conditioning. Everything around her seemed unfamiliar and frightening. Her clear, wide eyes blinked once, she stole a nervous glance at Natsume, then quickly lowered her head again. A faint blush spread across her pale cheeks.
The whole thing felt wrong. Very wrong.
*Did I purify her too much and wash her grudge core into some kind of pure-love core or something...*
For the first time, Natsume felt a tiny ripple of doubt toward his usually flawless control over cursed energy.
Right then, the cold mechanical voice of the system rang out in his mind.
[ Ding! Successfully purified special grade cursed spirit "Yamamura Sadako". Curse Points gained: 7,800! ]
[ Ding! Hidden condition achieved. First time "purifying" rather than "exorcising" a special grade cursed spirit. Bonus reward: High-grade spirit container (videotape) x1! ]
Hearing the two notifications in a row, Natsume snapped out of his self-doubt, a look of realization flickering across his face.
Almost eight thousand Curse Points. That was a fortune, more than what he had earned from exorcising Eight Feet Tall and the Cursed Mother combined.
"Teacher," Yashiro finally could not hold back her curiosity. She tugged at Natsume's sleeve, those pitch-black double pupils burning with hunger for knowledge. "Why did she become like this? What is the difference between 'purification' and 'exorcism'?"
"Good question."
Natsume nodded in approval. He waved a hand, motioning for the chibi-version Sadako to return to the videotape for now, then patiently began explaining to his his exceptionally talented student
"Exorcism is what we jujutsu sorcerers use most of the time. Whether I use Cursed Technique Lapse, Blue, or Cursed Technique Reversal, Red, the essence is the same. I use overwhelming cursed energy to erase the cursed spirit's existence down to the root."
"Purification is different."
A faint look of confidence crossed his face.
"It is more like surgery. You preserve the cursed spirit's core as a spiritual entity, and with extremely precise control of cursed energy, you forcibly strip away and neutralize the 'resentment' and 'curse' that make up the malignant tumor of its existence."
"So the purified Sadako has lost the grudge that formed her curse core, but her essence as a spirit is still powerful."
He looked at Yashiro, voice calm.
"Right now she is like a blank sheet of paper. She looks harmless, but her potential is much greater than that of your 'graduates' from the haunted rabbit. With a bit of guidance, she still has limitless room to grow."
Those words completely changed how Yashiro saw things.
Her small head was instantly flooded with the realisation that cursed spirits could be handled *this* way. The shock filled her completely, and the look she turned on Natsume grew even more worshipful and feverish.
Natsume, meanwhile, shifted his focus back to his system panel.
[ Host: Natsume Yuu ]
[ Curse Points: 12,300 ]
[ Abilities: Six Eyes (Divine), Limitless Technique (Divine), Cursed Spirit Eye (Level 1) ]
Seeing that his Curse Points balance had passed ten thousand, Natsume could not help feeling rather pleased.
*Time for a mid-tier pull.*
Without hesitation, he issued the command in his mind.
[ Ding! 10,000 Curse Points consumed. Mid-tier lottery draw commencing... ]
A gigantic wheel of light, glowing a deep violet, appeared in Natsume's sea of consciousness. It was divided into countless segments, each marked with strange abilities and items from various worlds.
[ Draw start! ]
The pointer spun wildly. Despite himself, Natsume felt a small flicker of anticipation.
Eventually, after making his eyes spin, the pointer slowed and came to rest on a sector etched with intricate runes.
[ Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have obtained Cursed Technique: Absorption! ]
[ Skill name: Cursed Technique: Absorption ]
[ Skill level: Level 1 (0 / 1000) ]
[ Skill effect: An advanced cursed technique that restructures the user's internal organs into a high-efficiency assimilation system. All external substances, including food, oxygen, and even ambient cursed energy, can be forcibly broken down and converted into the user's own refined cursed energy. The technique dramatically increases energy conversion efficiency and slows cellular degradation, extending the user's functional lifespan.
[ Warning: Excessive intake may place strain on the user's mental stability. ]
[ System Notice: Mental overload safeguards have been disabled for this Host. ]
*It is actually this one...*
The moment he finished reading the description, Natsume's breath hitched for a second.
Longevity, stealing the life force of all things and converting it into his own power... the ferocity and broken nature of this art went far beyond the norm. For someone like Natsume, whose Six Eyes burned brainpower like fuel, this was basically the perfect "battery upgrade" skill.
*Level up. Immediately.*
Without a hint of hesitation, he dumped the Curse Points he had just earned from Sadako, along with all his prior savings, into upgrading the skill.
[ 1,000 Curse Points consumed. Cursed Technique: Absorption has reached Level 2! ]
[ 3,000 Curse Points consumed. Cursed Technique: Absorption has reached Level 3! ]
As his Curse Points balance plummeted, a strange, indescribable transformation exploded at the very root of his being.
His entire body felt like it was being reforged from the inside out. Every single cell in his body was cheering and leaping, devouring the free energy in the air around him with an efficiency that defied belief.
A massive tide of pure cursed energy surged into existence in his limbs and bones like a dam suddenly bursting, then poured into his core and cyclone of power.
Boom.
He could clearly feel his internal cursed energy reserves multiplying several times over in just a few seconds. What had once been a small stream had become a river that roared without end.
His physical stats also underwent a complete metamorphosis. Strength, speed, endurance, even cellular regeneration, all exploded upward across the board.
The sense of fullness and control that came with such a leap in power made Natsume let out a slow breath, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
"Teacher... are you alright?"
Yashiro had keenly sensed the fleeting, godlike pressure that spilled off him for a moment. For the first time, real shock appeared on her small face.
"I am fine."
Natsume reined his aura back in, returning to his usual calm. He glanced at the window, where the sky outside was already pitch black.
"That is it for today."
He gave Yashiro a few instructions.
"It is late. Yui has already gone home. You should head back too."
"Yes, Teacher."
Yashiro nodded respectfully.
He watched her leave, then stretched lazily, savoring the unprecedented power now flowing through his body. His mood was exceptionally good.
He had purified a legendary cursed spirit and acquired an absurdly powerful new technique that massively boosted his strength.
It really had been... a fulfilling and peaceful day.
With a satisfied smile, Natsume locked up the clubroom and walked off into the night on his way home.