Birthday gifts

Seeing that his mind was made up, the Assistant Supervisor could hardly dissuade him further. He could only register the Black Hole Ring under Qingxiao's name before reminding him, "All right, Qingxiao. You still have one selection left. You may choose any other Cursed Tool from the Cursed Tool Repository."

Qingxiao nodded lightly, rubbing the solid, weighty Black Hole Ring on his finger, feeling especially reassured. His first Cursed Tool was settled, completely resolving the bottleneck that had plagued his training for so long. He intended to take his time with his remaining choice.

Qingxiao scanned the items one by one, passing over most after a glance. He had no need for defensive Cursed Tools; his own body, covered in Cursed Energy, was already the finest armor. Enhancement-type Cursed Tools would not improve his physique much either. The weapons felt stiff in his hands, their weights unsuitable and entirely incompatible with the way he exerted force. Besides, he did not know how to use them.

He browsed his way to a display area in a corner of the Cursed Tool Repository, where the items on display were all utility-focused support Cursed Tools.

A dark silver lighter resting on a velvet tray caught his eye.

The lighter had a fine matte dark silver finish, its metal smooth and refined, its lines simple and clean. Without any unnecessary, ostentatious ornamentation, it was compact and exquisite, just the right size to sit in his palm, and especially pleasing to look at.

The instant Qingxiao saw it, Shoko was the first person to come to mind, and scattered fragments of memory connected.

I remember Shoko being a smoker in the original, but I've never seen her smoke. Has she not picked up the habit yet?

He thought back carefully. Shoko's birthday was not far off, and he still had not settled on a suitable present. Ordinary accessories were too tacky and did not suit her at all.

Haven't I just stumbled across the perfect thing? Understated, practical, and suited to her habits, without seeming forced.

Qingxiao reached out and gently picked up the lighter. Its workmanship was meticulous, its quality far beyond that of ordinary accessories.

He turned to the Assistant Supervisor beside him and asked casually, "What's the story behind this lighter? Does it have any special effects?"

The Assistant Supervisor immediately stepped forward with a smile, approval in his eyes. "You have an excellent eye, Qingxiao! This Cursed Tool may look unremarkable, but it's a genuine grade-one Cursed Tool. It can light without fuel or gas refills, and it's very durable."

He paused before emphasizing its core ability. "Its most valuable function is concealing Cursed Energy fluctuations. If you feed Cursed Energy into it, it can suppress those fluctuations while lit. Its effectiveness against human Sorcerers is limited, but it can block the perception of all Cursed Spirits of grade one and below."

After hearing the detailed explanation, Qingxiao was even more satisfied.

Attractive, highly practical, and a one-of-a-kind Cursed Tool, so there was no chance of giving her something she already had. It could serve her in daily life and save her life on missions. It could not have been more suitable as a birthday present.

Without the slightest hesitation, he said decisively, "This one. I'll choose this as my second item."

The Assistant Supervisor hurried forward, carefully took the lighter, checked its information, and completed the final authorization and ownership registration.

Once the formalities were finished, Qingxiao slipped the hard-won Black Hole Ring securely onto his finger. Its cool, solid weight rested against his skin, understated and restrained. Then he carefully tucked the dark silver lighter into an inner pocket, putting away this little surprise meant just for her.

"Thanks for showing me around," Qingxiao said politely before turning and stepping out through the Cursed Tool Repository's entrance.

Leaving the deep, quiet stretch of woodland surrounding the Cursed Tool Repository, he met an evening breeze carrying the fresh scent of vegetation, dispelling the repository's stale, ancient air.

Just as he rounded a shaded fork in the path, he came face-to-face with Suguru Geto, who was walking toward him.

Unlike his relaxed demeanor after the earlier interview, Suguru Geto now walked at an unhurried, measured pace, heading straight for the entrance to the Cursed Tool Repository. He was clearly coming to choose the Cursed Tools awarded by the higher-ups.

Their eyes met, and both paused before breaking into faint, knowing smiles at the same time.

No further words were needed; each knew full well what the other had just experienced. Both had faced the higher-ups' political maneuvering, both had played dumb and accepted the resources offered, taking no sides and shouldering no blame.

"Finished choosing?" Suguru Geto paused and asked softly, his gaze passing over the ring on Qingxiao's finger with a trace of curiosity. "Looks like you found a suitable Cursed Tool."

"Yeah, both are a great fit." Qingxiao smiled and nodded, then asked casually, "Heading into the Cursed Tool Repository to choose yours?"

"Of course." Suguru Geto nodded slightly, his expression mild. "If the higher-ups are willing to hand out resources, there's no reason to let them go to waste. I'll have a look inside and pick two useful ones."

"Go on. There's plenty of good stuff in there. Take your time." Qingxiao smiled and waved.

After their brief chat, Suguru Geto lingered no longer and walked straight into the quiet grounds of the Cursed Tool Repository, ready to choose his own Cursed Tools.

Qingxiao turned away alone and strolled toward the shade where the others were waiting.

The two walked side by side, strolling back toward the shade where they had originally waited, their steps relaxed.

From a distance, they spotted the two figures waiting beneath the tree.

Satoru Gojo leaned against the trunk, bored out of his mind, playing with his sunglasses.

Shoko stood quietly to one side, her posture relaxed as she patiently waited for the two to return.

Hearing movement, both looked up at once and immediately hurried over.

"Finally! I'm about to pass out from hunger!" Satoru Gojo leaned in close, his gaze beneath his blindfold full of anticipation as he demanded impatiently, "Come on, come on, show us your spoils! Don't keep the good stuff from the Cursed Tool Repository to yourself!"

Shoko was not as impatient as Satoru Gojo. Her eyes merely curved with a faint smile as she said softly, "You look so happy. You must have found Cursed Tools that really suit you."

"I really hit the jackpot. Both are treasures." Qingxiao smiled and raised his hand, revealing the simple, understated Black Hole Ring on his finger as he slowly explained, "The first is a very unusual support Cursed Tool. It can add Imaginary Mass to objects without Cursed Energy, and the weight can stack without limit depending on how much Cursed Energy I feed into it."

Before he could elaborate on the Cursed Tool's origins, Shoko's eyes brightened slightly. She immediately understood and blurted out, "Isn't that Yuki Tsukumo's personal Cursed Technique, Star Rage? The principles are practically identical."

She raised her eyebrows slightly, speaking with the matter-of-fact air of someone stating common knowledge as she patiently explained, "It can add unlimited imaginary weight to herself or her Shikigami, multiplying the force of her blows several times over. She doesn't feel any additional burden, either, and her movements are completely unaffected.

"The only drawback is that her physical strength doesn't increase along with it. Once the added mass gets too high for her body to withstand, it can easily cause rupturing injuries. It's a very famous Cursed Technique in Jujutsu Society. It's pretty much common knowledge."

Her precise, detailed explanation left both Qingxiao and Satoru Gojo stunned.

"Impressive, Shoko. You know so much," Qingxiao praised sincerely, nodding in agreement. "That's right. The principles are exactly the same."

Satoru Gojo could barely contain himself, his curiosity growing as he hurriedly asked, "What about the second one? What good stuff did you get for your second pick? Take it out and let us see! Don't keep me hanging!"

Seeing how eager the two looked, Qingxiao's smile deepened. Deliberately keeping them guessing, he said mysteriously, "It's a secret. I'm not telling you yet. You'll find out in a while."

"Tch, stingy!" Satoru Gojo immediately gave a disgruntled huff and turned his head away, looking childishly indignant.

Shoko could not help smiling either. She shook her head lightly, feigning resignation. "Keeping us hanging on purpose, too. Some friend you are."

Watching the two joke around, Qingxiao felt warmth fill his heart. Compared with all the scheming, deception, and political maneuvering of the higher-ups, this sort of everyday banter between companions, without any barriers between them, was what truly let him relax.

Before long, Suguru Geto finished making his selections as well and walked over calmly to show everyone the Cursed Tools he had chosen.

At last, all four were together.

The days of fighting, the tense interviews, and the hidden contests had all come to an end. Letting down all their defenses, they strolled side by side along Jujutsu High's shaded paths, talking and laughing as they made their leisurely way toward the cafeteria, leaving all those oppressive schemes behind.