"…"

  This damn guy, Eriri thought, cursing herself. If I'd known she was this frustrating, I wouldn't have worried at all. What a waste of my emotions.

  "So… what about my side effects?"

  Utaha, already familiar with her own drawbacks, smirked, clearly enjoying Eriri's panic.

  "Oh, didn't I mention?" Utaha's teasing smile widened as she leaned in. "Since your teique is lio your drawing, Eriri… you might lose the ability to paint altogether."

  Eriri's face fell, panic spreading across her expression.

  No way! I have a deadline ing up! she thought, her mind rag. The idea of not being able to draw, it was like a nightmare. Drawing was her passion, her identity.

  "Rex," Ryuji said gently, patting her shoulder. "With practice, you might regain full trol over your teique and tinue drawing like before."

  Hearing Ryuji's reassurahe tension in Eriri's face slowly eased.

  "Yeah," she muttered, a little less anxiously. "And maybe… maybe I don't o worry about painting as much. I have a new dream now."

  Her eyes sparkled as she looked up at Ryuji, leaning closer to him, a soft smile on her face.

  "Tsk!"

  Utaha couldn't help but scoff. Look at Eriri, trying to act all grown-up and sweet in front of Ryuji.

  Seeing Utaha's rea, Eriri smirked inwardly. Who says I have to be a loser? Just wait, I be just as amazing as you.

  Ryuji, meanwhile, was oblivious to the silent rivalry brewiweewo girls. His attention was on something else entirely.

  "Successfully ected with target: Sawamura Eriri! Goldery triggered. Would you like to load it?"

  Goldery? Ryuji blinked, momentarily surprised, aally checked the details.

  Goldery: Ink Ination

  So, that's the name of Eriri's teique—Ink Ination.

  He skimmed through its description and nodded. In simple terms, it allowed the user t drawings to life, giving them certain special abilities based on their imagination and cursed energy. It owerful, but it wasn't without its limitations. The strength of the summoned creatures depended on the sorcerer's own cursed energy.

  The more cursed energy a sorcerer had, the more real and powerful the summoned creatures would be. But if there wasn't enough energy, even a fierce-looking creature would only be ay shell.

  Iing…

  Ryuji rubbed his thoughtfully. While the teique had its drawbacks, there was no denying it was a versatile and potent skill. And sihe strength of the spell relied on cursed energy, Eriri's limitations wouldn't apply to him. His cursed energy had grown massive from dev other curses, pushing his power to a level beyond most sorcerers.

  In fact, he suspected that even if he bihe cursed energy of every sorcerer in the world, it still wouldn't match his. Of course, that was just a feeling, but it spoke to his fiden his strength.

  "Load it."

  The moment he firmed it, he felt the Beast Mimicry Spell entry ie with his abilities. It was a good addition to his skillset, one he could leverage in iing ways.

  "[Talery system]

  Host: Ryuji Hoshino

  Bloodline: Human

  Loaded entries: Soul Dev [Red], Yin-Yang Eyes [Gold], Presence cealment [Gold],Tranquility [Gold], Reverse Cursed Teique [Gold], Motrag Physique [Gold], Third Dimension, Dreamwalker [Gold], Physical Strengthening [Gold], Cursed Speech [Gold], Shadoution [Gold], Malevolent Shrine [Gold], Bckbird Manipution [Gold], Idle Transfiguration [Gold], Anti-Gravity System [Gold], Horizon of the Captivating Skandha [Gold], Binding Teique [Gold], Curse Script [Gold], Iron Fist [Purple], Ink Ination [Gold], bat Intuition [Purple].

  Points: 80,120!"

  After reviewing his entry list, a thought struck him.

  "Maybe I should find some time to actually learn how to draw…"

  Ryuji grimaced slightly. It would be embarrassing if my 'creatures' were just blobs and squiggles. Even if they were strong, the enemy would probably die ughing.

  He shook his head. I definitely need some practice.

  Later that evening, at the Sawamura mansion, Ryuji was reing in a chair, deep in thought.

  Sitting before him, kneeling with perfect posture, was Sayuri Sawamura giving him a sloppy blowjob.

  "Woo—" she gasped softly, suddenly realizing something. She quickly got up, hurried to the bathroom, aurned a moment ter, her face slightly flushed as she resumed her p front of Ryuji.

  "What's gotten into you tonight?" she asked pyfully, gng up at him. "You actually called me over while Eriri is home?"

  Mature and graceful, Sayuri carried an air of elegahat always brought a smile to Ryuji's face.

  "I missed you," he replied smoothly, rubbing his hands over her head.

  She chuckled and moved to sit beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

  "I don't know what's going on with her tely," Sayuri murmured. "For the past two days, after Eriri es home, she heads straight to her room after dinner. I thought something was wrong at first."

  Her for her daughter was clear. At first, she'd kept an eye on Eriri's behavior, but eventually, she'd rexed, realizing there was no danger.

  "She's probably practig her cursed energy," Ryuji said, smiling.

  Since Eriri had learhat Utaha had awakened a teique as well, she'd thrown herself into training with uncharacteristic dedication, not wanting to be left behind.

  "Practig cursed energy?" Sayuri uzzled. "I thought it wasn't possible for Eriri to be a sorcerer?"

  Ryuji chuckled and expined how he'd helped Eriri unlock her potential as a sorcerer.

  Sayuri listened, her eyes widening as she processed his words. "You… you gave her the ability to bee a sorcerer?"

  She stared at him, her expression a mix of awe and admiration. Is there anything this man 't do?

  A hought crossed her mind, and she looked at Ryuji with a hopeful smile. "So… could you…?"

  "Of course." Ryuji smiled. He wasn't about to leave Sayuri out. "But let's hahis ter."

  With a grin, he lifted her effortlessly into his arms.

  Sayuri gave a soft ugh, leaning into his embrace. "Alright."

  ---

  Meanwhile, in her room, Eriri anting from her training session, feeling drained. She had been pushing herself hard, yet her cursed energy had only increased by a small amount.

  Ugh, maybe I should just give up and go to sleep… she thought.

  But then she shook her head. No way. I 't sck off!

  Determination fshed in her eyes. "There's no way I'm letting that fat woman look down on me!"

  The thought of Utaha mog her if she fell behind was enough to rekindle her motivation. They might quarrel stantly, but that rivalry was also her drive.

  "For myself… and for Ryuji!" she said aloud, g her fists.

  After a brief rest, she returo training, fog on densing her cursed energy.

  ---

  A few hours ter, Sayuri was back with Ryuji, who was finishing up the process of using Idle Transfiguration to unlock her potential as a sorcerer.

  As the st traces of cursed energy settled within her, Sayuri opened her eyes, marveling at the faint glow of power now resting within her.

  "So… this is cursed energy?" she whispered, sensing the stra exhirating power now flowing through her.

  She turo Ryuji, a serious expression on her face. "Ryuji, I think it's best if Eriri and I keep quiet about this—your ability to make people into sorcerers, I mean."

  Sayuri was no fool. With the existence of cursed spirits being publiowledge, she could easily imagihe chaos if wot out that Ryuji could turn ordinary people into sorcerers. It would be a never-ending flood of people begging for power, and worse—powerful fas that might try to manipute or trol him.

  Ryuji chuckled, appreciating her . "Don't worry. I'm not afraid of trouble. I don't io py the hero or the vilin. But if people do try to push me… well, they'll see exactly how strong I am."

  His tone was calm but carried an underlying sense of power. He wasn't someone who would bend to the will of others.

  In a world where people like Gojo Satoru oood as the pinnacle, Ryuji felt ready to surpass that. He would make his mark and reshape the sorcery world as he saw fit.

  The era of Gojo Satoru was ending. The era of Ryuji was about to begin.

  Sayuri's eyes softened. She could see Ryuji's determination, his strength. She reached out, pg her hand on his arm, leaning close.

  "I don't need anything grand. Just knowing I have a pce by your side is enough for me."

  As a woman who had seen the plexities of life, Sayuri had no unrealistic expectations. She didn't need promises. All she wanted was to remain part of Ryuji's life.

  Ryuji looked down at her, smiling. "You're mine, Sayuri. Now and always. Don't even think about esg."

  Sayuri blushed but nodded, her heart fluttering.

  "Mm. That's all I want."