Chapter 6: Weaving the Web

Chapter 6: Weaving the Web

Ren awoke the next day. After a quick breakfast, he decided that the first thing to do would be to make sure to take control of the delegation of missions. While Ren was not someone of great rank or status yet, he was astute enough to carry out his plan.

He made his way to the clan mission room, a relatively simple space where missions were assigned to clan members based on their rank and abilities. There stood Asami Kurogane, the clan's chief strategist and the one in charge of overseeing the assignment of tasks.

Asami, sitting behind a table reviewing scrolls, looked up when she noticed Ren's arrival. "Ren, what brings you here so early?"

Ren smiled calmly, approaching the table with a slight bow of respect. "I've been thinking, Asami. I'd like to offer to help with the management of the clan's missions. I think I could contribute and optimize the way tasks are assigned."

Asami arched an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "You, Ren, are you capable?"

"Well, let's just say I've been thinking about how I could benefit the clan and I think with some reorganization, we could improve quite a bit." Ren smiled in a carefree manner, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Asami watched him for a moment in silence, as if trying to decipher his true intentions. "This is not something to be taken lightly, Ren. Delegating missions requires seriousness and responsibility. Are you sure you can handle that?"

"Absolutely. Besides, it would be a relief for you, wouldn't it? You could focus on more important tasks while I take care of the basics." Ren put on his best persuasive smile, knowing the key was to get her to see the benefit of delegating that part of the job.

Asami sighed, but nodded slightly. "Okay, I'll give you a chance. Don't disappoint me."

Ren smiled broadly. "You won't regret it."

---

With his first hurdle cleared, Ren now had to focus on the next thing: organizing the young people in the clan to do the missions. After all, a plan is useless if you don't have the right people to execute it.

Ren decided that a more practical approach would work better. So, after a brief search, he gathered a small group of clan members, including some familiar faces such as Riko Kurogane, another rank 3 youth, and Kenta Kurogane.

"Why did you call us, Ren?" asked Riko, looking at him curiously. "Did you come to give us a lecture on responsibility or something?"

Ren laughed softly. "Not exactly. I just wanted to share something interesting I got recently."

He carefully pulled out the cursed tool the system had given him as a reward: a dark gauntlet decorated with inscriptions that glowed faintly with cursed energy.

The young men leaned forward, their eyes sparkling with interest. "That's amazing," Kenta muttered, clearly impressed. "How did you get it?"

"Missions," Ren replied with a quiet smile. "It's not that hard to get valuable rewards if one is dedicated to it. But of course, it's also about having a good team and taking advantage of opportunities."

Riko looked at him with a wry smile. "So what, you want us to work more?"

Ren held up a hand, smiling in a nonchalant manner. "Partly, yes. But I'm also saying that, if we work as a team, we can all benefit. The rewards are there, we just need to organize ourselves better."

"So what's your plan?" asked Kenta, crossing his arms.

Ren paused dramatically, as if considering his words carefully. "If everyone starts accepting missions that line up with each other, we can cover more ground, eliminate more curses, and rack up rewards much faster. All without overwhelming us as much."

"That sounds good, but it sounds like more work for us," Riko interjected, raising an eyebrow.

Ren laughed, "Don't worry. The idea is that you don't work harder, just better. And with better rewards at the end."

The young men exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by the proposal. Riko finally nodded. "Well, if it means less effort for better rewards, count me in."

Kenta smiled. "I'm in, too. Why not?"

Ren nodded, satisfied. "Perfect, then let's start coordinating missions. I'll be assigning you the most suitable ones and we'll make sure everyone gains something in the process."

---

With the young clan members on board, Ren's next step was simple. He began to structure a network of missions, with each member accepting tasks that complemented the others. If someone removed low-grade curses in one area, another could be tapped to investigate or deal with more powerful curses. Everything was connected, and the rewards flowed back into the system... and to Ren.

Ren, walking back to his room after a long day, couldn't help but smile at how easy it had been to put his plan into action. The Kurogane clan didn't even suspect they were working to increase his power without him having to lift an extra finger.

"I guess this is the closest thing to having employees," he muttered to himself. "Only these ones don't draw a salary...or a vacation."

---

Assigned Missions:

1. Collection of Medicinal Herbs 'Flower of the Mist'.

Objective: Collect 10 units of this rare herb, used in cursed energy restoring potions. Found in mountainous areas where fog is constant.

-Reward: 50 CP, +5% CE.

2. Cursed Minerals 'Shadow Crystal'.

Objective: Extract 5 shadow crystals from deep caves infested with curses.

-Reward: 80 CP, Cursed Tool (Grade 3).

3. Grade 3 Curse Hunt

Objective: Eliminate 3 grade 3 curses in the vicinity of Torinaga village.

-Reward: 120 CP, +10% CE.

4. Hunt for Grade 2 Curses

Objective: Defeat a powerful grade 2 curse in the Dark Forest.

-Reward: 200 CP, Cursed Tool (Grade 2), +15% CE.

5. Collecting 'Glowing Cursed Stones'.

Objective: Collect 7 Glowing Cursed Stones, which emit a slight light due to the accumulation of cursed energy. These stones are found in subway areas where great battles between sorcerer once took place.

Reward: 100 CP, Enhancement material for cursed tools (Grade 2).