Curse Crafting

'Cruse Crafting,' while reading the store's brochure Emi and Ace found that it had a detailed curse crafting technique written in it. They were surprised that the store was providing such a profound technique to its customers for free. 

However, considering the randomness of the curse crafting technique's success rate in creating a curse tool Ace felt this was a bottomless pit dug by the store to profit from the dreams and ambitions of the unsuspecting and naive curse masters who hoped to become curse crafter one day.

The store's brochure stated that as long as the curse masters were patient and persevered, they would successfully craft a curse tool using the curse crafting technique printed on it, and right below that they offered various newbie curse-crafting bundles, even the most basic bundle cost a hundred grand. 

'Patience and Perseverance?' Ace scoffed after reading it and continued to add, 'The store just wants the curse masters to spend all their life savings to buy curse cores and curse items with the hope that they might become a curse crafter.'

Ace said this but could not avoid the charm of a curse-crafting technique, 'Emi, use the status screen to share the curse-crafting technique with Rose.' 

'Yes, master,' Emi agreed and immediately proceeded to complete the task before the staff arrived with her order and interrupted her.

Meanwhile, recalling that Emi was a renowned talisman master, Ace pondered if she had what it took to become a curse crafter with a little guidance and practice. After all, capable curse crafters were respected and sought after in the curse world. Ace did not plan on exposing his identity ever but it would be safer if he had the identity of a master curse crafter just in case. 

"Esteemed guest, sorry for the wait but here's your order, ten mortal tier cores and five knight tier cores, which will be $99,999. Will you be paying in gold or cryptocurrency?" Salegirl Jo asked as she passed Emi a wooden box. 

Having shared the last of the curse crafting technique with Dame Wasp through the status screen, Emi took the wooden box from Jo and opened it to check the contents. 

"The mortal-tier cores are of gremlin form and knight-tier cores are of changeling form," Salesgirl Jo informed Emi.

Emi nodded adding, "The money has been deposited to your store's crypto wallet." She had used the status screen to share the bill and store's crypto-wallet ID with Dame Wasp. Since they were going shopping, Dame Wasp visited the online gambling sites early knowing that a mortal-tier core was worth $5000 and a knight-tier core was worth $10,000 in the curse market. 

"Thank you for your patronage," Salesgirl Jo cheerfully thanked Emi after checking that $99,999 was deposited to the store's crypto wallet. Then, she enquired, "Esteemed guest, are you interested in curse crafting?"

Without waiting for Emi's response, Salesgirl Jo introduced Emi to the store's various offers, "With every purchase of one of our curse crafting bundles, our store offers various curse crafting techniques to choose from for free. After all, not all curse masters are suited for the same crafting technique." 

'Wait, what? These people sure know their stuff,' Ace praised the store listening to their cunning marketing strategies. However, he was surprised that the store was willingly giving away curse crafting techniques for free which could be sold for a good price. Therefore, he contacted Dame Wasp using the status screen, 

[ — Status Screen — 

> Rose, why are they giving away curse crafting techniques for free? Aren't curse arts expensive?

> Master, they are only giving low-level techniques for free. It is to create a market for curse-crafting items and promote curse-crafting. After all, the curse market can never have enough curse crafters. 

> I see, but how much is a good curse crafting technique worth? 

> Millions of dollars.]

Talking to Dame Wasp, Ace grasped the situation. It was akin to a friend offering the first few puffs of a cigarette for free—once you're hooked, there's no turning back.

"No, thank you. That will be all," Emi politely declined the salesgirl and exited the store.

Unsurprisingly, the customers monitoring Emi subtly exited the store right after her. These people had been eyeing Emi for a while now. However, none approached her, so their intention was clear. They had targeted Emi for her innate curse tool and not her body. Ace and Emi, did not bother to waste time and energy trying to lose them because, within the curse mall, they did not dare to attack them unless they were tired of living. 

'Head to the restroom behind the escalator and enter any of the stalls, according to Rose, it should be within a mile from where we parked the Buick. So, I should be able to recall you to the toybox without worrying about being followed,' Ace instructed Emi on their predetermined exit strategy that he previously discussed with Dame Wasp.  

'Master, aren't we going to continue shopping? It would be a shame, after all, we did come this far,' Emi asked Ace in surprise and persuaded him to check out what the cursed mall had to offer. As a hero of justice, Emi was courageous and outgoing compared to Dame Wasp who was hunted by an evil corporation all her life. 

'No, we are not here to fool around. We are here on a mission. Wasn't Rose clear about this when briefing you? Let us be quick, I don't want to spend too much time in this part of the city,' Ace did not succumb to Emi's persuasion as he preferred to leave the city as soon as possible as he had a hard time believing that the CIB would just give up on such a good location to register new curse masters roaming the mortal world. 

'Fine,' Emi agreed heading into the women's restroom behind the escalator. Seeing her enter the ladies' room her followers had no choice but to wait by the door. As Emi entered one of the stalls, Ace instructed, 'Emi, ditch that wooden case and stuff the cores in your pockets. So, that I can recall you into the toybox.'

'Oh, you are worried that the wooden case has a tracking curse. Good thinking, Master,' Emi praised Ace as she took out a yellow talisman paper. Pointing the talisman at the fifteen cores in the open wooden case she mentally chanted, 'Store.' 

'Impressive,' Ace exclaimed seeing the cores vanish from the box with Emi's chant. He was impressed to learn that Emi could use her talisman to store things. Now he knew where she hid her seemingly infinite kunai and other weapons in the game. Once Emi was prepared to be recalled, Ace mentally uttered, 'Recall.'