“I’m back!” Aurelia shouted as she appeared back in the village.
Alice immediately went to hug her, saying that she was sorry, but regardless, Aurelia simply said that it was fine.
The [Talent Evolution Fruit] had finally subsided and Alice returned to her usual self.
Which meant that Alex could now turn his attention to the second reward he’d received from his [Fate Gift Boxes].
This one was far less dramatic, at least on the surface, but potentially game-changing.
[Curse Remover (Artifact)]
[Description: A one-time use item that allows you to permanently remove a curse from your body; once removed, even if the curse is re-applied, it will be automatically destroyed again, meaning you won’t be affected by that curse ever again.]
Alex stared at the item description, his brow furrowing in thought.
“Wait a damn minute.”
His mind raced as he realized the implications.
The [Curse of Hatred], which afflicted him every time he used [Bleeding Claws], had been one of his biggest setbacks yet.
He had only stolen that skill from Daniel around 6–5 hours ago, but even then he knew that if he wanted to grow stronger, he would need to unlock it.
If the [Curse Remover] could completely and permanently eradicate the curse, it would mean he could freely use [Bleeding Claws] without suffering its devastating side effects.
Even if the curse somehow reattached itself, it would immediately be nullified.
But using it on himself posed a huge risk though as if it didn’t work as well as he thought, it would be instant death.
Before Alex could decide, Alice spoke up, her excitement palpable.
“Doesn’t this mean we can save Arcelia now?!” she exclaimed, her voice bursting with joy.
Aurelia’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “That’s true! We can finally break her curse and free her!”
The girls were ecstatic.
They didn’t know her much, but to them, Arcelia had been trapped inside of the [Glass Coffin] and suffered for centuries because of this curse.
Then even when she woke up, she realized that her kingdom had been destroyed.
Freeing was a no-brainer.
But Alex had other plans.
He wasn’t about to use the [Curse Remover] on someone else, not when it could unlock a skill so powerful it would boost his strength to unparalleled levels.
He could potentially defeat monsters even beyond level 1,000 with it.
[Bleeding Claws: Deal 60,000,000 base + 5000% Strength, creates shadow-enhanced claws that can tear through any defense, with a 5% chance of dealing bleed to the opponent; no cooldown.]
Dealing 60,000,000 damage per hit would mean killing level 750 monsters in two to three hits.
Before either of them could press the matter further, Alex made his move.
“Potential Extraction,” he tried this one first.
But…
[You cannot evolve this item any further.]
‘Thought so.’
And so instead, he simply continued what he was doing.
“Bleeding Claws,” he whispered under his breath.
[The Heart of Calamity advises you not to do that, but if you insist, be ready to use the “Curse Remover.”]
“I know,” Alex muttered, bracing himself as the skill began.
Instantly, his left arm transformed into the dark, jagged claws of shadow, exuding raw power.
But along with that power came the searing flames of hatred, just as they had the first time he activated the skill.
The fire blazed up his arm, threatening to consume him entirely.
[Quick! Use the “Curse Remover”!]
Without hesitation, Alex pulled out the [Curse Remover].
The artifact resembled a small, intricately carved emblem, very similar to the [Demon Hater Emblem] he had obtained from clearing the [Dark Dungeon].
[Demon Hater Emblem: Doubles damage and defense against Demon monsters.]
The [Demon Hater Emblem] would undoubtedly prove invaluable in future battles against demon armies.
But for now, his priority was dealing with the flames engulfing his arm.
Alex pressed the [Curse Remover] against the cursed limb.
[You have used the “Curse Remover” on the “Curse of Hatred.”]
The moment the artifact activated, the oppressive flames began to fade.
Slowly but surely, the dark fire receded, its malevolent energy dissipating into the air.
After a few tense moments, his arm returned to its original state.
Alex flexed his hand, then tested the claws again, slicing through the air to confirm everything was in working order.
The power coursing through him felt unrestrained, clean, and utterly devastating.
[The Heart of Calamity congratulates you!]
“Thanks,” Alex muttered, a small smirk forming on his lips.
With the curse permanently removed, [Bleeding Claws] was now a skill he could use without any drawbacks.
Its base damage of 60,000,000 alone was monstrous, not to mention the 5000% Strength multiplier.
He couldn’t help but imagine what kind of things he could do now.
Attack from afar with his devastating [Demonic Spear], and if they got close, he could simply slash them repeatedly with [Bleeding Claws].
The idea of killing level 1,000 monsters became even more realistic now.
Alex knew that with this power, he could obliterate even the toughest foes.
In fact, if he’d had [Bleeding Claws] without the curse earlier, Kars, one of the most challenging bosses he’d faced, would’ve stood no chance.
“With this,” Alex thought, “I might even be able to reach the tenth floor of the [Tower of Destiny].”
The Tower was notorious for its brutal challenges, each floor more dangerous than the last.
Few even dared to approach the tenth floor, let alone conquer it, and the proof was that even after everything, he was still struggling with level 750 monsters.
But with his newfound strength, Alex felt confident he could break through barriers that had once seemed insurmountable.
Aurelia, who had been watching in awe, finally found her voice. “You really used it on yourself, huh?”
Alex shrugged. “It was the best choice. Now I can fight without holding back.”
Alice frowned but didn’t argue.
She understood Alex’s logic, even if she still wished they could’ve used it to help Arcelia.
“I’ll get the [Annihilation Crucifix] or something to help her,” he reassured them, “We can’t even be sure the artifact would have worked on a curse like hers.”
“That’s… true…” they couldn’t argue.
Still, the result was undeniable.
Alex’s power had skyrocketed, and their chances of surviving the increasingly perilous battles ahead had improved dramatically.
The [Hatred Demon] that had cursed him likely never anticipated this outcome.
But Alex wasn’t one to let others dictate his fate. Your journey continues at empire
That’s why his name was [FateBreaker].