Evalynn Fang did not favor Michael’s idea, but she agreed that his plan might work. If Michael managed to extract Danny’s Curse without damaging the Living Soul, he could insert it into the Soul Grimoire, nourish it while searching for a suitable vessel, or create one from scratch.
It was still surprising that Michael could control the Cursed Seals and that he unlocked a fourth Cursed Seal before ascending to a Higher Lifeform. Still, it was even more shocking that another existence took root inside Michael. Michael’s Soul didn’t confine the other being. The being restrained its power on its own. It sealed itself to ensure that Michael wouldn’t sustain any injuries.
That was surprising, and it was also part of why she chose to believe in Michael’s plan. If one of them was willing to take root inside Michael, who was she to hold him back? If anything, she should support her child. .
“Can you give me the Miniature Coffin Keychain for a moment,” Evalynn asked her son, who backed off instinctively.
Even if Michael decided to talk to his mother, it was not like he could trust her entirely. He still had to ask many things, and various doubts lingered in the back of his head. Unfortunately, he did not have the luxury to throw hundreds of questions at his mother. She wouldn’t be able to answer most of them either way.
He hesitated and scrutinized his mother, who had to try hard not to crumble, “Please…I want to help you and Danny. It’s just a small test, nothing serious. The Living Soul won’t be harmed. I promise.”
Michael pressed his lips together, but he reluctantly agreed. This was not about him anymore. Everything he did was for Danny, and Michael was certain that his mother wouldn’t do anything to harm her oldest son. She was not the type to hurt her children…not like that.
He removed the Miniature Coffin Keychain from his belt and handed it to Evalynn.
Evalynn’s eyes turned glassy once again as the Cursed Seals all over her body blossomed. Tendrils of darkness emerged from the ominous mist that shrouded Evalynn. The tendrils briefly engulfed the Miniature Coffin Keychains before retracting with a snap.
The dark Cursed Seals all over Evalynn’s body disappeared, and the life in her eyes returned.
“If we want to succeed, we will have to start soon. The Curse recuperates faster than expected. Danny’s spark of life is being drained as we speak.”
‘We?’ Michael was about to ask, but he swallowed his words. It would be foolish to reject the help of a Peak Tier-6 Curse User.
“I can stabilize the Living Soul with Soul Tears. I’ve accumulated more than enough from the last Regional War,” Michael told his mother, “Do you think that will be enough, or should I nourish the Cursed Living Soul while it’s still in the Miniature Coffin Keychain.”
His mother contemplated the answer for a second.
“The Curse will grow faster once Danny’s Living Soul has been nourished. It will have more energy to consume from the Living Soul…but will be necessary. The Living Soul is weak, and we need to nourish and stabilize it slightly to increase Danny’s survival.”
“I can take care of that.” Michael nodded. Is there a way to contain the Curse for a while when I extract it? I’m not sure what will happen, but I think the Curse will not like what I’m about to do.”
“Don’t worry too much about that. I’m here to take care of that. I might have never defeated a Curse without killing the host, but as long as you extract it before he consumes Danny, it will be fine! It’s not my first rodeo with a Curse. I’m a Curse User and a decent exorcist, after all!”
The Geas appeared on Evalynn’s forehead, but she wasn’t in pain. The bits and pieces she shared seemed to be in the grey area. They were part of the information she wasn’t supposed to share, yet it was necessary to share them to deal with a Curse. It was acceptable to share this much.
Michael planned to do something Evalynn had never heard before. Evalynn was certain it wouldn’t work if Danny’s Curse was slightly stronger. Fortunately, Danny’s Curse had never been powerful, and it was also in a weakened state right now. There shouldn’t be a problem…probably.
Evalynn hesitated a little bit as she retrieved a vial filled with black liquid. She released a storm of energy with a wave of her hand to remove the furniture in her room and began to draw a complex circle on the ground.
Now that they were getting closer to resurrecting Danny, Evalynn worried about the consequences. She always thought that she had to bring Danny’s Soul back to the Nest to return him into the reincarnation cycle….but it became worth a try with Michael’s Soultraits and his Curse. It should be feasible. Maybe.
Similarly, removing Danny’s Curse could prevent the Hellbound Cataclysm. If Michael and his mother succeeded, every involved party would be victorious.
It was worth a try.
Michael didn’t pay much attention to his mother’s drawing. He could sense that she infused the ominous mist oozing out of her Cursed Seals into the black paint, but that became about it.
Instead, he used Spirit Eyes and Insert to pinpoint the Living Soul inside the Miniature Coffin Keychain and insert SoulStar Fragments into its deepest parts. As long as the essence of the Living Soul was strengthened, the remaining parts would also be strengthened.
Michael infused the SoulStar Fragments slowly. He didn’t want to crush the Living Soul by simultaneously inserting too many SoulStar Fragments. Michael knew best that strengthening a Soul – or a Soultrait – too quickly became harmful. It took him a while to find the most efficient way to insert SoulStar Fragments into the Living Soul, but it worked. The steady stream of fragments merged with the Living Soul, strengthening it swiftly.
At one point, it felt like someone was tugging at his soul. It was a unique sensation, different from the Cursed Seals or the World Serpent’s attempts to convey to him.
‘Is that Danny?’
Michael was not sure if he was hallucinating or if that was real, but he sincerely hoped that it was real. He missed Danny.
Michael ignored the piles of SoulStar Fragments that vanished into thin air. He only stopped inserting more SoulStar Fragments when his mother grasped his shoulders tightly.
“I’m done,” She whispered before glancing at the Miniature Coffin Keychain. Several dark cracks spread through the keychain. It was on the verge of breaking apart, black liquid spilling out of the tiny fissures.
“It’s now or never,” she said, triggering the magic circle that covered the entire room.
The circle lit up in darkness, shrouding the entire room instantaneously. The darkness moved around. Comprised tendrils of darkness emerged from the circle, seeking all that lived.
Michael’s instincts told him to escape and to run as far as possible, but he ignored them. Instead of running, Michael closed his eyes.
He manifested the Soul Grimoire and applied a Soul Tear on Extraction, Enhancement, Soul Grimoire, his soul, and Danny’s Living Soul.
Once that was done, Michael unleashed the four golden Cursed Seals. He applied a Soul Tear on each of them, creating a far more destructive effect than expected.
Ten Extraction Layers unleashed upon True Extraction, expanding the Extraction Aura that flowed out of him.
True Extraction was unleashed to the fullest, but Michael concentrated its full power on one point instead of spreading out.
A terrifying roar escaped from the depths of Michael’s existence. The roar reverberated through the room, tearing it apart. The World Serpent followed suit. It released an ear-
deafening hiss that seemed to fuse with the mighty roar, amplifying each other.
The cracks all over the Miniature Coffin Keychain expanded. The keychain crumbled.
‘Now!’ Michael screamed in his mind, willing True Extraction to invade the Miniature Coffin Keychain and Danny’s Living Soul.
Michael and his small following invaded the Cursed Living Soul. They pierced through the Curse’s defense and emerged inside. Michael didn’t imagine that he would be able to see the inside of Danny’s Living Soul. However, his brother’s mindscape unraveled in front of Michael’s closed eyes.
The spark of life, a dim light that struggled desperately to retain its brightness against the massive existence that towered before it.
The Curse’s outlines expanded and formed into a huge monster. Shrouded in darkness, a Tiger roared at the top of its lungs as its black tendrils consumed Danny’s life.
Rage fueled Michael, his presence attracting the massive beast’s attention.
It turned around and roared, ready to charge at Michael and company.
Michael’s first battle with a Curse began.
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