Chapter 155
Chapter 155
Ch. 155 .｡.:✧ Near Miss (4) ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“So, to summarize, the dungeon cores are connected to somewhere in the other world, and by applying a curse to a dungeon core, we can apply the same curse to all dungeons?”
“Y-Yes… th-that’s… r-right…”
Yerina’s concise summary of Yulia’s thirty-minute, stammering explanation made Yulia beam. Yerina sighed and sat down, reviewing the documents Yulia had given her.
‘She doesn’t seem to be lying…’
It was surprising that the Witch of Petenburg was researching curses, but she decided to let it go. (Actually, it seemed to fit her title.) The key question was whether curses could actually be transmitted through the network connecting the dungeon cores.
Numerous studies on dungeons had been published by the Magic Tower and various nations. According to those studies, the network connected to the dungeon cores allowed for two-way communication.
Dungeons sent energy to the other world, and the other world sent simple commands to the dungeons (such as adjusting the strength of monsters).
Therefore, theoretically, it was possible to access the other world’s network through the dungeon cores.
Theoretically.
Since neither the method of interdimensional connection nor the structure of the dungeon cores had been fully deciphered, it seemed impossible, but the Witch of Petenburg had done it.
The key was not magic, but curses utilizing demonic energy. And Yulia was sharing this discovery with the Saintess and the Frost Duchess, free of charge. She only wanted one thing in return, their cooperation in helping Yoo-jin.
“I-I’ve… a-already… t-tested… s-simple curses… T-To have… a-a significant… e-effect on… a-all dungeons… w-we need… m-more… d-demonic energy… b-but… I-I can’t… do it… a-alone…”
A massive amount of demonic energy was required to apply curses to dungeons.
However, no mage or curse user organization would willingly participate in a plan to weaken dungeons. It would only benefit mercenaries.
But the three of them were different. They shared a common goal, Yoo-jin’s love and his safe return. That’s why they could cooperate.
They might not like each other, but paradoxically, that’s why they could trust each other’s love for Yoo-jin. They knew that if they were divided, Yoo-jin would be in danger.
“Does this mean we have to learn curses too?”
“J-Just… h-how to… c-control… demonic energy… is… e-enough… I-I’ll… h-handle the… c-casting…”
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
The tedious and slow lessons began. It was difficult not only because of Yulia’s stammering explanations, but also because sensing demonic energy itself was a challenging task.
“D-Demonic energy… is… c-created by… c-consuming emotions… U-Unlike magic… w-which requires… e-emptying your mind… i-it’s easier… t-to… a-amplify… s-specific emotions… and… i-infuse them… i-into the demonic energy…”
Emptying one’s mind and filling it with pure logic was difficult, but anyone could do it with practice. That’s why magic was a miracle accessible to everyone, regardless of age or gender.
The strength of one’s magic depended on their magical capacity and talent, but everyone could use basic magic.
Curses, however, required the opposite. You had to empty your mind of logic and fill it with pure emotion. Any strong emotion would do, whether it was rage, love, or regret.
Those with strong emotions could awaken to curses, either by chance or through training, but those who lived peaceful lives could never sense demonic energy, no matter how hard they tried.
That’s why mages, who were driven by logic and reason, were called monsters, but curse users were often monsters in the truest sense of the word.
They were consumed by their emotions, unable to think rationally, often driven to madness.
They were responsible for countless crimes committed with curses, leading to their persecution worldwide.
“As a Saintess, it certainly feels… unclean… but it’s not the power itself that’s wrong. It’s the person wielding it.”
Curses were considered evil, a dark art.
The Papal Office used this logic to suppress their spread, simply because they were difficult to understand and control. But Jill believed that curses had the potential for good.
With enough research, they might one day be recognized as a legitimate form of magic. And she had a feeling that this elf would make it happen.
‘Fill it with my love for Yoo-jin…’
The three focused their minds, infusing their mana, the element of nothingness, with their emotions – doubt, affection, hatred, suspicion for Yoo-jin… The mana began to darken.
Yulia was amazed.
Even those with strong emotions usually took at least three days to sense demonic energy, unless they were exceptionally talented. But these women were gathering demonic energy at their fingertips in less than an hour.
They didn’t know how to use it yet, but that didn’t matter. Yulia would handle the application.
“W-What do we… d-do now…? I-I’m losing… c-control…!”
“I-I’ll… g-gather it… G-Good work…”
The demonic energy, which was about to dissipate, converged on Yulia’s formation.
An unknown force drew it in, containing it within a single space. The three energies combined, forming a single sphere.
“W-What’s… h-happening…?”
The sphere vibrated and began to deform, escaping Yulia’s control and splitting apart. She thought it was going to explode, but…
“…?”
The demonic energy remained within the formation, now three separate spheres orbiting each other.
They were clearly the same type of demonic energy, yet they refused to merge.
She tried to combine them again, but…
“Ugh…”
…an unknown repulsive force pushed them apart.
She couldn’t understand it. She had never seen this before.
There were records of combining demonic energy from hundreds, even thousands of people, into a single mass.
Why couldn’t these three merge?
She examined them closely, but couldn’t find any differences. They were all the same.
Dark, twisted energies born from negative emotions. Yet, they repelled each other like oil and water.
“Is this normal, Petenburg?”
“N-No… I-I’ve never… s-seen this… b-before…”
Yulia was self-taught and hadn’t mastered curses yet. She couldn’t explain this unprecedented phenomenon.
“Th-There’s… a w-way…”
Even if the demonic energies couldn’t merge, it didn’t mean the plan was ruined. They could simply divide the curse into three. It would be less efficient, but not a major problem.
The three headed towards a dungeon. Dungeon cores, exposed to sunlight and magical power after the monsters and bosses were killed and the walls were destroyed, could no longer produce monsters, but they were still active.
“L-Let’s… b-begin…”
Yulia formed a hand seal, and the first mass of demonic energy flowed into a prepared totem. The second flowed into a cursed doll. And the third formed a formation in the air.
Three powerful curses, fueled by the demonic energy of three superhumans, took effect simultaneously.
The dungeon core cracked, lost its light, and turned into an ordinary magical stone. Its connection to the network had been severed.
“D-Did it… w-work…?”
They immediately contacted their informants to check if the curse had affected other dungeons, but…
-We haven’t observed any changes.
-The dungeons are the same.
-No change in dungeons.
…only disappointing replies came back.
It hadn’t worked. They had no choice but to give up. The three, who had miraculously agreed to cooperate, parted ways.
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[The monsters in this dungeon have been empowered by Saintess Jill’s blessing.]
[The monsters in this dungeon have gained a weak poison effect due to Witch Yulia’s curse.]
[The temperature in this dungeon has decreased due to Frost Duchess Yerina’s resentment.]
“What the…”
I was dumbfounded the moment I entered the dungeon. I had never seen this system message before. Well, not exactly.
I knew that dungeons could be cursed, but this was the first time I had seen it done by someone else, especially by the three main heroines…
“Krrr?”
“Damn it.”
The goblin that appeared before me was covered in frost, but instead of being slowed down, it charged at me with increased speed.
I cut it down with a wave of energy from the Demonic Sword. Its blood sizzled and melted the stone floor and walls.
Poison… a highly acidic poison.
“Haa…”
And this wasn’t ordinary cold. I could see my breath, and I could feel the chill seeping into my bones, freezing me from the inside.
Each debuff was deadly. This would be difficult even for me, let alone ordinary mercenaries. This was a disaster, a threat to their livelihood.
“What are they doing? Are they crazy?!”
I couldn’t understand their intentions.
What was the point of strengthening dungeons? This would weaken the mercenary association and increase the damage caused by monsters.
They might lose their minds when it came to me, but they would never do anything to harm the common people, not as leaders. Something was wrong.
This couldn’t be their intention.
‘There haven’t been any reports about dungeon issues…’
I received all news regarding dungeons and mercenaries immediately. I hadn’t heard anything about this disaster before entering the dungeon.
I left the dungeon and went to a nearby tavern, looking for mercenaries.
“Huh? The dungeon is colder, the monsters are stronger, and their blood is poisonous? Are you dreaming?”
“I just came back from a dungeon, and everything was normal.”
Was it just the Black Star dungeon I entered? I went to another Black Star dungeon.
[The monsters in this dungeon have been empowered by Saintess Jill’s blessing.]
[The monsters in this dungeon have gained a weak poison effect due to Witch Yulia’s curse.]
[The temperature in this dungeon has decreased due to Frost Duchess Yerina’s resentment.]
Perhaps it was a problem specific to Black Star dungeons? I decided to try a Red Star and a Yellow Star dungeon.
[The monsters in this dungeon have been empowered by Saintess Jill’s blessing.]
[The monsters in this dungeon have gained a weak poison effect due to Witch Yulia’s curse.]
[The temperature in this dungeon has decreased due to Frost Duchess Yerina’s resentment.]
“You… bastards…”
After visiting five different dungeons, and sending Undecided into one without me, I finally realized it.
“…No… problems… normal… dungeon.”
“Then why does it become hell mode when I enter?!”
This damn curse… it only affected me.
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