Reconstructing the Devouring Curse
Is this right? When crafting a spell, the most important thing I focus on is 'how can I maximize the curse's potential?' What's the difference between curses and mana? Almost anything possible with curses can be replicated with mana. So, what’s the fundamental distinction that sets them apart? It's the recovery delay effect, the polar opposite of healing divine power, combined with raw destructive power. I can handle destructive power with my own mana, but I can't mimic the recovery delay. Curses and demonic energy stand in direct opposition to divine power. That's why I concentrated on the recovery delay rather than raw power when deploying the spell.
Spear taught me the formula, but even if it was a bit weaker, I divided it into five parts and later reshaped them into slashes to boost attack power. However, using that spell would kill the spirit right in front of me, but the curse's aftereffects would cling to Ceres nearby as well. Minel said she had no choice, but what she truly wants is for Ceres to return to her arms unharmed. So, in this situation, what’s the most fitting spell?
"Spell formula. Construct."
I pieced the formula together in my mind. I'd done this often in the past. Reworking runes in my head or redesigning magic circles was always demanded in wartime emergencies.
"Convert, delete, add."
I removed the physical force addition from the formula, making it produce effects like a standard curse. Then, I compensated for the weakened attack power with mana, not eliminating it entirely but using the curse and mana to form a single barrier.
"Reconstruct."
Finally, I added stability runes to the formula, reassembling the dismantled spell in my mind into one cohesive unit, blending Nero, the curse, and my mana.
"Complete."
I manifested the finished spell.
"What the…!!"
The unknown is inherently terrifying. So, what does this look like to that spirit right now?
The spirit desperately spewed curses, but the surrounding mana had transformed into mana force, blocking the curses from reaching Ceres. It was such a thin barrier that only I, sensing mana flow in real-time, would notice it. Guess the principal was protecting her student from harm after all. If that's the case, maybe I could've just fired it off as is?
"Urk!!"
While I was thinking that, the blade of mana force and curse shot forward, devouring and shredding the wall of curses the spirit had created.
"Impossible!!"
"What's impossible?"
The curse barrier was well-made, sure—but only up to a certain point. First-grade... no, second-grade level at best.
"You think a worm like you can overcome Nero's curse?"
"Grrrrraaah!!!!"
The mana force coating the exterior shattered, and Nero's curse spread out, instantly swallowing the spirit's curse wall whole.
"Ah, not quite perfect yet."
Is my mana still too weak compared to Nero's? Or did I mess up the runes during construction? Because I couldn't fully contain the curse, it spread. This time, Skaya shielded Ceres, so there was no fallout, but I flatly refuse to keep relying on her.
"...Either way, looks like I need to get stronger."
Seems like I'm the type who attracts trouble.
As the red mana force barrier faded, purple curse energy erupted, devouring both the spirit and its curses together. For reference, this spell's theme was eradication.
"What is this... Graaaah!!!!"
The reason Nero's curse is called omnipotent is because she can freely alter its form, attributes, and even effects at will. Once a theme is set, the curse reshapes itself to fulfill her command accordingly.
The curse gnawed at the spirit. The curse wall had long vanished under my mana, and Nero's curse devoured the spirit greedily, like a starving man spotting food after days without a meal.
"Stop it!! I said stop, can't you hear me!!!"
"Would you stop if you were me?"
The spirit's limbs had been gone for a while now. Even Nero's omnipotent curse struggled with healing or recovery formulas—nothing compared to divine power specialized in that area, in terms of speed or effect.
"From the moment you lost your limbs, you were done."
Nero's curse had now eaten through its entire lower body and part of its upper body, inching toward the heart.
"Impossible… I, Worzl the Spirit Slayer, can't die so pathetically!!"
"Ever heard this name?"
Yeah, thought so. I haven't heard of it either. Spirits grow stronger the more grudges accumulate, so usually, the oldest ones with massive grudges or regrets are the toughest. But from its speech, this one's barely a decade old at most. Sure, it might grow stronger in the future... but right now, it's just a fool swept up in curses.
Crunch!!
Oof... way more grotesque than I expected. The spirit's purple blood burst outward like fireworks, raining down beautifully in a shower of its own gore. If you didn't know it was blood, it'd look like pretty purple water exploding... but knowing that, I shook my head and summoned Nero.
"Nero, it's over."
Nero returned to her small form at my call and settled on my head.
"Fluffy? It should be soaked from the spirit's blood..."
What? It should've been drenched in curse blood, but my body was pristine, like I'd just showered. And with all the walls and doors I smashed on the way in, I should've been covered in dust too?
"...Sheesh. As if I'd be happy about this."
With those words, the silver dominion magic reverted to mana. And with Minel arriving late to check on Ceres' safety, the incident came to a close... or it should have.
"What did you just say?"
"The young lady... sent a letter to the Primal family saying she wants to re-engage with you."
If Minel hadn't told me that.
"What bullshit is that?"
"I'm a bit dumbfounded too. I thought she'd put her feelings for you behind her. Didn't we wrap things up cleanly in our last talk?"
"Yeah, we did. You were there."
Ceres had clearly said it.
'It's unavoidable. Regrettable, but we have to accept it.'
Ceres called it unavoidable, regrettable but something we had to accept. She said it to me, and she accepted it herself.
"So what? She sends a letter to the family???"
What kind of nuisance is that? And the fact that it wasn't sent to me or my parents directly, but to the family... does that mean...
"A protest?"
"No, more precisely, a request for correction."
A request for correction changes nothing. They demanded the breakup first—why the hell are they expecting us to correct it now? Minel knew this too, furrowing her brow without a word.
"Personally, I have nothing to say. From the perspective of someone you saved, demanding this so brazenly is absurd, and she knows it. I tried talking her out of it, but she wouldn't listen."
"No, honestly, Minel—you don't need to apologize for anything."
It's all Ceres' fault.
"Sigh... but why?"
"Probably saw that battle and changed her mind. She thought you were just a somewhat strong academy student, but after witnessing that fight... something shifted in her heart."
"And it's normal to just barge to the family like that because she changed her mind?"
I declare it outright: that's not normal. When families break off an engagement, they usually distance themselves at minimum. Some even become outright enemies. Yet here Ceres is, in that exact situation, insisting we haven't broken it off and pushing forward. It's like marching into enemy territory mid-war shouting, 'Let's make peace!'
"So, any response yet?"
"No, not sure... Have you gotten a letter from them?"
"Not yet..."
"A letter for Young Master has arrived."
No—now it has.