Chapter 10 The Cursed Chains

[Cursed Chains of ???]

The origin of this curse remains a mystery, but it has left the bearer bound by seven locks that weaken them. Each lock represents a certain level of restriction and carries its own set of consequences.

1st lock: Renders all title effects null and void, leaving the user powerless.

2nd lock: All stats will be permanently halved until the lock is broken, and the user will not be able to receive stat points through leveling up.

3rd lock: ???

4th lock: ???

5th lock: ???

6th lock: ???

7th lock: ???

To break the first lock, the user must meet the following conditions:

Strength: 15

Agility: 10

Dexterity: 10

Intelligence: 20

Vitality: 15

Endurance: 15

Wisdom: 10

After breaking the first lock, all title effects will be restored.

Conditions to break the 2nd lock are currently unknown.]

Zephyrion read the system message repeatedly to ensure that he had understood it correctly. He then began to curse inwardly, 'are you kidding me, System? You're playing with me, you damn *****!' 

As he continued his tirade, Zephyrion noticed a critical issue that would make breaking the locks even more challenging. 'Wait a minute, when it says 'all title effects will be null and void,' doesn't that mean...?'

Before he could finish his thought, the system interrupted him with a notification, 

[The Cursed Chains of ??? are in effect. The system will shut down until the first lock is broken.] 

The room fell silent, and Zephyrion lay there in disbelief, staring at the screen as the reality of his situation began to sink in. The weight of his fate was now heavier than ever.

Zephyrion panicked as he looked at the notification with wide eyes, realizing that the system was about to shut down. He hastily said in his mind, 'wait, wait, wait, don't shut down! How am I supposed to get all these stats?' 

But the system ignored him and showed the next notification.

[Shut down in 0:05 minutes.] 

[0:04]

'No, no, no, no! You can't just give me these cheats and take them away from me the next moment! Wait a fucking sec!' Zephyrion yelled in desperation.

[0:03]

'PLEASE STOP!' 

[0:02]

'NOOOOO' 

[0:01]

'I'm sorry for being rude at the start! Please don't shut down!' Zephyrion pleaded.

[0:00 Timer is up, the system wishes the user good luck.]

But it was too late. The timer hit zero, and the system shut down, leaving Zephyrion with nothing but a sense of hopelessness.

'Good luck,' the system had said. Zephyrion couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh in his mind. 'Good luck? Who is the system kidding? I'll need more than good luck!' 

After a while, Zephyrion managed to calm down and started analyzing his situation. 'Okay, the system is gone for now, but it will be back once I meet the requirements. I need to figure out where I am,' he thought to himself.

Zephyrion attempted to sit up, but due to the limitations of his infant body, his muscles and bones were too weak to support his weight. After a few attempts, he gave up and decided to move his head around instead.

The baby next to Zephyrion had a small tuft of golden hair on his head and was roughly the same size as him. Zephyrion tried to move his head to take a better look around the room but found it difficult as his muscles and bones were too weak to support his body.

Ignoring the sleeping baby, Zephyrion took a closer look at his surroundings. He was lying in a well-crafted wooden crib with soft blankets beneath him that had a pleasant scent. The room he was in appeared to be part of a noble's house, possibly a room in a mansion. The furniture in the room was of the highest quality, with ornate carvings and intricate designs.

The walls were painted white and decorated with golden thunder-like symbols. The ceiling had a large golden cloud with bolts of lightning emanating from it, giving the room an almost regal appearance.

'Wow, the decorations look so cool!' exclaimed Zephyrion in his mind, while he kept looking around the room, or at least as much as he could see.

As he was in awe of the medieval architecture, the door suddenly opened with a creak, and a woman wearing a maid outfit walked into the room. 

She was around 5'5 tall and had a slim figure, with curves in all the right places. Her maid outfit was neatly pressed and fitted her perfectly. Her black hair was pulled back into a neat bun, accentuating her high cheekbones and sharp jawline. Her ice blue eyes seemed to pierce through Zephyrion as she took a quick glance at him with a stoic expression on her face before swiftly turning and walking out of the room.

Zephyrion was left wondering why she left so suddenly. He was hoping to get some information about where he was. He waited for about five minutes, and then the door opened again. 

This time, two maids walked in. One was the same ice-blue-eyed maid who had come in earlier, while the other was a younger woman also in a maid's uniform.

The second maid who walked in had bright green hair that was styled into a neat bun, and her orange eyes sparkled as she looked at Zephyrion with a warm smile. She appeared to be around 5'4, a bit shorter than the first maid, but still taller than Zephyrion who was still in the body of a newborn. Her maid outfit fit her perfectly, accentuating her slender figure, and she carried herself with a graceful air that hinted at her training in etiquette and decorum.

Zephyrion couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him at the sight of her friendly demeanor, hoping that she would be more willing to help him than the ice-blue-eyed maid. 

The green haired maid opened her mouth and said something incomprehensible to little Zephyrion, "@)&-29&)20@(€/@=&-." The ice blue eyed maid also spoke in a strange language, "@=€(€>{^[." 

Zephyrion was dumbfounded. He had already considered the possibility of not understanding the language of the people in this world since he didn't have the translator of the system, but he still hoped he could communicate somehow.

As the green haired maid saw the weird smile on Zephyrion's face, she walked over to him and started making weird faces, scaring him. The expressions on her face looked more gruesome than funny, and Zephyrion couldn't help but think, 'Does she want me to shit my pants?' 

Thankfully, the other maid came over and took him away from the green haired maid. She said something to the green haired maid, "#€) @(&%@%€>&," and the green haired maid responded, "@)#(&=@-&," seemingly protesting, but ultimately nodding her head and looking away with a pout on her face. Then the ice blue eyed maid took Zephyrion with her out of the room.

As Zephyrion was escorted out of the room, he found himself in a hallway that was just as impressive as the previous room. The walls were decorated with the same cool golden thunder symbols, and the deep red carpet that ran through the hallway added to the grandeur of the place. Zephyrion was in awe, as he had never been in such a rich and opulent house before. Even Kate's mansion paled in comparison.

After walking for a while, Zephyrion and the two maids reached a door and the maids knocked twice. A beautiful woman's voice could be heard from inside saying, "@)#-#)&=#(." The maid with the ice blue eyes slowly opened the door and they all entered the room together, with Zephyrion feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

The room was just as magnificent as the rest of the mansion. There were ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and a large fireplace adorned one of the walls. A plush sofa was placed in the center of the room, and a woman with flowing black hair was sitting on it.

As Zephyrion's gaze fell upon the woman in front of him, he was taken aback by her breathtaking beauty. Her long black hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, framing her delicate features perfectly.

Her long black hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, framing her delicate features perfectly. Her eyes are a deep, captivating violet that seem to change colors in the light, and her full lips were curved into a warm smile that made Zephyrion's heart skip a beat.

She was dressed in a stunning white dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her hourglass figure. The neckline was low enough to reveal just a hint of cleavage. Zephyrion couldn't help but notice that she had a well-endowed chest that was further emphasized by the dress.

Her skin was porcelain smooth, and she carried herself with an air of confidence and grace that was both alluring and intimidating. Zephyrion felt a sense of awe wash over him as he took in the sight of this enchanting woman.

Her long, slender legs were partially hidden by the dress, but Zephyrion could catch a glimpse of them with each step she took. Standing at a height of 5'5", she carried herself with an effortless grace and elegance that left Zephyrion feeling breathless.

She spoke a few words in a language that Zephyrion couldn't understand, but her tone was friendly and welcoming. Zephyrion was still struggling to comprehend the situation he found himself in, but he couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to be in the presence of such a stunning woman.