Bound by Curse, Driven by Ambition

After saying goodbye to his sister, Derek returned to his dorm room. After closing the door, Derek activated his trait Nihility to the fullest.

As Derek and his copy sat facing each other in the nihility-covered dorm room, they resumed their discussion about the organization they planned to establish.

Derek's copy would take on the role of the leader, while Derek himself would likely act more behind the scenes due to his older appearance and desire to keep his identity hidden.

Here's the information presented in tabular form:

| Codname | Powers | Position |

|----------------|----------------|---------------------|

| Ariel | Dawnbringer | Leader |

| Cassiel | Earthshaper | Second in Command |

| Gabriel | Seaborn | Navigator |

| Haniel | Windrider | Scout |

| Jeremiel | Dreamweaver | Spiritual Advisor |

| Jophiel | Illuminator | Strategist |

| Metatron | Archivist | Historian |

| Michael | Guardian | Defender |

| Raguel | Peacemaker | Diplomat |

| Raphael | Healer | Medic |

| Raziel | Enchanter | Arcanist |

| Zadkiel | Redemption | Redeemer |

Together, these twelve extraordinary individuals formed the Zodiac Knights, a force destined to uphold the balance between light and darkness.

Their missions were shrouded in secrecy, their true identities concealed, and their skills honed to perfection.

As they embarked on their quests, the world could only wonder at the grand tales that would unfold in their wake.

After the meticulous selection of the twelve individuals for the Zodiac Knights, Derek, using his Author Points, decided to mark their locations on the system map.

Spending 1100 points, he placed precise markers on each member, ensuring he could keep track of their movements and whereabouts.

As he finished marking their locations, a notification appeared before Derek:

[Author Points Deducted: -1100]

"Task Completed: Marked the current locations of selected individuals on the system map."

Derek acknowledged the notification with a nod, understanding that these markers would prove invaluable in coordinating their missions and ensuring the team's safety.

But he didn't stop there. Realizing the importance of being fully certain and not losing their trail, he decided to go one step further and left a deep mark on these individuals.

He spent an additional 11,000 points to set an invisible and unbreakable mark on each individual, ensuring that their every move wont be out of his expectations.

[Author Points Deducted: -11000]

"Task Completed: Placed an unbreakable mark on the individuals."

As Derek completed the intricate process of marking the locations of the Zodiac Knights and establishing an unbreakable connection with each individual, he knew it was time to take an important step.

With unwavering determination, he forwarded all the gathered information to his doppelganger, ensuring that the duplicate version of himself possessed the same knowledge and understanding of the Zodiac Knights as he did.

With all the preparations in place, Derek focused his mind and channelled his Author Points to teleport his body double to the Armageddon Mountains, where his own journey had once begun.

[Author Points Deducted: -5000]

"Task Completed: Teleport body double to the Armageddon Mountains."

The notification appeared before Derek, confirming the successful use of Author Points.

In an instant, his body double vanished from their current location and reappeared at the peak of the Armageddon Mountains.

After his body double vanished from the room, Derek released his trait Nihility, and the surroundings returned to their original state of secrecy.

The Zodiac Knights' information remained hidden from prying eyes, and Derek was once again alone, contemplating his future plans.

Outside the academy, his body double would execute the tasks instructed to it flawlessly.

But within the academy, Derek needed to accelerate his own plans. His intuition told him that to earn more Author Points, he must change the story, capture the world's attention, and demonstrate his capabilities.

This would be the path to acquiring a massive amount of Author Points, which would expedite his journey to becoming more powerful and fulfilling his quest to complete the story.

Yet, there was a looming shadow that clouded Derek's resolve—the curse placed upon him by the original owner of his current body, old Derek Raven.

The curse was a binding contract, ensuring that any harm that befell Derek's family would be visited upon him as well, leading to eternal damnation.

The love and concern he had for his parents and sister was both a source of strength and a vulnerability.

He could not risk their well-being, and the burden of the curse weighed heavily on him.

To achieve his goals without jeopardizing his family, Derek knew he must navigate this treacherous path with utmost care and precision.

He needed to find a way to protect them while pushing the boundaries of the story.

As Derek delved deeper into the curse that bound him, he discovered a glimmer of hope—a potential loophole that could allow him to achieve his goals without endangering his family.

With newfound determination, he set out to create a body double, a perfect replica of himself with a different face.

This double would possess the same memories and soul as Derek, allowing him to carry out tasks in the outside world while Derek remained concealed in the shadows.

The creation of the body double was a meticulous process. Derek used his Author Points to craft an exact replica of himself, ensuring that every detail was perfect.

The double would share his abilities, knowledge, and even his personality, making it indistinguishable from the real Derek.

When the body double was ready, Derek sent it out into the world. The double would be the one facing the world and garnering attention, while Derek himself could remain in the shadows, safe from harm.

This would also give him the opportunity to focus on increasing his power, using his time and resources to become even stronger.

With the body double in place, Derek could gather author points in bulk, using the attention it generated to increase his power and complete the story.

And because the curse was tied to his physical body, Derek knew that he was safe from harm as long as he remained hidden.

As Derek remained immersed in his plans and ambitions, little did he know that within the depths of his own soul, something mysterious was unfolding.

A faint face emerged from the darkness, its features obscured except for a pair of enigmatic eyes that glowed with an eerie light.

The face let out a faint chuckle, a whisper of amusement that reverberated through the soul space.

But just as quickly as it appeared, the face vanished, leaving the soul space in its previous silence.

Derek remained completely unaware of this strange occurrence, his mind consumed with the complexities of his future endeavors.

Unbeknownst to him, the presence within his soul lurked in the shadows, observing and biding its time.