Rise of the Deadmen

2 years later.

Morse had spent the last 2 years focused entirely on training the young boy in what he knew about cursed energy while he was asleep. He learned the boy's name was Tasan and he had a special love for his family. Tasan's cursed technique was decent, or at least it was decent for the current era.

[Circle of Eyes]

It was a cursed technique that could create up to three kinds of 'seals' through the user's blood and a pattern of differently drawn human eyes: ['Repel'], ['Sight'], ['Crush']. It had good potential and Morse had put him into a 'category' he called 'Scout'. With experience, Tasan could utilize his ability and become a very slipper person to fight.

He planned to leave his dream realm and teach him in person only after he had taught him enough in his sleep to make his learning more efficient. But that wasn't the only thing he had been doing during these two years.

He had noticed something concerning lately.

The world's cursed energy had started growing abnormally fast. In just two years, it had grown to a point where it could accommodate the cursed spirits of Grade 1, which made no sense to him whatsoever.

To form a Grade 1, an approximate equivalent to a small town of 30,000 humans is needed to focus entirely on a single aspect of negative energy. Such as fear of the dark.

It didn't make sense that the energy levels of the world should be so high, considering there were only around 28,000 humans who were dreaming every few days.

It was yet another reason for him to leave his dream realm for an extended period. He not only needed to train Tasan but also time to investigate the cause of the rise in cursed energy physically. He wasn't making any progress by visiting people in their dreams.

He activated his cursed technique and stepped out of his dream realm, arriving at the entrance of Red Moon Village. He ignored the guards with looks of awe on their faces as they dropped their hunting spears, and walked directly towards Tasan's family's small house.

*Knock* *Knock*

*Creak*

The bark-wood door opened slowly, revealing Tasan's mother and father with wide eyes.

"Good evening, Fowan, Mura" Morse spoke in his signature low and grating voice.

...

In a village, far from Red Moon Village.

A few tribes who managed minimal contact with those under Morse's direct influence had managed to copy the idea of a village tribe system from them. And in one of these such villages, was one that was only 15 miles off of the coastline.

"Tsk*, useless!" A teenager kicked a humanoid creature in annoyance.

A bowl of liquid spilled out as the creature inelegantly bumped into it, clumsily knocking over the contents.

The teenage boy had his twisted expression returned to a neutral one and his eyes had a lack of empathy emitting from them. It was a dull expression like life itself had no meaning to him.

The boy was handsome, compared to his current era. His name was Adam and he had taken over his tribe's village with a raw show of force. He shared the same cracked grey skin as the creature that served him. If one could listen closely, one would realize neither of these creatures had a heart beating inside of their chests.

How did he do this?

He was born with an innate cursed technique.

Not only this, he was born with significantly high intelligence to the point where anyone he talked to seemed like a monkey in his eyes. Due to this, he concluded... that he was special.

He wasn't like other humans or even the 'chosen' of the 'evil spirits' that he had seen.

He had a special application of 'evil spirit energy' that none of the other villagers had. He instinctively knew this power deep in his blood, since around his fourth birthday.

The boy eyed the zombie-like creature in front of him with disdain. It was an imperfect creation and its mind was not strong enough to overcome the immense influx of 'evil spirit energy' after his technique took hold. A normal person's cursed energy would multiply exponentially upon the conversion and their mind would be filled with negative thoughts of anger. If the person didn't have a strong mind, they would collapse under the flood of anger. The person would lose the ability to sleep and wouldn't need to eat or drink. Their age would be halted and as far as Adam could tell, there was agelessness added to it.

The new creatures that were born, he called [Deadmen]. A name based on his technique: [Deadman Heart].

Of course, he could still make use of this creature. Since his technique operated in a way that 'controlled' any who were transformed by him. He at least had a mindless 'warrior' when he needed to go to war. It had a natural strength and speed of at least twice a normal human, it didn't need upkeep in food, and it was ageless. It was a perfect soldier, destined to only die on a battlefield.

He had already begun to consider creating and establishing himself as the ultimate ruler in this land. All the villages, all the tribes should be under him.

After all... who could stop him?

The only thing restraining his actions was his uncertainty. He would scout the nearby tribe's villages first to see if others were special like him.

And if he could, he would transform them too.

Adam narrowed his eyes as he studied an old effigy carving he had stolen from the most recent village he had scouted.

He was right to search for others. 

This item was not a normal item. Adam could sense the slight 'evil spirit energy' that emanated off of it. It was proof that he was at the very least, not alone in this world.

"Bring me more humans," Adam commanded his Deadman servant, before walking out into the cold night air.