Chapter 28. Soul Embodiment Part 2

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Soul Embodiment Domain Expansion enables the user to shatter cursed souls and envelop themselves in their essence. This process allows the user to don these fragmented souls as masks, gaining access to the potent abilities inherent in a Cursed Coin.

According the rules of The Cursed World's Isekai Domain, only one Cursed Coin is allowed - the one currently owned by The Cursed Millennial. But using Misguidance (Cursed Technique), The Cursed World has the ability to "manufacture" more of these coins to accomplish his malevolent intents. Such is what he did with the Vengeful Curse, to amplify the powers of the souls within, by giving each and every one of them a fabricated coin.

However, this approach comes with a condition and a price. The coin can only be used once, and for a limited time. For the price, the soul that gains the ability granted by the fabricated coin will get exorcised, once the time limit is reached. Something actually inconsequential to The Cursed World in his attempts to end Wan Juan's story.

By wearing a soul as a mask and using a fabricated coin, the Oracle manages to gain the abilities of the coin while stirring away from the consequences, to some extent. Once the time limit is reached, she will not only loose the current mask permanently, but also suffer a great power drain - forcing her to shut down the Domain.

Such is the power and limitation of Soul Embodiment.

The fabricated coin she flung bore etchings on both sides, each side harboring the potential for devastating techniques ideally suited to the prevailing circumstance: Cleave and Dismantle. Upon landing, fate dictated that the side adorned with three distinct claw marks now faced upward, bestowing upon her the power of Cleave and initiating a countdown of 15 minutes before her current spectral visage would be engulfed in a chaotic explosion, and her power drained.

Given that, she has no choice but to humble Mahoraga and defeat the Cursed Millennial, within that time limit. A desperate gamble.

---

Another razor-sharp force emanated from the Oracle, slicing through the air and leaving trails of distortion in its wake. It landed on me, forcing me to my knees to absorb the pain. I groaned as I wondered whether I could take any more of the assaults.

In between my rapidly declining attributes and the Oracle increasing the rate of the down-slide, I wasn't sure I would make it. One hit from her reduced my health by 200, thereby cutting my remaining time by 100 seconds.

My mental strength had greatly waned from fearing Mahoraga, to the point where I had forgotten just how strong I really was. Each swing of those spectral blades felt heavier than before, as if the essence of my strength was slipping away with every strike.

Darting between the crumbling landmasses became an unachievable dream as my heart itself crumbled. I nearly gave up, when the last 30 days of my existence on this island flashed through my mind, revealing all the horrors I had been through.

I had spent so much time building up my mental resilience; I couldn't let it crumble all in one—

Whoosh!

Another cleave strike, leaving me more angered than pain-stricken. It struck my nerves, revealing to me the power I had forgotten about. I had nine more shikigami at my disposal. What was I saving them for? They had evolved in the thirty days, just as much as I had, and they could handle these two monsters.

First, to evade the constant need to save myself from getting swallowed by the ground, I summoned the power of flight.

Large and owl-like, with orange feathers and a white mask-like skull, Nue appeared and swept me from the ground, soaring into the air. Its wings flapped once, aiding in making more landmasses sink. Its huge talons threatened to decapitate the Oracle along the way as she staggered from the fall.

Simultaneously, Nue unleashed a massive lightning strike towards Mahoraga, which it managed to swiftly avoid before grazing one of Nue's talons and jumping to try and catch on.

With my position strategic, I could use the power of other shikigami to attack.

With Mahoraga soaring above the ground, I made a quick summon for Orochi while holding my focus. The Great Serpent hurtled from the nearly void ground and sped to the afloat Mahoraga, its mouth agape and ready to swallow the fellow Shikigami.

Simultaneously, I engaged the Oracle by attempting to restrain her with the tongues of two Gamas. The white-winged toads croaked as they let their tongues out. The long tongues sharply coiled around the Oracle's hands, limiting her ability to use Cleave, just as Orochi's fangs found their way to Mahoraga's muscular legs.

Both were caught off guard by the attacks, giving me an edge to attempt final blows before my energy got drained from summoning a variety of shikigami at once.

Nue gracefully maneuvered through the chaos, allowing me a clear line of sight as I executed my strategic plan. With precision, I summoned Totality, directing it to confront the Oracle head-on, aiming to tear her apart. Simultaneously, Piercing Bull materialized at my command, poised to strike the Oracle from behind before she could break free.

However, amidst the flurry of energy and intense action, a lapse in my concentration occurred. The immense power at play caused my mind to waver, resulting in a momentary loss of control over Piercing Bull's trajectory. This unexpected deviation posed a significant challenge, given that Piercing Bull, a large bull-like shikigami, could only move in a straight line for its attacks.

As fortune would have it, the very ground beneath us responded to the unfolding drama. Another upheaval occurred, breaking the landmass and aligning momentarily with the Oracle's restricted position. This fortuitous turn of events allowed Piercing Bull to adjust its course, launching itself in the correct direction with increased momentum.

Confident in the alignment and the capabilities of my shikigami, I knew the attack was destined for success. Totality, having previously overcome the strongest Amazon, and Piercing Bull, renowned for its ability to push Cursed Amazons to near destruction, were an unbeatable duo.

The Oracle found herself in a precarious situation with limited options - her only potential escape hinged on the ability to dissipate and regenerate elsewhere in an instant. The impending clash held the promise of turning the tide in my favor, marking a critical moment in this battle.

Even Mahoraga had, for once l, shifted its focus from me and diverted all attention to freeing itself from getting swallowed into the belly of Orochi - the Great Serpent.

Though my head was burning, I felt peace, calm, and, hope, after such a long time.

To seal the deal with Mahoraga before it could recover from the little inconvenience, I guided Nue towards it, to ensure my triumph. One of us was going to put it down. Between me, Nue and Orochi, we would win before I yielded to exhaustion.

Nue focused its lightning shot to Mahoraga's arm before it could use the Sword of Extermination on Orochi. The first hit scorched its hand, but the wheel rotated to adapt.

Jumping from Nue's back, I hopped towards Mahoraga, my eyes set on landing on its back. If it couldn't adapt to my favor, there was no point in it adapting at all, for now. I would pull out the wheel from it's back using my remaining strength and force it to submission.

I didn't land exactly according to plan. But I managed to come into contact with Mahoraga's body as it swung its hand to hit me. Undeterred, I found a way to grip the eight-handed wheel with my left hand while holding on with my right.

Using all my strength, I pulled just as the Great Serpent let go, creating the space for Nue to rapidly strike with bolts. It was an uphill task, but the wheel managed to come off, just as the first bolt of lightning landed on Mahoraga's body and transferring to mine.

I clutched the wheel tightly as our bodies separated, leaving me to fall into the abyss of a shattered island as Mahoraga received repeated shots from Nue while Orochi ensure that it stayed still in the air.

"Victory, is mine!" A smile crossed my face as I heard a shriveled cry from where the Oracle had been. In retrospect everything had happened so fast that I couldn't believe I had done it.

Had I done it? What about the resilience of the soul surrounding the Oracle?

As I descended, I stole a glance to the direction of Totality and Piercing Bull, only to find a horrific scene. Totality's claws had been plunged into Piercing Bull's back while Piercing Bull's head had gone through Totality's stomach.

The Oracle was nowhere in sight! Had she actually dissipated and regenerated somewhere else?

Swoosh!

Suddenly, a golden lace skidded through the air and wrapped around me before I could sink into the ground. It glowed, giving me a hunch to what it was. It was the Lasso of Truth - something I hadn't seen ever since Diana had died.

Following it, I saw a figure that made my heart skip a beat. It was as if I was staring at a ghost! Quite literally.

But before I could confirm it, my vision was blurred by a large blue window, more radiant and wider than the one that used to display my attributes.

On it, written with a large font and strange symbols, some Kanji, the notification read:

<Seal of the gods broken. You can now use your innate technique>

I experienced a merger of blue and purple as my energy fused to become one, just as a notification popped to alert me on something new.

Got a coffee for me? I may never stop thinking if you do. Problem is, I could get crazier.

"I'd like to order a medium cappuccino with almond milk and a shot of caramel syrup, please. Put it on Patreon.com/CursedMillennial tab."