A Dismantled Dream

[Error]

[Character deemed to be too strong, applying patches]

[Increasing difficulty]

[Powers have been locked, gain proficiency to unlock them]

[You can no longer increase levels, EXP gained is now used to increase proficiency]

[Applying status effect [Sloth] for NaN seconds]

[Restriction applied, you will now no longer be able to increase your physical capabilities]

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My dreams of world domination were momentarily shattered.

Not entirely, of course. I still had this absurd amount of cursed energy, a potential just waiting to be unleashed.

But the system, that annoying interface that had popped up in my head, had locked down my techniques.

No more Dismantle or Cleave at the snap of a finger. Frustration took over me, a primal urge to break things.

I calmed down quickly though, and decided to train Cursed Energy.

I sat down and tried to feel it inside my body.

Slowly, I started to get the hang of it, it was a weird feeling, one that I cannot express in words, but it felt as it something foreign, something bad, was circulating inside me.

I started to output a constant amount of cursed energy, which was pretty large.

I tried to make it flow in my body, from my head down to my toes and back up to my fingers.

After a few minutes of doing so, I got the most wonderful idea ever, usually in novels, people completely exhaust their energy reserves and the next time they wake up they have more of it.

That's not how Cursed Energy works, but what's the harm in trying once?

I started emitting cursed energy from my body at an alarming rate.

I started feeling a little dizzy, but I didn't pass out, well I guess that's a good thing.

I slowly started to get my cursed energy back.

[Cursed Energy proficiency +0.05]

Pathetic, but it is a start.

I'll have to keep this in mind, maybe it'll be more beneficial in the future.

I slowly got up and decided to have food before going to sleep.

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I was thinking about my plans for the future, since nobody will expect me to be strong, it would be good if I appear average in the academy.

BUT, where's the fun in that?

I want to destroy the entire system of the world, maybe even rule it later, and it all starts with being at the top of the academy, to be the one feared by all.

People say that main characters are disaster magnets, which means that I HAVE to be around them then.

I walked out of my room into a luxurious hallway with extravagant golden designs on the white tiles.

Guided by muscle memory, I walked to the right, going down the stairs into the dining room.

Looking around, I got overwhelmed by the amount of expensive things lying around.

There were paintings of past generations on the walls, some having medals with the symbol of the Academy on their clothes.

I sat on a chair assisted by a maid, who then walked away into the kitchen.

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The food was lavish, a plate was kept in front of me adorned with beautifully placed, completely spotless fruits.

It looked not like a breakfast, but a work of art.

I almost felt bad for ruining such a pretty sight, but the taste of it was too good for me to refuse.

I devoured the whole plate without stopping.

As I was eating, I overheard whispers coming from the kitchen.

" . . . Entrance Exams . . . "

I heard a snippet of a sentence said by a soft voice.

I strained my ears and heard an older voice say:

" . . . the pressure is unbelievable this year . . . "

The maids were whispering about the upcoming entrance exams of the academy, and how all the noble families were pressured to get their children into it.

ITAAS Academy, the most prestigious academy in the Hunter Union.

It was the go-to place for any person if they wanted to be successful.

If one got accepted into the academy, their future was basically set.

Most people who graduate from this academy go on to become very eminent and achieve many things.

Most of the S+ Class Hunters graduated from this academy.

The Academy is divided into many sectors, the Combat Sector being the most prominent and publicly idolized.

I finished the food and got up, a maid neatly arranging the plates and silverware before taking them away with practiced steps.

I walked back towards my room, pondering about what the future holds for me.

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2 Days Later

I found myself being able to coat certain body parts in Cursed Energy.

This worked similar to hardening the body with mana.

Doing this makes it harder for sharp objects to pierce the part of my body I have coated, I tested it with kitchen knives.

Anyhow, the knowledge from the original owner of this body is really helpful in understanding the internal workings of mana in this world.

In the game, the concept of mana was not very well outlined, it was basically "Use a spell," or "You ran out of mana!"

But nothing about how the spells actually worked.

Anyhow, everything in this world contains mana, even inanimate objects like trees.

This helps me a lot because Cursed Energy is not on good terms with mana.

I once tried injecting Cursed Energy into a tree, and it exploded from the inside, even though it took a while.

I wonder if I can do that with a human, watching someone pop like a balloon in real time might be fun.

I'm also curious whether their body will blast open as a whole, or if each of their organs blast open individually.

Sad thing is, it took a lot of Cursed Energy to blast the tree open, and it would take a lot more to blast open a human.

Maybe it will take less for a child though, since a child's body is no–

Cutting off that line of thinking, one thing I learned about mana is that every person needs to use some of it on a regular basis.

This is because everything they eat and drink contains mana, which increases the concentration of mana in their body.

Sometimes, this concentration can become too much and lead to some damages to the body.

Mostly, these are minor cases like pain and headaches though.

But, if the mana concentration in a person is forcefully increased, it might lead to lethal consequences, like organ failure or death.

Good to know, I guess.

Anyhow, I will try to unlock Dismantle by the time the entrance exams come up.