Once they were primed I imbued my restrictions in them at the same time while chanting.
"Emerge from the darkness, blacker than darkness. Conceal that which is laid bare!"
Immediately a dark liquidy shadow substance appeared and fell from my hand and then got absorbed into the pylons while sweat poured down my forehead as I was straining to produce this curtain type barrier. This was not unexpected since was my first attempt at creating a barrier and while I knew the chant and how to roughly create a barrier experience was golden here.-
Any cursed energy user could make a curtain type barrier so long as they knew how but depending on the way the thing functioned you had to change the chant slightly. For REALLY powerful barriers you needed to also include binding vows to the barrier and a bunch of other stuff like keys and positioning. Barriers were a sort of complicated topic and I had no intention of learning more than the bare minimum needed to use domain expansion. Still five minutes later I felt the barrier fully snap into place in the pylons and released my hold on it letting the pylons suck it all up.-
'All that remains is to finish the box once Cassandra returns and I'll be ready to update and level up after I hear my DS options.' I thought with a sigh as I relaxed and chose to let my natural energy regeneration recharge my cursed energy.
It took another hour for Cassandra to return and help finish the box by using her healing spell on it while I ignited the regeneration properties of the box and stuffed it permanently into a cursed technique that was dormant until someone with an injury got in the box.-
"Do you really need so many preparations just to level up?" Daphne asked confused when I started setting this stuff up.
"Last time I leveled up I barely survived and sort of created a giant commotion that people are STILL trying to figure out so yes. Besides this box at least has uses outside just this since it IS a healing item." i said honestly.
"In case we get a repeat of the last time are there any Developmental skills I should choose?" Hestia asked worriedly.
"Mystery, Enchant, Hammer or axe man and anything related to curses or space if any of that shows up." I said seriously.
"Not abnormal resistance?" Daphne asked confused.
"The DS doesn't work on curses and I'm already a hard counter to poison so i don't need it, might as well get a more useful skill instead. Anyways no reason to delay this anymore than necessary, wish me luck." I said before activating the barrier with me and Hestia inside it.
"I know theres no stopping you from doing this but I'll do my best." Hestia said with a determined look.
"You have my full faith and if it goes sideways know that you are not to blame, I'm a stubborn asshole after all." I said with a smirk as I laid down in the box on my stomach.
Hestia pricked her finger and a single drop of blood fell on my falna and with a swish of her finger over my back heat rapidly began to fill me as I updated. Soon the heat grew to unbearable levels as I started to feel bloated again but I noticed it wasn't nearly as bad as the first level up. Perhaps it was because of the last level up that my vessel was more capable of holding that much power this time so it was taking longer to collapse.-
The box had also activated so that was also keeping me awake during this process.
"There's Enchant, One hander, Loner, Cursebody and Abnormal resistance!" Hestia anxiously said since I was still awake.
'Ah fuck! Loner gives more excelia and stats when I hunt alone and Enchant would give me an immediate boost to my cursed tool crafting but isn't strictly necessary to reach the top, it just helps. Cursebody is new though and if does what I think it might be the best option here but might make me closer to pure curses.' I thought rather annoyed at all the really good options.
I discarded One hander immediately because it was just a weapon skill buff like Hammer or Axeman and once again entirely unnecessary to reach the top but helped.
"Cursebody!" I said through gritted teeth.
Hestia moved her finger again and the falna began to glow blindingly bright as the level up went through but I passed out. I wasn't out for nearly as long as last time thanks to the box healing me but I was still out for an entire day and even after that felt like absolute dog shit.-
Name: Alexander Drake
Spells: Hell's forge(Innate technique): Can use anything from a living being and reshape or refine it per ones will.(Incantation: Hell's forge)(Extensions: cursed tool creation)
Hell fire(Subsidiary technique): Flames created originally from an extension of the Hell's Forge cursed technique but expanded into a cursed technique all their own that contain the tiniest spark of true hellflame.(Incantation: Hell fire)
Skills: Heavenly restriction: In exchange for the ability to wield mana and magic one gains access to cursed energy and cursed techniques.
Blessing of black: Permanently increases cursed energy efficiency, amount and control. Magic will always start at G rank after leveling up.
Vessel of Sin: Hells forgemaster carries the burden of all mortal sin and is tasked to purify it from the souls of the dead. Strengthens soul over time. Permanent increase to crafting with cursed energy. Permanent decrease to all stats for each innocent soul killed and increase for each sinful soul killed. Grants skill: Soul gaze.
Soul gaze: See the souls of all things and their sins.
Developmental Skills: Curse-smith(H), Cursebody(I)
Other than my stats there was two major changes I got from this level up. The first was that my hell fire had actually become it's own cursed technique and as a result got a hell of an upgrade(pun very intended). Hestia also sorta very much freaked the fuck out about it since true hellflame was a divine fire and should be impossible to exist here yet I had the tiniest spark of the stuff. When it said that by the way it meant it as the spark was like a pinprick of light in the otherwise black flames but very much present.-
The second was my Developmental skill that was a gamble taking but SO worth it once I figured out what it actually did near instantly. To put it simply the DS made my cursed energy more efficient. It did this by improving the natural affinity for the stuff my body had so in that regard I was sorta right about the downside as well. The DS made me more like a cursed spirit that was naturally very efficient with their cursed energy since they were literally made of the stuff.
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