Curse Energy: (411/411)
Skills: Cursed toybox(3/4), Status screen.
Arts: Body Reinforcement, Curse Concealment.]
Ace looked at his updated stats and was elated by the results of his hard work. He had been worried about his spiritual power falling behind, but the curse concealment technique seemed to boost it. He speculated that this might be because the Nakamura family's ninja arts were originally spiritual arts designed to enhance spiritual power. Making a mental note to explore more cursed ninja arts from Emi in the future, Ace resolved to first master his current curse arts to maximum proficiency.
What pleased him the most was discovering that his toybox had gained an extra toy space. However, this also became a source of concern—it had required doubling his stats to unlock the additional space. He couldn't help but worry whether the same effort would be necessary to unlock the next one. Hopefully, that wouldn't be the case.
Not allowing this worry to overshadow the joy of his progress, Ace began to consider which character he should animate as his next toy summon. The last time, he had chosen based on the dolls available at the Oracle Doll Makers. He planned to do the same now, hoping to find a doll compatible with the knight-rank changeling curse core. He wanted to avoid the wait period of custom doll and also a trip to the Curse Mall. Just because his last visit had gone smoothly didn't mean it would this time. Unless absolutely necessary, he preferred to steer clear of that place.
"Master, everyone is asleep. The coast is clear for us to start Operation Fortune Dive," Dame Wasp reported, appearing before Ace. Their parents, after a perfect couple's spa and date night, were in the mood for "adult stuff," so Dame Wasp had monitored them alone to ensure they were all sound asleep before giving Ace the all-clear to head to the lake and begin the operation.
This time, Ace avoided using the 'Sleep' talisman, given its after-effects from the last time and the fact that the resort owner was a curse master. Instead, he relied on Dame Wasp's cybernetics to confirm that everyone was deeply asleep. It was a risk, but there was no choice—today was the last opportunity before they would leave the resort and return to the ranch the following evening.
Using Emi's 'Invisible' talisman, Ace hurried to the lake, stark naked. The heavy rain, as William had warned them about earlier, was relentless. Following Dame Wasp's precise directions, he arrived at the designated dive location. Standing at the edge of the dark lake, its surface rippling gently to the rhythm of the raindrops, Ace swallowed hard.
When he had planned the operation in his mind, diving into the lake in the dead of night and descending to its bed alone had seemed straightforward. Now, however, he found himself frozen by the biting cold and a deep, primal fear. As if sensing her master's inner turmoil, Dame Wasp chose not to rush him. She knew that while Ace could be cowardly at times, when the moment called for it, he would rise to the occasion.
However, to her dismay, she saw Ace taking a few steps back. Just as she was about to offer some words of encouragement, he dashed forward and leapt into the lake. In midair, he activated his Apex persona, transforming into a 6.7-foot-tall Mr. Olympia figure and executing a dive that would make even Olympic divers envious.
As the massive splash echoed across the stillness of the lake, Dame Wasp couldn't help but feel that her master had cast aside his cautious side to confront his fear head-on. Quickly, she scanned the surroundings to ensure the noise hadn't attracted any passerby or unwanted attention before following him into the water. Controlling her laser braid's lazer beams to perform as flashlights, she led Ace toward the dig site.
Once they reached the lakebed, Ace immediately summoned Emi's 'Barrier' and 'Presence Erasing' talismans, activating them simultaneously. A luminous, 3-meter-long cubic barrier formed around him, effectively expelling the water and creating a dry, air-filled space. The barrier's glowing surface illuminated the interior like daylight, while the 'Presence Erasing' talisman concealed both the curse energy signatures and the barrier's light, preventing it from spreading and drawing attention from above.
'Emi, is there oxygen in here?' Ace mentally asked Emi who was watching through his sense-sharing skill. Only after receiving a positive confirmation did he release his held breath. He deactivated his Apex persona, saving it for the return trip and practice session. Then he and Dame Wasp hurriedly removed the aquatic lifeforms trapped with them in the barrier, tossing them outside before cleaning the lakebed to prepare for laser boring.
"Alright, Rose, do your thing," Ace said, noticing Dame Wasp momentarily spacing out.
"Master, I don't think this is going to work," Dame Wasp replied, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. After a moment of contemplation, she continued, "Once I begin laser boring, the oxygen inside the barrier will be consumed, its level dropping rapidly and be replaced by fumes from my lazer burning through sand and mud."
"Then go outside the barrier and start boring in your 1/100th form," Ace suggested. "At that size, the borehole will be so small it shouldn't cause noticeable ripples on the surface, and the bubbles from the fumes will likely go unnoticed. Once you reach the treasure, I'll recall you back into the barrier." Unlike him, Dame Wasp, though alive, was fundamentally a plastic toy enchanted and enhanced by curse energy. She had significantly higher resistance to elements.
"Master," Dame Wasp began patiently, "if I do that, the borehole will become unusable for a second use, or it might even collapse on me during the first use as water fills it. While I can make it work, it will take far more time. In other words, a single midnight won't be enough for us to excavate all the treasures.
"Master, you can summon Emi, so she can create a second barrier adjacent to this one, or a smaller one within this one, where I can perform laser boring without worrying about poisoning or suffocating you to death first."