Cursed Odyssey

"I refuse!"

"HUH!?" Yuria had six eyes, and all of them seemed to widen and bulge. "Refuse? For what reason!?"

Calm as still water before the storm, Joseph responded simply.

"You're no demi-god. You're a parasite." His voice carried quiet authority. "A system where you give me quests for power? A powerful being offering her abilities because she saw potential? This isn't fantasy—this is deception disguised as benevolence."

Yuria's form flickered, but Joseph continued, his face like stone.

"Being ordered around against my will? That's slavery. Gaining stats through your powers? Most likely a way for you to eventually be reborn and take over my body. Even if that weren't the case, you'd simply use me to settle scores with your enemies." He tilted his head. "Power free of charge? Such gifts never come without strings. You offer chains with promises of wings."

He took a step forward.

"If what I speak is false, prove me otherwise. I am no vessel for your will. No pawn for revenge. I follow my own path. I am my own master. I choose my own destiny."

Yuria stood speechless, her celestial features twisting in disbelief. Here was a mortal—a human—speaking to her as if he held divine authority, as if their roles were reversed.

Her form became a writhing shadow, something unimaginable one would not even imagine in their deepest nightmares, but Joseph stood unmoved, gazing down as if from the highest peaks.

"It's nothing like that!" Words finally burst from her mouth. "What's with all these assumptions? I simply want a worthy successor so my legacy doesn't die! I want to brag to the other demi-gods once they discover I found the perfect inheritor! I chose you because you're truly a once-in-a-lifetime genius! Don't you think so too?"

"All those words, yet zero meaning." Joseph's face never wavered. "I asked for proof of your loyalty—that there's no deception. Yet here you are, still repeating the same points as if I'm a fool."

The tables of the conversation had completely turned. To Joseph it was clear—she needed him more than he needed her. Her true colors were revealed, and she fell for every bait. She had never expected this, never imagined he would withstand her nightmare form as if he stood in a light drizzle, not in a million years. The realization crumbled her entirely. The thought of preparing for defeat had never even crossed her mind.

"I have no proof! All I have is my word! Would you really pass up such a life-changing opportunity? You could reach the 5th rank and beyond! Then—"

"Why don't you deny it?"

"Wha—"

"Deny my accusations. That you'd use me as a vessel for your awakening, or simply to do your will. Just deny it."

…

She was silent.

"That's right. You can't." Joseph's voice rose. "In Sanctum, contracts are built on absolute truth. What you told me isn't a lie—you do seek to give your powers to someone worthy. But you hide certain details from me. A loophole." He spread his hands. "You could easily prove me wrong, or show me your powers and force my agreement. Go ahead."

Silence

Silence

Silence

She couldn't.

She bit at her lips and scratched at her face.

This once dreg from the slums, who discovered powers mere days prior, had rejected the ultimate offer for strength.

"Y-yes!! You'll complete certain quests that benefit me and my agenda! But you'll benefit too! It's a partnership! I'm no charity! This is an exchange! Eventually we can build trust and become true partners! Then—"

"I've heard enough."

"Just wait and listen! Yes, I may sound desperate, but I've truly never seen someone like you in so long and—"

"And why do I owe you anything?"

"You don't, but—"

"Then get out of my sight."

Those were words she hadn't heard her entire existence… and from every possible source, she heard it from a human… a mere human…

Yet here she stood, speechless. Was she at the summit, peering down to lend aid and wisdom to the forsaken? Or was it the other way around?

Before she could react, the pitch-black space around them lightened, growing brighter until everything turned white.

"DAMN IT!" She grit her teeth and screamed into nothingness. "DAMN IT ALL!"

____

Morning already?

Joseph yawned to distant bird chirps echoing through the cave.

He looked to the side— Rayah seemed still fast asleep.

His internal clock told him that four hours hadn't passed yet, so he decided to do other things.

He scratched his eyes and went on with his normal morning routine. After eating a small snack, he did push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups from nearby rocks.

Ever since the battle in the village, Joseph felt his strength increase, not quite reaching act 2, but getting there. He was now able to save and record more temporal echoes.

He began recording certain moves for temporal echo, snapping twice to save them. Thrusts, sweeps, overhead, running attacks, anything he found useful. Temporal echo clones were completely passed through, so he even began experimenting with movements that made it so he passed through or even blended into himself, saving them for later.

It was as if he hadn't just been confronted by an unknown being claiming divinity moments ago.

She'll definitely be coming after me. I insulted her way too much for that not to be the case… but it'll be all fine.

He smiled, wiping the sweat from his face.

I welcome it…

The devil offering ruin disguised as salvation—too obvious. But then again, he could imagine how almost any normal person would have accepted.

Had he been the protagonist of some fantasy novel, he would have surely accepted as well. He remembered several from Earth, always envisioning life with such systems, but the more he'd considered them, the more illogical they seemed, the more exploitation could take place.

This was the real world, and I was no delusional protagonist.

Though, I am a protagonist still, and behind every success lies a touch of delusion.

You must be the protagonist of your own story. No one else will fight for your dreams with the same desperation you should. No one else will lose sleep over your failures or celebrate your victories with genuine joy. They have their own battles to fight, their own stories to write.

They tell you the world doesn't revolve around you—but that's a lie meant to keep you small. In your reality, in the only life you'll ever live, everything does revolve around you. Every choice, every consequence, every moment of triumph or defeat belongs to you alone.

Live life to be exceptional. Why settle for average when so much time is available? So many opportunities at hand? Opportunity and time are there even for the most unfortunate.

We all know what must be done. It's so simple.

One knows they should study all day for that exam, not scroll mindlessly, to check up on their family, to eat healthy, exercise, avoid drugs, to rise out of bed immediately after waking, to not fall slave to lust, to stop wasting time and do something, yet most don't, and all have flaws.

The path is crystal clear, yet so few ever act.

Do not blame human nature. We all have free will. All is within grasp. All you must do is start, and the rest will follow.

Have faith in yourself, because no one else will. In the end, most people would choose themselves. The world does revolve around you, and you are the protagonist of your own life. Stand up for yourself, experience new things, don't live life on auto pilot. That is the mindset of victory.

Joseph had one current objective: Find Nina. And unlike most people, he would do all to achieve it.

So far, he had only a few clues.

The main one being that world of towers. That woman knew his true name—unlike Yuria, who'd learned it by spying on his village activities. The woman in the tower world had no possible context. Either she could read minds, or she knew his true identity.

Second objective: recover his memories. Perhaps those memories contained clues. Plus, he was curious about his past.

Third objective: search for other transmigrators. He suspected he wasn't alone. Understanding the truth of transmigration might lead him to Nina.

All paths led to one destination: power.

That voice from the world of towers… is it similar to what I just experienced with Yuria? If I can survive in that dark space now, perhaps I can last longer in that tower world as well.

With power, he could freely explore. With power, he could uncover mysteries. With power, he could protect Nina once he found her.

To create heaven on earth? Now it was to create heaven on Sanctum.

After all, in this world, money held far less sway.

But there is an issue… my power seemed to grow from killing, deaths led by me... destruction. It was truly the nature of the tower. Every time that happened, it felt like the empty hourglass within me began to trickle more power to it. That seemed to be the trigger, that fastest way to strength.

But how could I face Nina after being known as some genocidal maniac? To make enemies at every turn would be foolish and dangerous! Of course that would not do.

But it didn't matter. Joseph knew, and he smiled.

There is always a workaround.

Nina will be proud of the man she will meet.

It was then, he suddenly heard rustling from the other end of the empty firewood.

—

"Peasant monkey…"

I've been upgraded from monkey to peasant monkey? Were those really her first words of the day?

"Yes?" he responded curtly.

"I still feel terrible."

"Does that mean I should carry you?"

"No no, it's fine… I'd rather not be touched by you like that ever again…" She chuckled.

"Your mood seems to have somewhat improved."

"Sometimes a good night's rest is all one needs. The realization that we're so close to the capital—two steps from home, thoughts of how my siblings will react in fear and disappointment…" Her voice softened. "How could I not smile? You'll be carrying both packs, though."

"That's fine. But before we go, let me show you something."

He revealed the three spirits he'd kept.

"You should have shown me these earlier, you damn subhuman."

"If I'd shown you earlier, you would have said you were too tired to bother."

"You might be right." Even she had to admit it. "So Verdant Mender and Thorn Bull will be mine? Absolute garbage compared to the spirits the prison stole from me, but they'll do for now, I suppose."

"A former dreg like me doesn't even know where to begin with this…"

"Of course not!!" She laughed, louder than she probably should have. There was an excitement in her feverish eyes. "I'll show you then!"

As fast as her body allowed, she sat down cross-legged and motioned Joseph to do the same.

"There are seven steps to absorption, and you can only absorb spirits up to your level or risk losing your mind or dying. First, you must establish connection through your arcane threads, slowly and carefully—extend them like cautious fingers toward the spirit. Second, you create a bridge between your core and the spirit, allowing minimal contact. Third, you begin the negotiation process—let the spirit understand your intent without forcing it. Fourth, you gradually increase the connection strength while monitoring for resistance or rejection. Fifth, you identify what the spirit feeds on and offer it willingly. Sixth, you create a stable orbit around your core where the spirit can settle. Seventh, you seal the bond through mutual acceptance, ensuring the spirit becomes part of your arcane network without overwhelming your system."

She took a deep breath and continued.

"Any part missed or done incorrectly can lead to death or loss of control, so pay attention! Pick up the spirit now!"

"Alright…" he picked up the umbral wraith, feeling it instantly react.

Joseph started by extending thin blue arcane threads towards it from his core.

"Now greet it carefully, as you would a wild animal!"

Like approaching a wild animal? Why show caution to an animal that could sense fear? Better to be assertive for the upper hand.

It felt like it beckoned, he wrapped around it tightly and pulled it closer.

He closed his eyes.

"Okay, next you need to—"

Rayah's voice faded as if underwater. The spirit was reaching out to him. Pain flared, but he pushed through it.

Eventually, the spirit dissolved into his skin like water into sand. Pain soothed, and he pushed more.

This…

It felt like a flow..

The spirit pushed, and Joseph pushed back, like an elegant tugg of war, neither side showing resistance or animosity.

A dance that teetered on death's door, and where hesitation was defeat. In a sense, it felt similar to how he would use Ki through his Meridians. Just the concept, the application was in reality worlds apart.

It was as though he could hear the spirit talk in an odd language he barely understood…

It fed on… concealment? No, on conclusions! Resolution! End!

In one motion, the threads finished linking.

The umbral wraith now orbited around his core.

He opened his eyes suddenly, and his senses returned all at once in a rush.

The world felt… different… like translucent shadows outlined his vision…

"What are you doing!? You shouldn't be moving like that you fucking bum!! You could die!!" Rayah suddenly screamed.

"I'm done though?"

D—done!? She hadn't even checked. The idea that he would be done so fast on his first time was so absurd that she didn't even bother checking!

HE IS DONE!? He combined all the steps into one!? No! I must be mistaken! I probably just wasn't paying attention! Did he fumble his way to success by sheer luck!?

"I'll name this, the flow method. It felt natural. Don't resist, simply push forward at the same tempo as the spirit,"

"Wha— what are you?" she coughed, then continued, "what are you on about!? Call it the bum method, you suicidal maniac!"

"I'll explain it later."

"Explain wha—...Whatever," She sighed, gritting her teeth.

Her earlier excitement seemed to suddenly fade, despite what Joseph did being impressive far beyond her expectations.

"So what does the spirit feed on?" She asked.

"At first I thought concealment, but it was conclusions. It feeds on endings and resolutions…"

"I see I see… well, watch me as I do it, you damn menace. You might have lucked out this time, but without following the proper method, death will always be looming closer. You're lucky act 1 spirits are fairly harmless."

Rayah began with Verdant Mender before moving onto the Thorn Bull.

Her technique, Joseph analyzed thoroughly. Consciously, or unconsciously, she was hesitant, resistant, like there were rocks disrupting her river. It was far more rigid and took longer.

This is the proper method?

In his mind, not only was his more efficient, but it felt much lower risk. His ego even said that an act 2 spirit could have been absorbed by him if it were perfect compatibility.

But still, he kept watching. Despite the differing method, he could tell her skill was impeccable. Certainly, she was talented beyond her years. She could probably pick up the flow method as well.

"See… that's how it's done…" she panted. "If I weren't so sick, I could have done it a hundred times faster…" She almost collapsed, bending to her knees as she stood up.

"I'll carry you. I'd love to test out these spirits, but we should get going as soon as possible."

"No…" She panted, "You won't touch me… I can handle myself… just carry the damn bags and let's go…"

"Well. Just don't slow me down,"

But just as they stepped out of the cave—

An explosion erupted as though it was waitng for them—