Dante levitated in the pitch-black void, his attention drawn to a glimmer that sparked a sense of familiarity. Turning his gaze, he beheld a magnificent katana adorned with intricate designs and demonic themes that seemed to come alive in the sunlight.
The blade, crafted from black metal, appeared razor-sharp, and capable of reflecting the sun's glint. The hilt featured a demon's head with cold piercing blue gemstones for eyes, appearing as though it was alive and observing his every move. Wrapped in black leather or cloth, the handle beckoned the young swordsman to grasp it with ease.
Approaching the katana, he noticed a wooden sheath crafted to fit the individual blade, adorned with a sleek black lacquer finish. A small knob made of buffalo bone or horn was fitted to the sheath, ensuring the blade remained secure and preventing it from slipping out.
Though the katana was longer than any he had seen before, measuring 128 cm (around four feet) in length, it did not seem heavy. Instead, it appeared as an extension of his arm, as though it was meant to be wielded by him and only him.
As Dante reached out to touch the blade, he noticed a bandage wrapped around the hilt, providing added support and stability during combat. With this weapon, he believed he could take on any foe, no matter how daunting the challenge might seem.
However, his confidence was short-lived as a rush of Abyssal Energy coated his entire body, stripping him of his magic and Unique Meta Traits. Despite trying to let go, the bandage wound tightly around his right arm, rendering him helpless as he watched his body lose its luster. Wrinkles appeared on his face, and his skin became shriveled up, leaving him powerless.
Suddenly, a voice resounded, jolting Dante out of his reverie. The sensation of his life force slipping away and his body shriveling up was abruptly extinguished. Dante slowly opened his eyes and groaned as he felt a dull ache in his head.
As his vision came into focus, he realized that he was in a hospital room, and not just any hospital room, but the same one he had been in less than a week ago. He rubbed his temples and attempted to recall what had happened, but his memory was hazy.
Surveying the room, he saw the familiar beige walls, the sterile medical equipment, and the uncomfortable hospital bed on which he lay. The air was thick with the pungent scent of disinfectants, making him feel even more disoriented.
A nurse dressed in a medical outfit, exposing her cleavage, had spoken the voice that brought him back to reality. Strangely, Dante could see through her outfit, clearly observing her underwear. The smooth voice of the nurse snapped him out of his reverie, and their eyes met.
As their gazes met, the nurse let out a surprised gasp, her eyes fixated on Dante's dual-colored eyes. His left eye retained its customary crimson hue, while his right eye transformed into a golden shade adorned with a symbol of the sun, the emblem of the Goddess Theia.
The nurse was captivated by the beauty of his eyes, but Dante's throat clearing snapped her out of her reverie. She blushed and quickly proceeded to perform all the necessary tests before hurrying out of the room.
Dante was left feeling uncomfortable and guilty about his unintended use of his perception. He knew that he could not have possibly heightened his perception to such an extent, allowing him to see through the nurse's outfit. He tried to shake off the feeling of unease and doubt, but it continued to linger in his mind.
Dante felt nothing out of the ordinary, so he thought changing his perspective might offer some clarity. Despite his shaky legs, he made his way to the bathroom to use the holographic mirror.
After locking his hospital room door, he undressed and looked at himself in the mirror. He was startled at first, but then a wry smile appeared on his face as he gazed into his dual-colored eyes.
As Dante looked at his dual-colored eyes in the mirror, he finally understood why the nurse had been acting strangely around him. It seemed that his enhanced vision was related to his unique eyes.
However, his revelation was short-lived as he suddenly felt an excruciating pain in his head. He fell to his knees, clutching his head, and let out a pained shout that echoed through the hospital room and beyond.
The sound of rushing footsteps indicated that medical staff had responded to the emergency call. Using a biometric scanner to override the lock on the door, they burst into the room and found Dante on the floor, writhing in pain.
They quickly attended to him, administering an intravenous sedative to induce sleep and provide relief. As Dante was placed on the hospital bed, his eyes fluttered and he began to drift off into a deeply induced sleep.
Before he completely lost consciousness, a holographic screen appeared before him, displaying a message that read:
[Ding! The host is integrating with the Curse of Theia. The host has reached 50% completion.]
[Ding! The integration has come to a halt due to the host losing consciousness. 57% complete.]
#######
Dante's consciousness existed in a realm beyond the physical, veiled in a shimmering violet mist that mirrored his distinctiveness. Three orbs of energy floated within this realm, and a luminous white orb formed the center of his consciousness.
Encompassing this realm was a vast expanse of ocean, concealed in impenetrable black fog, and a striking black sky punctuated by thunderous storm clouds. At the heart of this dimension sat a bright silver orb, wreathed in black flames, which radiated as a beacon of light amidst the darkness.
The silver orb, which lay at the core of Dante's consciousness realm, was adorned with three designs of his Cursed Brands. In addition, there existed within this dimension a void of inky blackness that seemed to be a portal to another realm.
Two celestial bodies, a blazing sun, and a pale moon, twirled around each other within the void, creating an eerie stillness. Despite their foreboding presence, Dante's realm remained impervious, shielded by an unseen force.
As the void and Dante's realm melded together, occasional lightning storms raged within the dimension. The two celestial bodies that once swirled within the void now hovered above the newly formed land.
The turbulent waters parted, giving way to a landscape of pitch-black flora and writhing trees pulsating with vitality. Despite the changes, the fog remained draped over everything, still enveloping the realm in its shimmery purple hue.
Gradually, the sea regained its composure, and a serene stillness permeated the atmosphere. The flowers and trees, once animated by otherworldly energy, now settled into a state of quietude, as if waiting for something to happen.
#########
Theia was greatly amazed by the impact her soul had on the young human brat. However, she wasn't surprised by the evident improvement in the young human's consciousness realm after merging with her.
Given her previous level before her death, it was expected that the quality and strength of her soul would sustain her existence in the Undying Dimension.
(A/N: The Undying Dimension: It was in this dimension that Dante had discovered through the aid of the little wolf, which had left him incapacitated, leading to his encounter with Theia. This encounter ultimately facilitated a transformation that resulted in a change of race for Dante.)
Theia was truly taken aback by the diverse abilities she discovered in the young boy's body. From his Cursed Brands to the white shimmering ball in the center of his consciousness realm, she was amazed by the range of powers present.
What surprised her the most, however, was how seamlessly the merging process occurred and the amplified effects that resulted from it. His consciousness realm had become more palpable, almost like a real dimension.
But what truly astonished Theia was the depth and uniqueness of the young human's soul. Even as an Undying, she had never encountered a soul quite like Dante's.
The way his soul shimmered with its distinctive purple aura, the intricate patterns etched into its surface, and the sheer magnitude of its power were all remarkable.
After thoroughly analyzing all the information about the boy, Theia devised a comprehensive training program for him. With the burden of all his varying powers and the elements she was about to awaken in his body, it was very much needed.
''Elrid, bring me the Abyss Dimension,'' Theia's voice rang out, interrupting Elrid's daydreams. He was sitting in the middle of a landscape filled with dark, twisted flora, enjoying an apple he had picked from one of the nearby trees.
Hearing Theia's voice, he quickly stood up from his comfortable chair and floated towards her.
As he handed her a small token, an intrigued expression appeared on his pale face.
''If I may ask, what do you plan to do with the Abyss Dimension token?'' he inquired.
Theia replied, ''Just wait, and you'll eventually understand.''
With a burst of whitish aura, she covered the token, and the bright light faded to reveal a ten-tier pagoda in her hands.
Using her dual-colored eyes, she zoomed into the first tier and scanned the whole area for any sign of the dragon. When she found none, she turned to face Elrid with an agape expression.
''Where is the flame dragon that holds the flame mana signature?'' Theia asked, looking towards Elrid.
''Well, umm...we kind of defeated it,'' Elrid admitted, twirling his index fingers together and staring at the ground. ''Since it was my first time using the Abyss Dimension, I thought we had to defeat the dragon before the kid could be allowed to leave. I couldn't just let him know that it was my first time using the dimension.''
''I can't believe that you didn't know what you were doing when you possessed that brat,'' Theia said in disbelief as she stared at the last surviving member of her race.
Elrid shook his head. ''No, I didn't. Before the annihilation of our race, the Abyss Dimension was something of a temple. It was rumored to contain the remains of pure-blooded beasts that were not tainted by the universal mana. I was only able to receive it as a last resort when my father teleported me out of the Abs Plane.''
He went on to explain his situation before setting up a trap in the Glacier Forest to find a human he could possess to seek revenge. ''And we both know how that went,'' he concluded.
''Okay, so the kid has already received the flame mana signature. Then what element did I discover in his consciousness realm?'' Theia pondered to herself as she continued scanning the pagoda.
She had a plausible explanation, but the thought was too scary, and she had a hard time believing it. It would mean that they had truly chanced upon a monster in human skin.
As she scanned the pagoda, the sight of the fiery dimension that Dante visited whenever he entered the Abyss Dimension filled her vision.
The large landscape that stretched across the dimension was contained on the first tier of the pagoda. Quickly scanning through all the tiers, she registered the order in which the dimensions were arranged.
The tiers of the pagoda crumpled, revealing six opened tiers. Six orbs of light, each inscribed with runes, burst individually from the floors and hovered above Theia's hand.
She accessed the orbs of light from the four locked tiers, melded them together, and added them to the remaining six open tiers. An intense burning light covered the entire consciousness realm. As the light faded, a shimmering six-tier pagoda was revealed.
With a haggard expression on her face, Theia took the six orbs and merged them with the center orb in Dante's consciousness realm. With that, she had completed the first stage of effectively creating the best path for her new vessel.
After creating the house made of conscious realm energy, Theia forced the consciousness of the elusive little wolf into Dante's consciousness realm with a snap of her fingers.
The little wolf, usually so proud, now squirmed and cowered as it appeared beside Theia. Having completed the first part, all that remained was for the brat to wake up, and then everything could be integrated to complete the first step.
_______________
Three hours later
Dante's mouth hung open agape as he heard everything from the beautiful woman that hovered with Elrid over his bed.
But their presence and what was displayed over his system screen served as evidence that all the woman had said was indeed true. And besides, his Origin Eyes were the same as hers, at least that was what his dual-colored eyes were called, as said by the floating woman.
From having no mana to having an actual goddess, even though she was dead, literally living rent-free in his head was enough to justify the expression on his face.
In about twelve days, his life had changed dramatically, and he obtained the power he wanted to give him a fair chance to aim for the peak of swordsmanship, but at what cost? Staring at his status screen intently provided the answer as clear as day.
---------------
Name: Dante Miller
Signature Points: 6999/21000
Level: 30
Title: Nightshade: Marked By The Dark Flames
The Cursed One
Class name: Abyssal Blade Mage
Class description: The Abyssal Blade Mage is a powerful and feared warrior who channels the dark and chaotic energy of the abyss into their swordsmanship. They are highly skilled in both sword fighting and the manipulation of Abyssal Energy and all its extensive abilities.
Race: Absalom
HP(Hit Points): 750/750
Abyssal Energy: ♾️ (Infinity)
ATK(Attack): 180
DEFENSE(DEF): 180
AGILITY(AGI): 180
STAMINA(STA): 180
Mana: 700
Gear Equipped: The Void Edge- Abigail (Unworthy)
Pets: Obsidian Infernal Grey Wolf(Unnamed)
Skills:
Swordsmanship
Immersive Editor( Unique Skill)
Mana Manipulation Skill( X-Grade)
#Basic Mana Manipulation#
● Flame Magic( Hellflame)
● Earth Magic
● Water Magic
● Wind Magic
● Nature Magic
Web Weaver( C-Grade )
#Special Skillsets#
(Cursed Brands)
● Oppressive Control
● Infinite Range Awareness
● Altered Psyche( Transferred)
#Abyssal Skillsets#
◇ Curse Of Goddess Theia(Abyss Forsaken Art)
- Origin Eyes
- Infinite Abyss
Inventory:
25 Grade F Crystal Coins
Health Potion x 2
Mana Potion x1
__________________
After heaving a sigh, Dante resigned himself to his fate as the woman who summoned meteors signaled him, and they arrived in his consciousness realm.
He registered the vivid changes, and all that escaped from his mouth was a surprised gasp as he returned to his usual expression.
After all the dramatic revelations, from his class change to his race change, and having a being that lived more than a thousand years ago in his consciousness realm, there were very few things that could surprise him now.
Ignoring Dante's subpar reaction toward her, Theia carefully instructed him as they began his training in his consciousness realm.
She had to prepare him adequately for the academy since the head of the organization was one of the very few she respected among the inferior human race. That organization was bound to further her plans as it would aid in Dante's quick growth.
Twirling the blade of the Void Edge katana on her index finger and Abyssal Energy on the other, Theia carefully taught Dante, signaling the start of his fifteen days of training to gain basic control of the Abyssal Energy and earn his right to wield the Void Edge.