I Can Copy Curses

Orion found himself standing on a green plain as he passed through the door. There was nothing around him except the vast expanse of green. A gentle breeze blew, swaying the grasses on the ground.

"Where is this place?" he muttered to himself as he looked around, finding the area strangely peaceful.

All he could see was the green plain stretching as far as his eyes could take him. The gentle wind and serene surroundings made the place feel tranquil.

"Peaceful, isn't it?"

A voice sounded in Orion's ears. He turned towards the source and saw a woman in her mid-thirties standing a short distance away.

She wore a pair of black jeans and a white shirt, her long, dark purple hair flowing effortlessly down to her waist. Black sunglasses shielded her eyes, giving her an air of mystery, while a cigarette rested between her lips, the smoke curling upward and drifting softly in a deliberate direction.

"Who are you?" Orion asked, eyeing the woman.

The woman turned to him, taking the cigarette out of her mouth and releasing a cloud of smoke before speaking. "I'm Catherine. I'll be teaching you about the Divine Soul."

Orion frowned slightly when he heard this. He had expected the one teaching him would be another AI, like the one he encountered in the trials.

'Wait a minute! Why did I assume that young man was an AI?'

He realized that the young man could very well have been another human from the Human Federation Realm, and this woman in front of him, who had a name, might also be real.

"Are you real?" Orion suddenly asked, surprising the woman.

Catherine was taken aback. "Of course, I'm real. There are AIs in Dreamshore, but when it comes to human interaction, they're a bit... wild. And an AI won't be teaching you about the Divine Soul."

Orion nodded slightly. "I didn't know that," he said, a little embarrassed.

Catherine nodded, taking another drag of her cigarette before turning to him. "Tell me, what do you know about the Divine Soul?" she asked.

"In gold rank, we cannot bring our Divine Soul into the real world. Only in platinum rank can we do that," Orion explained briefly. "Also, a Divine Soul typically appears in image form when it awakens. You need to use soul shards to transform it into a solid form, and to summon it directly, you must know the true name of your Divine Soul."

Catherine nodded. "That's basic knowledge everyone should have. If you don't comprehend the true name of your Divine Soul, you can still use it in Grimshore, but it will be an inferior version, manifesting through material objects. Only by knowing the true name will you be able to summon it freely, anywhere."

She added, "If you haven't comprehended the true name, you won't be able to fully upgrade your Divine Soul from image form to solid form, even if your soul power reaches one hundred percent. And forget about summoning it into the real world if you can't transform it into a solid form."

Orion nodded in understanding. He already knew most of this, but hearing her explain it confirmed his knowledge.

"Now, how do you comprehend the true name of your Divine Soul?" Catherine said, taking another drag before explaining. "You have to look inside yourself."

Orion didn't quite understand what she meant.

"You have to understand that the Divine Soul is part of your soul, inside your body," Catherine clarified. "So, the true name of your Divine Soul has been inside you all along. You just need to comprehend it."

"And how do I do that?" Orion asked.

Catherine simply said, "Sit down."

"Huh?" Orion made a puzzled face but complied, sitting down as instructed.

"Calm yourself completely. I'm going to use a technique to help you feel a slight connection to your Divine Soul," Catherine said, moving behind him.

Orion nodded and took a deep breath, calming himself.

"The connection I'm about to establish is very faint, and your job is to hold onto it like it's your lifeline. Only through this connection will you be able to sense your Divine Soul. If the connection is severed for any reason, it will be very difficult to establish it again. That's why you must hold onto it tightly and bind it to yourself," Catherine warned.

Orion nodded solemnly.

"Alright, I'm going to build the connection now. Be ready," Catherine alerted him before placing a hand on his back.

At that moment, Orion felt something strange, as though his soul was leaving his body, and he was powerless to stop it.

A moment later, darkness clouded his vision. Everywhere he looked was pitch-black. It wasn't just the absence of light; it felt unsettling, something Orion couldn't describe.

"Huh?"

At that moment, he started to regain a sense of his body, though the oppressive darkness still surrounded him. Strangely, despite the absence of any light, he could see his limbs and every part of his body clearly, as if illuminated by an unseen force. The contrast between the encroaching void and his visible form only heightened the surreal feeling.

"Sfsjbstajsh!"

"Who?"

Orion suddenly turned around, hearing a soft whisper in his ear. He floated in the darkness but saw no one.

"What was that? I'm sure I heard some gibberish," he muttered. As he glanced around, a wave of uncertainty washed over him. The absolute darkness disoriented his senses, leaving him unsure whether he was truly moving or merely imagining it.

Though he could still see his body, the void around him offered no reference point—no horizon, no ground, nothing to anchor his perception. Each turn felt the same, leaving him questioning if he was actually moving at all or just trapped in an endless illusion of stillness.

"Gshdjshsb!" Experience tales at empire

He heard the strange whisper again, but as he looked in every direction, he saw nothing but the same unending darkness.

"Catherine said I have to hold on to the connection. But where is the connection?"

Orion's eyes narrowed as he peered into the impenetrable darkness. His mind raced, but he forced himself to stand still, calming his breath. Rather than resist the darkness, he decided to let it guide him, trusting his instincts.

Moments later, a strange sensation washed over him. Though there was no sound, no light, and no movement he could perceive, he was certain—something was approaching.

Orion remained motionless, standing like a solid object, hoping not to alert whatever was approaching.

Moments later, he could feel the presence in front of him.

'Build the connection...'

Orion moved with deliberate care, his hand inching forward through the darkness. Even though his eyes were closed, his senses sharpened, focusing entirely on the strange presence before him. Every nerve in his body was on high alert as his fingers extended cautiously, searching for some sign of what lay ahead.

The air around him felt dense, almost tangible, and with each centimeter he moved, the presence grew stronger, closer. His heartbeat remained steady, his mind focused. Whatever was there, he was prepared for it.

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Also, I was hoping you could leave some comments or reviews to let me know your thoughts!

Some gifts would be appreciated as well, but up to you....