Blessing of Curiosity

Astra's fingers hovered over the Mana Coin, the eerie glow of the new tab pulsing in his vision. The words Blessings & Curses blinked into existence, and within it, something far darker awaited him.

As he focused on the tab, the description unfolded, an ethereal voice echoing in his mind—one that sounded like Niccolo's distant laughter, as if the devil had always known this moment would come.

[Name: Blessing of Curiosity]

[Bestowed By: The Harbinger of Twisted Truths][Nature: Dual-Boone | Curse]

[Effect:]Your soul can pierce through the tapestry of illusions, deception, and the unseen workings of the world. The divine, the profane, and the hidden are now laid bare before you. You crave curiosity and can gaze through the abyss.

[Description]

Your soul now rests in a delicate balance between revelation and madness. The divine, the profane, and the secrets buried beneath the fabric of reality are all laid bare before you, stripped of their veils. No illusion can deceive you, no truth can remain hidden.

A hunger stirs within you—one that cannot be satiated by mere answers. Your gaze now pierces through the layers of this world, seeing what was once veiled, unraveling the mysteries of both the heavens and the depths of the damned. The truth is not always beautiful; often, it is far darker than you could have imagined. And yet, you cannot stop yourself. The more you see, the more you crave.

Your mind will be forever consumed by the need to understand, to see through the abyss, to look deeper into the twisted tapestry of the universe. There is no end to it. You cannot unsee what you have witnessed, and you will find yourself drawn into places you should never have ventured, seeking answers that may bring nothing but destruction.

[Warning]

[Gaze of the Abyss]Just because you can see through the abyss, doesn't mean you should. Every truth has its price, and some sights are too terrible to behold. Beware the consequences of your insatiable curiosity.

Astra felt a shiver run down his spine,[The Harbinger of Twisted Truths] what a strange name, the devil had such a title, he began to feel weight of the curse settling into his bones. He had been given a blessing, yes. But it was one that would constantly pull him toward forbidden truths, toward dangerous knowledge that could unravel him. The warning echoed in his mind, but it was too late. The seed had been planted, and the hunger had already begun to stir deep within him.

The truth would be his. But at what cost?

Astra sat still, his fingers still tingling from the contact with the Mana Coin. His mind was racing with the flood of new sensations—sharper than ever before. His senses had become more acute, the world around him feeling vivid, intense. The usual darkness of his room seemed to shift, the shadows and corners now sharper, clearer than before. Every whisper in the air, every shift of mana felt tangible, even if it was only the faintest current flowing beneath the surface.

He could feel it—the subtle movement of mana currents swirling around him, an almost imperceptible hum that was always there, but now... now it was undeniable. The current of life itself, the pulse of the world, flowing through everything.

But more than that—more than the currents, there was something else. Threads. Invisible strands of something greater than just magic—strings woven through the world itself. Fate? Destiny? Astra couldn't be sure, but they were there. He could see them stretching across the room, faint glimmers of light against the ever-present darkness. They moved, shifting in subtle patterns, as if the world itself was being pulled in ways he could barely comprehend.

His breath quickened. He couldn't stop looking. He could feel his mind tugging at them, trying to unravel their meaning, their purpose. But it was dangerous. Too dangerous.

The pull of curiosity was irresistible. What were these threads? What did they mean? What would happen if I could see more?

His thoughts scrambled. The room felt smaller now, the strings too tight around him. His vision blurred as his awareness stretched too far, his senses overwhelmed by the sheer vastness of what lay beneath the surface. The strings, the mana currents, the mysteries of the world—they all bled together in his mind, too much for a single moment.

Then everything snapped. The world tilted. His vision spiraled, the strings of fate stretching and warping before his eyes. The room was gone, replaced by a swirling vortex of energy, reality unraveling at the edges. His breath caught in his throat as his mind teetered on the edge of madness, struggling to understand what he was seeing.

And then it went black.

When Astra woke, it felt as if he had been torn from the very fabric of reality itself. He was sprawled on the floor, drenched in sweat, his head pounding as if it had been split open. The room was still dark, but it felt... wrong. The world seemed distant, muted. The strings, the currents—everything was hazy now, like a dream that was fading away.

He sat up, shaking, his breath ragged. What the hell happened? His mind felt like it had been stretched and twisted, the remnants of what he had seen still lingering at the edges of his thoughts, but they were out of reach. The hunger for answers still gnawed at him, but it was different now—more dangerous, more knowing.

"I am such an idiot..." Astra muttered to himself, rubbing his face. He could feel the temptation to look again, to reach deeper into the threads. But he knew better now. He wasn't ready. He wasn't even close.

His chest tightened, and the warning was clear in his mind. Next time... I need to be more careful. I can't afford to push too far again.

But as he rose to his feet, the strings still pulled at the edges of his awareness, whispering to him. He could still feel them, faintly, but the abyss was no longer a distant thing—it was right there, just beyond his reach.

And the curiosity, the hunger, it was still there. But now Astra knew the cost of satisfying it.

Astra leaned against the wall, his mind still buzzing with the weight of the curse. His fingers twitched, almost instinctively, sensing the mana flowing through the very air, a presence that had always been there, but now felt overwhelmingly vivid. It was like a constant hum beneath the surface of reality, no longer hidden in the folds of shadows. His awareness had expanded, and the world felt different—more alive, more... present.

His soul felt different, too. Stronger, more refined. It wasn't just his physical being—it was as if his very essence had been honed, sharpened by the curse. The colors of the world around him were brighter, richer. Each hue stood out with a depth he had never experienced before. Even the smallest details—the veins in the stone walls, the flicker of movement in the corner of his eye—were now so incredibly clear. It felt as though he could see the very fabric of reality itself, laid bare in front of him. His senses had expanded beyond what was possible, pulling him into a deeper connection with the world.

Curious... The thought slipped into his mind, and he scoffed at the irony of it all. The curse—The Blessing of Curiosity—had done more than alter his perception. It had carved open something inside him, something that was both thrilling and dangerous.

"It's like..." Astra mused aloud, his voice soft as he gazed out the window of his room, his eyes falling on the bustling streets below. "It's kinda like Shadow Sword..."

He thought about his blade—the way it moved through the world, weaving shadows, cutting through the darkness. This felt... similar, but far more intricate. He could see the true motions of the people on the streets below, the way their bodies moved in synchronicity, like strings on a puppet's frame. He could almost feel their fates tugging against the pull of destiny, the threads of their lives intertwining in ways too complex for him to fully grasp. The mundane world of crowded streets, twilight skies, and fireworks—it all seemed so... fragile. So intricately woven.

The fireworks burst in the distance, their colors vibrant against the fading twilight sky, yet even as they lit up the horizon, Astra could see the subtle movements in the crowd, the way some people hesitated in their steps, others rushed ahead as if pulled by some unseen force.

"This is gonna suck," Astra muttered to himself, a grim smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He could feel the weight of his new sensitivity to the world pressing down on him, a constant hum in the back of his mind. The strings of reality, the movements of beings, the flow of mana—they were all intertwined, swirling in ways that felt... uncontrollable.

He knew he couldn't afford to be overwhelmed by it. He had to adjust. He couldn't get lost in this, not with everything on the line. The tournament was coming. A chance to prove himself, to ascend in House Shadow. He could feel the clock ticking—he had to get his mind in order before that day arrived.

"I need to get adjusted fast... I have a tournament to compete in," he said to himself, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him.

Astra sighed, forcing himself to push the overwhelming sensation of his newfound abilities into the back of his mind, where it couldn't overwhelm him. He needed clarity, focus.

The shower was cold, a sharp contrast to the heat rising in his chest. The water ran over him, like a river washing away the residue of his thoughts, of the strange power now coursing through him. When he closed his eyes, the sense of being aware lingered—this strange, new way of seeing the world, of feeling the very pulse of existence—but for now, he could control it. He could drown it out, just a little.

Afterward, his body still felt strange. He crawled into bed, his muscles aching, his mind whirring, but exhaustion finally overcame him, and he drifted into a fitful sleep.

Tomorrow would be different.

....

Astra awoke feeling... different. The sense of clarity and strength lingered as the sunlight filtered through the curtains. He opened his eyes, his senses already sharp, and for the first time in a long while, the world felt alive—brimming with beauty. The colors of his room, the shift of shadows, the distant hum of the city outside—it was all more vivid now. Every small detail felt connected, like threads weaving through his consciousness.

He sighed, rubbing his face as he reached for his Mana Coin. The familiar glow of the network filled his vision, and he scrolled through the messages. There was one from Vesper.

"Don't worry about anything for a few days, I'm covering for you... whatever that means," Astra muttered aloud. "But you better train soon or you'll get mauled by Aster Hunt and others."

Aster Hunt. Astra's brow furrowed. Of course, Aster and the others would be coming for him—he knew that was the price of power, the challenge of climbing higher. And Vesper's message was just like him—teasing, yet carrying that unmistakable undertone of seriousness.

Great, Astra thought with a groan. He stood up, his legs feeling surprisingly light as he moved toward the door, stretching out his limbs. Despite everything, despite the curse and the dangerous curiosity that tugged at him constantly, there was one thing he knew he needed—training. He couldn't be distracted by anything else. Not now.

As he entered the training room, the air around him seemed to shift, and without thinking, he moved into a flow. The shadows in the room responded, coiling around him, embracing him as he danced between them. His movements were fluid, graceful—a stark contrast to the heaviness of his thoughts. But something tugged at the edge of his awareness.

Star Magic. The thought crossed his mind, like a flicker in the back of his mind. His star felt it too, pulsing brighter inside him, like a distant flame beckoning him. The magic that once felt so impossible to truly wield—so distinctive—now burned within him in a way he couldn't ignore. The shadow magic felt angry at the thought. Or maybe it was just Astra's imagination.

"Ugh..." he groaned, exhaling sharply as he continued to move, his body sinking into the shadows. His movements were becoming more instinctual, but the pull of the star inside him was hard to ignore. He couldn't fully train in Star Magic—no, not here. Not now. He couldn't risk it. The way Star Sword shone, the way it lit up the world—there was no hiding it. The city, the people, the competition—it would be too obvious.

The shadows around him seemed to twitch, almost as if annoyed by his hesitations. Astra paused in mid-motion, his gaze shifting to the corners of the room, where the darkness seemed to pulse and writhe in irritation. A soft chuckle escaped his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, screw you, bastards," Astra muttered under his breath, a smirk tugging at his lips. The shadows seemed to deepen in response, " "ha"

The star inside him burned brighter still, its pull more insistent. Astra closed his eyes for a moment, letting the sensation flood his mind. The vast, cold expanse of the heavens. The weight of the cosmos. It was calling out to him. But for now, he resisted, focusing on the shadows.

He needed balance. Power. Control.

With a final, deep breath, he slipped back into his training, allowing his body to become one with the shadows. His movements were no longer hesitant—they were decisive, flowing with purpose. The more he trained, the more he felt the pull of his star magic, but for now, he was content. The shadows whispered to him, their frustration lingering in the air. But Astra smiled as he danced, his mind clearer than ever.

...

Ever since Astra had his fate realized and decided to walk the path to power, the shadows in his inner domain had changed. What had once been a chaotic, unpredictable force now moved with unsettling precision, responding to his every will, like a servant to its master. There was no resistance, no wildness in the shadows anymore. They were subservient, obedient in a way that felt almost unnatural, like they were waiting for his next command, no matter how subtle.

His inner domain stretched out before him, the vast expanse of shadows melding with an ocean of stars. The stars hung low in the sky, shimmering with celestial brilliance, and at the center of it all, his radiant star core pulsed with energy, the foundation of his power. But something had changed in the depths of his soul, something new, something dark.

Dark golden threads now wove their way around his mana core, intertwining with the very essence of his being. These threads felt alien—foreign—and yet deeply tied to him. They were his curse, and Astra could feel their presence like a weight on his soul, pressing down on him with an eerie subtlety. The threads spiraled around his core, twisting and knotting as though they were binding his very fate, drawing on the power of his mana while also reflecting the price of that power.

It was strange—his curse didn't feel like something overtly harmful in the moment. The threads didn't burn or seethe; instead, they lingered, almost serenely. But Astra could sense them, their quiet pull, as they twisted deeper into his being. The shadows, still oddly obedient, seemed to grow more aware of these threads, as though they, too, were aware of the force that controlled them.

The more he focused on them, the more Astra realized just how deeply entwined they were with his very essence. They were not merely decorative; they were a part of him now, like the threads of fate that had been woven into his soul the moment Niccolo had blessed him with the Blessing of Curiosity. These dark golden strands were a constant reminder of his own desires—his thirst for knowledge, his drive for power—but also the madness that came with it.

Astra's eyes narrowed as he studied the threads, a strange mix of fascination and unease tugging at his chest. He had already begun to see through the fabric of reality, to understand the underlying patterns that governed the world around him. But these threads, this curse, were different. They were personal, a part of the price he paid for his power. The more he looked at them, the more he felt as though he was peering into the abyss.

"Curiosity," Astra muttered under his breath, his voice thick with a touch of bitterness. "This... is going to be a problem."

But despite his unease, a part of him couldn't help but wonder what more he could uncover. The temptation to learn, to see deeper, was always there, whispering in the back of his mind. And as the dark golden threads coiled around his mana core, Astra couldn't help but feel that his fate was more tightly bound than ever before.

With a sigh, he turned away from the sight, unwilling to let himself be consumed by it for too long. He had a tournament to prepare for, and despite the chaos within him, he knew that he couldn't allow himself to be distracted by these darker aspects of his soul.

Astra once again stood at the center of his inner domain, the vast, oceanic expanse of stars stretching out in every direction. The stars were not distant or cold, as they once felt—they had become something much more intimate, something that resonated with him on a deeply personal level. Each radiant speck of light pulsed like a heartbeat, like a living, breathing entity, and Astra could feel their warmth, their embrace.

As he reached out with his mind, the celestial mana responded like an old friend, flooding him with its brilliance. There was a soft hum in the air, a vibration of power and harmony that seemed to come from the stars themselves. They were drawn to him, as if they recognized him, as if they loved him. It was not just a connection—it was a bond, something familial, something that made him feel whole. When he basked in their radiance, he felt limitless, like he could reach beyond the very stars themselves.

The air around him shimmered with the power of the celestial mana, filling his senses with a purity and clarity that was intoxicating. He could feel the magic running through his veins, lighting up his body, his soul. It wasn't just power—it was a deep, comforting warmth, as if the stars themselves were protecting him, guiding him. Their light seemed to fill the emptiness inside him, soothing the restlessness that always lingered at the edges of his mind. For once, Astra felt at peace with the universe. 

The way the stars reacted to Astra was quote different from the shadows, the shadows while they obeyed him did it out of fear and respect, as if they cant break his tyrannical will, meanwhile the stars, they reveled in him, cheered him on and reached out to him, it was such a stark difference.

He took a deep breath, slowly, and began his exercises. With each movement, the celestial mana flowed through him, a steady stream of energy that he guided with practiced ease. His body moved fluidly, synchronizing with the magic, and the stars seemed to brighten, responding to the rhythm of his movements. His mind was still somewhat disoriented, the echoes of his curse lingering in the back of his thoughts, but the stars were here—steady and unyielding—and they helped him find his balance.

With each exercise, Astra felt himself centering, slowly but surely, orienting himself to the magic that was so deeply embedded in him. The disorientation, the lingering confusion of his curse, ebbed away, pushed back by the calm radiance of the stars. They offered him clarity, a sharp focus that allowed him to push through the fog in his mind.

But even as he trained, there was a yearning within him, a quiet longing. He could feel the stars calling to him, urging him to embrace their power more fully. The more he connected with them, the more he realized how much they had become a part of him, and how much he wanted to dive deeper into their radiance. He could sense the vast potential they held, the untapped well of power just waiting for him to reach out and claim it.

He longed to feel the stars' power course through him more completely, to harness their full might and let it guide him. In their presence, he felt alive in a way he couldn't quite explain. They were his family, his guiding light, and the deeper he connected with them, the more he understood that they were his true strength.

But for now, he simply focused on his exercises, his body moving gracefully through the motions, the celestial mana flowing like a current around him. Each breath, each movement, was an embrace of the stars, an affirmation of the bond they shared. And even as he longed for more, he knew that with time—time and patience—he would grow stronger with them. The stars were with him. And that was all that mattered for now.

Astra sank onto his bed, feeling the weight of the day lift off his shoulders. For the first time since his curse had manifested, he could finally breathe without the constant buzzing in his mind. The sensation of clarity was like a breath of fresh air—his mind was more focused, his body stronger, and his connection to the celestial mana felt more solid than ever. The disorientation that had once clouded his thoughts had faded, replaced by a deep sense of power and readiness. He could feel the subtle hum of his mana core, its radiant energy now fully attuned with the celestial forces, and the shadows, though ever-present, seemed distant now.

Astra stretched his arms out and let out a long exhale, the tension in his muscles melting away. There was a strange calm within him now, a peace that hadn't been there before. The curse—the Blessing of Curiosity—still lingered, but it didn't seem as oppressive anymore. His body, his soul, felt like they had been tempered by the experience, as if he had forged a new connection to both the light of the stars and the shadows that whispered to him from the depths of his mind.

But curiosity... it still gnawed at him. The more he trained, the more he felt the need to test himself, to see what he was truly capable of with this newfound power. He could feel the celestial mana coursing through him, bright and pure, and he could hear the whispers of fate, the strings of reality gently tugging at him. It was so tempting, so alluring, to push it further—to see just how much control he could exert, how much power he could unlock.

His gaze drifted to the window, the twilight sky outside casting long shadows across his room. The city of Duskfall was quiet, but the distant hum of life still echoed in his ears. He thought of the tournament ahead, of Aster Hunt and the many other powerful figures he'd have to face. The thought of fighting, of combat, stirred something within him—a deep need to test the limits of his strength. Not just to win, but to understand how far he could push himself.

Astra's lips curled into a faint smile. Curiosity, he thought to himself. A curse, indeed. But one I need if I want to survive. If I want to be more than I am.

He couldn't deny it. The need to understand, to experiment, to push boundaries—it was in his bones now. His power, his connection to the stars, to the shadows, was a part of him, but it was still something unknown. He didn't just want to fight; he wanted to see how this strange power could bend and twist in real combat scenarios. He wanted to know its limits, its flaws, and its potential.

Sure, the curse was dangerous—it was a hunger that might consume him if he let it. But Astra was no stranger to the edge of darkness. And right now, that curiosity was the spark that could drive him forward.

He stood up from the bed, feeling the surge of energy that now flowed through him. It wasn't just his training with the celestial mana—it was everything. His body, his mind, his soul—they were all shifting, adapting to the new reality of his powers. He could sense the subtle currents of fate around him, the way the world's threads moved, though he couldn't yet control them.

It didn't matter.

Astra cracked his knuckles and turned toward the training room. There would be time to master the subtleties of his power later. Right now, he was ready to see what his curse could do—what his new strength could achieve in the heat of battle.