Chapter 15: Back in The Tower

A week passed before I knew it, and I was back in full operation around the fifth day. I took the sixth day to go make sure I wouldn't have any unexpected mishaps. As for the seventh day—aka today—I'm inside the first floor of the tower.

The air was cool and dry, with a faint earthy scent rising from the dungeon stones. I didn't stay for long and proceeded down all the way to the fifth floor, still met with zero challenges. However, I didn't need such challenges for today. I wasn't looking to breakthrough, but instead was training my understanding of my abilities.

'Sukuna had something he did with Cleave.' I couldn't seem to remember the name, but the shape was very vivid.

"It was a spiderweb, right?" I muttered, stroking my chin, the rough texture of my gloves brushing against my skin. I didn't expect—

[-100 C.E]

[Deduced Skill: Spiderweb | +2 skill points]

The floor cracked into a spiderweb under my feet with a sudden grinding sound, thin lines fanning out in a perfect pattern. I stood stunned, not sure how this even worked. As far as I knew, for Cleave I had to be touching the target with my hands but for this, I didn't. This time it channeled at my feet?

It's true that I was coating my feet in C.E to increase my manipulation skill, but to think I would discover this.

"So Cleave doesn't necessarily need to be done from my hands, but can be initiated from any part covered in cursed energy?" Continuing with my mumbling, I felt excitement flicker in my chest. The air around me grew heavier, tinged with the subtle static of building cursed energy. The applications of this made my already OP ability even more busted. Sure, the power didn't necessarily increase, but its versatility did.

'If this was truly the case, then couldn't I do this with Dismantle?'

I moved cursed energy through my hair, the strands lifting slightly with unnatural motion as I activated my Cursed Hair skill. Then, in the same instance, I took a portion of it and swiped it left to right while activating Dismantle.

[Combination Skill Unlocked | +1 Skill Point]

'It worked!' My face had the biggest grin. 

I sat down, resting my face on my fist while I opened up the status screen to see 4 skill points. It was unfortunate that I didn't get skill points from leveling up skills. This wasn't really important, though. I pulled up the skill tree, looking at Sukuna's path.

Shrine started it. A black circle with a bright red Shinto shrine image. Then it went down to Dismantle and Cleave, with a special golden line going to King of Curses: Hand-to-Hand Combat. But this was a special skill. On the actual path, after Cleave was Spiderweb, which I had just unlocked. The next skill cost a staggering 3 points, but it was worth it.

"Divine Flame."

[Would you like to purchase this skill?]

'Uh…' This was a serious decision, causing me to pause. However, that was only for a second.

'Yes.' At first, I was hesitant, but in the end does it really matter? I'm going to get it eventually, so what does it matter between now or later?

[Learning "Divine Flame"]

"Ugh!" I gripped my head as a searing hot pain assaulted me. The heat wasn't external—it bloomed inside, behind my eyes and down my spine. The knowledge and understanding of the ability fused with my mind at a speed I clearly wasn't ready to handle, but I held on. This was nothing compared to getting a part of my body pierced through!

"Hah~ Hah~" Smoke—yes, actual smoke—came out with each breath, curling in front of my face. Even the ground I stood on was burnt black. My body's temperature spiked to dangerously high levels, but thankfully, this uniform wasn't damaged one bit. It absorbed the leaking cursed energy to restore itself, creating a cycle of pressure and release.

Time passed—how long, I didn't know—and eventually the pain subsided.

"I want to-Hah~ take that back." I caught my breath. "This was definitely worse than being stabbed!" I laughed tiredly while getting up.

The first thing that greeted my eyes was the change in the surroundings.

"Tch. Detestable weaklings."

I was surrounded by goblins with cracked daggers, kobolds baring jagged teeth, and a horned rabbit creature twitching with nervous bloodlust. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim dungeon light, and the stale, copper-tinged air reeked of damp fur and monster breath. But none of them were worth the energy I'd waste on getting serious.

Still, they came at a perfect time.

"Haha~ Time to test this out."

"Open."

-----

[Ais's POV]

...That presence again.

It was faint, but... sharp. Like heat pressing against my skin. A distortion in the air, not from fire—but from something wrong.

I moved toward it.

If it was a monster, it needed to be handled before a beginner was hurt.

The corridor opened up and I saw him.

'It's him.' The one Loki warned us about. She said to avoid him. To stay as far away as possible but I didn't understand why. He hadn't done anything wrong. He was even quite fun to fight against. 

He stood calmly, hand raised.

"Open," he said. His voice was low, cold and emotionless. Orange-gold fire surged from his palm like it was alive. Then, he spoke again. 

"Madara... hope you don't mind my naming sense."

His voiced echoed throughout this part of the floor. 

"Majestic Destroyer Flame."

The corridor erupted. Everything ahead of him was swallowed—monsters, walls, floor. Heat scorched my face even from where I stood.

But the fire was precise. Nothing wild. Nothing wasted.

It was beautiful, yes but more than that, it was intentional and ruthless.

And yet…

'He didn't use that against me.'

My grip on my sword tightened. I didn't know why that thought bothered me.