Chapter 79: Cursed Arts


    When we returned to Maroon city, I was taught sorcery, however, not from Celestia.


    I was going to be taught sorcery by Holly. Turns out she is an adventurer too, but she doesn''t go on quests much and she likes to work at the guild.


    We were located in an empty field located near the city. In my session with Holly to learn sorcery, I had Celestia watching over me. Well, a clone. Well actually, the one I am always talking to is also a clone, so this is technically...


    Clones are confusing...


    "Try not to show off," I heard her say and I shook my head, rolling my eyes.


    Holly was spreading salt across the ground, making some kind of magic formation on the ground. She began chanting a few words and then the magic formation shined.


    Secondster, two grim monstrous figures appeared where the magic formation was. One was red while the other was blue.


    The two looked around until they spotted me.


    "These are Cursed Tinges, energy from the Void that has been mutated. You will have to defeat these two with their corresponding colors. Red can only be killed by red, while blue can only be killed by blue. This goes for other colors. After killing them, you''ll absorb their life force and obtain Cursed Arts."


    "Wait, I thought you were going to teach me sorcery."


    "I am."


    "By killing these two monsters?"


    "Well... yeah."


    "...how did you learn sorcery?"


    "I was taught by another sorcerer. There are two types of sorcery. The first is Blessed Arts, which uses the energy floating around us while the second is Cursed Arts, which requires energy from the Void. Since you are a Warlock, you will need energy from the Void, so this is the best solution for you."


    "I see."


    Well, guess I have no choice but toply.


    The two monsters nced at me and gave me a curious look before they pounced towards me.


    I activated Angel''s Crimson Hand and brought the red one onto its knees. The blue one however wasn''t affected by Total Oppression.


    I would then activate Devil''s Blue Palm and begun banishing the blue one. How Total Banishment works is a littleplicated, but here is the exnation.


    By banishing one''s energy, it will slow down their movements as they are not only being drained of their mana but their stamina as well. Total Banishment discards energy into the Void, never to be seen again. Any form of mana, no matter howplex it is, such as a barrier will bepletely dismantled by Total Banishment. Warlocks consume arge amount of stamina in order to perform attacks using Principles.


    Now then-


    I motioned my left hand, dragging the red one across the ground with the force of Total Oppression. With my right hand, I gradually pulled my hand back, pulling the blue one along with me.


    I almost forgot to mention that Total Banishment kind of works like Absorption since the energy that is being banished will be thrown into the Void. I basically have a maizing force on the palm of my hand.


    As the blue one got closer to me, I continued to bash the red one with the invisible force of Total Oppression.


    Anyway, the blue one was now in front of me and I grabbed it by the neck. Slowly, I began to banish it from the inside out.


    The blue one cried weakly as it was being absorbed into the void at my palm. When I made sure it was extremely weakened to the point it couldn''t move anymore, I began to absorb its life energy.


    "Aaauuughh~" It groaned before dispersing.


    [Passive Skill Obtained: Cursed Blue Arts]


    [ss Obtained: Sorcerer]


    That''s one down, now to deal with the other.


    I looked over at the red one which was somehow still alive. I raised my hand and allowed it to stand up, before crushing it again with Total Oppression.


    "Tch, just die already."


    I swept my hand and the red one was knocked to the side. Then I dragged it towards me once I confirmed it couldn''t move anymore.


    [Passive Skill Obtained: Cursed Red Arts]


    "Well then, guess my work is done here," Holly said. "Take care!"


    Then she was teleported back to the guild.


    Now that I have what I need, it is time to create some techniques.


    With Cursed Arts, I first gathered red energy in front of me which created a red pyramid.


    I see... I guess I can do something with this.


    I would move my left hand towards the sky, the pyramid flying into the air. Then I face my hand at the vacant field in front of me. Suddenly-


    CRASH!!


    The same pyramid that I hadunched into the sky expanded, creating arge pyramid simr to the ones in Egypt. When the pyramid dispersed, there was a huge square crater where it had erged. It was as if I had just created a field perfect for farming.


    [Skill Obtained: Destructive Red(Lvl.1)]


    Alright, I have one for Oppression, now I need one for Banishment.


    I did the same action I had done to create the pyramid, only this time it was with my right palm.


    Appearing in front of me was a sphere that was dark in the center.


    Ho... this one is interesting.


    The sphere floated towards my palm and I embraced it. Then I threw it forward and it created a dark blue hole that was as dark as the abyss. It almost resembled a ck hole.


    Vvmmm~


    Dirt was being absorbed into the hole as I steered it around. I had to apply pressure as I steered it since it was a literal walking mass of energy pulling matter into it.


    Once I clenched my hands, the hole dispersed and there was now a trail where the ck hole had been steered.


    [Skill Obtained: Abyssal Blue(Lvl.1)]


    I dispersed Devil''s Blue Palm and took a deep breath.


    "Fuu~"


    [Mana: 405,924,583/1,060,000,000]


    Performing such techniques is tiring. The amount of mana it consumes is very immense too. Guess this is why my mana reserve is abnormally high.


    "Now then, I guess we''re done," Celestia said as she prepared a teleportation spell.


    "Nero?" She said. "What are you waiting for?"


    I was staring at my Angel''s Crimson Hand and I was wondering...


    If the force of Oppression is already so absolute, then I wonder what would happen if I were to focus it to one single point.


    "If I focus the output towards my fingertips, what do you think would happen?" I asked Celestia curiously.


    She closed her eyes and thought for a moment before answering-


    "Then the force you create will be immensely concentrated, allowing you to be able to crush anything."


    "Or impale... Celestia, can you create the strongest barrier you can make?"


    "Huh? I guess so."


    Good... I want to see if this works.


    Celestia stuck her hands out and a massive barrier formed. First, let''s see how much damage a regr st of Oppression can do.


    I struck the barrier with Total Oppression, the powerful force smashing against the ss-like barrier. The barrier seemed to hollow in but the barrier wasn''t broken.


    All that did was smack the barrier with blunt force. Now let''s see what happens if I concentrate it.


    I began concentrating energy to the end of my index finger and middle finger. The red energy wrapping my hand began to move and it was all focused at the end of the two fingers. I then made a gesture simr to a finger gun.


    I felt a force want to escape from the end of my fingers and I carefully aimed it at the barrier. I didn''t want to hit Celestia even though it was a clone and I certainly didn''t want the stray force to travel towards the city, so I''ll just aim it at the air for now.


    If I were to name this... it would be...


    "Piercing Red."


    BANG!!


    A loud metallic bang ripped through the air as a beam dyed brilliant red shot towards the barrier. Piercing Red collided with the barrier and a momentter, there was a noticeable hole outlined in red in the barrier.


    [Mana: 130,602,991/1,060,000,000]


    I fell to the ground as the fingers that fired Piercing Red began to burn. It hurts!


    Well, I didunch the attack like how a gun would. I think I''ll have to watch myself when I make a finger gun gesture.


    [Skills Obtained: Piercing Red(Lvl.1)]


    "Whew, I''m just d you didn''t aim that at me." Said a relieved Celestia.


    "Well, I was thinking about it, but I think you would''ve gotten mad at me if I did."


    "Good, cause I would''ve. Now then, let''s head back. You seem to be running out of energy."


    "Yeah, who knew a Warlock would utilize so much stamina in such a short span of time."


    "No, that is just you."


    "...oh..."


    Well, then that is going to be a problem for the future. Oh well, I''ll think of a way to fix that.


    A few days passed after that and it was mostly peaceful.


    Until something came up.


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