Marcus stood beneath the running water of the shower, letting the hot spray beat relentlessly against his aching, newly reconstructed back.
The pungent stench of blood, sweat, and dried grime washed off his pale skin in dark streams, disappearing down the drain.
His eyes were closed, but his mind was a chaotic storm of strategic calculations and silent fury.
‘Calm down?
How in the hell am I supposed to calm down after realizing all of this?’
When the voices and Spell notifications first echoed in his mind during the Nightmare, he had dismissed them as hallucinations, a dying mind’s final delirium.
But the stark reality of this new world had smashed through his denial.
This world was governed by terrifying supernatural laws and every person who entered the Spell carried a personal curse in the form of a Flaw.
“Aiden?
Are you alright in there?
You’ve been inside for quite a while!”
The doctor’s voice echoed from outside the bathroom door, pulling Marcus sharply back from his thoughts.
He shut off the faucet, wiped the moisture from his face, and called out, his tone flat and composed.
“I’ll be out in a moment.”
Marcus grabbed a clean towel, wrapping it around his waist.
He leaned his hands on the edge of the sink and stared into the foggy mirror.
Taking a deep, deliberate breath, he consciously relaxed his tense muscles.
‘Let me see that again,’
Calling up the interface was second nature now.
It took nothing more than a focused thought.
Translucent, glowing runes materialized in the air before his eyes:
Name: Aiden
True Name: Heir of Emotions
Rank: Dreamer
Emotion Core: Dormant
Emotion Fragment: [106/1000]
Memories: [Wailing Mask], [Kurohana], [Immortal Shell], [Bottomless Pouch], [Life Stone]
Marcus stared at the top lines, his brow furrowed in concentration.
‘Heir of Emotions?
Really?
And what purpose does a True Name even serve?’
He wiped the fog off the mirror, his gaze falling lower down the interface.
The values of his Emotion Core and Emotion Fragment had shifted slightly since the last time he checked.
He suspected this anomaly was directly tied to his True Name Aspect, though he had no concrete proof yet.
As for the number—[106/1000]—he couldn’t determine its exact function.
Was it a threshold for evolution, or some kind of measure of core saturation?
He scoffed softly to himself.
“Great.
Everything in this world is an anomaly.
Splendid luck.”
The interface flickered, revealing detailed descriptions of each item:
[Memory: Wailing Mask]
Memory Type: Tool
Memory Rank: Sacred
Memory Tier: VII
Memory Description: [A grotesque mask bearing the face of a soul trapped in eternal anguish.
Its hollow eyes seem to follow those who gaze upon it, while a faint, inaudible wail lingers within its depths.]
Memory Ability: [Wail]
Ability Description: [The mask can release an invisible wail that disrupts the minds of those who hear it, disturbing their concentration and stirring buried fear and unease.]
Memory Ability: [?????]
Ability Description: [?????]
Marcus raised an eyebrow at the text.
‘What kind of florid writing is this?
Was the entity behind this Spell a poet?’
Though he lacked a proper reference point to judge whether a “Sacred” rank was extraordinary or common, the utility of the first ability was undeniable.
In tactical warfare, psychological disruption forcing an enemy into panic or breaking their focus was often more lethal than a direct blade.
‘Next.’
[Memory: Kurohana]
Memory Type: Weapon
Memory Rank: Dormant
Memory Description: [A blade bestowed by a higher being upon the Perfect Vessel.
Grow stronger.
Evolve.
Survive.
Only then will the true power of Kurohana be revealed.]
Memory Ability: [Devour]
Ability Description: [The Memory can consume other Memories and convert their residual energy into Emotion Energy.]
Emotion Energy: [0/100]
Marcus’s eyes fixed firmly on the text.
‘Higher being?
Perfect Vessel?’
A spike of deep suspicion hit him.
‘Didn’t that entity seal my Aspect during the Nightmare?
Why turn around and grant me a weapon?
And a weapon capable of consuming other Memories…
does this mean the blade itself can evolve?’
It was a logical deduction.
If the counter reached 100/100, the Memory would likely increase in rank or unlock a new form.
It seemed to function according to a principle similar to his own Emotion Fragments.
He moved his eyes to the next item:
[Memory: Immortal Shell]
Memory Type: Armor
Memory Tier: III
Memory Description:[ An armor that refuses to perish.
No matter how many times it is broken, it will always return to its original form.]
Memory Ability: [Immortal Renewal]
Ability Description: [The armor regenerates itself over time, restoring even completely shattered pieces.]
“Finally…
something practical,” Marcus muttered, a faint nod of approval escaping him.
Having armor that could not break regardless of structural damage, was a massive asset.
It eliminated the logistical nightmare of maintenance and repairs.
‘At least until I acquire something better.’
He glanced down at the next utility Memory:
[Memory: Bottomless Pouch]
Memory Type: Tool
Memory Rank: Awakened
Memory Tier: IV
Memory Description:[ A small pouch with an impossibly vast interior.
Despite its modest size, it can store a vast number of objects without increasing in weight or volume.]
Memory Ability: [Bottomless Storage]
Ability Description: [The pouch can store an enormous number of objects within its seemingly limited space.]
‘Another logistical victory.’
A pouch with effectively unlimited storage meant greater endurance in the field, extra rations, medical kits, and gear without adding to his burden.
His brief moment of satisfaction vanished the instant his eyes locked onto the final entry.
The one item that made his stomach twist into a cold knot.
[Memory: Life Stone]
Memory Rank: [???]
Memory Type: [???]
Description: [A mysterious stone bound to its wielder’s Essence.
When the wielder’s Emotion Essence is completely depleted, the Life Stone is forcibly expelled from their body and returns to the outside world.]
Marcus stood completely frozen in the quiet bathroom, staring at the translucent text.
He didn’t need to ask for clarification.
The brief explanation the doctor had offered earlier regarding Soul Essence made the implications crystal clear.
His Flaw was directly linked to this memory.
If his Soul Essence reached zero, his body would forcibly eject this stone, leaving his Flaw physically exposed to the outside world.
If anyone were to shatter the stone, Marcus would lose all autonomy, becoming nothing more than an empty vessel bound to the will of whoever broke it.
A dark wave of anger flared within his chest, but decades of military discipline suppressed it before it could turn into blind panic.
He closed his eyes, took a long, measured exhale, and forced his pulse to slow down.
When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was as cold and sharp as ice.
“Let’s just hop that my Attributes offer something actually positive.”
Im changing the Title of The fanfiction later .
soo make sure you dont lose it
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