Marcus remained in the bathroom long after turning off the shower.
A towel was wrapped around his waist as he stood before the foggy mirror, staring at the face of the teenager looking back at him or, more precisely, at the reflection of the body he now inhabited.
He looked to be around sixteen.
His face was beyond merely handsome; messy black hair framed youthful features, while a pair of unusually deep, calm, blue-gray eyes stared back.
His nose was straight, his lips thin and defined, and his jawline possessed just enough sharp angles to give him a subtle edge without losing its youthful grace.
His complexion was flawless, as if time had left no mark on him whatsoever.
Yet there was something in his gaze that made it easy to forget he was only sixteen.
Marcus let out a quiet sigh as he studied his reflection.
“At least this body came with a decent face.”
Setting his appearance aside, Marcus willed his status interface to reappear, eager to dissect the remaining information.
“Let’s see the rest.”
Attributes: [Cursed], [Emotional Vessel], [The Heir], [Unbound Vessel], [Battle-Hardened Soul]
[Attribute: Cursed]
Description: [Something has taken root within your fate.
It cannot be removed, escaped, or forgotten.
Wherever you go, the curse follows.]
“Right.
I’ve read this one before,” Marcus muttered.
“Honestly, I’m still not fond of that description even if it doesn’t state how I’m cursed.”
Skipping the first attribute, Marcus focused on the next:
[Attribute: Emotional Vessel]
Description: [Your soul is unusually receptive to emotions.
The stronger the emotion, the deeper its imprint upon you.]
“Well, that was expected.”
Marcus wasn’t surprised by this attribute, given what he had already realized about his affinity for emotions.
After all, he had already deduced as much from his True Name.
“Alright.
Next one.”
[Attribute: The Heir]
Description:[ You have inherited something that was never meant to be inherited.]
“No shit.”
Marcus couldn’t tell if the Nightmare Spell phrased everything this cryptically for everyone or if it was just a special courtesy for him.
Its descriptions seemed designed to answer one question while raising five more.
“Damn it…
I really need to learn more about this Spell.”
[Attribute: Unbound Vessel] Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
Description:[ Your soul has become a vessel capable of accepting forces that should never coexist within a single body.]
Marcus reread the text several times.
It wasn’t that he failed to understand it; rather, he couldn’t believe how directly it tied into his Flaw.
This attribute directly reinforced the very weakness that threatened him most.
Rubbing his damp hair, Marcus let out a heavy breath.
“What a mess…”
[Attribute: Battle-Hardened Soul]
Description: [Your soul has endured countless battles, losses, and hardships.
It is exceptionally resilient against mental pressure and spiritual interference.]
“At least this one is clear, positive, and actually represents me.”
From the name alone, Marcus knew it stemmed from his past life as a Supreme Commander.
But a larger question gnawed at him: What exactly is this Nightmare Spell?
What kind of entity possessed the authority to grant powers and inflict flaws against a person’s will?
Was it responsible for pulling his soul and consciousness into this body and world?
Dozens of questions flooded his mind, and Marcus realized that searching for those answers would be an arduous and perilous journey one he was hardly equipped to undertake, especially given the precarious nature of his Flaw.
Refocusing his attention, Marcus noticed a few additional entries appearing further down the interface:
Titles: [The Cursed One]
“I don’t like the sound of that…”
[Title: The Cursed One]
Status: [Inactive]
Description:[ Every step forward brings two steps backward.]
Marcus’s eyes widened slightly.
He stood frozen, staring at the floating text in silence for several long moments.
There was no further explanation.
The runes remained unchanged, offering no hidden hope or loophole.
In that moment, a grim realization settled over him: his time in this world might be remarkably short.
And strangely enough, he didn’t strongly object to the thought.
“Shit .
I’ve already died once…
I suppose the second time might be just around the corner.”
As Marcus was buried in his dark thoughts, attempting to dismiss the remaining runes, a sudden, harsh knocking rattled the bathroom door.
Aiden!
It’s been ten full minutes since the water stopped!
Are you alright in there?
Did you pass out again?!”
Marcus sighed impatiently, not even bothering to turn toward the door.
“I’m fine, woman.
Give me one minute and I’ll—”
CRASH!
The doctor didn’t wait for him to finish.
The metal door hinges buckled under a sharp, heavy force as she burst into the bathroom holding a small medical scanner, fully prepared to perform emergency resuscitation.
Instead of finding an unconscious teenager on the floor, however, the doctor froze in her tracks.
Marcus stood in the middle of the room, hastily reaching for his fallen towel.
The sudden intrusion had caught him completely off guard, and for once, even his normally composed mind needed a moment to process what had happened.
A suffocating silence filled the room.
It took a brief moment for his analytical mind to process the sudden intrusion before he realized exactly what had happened.
The doctor’s eyes widened in shock, her face instantly turning crimson.
She slammed her hands over her eyes, dropping her medical equipment straight onto the floor.
“Oh my god!
I’m so sorry!
I thought you had collapsed again!”
Marcus didn’t scream, nor did he flinch.
A commander was expected to remain composed regardless of any circumstances.
Instead, he quickly grabbed the towel hiding his body , his loud, booming voice echoing off the walls of the facility:
“YOU DAMN WOMAN, HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!
HOW DARE YOU BURST INTO A BATHROOM WHILE SOMEONE IS INSIDE?!
Worse yet, you broke the door right off its hinges!
Do you realize this counts as assaulting a minor?!
In some places, that’s punishable by execution, you crazy doctor!”
“I’m sorry!
I’m leaving right now!” the doctor shrieked, spinning around so fast she slammed her shoulder against the broken doorframe before sprinting out into the hallway.
Left alone once again, Marcus glanced down at his youthful frame, letting out a defeated, heavy sigh as he retrieved the towel from the floor.
‘Damn this new life…
even my commander dignity didn’t survive the bathroom.’
Quick note regarding the status interface in this chapter: You might notice that Titles appear as a separate category rather than being grouped directly under Attributes.
While Titles functionally act similarly to Attributes in terms of passive effects, I decided to give them their own dedicated slot because this mechanic is going to play a massive, pivotal role in the plot moving forward!