I Can Copy Curses

'Let's see what it is.'

He thought as he opened his status.

[Name: Orion Darkwood]

[Rank: Iron]

[Divine Ability - Transformation]

[Talent: Copy Curse: 11%]

[Sub Ability: Burst Mode, Curse Transformation]

[Curse: _ ]

[Strength: _ ]

[Stamina: _ ]

[Agility: _ ]

[Perception: _ ]

[Constitution: _ ]

[Mana: Nil]

[Skills: Nil]

"Curse Transformation?" He felt surprised as he looked at its name. "So it's indeed related to my divine ability."

He then opened his description to see its details.

[Sub-Ability: Curse Transformation]

[Description: When activated, this ability allows the host to transform their body with a specific curse or all of their curses. The transformation provides a significant boost in strength and gives the host better control over the curses that have been integrated into their body.

However, when the host uses this ability, the number of curses used will determine the severity of negative emotions that will affect the host. The more curses used, the more intense the negative emotions will be.]

'This sub-ability is so cool and powerful, yet at the same time, its limitations are also so severe.'

He didn't know how those negative emotions would affect him, but he would definitely have to be careful of it.

He recalled how it felt when he copied more curses than his body could hold at the bronze rank. He vividly remembered the pain and helplessness he experienced, which ended with him losing consciousness.

If the drawbacks were anything like that, or even more severe, then he would have to be extremely careful in how he used this ability.

One reassuring aspect of its drawbacks was that the severity of negative emotions depended on the number of curses used. This meant that if he were to use only one or two curses, he would likely be more or less fine.

But to be sure, he wanted to try and see how the negative emotions would affect him if he were to use one or two curses. He didn't want to be caught off guard when he used it for the first time in battle.

'Let's use the Velocity Burst first.'

He thought as he activated his sub-ability—Curse Transformation—and used Velocity Burst.

Almost instantly, two dark red lines appeared in a zigzag pattern on his right hand, intertwining from the tips of his fingers to his shoulder. Flames began to burn along these lines, and in a moment, his right hand turned bright red, as though molten lava were flowing through it.

As the transformation completed, Orion felt a wave of negative emotions hit him in the head. However, the sensation passed as quickly as it came and didn't affect him much.

But that moment of pain he felt was very severe. If that excruciating pain were to be extended for a long period of time, then that would definitely be a serious concern.

'It's good as long as I don't use more curses to the Curse Transformation.'

He thought as his eyes darted toward the only window in his room. He saw that the surroundings were still visible, although a little dim.

'It's evening now. There is still a little time before it gets dark.'

Now that he had checked all his stats and abilities gained after upgrading himself to Iron rank, he didn't have anything to do.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a little lonely. He didn't know where that feeling came from, but for some reason, he had an urge to go home and meet his mother.

'What's going on?'

The sudden thought of wanting to meet his mother baffled him completely because he wanted to meet the mother of the original body, whom Orion had no relation to whatsoever. It felt like an inexplicable longing, an echo of someone else's instinct tugging at his consciousness.

As Orion felt confused about what was happening to him, a sudden influx of memories barged into his head, causing him to clutch his head as an intense pain overtook him. It was as if a floodgate had been opened, overwhelming him with images, emotions, and sensations that weren't his own.

"Agggahhhh!"

After a minute or two of enduring the pain, it began to ease up, gradually subsiding until it eventually vanished altogether. Orion's breathing slowed, and he gingerly released his grip on his head, feeling a sense of relief wash over him as the ordeal came to an end.

At that moment, he remembered everything. About his family, his parents, his siblings—every detail flooded back into his consciousness, filling the gaps in his memory with clarity and understanding. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a part of himself that had long been obscured.

Of all the memories he recovered, the part that made him releived was the part where his father explained why he sealed his memories.

It turned out that in his family, every direct descendant had to go through this. Their memories would be sealed at the age of ten, and then they would be sent to 1-star planets. The only thing they would remember or be made to remember was that their father had sealed their memories; other than that, they wouldn't remember anything else.

The sealed memories would only recover if they were to upgrade their rank to iron rank; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to recover their memories.

Orion didn't know the exact details behind this, but from what he could remember, it seemed like a heritage to his family, a tradition that had been passed down through generations since his ancestors used to rule.

The motive? He didn't know. Maybe it was so that the direct descendants would know more about life. Perhaps it was a way to ensure they experienced the world without the burden of their legacy, only to later reclaim their heritage with deeper, more personal wisdom.

'It's good that they didn't abandon me.'

Orion sighed in relief. However, at that moment, he realized something terrible.

Why did he feel relief? It wasn't his family. He didn't have anything to do with them. But why? Why was he feeling all those emotions as if all those memories weren't just memories but a reality he had lived before?

It was as though the memories had imprinted themselves on his soul, merging his identity with that of the original owner of the body. This inexplicable bond made the emotions feel authentic, as if he had truly experienced that life, bringing him a sense of solace and connection.

'Am I Orion Stark or Orion Darkwood, or maybe both at the same time?'

He couldn't explain this phenomenon. He could clearly remember everything about his life on Earth, yet at the same time, he felt as though he was the original Orion Darkwood who had lived in Darkwood Palace for ten years.

Most importantly, he could vividly remember how he had lived with his family—his siblings, his elder brothers, and sisters who used to tease him. He could recall everything in detail. For it to be this vivid, he doubted whether this was only a part of memory or if he himself was the real Orion Darkwood.