The village of Arlam, in the cloudy morning light, was a silent sepulchre.
Subaru, Rem, and Ram moved cautiously between the houses. Subaru's Curse Detection (Basic) was a constant buzzing in his mind, a subtle but persistent vibration that indicated the presence of dark magic, not concentrated in a single point, but spread out, as if the land itself were diseased.
"The curse is everywhere," Subaru murmured, his voice strained. "But I don't sense a central source. It's as if it's... permeated the village."
Rem, with her demonic sense of smell, frowned. "I smell blood, but it's not fresh. And also... a smell of putrefaction, as if something were slowly dying."
Ram, with her sharp eyesight, scanned the surroundings. "I don't see anything suspicious. Only empty houses and an eerie silence."
Subaru activated his Return Vision. The pang in his chest was constant, but it wasn't directed at any one place. It was as if the danger was everywhere, but also nowhere.
"The children..." Subaru said, recalling the previous loop. "We must search for them. If the curse is widespread, they could be the prime targets."
Rem nodded. "Children are more vulnerable to magic. You're right, Barusu. We must find them before it's too late."
They split up, searching the houses and the surrounding areas. Subaru, using his Curse Detection, tried to trace the source, but the skill only gave him a general sense of the presence of dark magic, not a specific direction.
Then, he found it. A faint trace of a curse, different from the one that permeated the village, led him to a small cottage on the outskirts. It was more concentrated, more intense, and also a sound. A low murmur, almost a chant, echoed from within.
""Here," Subaru whispered, beckoning Rem and Ram with a gesture. "I feel something strong inside. And I hear voices."
Rem and Ram approached, their weapons ready. Rem smashed the door open, revealing a grotesque scene.
In the center of the hut, a group of hooded figures, members of the Witch Cult, were gathered around a makeshift altar. Above it, a child, unconscious and pale, was bound. The cultists chanted in an incomprehensible language, their voices echoing with dark, corrupted magic.
And then, he saw it: a small object, carved from bone and bathed in a sickly purple light, was placed on the child's chest. Subaru's Curse Detection screamed in his mind; this was the source.
The object was channeling the curse, using it to drain the child's life force.
"The object," Subaru said, his voice filled with hatred. "That is the root. Destroy him."
The cult members, surprised by the intrusion, stopped chanting and turned toward them. Their faces were hidden by their hoods, but Subaru could sense their malice, a coldness that chilled his blood.
"Intruders," one of them said, his voice raspy. "You will be sacrificed along with the child."
The cult members lunged toward them, their hands glowing with dark energy. Subaru activated his Basic Strike, striking the nearest cult member with full force. The blow sent him flying, but the others didn't stop.
Rem and Ram moved with terrifying speed, their combat skills shining brightly. Rem unleashed her chain, striking and binding the cultists with lethal precision. Ram conjured gusts of wind, disorienting and knocking back her opponents.
Subaru, despite his training, was at a disadvantage. His enhanced Strength and Agility allowed him to dodge He landed a few blows, but the cultists were swift, and their attacks were imbued with dark magic. A shallow cut on his arm made him feel a stabbing pain and sudden weakness.
"The curse!" Subaru cried, realizing. The cultists' attacks carried the same curse that was draining the boy. His Curse Resistance (Basic) was mitigating the effect, but not completely negating it.
Dodging a blow with Quick Dodge, Subaru weaved his way through the cultists, his target fixed on the altar. His Return Vision showed him the way, guiding him between the attacks.
A cultist tried to block him, but Subaru struck him with Basic Strike, channeling all his strength into the impact. The cultist fell, groaning.
Subaru reached the altar; the bone object was pulsing with a dark, sickening energy. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and broke it with his hands.
The moment the object shattered, a An agonized scream echoed through the hut. The cult members writhed, their bodies consumed by a dark energy. One by one, they fell to the ground, motionless.
The curse had been broken. The boy on the altar took a deep breath, his color returning to his face. Subaru's Curse Detection faded, leaving only an echo of the dark magic that had been.
Rem and Ram, having defeated the remaining cultists, approached Subaru.
"Are you okay, Barusu?" Ram asked, her voice surprisingly concerned.
"I'm fine," Subaru said, feeling relief wash over him. He had survived and saved the boy.
[Main Quest Complete: Unravel the Root of the Curse!]
[Reward: 100 EXP, 20 SP, Unique Skill: Authority Resistance (Medium)]
[Natsuki Subaru has risen from [Level: 5 -> 6]
[You have received 5 Attribute Points (AP) to distribute.]
The wave of notifications was welcome. I had gained a new unique skill, and the extra level was crucial.
"We did it," Subaru said, looking at Rem and Ram. "We stopped the curse."
Rem nodded, her expression relieved. "Thank you, Subaru-kun. If you hadn't insisted on coming here, the children... they would all have died."
Ram, surprisingly, nodded as well. "Barusu, this time... you did something useful. Even impressive."
Subaru smiled; he had changed the game, had used his knowledge, his system, and his growing power to alter fate. But he knew this was only the beginning. The Witch Cult was only a small part of the looming threat.
And his save point, he felt it deep within him, had changed.
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I hope for your support guys, my own Novel is called A Reincarnated Transmigrator, where Haruto died at 75 years old without having become strong or enjoyed his life, now he was given a second chance to enjoy it.
I hope for your support and raise those stones of power with your hands!!