I hate to say I'm perfectly average in my desire for the supernatural.
Mystical abilities that can create firestorms, raise mountains, bring the entire world to ruin and then some.
I wanted them all.
A perfectly normal trait for practically anyone with a little bit of consciousness - a universally desired idea
Whether for practicality. For convenience. Out of love. Out of hate. In pursuit of connection. In pursuit of severance. Spite. Compassion. Superiority. Inferiority Temperance. Serenity. Sadness. Joy. Vanity. Selflessness. Greed. Charity. Pride. Equality. Lust. Chastity. Helplessness.
We all desire them - no matter how different we may be, our desire for the supernatural is a intrinsically human aspect.
And its safe to say I was no different.
From a young age, dreams of supernatural power frequently plagued my mind even at the old age of 23.
Even with my ability to always win at anything no matter the situation, to triumph no matter the task,
In my heart I never considered it a supernatural power, after all weren't powers, blessings in every sense of the word.
So why would I call such a curse a blessing?
To call my endless victories a blessing would be an affront to all blessings in the world.
A curse that made all diligence and desperation to master a craft or win at a sport meaningless.
A curse that tipped the scales until all dreams were spilled and all effort was crushed.
A curse that should've never been born.
It was the most disgusting ability ever conceived.
That's why I craved abnormal abilities even more.
I was enthralled by the concept of abnormal abilities - they remained a constant.
A constant that I could never reach no matter how much I tried until eventually all I could do was remain enamoured by them
Like stars in the sky, my admiration remained but that was all there was I could not influence whether I possessed them or not.
A fleeting flame that yearned for them gradually withered.
A flame that had sparked once again.
Because now… I possessed the abnormal abilities that I so deeply wanted long ago.
And like all the things in my existence…
I had won them.
I had lost once again.
[Cursed Technique Engraval… Complete. Six Eyes Injection….Sucessful. Cursed Pathways Intergration…Sucessful.
13%
.
49%
.
74%
.
98%
.
Complete
Welcome 'Eternal Loser' to the pathway of Cursed Sorcerer]
* * *
"You'll have me what?"
My childish voice permeated through the back alleyways of this dicrepit city.
Gone was the miserable rush of cars and lifeless corporate husks, now replaced by the more than potent stench of alleyway gutter and human waste.
Not the place for such a young child to be - not really the place for any sun kissed person to be and yet here I was.
Confused, anticipating and awfully curious as my gaze ran across the holographic screen in front of me whilst words began to writhe and form.
While I would have ideally liked to remain in a well lit and people concentrated area of this new city considering how little I know of my surroundings, this guide had other ideas.
Apparently the next step of this process required discretion and a lack of public eye and who am I but a clueless loser in a city of unknowns.
Too ignorant of this 'process' to argue.
[Your role in this world, 'Eternal Loser'…]
There it was again. The subtle jab that this so called A.I.D couldn't resist the urge to take.
[…Is to protect the sanctity of the battle of chaos and order using your bestowed advantages in a world that has forsaken the hero. In a world where chaos and its agents have grown stronger. In a world where the scales have been tipped. In a world where a dormant seed withers the true origin of this world]
Before I could even utter a word, a monotonic voice of a robot echoed in the backdrop of my head, taking me by surprise
[To explain in simpler terms, you have been displaced out of your world for the sole purpose of supporting the losing side - the heroes - in their battle against chaos.
It did draw some discomfort from me to have another voice separate to my own speaking in my mind, it ranked last on strange things that have happened to me so far.
And by doing so with you stop the bloom of the seed and return the universe to its true origin and course, preventing the total destruction of this world]
"…Just what exactly is this dormant seed?"
A seed that threatened to destroy this world… I would be lying if I said I wasn't shocked.
I struggled to even picture what the total destruction of this world would look like and yet this guide spoke of a seed that could so.
It sent shivers down my spine.
[Such information can be provided after the integration of the aforementioned advantages]
"Right…these advantages. The so called advantages that could help me balance the scales of this 'war'," I spoke with wry smile itching on my lips, "Are they in any way related to this change in appearance you've had me take on?"
I gestured to my current impish little body.
Practically half my previous height and drastically less muscle mass and bone density that I was previously accustomed to.
It irked me.
An out of body experience except this time I was in a body of a boy no more than 13 years old that was freakishly hard to adapt to.
[Your assumptions are correct. A change in body was necessary for the integration to occur. The advantages about to be bestowed are rather…strict with its requirements.]
"But was it necessary for me to be a kid again?" I grumbled in half frustration, half reluctant acceptance.
[This was the optimal age was efficient intergration and adaptation of user. A temporary diluted state for the user to grow accustomed to. Powers that grow as the user ages]
I see… so the guide placing me in a child's body with a sort of weakened strain so when I can adapt to the powers effectively and not grow overburdened.
It's annoying but I understand the reasoning.
"So just when is this 'intergration' happening then?"
[Its already begun.]
The stench of wafting fumes and waste. The echoes of a night life. The taste of grime and pollution on the tip of my tongue. The grip of clothes upon my body. The view of the backwater alleyways engulfing me.
Everything.
And then nothing.
* * *
I groaned.
I stirred.
I awoke.
And like that the rush of this new world fell over me in a sickening embrace.
Until at last I opened my eyes.
The world was quieter than when I had left it to explore the realm of dreams yet there was unmistakable colour to it that wasn't there before.
Something was different.
My eyes burned and pulsed with such an intensity that they felt alive.
And my body felt different.
Different to how I felt when I woke up to this world before. Different as in something strange ebbed. Something strange flowed through me. The same something that coloured the polluted sky in my eyes.
There was no mistaking it.
Whatever that Intergration did, I was different.
Way different.
[Cursed Technique Engraval… Complete. Six Eyes Injection….Sucessful. Cursed Pathways Intergration…Sucessful.
13%
.
49%
.
74%
.
98%
.
Complete
Welcome 'Eternal Loser' to the pathway of Cursed Sorcerer]
That same voice echoed in my head again causing me to twitch.
There was even something different about the way I heard its cadence.
I felt a connection.
"…A.I.D, you there?" I tasted the words in my mouth, savouring the flavour as if it was my first time to ever utter a sentence.
[Present.]
"Is the integration… complete?"
[The Intergration of the Cursed Sorcerer Pathway is complete. Your advantages, in accordance with the Architect's wishes, has been bestowed]
"Good…" My mind slowly catching up with body as I slowly raised a hand, "So by definition… I have superpowers."
[Correct, by definition.]
A spark.
Anticipation.
"Sure doesn't feel like it," With more strength than necessary, I clamoured to my feet amidst the pile of trash I had found myself on.
Cringing in disgust whilst I writhed in displeasure.
[Your pathway requires you to harness cursed energy to truly understand the scope of your power and access your technique]
"Cursed energy? How ominous ." I flexed my hands and fingers before searching the alleyway in barely concealed curiosity.
Why does everything look so strange?
If I hadn't been confused by what I was seeing before - now I was.
Everything felt sharp…precise, as I casually scanned and dissected every single detail in the canvas before me.
It wasn't just that.
Everything felt so clear.
So beautifully clear. So colourful and so perfect - even in this dump of a city.
It was like I was a blind man who had regained his sight once more.
"Huh?"
Before my eyes, an insidious inklike substance spilled from the sky and buildings, seeping into the floor and transfiguring itself like a heavy fog.
It wafted throughout the alleyway and city, birthed from everywhere like an ocean.
Its intent carried along by its mist like presence.
Negativity. Pure unfiltered negativity.
Hate. Disdain. Loathing. Sadness. Diespair. Futility. Wrath. Helplessness. Anxiety. Fear. Disgust. Guilt. Shame. Isolation. Frustration. Emptiness. Regret. Jealousy. Resentment. Embarrassment. Grief. Contempt. Anguish.Bitterness. Dejection. Distress. Hopelessness. Hysteria. Humiliation. Melancholy. Mortification. Paranoia. Rejection. Repulsion. Doubt. Scorn.
It washed over me with sickening slowness as if it relished in my discomfort.
It took all I had not to vomit there and then.
"Just what is this…" I held my nose in a weak attempt to shield myself from the nausea.
[What you are witnessing and feeling right now is negative energy in its undiluted state. An energy fueled from the repressed negative emotions humans possess. An energy that you need to harness in order to access your technique and utilise your pathway]
I bit my lip.
Bump.
Control this repugnant thing… I'd rather die again.
Bump.
My instincts practically screamed that the inky energy before me was something that no human should ever face.
Bump.
I let off a smirk, not to embolden myself - no to mock myself because for the first time in ages I felt something that I hadn't felt in ages
Fear.
But it wasn't coming from the presence that oozed through the world.
No. It was coming from me.
Bump.
My heart that beat like a hammer on an anvil. My vision that shook with each breathe. My thoughts that all but practically came to halt and slurred.
It made me smile even more.
Bump.
The man that had never lost. The man who's only ever tasted victory since birth. The eternal winner. The natural born loser.
And yet I was shaking at something that didn't have sentience or conscience. Something that in order to accomplish a distant dream, I needed to harness and control.
And yet I felt scared?
This was just another victory I needed to claim. Another battle to win.
Against my emotional response to such raw negative feelings, I pressed on.
My arm reached out towards where the thickest blanket of smog permeated, grasping its body.
It withered. It contorted. It wrangled around as if trying to pry itself free from my grasp but I wouldn't give in to its attempts.
Like a bug trying to find a path to escape - an escape that would never come
"What next?"
I asked to simply no one because I had already reached the conclusion moments ago.
Perhaps that's why the same robotic voice never sounded in my head.
The answer was clear. In order to harness this energy, I needed to win against it.
And in order to win…
I needed to devour it.
As if sensing my decision the substance struggled desperately in my hand with more fervent vigour that only made this much more satisfying.
I widened my mouth and with one single bite I began to gourge.
Pure Negativity.
Hate. Disdain. Loathing. Sadness. Diespair. Futility. Wrath. Helplessness. Anxiety. Fear. Disgust. Guilt. Shame. Isolation. Frustration. Emptiness. Regret. Jealousy. Resentment. Embarrassment. Grief. Contempt. Anguish.Bitterness. Dejection. Distress. Hopelessness. Hysteria. Humiliation. Melancholy. Mortification. Paranoia. Rejection. Repulsion. Doubt. Scorn.
It washed down my throat as I came back for more.
It was disgusting. It was vile. It was repugnant. It was foul. It was nauseating. It was repulsive. It was sickening. It was awful. It was revolting. It was abhorrent. It was tasty. It was delicious. It was succulent. It was flavourful. It was luscious. It was mouthwatering.
It was beautiful.
I felt it course through my body strengthening my muscles from within.
It reinforced my bones and coated my skin until finally it reached my brain - spilling itself into each crevice and fold of my neural pathways.
[Congratulations Host. Limitless has been accessed. One more victory to the tally?]
Information flooded into my mind of abilities and techniques beyond anything I could ever imagine.
Limitless. Convergence. Divergence. Erasure.
Infinity.
…
Gripping my head slightly, I digested the info and sifted through it with childlike wonder.
"…One more victory to the tally." I finally spoke with renewed mirth, "On the road to eventual defeat."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[A/N* Guess who's back 😂✋
Saw all the Gojo fics were updating so why not join the mix as the OG and founder of Gojo fics (lying)
Anyone wondering about schedule just know that I'll update once a week but not like every 7 days just on any random day
Depends how active I'm feeling
Tell me how you feel about the new direction of this story by the way I'm interested on thoughts and that's all
See ya *]