'No, No, no no! what's the meaning of this!'
He curse looking at the system hologram.
'i am stripped off my rank? Why is that!'
Arthur dread finally consumed him as he thought of the misfortune that might have befall him.
He couldn't help but become wary of the system, it was like it was playing him by it's rules, like it was purposely pushing him into death and lying that it was the pathway.
His eyes rested on the single word beneath it all. Survive!
That world rang, memories of when he was an Awekened played before his eyes as he run around, hiding behind other strong awekened just to survive.
It was as if it was reminding him of his past which made Arthur anger more.
'on another hand what was that' he thought remembering how he was saved by an unknown force that had teleported him out of danger.
If not for it he could have died.
[Omni action activated] The system read as if responding to his thoughts.
But the moment he decided to pry further
The Cursed moved, But this time it wasn't the monster, he turned in time to see the skeleton marching toward him raising their weapon.
'what now'
Arthur stared in confusion, looking at the uncommon then at the skeleton.
'why isn't it attacking with them' not that he wanted that, but he couldn't help but think of the reasons.
'they are controlled' it settled after assessing the situation of the beast being a higher class.
It was as simple as that. Since Cursed vary in ranks and class hierarchy— common, uncommon, and elites— Cursed class all served the ladder to the top.
While common Cursed are just simple-minded creatures, they may be wraiths, monsters, or maybe humanoid, but they act on pure hunger, not instinct.
While uncommon are an upgraded version of them, while they can act like mindless creatures, they are not mindless; they reason and behave as predators. They act on higher instincts rather than hunger.
As such, an uncommon low rank Cursed Beast or other creatures can send a command to any higher rank common Cursed nearby, and they would heed the command.
While elite Cursed are the pinnacle of the chain, they're wise and can also form words. They're called elites because they fight like humans. Whether elites are Beast, humanoid, or wraiths, they are feared, and only high-tier awakened are privileged to be able to counter them.
So the the skeleton coming at Arthur had received order from the uncommon beast.
Well the bad news, Arthur couldn't defend himself against the common Cursed.
Being a former awakened Arthur couldn't even lift a stick to fight the lowest rank in the common class, he was weak to the extent he had to always help carry other awakened resources if he wished to survive in a dungeon.
So the Cursed coming at him now, he didn't know how to defeat it.
As soon as they reached Arthur they swung their spear at him.
He ducked and drew back, just immediately a second swing came from his side, he did a massive jumped backward, his back colliding with the wall.
'i am cornered'
With his back against the wall and no prior combat experience he could only think of a way to evade all their strikes and run for it when the time comes.
But he had run out of all luck, if he decided to run, the beast with it's massive figure was waiting for him on the other side so his death was certain for a second time.
Swing!!!
In just a blink of eye another spear was hurled at him and he did his best to duck as it struck the wall a few inches from his head.
'it struck'
His instinct took over, on level with it's ribcages.
He punched the target, with a dangling movement, the creature drew back, colliding with the second one.
'i did it!' he shouted as he looked at his fist, a strange mix of triumph rises in him. It was the first time he actually hit a cursed and he couldn't find a better name to call the feeling he was experiencing right now
'strong'
But assuming that would only mean death for him, so he quickly dismissed the feeling with a small motivation.
'no I am not strong enough' without wasting any more time he summoned the stats that he had forgotten since he reincarnated.
'if I want to defeat this Cursed then I must use the Cursed Lord power, and they can be available in the stats right'
He knew how he could summon the stats, since he would just say 'status'. Of course he didn't know if it would work but in almost every manga he read, it was like that, and to his delight it worked.
'jackpot!' he wailed seeing what he had thought appeared on the screen, this one would do..
After some minutes, he charged towards the Cursed skeleton that was just reeling back from their fall and without giving them further movement, he rammed into them, pushing one to the ground.
A faint glow, shone from beneath it's breastplate.
'the stone'
The best way or the only way to defeat a Cursed.
Is by destroying the soul stone of the creatures.
So as soon as the stone came into view he reached for it but, a kick sent him flying back away from the skeleton.
He rolled on the ground breathing heavily.
'What the hell?' he groaned looking at the intruder.
The second skeleton had delivered the kick.
'bitch!' he cursed as he rises up on his feet.
He glared at them. He knew that if it was the old Arthur he knew he would have died the first time, not that he wasn't afraid, then, he was weak due to his weak aspect of being an awakened but now something had changed. He wasn't an awakened but the Cursed Lord.
Though he wasn't proud to say it, but it was the absolutely truth right now.
They charged again but this time he didn't ducked or dodge this time he met them face on, the strike that could have killed a normal human, But Arthur charged in unconcerned of the outcome. He met the steel upfront as he held his ground.
PANG!!!
Arthur moved to meet the spear coming at his head before it could reach him, ramming into it and halting its movement. The one coming for his leg also hit him, but surprisingly nothing happened.
If it were a normal human or even an awakened one, the spear would have cut their head in two or perhaps split their leg, but as he had said, he was now the Cursed Lord's body.
His body was unharmed, not even a drop of blood or cut was shown; it was as if his body was made of iron, and the spear, which was made of iron, met iron.
'that it!'
The last moment before the impact, he had assessed the stat and he had found out about the Cursed Lord body being indistructable if he activated the right ability, actually he was doubtful at first fearing his life but when it happened, he couldn't be more grateful.
The skeleton made a move trying to retrieve it's spear but before it could, Arthur acted fast, with a brute strike not strong nor heavy, but either way it went straight at where he had wished it would, to the stone.
Crack!! The sound confirmed his destination, and Arthur hand gripped the cold stone in his hand then he dragged it out.
For a moment he thought he had failed when the skeleton was still standing, but the cold humming on his hand reassured him and after a second, the skeleton fell on the ground it's body laid still and that confirmed it.
Dead.
'i did it!' Arthur grinned from ear to ear as he locked his gaze on the second creature.
'you next!'
As if the creature heard his thoughts it withdrew, but not finally, it went over to the uncommon Cursed, and to Arthur horror, it removed it's own stone itself, like someone removing his own heart.
'what the hell!' he had disbelief written all over his face but, as if to make Arthur further unfortunate, it dropped the stone into the maw of the Beast who swallowed it.
The skeleton fell, dead as it's stone is destroyed. Actually it should have been a joy for Arthur, but it was a shock as the Beast following the swallowed stone growled, and in front of Arthur it undergoe a sudden transformation and in a minute, it body size grown bigger into something Arthur didn't expect.
while the transformation was complete Arthur could only watch in utter awe and fear, the atmosphere in the room becoming dread as
the beast itself.
The beast took a menacing step towards Arthur and the poor guy could only pray: 'it isn't what I am think right?'