Reborn into a Cursed Fate: The Sealed God’s Return

3

A broad smile stretched across Zed’s face as he stared at the pile of Bronze coins resting in his hands.

"A total of forty-five Bronze pieces!" Zed exclaimed with pure excitement. "We can accumulate even more tomorrow; our reputation is expanding incredibly fast." He was well aware that a single Bronze piece was enough to satisfy the daily nutritional needs of one person, ensuring they consumed the finest meals available, whereas impoverished people usually sustained themselves on a mere ten Copper pieces throughout the entire day.

"There will be no tomorrow," Ester interjected in a stern, dry tone. "Our objective was never to pursue fortune-telling; the goal was to construct the Spirit Power Center that you lack."

The smile instantly vanished from Zed’s face and his enthusiasm dampened. As he stared at the currency in his palm, the framework of a massive commercial enterprise had already begun to take shape in his thoughts, but Ester had thoroughly crushed that aspiration in its infancy.

"Locate a local apothecary now, and let us acquire the materials we require," Ester instructed calmly.

Zed did not hesitate and immediately navigated toward a side street. He had observed numerous medicinal shops and apothecaries while walking toward the city square, so finding one did not present any difficulty.

Shortly after, Zed entered a modest apothecary featuring a basic wooden sign hanging above the entrance. The moment he stepped inside, a small bell attached to the top of the door chimed, alerting the shopkeeper. From behind the presentation counter emerged a man approximately sixty years of age. His features originally carried a welcoming smile, but the moment his gaze landed on Zed’s impoverished attire, that smile instantly transformed into an expression of intense anger and disdain.

"What do you want?" the apothecary asked in a sharp, abrasive tone. Zed failed to comprehend the reason behind this sudden hostility from a stranger.

Zed began reciting the requirements, precisely repeating the words Ester channeled into his thoughts: "Balgan Herb, Ispina Grass, Eye Jade Branch, Ox Horn Flower, Pine Horse Grass, Green Bear Milk, Earth Sheep Wool, Red Honey Flower, Bear Choker Herb, Kandıra Flower, and two pieces of Spirit Binding Grass."

The apothecary was struck with astonishment by Zed’s absolute fluency and the fact that he did not mispronounce a single specimen despite the rarity and complexity of the ingredients.

"So, you are a slave to an Alchemist!" the apothecary stated sharply, attempting to mask his surprise. "Wait here, I shall retrieve what you requested." He then vanished into the secure room situated behind the counter.

Zed stood motionless for a duration of time, waiting for his return, until the apothecary re-emerged carrying nine distinct classifications of vegetation, a small vial containing a green fluid, and a portion of fine wool.

The apothecary arranged the materials upon the counter and began calculating the expenses aloud:

"Balgan Herb: one Bronze piece.

Ispina Grass: one Bronze piece.

Eye Jade Branch: five Bronze pieces.

Ox Horn Flower: two Bronze pieces.

Pine Horse Grass: one Bronze piece.

Red Honey Flower: two Bronze pieces.

Bear Choker Herb: seven Bronze pieces.

Kandıra Flower: six Bronze pieces.

Two pieces of Spirit Binding Grass: ten Bronze pieces."

He then gestured toward the vial holding the green substance and continued, "Green Bear Milk: eight Bronze pieces." Following that, he pushed the bundle of wool toward Zed, stating, "Earth Sheep Wool: one Bronze piece."

The apothecary added in a tone saturated with arrogance and annoyance, "The total is forty-four Bronze pieces. Pay and depart from here immediately, and inform your Alchemist master to dispatch a servant next time instead of sending a slave!" He felt insulted by the mere act of conducting direct commerce with someone he perceived as a mere slave.

Zed stared at the apothecary with eyes burning with suppressed fury, then produced forty-five Bronze pieces and struck them heavily upon the wooden counter.

"I require ten vials of Alchemy Glass as well!" Zed demanded firmly. The apothecary’s eye twitched with irritation, and he reached behind himself without looking, retrieving a set of ten empty alchemical glass vials from the shelf and placing them violently on the counter.

"Ten pieces of Alchemy Glass for one Bronze piece! That completes the transaction," the apothecary shouted angrily, sweeping the Bronze currency toward his chest and counting them rapidly. He then added, "Forty-five Bronze pieces exactly! Now get out of my sight!" He threw the two packages containing the vegetation and materials directly at Zed’s face.

Zed glared at the apothecary with looks of pure hatred. The apothecary knew perfectly well that the sole reason he had refrained from executing this youth was the strict law prohibiting any harm to the slaves of other Alchemists to prevent internal conflicts. Zed gathered his purchases, placed them inside the packages, and exited the apothecary without bothering to look back, his face completely flushed crimson from intense rage.

"I desire to slaughter that bastard," Zed stated sharply.

"You lack the necessary strength to execute that action currently, and you will not possess it for a period of time," Ester replied with absolute calmness. "We must first form your Spirit Power Center."

Zed’s physical vessel was trembling with rage; his animosity was not directed solely toward the apothecary, but he seemed to harbor hatred for the entire world at that moment. He exclaimed, "I want to destroy everything! I want to eradicate everyone and everything surrounding me until no entity ever dares to treat me in this degrading manner again!"

Ester’s tone became entirely serious, and she inquired out of curiosity, "Are you uttering these violent words merely because you became enraged by the actions of that petty apothecary?"

"I do not know," Zed replied, "but I absolutely cannot tolerate or accept such treatment."

Ester offered no external commentary, but an invisible smile formed within the depths of her spiritual essence. Despite Zed’s complete loss of memory, his absolute will and ancient pride had not shifted a single step. She muttered words to herself that did not reach Zed’s ears: "Splendid, I am pleased to see you like this again. Your will remains entirely intact."

Ester then continued aloud in a serious tone, "I shall grant you the strength you seek, but you must first swear and covenant that you will not deviate from the path I chart for you, and that you will execute my conditions completely without hesitation."

Zed did not hesitate in his response; Ester had already demonstrated that she was a reliable guide. He stated directly, "I will do whatever you request of me, just grant me the power!"

"Power is not bestowed upon anyone, Zed," Ester clarified. "You must earn it through your own will and effort; I am merely here to offer guidance and direction. If your will is potent enough, you will eventually attain what you desire. Now, if you request my guidance, you must accept my terms."

"What are your conditions?" Zed inquired.

"You must eradicate and destroy every single member of the Eternal race!" Ester commanded with absolute finality.

Zed was taken aback by the designation he was hearing for the first time and asked, bewildered, "The Eternals?"

"The Eternals are a cosmic race, the supreme and most potent race in existence—the true gods," Ester explained, her voice saturated with cruelty and a thirst for vengeance. "I believed the final five members had been thoroughly exterminated, but I recently discovered that more of them are concealing themselves within this world. I want you to eliminate them all; if you give me your oath on this matter, I shall grant you my absolute guidance." Ester harbored an intense craving to eradicate her own kind.

"I swear to you that I will execute that action once I attain sufficient power," Zed stated steadfastly. "What is your second condition?"

"The second condition is that you must construct a new body for me," Ester continued. "I am an Eternal, and my soul cannot occupy anything less than superior vessels. Since I cannot usurp the body of another Eternal, the sole available option is to seize a vessel from the Demon race, as they are the closest in power to our kind. If you manage to capture a potent demon, you will need to secure five specific items to bind my soul inside it. First, you must locate the Tear of God vein. Second, bring the three heads of the Hellhound. Third, bring strands of hair from the Mermaid. Fourth, seize the staff of the Demon Lord." She paused briefly before continuing in a tone dripping with hatred that Zed could feel in his thoughts: "And finally, you must deliver the Enemy's heart."

"I do not know what those things are or where they exist," Zed stated honestly.

"You will learn of them in due time," Ester answered. "They all exist within this world, and you can secure them in the future if you maintain your will and continue your pursuit of strength."

"I accept," Zed replied without a second of deliberation. "I do not require time to reflect; I will certainly become strong enough to secure those items one day."

"I believe that!" Ester stated confidently. "Now, distance yourself from the city as much as possible, and proceed to a desolate location where no human entity exists."

Zed began running toward the external city gates without determining a specific destination, wanting only to distance himself. He ran for hours continuously, and though his new body was frail and weak, his iron will was the driving force. Blood began to seep from his feet, leaving marks on the ground with every step, and his breathing became severely restricted, yet he refused to halt or catch his breath. As he maintained his pace, he began to sense a sinister, dark aura emanating from the surrounding environment.

When he finally halted after seven full hours of continuous running, his eyes had completely lost their luster from sheer physical exhaustion.

"I shall grant you a surge of power for one single time," Ester stated. Within a thousandth of a second, Zed’s body flashed with a faint light and instantly extinguished. At that exact moment, his physical vessel was completely restored; the wounds and bleeding vanished from his feet, his respiration rate and blood pressure stabilized, and every trace of pain vanished.

"Enter the forest now," Ester commanded with a potent voice. Zed stared at the forest before him without exhibiting the slightest indication of fear. The dense black clouds shrouding the sky and the massive trees interwoven with black vines did not intimidate him. Despite sensing the ominous spiritual aura and the limitless expanse of the forest, he ignored it and advanced inside until he halted upon Ester’s command.

"Extract the vegetation and alchemical materials now, and place the vials upon the ground!" Ester instructed. Zed complied immediately, arranging the materials as requested.

"I shall now assume complete control of your physical body," Ester warned. "I cannot sustain this state for an extended duration, so do not offer any spiritual resistance." Before Zed could formulate a response, his body suddenly felt as though it were being consumed by fire, and his spiritual consciousness was violently pulled into a dark, distant space. Though the terrifying whispers and howling in that void made him uneasy, he remained silent, enduring the burning agony consuming his soul.

During that period, which felt like an eternity to Zed, Ester utilized his physical vessel to blend the herbs and prepare the formulation. She grasped each plant, crushing them so that the extracted fluids and essence flowed directly from his palms into the alchemical vials, discarding the spent plant material afterward.

Upon combining the nine herbs, Ester placed the final ingredients inside the tenth vial, then raised her hands toward the sky, chanting an incantation with a booming voice: "Gates of heaven! As the wise and controlling power over the forces of darkness, I command you now!!! Bestow the power of this cursed forest upon this vessel!!!" At that exact moment, the accumulated black clouds in the sky began to shift and churn with intense turbulence.

Black lightning split the clouds suddenly, dividing into ten separate bolts that struck the ten vials arranged upon the ground, instantly transforming the colored fluids within them into a pitch-black hue. Ester quickly gathered the vials, pouring nine of them directly over Zed’s body, and when she reached the tenth, she raised it and drained it completely.

Ester extended Zed’s arm, and utilizing the fingernail of her other hand, which had suddenly elongated, she sliced across the wrist in a rapid motion. As blood flowed abundantly toward the soil, she began moving in circular patterns to construct a complex array upon the ground—a symbol composed of two intersecting triangles containing ancient characters and a language never before seen in this world.

"Forces of darkness!!! Bless this body!" Ester roared once more. This time, four distinct black lightning bolts descended from the heavens, striking four precise points anchoring the circular array surrounding Zed’s body. The intersecting triangles immediately illuminated with black and purple light, and a massive column of spiritual light erupted toward the sky, targeting the core of the clouds.

The vast forest trembled and the sky shook violently under the weight of this energy, as Zed’s body received the blessing and reformation beneath that dense black and purple light. This chaotic state persisted for one full minute before the light column began to contract, withdrawing completely into Zed’s physical vessel.

When the light vanished entirely, Zed’s clothing had been completely shredded and scattered; however, his physical vessel, which had been weak and frail, was now overflowing with immense spiritual energy and visible muscular definition. His muscles were sharply sculpted, and his physical stature had expanded. Directly in the center of his chest, at the intersection of the rib cage, a circular emblem measuring three centimeters in diameter materialized. It contained an intersecting star-like triangle at its center, with mysterious ancient characters inscribed upon every corner, indicating the birth of the newly formed, darkness-blessed Spirit Power Center.