Few cursed spirits approached Lucy's place, sensing the cursed energy fluctuations coming from the large, broken window on the 13th floor of the luxury hotel.
However, they were torn apart by giant hairy claws as soon as they entered the room.
Through the broken glass window, the blood of cursed spirits flowed pierced by countless large octopus-like tentacles from a faceless black human-looking body, like it's a human-shaped darkness drowning on the bed of cursed spirits.
The cursed spirits wailed in agony, they are not dead, yet they can't move either.
A voice was heard from the human-shaped darkness as it muttered
"How .....pathetic. Nothing changed"
Lucy remembered her first life. Her whole life, it's just her trying to revive her parents. That, too, in a magicless world.
Or perhaps, she wanted to not accept the fact that they are killed. She lived her life normally, but she couldn't accept their death and used all her energy to revive them.
She knew how absurd an attempt that was. But, it's not just 1 attempt, she studied multiple religions, occult stuff, and fantasy books. Something to keep herself busy. Trying multiple Rituals, spells, and whatnot to revive them, wasting time and her life.
She's aware, what she's doing is meaningless.
But she didn't move on.
Then, she reincarnated, a fresh start, a new family, yet it ended before it could even begin.
Once again, spiralling into a pathetic state of just 'living' for the sake of living. Although for different reasons, the result is the same.
When the system first emerged, she thought her fate would change. Yet, she died pathetically.
Once again, reincarnated in this new world. Yet, still being miserable at the end, this time it's the system itself, her supposed source of strength, that made her feel pathetic.
"I'm done. No more being miserable. You think you can influence me, right? Very well, I will play this game. I don't know if you can hear me, but one day...."
All the cursed spirits are exorcised instantly. The Black tentacles retracted into her body, as the darkness figure changed into a tall, muscular yet feminine woman with purple hair.
"This is the day I will reincarnate."
Her cursed energy spiked as Lucy found purple amethyst lying in the room.
All the cursed energy Lucy gained outside the system's influence entered Amethyst; it contained her soul before her leveling up, the Explosive flesh cursed technique, memories, and information of her physical body.
Lucy's own cursed energy decreased a lot, returning to her original amount granted by the system.
'It's not enough. Explosive flesh is adequate to protect myself, but if I gave myself the power of creation, at least I could be safe and sound in most situations. It looks like I have to observe Megumi more.'
Lucy made a bunch of binding vows to complete the cursed object.
Kenjaku made a unique binding vow. The souls that turned into cursed objects are unable to influence the world unless they obtain a living vessel. As a result, the cursed objects became indestructible.
Lucy made a different vow.
She made the vow of only being allowed to possess dead people. This grants her complete control over the body. And she can possess multiple times.
She also made a vow to be able to influence the real world slightly; she still needs a body to operate, but at least she can manipulate cursed energy as a cursed object.
As a result, she lost the indestructible nature of the cursed object.
Finally, she made a binding vow where the cursed object is cut off from her into a different being to limit the influence of the system to herself and not the cursed object.
So, the Lucy that reincarnates won't have any system on her but will have cursed energy and cursed techniques.
Even though the cursed object and she are different beings now. She is mystically one being.
She also made a loophole binding vow, where the cursed object is truly completed when the real Lucy dies.
As a result, she can continuously add cursed techniques or other powers she gains outside the system's influence.
And even if she, the original, dies, she can still live on.
"It feels weird to be restricted and be free at the same time."
Lucy muttered as she changed back to a petite blonde.
A new set of clothes appeared on her body. Lucy went to another floor and began to think about her future plans.
Her gaze lingered on the ascension mission.
"When the Ritual completes, I won't have these convenient powers again. It's better to preserve them for further use."
She saw the exquisite door of the fancy room and removed it with the frame. Then, enchanted it with the 'Teleport' spell and pointed herself and already visited places in mind as the destination.
After that, she enchanted one of her eyes with a sleep spell. She found a random key she found in the room with a lock opening spell and an entrance finding spell.
"Simple domain"
A simple domain formed around Lucy. She made a binding vow tying the teleportation door, lock-opening key, and sleep-inducing eye with the simple domain. They are forever stored in the simple domain.
With 'Summon' as the keyword to summon them. The three objects sink into the simple domain.
"With this, those enchanted items will retain their enchantments forever. Now for the finishing touches."
She made another binding vow.
'I can summon the door, key, and eye directly through the cursed object, amethyst. In return, the amethyst can use the summons, too. If the Amethyst is reincarnated, I will forever lose the ownership of the cursed objects to the Amethyst'
In a way, Lucy used loopholes to transfer the ownership of objects.
'This way, the system's influence will be completely cut off from the enchanted objects.'
Although she doesn't know if her preparations have worked or not.
'This is the best I can do for now'
Lucy looked at the destroyed puppet of the ancient Sorcerer.
The sorcerer truly died due to dying as a puppet.
She destroyed him during her mental breakdown before. She didn't care to notice then, only now did she notice it when she summoned him again.
"You got your wish, you don't have strings on you anymore, and died like you wished. Hmmm, is this fate pulling the metaphorical strings? I guess we are all puppets of fate, being pulled by invisible strings. Now, if only I could highjack some of them."
A crazy smile appeared on Lucy.
"The invisible strings don't have to appear in only one country, right? "
Lucy quickly rushed to the surrounding buildings, searching for a dead body. Soon, she found a perfect one and healed the body with the reversed curse technique.
Then, placed the Amethyst in the girl's stomach directly by slicing her stomach open, placing the amethyst and healing the wound with reversed curse technique.Smoke rose from the girl's body, as the short girl instantly grew into a tall girl with purple hair.
{The book cover for reference}
As soon as the girl opened her eyes, Lucy lost the connection to the Door, key, and eye. Signifying the transfer of ownership.
Lucy soon felt two sets of visions and senses, but instantly got used to it.
Even though she and the girl share the visions. They think separately, if not for Lucy's telepathic abilities, she couldn't know what the girl is thinking, but the girl doesn't have such power. The girl only has the knowledge of the power the main body possesses.
The purple-haired girl answered, "It feels weird to have two sets of senses, yet I don't feel any connection to one of them and can sense them. Yet, I know them. It's ... magical"
"I feel there's nothing weird with it."
Lucy said smugly.
"Duh~, you are a [Monster], your organs are a decoration to you. I have human limitations. Anyway, when will you start the plan? "
"Not now, of course, just warn me when the time comes. I'll directly teleport to you. "
The purple-haired girl sighed, " Give me a name. It feels weird to use your name for myself."
" Name? How about Estella? I always wanted to use that Exotic name."
"Estella? I, too, like it."