"Sure, I'm aware. But unlike Darius, you won't ask for my soul as payment. Besides, I'm sure you'll enjoy watching me endure the pain. How does this sound? As for the payment method, how about one-third of a mythical blue Taurea? It's over 4 thousand years old. That should be fair, right?"

Zeke paused, clearly taken aback. After a moment of thought, he broke into a grin. "You really are a sly fox, aren't you? How the hell did you manage to find such an old flower? Alright, deal. But be prepared, Kael. Awakening your aura will hurt like hell since we're going to force it. It will require you to deal with a tremendous amount of pain."

"I know. However, I need to awaken it before I enroll myself in the academy." Normally, one needs to go through intense training that requires dedication, will, concentration, and improvement. The most effective way to awaken it is through the practice of swordsmanship. Forcefully awakening aura takes up to two weeks. Every day, I would need to have aura injected directly into my brain, and that aura will stay within my head until more is added. I will probably have the worst headache, but I would need to do it until my brain creates a pathway for the aura to travel through my body.

"Very well, then. We'll start first thing tomorrow morning. Be ready for a world of pain, Kael. This won't be a walk in the park. As for the payment, I don't really need it at the moment, so let's wait until you're prepared. Using it now would be wasteful."

I nodded, fully aware of the challenge that lay ahead. "I'm aware of the pain. I just hope I don't pass out." Seriously, passing out during the pain could cause serious brain damage.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

Back at the shop, Desolara and Eira seemed to have hit it off. The pair were chatting animatedly, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was good to see Desolara opening up and starting to feel more at ease. This was a new beginning for her, and I was glad to be a part of it.

"Yo, Kael," Eira greeted me, a friendly smile on her face. "Desolara is a fast learner. She does everything I ask her without any mistakes—way better than that annoying rascal."

I grinned, feeling a sense of relief. Thankfully, Eira managed to actually get along with someone. "That's great to hear, Eira. I knew you two would get along. Desolara, how are you feeling about everything?"

Desolara thought for a second, her eyes slightly less empty than before. "I'm really grateful for this opportunity, Kael. I promise to work hard and do my best."

I nodded, pleased with her response. "That's all we can ask for, Desolara. I'm confident you'll do great." I was still unsure what to do with Desolara. I planned to ask Zeke to teach her basic magic control after he helped me with my aura problem, but the real issue lay with the corruption. How the hell was I supposed to stop it? "Hey, you stupid system, tell me how to stop it."

[You shouldn't call anyone smarter than you stupid.]

[╭∩╮（︶︿︶）╭∩╮]

This damned system, you freaking bastard, just tell me what I want to know!

[Corruption, in simple terms, will increase based on emotions, behavior, beliefs, and mentality. The more unstable someone is, the faster the corruption will increase.]

[Note: As the corruption increases, it will affect the way the person behaves and thinks.]

Alright, I already knew half of that. I'm asking you how I should solve the issue of corruption.

[Any normal corruption could be solved by visiting a temple. However, Desolara the Calamity is being corrupted by a devil. A devil's corruption cannot be removed unless a god or goddess directly takes action. The best option for someone like you would be to ensure Desolara the Calamity keeps her emotions and mindset in check.]

I feared it was going to be like this. Since devils are high-level existences, not even the saintess would be able to do much. The best thing to do would be to ensure that Desolara doesn't experience anything traumatic and to enhance her positive emotions.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

The next day, I found myself in a nondescript room with Zeke. His brown eyes were sharp, a cruel glint flickering as he prepared to assist me in awakening my aura. The room was bare, save for a single wooden table, a few chairs, and a small bed. A strong, almost stifling, magical aura filled the room.

Zeke raised an eyebrow, an eerie grin twisting his features. "Ready to be tortured, Kael?"

His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I steeled myself for what was to come. "Let's get started, Zeke."

He began to chant, and I could feel a strange, constant energy emanating from him, like the static charge before a storm. The room itself seemed to vibrate with the force of his power. The next thing I knew, a jolt of raw energy shot into my skull, and my world erupted into sheer, unadulterated agony.

It felt as if my brain was being ripped apart, each nerve ending set ablaze with unbearable pain that seemed to seep into my very soul. It was a level of suffering that I'd never experienced before, a torment so profound that it stripped me of any coherent thought. I writhed on the floor, my body convulsing as I was wracked with spasms of torment.

Zeke watched me impassively, seemingly holding back his laughter. "Pain is a part of growth, Kael," he said, grinning like the psycho he was. "You must embrace it."

His words echoed through my mind, but they did little to alleviate my agony. If anything, the pain seemed to intensify, growing until I felt as if I was being torn apart from the inside out.

The hours turned into days, and the days into an eternity. The pain was relentless, a constant onslaught of torture that threatened to shatter my sanity. Yet, amidst the agony, I could feel something stirring within me. A raw, primal force that thrummed with a life of its own.

My aura.

On the seventh day, something shifted. The agony that had been my constant companion began to recede, replaced with a strange sense of calm. I could feel my aura, a pulsating force of energy that ebbed and flowed with my heartbeat.

Zeke watched me closely, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "How the hell did you do that? The pain is supposed to last a couple more days," he said, a note of curiosity in his voice. "Tsk, you're probably highly talented in flow control."

His words spurred me on, and I focused on my aura, guiding it through my body with newfound control. The pain was still there, but it was now bearable. It was a painstaking process, but with each passing moment, I could feel my mastery over my aura growing.

On the fourteenth day, I finally managed to awaken my aura fully. It was a moment of triumph, the culmination of two weeks of intense suffering. My aura flared around me. Although it quickly disappeared, the curse stopped me from using my aura for longer than a minute. Though I could still control the aura within my body without issues, it was weird. It felt too natural, like an extra limb I've always had. I'm sure I don't need to use a common circulation method, I feel like I can make my own. This makes no sense, but I'm not complaining. I'm not sure why, but since I have amazing control over it, I can enhance it and improve it faster than others.

"Well done, Kael," Zeke said. "To be honest, I thought you would pass out and die from brain damage. It was getting annoying stuffing water and food down your throat. Take a bath and get some sleep, we'll catch up tomorrow."

"Sure thing, Zeke," I managed to respond, my voice sounding weak even to my own ears. I was utterly drained, my body screaming for rest. The past two weeks had been a blur of agonizing pain, but the result was worth every moment of suffering.

I had awakened my aura.

I barely made it to my room before collapsing onto the bed, my energy finally giving out. I was so exhausted that I didn't even bother to undress, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep almost instantly.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

I awoke feeling remarkably refreshed. A quick glance at the window revealed it was already late afternoon, indicating that I had slept for a significant amount of time. I sat up gradually, assessing my body's condition. A dull throb persisted in my head, but the crippling pain was gone.

Climbing out of bed, I took a moment to observe myself. My body felt different, as if an unseen energy was coursing through my veins, bestowing a sense of power I had never experienced before. It felt as though I had been reborn. I decided to take a bath, as I reeked of nothing but sweat.

The subsequent hours were devoted to testing and familiarizing myself with my aura. I discovered that I could manipulate it to a certain degree, directing it to various parts of my body. The control felt instinctive, akin to breathing or walking; it was as if I had been doing it all my life. Now, the reason behind my need for aura came into focus. My weak bones increased the risk of injuries during training, which was why I had endured all that pain.

An idea sprang to mind: what if I could circulate my aura through my bones? By doing so, I could simultaneously strengthen my bones and augment my aura, using my bones as a storage system. This wasn't a simple task, requiring a deep understanding of the pathways through which aura flowed. Yet after several hours of intense focus, I managed to establish a network of aura within my bones, a feat I could only attribute to my unusual talent for control.

This innovative technique had its own peculiarities. My aura, now intricately woven through the marrow and the dense mineral matrix of my bones, would slowly build up over time, gradually reinforcing my skeletal system. However, it demanded calmness for the circulation to remain active. It was an unusual method, certainly not one a typical person would employ. But given my circumstances, and the pesky curse I was dealing with, it seemed like a necessary compromise.

Having achieved a satisfactory grasp on my aura, I made my way to the shop, keen to check on Desolara, Ash, and Eira.