Dragon's Wrath: The Cursed Returnee



Ethan had witnessed the consequences of succumbing to the malevolent energy firsthand. It had brought pain, suffering, and despair, turning individuals into mindless vessels of destruction. It was a force that threatened to consume both the wielder and those around them, as it fed upon negative emotions and drove its users to acts of cruelty and malice.

"However, sometimes, not enough malevolent energy is created when one person dies with regret, so what happens with that?" Luneria asked.

"Energy can't be destroyed… only transformed," Emily said while rubbing her chin. "Does it affect the physical world? I can't see that happening…"

"Sometimes it does, but sometimes it doesn't," Luneria explained. "Most of the time, it doesn't, and the malevolent energy goes to the beyond. It attracts each other like a magnet and keeps growing and feeding itself on it."

As Ethan delved deeper into his reflections, a startling realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. He began to see the striking similarities between his curse and the malevolent energy that now plagued their world. Both forces possessed a voracious appetite, a consuming nature that devoured everything in its path.

Just as the malevolent energy corrupted and twisted the minds of its wielders, Ethan's curse had a similar effect. It fed on the life force of his enemies, granting him immense power but at the cost of their very existence. The more enemies he vanquished, the stronger he became. Still, he couldn't deny the unsettling truth that his curse, like the malevolent energy, consumed without mercy or distinction.

The parallels between his curse and the malevolent energy left Ethan with a mix of awe and apprehension. He recognized the immense power within him, the potential for destruction and chaos that lay dormant. Yet, he also felt a deep sense of responsibility and the need to wield this power judiciously, to temper its malevolent nature with his own sense of justice and compassion.

"That must be why I was unable to drain their mana," Ethan thought.

"Aside from malevolent energy, something like the inverse of it can also be created," Luneria said. "That kind of energy can also be harnessed and used. However, it doesn't gain consciousness like the malevolent energy. The energy ends up being used when it is necessary, by the will of the worlds."

As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, Ethan and his companions came to a profound realization. They understood that the source of their powers, their extraordinary abilities, stemmed from the worlds they had been summoned to.

Through their experiences in these foreign realms, they had tapped into the unique energies and forces that permeated each world. The magic, the elemental essences, the cosmic energies—they all contributed to the manifestation of their powers.

Ethan and his friends recognized that their abilities were not random or coincidental but rather a direct result of their connection to these otherworldly realms. The landscapes they had traversed, the encounters they had faced, and the trials they had overcome had left an indelible mark on their beings.

"Calling it benevolent energy would be weird. Most people call it survival instincts since the will of the world only uses it when they are in danger," Luneria said. "They also need vessels to show all of their powers."

"I already imagined that we are basically vessels of power, but I didn't think that worlds would have wills," Dante said while furrowing his eyebrows. "It is something like the Gaia theory?"

Gaia theory, also known as the Gaia hypothesis, is a scientific concept that suggests the Earth functions as a self-regulating system capable of maintaining the conditions necessary for life to thrive. Developed by British scientist James Lovelock in the 1960s, the theory draws inspiration from the ancient Greek goddess Gaia, who personified the Earth.

According to Gaia's theory, the Earth is viewed as a complex, interconnected system where the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components interact and influence each other. The theory proposes that life on Earth actively participates in shaping and maintaining the conditions that support it rather than simply being a passive product of the environment.

One of the central ideas of Gaia's theory is that living organisms, collectively known as the biosphere, play a vital role in regulating the Earth's temperature, composition of gases, and other environmental factors. For example, the balance of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, is influenced by processes such as photosynthesis and respiration carried out by plants, animals, and microorganisms.

The Gaia theory suggests that life and the environment are intricately connected, forming a feedback loop in which the Earth's systems work to maintain stability and optimize conditions for life. This concept challenges the traditional view of the Earth as a passive, inert planet. It emphasizes the dynamic and interconnected nature of our planet.

"No, the world that I refer to is the collective will of the inhabitants of the worlds. When they realize that they are in danger, they wish for someone or something to save them. That is how the summoning rituals start," Luneria explained.

The group came to a realization that they were not being directly controlled by any external force or being. They were not mere puppets in someone else's grand plan. While this realization brought a sense of freedom, it also brought to light another unsettling truth: they felt like they were being treated as world cleaners tasked with resolving crises and cleaning up the messes left behind by others.

Despite their incredible powers and abilities, the group felt that their opinions and desires were often ignored or overlooked. They were expected to step in and fight battles, protect the innocent, and restore balance to the worlds they were summoned to. Still, there was little consideration for their personal wishes or the consequences they faced.

This realization created a mix of frustration and disillusionment within the group. They began to question the fairness of their circumstances and the lack of agency they had over their own lives. They longed for a sense of autonomy, a chance to have their voices heard and their choices respected.

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