I Can Copy Curses

After pondering for a moment, he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, an excited expression spread across his face.

'My control over lightning has increased, and the strength of the lightning itself has improved.'

Although the changes weren't visible on the outside, Orion could feel a distinct difference in his control and the strength of the lightning. While the increase wasn't massive, there was a noticeable improvement in both aspects.

'The increase is almost negligible, but...' Orion turned his attention to the tree, gazing at the thousands of leaves. 'If the quantity is high enough, it could be a different matter altogether.'

The thought of how much all those lightning leaves could enhance his control and strength made him tremble with excitement. He couldn't wait to absorb each and every one of them.

'But first,' Orion glanced at the onlookers behind him. If he started taking the leaves from the tree and absorbing them one by one, it would undoubtedly raise their suspicions. Although that alone wasn't a major concern, if his actions were reported to the Dungeon Management Association, it could spell real trouble.

So, he needed to...

As he thought about this, Orion noticed they were blankly staring at him.

'Damn, they really have nothing better to do,' he thought, feeling a bit irritated by their stubborn behavior. Despite him clearly stating that everything here was his, they were still watching him with pitiful eyes.

Orion sighed and called out to them, "Everyone, come here."

The crowd of onlookers looked at each other in confusion, unsure of what Orion wanted. But their eyes soon lit up with realization—they saw it as an opportunity to get their hands on something valuable. They quickly walked over to him.

Orion nodded and addressed them with a kind tone, "I've seen your patience and feel that you are worthy of receiving some treasures."

The crowd buzzed with excitement. Just moments ago, they had been worried they might return empty-handed from the dungeon, but their luck had turned at the last moment.

The thought of giving the treasures to the leader of the expedition group didn't even cross their minds. They were simply thrilled at the prospect of getting their share.

Orion smiled at their excited faces and then said with a hint of pity, "But I'm not sure if I should give you anything or not." He began to ponder as if deep in thought.

Their excitement quickly turned to dejection at his words. They couldn't tell if Orion was joking or if they were being played with.

"Young Master Orion, could you explain your hesitation?" one of the braver men in the crowd asked hesitantly.

Orion sighed, and the pity in his eyes deepened as he looked at them again.

"Reason? There isn't one in particular. I just know you guys will go deep into the dungeon, and given your strength, I bet all of you will die. So, I'm pondering whether I should give the treasures to those outside the dungeon instead. If you go forward and die, my treasures will be wasted."

As the crowd listened to Orion's words, realization dawned on them. They began to see the truth in his statement—given their strength, they were unlikely to survive if they ventured deeper into the dungeon. After some discussion, they reached a decision.

"We've made a decision," said the man who had previously asked Orion.

Orion's expression turned serious as he looked at him. "What is it?"

The man glanced back at the crowd, seeing them nod in agreement. He took a deep breath and said, "We've decided to return after receiving the treasures from you. We understand our own limitations and realize that going further would likely lead to our deaths. So, we will go back and wait at the entrance once you give us the treasures."

A frown appeared on Orion's face, and his expression grew even more serious as he listened.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern. "You might find valuable treasures if you venture deeper, but you'll only get the treasures I offer if you decide to go back. Think carefully."

The man shook his head firmly. "No, we've made our decision. It's better to take some treasures and be satisfied with them."

Orion sighed deeply, a look of genuine sadness crossing his face. "If that's your choice, who am I to change it?" He shook his head in resignation.

He then poured all the treasures he had collected in the dungeon onto the ground and said, "Alright, everyone. Each of you can take two treasures of your choice."

The crowd didn't hesitate. They eagerly moved forward, inspecting the treasures and selecting two items each.

After a few minutes, everyone in the crowd had chosen their weapons and items, their eyes shining with joy as they looked at Orion.

"Young Master Orion, we will leave now," the man from before said, bowing to Orion, followed by the rest of the crowd.

Orion sighed deeply before responding, "It's unfortunate that you have to leave, but I won't stop you. I respect your decision. However, I do have one request."

The man looked at Orion, curious. "What is it?"

Orion's expression darkened, and a brief flash of hesitation crossed his eyes.

"Young Master, if you have any request, just tell us. We will do our best to fulfill it," the man urged, noticing Orion's hesitation.

Orion sighed again and said, "Once you're outside, please don't mention that it was I who gave you these treasures. I have only a few left, and I can't share them with everyone. So, will you keep this between us?" His voice carried a note of apology.

"Hahaha, Young Master Orion, so that's your concern," the man burst into laughter upon hearing Orion's request. He had expected something more demanding, but this was surprisingly simple. "Don't worry about it. We promise we won't tell anyone about this."

The crowd behind him nodded in agreement.

Orion smiled warmly at their response. "Alright, you can go now. I'll focus on gathering as many treasures as I can."

The crowd nodded and quickly retreated, disappearing from Orion's view moments later.

As they left, Orion sighed with relief. "Damn, it was thrilling fooling them." He nodded to himself, pleased with his performance.

"Now, let's get to the main issue," he muttered, turning his attention back to the lightning tree.

After ensuring that no one was around, Orion activated the curse of Berserk Body in Curse Transformation mode and delivered a powerful punch to the tree.

The tree toppled, and without wasting any time, Orion collected all the leaves and stored them in his storage bracelet.

He checked the surroundings once more to make sure he was alone and sighed in relief.

'Perfect,' he thought, and then he headed deeper into the dungeon.

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Also, I was hoping you could leave some comments or reviews to let me know your thoughts!

*Some gifts would be appreciated as well, but up to you....