The Strongest Curse Master

Returning home, I entered the house to find my enraged mother, while the rest of the family silently ate their breakfast as quietly and slowly as possible so as not to get caught in my mother's line of fire, but also not lose the front seats to the drama that was about to start.

Yes, drama. There comes a time in every teenager's life when they challenge the authority of their parents. In my case, I have repeatedly challenged my father's authority only to later learn that he was right. Let us just take the forest fire up the mountains of my old neighbourhood as an example. That day, I learned never to put faith in the government to do its job.

Today, I not only challenged my mother's authority for the first time but also aggressively acted on it. I had seen my mother handle my sister's rebellion enough times to know that her first instinct was to break her children so that they had no choice but to depend on her.

My unreasonable mother's style of parenting was selfish and brutal, very different from my father's, who always welcomed my challenges. Maybe, thats why I butted heads with him more times than I can remember. However, every time I felt a step closer to manhood.

As much as I love my mother, I think she was one of the big reasons my mid-twenties sister moved in with us and still collects a secret weekly allowance from our father.

"Auntie, please set a plate for me. I will have my breakfast in my room," I informed Pam, who was frying pancakes, ignoring my mother, just like when I took Lyra to invite Dee3 for breakfast on my father's say so. In my defence, my mother started it.

Just when I thought living with my relatives worked in my favor, Pam shook her head, saying, "Sorry, little buddy, no breakfast for you until you apologize to your mother. And come clean about what's going on between you and that girl."

My mother's unreasonable parenting book was already in play. She would continue to ignore me until I addressed her. And once I did, all hell would break loose.

Also, without her having to ask, my father, sister, and the rest of the family had already begun to feel pressed to choose sides between me and her. The unspoken rules of society dictate that the family and relatives always side with the parent because parents always know better.

This was to distance the family and relatives from me, the problem child, making me feel lonely and guilty, as if I had done something humongously wrong.

It seems my relatives had chosen my mother, as for father, without even looking at him, I knew he was on my mother's side. You know, for a wise man, he didn't realize how whipped he was. Or he just preferred it that way. All great men were believed to have a quirk. I believe my father's quirk was my mother.

This trick would work like a charm on most teenagers, but not me. I was confident in my abilities, and my family was the only luxury and indulgence in my life that I allowed myself to have. Otherwise, I would have run away from home, killed Mike and every other member of 9Ks I could find, the very night I learned about my miraculous curse abilities.

Should having a family be considered a luxury? In my books, yes. I believe if you don't have the power to protect something, you don't deserve to have it. Back when Mike used to threaten me with my sister's life, every night I would pray by my bed—nay beg, 'Please, god don't take away the precious things I got.'

Never Again!

"Fine, I am dropping out of high school. Also, I plan on going on a road trip across the country soon," I finally decided that it was time I stepped deeper into the 'World of Curses.' This was way ahead of my schedule.

I originally planned to leave after my graduation and help Mandy establish the Fasting pill industry. But I threw all my plans into the dustbin on a whim fueled by rage. Not towards my mother but myself, feeling I wasn't doing enough to ensure I get to enjoy the only luxury I cherished in this world, my family, till the end of time or even beyond that.

"Good, until then, you can join your uncle and learn how to run a ranch and an orchard from him," Pam quipped with a stern gaze, seeing which Danny shuddered in his chair, even if the gaze was not directed at him but at his cousin.

Pam did not like her sister-in-law's parenting style, but today, listening to her promising nephew say he was planning to drop out of high school, she decided to borrow the reasonable parenting book.

"Fine! I will start by collecting eggs from the hen coop." I agreed, suddenly feeling a craving for a couple of sunny-side-up omelettes.

"Nice try, I cleaned the coop first thing in the morning. Don't you dare touch the tangerines or avocados," Pam warned her nephew, having seen through his intention.

"Then, what am I supposed to eat?" I complained, for someone who could access all the digital money in the world, I was too afraid to go a dinner to satisfy my hunger. I just knew if I went to a dinner, I would be escalating this into a feud from a small disagreement. Informing that I was dropping out of high school was already huge, I could go hungry for a few days or sneak some food from the McSuile's.

"You should have thought about that before threatening to drop out of school," Pam said smugly, reading her hands on her hips. "Just apologize to your mother and erase the word 'dropping out' from your dictionary. I will fix you a plate."

"..." I slapped my forehead in irritation, realizing they didn't think I was being serious, before heading back to my room and locking the door behind me. They will realize I was being serious once my school calls.

The thought of trying to talk things out with my mother did cross my mind. Knowing how unreasonable and stubborn she could be, I didn't entertain that thought. Instead, I decided to dismantle each page in my mother's parenting book, defeat her in her own game, and then, when she was too tired from consecutive defeats to resist, I would talk.

Besides, now that it was out there, I decided to drop out and focus on advancing to Knight-tier and stepping deeper into the 'World of Curses.' I preferred to meet the 'World of Curses' on my terms rather than it dragging me to it, like in the case of the Samsara Cult.

I tried so hard to remain non-existent, but overnight I became Samsara Slayer, the hero who exterminated the Samsara Cult. Fortunately, after Janice traded the information, I wiggled out of Elder Mitch a.k.a Emmitt Evell, the descendant of Overlord Ergon Evell and Elder of the Samsara cult, with General Kerrigan, the big forces with huge connections up the government's ladder withdrew their men, seeing their departure the smart ones also followed while the ignorant ones were still squatting outside his house.

However, due to the deterrent of Janice McSuile, neither dared to take action against Ace or his family. They, too, would soon leave, and once the government reveals the existence of the Roanoak, the Samsara slayer would be a thing of the past as forces geared up to raid the Roanoak colony for its treasures.

After all, as far as the government was concerned, remnants of Overlords needed to be eradicated at any cost. They were not above using the greed of the Overlords' treasure to use the curse forces around the country to achieve it, as a war wasn't costly as long as everyone was willing to split the bill.

I had no plans to participate in the war. However, I was looking forward to it as it would serve as a good cover for me to steal the prized treasure of the Overlords without the natives realising or before the allied force found the treasury.

Therefore, focusing on advancing my tier and my Toy summons was all the more important for me than trying to coddle my mother's feelings. Regardless of the damage I do, I am sure the Mary whisperer will work his charm. Besides, I am her son. Even if she planned to disown me, I had no plans of disowning or changing her. I love her as she is. Her unreasonable side was annoying at times, but it also led to some of the most fond memories in my life. Just as everything has its merits and demerits, my mother's unreasonable and stubborn side did too.

I'm what I am today because of who she is.

I love you, Mom.

I'm sorry that I must cause you pain as I grow.

I know you'll find the strength to love me through it silently,

Just as you found the strength to cut your flesh to bring me into this world.