Chapter 176: Domain & Netherworld Seal

[Arcane Domain Lv. 1: A Forbidden Arcanist can construct a Domain around themselves. Within the Arcane Domain, enemy skills, Talents, and Laws are significantly weakened, while Arcane skills are enhanced. The strength of the Arcane Domain depends on the number of skills the Forbidden Arcanist has mastered.]

[The Arcane Domain has two forms: Passive and Active.]

[Passive: The lesser form of the Arcane Domain. It is invisible and remains active at all times, but its suppression of enemies and enhancement of the user are significantly weakened.]

[Active: The true form of the Arcane Domain. Its effects are significantly stronger than those of the Passive form, but enemies of the same Level or higher can detect it.]

...

Domain.

This was the second time Aurelius had personally encountered that term, with the first being when he obtained the Sea God’s Trident.

Although he hadn’t used it in the past due to his own lack of Spirit, this Epic Relic also possessed a Lightning Domain, with similar, albeit weaker, effects compared to the Arcane Domain.

In the past, Aurelius hadn’t thought much of it, believing that a Domain was just like any other skill, nothing special.

Yet upon obtaining the inheritance of the Rank 6 Undead Knight, he realized he had been wrong.

According to some of the books contained in the inheritance, which included basic information about the higher Ranks, not every Awakener could obtain a Domain.

In the words of the book, a Domain was an ability exclusive to the more powerful Rank 4 Awakeners!

In a sense, it was the signature ability such powerhouses possessed, allowing them to suppress Awakeners of lower Ranks with ease.

’According to that book, a Rank 4 Awakener who has awakened one only needs to unfold their Domain, and their opponents will be instantly suppressed.’

’Much less fight. To even be able to offer any resistance, a Rank 3 Awakener would have to be extraordinary on their own right.’

Aurelius couldn’t help but take the ability more seriously.

He didn’t know if the Arcane Domain was similar to that of a Rank 4 Domain or if it had been adjusted according to his own Rank.

Just like most of his other abilities, he would have to personally test it to see how it functioned.

Even so, he had high hopes for Arcane Domain.

Even if it didn’t allow him to instantly suppress Rank 3 opponents, it would be fine if it granted him a massive advantage.

Nodding inwardly with faint satisfaction, Aurelius dismissed the description.

He was finally finished taking stock of the changes brought by his advancement to Rank 3.

However, that didn’t mean everything was over.

With a move of his mind, he opened the notification log and went through the previous notifications.

Instantly, he found what he was searching for.

...

[Netherworld Seal: A supreme skill born from the fusion of ten skills containing the power of Death and the Underworld...]

...

Aurelius didn’t have the time to take a deeper look at this skill earlier. Lost in the excitement and anticipation, he had instantly chosen to advance instead.

It was only now, when everything was over, that he was finally in the state of mind to examine it more closely.

Immediately, his eyes flashed.

’This skill... is somewhat interesting.’ Aurelius whispered inwardly.

Although it didn’t seem as earth-shattering as one would expect a skill fused from ten other skills to be, he didn’t underestimate it.

He felt this skill ought to have extraordinary potential, perhaps not lower than the skills he had obtained from his advancement.

Moreover, unlike Arcane Domain, Spirit Storm, and Arcane Tower, which required an enemy to test, both Netherworld Seal and Arcane Projection could be studied alone.

Thinking of this, Aurelius didn’t hesitate.

His eyes turned toward his right hand.

Then, based on the information in his mind, he controlled his Spirit to rush there and gather together.

Large amounts of Spirit fused.

With Aurelius’ consciousness as the pen and Spirit as ink, a peculiar symbol was slowly painted along the skin at the back of his hand.

Due to the symbol’s complexity, Aurelius found it difficult at first.

Fortunately, his high Intelligence and concentration ensured he did not make any mistakes.

As the symbol was being outlined, Aurelius felt a warm current flow through his hand, similar to when he had upgraded the Awakener’s Physique in the past.

Yet that warm current did not come from the Player Panel this time.

Instead, Aurelius could feel that the source of its power was different.

It was as though his hand had connected to a different dimension, drawing power from somewhere far beyond his perception and strengthening itself.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Aurelius did not stop.

After all, he had already started.

Due to its complicated nature, it took him several minutes before he finally completed the symbol.

Near the end, its true appearance was revealed.

It was a skeletal head, with two green flames in either of its eye sockets.

The moment the final stroke of Spirit landed, the green flames surged.

They rushed along his entire hand, quickly spreading through the rest of his arm and swirling around it eerily.

For a moment, it seemed as though Aurelius had caught on fire.

However, he didn’t have the time to look at it. Or rather, he didn’t have a chance.

The moment the Netherworld Seal was completed, Aurelius’ vision went dark.

When it cleared up again and he opened his eyes, he discovered that the underground room had vanished.

He seemed to have shed his physical vessel, floating midair like a lost ghost.

His surroundings only reinforced the ghost comparison even further.

A long, gray river flowed beneath him, its turbulent waves pushing forward and making shrill cries.

As for its shore, it was covered in pitch-black sand, devoid of any traces of living creatures.

There were no buildings, no ruins, and no signs that another living being had ever set foot here.

Combined with the dense aura of Death around him, Aurelius immediately realized where he was.

Underworld!

The moment that thought took root in his mind, Aurelius couldn’t help but panic instinctively.

After all, this was the place where the souls of the dead were guided to.

Other people, including Awakeners, might not necessarily believe in the existence of this plane.

But he, having come into contact with its tales during his adventures with Medea and then interacting with the Undead Knight, could be certain this place existed.

And now, he was actually here.

For a moment, Aurelius nearly cursed.

Was the skill he had wasted ten skills to create going to lead him to his own death?

Aurelius believed that no Arcanist had ever died in such an embarrassing way.

If this tale were to spread, he would surely become an eternal joke among other Awakeners.

"An Arcanist dies after creating his greatest skill by accidentally sending his soul into the Underworld."

Just thinking about such a headline made Aurelius feel like cursing even more.

Thankfully, perhaps because the Goddess of Fate heard his complaints and took pity on him, Aurelius’ consciousness slowly retreated.

As though it was being sucked away by a black hole, his vision went dark again.

When he opened his eyes, he saw himself in a familiar, dimly lit room.

The familiar surroundings allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.

Yet without him realizing it, he had already been drenched in cold sweat.

Clearly, although his consciousness had been separated from his body during this experience, their connection had not been severed.

His own body had reacted to his emotions.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Aurelius took several deep breaths before he finally managed to calm down.

’Damn it! I will never use Netherworld Seal again!’

’Isn’t this just seeking death?!’ he cursed inwardly.

He felt that he had been tricked!

Although everything had gone well this time, his intuition told him that his soul entering the Underworld was extremely dangerous.

Once. Twice. He might be safe.

But if he were to do so a few more times, it would surely lead to unintended consequences.

He didn’t know exactly what those consequences entailed. However, he could be certain they would have no good effect on him.

Thinking of this, Aurelius swore to never use this damned skill again.

He would never seek death! Both metaphorically and literally!

Yet only mere moments after he had made that vow, Aurelius looked down at his own arm.

The Netherworld Seal had disappeared. It was as though everything that happened had been a dream.

Yet Aurelius was not fooled.

He could sense that the Netherworld Seal was lurking inside his body, requiring a single command to burst out.

But even without him summoning it, the Netherworld Seal’s effects were already noticeable.

Unfathomable!

Aurelius felt that the strength of his hand and his entire arm had grown several times stronger.

Even upgrading his Mutated Demigod’s Physique would not bring such a significant change.

And this was only with him engraving a single Netherworld Seal.

He could sense he could engrave more, its effects stacking infinitely.

’Should I try it one more time?’ That thought soon emerged in his mind.