Orion didn't immediately return to training after waking up. He first freshened up and had a bath. After that, he met up with his sister and Elyn for a quick breakfast before returning to his room.
"This time, I will try to go beyond five hours."
He thought as he activated four of his curses in Curse Transformation mode.
Once again, he was bombarded with torrents of negative emotions. He closed his eyes as the negative emotions began to affect him and meditated, allowing time to crawl by.
He quickly pulled through four hours, but as he slowly reached the five-hour limit, he began to lose consciousness again.
Determined not to succumb this time, he held on with all his strength. The negative emotions surged, threatening to overwhelm him, but Orion focused on his goal. His breaths grew ragged, and his body trembled under the strain, but he refused to give in.
Six hours passed, and Orion felt a slight shift. The negative emotions were still powerful, but he could sense a faint control over them. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress. He pushed himself further.
As the seventh hour approached, Orion's vision blurred, and his mind wavered. He couldn't control himself anymore; the strain on him was too much. It felt as if he had been holding an explosion from bursting out, and he was at the limit of controlling that explosion.
'This is it, I guess,' he thought.
In the end, he deactivated the curses and collapsed onto the floor, drenched in sweat, but a small smile played on his lips. He had surpassed his previous limit, and though it was a small victory, it was a significant step towards mastering his powers.
Just like that, Orion continued to train, pushing his limits each day, and spent some time with his sister and Elyn. They explored the city, enjoying its sights and sounds, and bonded over meals and conversations. The two days passed quickly, filled with moments of laughter and rigorous training.
Soon enough, the time for the dungeon opening arrived.
In his room, Orion felt a mix of excitement and anticipation as he thought of the curses he could copy during this time.
He hoped his luck would soon return to normal; otherwise, his excitement about getting good curses would remain just that—excitement.
Knock!
"Orion, let's go to the dungeon site," his sister's voice came through the door.
"Coming," he replied.
"Is that the symbol of the Dungeon Management Association?" he asked his sister.
"It is," Emily nodded.
Orion mused, 'These people from the Dungeon Management Association sure are arrogant. They made everyone wait and arrived so late.'
He understood that their power justified this attitude. The control over all the dungeons in the three domains made them one of the few superpowers in the entire universe.
Most importantly, they weren't under the jurisdiction of the royal family of the Magus Kingdom or any power within the three domains. There was an authority above the three domains that controlled the Dungeon Management Association, known as the Celestial Court.
His sister had mentioned that the Celestial Court was the highest-ranking power in the entire Montreux Universe. Any order given by them had to be obeyed immediately by all three domains.
In a way, the Celestial Court was like the ruler of the entire three domains. Because of its existence, the three domains were at peace; otherwise, they would likely be at war over the resources each domain held.
'There were seven of them.'
Orion noticed seven individuals emerging from the shuttle and landing before them. Four were kids about their age, and the other three were middle-aged men. They all carried an air of arrogance, as if they were high and mighty, looking down at the people gathered around the hill.
This made Orion wonder why people from higher powers always had arrogance etched on their faces. He couldn't understand it, especially since he was also from one of the seven magi families. Aside from his big brother, nobody else in his family had that arrogance.
"The dungeon exploration this time will be led by our Young Master here," one of the middle-aged men announced, pointing to one of the four young men who had arrived with them.
The declaration surprised everyone, and most present became visibly unhappy. They understood that if someone else led the expedition, any skill books or treasures obtained from monster kills would likely be confiscated. Ultimately, they would exit the dungeon empty-handed, a loss for many who had paid to enter.
This dissatisfaction hung palpably in the air, but no one dared to voice their objections.
The people from the Dungeon Management Association could see the dissatisfaction among the crowd, but they remained indifferent. They had encountered such reactions many times before and were accustomed to it.
The middle-aged man who had made the announcement gazed at the crowd and introduced the young man with evident pride.
"His name is Carl Rollins, a member of Archon."
Gasps rippled through the crowd as soon as he uttered those words.