Cursed System-Chapter 34: bottleneck

I stared at the multiple notifications with a mix of surprise, delight, and finally, a creeping sense of fear.

I was genuinely happy about the rewards from completing a hidden quest, but the upgraded punishment for failure almost completely ruined my mood.

Even now, that b*stard System felt like it was breathing down on my neck. What’s worse, I knew the System definitely wasn’t bluffing. It was entirely possible it could kill me on the spot and toss me back into the reincarnation realm for another round.

I was seriously confused about what the System actually was—and what it thought of me. Maybe, to it, I was nothing more than a host. Like a freaking parasite clinging to my body.

’So if I hadn’t subconsciously completed the hidden quest, the punishment would have been death itself...

’Dammit! It looks like I definitely can’t put all my hopes on this damn thing.’

I let out a deep sigh, but the rewards quickly brightened my mood again.

Completing a hidden quest might not be so bad after all, I thought, especially since I had obtained Mana Sensitive in the process.

And I even created a Sub-Technique? I smiled faintly at that.

Soon, my days settled into a routine. Every day consisted of practicing the meditation technique and my Sub-Technique, and with Mana Sensitive now awakened, everything flowed together much more smoothly.

Since discovering the System after arriving in this world, I had gradually grasped the basics of the meditation technique through relentless practice.

Over time, I felt myself gaining a deeper understanding of mana and my Mana core.

One important thing I discovered was that the Mana value shown in my stats didn’t represent the total Mana within my Mana core.

Instead, it represented how much Mana I could actually access and control. In fact, I had a strong feeling that my Mana core itself contained an almost limitless amount of Mana, and that my Mana stat simply dictated how much of it I could wield as that point, and as stat increased.

After awakening Mana Sensitive, I also learned that natural mana was a formless, unconcentrated gas—a complex elemental energy that permeated the world.

Creating even a basic elemental form required multiple steps. First, I had to perceive the specific filament of elemental mana I wanted to control.

Then, using Mana Sensitive, I needed to understand its movement pattern.

After that came the mixing—blending the elemental mana with the Mana emanating from my body. The final step, and by far the hardest, was condensing it into a stable entity and then controlling it.

All of this steadily increased my control. Since natural mana had no physical form, I had to rely entirely on my perception and Mana Sensitive.

Using my own power without borrowing natural elemental mana was even harder, requiring far more focus than my meditation technique. The clearer my perception and intent, the better the result.

As my training progressed smoothly, I eventually managed to clench my fist and conjure a small wisp of earth magic. It barely lasted a minute, but it was still undeniable proof of progress.

With increased comprehension came increased control. After a month—no, nearly a year—I felt confident enough to hear sounds up to a hundred meters away, and with Cursed Eyes, I could see clearly even at night, seamlessly shifting between day and night vision.

I could also slightly lift a wooden chair. Even though I could move around and perform all these feats without instantly exhausting myself, I still hadn’t tested most of my other abilities, skills, or techniques.

I was careful with everything I did. I had already discovered that my infant body possessed an absurd amount of strength for a baby.

Eventually, I shifted the focus of my nighttime training toward refining control rather than accumulating attribute points.

My Mana was still very limited—only twenty one points—so I preferred mastering a few techniques perfectly instead of attempting something flashy and risking disaster.

The only downside to all this training was that I grew hungry faster and fatigued more easily. Thankfully, my unique situation provided enough benefits to keep my body and stomach functioning properly.

After getting a head start, I carved out free time dedicated solely to practicing the cursed meditation technique and my Sub-Technique.

One strengthened my body, while the other reinforced the durability of my Mana core. However, the Mana core eventually began to grow too fast and hit a bottleneck.

That’s when I realized some of my theories had been flawed. Even though the Sub-Technique strengthened my Mana core, it didn’t make it indestructible. Both my body and Mana core simply weren’t mature enough to handle an infinite amount of strength or Mana.

That also explained why, despite having over two hundred free attribute points, the System refused to let me increase my stats further.

In the end, it all came down to malnourishment.

As an abnormally developing child, the amount of food I needed constantly increased as I grew. I hadn’t realized this before, partly because the System’s constant restrictions distracted me. I also failed to notice that Gustav limiting my meals had slowed my body’s natural growth.

Now that my growth was accelerating, I had tp spend much time focusing on my powers and Mana core alone.

Previously, my body and Mana core had developed in balance, but after receiving those System notifications, that balance had suddenly broken.

Whenever I pushed my Sub-Technique too far, the System bombarded me with warnings.

Fortunately, the System still existed, and I was being fed properly again. Even without physical training, my physique continued to improve and transform thanks to the System.

That meant the bottleneck I was facing had more or less started a countdown—and it wouldn’t last forever.

[Author notes: Thank you for reading the novel if you want more Chapters please support the novel, we need golden tickets, powerstones, comments and reviews to increase the novel novel, yet I haven’t seen any of it. It gives the me motivation to write more, thank you. Also, normal upload Chapter will resume, for extra Chapters please support my novel, there will be continuation from previous Chapter added, in order not confuse pov]