He who Bends Time-Chapter 85 - one in charge

"But what’s the difference? Scamming someone as shitty as you—I don’t think that’s a crime," muttered Henry, looking down at Drnim, who had fallen asleep as a result of his spell.

After a few struggles, he eventually managed to take off the net.

"Are you the one leading all these crimes?" he muttered as he observed Drnim and searched his clothes. From there, he found Few potion bottles.

"A healing potion... a medium-level one," he recognized. Drinking it, the wounds he received from the battle slowly began to heal.

{Dispel Curse}

With Henry’s words, the curse cast on Drnim was lifted, and Drnim slowly opened his eyes.

"Are you the one in charge?" Henry asked.

It took a few silent moments for Drnim to recognise what was going on, and after realizing, he smirked.

"Do you think I would answer a curse like you?" he replied.

"I know curse and healing magicians don’t get along very well. I never liked the rivalry and don’t feel the need to ridicule another field just because it’s ineffective against our spells. So whenever I saw a healing magician, I used to feel pity for them—being mocked by our kind.

But lately, I’m starting to doubt my thoughts. A curse magician can make someone feel their worst nightmare. Have you ever heard of a spell like that...?"

While Henry spoke, he suddenly fell silent—and then hurriedly jumped away.

{Twentyfold Touch}

In an instant, a fatal spell landed on the place he had previously stood. A dark mist dispersed after missing its target.

"You said you wanted to see the one in charge?"

A voice came from behind him, from a nearby tent. As its flap opened, a man stepped out. His body was so thin, his bones were visible through his skin, and his eyes were terrifying—capable of unsettling even the most vicious of creatures.

"I’m the one in charge," the man said.

"Haha—kunch! This is the guy! This is the curse user!" Drnim screamed at that moment.

"Shut up."

Kunch suddenly cast a spell at Drnim, and the moment the black mist landed on him, Drnim’s toung twisted.

Wearing a painful expression, Drnim fell silent, tears streaming from his eyes.

"So you’re the one responsible for all this?" Henry asked, eyes focused.

"Responsible? No, no. I’m the one in charge of this operation, but the one responsible for everything that happens here—and in all the other areas across the Awakened City similar to this—is not me. It’s a group of people. From one curse magician to another, take this as advice: we’re not a group you want to mess with," said Kunch.

"But looking at what you’ve done, you’ve already messed with us pretty badly," he added, glancing at all the others still lying on the floor.

"Kunch," came the voice of more figures rushing in—those who were previously forcing the kids to mine. They came running as soon as they heard the screams.

"Good. Come, all of you. For once, feel what those kids have felt," said Henry as he extended his hand toward the incoming group of people and cast multiple spells—all of them Wailing Agony.

Turning to Kunch, he also cast the same spell, and it successfully latched onto his body.

"Uhhh! Arghhh!"

They screamed and cried in pain. Some peeled their skin, others smashed themselves against the floor or walls. But Kunch... he didn’t react at all, even after the spell was cast on him.

He simply waved his hand, and the dark mist evaporated—dispersed from his body entirely.

"Your spell is far too weak. Are you sure you’re even a curse magician?" he said, looking at Henry.

"A proper Wailing Agony spell should at least look like this."

And then, he suddenly pointed his hand at one of the figures writhing on the floor. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

{Wailing Agony}

Black mist erupted from his hand and surged. The figure jolted as the mist broke apart and sank into his body. In the next second, his scream intensified—as if he were burning alive. He, who was previously just scratching his body, began peeling his skin, even pulling out his hair and teeth—and ultimately, his own eyes. Blood gushed from his body like a river, and loose skin floated on the surface of the crimson pool.

The man completely ripped his own flesh off with his bare hands. Even then, he didn’t stop. He dug deeper into his own body and tore it apart—until eventually, his frame could no longer support him, and he collapsed, dead.

And all of this happened in a matter of seconds.

"A curse magician’s spell power depends on his emotions and nature.

If the caster has a sinister heart and strong dark emotions when casting pain or suffering spells, their effects become intensified," said Kunch.

"You’re just too soft to be a curse magician."

Saying this, he extended his hand at Henry.

{Twentyfold Touch}

A spell was cast, and black mist rushed at Henry. He, being cautious, jumped away to avoid it. Missing its target, the spell landed on a nearby man on the floor, who instantly lost consciousness from the pain he felt.

"What he said is actually the truth.

While his version is Twentyfold Touch, I can only cast Tenfold Touch. Having malicious thoughts really does increase the effect of a curse spell.

And having kind thoughts is actually a negative trait for a curse user.

However, I’ve long considered this kind of situation when I was studying curse magic.

It’s all thanks to that one specific someone—someone who seems to know it all—that I was able to achieve this result,"

Pointing his hand—not at Kunch, but at himself—

{Blinding Darkness}

Henry cast a spell on his own body, which immediately caused him to go blind.

[Magical Theory – Curse Suppression]

Henry used his own theory, and a dark mist was released, which absorbed into his body. Then, dark patterns appeared all over him as a result of his magical theory.

"You’re a theory user?" Kunch showed a bit of hesitation upon seeing Henry using a theory. But afterward, he acted quickly before Henry could fully activate his theory.