CHAPTER 394: CURSE

The test continued, and the mysterious power of the titan statues continued to mark every genius.

Gradually, more participants began to awaken the will of the statues. The crowd, which had been restless moments ago, started to settle—though tension still hung in the air like a blade ready to drop.

But even as dozens passed through the trial, the pattern remained the same.

Some awakened one will, and a rare few awakened two, yet none—not a single one—had managed to awaken more than that.

By the time the hundredth genius had taken their turn, the best result was still only two statues responding. For a test that demanded the awakening of three or more to receive the Titan God’s blessing, this was troubling.

The elders of the Titanbone Clan exchanged subtle glances, though their expressions remained stoic.

Apollo’s gaze never wavered. His sharp eyes watched each reaction, each mark, each surge of power.

’Something’s building beneath the surface... and this moment is just the beginning,’ he thought.

As the test continued, finally the turn of the super genius came; some who can be called top three among the thousand, as it was, someone made the war drum ring eight times.

A hushed murmur spread across the crowd as the genius stepped forward. Unlike the many who came yesterday, none had achieved such a feat. This one had appeared a day earlier and hailed from one of the Five Great Powers of the northern continent.

Even Apollo’s eyes narrowed with genuine interest.

"Let’s see what kind of monster you are," he thought, folding his arms.

The air around the area felt heavier as all eyes turned toward the figure who stood calmly before the towering Titan statues, ready to begin the trial.

The young genius was from the Duskweaver City and was the third young master of the city, making his status higher than most here.

His name was Dean Duskweaver, known across the region as the "Shadowborn Spear."

Apollo carefully felt his aura and felt his strength and nodded, as he was indeed a little bit stronger than the people who rang sixth or even seventh. He also seemed to have some bloodline within him, which actually was very high level and was quite mysterious.

It pulsed faintly beneath Dean’s skin, coiling and surging with hidden power. Unlike the others, his lineage didn’t just resonate—it commanded presence.

Mysterious. Ancient. Powerful.

Among all the geniuses who had stepped forward so far, Dean’s bloodline was undoubtedly the most exceptional. Apollo could feel it clearly: a sleeping beast hidden within his veins.

Now, he was truly curious.

"Let’s see what kind of scene this genius can create."

Dean’s face was handsome and was filled with confidence; even seeing everyone failing, he was still full of confidence that he would pass.

With steady steps, he walked toward the towering Titan statues. And with each stride, his aura surged stronger—like a rising tide challenging the might of ancient gods. It wasn’t arrogance but a natural force, as if he had been born to stand before almighty beings.

As Dean stood before the colossal statues, a heavy silence fell over the crowd.

He raised his hand and pressed it against the base of the nearest Titan statue.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

Boom!

A thunderous pulse echoed through the ancestral land as the statue trembled, light surging up its stone body like veins awakening after centuries of slumber.

One Titan statue awakened.

The crowd stirred, gasping.

Boom!

A second statue lit up beside the first, roaring with power as if responding to its sibling’s call.

Excitement rippled across the gathered crowd.

Boom!

A third statue rumbled to life, shaking the earth beneath them. And yet Dean’s expression didn’t change—his gaze remained sharp and composed.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Four more statues resonated, one after the other, their eyes glowing with deep bronze light. A total of seven Titan statues had awakened.

The crowd erupted.

"Five! He awakened five!" someone shouted.

"Unbelievable! That’s more than anyone so far!"

But Apollo’s eyes didn’t shine with admiration—they narrowed. While the others were awestruck by the feat, he focused on something else entirely.

He could see it again—that invisible mark, burning brighter on Dean than anyone before. The mysterious power connected to the statues had responded to his bloodline more than any others.

And because of this, he is finally able to see more.

"It seems to be like a seal or... curse that is slowly eroding them." The moment he thought that, he felt this might be the truth. The mysterious curse seemed to merge with their bloodline, but it wouldn’t be just simple erosion; it must have another reason. Otherwise, just for killing them, they didn’t need to go through this much trouble.

He looked at the depth of the ancestral feeling grave, as he could feel the power within it seemed ready to explode. But he immediately didn’t attack, as he had to see what was going to happen next.

With Dean’s shocking performance the crowd went wild, and he proudly returned to his place in front of all while enjoying the praise and cheers.

"Good." The elder from the Titanbone clan seemed to also be a bit excited. But he quickly calmed down and continued the test.

After Dean’s appearance, it seemed to bring out luck for all, as many started to awaken the Titan statues will, and even a few managed to awaken three or more, which seems to make everyone more excited.

Among them were the five geniuses Apollo had selected for his organisation. As expected, each one of them successfully awakened the will of three or more Titan statues without fail.

This didn’t surprise Apollo in the slightest.

Unbeknownst to them—or anyone else—he had secretly infused a trace of his divine energy and will into each of them before their test, stabilising their spiritual connection and subtly guiding the Titan statues’ mysterious curse power, protecting them.

Quickly this second round of tests comes to an end with only forty people recognised by three or more Titan statues.