I approached the now sparkling-clean fountain, feeling a sense of pride in my accomplishment. However, my focus was not on the statue, but on the sword that was said to be sealed within the tomb beneath it. I was searching for a hidden trigger, something that would reveal the entrance to the tomb.

I started by examining the statue closely, searching for any signs of a trigger. I ran my fingers over the surface of the statue, feeling for any unusual bumps or grooves. After several minutes of searching, I finally found what I was looking for. A small, almost unnoticeable button on the back of the statue.

I hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before pressing the button. The moment I did, the entire fountain started to shake and then, with a loud rumble, it rose up from the ground. I stepped back, watching in amazement as the fountain revealed a hidden entrance to the tomb.

The entrance was a dark, narrow staircase that descended deep into the earth. I took a step forward, feeling a chill run down my spine as I entered the tomb. The air was musty and damp, and I heard the sound of water dripping from the walls. The walls were made of rough, unpolished stone, and the ceiling was so low that I had to duck to avoid hitting my head.

I continued down the staircase, my heart pounding in my chest. The deeper I went, the darker it became, and I soon relied on the light of my torch to guide me. The staircase finally came to an end, and I found myself standing in front of a large stone door.

I pushed open the door, and the light from my torch flooded the room. The room was circular, and the walls were covered in paintings. In the center of the room was a large stone coffin, and on top of it was the cursed sword.

The sword was a magnificent weapon, with a silver hilt and a blade that seemed to glow in the light of my torch. I approached the coffin in awe as I gazed upon the sword.

I reached out my hand and suddenly a system window appeared.

[Cursed Sword of Umbra]

[Rank: Unique ⇧]-[Evolution: 7/8➛.07%]

[The cursed sword that seeks darkness. For thousands of years, this cursed sword has grown in the darkness. Only curse bearers may wield it.]

As I saw the message, I was shocked. I knew that only curse bearers could wield it, but I didn't go into detail regarding the stats of the sword. The existence of this sword was for the spirit of Ilka to teach martial arts to the main character. At most, I was expecting it to be a rare rank, but this was beyond my expectations.

As I lifted the sword from the coffin, I couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. The blade was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was made of a metal that was the darkest shade of black, almost as if it were a living shadow. The metal seemed to be condensed and was only found in the pits of hell, giving the sword an ominous aura.

The fuller of the sword was etched with six runes on each side, and the point was sharp and pointed, perfect for piercing through armor. The guard of the sword was black-purple in color with a clean metallic look, and the grip was made of an unknown, extremely soft cloth that seemed to be pure black. The pommel was small and box-shaped, also black-purple in color.

As soon as I held the sword, the weight-adjusted to a weight suitable for me. The soul-binding process began, and a black aura emitted from the grip where I was holding the sword. The aura started to circle around my arm, and I felt a strange energy flow through me.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Suddenly, six black lines appeared on my skin like tattoos. The lines ran up my arm and stopped at my shoulder, and I felt a burning pain as they were placed. I tried to let go of the sword, but I couldn't. It was as if the sword was now a part of me. The lines were unique and pitch black.

"Hmm? Is this some sort of proof of ownership?" I said as I examined the tattoo.

[Host has successfully been soul-bound to the "Cursed Sword of Umbra"]

[Cursed Sword of Umbra]

[Durability: ∞]

[Runic Abilities]-[Sharpness, increases by 50% when activated]-[Camouflage, Can alter the appearance of the blade when activated]-[Soul-bound, user may summon the weapon from any location]-[Strength, when holding the weapon strength increases by 45%]-[Slice, when activated, it can cut through anything twice a day]-[Absorb, when activated, Aura or magic within a 3-meter radius can be absorbed]

[Sword Skills]

[Nocturnal]-[In Darkness, user's senses are amplified by 80%]

[Nighter]-[In darkness, eyesight is impeccable]

[Shadow]-[When activated, under any shadow, if one does not move, one becomes invisible]

[Notice]-[The Cursed Sword of Umbra refuses to fight anyone with holy power]

"Tsk, seriously, this sword refuses to fight against holy power." Apart from that last part, it seems this sword is great. It's unpleasant that its abilities are tied to fighting in the dark, but overall it's great.

I was amazed by the abilities of the Cursed Sword of Umbra. I couldn't wait to experiment with the camouflage ability and see what other tricks the sword had up its sleeve. I decided to start with the camouflage ability and see if I could change the appearance of the blade into something different.

[Hidden task complete]

[Congratulations, you have drastically changed the future. A total of 400 points will be awarded.]

[Finally, you did something, you lazy bum.]

"Tsk, is it your job to be a bitch?"

[You're the only one that's bitching here ಥﭛಥ]

"Tsk, why the hell are you bothering me? Spit it out."

[With your current points, you can apply for your first-time purchase discount. Would you like to see buyable options?]

"You should have just said it sooner. What are the options?"

[Skill-Breath control]-[Low ranked]-[increases lung capacity by 10%, calms mind during heavy breathing, decreases chances of getting a heart attack]

[Skill-Balance]-[Low ranked]-[will never trip or fall, natural born dancer]

[Skill-Math]-[Low ranked]-[Understanding of mathematics slightly increases, fast math can be done mentally]

Are these my only options? I guess I was expecting too much. After all, it's only 400 points. There's no need to decide. I already knew I was going for breath control the second I saw it. Although breath control may seem weak, its true use comes from fusing it with other skills. It's perfect for any close-range fighter, and since I have a sword, there's no need to decide. As I touched the system window and chose [Breath control], I felt a tingling sensation. My breath slowed down and felt clean.

As I held the blade, I felt something unusual. I tried to focus on the blade, thinking that this might be the spirit of Ilka trying to control the sword. She must have felt something unusual, but unfortunately, it was too late. I was now the owner of this dear sword, and she couldn't change that. I could allow her to speak to me, but I thought it would be best to do it at another time.

I tried focusing on the blade, imagining it changing into a different form. Slowly, the blade started to shimmer, and then, before my eyes, it transformed into a sleek silver bracelet. I couldn't believe it; the sword was now a piece of jewelry that I could wear on my wrist.

Next, I decided to see if I could turn the sword into a necklace. I focused my energy on the bracelet, imagining it transforming into a necklace. The bracelet started to shimmer once again, and then it transformed into a beautiful black gemstone necklace. The gemstone was unique, a deep black color with a slight purple tint.

I was starting to get the hang of the camouflage ability and was excited to see what other forms the sword could take. I decided to try and turn it into a wooden sword, which was commonly used by beginners in martial arts.

I focused my energy on the necklace, imagining it transforming into a wooden sword. The necklace started to shimmer once again, and then it transformed into a simple wooden sword. The wooden sword was rough and unpolished, but it was perfect for beginners.

I was impressed by the versatility of the Cursed Sword of Umbra. The camouflage ability was truly remarkable. I decided to turn it into a wooden sword, I can't keep it as a piece of jewelry, or I'll get mugged.