Chapter 410: Chapter 410

His body, limp and unresponsive, was being violently shaken.

The jarring motion, his stomach churning, almost made him vomit… but Miyamoto Ken gritted his teeth and swallowed the urge.

He didn’t want to see what his… volatile companion would do if he actually threw up.

“Hey, are you alright? Can you still hold on?”

“Khaha! Just tell me if you can’t hold it anymore! I’ll make it… easier for you!”

A boisterous voice, its tone cheerful and unconcerned, spoke to him as he struggled to catch his breath.

Davidson, the three-headed dog, which had been the size of a large dog when he first met it, had grown significantly larger, its massive body now capable of carrying him on its back… but Ken didn’t even have the energy to comment on the sudden change.

Of course, he didn’t dare to ask. He didn’t want to know the answer.

“…Ugh, I think I’m going to die. Damn it, what is this…?”

He groaned, his voice filled with a mixture of pain, confusion, and… something else, something he couldn’t quite identify.

It was understandable.

The truth he had just learned was… shocking.

He had been prepared for danger when he decided to infiltrate this place, to help Hella… but he hadn’t expected to uncover not only the Dragon Marquis’s secrets… but also his own.

He had always believed he was an Earthling… but he was just a copy, a puppet, a fragment of consciousness created by Miyamoto Ken’s unique skill!

And he was also… tainted by a curse, his very body belonging to someone else.

It was a lot to take in.

‘…Well, it doesn’t really change anything. I’m already a demon. I gave up on returning to Earth a long time ago.’

But perhaps because he had already become a demon, his thought process altered, his human sensibilities dulled, he quickly recovered from the initial shock.

And he was too busy trying to maintain his consciousness, to resist the encroaching darkness, to think about anything else.

So, he didn’t notice it at first.

That someone else, an unknown entity, was fighting the curse that had been pursuing them.

He thought he was seeing things.

After all, that appearance, those abilities… they didn’t belong in this world.

Perhaps the shock of discovering his true identity had been greater than he thought.

But then, he realized it wasn’t a hallucination.

Upon closer inspection, it only vaguely resembled the design he remembered.

And it was… missing an arm.

‘…A magic tool? But it’s not ordinary. And that feeling… Dragon Language Magic? It’s different from the Dragon Marquis’s. Another dragon’s creation?’

He was momentarily confused by the familiar appearance… but then he realized it wasn’t that strange.

He wasn’t the only Earthling who had been transported to Auterica.

Someone else must have brought information about Earth’s superheroes, and a magic tool based on that information… it wasn’t impossible.

‘…But this is definitely made by a dragon of this world. The ones made on Earth are practically useless in actual combat, due to the lack of proper materials.’

He stared at the figure, impressed.

It was flying through the air at supersonic speeds, its movements fluid and precise, thanks to the thrusters on its body, and the beam of energy it fired from its left hand resembled a mage’s destructive spell.

It was a true combat suit.

Powerful enough to allow its wearer to fight master-level experts.

‘…But it’s no match for that monster.’

Ken, watching the scene from Davidson’s back, shook his head slightly.

And as he had expected,

…the hero, after a brief struggle, began to retreat, dodging the curse’s attacks and flying away at full speed.

‘…He’s still alive after taking a hit like that? The pilot must be quite skilled. Who is he?’

He could sense it, through his connection to the curse.

That the black mist was a… calamity, a force of nature that even Duke-level demons couldn't easily handle.

He didn’t know how a hero had managed to infiltrate this secret location… but he was clearly outmatched.

‘…I’m also reaching my limit…’

…something unexpected happened.

Ken gasped, his voice filled with surprise.

The fleeing hero had suddenly stopped and turned around, facing the pursuing curse.

A faint, metallic sound, like the rattling of chains, echoed in his ears.

No, it wasn’t a sound he heard with his ears.

It was resonating within his mind, his heart, his very soul.

He couldn't help but feel a surge of… confusion.

He instinctively knew…

…that something had just… bound his soul.

And he knew who it was.

His heart pounded in his chest, a strange mix of awe and reverence, similar to the feeling he had experienced when he first met Hella.

It was… impossible, unacceptable.

And the black mist, facing the hero, felt the same way.

A silent scream, a howl of rage and frustration, echoed outwards.

But it was… different from before.

Confusion, disbelief, denial…

But the hero didn’t hesitate.

He slowly extended his right arm, pointing it at the writhing curse, which was struggling against the unseen chains that bound it.

His bare arm, the metal suit covering the rest of his body, its intricate design and advanced technology a stark contrast to his… exposed flesh.

…a massive black dragon, its scales shimmering, its eyes burning with a crimson light, erupted from his arm,

…and collided with the black mist.

An awe-inspiring sight, a clash of two overwhelming forces.

But Ken, linked to the curse, couldn't simply… admire the spectacle.

The terrifying power that made up the black mist… it was being… devoured by the black dragon.

It was an unbelievable sight, like a massive dinosaur being dragged into a doghouse by a puppy’s leash.

“To think the Black Flame Dragon had such power…”

Ken, the demon with an Earthling’s memories, muttered softly,

…and then looked at the hero’s arm, his expression… troubled.

The black dragon, its body wreathed in a dark aura, was absorbing the curse’s energy, its power growing stronger with each passing moment.

And as he watched, a painful memory, a shameful secret he had thought he had buried deep within his subconscious, resurfaced.

‘…No, that’s not my past. It has nothing to do with me.’

He closed his eyes, firmly denying any connection to his original self.

The Black Flame Dragon continued to devour the curse, its size increasing rapidly…

…but he didn’t care. He had other things to worry about.

“Black Flame Dragon…”

A shameful memory, a cringe-worthy… incident he had thought he had forgotten.

But now, reborn as a true demon, it felt… different.

“I should… create one myself… No, wait!”

A hidden power, residing within a single arm… it was… perfect for a demon, a truly… demon-friendly ability.

He almost said it out loud, then quickly corrected himself, suppressing his demonic instincts, a wave of… nausea washing over him.

“Hmm? You like that kind of thing too?”

“Oh ho, I see. That’s a… cool hobby. Khaha!”

“Don’t be embarrassed! I understand!”

Davidson, who had stopped running, burst into laughter, his three heads grinning, their expressions… strangely proud.

They looked down the long corridor of the temple,

…at the spot where the black mist had been just moments ago,

Hesperon, looking down at his right arm, clicked his tongue.

‘…I couldn’t completely absorb it.’

His arm, which had been wrapped in a black dragon, was now completely black, the tattoo no longer visible.

A side effect of absorbing too much power, a force beyond his current level.

A faint, shadowy dragon, like a wisp of smoke, still flickered within the darkness… but it was unstable, its movements erratic.

He had forcibly subdued it with 「Chains of the Oath」… but it wasn't completely under his control. It was waiting for an opportunity to rebel.

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

It was understandable that he couldn’t handle it.

After all, his true power, without Titan and the 「Right Arm of Longing」, wasn’t even Master Realm level.

‘…Well, I suppose this is normal…’

Excluding the Demon World and the Heavens, which had their own unique circumstances, Master Realm experts were considered national-level heroes in Auterica, a world where transcendent beings were rare, their numbers less than a handful.

Even Hesperon’s current growth rate was… abnormally fast.

He had been rapidly improving thanks to various opportunities and his unique abilities… but he still wasn’t satisfied.

“…Since when was my growth… normal?”

He chuckled softly, a self-deprecating sound.

His path had been… unconventional ever since Hans acquired the Immortal King’s fragment and gained a massive power boost.

He had been exploiting his 「Avatar」 skill and other abilities, ignoring the risks and forcibly acquiring power and experience.

Such rapid growth inevitably came with side effects… but he didn’t care.

《The individual meets the conditions and gains enlightenment. You have acquired the special skills “Dark Soul Control” and “Dark Soul Liberation”.》

《The corruption of the cursed Dark Soul has begun. When the corruption reaches a certain level, the contract will be reversed.》

《Current Corruption Level: Body 7% / Mind 0%》

He massaged his stiff right arm, a wry smile on his face.

‘…This won’t be easy to suppress.’

He had become stronger, as planned.

The curse residing in his right arm, the ‘Dark Soul’, was a powerful and dangerous force, capable of killing even transcendent beings.

Just releasing it would turn the surrounding area into a cursed land.

“Hmm, this isn’t good.”

But it was also more difficult to control.

He didn't have to worry about mental corruption, thanks to 「Mind Hub」 and 「Soul Firewall」… but physical corruption was a different matter.

He frowned as he saw dark spots appearing on the bandages he had wrapped around his arm.

It seemed fine for now, but if he left it unchecked…

‘…I have to create a specialized seal as soon as possible. Using everything I have.’

He had the necessary resources.

The Immortal King, the Saint, the High Elf, the Demon King, the Dragon, and even Howard, the master craftsman.

‘…I’ll have Horus add a demon-sealing inscription using his “Heavenly Flow Sorcery”. It should be effective, as the Dark Soul shouldn’t have any resistance to Ganghwange’s sorcery.’

He could acquire the necessary materials through Hubert and the Karma Shop, and if necessary, he could even ask for Riley and Liesta’s help.

And he had access to the World Tree’s byproducts and the treasures of the 「Golden Treasury」… He had no limitations.

“Now then, I’ve got what I needed.”

He glanced towards a distant corner of the massive temple.

Davidson and Ken were standing there, looking at him.

…it was time to leave.

He grinned, his expression hidden behind his helmet.

He wasn't planning to stay here. He was just a… passerby, drawn here by the curse.

‘…I’ll leave the rest to them. I have to go back and create that seal.’

And so, the mysterious hero, having acquired what he needed, vanished without a trace,

…as silently as he had arrived.

Ken muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.

He had double-checked, just in case… but it was true.

“He just… left? Without saying anything? Does he think he’s some kind of… secret hero?”

He pounded his chest in frustration, running a hand through his hair.

He had expected at least a… self-introduction. He had so many questions!

Who was he? How did he get in here? Why did he help him? Who made that suit? What were those chains that bound his soul? What happened to the Demon King’s curse?

‘…And how did he leave this place? It’s not easy to get out of this temple…’

He hadn’t sensed any teleportation magic.

He had simply… vanished.

There was only one explanation.

‘…A unique skill… He was an Awakened, after all. I suspected it when I saw the suit and the dragon.’

The dragons of Auterica were… Western dragons.

So, the Black Flame Dragon, an Eastern dragon, had naturally seemed… out of place.

‘…I’m envious. A powerful ability that can even seal a Demon King-level curse, and a connection to a dragon who can create such a suit… He’s probably living comfortably back on Earth.’

Kidnapped, sacrificed, a mere copy, an artificial demon…

He smiled wryly, his newfound clarity, his mind no longer clouded by the curse, allowing him to objectively assess his situation.

“Ah! What about the other Earthlings?”

And then, he remembered the sacrifices.

His original body was among them!

He had completely forgotten about them amidst the chaos.

“You just realized that now? Let’s go.”

“I got them out before that thing got close, so they should be fine…”

“They were sacrifices for a ritual, so there must be some kind of… safety measures in place.”

Ken and Davidson hurried back to the room where he had found his original body.

The real Miyamoto Ken, his eyes open, staring at him.