Chapter 411: Chapter 411

A human from Earth and a demon born in the Demon World.

Two men, their origins diametrically opposed, yet… surprisingly similar in appearance, stood facing each other, their gazes locked.

No words were exchanged.

They simply looked at each other, their eyes conveying the complex emotions swirling within them.

Despite their different bodies, they were essentially… one and the same.

It was thanks to Miyamoto Ken’s unique skill, 「Thought Transference」, which hadn't completely dissipated despite him losing access to the system over twenty years ago. He was still under the thirty-year limit.

Ken closed his eyes, seeing his original body, still lying on the altar, its gaze fixed on him.

That Miyamoto Ken’s life, offered as a sacrifice to the ritual, was nearing its end.

It wasn’t just physical exhaustion from lack of nourishment.

His very essence, his potential, his mind, his soul… everything was depleted, leaving only a faint ember, a flicker of life about to be extinguished.

No one could save him.

Not a Saint, not a Demon King, not a Dragon… not even a newly ascended transcendent being.

The fact that he was even conscious was a miracle in itself.

Perhaps his arrival, their… reunion, had somehow… triggered it.

Ken looked at his original body, his expression complex.

A copy, created by 「Thought Transference」, twisted and distorted by the curse, its appearance altered by the demonic energy…

But the original, the source of the ability… was the one lying on the altar. And he… he was just a copy, an artificial creation.

…he was even more surprised.

“…Are you… sure about this?”

A will, a desire, emanating from Miyamoto Ken, his original self.

He simply smiled faintly, his expression… serene, despite the question, the surprise in Ken’s voice.

The demon Ken looked at him, his expression… unreadable.

His vocal cords had withered and atrophied, so he couldn’t speak. It was a sensation the demon, now completely transformed, couldn’t comprehend.

But he didn’t refuse.

He knew time was running out, so he didn’t hesitate.

He initiated the ‘Demonic Contract’, a ritual that required the contractor’s soul as payment.

[“Azi DeQure de roTuS Vi…”]

He placed one hand on his original self’s forehead, the other grasping his frail and withered hand, his movements gentle and reverent, as if performing a sacred ritual, a final blessing for the dying.

…as the Demonic Contract progressed, the altar, and the entire ritual chamber, began to resist, their energy surging.

As if they didn’t want to let go of what they had already claimed.

It was only natural. Miyamoto Ken had already been offered as a sacrifice.

[“DoU keTep JAd ra…”]

He was at a disadvantage, both in terms of… procedure, as the original ritual had been in progress for over twenty years, and in terms of… power, as his own energy was being suppressed by the temple’s defenses.

Under normal circumstances, his contract would have been repelled… but he didn’t care.

…the contractor and the contractee were… one and the same.

A powerful surge of causality, defying all established rules and procedures, disrupted the original ritual, creating a crack in its defenses.

Like a small gear forcibly removed from a complex clockwork mechanism, the ritual began to malfunction, its intricate components no longer synchronized.

Ken’s connection to his original self was stronger than the ritual’s claim.

And it wasn’t just a simple disruption.

‘…I’ve worked for free for twenty years. I deserve at least a… severance package.’

Ken’s eyes narrowed as he extracted a fragment of his original self’s soul.

A massive amount of energy, following the fragment, flowed into him.

It was the energy that sustained the ritual and the temple itself, one of its… pillars, so to speak.

The temple shook, as if an earthquake had struck, but Ken didn’t react.

He knew that this much energy wasn’t enough to destroy the temple, or even the ritual.

He couldn't extract any more. His original self’s condition was too… fragile.

‘…This should be enough for a… severance package.’

He looked down at his original self, its eyes, now clear and focused thanks to the sudden influx of energy, staring up at him.

But it was just a temporary phenomenon, a fleeting moment of clarity before the contract was complete.

And his original self, as if aware of that, opened his mouth, his voice weak and raspy.

He could have communicated telepathically through 「Thought Transference」, but he chose not to.

As if he wanted to… leave a mark, a… final message.

His voice, unused for over twenty years, was cracked and broken.

But that was all he could manage.

And then, he smiled faintly, his face… serene, as the last embers of his life faded away.

The contract was complete.

And the Earthling, having uttered his own name as his final words, closed his eyes.

The demon, now the only ‘Ken’ in existence, looked down at the empty altar,

…where only the clothes he had been wearing remained.

“…The contract is complete.”

The soul he had acquired was too damaged to be of any use to other demons… but to him, it was… different.

A void, a deep-seated emptiness he had carried since his… creation, had been filled, a sense of… completeness washing over him.

His body, which had been stuck at Earl level despite possessing a Demon King’s essence, began to rapidly reconstruct itself, fueled by the massive influx of energy.

He hadn’t gained multiple levels at once… but he had overcome a… bottleneck, a limitation that had been hindering his growth.

“The price… everything Miyamoto Ken possessed. And his wish…”

He was no longer a copy, a puppet…

“…to live in his stead.”

Ken, now a Marquis-level demon, looked around the ritual chamber.

This was the heart of the Dragon Marquis’s operation.

He had been delayed by the unexpected encounter… but his mission remained unchanged.

“So, it’s finally over?”

“Khaha! It seems you’ve also gained something.”

“Then let’s get moving! The Dragon Marquis should be returning soon.”

Davidson, who had been exploring the temple while Ken was performing the contract, approached him.

He didn't know how Davidson knew about the situation outside… but he didn't question it.

After all, he was a creature sent by Hella-nim. It wasn’t strange for him to have such abilities.

“…Yes, it took longer than I expected. Let’s hurry.”

His mission wasn’t over yet.

He had come here to gather information and… sabotage the Dragon Marquis’s plans.

His eyes glowed with a renewed intensity as he recalled his original objective, his personal… business now concluded.

“We’ll take everything we can, and destroy the rest.”

“Snort! Is there any meat here?”

“I already finished that side, buddy. It was a big temple, but his main area wasn’t that large!”

Davidson, the self-proclaimed best hunting dog in the Demon World, with his three pairs of sharp eyes and sensitive noses, declared proudly, puffing out his chest.

Ken nodded and looked around the room.

“Good. Then I’ll… deal with the sacrifices.”

He had realized how important this place was while extracting energy from his original self.

It was common sense to prioritize destroying the enemy’s key facilities when infiltrating their territory.

He activated 「Thought Transference」, a faint echo of its former power, and walked towards the altars.

It was just a mission, of course.

He didn’t have any… personal feelings about it.

“Heron! What happened to your arm?!”

“Ahaha… Well… things happened.”

“Sigh… The hospital director called me in a panic…”

Hesperon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, unable to meet her gaze.

He knew he had caused her some concern.

After all, she wouldn’t be saying this if she didn't care about him.

“…Honestly, I can’t believe you sometimes. Are you sure you’re alright? Are you injured?”

“Of course! The old man was just overreacting! I’m perfectly fine. I even have a backup plan, just in case.”

Riley, the Crown Princess of the Azerion Empire, the future Empress, looked at him with narrowed eyes, her expression skeptical.

She had been busy with her duties when she received a frantic call from the hospital director.

She had rushed here, postponing all her other appointments, and his casual reassurance didn't exactly… inspire confidence.

‘…What is he even doing? I tried not to interfere, since he seemed to dislike being confined to the palace…’

She wanted to lock him up somewhere safe and keep him under constant supervision… but she couldn’t.

And considering his ability to escape even the Immortal King’s fortress… it wasn't even possible.

And then, as she was recalling their past… adventures, a sudden realization struck her.

Her eyes widened in shock, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

‘…We made a contract, didn’t we? When he escaped? And the conditions were…’

He wasn't her possession… but she was… his.

That was the nature of their contract.

He could contact and even summon her whenever he wanted, regardless of the distance between them.

‘…Ugh, I knew that… but is this really… okay? I’m the future Empress! And I’m… someone’s… possession…?’

Fortunately, no one, not even the Archmage, had noticed, thanks to his… unique abilities… but it was a… potentially scandalous secret, something that could jeopardize her position as the heir to the throne.

She gulped nervously, her throat suddenly dry.

She had been aware of it… but now that she was thinking about it seriously, she couldn’t help but feel a bit… uneasy.

‘…No, it’s not all bad. He’s helped me a lot.’

It was the best… insurance policy she could ask for.

No matter what kind of danger she faced, as long as he was there to protect her… she would be safe.

His abilities had been proven time and time again.

‘…Well, it’s done now. It’s not so bad, actually…’

Her cheeks flushed slightly as she was lost in thought.

An image, a fleeting vision, appeared in her mind.

Herself, as the Empress, and Hesperon, standing tall and proud beside her.

And then, the image changed…

She jumped, startled, and turned to look at him, her face flushed.

But Hesperon was also surprised by her… exaggerated reaction.

He had simply called out to her, concerned by her sudden… distress.

She coughed awkwardly, trying to regain her composure, and spoke again, her voice casual and nonchalant.

“Ahem, please be careful. Heron, you’re not… alone anymore.”

She hadn't meant to say that. It had just… slipped out.

She quickly made up some excuse about having unfinished business and then hurriedly left,

…telling him to contact her if he needed anything.

Hesperon, watching her leave, chuckled softly.

And then, he looked down at his right arm, a serious expression on his face, lost in thought.

“Hmm, I hope this isn’t… affecting her.”

The dark spots on his arm had grown larger.

The seal was still holding… but it was being strained.

‘…It’s quite powerful, even in its sealed state.’

After all, it was the remnant of a Demon King.

It wasn’t impossible for its energy, even a faint trace, to… influence those around him.

He was immune to mental attacks, so he might not even notice it.

“…I should create that seal as soon as possible.”

He smacked his lips and clenched his fist, feeling the power surging within his arm, even in its sealed state.

‘…I might even be able to summon Ken with this. I wonder if it’ll work on Earth?’

He thought of the Earl-level demon, linked to the Dark Soul within his arm, and smiled.

Wondering how to… accelerate his growth.