His limp body shook violently. The worst ride ever, churning his stomach and making him want to vomit, but Miyamoto Ken clenched his eyes shut and forced it down. He didn't know what his rough superior would do if he actually threw up.
"Huff… Whew… Whew."
"Hey, are you alright? Can you still hang on?"
"Kahaha! Tell me if you can't hold it anymore! I'll make it easier for you to puke!"
A hearty voice spoke to him as he struggled to catch his breath. The three-headed dog that was initially the size of a large canine, Davidson, had grown large enough to carry him on his back. But Ken didn't even have the time to comment on his sudden growth spurt.
'…Easier? How?'
His mind was reeling from the turmoil within and outside his body, and only such useless thoughts came to mind, clinging to his companion's words. Of course, he didn't dare ask, afraid of the answer.
"…Ugh, I think I'm dying. Damn it, what kind of disaster is this…"
His pained mutter contained complicated emotions he wasn't even aware of. Well, it was understandable.
How shocking was the truth he faced here? He had been prepared since he decided to infiltrate this place to help Hela, but who could have imagined he would uncover not only the Demon Dragon Duke's secret, but also the secret of his own birth?
To think that he, who had believed he was from Earth, was neither the real 'Miyamoto Ken' nor an Awakened, but just a copied consciousness derived from his unique skill! He was understandably shocked to learn that it was mixed with that terrible curse, and that this body also belonged to it.
'…Well, it doesn't change much since I've already become a demon. I gave up on returning to Earth a long time ago.'
Perhaps because he had become a demon with a different way of thinking than humans, his confusion didn't last long. He was too busy focusing on not being consumed by the curse.
Rumble! Boom!
That's why he was late to notice. That some unknown being had appeared and was fighting against the curse chasing them.
"…What's that?"
At first, he thought he was mistaken. After all… that appearance and ability didn't suit this world at all!
"Iron Man?"
Perhaps the shock of his birth secret was greater than he thought. But he soon realized it wasn't a hallucination. Looking closely, it only resembled the design he knew superficially. It was completely different, with one arm exposed.
'A magic tool? But not an ordinary one. And this feeling… Dragon Language Magic? It's different from the Demon Dragon Duke's. It must be the work of another dragon.'
He was surprised by the familiar appearance, but it wasn't that strange for the designs to be similar. He… no, Miyamoto Ken, couldn't be the only Earthling who came to Auterica. It was entirely possible that information about Earth's superhero stories had been transmitted, and someone created a magic tool based on it.
'Even so… it's definitely different from what a dragon of this world would make. I heard the ones made on Earth weren't practical for actual combat due to material limitations.'
Ken stared in admiration. It freely flew at supersonic speeds using boosters deployed from various parts of its body, and the beam emitted from its left hand resembled a destructive ray cast by a high-ranking mage. It was undoubtedly a 'real' combat suit. One that allowed the wearer to easily take on peak-level opponents.
'…But that's not enough to go up against that monster.'
Ken, carried on Davidson's back, shook his head slightly. What happened next unfolded as he expected. The hero, who seemed to be holding his own, faltered after taking a hit and began to flee.
'He's still alive after taking that? The pilot is more capable than I thought. Who is he?'
Connected to the curse, he could feel it. That the black fog was a disaster itself, something even a Duke-class demon couldn't handle carelessly. He didn't know how this person arrived at this secret place and was playing hero, but it wasn't an opponent he could face with that level of power.
'Hmm, I might be reaching my limit too…'
But then,
Something unexpected happened.
"Huh?"
Ken let out a surprised yelp. The hero, who had been running away, suddenly stopped and turned to face the pursuing curse.
Clank Clank
A faint sound of chains reached Ken's ears. No, it wasn't a sound he heard with his ears. An unknown sound resonating from his head… his chest… his soul.
"This… what is this?"
He was truly bewildered. He instinctively knew. That something had just bound his heart—his soul. There was no need to guess who was responsible.
"How… this?"
His heart stirred. An inexplicable reverence and awe welled up, just like when he faced Hela. It was impossible, unacceptable.
And the black fog, facing the hero directly, felt the same.
[————!]
A silent scream spread. But it contained different emotions than before. Bewilderment, disbelief, denial. But the hero didn't let him be. He slowly extended and aimed his right arm, his bare arm exposed without the metal suit, towards the writhing curse struggling against the unknown restraint.
Immediately after.
A giant black flame dragon, springing from his arm, shot forward and collided with the black fog.
Rumble!
An overwhelming and majestic sight, different from before. But Ken, strongly connected to the curse, couldn't just watch in admiration. He felt it. That the terrifying power that made up the black fog was being rapidly sucked into the charging black dragon. It was an unbelievable scene, like a giant dinosaur being dragged by a puppy's leash and locked in a doghouse.
"To think the Black Flame Dragon had such power…"
Ken, the demon with the memories of a Japanese man, muttered softly. Then, with a perplexed expression, he looked at the hero's arm, enveloped in black energy, which he had been deliberately ignoring. The right arm absorbing energy through the Black Flame Dragon. Seeing it, a painful past from his adolescence, buried deep within him, resurfaced.
'…No, that's not my past. It has nothing to do with me.'
He resolutely denied any connection with his original body and closed his eyes. Although the enlarged Black Flame Dragon was fiercely absorbing the curse, giving him enough leeway to be lost in thought, that wasn't important to him right now.
"Black Flame Dragon…"
A shameful memory he thought he had completely forgotten. But as a newly reborn demon, it felt different.
"I should make one again… no, no!"
An unknown power residing in one arm, perfectly suited to a demon's taste—an extremely demon-friendly ability! He hurriedly retracted his words and cursed his demonic instincts that were tempting him.
"Hmm? Do you like that too?"
"Oh, I see. That's a nice taste! Hahaha!"
"Don't be shy! I understand!"
Davidson, who had stopped after the situation changed, burst into hearty laughter. As if he was incredibly pleased and proud.
[————!]
They stared down the long corridor of the massive temple. At the spot where the black fog, which had filled the space, had just completely disappeared.
***
Hesperon clicked his tongue as he looked at his right arm.
'As expected, completely digesting it is impossible.'
His arm, once coiled by the black dragon, was now completely black, the pattern no longer visible. A side effect of absorbing power beyond his level. A faint form of a dragon moved within it, as if swimming in dark clouds, but it was clearly in an extremely unstable state. He had forcibly absorbed it with 「Chains of Oath」, but the unsubdued will was constantly looking for an opportunity to rebel.
"Well, that's the price I have to pay."
It was natural that he couldn't handle it completely. His true level wasn't even at the peak, relying mostly on the titanium suit and the 「Craving Right Arm」 for his combat power.
'Well, I guess this is normal…'
Except for the Demon Realm and the Heavenly Realm, with their special circumstances and numerous restrictions, wasn't Master realm considered a national-level powerhouse in a continent where the number of Transcendents could be counted on one hand? Strictly speaking, even Hesperon's current growth rate was incredibly steep, something others would never believe. He just wasn't satisfied because he had been growing rapidly thanks to various opportunities and playing in the big leagues.
"…Well, when have I ever grown normally?"
He chuckled softly. Since Hans gained the Immortal King's fragment and grew rapidly, his growth direction had already been set. Maximizing the advantages of 「Avatar」 and other skills, ignoring the risks, and forcing opportunities. Such rapid growth inevitably came with side effects, but he didn't care.
Just like now.
"Individual fulfills conditions and gains enlightenment. Acquires special skills 「Dark Soul Control」 and 「Dark Soul Liberation」."
"The erosion of the cursed Dark Soul has begun. Once erosion reaches a certain threshold, the contract's authority—its master-servant dynamic—will be reversed."
"Current body erosion rate: 7% / Mental erosion rate: 0%"
Hesperon massaged his stiff right hand and chuckled wryly.
'I can't suppress this as easily as before.'
He had undoubtedly become stronger than before, as planned. The curse residing in his right arm, 'Dark Soul', was a deadly force that could even kill a Transcendent. Just releasing it would probably turn the surrounding area into a cursed land.
"Hmm, this won't do."
But it was that much harder to control. He didn't have to worry about mental erosion thanks to 「Mind Hub」 and 「Soul Firewall」, but physical erosion was a different story. He frowned as he saw black stains appearing on the sealing bandages wrapped around his arm. It seemed fine for now, but leaving it as it was would eventually cause a big problem.
'I need to make a specialized sealing tool as soon as possible. Using every means at my disposal.'
He had enough manpower, so it wouldn't be a problem. He had the Immortal King, the Saint, a High Elf, a Demon King, a Dragon, and even a master Dwarven craftsman.
'Hmm, I should also incorporate a demon-sealing inscription using Horus's 「Heavenly Flow Technique」. The Dark Soul shouldn't be resistant to high-level Taoism, so it should be quite helpful.'
The necessary materials could be supplied through Hubert and the Karma shop, and if necessary, he could even ask for help from Crown Princess Riley and Saintess Riesta. He could also freely use the byproducts of the World Tree and the treasures of the 「Golden Treasury」, so he practically had no limitations.
"Now that I've taken care of everything,"
Hesperon glanced to the side. At a spot quite far from him, in the giant, seemingly giant-built temple. Davidson, the three-headed dog, and the demon Ken were staring at him.
'Since I've helped them…'
Time to go. He grinned inside his helmet. He had no intention of staying here. He was just an uninvited guest who rushed in after sensing the curse.
'I'll let them handle the rest. I need to go back and make a new sealing tool.'
Thus, the unidentified hero, after taking what he needed, disappeared without a trace. Quietly, without a sound, just as he had arrived.
***
"…What was that?"
Ken muttered blankly, dumbfounded. He checked several times just in case, but it was certain. He had really just left!
"No, really, he just left without saying anything? Does he think he's a secret hero or something?"
He pounded his chest in frustration and ruffled his hair. He had expected at least an exchange of names, but he never imagined he would just leave like that. He had a mountain of questions: who he was, how he entered this temple, why he helped, who made that suit, what was the chain that bound his soul, what happened to the Demon King's curse he absorbed, and so on!
'And how did he leave this place? It's not easy to get out of this temple.'
He didn't sense any spatial movement. It was as if his existence had been completely erased from this place. There was only one thing that came to mind.
'Unique skill… Was he an Awakened after all? I had a hunch when I saw the suit and the Eastern dragon.'
The dragons of Auterica were typical Western dragons. Naturally, the Black Flame Dragon wielded by the hero appeared out of place to Ken, who had the memories of a Japanese man.
'…I envy him. A power capable of sealing that terrible curse, and a connection to a dragon who could make a suit like that. He's probably living a comfortable life back on Earth.'
Unlike him, who was in this sorry state. Kidnapped to the Demon Realm, turned into a sacrifice, and now a mere copy, an artificially created demon inheriting those memories. Ken, now able to calmly reflect on his situation thanks to the disappearance of the curse that had been shaking his mind, smiled wryly.
"Ah! What about those Earthlings?"
Then, he suddenly remembered those who had been offered as sacrifices. Including his original body! He had completely forgotten about them amidst the chaos since the appearance of the black fog.
"You just realized? Let's go."
"We escaped before it got close, so they should be fine…"
"They were offered as sacrifices for a grand magic, so there must be some safety measures."
Ken and Davidson hurried back to where they had been before. And what he saw there was.
"…"
"…"
A man staring at him with his eyes wide open.
The real Miyamoto Ken.
4o