Episode 248 Chains of the Oath (2)
Immortal King Hans, while unable to immediately offer a solution to Hesperon's problem, possessed extensive knowledge regarding the theoretical aspects of curses.
‘Curses aren’t something you can rationally analyze.’
A curse was essentially a wish for misfortune to befall someone, manifesting as a negative force.
It was a commonly used branch of dark magic, but strictly speaking, it was closer to a shamanistic curse than a spell.
‘That’s why unexpected things like this happen.’
The curse afflicting Hesperon’s right arm was a kind of mutation.
For various reasons, it had completely fused with his arm, gaining sentience and even a semblance of a soul after absorbing his life force and will.
It had transcended the limitations of a simple curse, becoming almost a spiritual entity.
That was why it was so difficult to seal. It wasn’t just a matter of its power, but also its ability to actively resist and try to break free, using its host.‘It’s still too young to have a proper ego, so it’s not quite a spirit yet…’
But that was why this was the perfect opportunity.
To put a leash on this unwelcome guest who had taken up residence in his body.
Hesperon immediately began preparing for the ritual.
“Hmm, this should be enough. Do you need anything else, Heron?”
“Ah! This is plenty, Master.”
“If you need anything, just let me know. I can get you almost anything.”
He received help from Isea, who happened to be visiting the imperial palace.
She was the Empire’s top Archmage.
She might not be as specialized as the imperial summoners, who focused solely on summoning and contract magic, but the ritual he was preparing wasn’t that difficult. Her assistance was more than enough.
And she was his teacher, the most trustworthy person he knew.
‘This is also a kind of trump card… It’s best to maintain secrecy.’
He was already attracting attention as Riley’s close aide.
Anything he did would spread like wildfire.
He didn’t want any unnecessary attention at this stage.
‘Alright, let’s begin.’
With all preparations complete,
The ritual finally began.
In the center of the summoning circle that filled the spacious room,
Hesperon stood alone and slowly extended his right hand—.
Flutter—
The bandages that had been tightly bound around his arm unraveled, revealing his bare skin.
And the curse within.
Whoosh—!
Black mist erupted, swirling and expanding.
As if protesting its confinement.
“Activating the magic circle.”
At the same time, Isea, who was observing from the outside, activated the barrier surrounding the area.
It was a large-scale barrier, requiring a significant amount of energy, but to her, with her near-infinite magic power, it was a trivial matter.
Wooong—!
Light and vibrations emanated from the magic circle, converging towards the center.
The energy suppressed the expanding black mist, preventing it from spreading.
The curse resisted, transforming into black flames, but it couldn’t escape the confines of the meticulously prepared barrier.
‘So far, so good.’
Hesperon’s proficiency in “Chains of the Oath” was still too low to connect with something intangible, so he needed to give it a physical form.
And the fact that its initially aggressive energy had weakened was a bonus.
‘Now, be a good boy. Let’s talk.’
He used “Chains of the Oath” to connect with the black flames emanating from his right hand.
As his will connected with the curse, it began to writhe and react.
‘Good, it’s working…’
But then, something unexpected happened.
He flinched, his mouth opening slightly.
“Ah…”
“Huh?”
He heard Isea’s gasp from behind, but he didn’t have the time to care.
Curses didn’t have a fixed form.
They were essentially just energy.
That’s why the curse that had initially manifested from his arm had been just black mist and flames…
But as he connected with it, it began to take shape, influenced by his subconscious.
“…”
It was… unavoidable.
A curse residing in one arm, sealed by bandages.
It was a classic trope in a certain subculture, a cliché element.
‘…Well, I guess this was inevitable.’
It was only natural that it would take this form.
Hesperon forced a smile, trying to rationalize it, as he stared at the figure that had appeared before him.
Whoosh—!
Black flames blazed.
Long, flowing whiskers, a mane that seemed to be on fire, and a pair of sharp horns.
Sharp eyes, menacing fangs, and a long, serpentine body writhing in the air…
A magnificent black dragon.
“Um… ahem…”
He heard Isea’s awkward cough from behind.
He felt a burning sensation on the back of his head.
Her gaze was piercing him.
‘…It’s just a stereotype. This isn’t my fault.’
He sighed and straightened his back, trying to appear confident.
Objectively, it was a magnificent creature, and the people of this world would simply see it as a unique mythical beast.
The fact that black dragons were associated with chuunibyou was just a prejudiced stereotype!
‘Well, it’s too late to change it now. Let’s just ignore it.’
He couldn’t completely ignore it, but he consciously pushed it aside and focused on using “Chains of the Oath”.
It had taken the form of a dragon, but it wasn't particularly intelligent.
Its mental capacity was probably about the same as a puppy.
But it was still a formidable being, considering the trouble it had caused him.
The black dragon thrashed about, resisting his control, scattering black sparks.
‘There, there. Calm down, buddy.’
What was needed in this situation was a peaceful negotiation for a comfortable cohabitation.
It was clear who held the upper hand.
The meticulous preparations to suppress the curse, his status as the owner of the body it resided in, the unknown power of his skill, and the numerous growth bonuses he received as an avatar… ȓãŊօΒĘs̈
And no matter how much sentience it had gained, it was still just a parasite residing in his body.
He could eliminate it completely by severing his arm… but he was being generous and offering it a chance to negotiate!
Wooong—
And so, in a brief moment in real time,
A lengthy exchange occurred through their connection.
Hesperon wanted it to obey his will and become a source of power.
And what the curse wanted was… to grow stronger, increase its level, and transcend its current state.
‘Like a spirit or a divine being.’
He could help it with that.
In fact, the stronger it became, the more helpful it would be to him. It was mutually beneficial.
And so, their negotiation reached a dramatic conclusion—.
Whoosh—
The writhing black flames settled back into his right arm.
The snake-like black mark on his arm transformed into the shape of a dragon.
《The individual gains enlightenment through a contract. You have acquired the special skill “Craving Right Arm”.》
《The individual meets the conditions and grows. The skill “Curse Resistance” evolves into the special skill “Curse Devourer”.》
And so, Hesperon finally obtained the Black Flame Dragon in his right arm.
At the cost of a slight embarrassment.
______________________
<Individual Information>
-Individual Name: Hesperon
-Common Traits: "Mind Hub", "Persona", "Super Recovery", "Clear Mind", "Super Strength", "Hypersensitivity", "Insight", "Xenoglossy"
-Individual Traits: "Chains of the Oath", "Craving Right Arm", "Curse Devourer", "Introduction to Magic", "Hand-to-Hand Combat"
-Special Notes: Right eye lost. Has gained control over the curse residing in his right arm through an oath. The potential of the bound energy has increased due to the effect of “Chains of the Oath”. Immune to all curses, and temporarily gains a boost to all abilities by devouring curses.
As the ritual concluded and he was cleaning up,
Hesperon, despite achieving the best possible outcome, couldn’t enjoy his success. He was busy explaining himself to Isea.
“…That’s what happened. You know what I mean? It’s just a natural physiological reaction, a kind of involuntary association…”
He didn’t really need to explain himself, as he hadn’t done anything wrong, but he felt compelled to, as if he had a guilty conscience.
She nodded, seemingly understanding.
“Alright, alright, I get it.”
“Whew, I see… That’s a relief.”
“It’s not that strange. I actually expected something like that.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
But her understanding seemed to be based on a different interpretation.
“Well… Hesperon isn’t a very common name, is it?”
“…Ah?”
“And to choose that for a new beginning… Ahem, I shouldn’t judge. Everyone has their own preferences.”
“No, Master! It’s a misunderstanding!”
His past chuunibyou had come back to bite him.
And it wasn’t even a misunderstanding. He had genuinely thought it was a cool name.
Some time passed…
“Ha…”
As the eventful day drew to a close,
Hesperon sat down on his bed and sighed, glancing at his right arm.
The bandages with holy scriptures were still there, but the situation was different now.
“Chains of the Oath” not only allowed him to form a bond with the target, but also to strengthen and control it.
‘This is quite useful.’
He hadn’t just gained control over the curse in his arm.
The curse and the bandages were now both under his control, allowing him to finely tune their power and use it for subtle, unconventional attacks.
It was a collaborative ability between “Craving Right Arm” and the bandages, allowing him to unleash physical force while suppressing the curse’s energy.
‘…Well, I was planning to wear a mask when I operate on Earth, so it doesn’t matter.’
As long as it was effective, what did a little embarrassment matter?!
No one would dare laugh at him when he displayed such overwhelming power.
‘I have more things to practice now.’
He lay down on his bed, casually waving his right hand.
The light from the glowing magic tool in the corner of the room vanished, plunging the room into darkness.
And in that darkened space,
A faint, thin thread of darkness snaked towards his fingertips and was absorbed.
______________________
The Immortal Fortress, nestled deep within the Northern Mountains.
[KHAHAHAHAHA—!]
A thunderous laughter echoed from its depths, from the Immortal King’s private chamber.
The sound didn’t reach the outside, as the space was isolated, but even if it had, he wouldn’t have cared. He was in an excellent mood.
[…Finally complete.]
And with good reason…
[A path to another world!]
One of his long-term research projects…
…had finally reached its conclusion.
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