My Alter Ego's Path to Greatness

Hesperon quickly assessed the situation, utilizing even his "Hypersensitivity".

'A slum on the outskirts of Jeron. There's no one else around… a barrier? Looks like they were prepared from the start.'

No matter how bustling a city was, there was always darkness where marginalized people gathered.

The place he was at right now was just such a place.

It was a crime-ridden area, located on the outskirts of the capital, like the Grand Cathedral, but quite a distance away from it. The surroundings and security were both poor.

'This wasn't something they prepared on the fly. To set a trap and wait for me in a place like this, it means that they predicted all my actions.'

Next, his gaze turned towards the thirty-odd masked figures surrounding him.

Even to Hesperon's senses, which had not fully developed yet, there was a clear, sharp aura about them. The smell of people living in the shadows was strong.

'Assassins? No, it's not just that. It looks like there are mages mixed in, as well as those who have mastered aura.'

There was no way that anyone could control people of that caliber easily.

Even if it was a slum, it was still within the capital. For them to plan an ambush using a barrier would require even more.

Finally, he turned his gaze toward the only man not wearing a mask.

In fact, that was the most problematic individual here.

"It's been a while, Sir Stav. ...Or is it no longer 'Sir'?"

Stav, a Master-level warrior and former Captain of the Imperial Guard.

He thought that Riley had disposed of and buried him long ago, since she hadn't said anything, but it seemed that he somehow managed to escape.

"Hah—yes, it's good to see your face after so long. I really wanted to see you. Thanks to you, I had a very valuable experience."

Stav chuckled in response to Hesperon's cheerful greeting.

Judging by his appearance, it was easy to guess what that "experience" he was talking about was.

'He's definitely gone through a lot.'

His robust body, which used to be filled with solid muscles worthy of a knight who reached the peak, had shrunk pathetically.

His complexion was extremely haggard from rapid aging, malnutrition, and fatigue.

And, most of all…

"Hahaha— to face you like this, it's like a comedy. I've become quite ridiculous."

His right arm, severed at the shoulder, and the leather eyepatch covering his right eye.

On top of that, there were marks of various tortures all over his body.

It seemed he had somehow received treatment, but the damage to his body was so severe that the resulting deficiencies and aftereffects were clearly visible.

"It doesn't look like you got out on your own. I guess those friends helped, right?"

Hesperon casually threw out the words, seeing his appearance as if he had been imprisoned somewhere for a long time and had just barely escaped.

He had a general idea of the situation, but he wanted to be more certain.

"…Indeed, it makes me wonder if you are the same one from before. Your power is also unusual. Pure curse, neither dark magic nor abyss."

But Stav only stared at him with a strange gaze and spoke nonsense.

Clang—

Then, he took his left hand, with only three fingers remaining, to his waist and slowly drew his sword.

"I want to strike you down right now, but I must refrain because of a promise."

Next, a black aura flared up like a flame on his sword.

It was dark magic, a destructive and eerie energy completely different from the aura he used to wield.

"······!"

And the moment he sensed the flow of that energy.

Hesperon moved instinctively.

He twisted his body and extended his right hand forward.

As his arm, with the black aura coiled around it, was turned to the front—

Bang—!

"Kuh!"

It collided with the dark magic that had rushed up to him, and sent a strong shock wave in all directions.

"Tsk, I was planning to cut your shoulder. It seems I'm not used to this."

The one-armed dark knight grumbled in dissatisfaction.

Hesperon, who had retreated quickly thanks to secretly prepared physical enhancement magic, frowned.

He managed to block the surprise attack, but the shock was bigger than he expected. The arm that blocked the attack was tingling and shaking.

Since dark magic was inherently a very aggressive energy, his "Yearning Right Arm", which was also specialized in attack, could not completely neutralize all the impact.

'Is this what they mean by "Once a strong man, always a strong man"?'

It seemed like his aura hole had been damaged, and he had accepted dark magic instead...

He was a strong person, who was in the upper ranks of the peak level. So even with a short adaptation period, his power was immense.

'Still, he's definitely weaker than before. So maybe I can hold out. The problem is those guys.'

Some of the masked individuals surrounding them were beginning to show signs of moving in tandem with Stav.

Most were still holding their positions, blocking escape routes, but the additional interference in this extreme situation was definitely not good news.

'「Hero's Footsteps」 is still unusable. Then, the only way to avoid it is to unsummon.'

It had only been a short time since he sent Halley to Tarak to hunt the revolutionary, then filled his cooldown, and sent him back south.

However, he hesitated to unsummon carelessly, as the "Otherworld Teleportation Array Summon" had more than a day left in its cooldown.

While he was considering his next course of action.

-Hesperon? Is there something wrong?

Ignoring the barriers installed by the masked figures that were blocking spatial movement and communication, Riley's signal came through via the "Chain of the Oath".

It was as if she had felt something vague from the violent collision that had happened a little while ago. She sounded worried.

-Ah! Riley. Something big happened here!

And Hesperon.

Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately told her the situation he was facing.

'Riley is involved too, she needs to know! And it's me who got caught up in this.'

The attack happened right after she left, and judging by what Stav said, their goal was to take Hesperon hostage.

Then, wasn't their intention obvious?

-Stav is there?

Her voice dropped coldly as she quickly grasped the situation.

It was a chilling aura that she had never shown to Hesperon.

-So that means, that bastard was alive and not dead?

-Uh… his body was quite damaged, but anyway, he is alive.

-Hah!... This is embarrassing. I thought I was in control of everything, but there are still rats hiding. Well, considering that I haven't had the leadership position for that long, maybe it's understandable. …There's a lot to take care of now.

It seemed that she thought Stav was already dead.

While he was being interrogated in a secret location, while secretly torturing him for revenge, they had taken advantage of the flaw created by the sudden increase in his forces.

Riley's annoyed sigh echoed from the other end of the connection.

-But Hesperon, are you really okay? If Stav is there…

Then, she suddenly asked urgently with a worried voice.

Even if his body was damaged, his prowess attained from that level would not go anywhere.

Moreover, she had seen with her own eyes, Hesperon barely managing to escape from him.

That was the reason why he had problems with his eye and arm, and why he had to stay at the hospital for some time. So it was natural for her to be worried.

-Well, about that…

And his answer to her concern was.

-Surprisingly, I can manage, more or less… ?

There was an incongruous confidence in his voice.

Swoosh—

Stav rushed in with a fierce momentum.

He felt it the first time they clashed, but it was still dangerous to face him head-on.

'Then, I just need to avoid facing him head-on.'

The bracelet on Hesperon's arm emitted an eerie light.

Along with that, his reflexes soared past their limit as if they were going berserk.

It was an item that had a deadly curse imbued in it, as well as having excellent effects as he had used before. But he didn't hesitate at all while using it.

'Kuh, this is incredible.'

Because his "Curse Devourer" was swallowing all of them whole and turning them into his own strength.

However, it was impossible to simply evade the dark knight who had reached the peak with just that.

The sword imbued with dark magic flew in front of his face in an instant.

Crash—!

Right before he was hit, it shattered a barrier that had appeared in the air, unable to cut his body. It left only a shockwave.

"Ugh!"

Hesperon, who was caught in the aftermath, flew backwards and frowned.

His stomach churned from the shock that was turning his insides, but it was far better than being directly cut by that monstrous blade.

As he gained a short reprieve from Stav's pursuit, he lightly flicked his fingers.

Instantly, dozens of materialized black threads appeared faintly in the air. It was as if his body was pulled by something, and he quickly soared upwards.

"Kuh— not again! How annoying! You clown!"

Stav, having missed his opportunity again, ground his teeth and swung his sword irritably.

Contrary to Stav's emotions, Hesperon watched the protective ring, which had fulfilled its purpose and turned into dust and disappeared, and sighed in relief.

'Whew, that was a close one.'

Each time he moved his fingers, a portion of the energy that was scattered around momentarily revealed itself like a thread, pulling his body.

It provided not only speed but also a freely moving and ever-changing movement in the air.

'Using the concealment and manifestation of curses for mobility. This is the first time I've properly used it in battle. It takes more mental power than I thought.'

Originally, curses were an ability unparalleled in secrecy.

Since they were not physically tangible, they could not be severed by normal methods. And even if the curse hidden in the air was eliminated with a powerful energy, it would be constantly replenished by the "Yearning Right Arm" given a short amount of time.

'That short time can be managed somehow with magic tools and my stats.'

Moreover, the curse that was consumed little by little during that process could be replenished using magic tools.

'It paid off, having been secretly spreading it since the beginning.'

A short amount of time provided in a limited space.

This place was already a spiderweb woven by his curses.

Of course, it would be slightly dangerous with large-scale magic that could blow away the whole area, but since there were no mages of that level here, there was no need to worry much.

'He's here again.'

At that moment, Hesperon's gaze turned to the side.

He had managed to evade Stav for a moment with his mobility advantage, but from the start, he wasn't facing just him.

Swoosh!

A masked figure suddenly jumped out, as if he had predicted his movement path, and swung a sword.

He was more proactive than before, unlike his initial calm state where he seemed to entrust it to Stav. He probably didn't expect Hesperon to be able to do this much.

'But if it's an opponent of this level...'

Originally, curses were inherently extremely aggressive and harmful.

Using them for mobility, like now, was only supplementary.

The masked figure was within striking distance.

He extended his right hand towards him.

And then he clenched his fist.

"······!"

And at the same time.

Around the figure, hundreds of black threads connected to his hand revealed their shape.

And then.

Splat—!

They instantly tightened towards the center, scattering a cloud of blood mist.

It was a deadly attack (呪殺), combining not only the materialized physical force but also a curse that drastically reduced the opponent's resistance and defense.

It was a near-fatal technique to opponents who had not achieved a certain level or had not built up their resistance through an otherworldly defense.

'Of course, the energy consumption is that much greater though.'

Flames—!

Right after claiming one life, the black flames that had been coiling around Hesperon's arm formed a shape.

A black dragon with a long snake-like body, a head protruding from its shoulder, a pair of horns pointing upwards, and a lush mane, bared its teeth with satisfaction as it narrowed its sharp eyes.

It was as if it was devouring the resentment that a life had held until its very end.

"You bastard—!"

"Eek."

Creeeeak—!

Bang!

And Hesperon quickly flung his body, dodging the dark magic from Stav, who was rushing at him with terrifying momentum and destroying the surroundings.

While equipping himself with more curse magic tools that he had received via the "Avatar Cloud" again.

-Hesperon, are you really going to be okay? Can't you teleport away like last time? No, maybe I should go back myself…

At that moment, Riley's voice, which had been cut off for a moment while he was focusing on the battle, was heard again.

Her soft voice, as if she hadn't displayed a murderous aura a moment ago, was filled with worry and anxiety.

-No, it would look strange if the representative does that. I'm still fine. It seems I've grown a lot more than I thought. Maybe I could get out of here on my own?

Indeed, it paid off to have regularly consumed a 『Growth Elixir (7 days) (200,000)』 each time.

To think that even the overwhelming difference in levels could be replaced by paying real money, how wonderful capitalism was?

Long live the Karma Shop.

-Hoo— You said that the location was the southeastern slums of Jeron, right?

-Huh? Yeah… but why?

-Don't try to get out on your own and focus on holding out as much as possible. I'll send people there soon.

But what came back to Hesperon's confidence was Riley's firm voice.

-I should have wiped them all out long ago...

It seemed that something murderous had followed, but he was too busy dealing with Stav, who was chasing him again, so he simply let it pass.

'The growth rate is amazing with the effect of the elixir and actual combat combined!'

He was too busy focusing on the skill level that was increasing in real-time, to pay attention to such a trivial matter.