Shrine of the Demon Realm (4)
An human from Earth and a demon born in the Demon Realm.
Despite their contrasting origins, surprisingly, the two men stared quietly at each other.
“······.”
“······.”
No substantial conversation passed between them.
They simply exchanged glances, sharing their complicated feelings.
But that alone was enough.
Though they were now separate, they were originally one entity.
Since the moment they crossed over to Auterica more than twenty years ago, they had been unable to utilize the system, but because it hadn’t yet been thirty years, Miyamoto Ken’s unique skill, “Thought Transfer,” had not completely vanished.
However—.
‘···It’s really too late.’
As he lay on the altar, Ken quietly closed his eyes, looking up at the demon that he had become.
Yes, they both knew.
That it wasn’t long until Miyamoto Ken’s life, which had become the offering of consciousness, would come to a complete end.
It wasn’t just that he had become weakened from a lack of nutrients.
From the potential of each of his cells to the mind that composed his self, and even the very essence of his soul.
He had depleted all of it and was akin to a tiny ember barely hanging on in a pile of ash.
‘It’s too late···.’
No one, not even a saint, demon king, dragon, or even one who achieves enlightenment themselves could save him in such a state.
In fact, just being able to open his eyes like this was nothing short of a miracle.
Perhaps the contact with himself that had made it this far was a catalyst of some sort.
Ken gazed with complicated eyes at the entity on the altar.
Just a mere replica from his unique skill “Thought Transfer,” but due to a curse and the influence of the demon’s body, he had significantly departed from his original appearance.
Yet, regardless of what anyone said, the subject of his abilities was the Miyamoto Ken now lying there, and the fact that he was an artificially born existence couldn’t be denied.
So.
That’s why it was all the more surprising.
“···Is it really okay to do this?”
Some will was conveyed from the original Miyamoto Ken.
“······.”
In response to the surprised question, he just faintly smiled.
Demon Ken looked at him with a peculiar expression, unable to speak since his vocal cords had completely shriveled up.
Having completely become a demon, he could no longer understand certain emotions.
“Then let’s get started right away.”
However, there was nothing bad for him in this, so he didn’t refuse.
In fact, knowing that time was running out, he immediately took action.
A “Demon Contract” that would cost the soul of the contractor.
[Azi DeQure de roTuS Vi···.]
With a low incantation, one of Ken’s hands covered the forehead of the original Ken, while the other gripped a frail hand.
It looked far too reverent for conducting a wicked contract.
Almost like a sacred rite meant to comfort someone on the verge of passing away.
And in response—
Uuung—
As the demon’s contract began to progress, the altar and the entire consciousness space connected to it began to resist fiercely.
As if it were determined not to lose something once it had grasped it.
Miyamoto Ken had already been offered as the sacrificial vessel for this ceremony, so it was only natural.
[DoU keTep JAd ra···.]
According to the protocol of the already twenty-year-long ritual, he was at a disadvantage both in priority and in output due to its vast scale.
In such cases, it was typical for contracts attempted later to be rejected, but Ken paid no mind to such backlash.
After all.
The subject and the object of this contract were not strangers but one.
Crack—!
Due to a remarkably strong flow of causality that ignored all procedures, cracks formed in the ongoing ritual.
As a small gear was forcibly pulled from the intricately meshed massive clockwork, the overall structure began to creak.
The relationship that Ken had interfered with was much closer than the ritual’s priority.
This didn’t merely stop at obstructing the existing ritual.
‘I’ve worked for twenty years with no pay, so I should at least get a severance package.’
Ken’s eyes narrowed as he began to steadily draw out the deeply rooted essence of the original’s soul.
Along with the remnants of a completely shattered soul, a massive energy surged forth.
The ceremony taking place here, and moreover, the energy source that sustained this unidentifiable shrine in the Demon Realm.
One of its pillars was uprooted.
Rumble—
The once quiet shrine shook as if an earthquake had struck, but Ken didn’t care.
He knew that the energy he had extracted couldn’t possibly collapse this shrine, let alone the ritual itself.
Unfortunately, the original’s condition was too poor to allow for any deeper intervention.
‘At least this much··· should be enough for a severance pay.’
With that thought, Ken quietly looked down.
For a moment, a powerful energy flooded in, clarifying the vision of the real Miyamoto Ken looking up at him.
However, that was only a temporary phenomenon that would vanish the moment the contract was concluded.
It seemed the involved party was aware of it too, as he forced his mouth open as if now was his chance.
“······Ah.”
From his slightly trembling mouth, a barely audible voice escaped.
While necessary communication could have been done through the connected “Thought Transfer,” this time, he chose not to rely on it.
Like he was trying to leave a mark of his existence in this world.
“…Hello… Ken…”
His voice was rough and cracked due to years of disuse.
But that was all he managed to say.
And then Miyamoto Ken— no, now, the man who had been reduced to mere ash after passing on his last ember faintly smiled.
Uuung—
Right after that, the contract was finally completed.
The Earthling who quietly closed his eyes after passing on his name to the demon as his final words.
“······.”
So it was that the only remaining “Ken” in the world quietly looked down.
At the empty altar where only the clothes he once wore remained.
“…The contract has been fulfilled.”
The soul received during the contracting process was so damaged that it had almost no value to other demons; however, it had a completely different significance for him.
The deficiency he’d harbored since his origin was filled, and a sense of fulfillment surged up from deep within him.
Pududud—
Although he bore the body of a demon king, it quickly began to reconstruct itself based on the massive energy it had stolen, which had been stuck at the level of a count.
While he couldn’t skip several steps at once, since the imperfections that had blocked his growth had been resolved, a foundation for continuous growth was paved.
“The price is everything of Miyamoto Ken. And the wish I desire is…”
Now he was no longer an artificial self that someone had created—
“…To live in his stead.”
A true demon that existed solely in this world.
The duke-level demon Ken slowly surveyed his surroundings.
This place was nothing less than the heart of a plan being undertaken by Duke of the Dragon Clan.
Although he was delayed by an unexpected occurrence, his tasks remained unchanged.
“Looks like it’s finally over, huh?”
“Karhahat! Seems like you’ve gotten quite a bit yourself!”
“Then let’s hurry up! The Duke of the Dragon Clan should be back any time now.”
At that moment, Davidson, who had been busily moving inside the shrine while Ken was conducting the contract, approached him.
How he knew what was happening outside, Ken didn’t know, but he just brushed it off and nodded silently.
After all, he was sent by the Hela herself, so it wouldn’t be strange for him to have such abilities.
“…Yeah, it took longer than I expected. Let’s not waste any more time.”
His mission was not yet complete.
From the very start, his purpose in coming here was not only to gather information but to sabotage and outwit the Duke of the Dragon Clan, wasn’t it?
Once he remembered his original purpose after finishing his personal matters, a fiery light ignited in his eyes.
“Let’s take everything we can, and destroy anything we can’t.”
“Oh! I really like that idea!”
“Ugh! Is there no meat here?”
“The other side is already done, bro. This area is broad, but the space he mostly used is limited!”
The self-proclaimed best hunting dog of the Demon Realm, Davidson, snorted and proudly declared.
As he nodded at Davidson’s words, Ken surveyed the area again.
“Alright, then I’ll deal with the sacrifices here first.”
He had just forced out energy while realizing exactly how important this space was.
If he had infiltrated the enemy’s territory, it was common sense to destroy their core facilities.
Raising the vague power of “Thought Transfer” flowing from within, he slowly began to move forward.
Of course, this was solely for the mission.
There were no special feelings involved.
*
“Heron! Where on earth have you been to get your arm in that condition?”
“Hahaha. Well, it just happened, you know?”
“Sigh— The hospital director called urgently, and I was wondering what was going on, and then…”
Heledon scratched the back of his head awkwardly at the voice of the woman who sighed deeply.
He was aware enough that he worried her, which made it difficult to find any words to say.
She was saying this because she cared for him, and he understood that much.
“…Seriously, I can’t take it. Are you sure you’re okay? You’re not in any pain?”
“Of course! That old man was just making a fuss! It’s really no problem. Just in case, I’ve also prepared other solutions.”
At that bold statement, the next emperor of the Azerion Empire, Princess Riley, looked at him with narrowed eyes.
Having been busy preparing to succeed the empire, she had been startled by the sudden contact from the hospital director.
From her perspective, having rushed to handle her urgent matters thus far, such confident words were hard to trust.
‘Where on earth has he been wandering? I tried not to pay too much attention, thinking he seemed fed up only being in the imperial palace…’
If it were up to her, she would have liked to lock him away somewhere safe for life, but she couldn’t do that.
He was not her possession, after all.
And considering his ability to escape even from the Undead King’s lair, it didn’t seem plausible either.
‘…Wait, hang on. Now that I think about it…’
But then suddenly, while reflecting on the past, a particular fact flickered through her mind.
Recalling it, she quickly turned her head and covered her mouth.
Her eyes grew wide as she blinked repeatedly.
‘We contractually agreed when he escaped, right? Us? The conditions we set then…’
He wasn’t her possession; conversely, she was him and vice versa.
The contract they made back then had been of that kind.
No matter how far apart they were, if he wished, he could communicate with her at any time and even summon her, right?
‘Urgh, I knew that, but… Is it really alright? I’m the next empress. The idea that I’m someone’s possession…’
It was a potentially disqualifying factor for her as the next emperor.
As her thoughts drifted there, she swallowed nervously.
Of course, she had already been aware of it for a long time, but upon reexamining it seriously, a renewed wave of concern surged within her.
‘No, I shouldn’t think too negatively. In fact, thanks to this, I’ve received a lot of help so far.’
Looking at it that way, it was an excellent safety net.
As long as he remained by her side, no matter what dangers she faced in the future, she could navigate through crises as easily as before.
His abilities had been proven through various previous events, so there was no need to debate it further.
‘Yeah, well. What’s done is done. Okay, when viewed from that perspective, maybe it’s a good thing…’
As Riley fell into her thoughts, her face gradually flushed.
In her mind, the image of herself as the emperor with Heledon steadfastly by her side flickered into view.
And that image soon extended beyond just the two of them…
“Riley?”
“Eep!”
Suddenly jolted by someone calling her, she turned to look at him with a flustered expression.
But Heledon also looked surprised by her vigorous response.
He was merely trying to call out to her since she was mumbling to herself.
Quick to pick up on the shift in the atmosphere, she cleared her throat and opened her mouth again.
With a nonchalant demeanor as if it were nothing,
“Cough, please take care of yourself from now on. You’re not alone anymore.”
“Eh?”
“Ah?”
However, it was inevitable that something slip out due to the earlier thoughts she’d been having.
After that slip of the tongue.
Riley, who hurriedly began to offer all sorts of explanations, soon finished with a quick reminder that she had an unfinished task to attend to and hurriedly left.
Leaving behind the request to let her know if he needed anything.
In the whirlwind that came and went, Heledon chuckled to himself.
He then quietly looked down at his right arm, lost in serious contemplation.
Hmm, I wonder if this will have any impact on those around me?
Already larger black stains appeared.
But for now, this sealing orb was still fulfilling its role perfectly.
‘Though, given what’s inside, who knows?’
It was the remnants of someone who had even been a Demon King.
It wasn’t impossible that the subtle energy leaking out imperceptibly affected those around him.
And he may not have noticed because he was immune to mental attacks.
“…Maybe I should hurry up with making the sealing orb.”
He licked his lips lightly and clenched his fist tightly.
The immense power felt even while sealed within.
‘With this, I think I could summon Ken. I wonder if it would work back on Earth too?’
As he recalled the duke-level demon firmly linked within his right arm, a gentle smile crept across his face.
Wondering how he could help this excellent servant grow even faster.
