Chapter 404

Chapter 404
## Chapter 404

Miyamoto Ken (1)

Every ounce of vitality within her form rushed upward, concentrating entirely into her optic nerves.

Her perception narrowed to a razor-sharp edge, dedicating her entire awareness to sight.

The fibers surrounding her eyelids pulsed under intense strain, her pathways wound incredibly tight.

‘…Ah, I comprehend now. This must be the essence of… ’

Hella’s gaze, radiating a vibrant amber luminescence, remained locked onto her adversary.

The Dragon Marquis glared back through all six of his eyes, his spiritual pressure swelling violently as he readied his onslaught.

The impending strike, a cascading deluge of pure arcane force, teetered on the brink of release.

Two distinct planes of existence began to overlap, bleeding into one another.

[“Behold, I am Krushaior, the Dragon Marquis! The unmatched sovereign of the Fiend Realm, the rightful successor to the throne of the Underworld! Do you truly believe you possess the strength to throw down my rule?!”]

It was a flawlessly calculated assault, boasting a radius and destructive capacity so immense that evasion seemed utterly impossible, even in his compromised state.

Yet she already held the solution in her grasp. It felt identical to possessing an examination answer key before the test had even begun.

A brilliant sapphire radiance suddenly emanated from her pupils.

Instantly, a localized stasis took hold within a precise perimeter, locking all matter and motion in absolute stasis.

The drifting currents of air, the shifting elemental particles, the mounting wave of ruinous cataclysm… everything ground to a complete halt.

Stepping gracefully out of the immobilized pocket of space without a scratch, Hella gave a soft click of her tongue.

‘…This is truly remarkable. Yet it represents a mere fraction of its capability. If I can achieve total mastery over this gift… ’

It was entirely possible she might freeze the physical form of the Dragon Marquis himself in time.

Ascension was a state where a practitioner shattered their mortal constraints to forge an independent territory, a pocket universe where they dictated the fundamental laws of reality.

The Dragon Marquis stood at the absolute zenith of that developmental path, a creature walking the threshold of divinity.

As a consequence, his inherent immunity to malevolent spellcraft was extraordinarily potent.

‘…Which explains why the Gaze of Ruination yielded such underwhelming results.’

It hardly earned the reputation of bringing instantaneous demise… though the outcome was understandable given the circumstances.

Both she and her monstrous foe wielded colossal reserves of energy alongside astounding regenerative traits, and neither individual had achieved flawless command over the Seven-Colored Eyes of Domination.

‘…After all, I have only just unlocked its utilization… but since he operates on a comparable tier to my own, it indicates he too lacks complete proficiency.’

Having actively deployed the 「Seven-Colored Eyes of Domination」 through her own volition, Hella recognized its secrets.

The latent capability sleeping within those organs far eclipsed the displays they had manufactured so far.

The Gaze of Prophecy held the power to look far beyond a fleeting glimpse of the immediate future, unveiling the authentic, unalterable timeline.

Meanwhile, the Gaze of Temporal Stasis possessed the theoretical capacity to lock the entire cosmos in unending stillness.

The remaining ocular traits, such as the Gaze of Obliteration, shared that same limitless horizon.

‘…His growth stalled because he seized this power through violent theft, lacking the true lineage of the Occular Tribe. He was fundamentally barred from evolving it.’

Her circumstances, however, were entirely different. She carried the blended blood of the race, a legitimate offspring of the Occular Tribe.

She recalled the lore regarding the Occular Tribe shared by Liliana, the Matriarch of the Dream Walkers.

They had once been a majestic and revered lineage within the Fiend Realm, though their population had dwindled down to a precious few due to the targeted purges of the Dragon Marquis… yet each member was naturally gifted with a singular Eye of Domination at birth. It was their birthright and defining trait, one they dedicated their entire lifespans to polishing and evolving in a relentless pursuit of ascension.

This mirrored the path of Hella’s own 「Eyes of Domination」, which had matured to a degree where she could bend not just living minds, but the very fabric of the environment to her desires.

‘…A profound distinction exists between us. I successfully absorbed a portion of the previous master’s mastery over “Subjugation,” utilizing the organ of the Archdemon as a metaphysical bridge.’

However, regarding the alternative visual traits… she was forced to develop them from absolute infancy.

When one considered that a purebred member of the Occular Tribe spent their whole existence refining just one singular eye… wielding the 「Seven-Colored Eyes of Domination」, which provided seven distinct supernatural manifestations, was not entirely a… blessing.

It was highly probable that none of her individual traits would ever reach supreme refinement, as her focus and internal reserves were split in too many directions.

‘…Still, I find no reason to lament. Ultimately, a broader arsenal offers far greater versatility! Furthermore, I possess the “Elixir of Progression,” an item that demands a heavy price but delivers undeniable results!’

Combined with her innate 「Archdemon」 disposition and its limitless capacity for advancement…

[“Do not make a mockery of me! How much longer do you imagine your stamina can sustain that stolen divinity?!”]

As though sensing the direction of her inner monologue, the Dragon Marquis bellowed in anger, his tone dripping with sheer exasperation.

His assessment was accurate, naturally.

The drain on her spiritual reservoir was immense, and the psychological toll was equally severe.

‘…Moreover, each distinct iris functions on conflicting metaphysical principles, making it exceptionally tedious to weave them alongside alternative techniques, such as traditional sorcery.’

This friction explained why the Dragon Marquis, despite having such terrifying instruments at his disposal, refrained from utilizing them indiscriminately.

His baseline physical and magical might was already staggering without them, and he lacked the means to elevate the eyes any further. To him, they were merely… convenient tools.

“We shall discover the truth of that soon enough. Besides, I stand as a… rightful heir to this legacy, unlike a thief like you. I recognize that you are burning with… jealousy, but really… it comes across as rather… miserable, wouldn’t you agree?”

[“…You insolent, disrespectful child! Perish!”]

Stripped of any logical counterargument, the Dragon Marquis roared in sheer fury and lunged directly through the air toward her position.

Hella’s expression split into a wider grin, her pupils flashing with genuine mirth.

[“………!”]

Right at that instant,

…the Dragon Marquis ground to an abrupt halt, his entire form freezing right in the middle of his advance.

His grotesque countenance, typically carved from emotionless stone, betrayed a sudden flicker of… bewilderment, as though he had run headfirst into a completely unforeseen complication.

“Is something amiss? Did a crucial detail slip your mind?”

Hella jeered openly, but her foe offered no verbal reply.

He appeared profoundly preoccupied, bearing the look of a commander who had just been delivered a catastrophic update from the rear lines.

Her smirk grew broader.

“Or perhaps you… left your front gates completely unguarded?”

The flippant comment, dripping with uncamouflaged contempt, was calculated specifically to strike at his… royal ego.

In response, all six of his ocular organs widened in profound horror and skepticism, locking onto her form.

[“…You devious witch!”]

“Come now, turning your attention away in the middle of a duel is terribly discourteous, particularly when your challenger is a lady. Do you truly claim the title of a high noble?”

[“What treachery have you orchestrated, you wretched crossbreed?!”]

His spiritual pressure erupted with a violence that dwarfed his earlier outputs, rolling outward in waves as though he intended to… break her resolve through raw intimidation… yet Hella remained completely unbothered.

“Hmph.”

Her pupils ignited with power, each displaying a unique coloration.

Amber represented the path of foresight, while pristine white embodied the path of total erasure.

As their twin lights flared, the escape vectors and subtle spatial fractures the Dragon Marquis had been quietly weaving behind his back were… utterly nullified.

[“…… silence ……”]

“Where do you imagine you are fleeing? We have barely begun our entertainment, so let us prolong this affair. You went to such tremendous effort to travel here, after all.”

She had absolutely no intention of granting him a retreat.

He served as an invaluable… experimental asset, and her personal command over the Eyes of Domination was accelerating at a breathtaking pace purely through this conflict.

And beyond that reality…

“You mean to stay and keep me company a while longer, correct?”

…maintaining his presence here had been her primary objective since the very beginning.

[“…You… insignificant, microscopic parasite! How dare you humiliate me! I shall extract a terrible price for this!”]

Acknowledging the grim reality that his paths of retreat were entirely sealed, the Dragon Marquis howled in unbridled desperation, his voice thick with homicidal rage.

Hella offered a sweet, charming smile, her crimson lips pulling back into an immaculate silhouette.

It appeared that beneath it all, she truly carried the sadistic nature of a fiend, deriving genuine pleasure from witnessing the utter despair of her challenger.

—

While Hella and the Dragon Marquis waged their cataclysmic war across the heavens,

“The time has come.”

…Miyamoto Ken, having concluded his final arrangements, stepped out toward his intended target.

With the Dragon Marquis fully occupied elsewhere, the ultimate window of opportunity had arrived.

‘…Even so, a major obstacle remains in my path… ’

Sodian, a high-ranking fiend possessing the status of a Marquis, remained positioned to secure the defensive lines.

Her martial capability was far too formidable for him to challenge directly, even with the benefit of a blindside assault.

He would fail to leave even a superficial scratch, and ran a very real risk of being… torn limb from limb.

‘…Yet with this little companion by my side, success is within reach.’

He cast a downward glance toward the three-headed hound, which possessed the physical dimensions of an ordinary domestic dog, trotting faithfully at his heels.

He had unearthed Davidson’s… extraordinary traits mere moments after taking custody of the creature.

‘…I recognized he was unique from the moment Hella-nim delivered him into my care… but I never anticipated he would harbor this level of monstrous power.’

He vividly recalled the evening of their introduction.

He had carried the reinforced enclosure holding the juvenile Cerberus into his personal living quarters. The moment he stepped away from public view,

“What in the world? How did you break out of there?”

…he was greeted by a completely baffling scenario.

The juvenile beast had somehow bypassed the locking mechanisms of the enclosure and was casually wandering about his quarters, charting a direct course for the cold storage where he proceeded to gorge himself on Ken’s… curated meat supplies.

“Hey! Get away from that!”

Ken, momentarily paralyzed by shock, had lunged forward to intervene.

Those rations were a premium perk tied to his officer rank. He hadn’t even gotten around to sampling them himself… yet he recognized the absolute necessity of establishing alpha status immediately, otherwise management would become impossible down the line.

He had, after all, managed the upbringing of a stubborn beagle for over five seasons during his previous life on Earth.

‘…Regardless of its demonic nature, a Cerberus is still fundamentally a puppy… even if rumors dictate their volatile temperaments are a hundredfold more severe than a mundane hound.’

Furthermore, this wasn’t some basic stray; it was a legendary apex beast native to the Fiend Realm.

Conventional conditioning procedures were bound to fail.

‘…But I successfully managed a beagle for five whole years!’

At the end of the day, even a mythical terror fell under the classification of… a canine.

The foundational rule rested on projecting absolute dominance, ensuring the beast recognized who held the leash.

“Hey! I commanded you to drop it!”

Relying heavily on his past experiences, he had marched toward the young animal with total self-assurance…

*Crunch, crunch— Chomp, chomp—*

“Bark~ Grrr~”

“Bwahahaha!”

…and was subsequently turned into a laughingstock.

By a mere infant animal that barely brushed against his mid-thigh.

“Gah! What just happened…?”

He found himself sprawled across the floorboards, his limbs aching from deep contusions, staring up at the undisputed champion of the room.

As his vision rested level with the fabric of the floor,

…the identification marker fastened around the young hound’s neck, inscribed with the name ‘Davidson’, seemed to… mock his misery.

“…I yield. You win.”

He had ultimately conceded to reality.

In fairness, this was a creature personally dispatched by Hella-nim. It was foolish to expect anything ordinary.

He finally comprehended the deeper meaning behind the insights Frances had shared with him.

‘…His martial capacity is grand enough to trade blows with a genuine Marquis. He represents an invaluable asset for this infiltration.’

It was only logical to afford a creature of such terrifying potential the highest degree of deference.

A juvenile Cerberus possessing the combat effectiveness of a high-ranking Marquis!

This creature was effectively the most potent representative of the Cerberus bloodline left in creation, given that Sipar, the Peculiar Duke, had been wiped from existence, even if it still lingered in its infancy.

‘…I will overlook these domestic grievances. The absolute completion of my assignment overrides all personal pride.’

He had surrendered the hierarchy struggle and had even been forced to cede his mattress to the young animal… a reality that struck him as deeply… humbling.

Furthermore, he had been reduced to… pleading with supply officers for supplementary meat allocations, an activity that had undoubtedly degraded his professional standing…

‘…But all of that humiliation concludes this afternoon.’

The pivotal moment had arrived.

He guided Davidson… or more accurately,

…he trailed closely behind Davidson, who navigated the path with perfect confidence, moving toward the subterranean sacrificial vault.

“Hold. Ken? And what manner of creature trails in your shadow… Wait? Is that a Cerberus?”

“Indeed it is. A token of appreciation from a contact who owed me a substantial debt. Does its presence violate some directive?”

“Pah— Executive clearance is strictly limited to your person. That… specimen… possesses no authorization to pass the threshold.”

A hulking, minotaur-esque fiend performing the duties of the threshold sentry grunted, his tone deep and vibrating.

He lacked any semblance of high intellect, but he boasted incredible tenacity and an immense physical reservoir for a Viscount-tier entity, making him a frequent choice for static guard duties.

“Furthermore, its physiology appears… irregular. I have encountered specimens of the Cerberus breed in the past, but this particular one is… unique, to say the least…”

“That precise irregularity dictates its immense worth. Exotic specimens command a premium, wouldn’t you agree?”

“*Snort!* Accurate enough.”

“Besides, he isn’t being brought inside under the classification of a combatant. He is intended as an offering for Sodian-nim.”

“Hou? A tribute? For Lady Sodian…? Yet the creature remains breathing.”

“We retain the option to process it directly on the altar. Surely you are aware that vibrant, living essence yields far superior metaphysical results? They have processed dozens of similar subjects within those walls.”

“…True statement. If its destiny is the sacrificial altar, its current state of vitality is irrelevant.”

The towering sentry nodded his massive head in slow comprehension and swung the heavy portal inward.

He was merely adhering to standard protocols. A juvenile hound posed zero threat to the facility.

Should it exhibit erratic behavior, it would simply be… processed ahead of schedule.

‘Excellent. The initial barrier has been cleared.’

Ken and Davidson stepped past the threshold into the ritual catacombs.

A multitude of hidden mechanisms and defensive runes lined the corridors, but they proved incapable of impeding Ken, who had frequented these depths on multiple occasions under valid executive credentials.

“…Inquiry. What purpose dictates your arrival, Ken? And the entity accompanying you… a mutated variant of the Cerberus line?”

“Greetings, Lady Sodian.”

At the heart of the complex, they finally came face-to-face with Sodian, the high-ranking Marquis.

She observed their approach with her characteristic lack of facial animation, her vocalizations retaining their signature robotic, detached cadence.

Ken swallowed hard, attempting to steady his racing pulse.

The pieces were perfectly positioned on the board.

The terrain mapping, the entry vectors, the extraction path, the contingency signaling network… every variable had been accounted for.

‘…The outcome rests on your shoulders, Davidson.’

Yet before any secondary objectives could be pursued, he was required to neutralize the powerhouse standing directly before him.

If their strike faltered at this juncture, the entire strategy would implode into ruin.

“I harbored the belief that Lady Sodian would find this specimen pleasing… Haha, consider it a minor… demonstration of my fidelity…”

“Deduction. A remarkably trivial justification…”

Right then, Davidson,

…a beast that had never once failed to deliver satisfactory results for his… handlers…

The precise microsecond her attention drifted toward Ken’s face,

…the three canine visages, which had been radiating complete innocence with wide, adorable eyes, instantaneously dilated to monstrous proportions—.

“………?!”

*BOOM—!*

…and the entire chamber was utterly consumed by a blinding, apocalyptic detonation of radiance.