My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness

Hesperon quickly assessed the situation, his senses amplified by “Hypersensitivity”.

‘A slum on the outskirts of Jeron. Other people… none. A barrier? They planned this from the start.’

Even in a bustling city like Jeron, there were always dark corners where the marginalized gathered.

And that’s where he was now.

A dangerous slum, far from the Grand Temple despite being on the outskirts of the capital, its surroundings and security both dismal.

‘This wasn’t improvised. They set a trap and waited here… They knew I was coming.’

His gaze swept over the thirty masked figures surrounding him.

Even to his still developing senses, their sharp auras and the distinct scent of those who lived in the shadows were unmistakable.

‘Assassins? No, not just that. Some of them have mastered aura, and there are mages as well.’

Especially in the capital, setting up a barrier and planning an ambush in broad daylight.

His gaze finally settled on the only one without a mask.

The most dangerous one among them.

“It’s been a while, Sir Staub. …Or should I say, ‘former’ Sir?”

Staub, the master-level warrior and former Captain of the Imperial Guard.

He had assumed Staub was already dealt with, since Riley hadn't mentioned him… but it seemed he had escaped.

“Hmph, indeed. It’s good to see you again. I’ve been waiting for this. You’ve given me a valuable experience.”

Staub replied to Hesperon’s casual greeting with a sneer.

Judging by his appearance, it wasn't difficult to guess what that ‘experience’ was.

‘He’s been through a lot.’

His once powerful physique, honed through years of training as a master-level knight, was now withered and frail.

His complexion was pale and haggard, marked by rapid aging, malnutrition, and exhaustion.

And more importantly…

“Khehehe— This is quite amusing. Look at you now.”

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

And countless other scars, marks of torture, covered his body.

He had received some treatment, but the damage had been too severe, the resulting deformities and aftereffects clearly visible.

“I doubt you escaped on your own. Your friends helped you, I presume?”

Hesperon casually asked, observing Staub’s appearance, which clearly suggested a long period of imprisonment and a recent escape.

He had a rough idea of what had happened, but he wanted confirmation.

“…Indeed. You’ve changed. That power… It’s not dark magic, nor the abyss… Pure curse, how interesting.”

But Staub just stared at him with a strange glint in his eyes, ignoring his question.

Shing—

He drew his sword with his left hand, its fingers missing.

“I would kill you right here, right now… but I made a promise, so I'll refrain.”

A dark energy, like black flames, surged from his sword.

It wasn’t the aura he used before. It was dark magic power, a destructive and ominous energy.

“······!”

And sensing that energy,

Hesperon reacted instinctively.

He twisted his body, extending his right arm.

And as his arm, wreathed in black flames, moved forward—.

Kaboom—!

“Ugh!”

…It collided with Staub’s dark magic, creating a powerful shockwave.

“Tsk, I missed. I’m still not used to this.”

The one-armed dark knight muttered in frustration.

Hesperon, having retreated swiftly with the help of his enhanced reflexes and the subtly activated body strengthening magic, frowned.

He had blocked the attack, but the impact was greater than he expected. His arm throbbed.

Dark magic power was inherently aggressive, so even his “Craving Right Arm”, specialized in offense, couldn’t completely neutralize it.

‘He’s still got it, even in that state.’

It seemed Staub had absorbed dark magic power to compensate for the loss of his aura heart.

Despite the damage to his body and the presumably short adaptation period, his power was still formidable.

‘He’s definitely weaker than before, though. I might be able to hold my own… The problem is them.’

Some of the masked figures surrounding him began to stir, seemingly ready to join Staub.

Most of them were still blocking his escape routes, but additional enemies in this situation weren't welcome.

‘I can’t use “In the Hero’s Footsteps” yet. And my only other escape option is Dismissal.’

It had only been a short while since he had sent Harley to Ganghwange after the Revolutionary incident.

And the cooldown on “Interdimensional Transfer Formation Summon” wasn't over yet, so he couldn’t just dismiss himself.

As he pondered his options,

-Heron? Is something wrong?

Riley’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind, transmitted through “Chains of the Oath”, bypassing the barrier that blocked communication and teleportation.

She seemed to have sensed something from the violent clash, her voice filled with worry and concern.

-Riley! There’s trouble!

And without hesitation,

Hesperon told her everything.

‘She’s involved, she deserves to know! And I’m the one who got caught in this mess.’

The ambush, which had occurred immediately after her departure, and Staub’s words, suggested that their target was Hesperon.

Then their motive was obvious.

-Staub is there?

Riley’s voice turned cold as she heard his explanation.

A chilling aura, something he had never sensed from her before.

-So, he’s still alive?

-Well, he’s pretty banged up, but he’s alive.

-Ha! …This is embarrassing. I thought I had everything under control. There are still rats hiding in the shadows. Well, it hasn’t been that long since I took over… I have a lot to deal with.

It seemed she had assumed Staub was dead.

A scheme exploiting the power vacuum created by her sudden rise and the chaos surrounding it.

He could hear Riley’s frustrated sigh through their connection.

-But Heron, are you really alright? Staub is there, which means…

She asked again, her voice filled with worry.

Even with his injuries, Staub was still a master-level warrior.

And she had witnessed firsthand how he had barely escaped Staub, losing his eye and his arm in the process, ending up hospitalized for a while.

-Well, about that…

And his response to her concern…

-I’m holding my own… surprisingly?

…was filled with an unexpected confidence.

______________________

Swish—

Staub charged, his aura blazing.

As he had experienced before, facing him head-on was dangerous.

‘Then I just have to avoid a direct confrontation.’

The bracelet on Hesperon’s arm shimmered ominously.

His reflexes surged, amplified beyond their limits.

It was a powerful magic tool, imbued with a deadly curse… but he didn’t hesitate to use it.

‘This is amazing.’

His “Curse Devourer” skill was absorbing the curse, converting it into his own power.

But even that wasn’t enough to completely evade a master-level dark knight.

Staub’s blade, imbued with dark magic power, flashed before him.

Crash—!

It shattered the protective barrier that had appeared before him, the impact sending a shockwave through the air.

“Ugh!”

Hesperon was thrown back, a frown on his face.

His insides churned from the impact, but it was better than being directly hit by that sinister blade.

Having bought himself a moment’s respite, he flicked his fingers.

Dozens of black threads materialized, shimmering faintly in the air, and his body, as if pulled by an invisible force, shot upwards.

“Damn it! Again! That annoying clown!”

Staub, having missed his chance again, gritted his teeth and swung his sword wildly.

Hesperon, ignoring his frustration, sighed in relief as the protective ring he had been wearing crumbled into dust.

‘Whew, that was close.’

Swish—

With each movement of his fingers, the ambient energy converged, forming threads that pulled him through the air.

It wasn’t just an increase in speed, but also an incredibly agile and versatile movement, allowing him to freely maneuver through the air.

‘Using the curse’s latency and materialization for mobility. This is my first time using it in actual combat… It’s more mentally taxing than I thought.’

Curses were inherently stealthy.

They weren’t physical entities, so they couldn’t be easily dispelled. Even if someone used a powerful energy to purge the ambient curse, his “Craving Right Arm” would replenish it quickly.

‘And I can use magic tools and my stats to endure that brief moment of vulnerability.’

And he could use magic tools to further replenish the consumed curse.

‘All that preparation paid off.’

The limited time and space he had been given.

He had already turned this area into his web, woven with curses.

A large-scale magic spell might be dangerous… but there were no Archmages here.

‘Here he comes again.’

Hesperon’s gaze shifted.

He had momentarily evaded Staub with his superior mobility, but he wasn’t the only enemy.

Swish!

A masked figure, anticipating his trajectory, emerged from the shadows and swung his sword.

Unlike the others, who had seemed content to leave him to Staub, this one was actively attacking.

‘But someone at this level…’

Curses were inherently offensive and harmful.

Using them for mobility was a secondary application.

As the masked figure closed in,

He extended his right hand.

And clenched it into a fist.

“······!”

And at the same time,

Hundreds of black threads, connected to his hand, materialized around the masked figure.

And then.

Thwack—!

They tightened, converging towards the center, and a cloud of blood mist erupted.

A curse-infused attack, not just a physical blow, but also a debilitating curse that weakened resistance and defenses.

It was practically a one-hit kill against those without sufficient levels or supernatural defenses.

‘It’s quite energy-intensive, though.’

Whoosh—!

As he eliminated the masked figure, black flames erupted from his right arm, taking shape.

A long, serpentine body, a head emerging from his shoulder.

Two sharp horns, a flowing mane, and piercing eyes, sharp fangs bared in a satisfied grin.

A black dragon, devouring the last vestiges of its victim's resentment.

“You…!”

“Oops.”

Crack—!

Kaboom!

Hesperon dodged Staub’s attack, a wave of dark magic power that tore through the air, and hurriedly activated several curse-imbued magic tools from “Avatar Cloud”.

-Heron, are you sure you’re okay? Can’t you teleport like last time? Or should I come back…?

Riley’s voice, once filled with a chilling aura, was now soft and gentle, laced with worry and concern, as she contacted him through their mental link.

-No, it would look bad if the delegation leader left. I’m fine. I’ve gotten much stronger. I might even be able to escape on my own.

Thanks to the diligently consumed 『Growth Elixir (7 days) (200,000)』, his efforts had paid off.

It was a testament to the power of capitalism. Even the vast gap in their levels could be overcome with money!

Long live the Karma Shop.

-…You’re in the southeastern slums of Jeron, right?

-Uh? Well…

-Don’t try anything reckless. Just focus on surviving. I’m sending help.

But his confident declaration was met with Riley’s firm voice.

-I should have just eliminated them all…

He thought he heard something ominous after that, but he was too busy dealing with Staub to pay attention.

‘The elixir, combined with actual combat experience… My growth rate is incredible!’

He was too preoccupied with his rapidly increasing proficiency to care about such trivial matters.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!