Unlike the counterfeit items we had encountered twice before---one from Dark Wolf and another from Kraken---the genuine 'Black Ark' was an exceptionally valuable artifact, even within the Diego Church.
It was a primitive growth item, so rare that fewer than ten were produced each year, no matter how much energy from the Evil God was condensed into it.
Even with the rapid increase in the number of believers in the Diego Church as the Hidden Route progressed, the production volu wouldn't have reached twenty in total, according to the estimates.
This made the Black Ark highly coveted within the Diego Church. Only apostles and archbishops could possess one, and even then, the way it was used varied from person to person.
'If Monbes was willing to go so far as to curse my grandmother with it...'
It ant that the Diego Church placed trendous value on my grandmother.
'If she wanted to lift the Curse of the Black Butterfly, she would have to go to the Diego Church herself.'
It seed the Diego Church was truly after my grandmother's abilities as a Sword Master.
'They must have so really talented individuals already though.'
Sure, a Sword Master's skill is extraordinary. But Helena Holden, my grandmother, is not in her pri anymore. She's aging and gradually weakening. Why go to such lengths for soone past their peak?
No. That wasn't the important issue right now.
I looked at the black butterfly pattern clearly etched onto my grandmother's forehead.
I knew that this Curse of the Black Butterfly could be lifted.
'I could do it since I had the expertise. But if I weren't here...'
Grandma would have fallen into Diego Church's hands.
Thankfully, there was a way to save her. The problem was the sheer number of materials required to lift the curse.
'There are roughly fifteen ingredients in total.'
At the mont, I had about half of them. Gathering the rest would take a significant amount of ti.
'At least a month.'
I'd even have to clear two hidden dungeons.
"Damn it..."
I muttered, biting my lip. Regret welled up inside . I hadn't prepared for this.
How could I have known I would encounter the Black Butterfly Curse so soon? I hadn't prepared anything.
No---if I were being honest, I couldn't have prepared. There was no way to acquire the necessary materials on the route I had taken.
Never did I think soone close to
would be targeted by such a curse.
The Curse of the Black Butterfly was known to affect powerful or famous individuals
in HSAW. By that logic, my grandmother, a retired Sword Master, seed like an unlikely target.
'If anything, I had assud it would be my mother who'd fall victim to such sches...'
As I let out a small sigh, Kyros noticed the unease in my heart and spoke.
-Hey, do you know what this pattern ans?
'Yes. I think I do. I can feel the Evil God's energy quite strongly.'
-Yeah. This seems like so kind of curse.
Kyros seed to sense the murky energy radiating from my grandmother and slowly murmured to himself.
I stared blankly at my grandmother for a mont before placing my hand gently on her forehead.
First, I thought I'd try sothing imdiate---a healing skill that could remove poisons and curses.
'It worked on the curse Sevenus had before, so maybe it's worth a shot...'
I wasn't sure if the skill would work even with high-level curses that used genuine Black Ark. Black Ark was the very essence of evil.
'I hope it works though...'
If the healing skill failed, my only option would be to gather various ingredients and brew a potion to lift the curse. But that would take too much ti, and in the anti, Grandma might fall prey to Diego Church's sches.
"Phew," I exhaled.
I took out the Cognitive Dissonance Glasses from my inventory and put them on, just as I had when treating Sevenus's curse. Preparation was key for anything unforeseen.
Breathing holy power into my hands, I activated my healing skill.
Whoosh-
The next thing I knew, consciousness slipped away.
***
When I ca to, I found myself in a dark, shadowy world.
'Is this Grandma's consciousness?'
I rembered how I had been pulled into Sevenus's psyche during his treatnt, so it wasn't hard to figure out what was happening.
But this ti, sothing was different.
'That's...'
In the darkness, I saw an old woman lying lifelessly in a flower bed. The flowers around her had all withered and died.
And behind her, a massive black snake coiled nacingly. The creature looked to be at least five ters long.
Although the curse was called the Black Butterfly, the Black Ark was the essence of Diego's power. It made sense that a black snake was manifesting as the curse's core.
'If I kill that snake, I can lift the curse...right?'
I wasn't entirely sure. This wasn't even sothing from the original story.
Seuk-
Before I could dwell on it, the snake's two glowing red eyes snapped open. Its vertical pupils glared at
with deadly intent.
Slowly, it began to uncoil itself. The enormous body slid past the motionless old woman and slithered directly toward .
Sssssaaak---
The snake's mouth opened wide, revealing sharp fangs. It looked at
as if I were tasty prey.
Without hesitation, I thought of the holy mace---and, just like that, it appeared in my hand.
'Is it because this is a ntal realm?'
I marveled at how my thoughts could directly shape reality here. If I could enter soone else's psyche through healing, did that make
a psychic as well?
If so, does that an I can control this world just by imagining?
Before I could test the limits of this idea, the snake lunged at .
Saaaak!
The giant creature moved with startling speed, its open jaws rushing straight at . Dodging seed nearly impossible, but I managed to step back just in ti.
Thud!
The snake's head crashed into the ground where I had been standing. Seizing the mont, I swung my mace with all my might.
WHEESH!
But before the blow could land---
Thwack!
The snake's tail lashed out and struck
hard in the stomach.
"Ugh...!"
I gasped, doubling over from the impact. The pain was so vivid it felt like my real body had been hit.
'How can this be so painful when it's a ntal realm?'
I was montarily stunned, but I couldn't afford to stay still. I had to move---imdiately.
I imdiately pushed myself up from the ground. The snake was already closing in, its massive mouth wide open.
Whoosh!
I swung my mace with all my strength, managing to shatter one of its enormous fangs. But the snake didn't stop.
Crunch!
It lunged at
with terrifying speed, too fast for
to evade, and sank its jaws into my arm.
"Ugh-!"
A scream tore from my throat as the searing pain of broken bones surged through . I struggled desperately, trying to free myself from its grip.
When I finally pulled away, I realized my left arm was gone.
All that remained was a stump, gushing red blood.
'...Fuck.'
For a mont, the shock overwheld , eclipsing the pain.
This wasn't an opponent I could defeat.
I'd faced countless challenges in this world, but this snake was on another level. Its sheer speed alone was enough to make it nearly impossible to track, let alone fight.
If only I had that kind of speed...
But as things stood, I was nothing more than a toy for the snake---a plaything it could destroy before swallowing whole.
'My left arm is...'
Even with the loss of my arm, I knew I had no choice. I had to kill the snake. If I didn't, it would kill .
'It's okay. It's okay.'
I tried to calm the wild pounding of my heart.
The snake wasn't moving for the mont. It simply watched , its eyes glinting as if mocking my efforts.
This is the ntal realm, I reminded myself. What's hurt right now isn't my real body.
'So it's okay.'
And since this was a ntal realm, I realized sothing else: if I could imagine it clearly enough, I could move as fast as the snake.
Crack, crack.
A strange sound echoed from behind . With a sensation like bones snapping, sothing began to erge---wings, forming just as I had envisioned them.
Kkuddeuk---
Even my missing left arm began to regenerate, piece by piece, as if responding to my imagination.
'Yeah. That's the difference between
and the snake.'
An animal can't imagine, but a person can.
This fight wasn't over. I could still win.
I flew into the air, wielding the holy mace in my hands. No longer just a mace, it had transford into a pure white sword.
***
The battle didn't last long.
Though the snake had fought ferociously, it eventually collapsed to the ground.
My left arm had been severed once more, and my Cognitive Dissonance Glasses were shattered, but in the end...
Thud---
...the black snake was defeated.
I withdrew the sword from its lifeless neck and wiped the sweat from my brow.
'Even if this is a ntal realm, there's nothing I can do about being tired.'
I glanced at my missing left arm and the broken glasses. A faint smile tugged at my lips.
No point in creating new ones now. I'll be leaving this place soon anyway.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, my surroundings began to fade.
'It's all over now.'
As I was thinking that, my eyes t with soone.
Since when did you co to your senses, Grandma?
Standing amidst the dead flowers, my grandmother, Helena Holden, was staring at
with wide, surprised eyes.
I'll be back to my original world soon anyway, so it'll be okay.
I smiled at her and said quietly,
"Everything will be okay now."
As soon as I entered, I lost consciousness.
***
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in my grandmother's bedroom. My hand was still resting on her forehead.
As I removed it, I noticed the black butterfly curse that had been engraved there was gone.
-Child, you worked hard.
'Yes. This ti, it was a bit...difficult.'
-But child, your left arm is bleeding! Are you okay?
'I see. What?!'
I quickly looked down at my left arm, just as Kyros had said. Blood was seeping from the spot where the snake had bitten , and it was enough to soak the hem of my robe.
Panicking, I stretched my hand out, worried my arm might actually be gone, as it had been in the ntal realm.
Fortunately, I could still feel my left arm---it was intact, though wounded.
'So, injuries from the ntal realm can manifest in reality too.'
Even though the damage appeared in reality, it wasn't fully in sync. The wound on my arm was bleeding, and it looked like a cut, but the pain wasn't too bad.
'I'll deal with the treatnt later. But for now...'
What should I do with this?
I turned my attention to sothing more pressing than my arm.
It was the ssage that floated before my eyes:
[Warning! 'Cognitive Dissonance Glasses' are damaged.]
The glasses, which had been damaged in the ntal realm, were indeed damaged here as well.
Even though they were a holy object, it seed they weren't indestructible. After all, they were still an item.
The good news, however, was:
[You can repair the 'Cognitive Dissonance Glasses' by spending a small amount of Holy Power. Would you like to repair them?]
[Yes/No]
They could be repaired...
Without hesitation, I was about to press Yes.
"Levi...?"
My grandmother's voice interrupted .
"I wondered who it was, but it was you after all, Levi."
I let my guard down.
"It was you who saved , wasn't it, my dear?"
I should have repaired the glasses sooner. I deeply regretted it.
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