We stumbled out of that collapsing dungeon with nothing but torn Hunter gear, bloody cuts, and bruises. But for now, we were alive, and that was enough.

  “Phew… it’s a total wreck.”

  I glanced back. The passage behind us had caved in, buried under piles of stone and swirling dust. The Abyss of the Dead—or at least this part of it—looked ready to crumble at any moment.

  Elena leaned against a wall, scowling at the devastation below.

  “Those fools tainted by dark magic… probably dead or missing. Not that I care.”

  Her arm was still marked by a faint black pattern, the skin clammy with fever. It wasn’t a good sign.

  I swallowed hard and moved closer. “Is it… hurting again?”

  She shot me a cold look.

  “You drained some of the black magic, but traces remain. It’s better than before, but I don’t know how long I’ll last.”

  A full recovery was still out of reach. My crest—the so-called “hand of domination”—might help again, but my own energy was nearly spent. And this place was dangerous. We needed real medical help—or at least a safe spot.

  “Let’s head back to the city,” I suggested. “We can rest there and figure something out.”

  After a moment’s hesitation, Elena nodded reluctantly.

  “Fine. But don’t you dare try to ‘dominate’ me again. Not like you can fully cure me anyway.”

  Her voice was still barbed, but I didn’t argue. I offered her my hand.

  “Can you walk? Should I help—?”

  “No need. I can manage.”

  Her pride was clear: part of her knew she needed me, and part of her hated admitting it. I just gave a wry smile and started walking.

  By the time we reached the outskirts of the city, night had fallen. Pain flared in my legs and arms with every step, and Elena looked just as bad. We needed a place to rest, fast.

  Eventually we found a shabby inn with a half-rotten signboard. Cheap, but it rented rooms to wandering Hunters.

  “Welcome,” the owner said. “Got one room left upstairs.”

  He eyed our torn clothes and bloodstains with a mix of pity and contempt, but took my coin without a single question. Clearly, curiosity wasn’t part of his business plan.

  Elena dragged herself up the stairs, visibly exhausted.

  “There’s only one bed,” I murmured.

  “It’s fine,” she replied curtly.

  Inside, we found a tiny room with a single window and a creaky old bed, barely enough space to stand.

  Elena collapsed onto the mattress. “At least… I can breathe here.”

  Her voice trembled with fatigue.

  I leaned against a corner, massaging the crest on my right hand. Strangely, it throbbed whenever I got near Elena, almost like our cursed energies were reacting to each other.

  Suddenly, she let out a low moan.

  “Ugh… ngh…!”

  Her back arched as she gasped for air. I rushed over.

  “Hey! Is it the black magic again?”

  Before I could finish speaking, her eyes flickered red—like those monsters we’d seen in the dungeon. A chill ran down my spine.

  Do I use Domination to control it? If I time it wrong, we could both get hurt… but if I do nothing, she might be lost for good.

  Elena clutched the sheets, black mana visibly creeping across her skin. I couldn’t stand by.

  “Sorry. I have to do this—without your permission.”

  She squirmed, maybe trying to push me away, but she was too far gone to resist properly. I braced one hand around her shoulder and pressed my Dominating Hand against her chest.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Ghh…!”

  A fierce pull yanked at my entire body, like grabbing a ball of molten fire.

  Red mana flared from my palm, surging into her. Black mana crawled out of her arm and into me. I clenched my teeth, meeting her eyes.

  They trembled—like she was fighting something from within.

  It’s almost as if our minds are crossing…

  Her skin burned hot. The crest in my palm pulsed like a beating heart. Even the slightest touch sent shivers through my entire body.

  Elena’s ragged breathing mingled with a strange mix of pain and… something else.

  “Guh… hah…!”

  The sound of it cut into my own breath, leaving me dizzy.

  Black tendrils rippled along her shoulders and collarbone, then slowly thinned, devoured by the crimson light. My “corruptive power” clashed with the dark magic festering in her, each side pushing back in a whirlwind of half-formed memories.

  For a moment, I caught glimpses of Elena’s tortured past—bizarre experiments, chains, blood—and my own urge to dominate nearly spiraled out of control.

  “Hah… hah…!”

  With a gasp, Elena shoved me away. I staggered, barely keeping my balance.

  “D-don’t dig so deep!” she snapped, eyes glistening with tears. Fear and anger warred in her expression.

  “Sorry… but it’s the only way to calm that black magic,” I panted, sweat beading on my forehead.

  Finally, the dark aura receded, leaving Elena nearly limp. She collapsed onto the blanket, breathing hard.

  Gently, I touched her forehead; she felt a little cooler, like her body was stabilizing.

  “You okay?”

  She exhaled shakily.

  “If it weren’t for you, I’d have lost my mind again…”

  Her eyes still held a hint of bitterness.

  “But relying on your power like this—it’s humiliating.”

  I shrugged. “We can’t help it. You need me to stay alive.”

  She turned her head away with a huff, refusing to acknowledge my point.

  Silence stretched between us until she spoke up again.

  “…Thanks. Still… you did this to me—now what are you after?”

  “What? I’m just trying to help. I wouldn’t feel right letting you die.”

  “Right, must be nice, acting all noble.”

  She gripped the edge of the mattress and lowered her voice.

  “But don’t think for a second I’m your obedient puppet. If you ever try to dominate my mind—”

  She left the threat hanging. I sighed.

  “I don’t want that. Whatever this ‘domination’ is, right now we both need each other, right?”

  She fell silent, gaze dropping to the floor.

  Outside, night deepened. Wind whistled through the cracks in the old window, letting in a sliver of moonlight. I spread a thin blanket on the floor and lay down. Elena curled up on the bed, turned away.

  Some time later, I heard her mumbling under her breath, as if fighting a smaller wave of pain.

  “Still… my body’s… so hot…”

  Worried it was a relapse, I sat up.

  “Are you—?”

  “Leave it. It’s nothing big this time. I’ll manage.”

  She pulled the blanket tight, saying no more. I relaxed a fraction, glancing at the crest on my hand.

  Sure, it can save her… but who knows when it might spiral out of control?

  Living together with that risk… it was like walking on a tightrope.

  Harem? Domination? If I really stayed with her like this, what would happen? She both needs and rejects me, that tension defining our relationship.

  Eventually, I dozed off. In the cold hours before dawn, I half-woke to the soft creaking of the bed. Elena was sitting up, staring at the moon outside.

  “If I stay like this… will I really end up bound to you?”

  Her shoulders shook slightly. I held my breath, pretending not to hear.

  “I want to survive on my own,” she whispered, “but if I keep depending on your mana, I might lose myself entirely.”

  A quiet, shaky sigh.

  “…Even so, there’s no other way, right?”

  Something stabbed at my chest. I wasn’t entirely comfortable either. We were two people clinging to life with no better options.

  She lay back down, and I closed my eyes. I couldn’t bring myself to speak or reassure her.

  Morning approached, and I barely slept. My right hand kept throbbing, as if hinting at the “domination” locked within it. If I wanted, I could slowly take full control over Elena… but did I really want that? Was it just a temptation of corruption?

  At least her breathing had evened out, meaning no further outbursts—tonight, anyway. But come daybreak, we’d probably have another fight on our hands. One thing was certain:

  “Without you, I can’t survive”—and the same goes for me.

  —End of Chapter 3