"Well done."
In a blur, Senju Haruto appeared behind Arthur with a Shunshin, giving a quiet nod of approval at his choice and actions.
Even though Arthur's desperate efforts hadn't produced any real effect—hadn't even managed to scratch Chthon—it didn't matter.
What mattered was the courage behind it.
The bravery of knowingly charging into the impossible—that was the rare and precious quality Arthur carried.
Besides, the New York Sanctum still needed him to handle its day-to-day affairs.
How could Haruto possibly stand by and watch him die at Chthon's hands?
As the two opposing magical forces clashed in the air, Haruto pressed his palm firmly against Arthur's back.
This wasn't magic.
Arthur's grievous wounds weren't caused by any ordinary spell—they were from the body's inability to withstand the White Magic of Vishanti.
Damage caused by magic of that level couldn't be healed with more magic.
So Haruto used something else—the regenerative art of the Six Paths' Yang Power.
Just like during the Fourth Shinobi World War, when Naruto stopped Guy from dying.
"The Six Paths' power I wield now… far surpasses what Naruto and Sasuke had back then," Haruto thought to himself.
At that time, Naruto and Sasuke each carried only half the gift of the Sage of Six Paths—either Yin or Yang. Only together could they reach their full potential.
But Haruto had both Yin and Yang.
And on top of that, the chakra of the Ten-Tails, magic, and other powers layered upon each other.
Compared to that, even the Sage himself couldn't measure up.
So pulling Arthur back from death's edge? That was nothing.
As Six Paths' Yang Power poured into him, Arthur's body rapidly regenerated before their eyes. Even his ruined sockets, once collapsed into black voids, now formed whole, living eyes again.
Though his soul still reeled in agony, the physical pain had vanished.
Arthur blinked, stunned.
He couldn't believe it.
That White Magic he had unleashed just moments ago—he had done it fully prepared to vanish into nothingness. He had already accepted his death.
"...Haruto?"
Arthur quickly turned and saw him standing there.
When Chthon had appeared, every sorcerer in the No Door Bar had fled in panic. Arthur had never expected that the one who would save him wasn't one of those cowards, but Haruto himself.
And never in his wildest imagination had he thought Haruto would possess the power of regeneration.
That was the stuff of gods.
"There's nothing to be so shocked about, Arthur," Haruto said lightly. He gestured with one hand, signaling him to step back.
The fight from here on was his alone.
Chthon narrowed his eyes, studying Haruto carefully.
He had chosen to possess Lady Viper precisely because of Haruto's chaotic magic. That was what had caught his attention.
"The power you carry is impressive, but unfortunately… you've chosen the wrong path," Chthon said loftily, stretching out a hand as though inviting Haruto.
Arthur's life? He wasn't in any hurry to claim it.
To a being like Chthon, Arthur was nothing more than an insect.
Whether he lived a few more minutes or decades, it made no difference at all.
To one of Earth's most ancient beings, a human lifespan was no longer than a single breath.
"I can give you far greater power," Chthon said with a smile tugging at his lips.
For countless ages, he had believed no human could bear the full weight of his strength.
But now, for the first time, he wavered.
Because before him stood Senju Haruto—someone who could endure it.
Like Dormammu, Chthon was a ruler of another dimension, wielding supreme authority. And like Dormammu, his gaze was fixed greedily on Earth.
He had long sought to be Earth's master—the one true god.
To that end, he had forged countless soul contracts. And every time, the result was the same: the human body collapsed, unable to withstand him.
"I have no interest in your power," Haruto replied calmly.
It wasn't bravado. It was truth.
Whether it was Chthon, Dormammu, Mephisto, the Vishanti, or even the Ancient One—none of their gifts, none of their might, could compare to his true source of strength: the Sign-In Assistant.
In difficulty, in rewards—it surpassed them all.
Haruto's gaze hardened.
Around him, the chaotic magical particles thickened, becoming visible, swirling upward as they gathered.
They twisted together, rising higher and higher—until they condensed into the form of a red dragon.
ROOOAR!
The dragon's roar shook the air, its magical shockwave scattering Chthon's black particles instantly.
The sheer force of it startled even Chthon.
For the first time, envy crept into his expression.
Envy that someone like Haruto—a being of such potential—had thrown his lot in with Kamar-Taj.
Had become a dog of the Vishanti.
If only, from the beginning, Haruto had embraced Black Magic instead of White… If only he had become his servant…
Then by now, Chthon would already reign as Earth's master.
"Don't you get it?" Haruto sneered.
The red dragon beat its wings, jaws gaping wide as it lunged at Chthon.
In Haruto's eyes, Lady Viper's body could never withstand much of Chthon's power.
Once it reached its limit, her vessel would break.
And when that happened, Chthon wouldn't be able to remain in Earth's dimension, no matter how much he wanted to.
And more importantly—
Haruto was a transmigrant.
He knew the stories of every hero and villain. Maybe not every tiny detail, but enough.
And he knew—Chthon hadn't come to Earth from the Hope Dimension. He had been banished.
His return to Earth was no easy matter.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed contract after contract, clawing for loopholes to break through.
So even if Chthon's full form suddenly appeared—Haruto wasn't afraid.
Seeing his unshakable resolve, Chthon gave a cold laugh.
"Still siding with the Vishanti… Fine. But one day, human, you'll regret this."
"No—your regret starts now!"
Chthon roared, lifting both hands as he unleashed his most devastating black magic.