"You accept what? It's not a valid contract unless you state your permission", Vargoz said.

"I accept The Taint Of Hidaru-"

Before Jordan got to finish his sentence, he quickly blacked out as enchanted markings began to appear all over his body. Vargoz quietly watched over Jordan and instructed the mobs to protect him.

"I wish you luck, Dungeon Master Jordan. Hopefully, Hidara doesn't consume your mind and soul in the process", Vargoz stated.

-----------------------------------------------

[Moments later]

"You made the right choice in releasing me from my shackles. It's not nice to treat a female so roughly, you know? Unless she wants to be treated like so", a female voice stated.

Jordan slowly regained consciousness, as he felt his head laying on something incredibly soft.

"I haven't had a visitor in a while so I hope you appreciate the hospitality, Master Jordan", the female said.

As Jordan slowly opened his eyes, he found himself laying on the lap of an incredibly beautiful female demon.

The young, female demon could've pa.s.sed as human if it wasn't for her wings. However, she had no horns as well as no tail. She was around 24, had red hair, and wore an eyepatch over her left eye. Her right eye was completely red and featured a complex magic circle. She was very well endowed and had a captivating body that was virtually perfect in every way. She was currently petting Jordan's head while wearing familiar private school attire. Jordan could tell that she was not only an alluring woman but also a charismatic one. However, Jordan felt this strange sense of familiarity with her, despite meeting her for the first time.

"I guess it must be weird waking up on a random woman's lap, right? Especially in the middle of such an important battle? You don't have to worry about a thing. Time pa.s.ses slowly in here. An hour here is only 30 seconds out there so we don't have to rush. Vargoz didn't get the chance to introduce me so I'll happily do it for him. My name is Hidara and I'm the 'Taint Of Hidarus' that's present in your sword", Hidara said.

"What?", Jordan said.

"Oh! He finally speaks! You've been laying on my lap for around 15 minutes. Luckily, that's only 7.5 seconds outside of this place!", Hidara said happily.

"What...what is this place? And what happened to my wounds? And my clothes?", Jordan asked.

Jordan noticed that he was in some sort of royal bedroom and currently wearing his old college clothes. He also noticed that his wound was completely gone.

"We are inside of your mind and soul...technically. It's a bit complicated to explain but I'm the 'Taint Of Hidarus', the second curse present in the cursed sword. You may have noticed that I bare some resemblance to Hidarus? I came about from Hidarus's blood when it was used in the transformation process. You can think of me as a smaller copy of Hidarus in a sense", Hidara stated.

"Really? I wasn't expecting such an attractive woman to be the last resort that Vargoz was talking about. You seem like a nice woman to me", Jordan said.

Hidara smirked before she began laughing in a rather cute way, as her b.r.e.a.s.t.s began to jiggle in front of Jordan. Feeling that it was time to get off of her lap, Jordan slowly got up and sat across from Hidara as she continued to laugh.

"Hahaha! That was a good one, Master Jordan! I haven't been called nice since Vargoz was first found by that unsuspecting hero all those years ago! It's a shame what ultimately happened to that hero. It seems that he wasn't worthy of the power after all. We had some pretty good times though. Killing all those innocent people without bias and turning the entire world against us was so exhilarating! I made sure to warn him before I gave him a taste of the power that I possessed. I even told him that 'Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely' but looking back, it was clear that he was too mesmerized by the power to realize the consequences. At first, he wanted the power to rid the world of the bad guys and he did that for a while. However, as he got deeper and deeper into the underground market and society of Orune, he became increasingly angry and disgusted at how horrible the world really was. For someone who was essentially a 'goody two shoes' all his life, it was a rather dramatic fall to witness. A s.a.d.i.s.tic, Twisted, and fundamentally Corrupted 'hero' took his place. It didn't help that Vargoz's personality seeped into his brain over time since the transformation was still unstable back then", Hidara stated.

"So what happened to the guy? Did he die?", Jordan asked.

"Of course! He was eventually captured, tortured, and beheaded for the numerous war crimes he committed in the pursuit of 'justice'. As for me and Vargoz, we were given to the Kingdom's mages for research and locked away for some time. We played some games to kill the time since the sword featured a pocket dimension built into it. It was supposed to be a jail for Vargoz but I think the person messed up the runes and gave me full control of it on accident. A rather large accident to make, right? It's part of the reason we are in this type of room and wearing these types of clothes after all. Luckily, after many years and a variety of events, we finally ended up here in your Dungeon", Hidara said.

"Interesting. So how do I activate the Taint so I can save the Dungeon?", Jordan asked.

"Well, that's simple! All you have to do is...", Hidara trailed off.

Hidara slowly began to crawl towards Jordan as he became nervous.

"Uh...Hidara? What are you doing?", Jordan asked nervously.

"You didn't know? The only way to break the seal is to kiss me. That will complete the contract between you and me. Vargoz can have your soul but what I want is your mind. All of it", Hidara said darkly.

As Hidara crawled towards Jordan, he began moving backward toward the wall.

"It's not nice to crawl away from a beautiful female, Jordan", Hidara said seductively.

"Woah, Woah, Woah! Hidara! Calm down! You're a really attractive woman but I don't think we should do this", Jordan said quickly.

Before Jordan could reach the wall, dark and twisted branches began sprouting from the floor and grabbing Jordan's arms and legs. The th.o.r.n.y branches brought Jordan in front of Hidara as she stood up and looked him lovingly in the face. Unfortunately for Jordan, Hidara was actually a yandere and he happened to meet all of her criteria.

"I, Hidara, shall give the recipient, Jordan, my power in exchange for the chance that he will become my Champion Of War and possibly, the one that I've been searching for", Hidara stated calmly.

"Hidara! Calm down! What do you mean you want my entire mind? This isn't what Vargoz said! You are supposed to help me save the Dungeon!", Jordan shouted.

As Hidara's magic eye glowed, she caressed Jordan's face before feeling his arms and their muscle definition.

"This contract, between Hidara and Jordan, shall give Jordan the tools he needs to reach his goals but at a progressively higher cost. We will be together at all times because he may be the one that I'm searching for. To accomplish this, Jordan's left eye belongs to me and will serve as a permanent reminder of our deal", Hidara stated.

Jordan's left eye began to glow red, as it's composition began to change.

"This contract, at the decision of Hidara, will be completed by a kiss from her new Champion", Hidara calmly stated.

"Wait a minute! Stop! I didn't agree to this yet! This isn't how contracts are made!", Jordan stated.

"You didn't know? You already accepted the Taint before you even heard the details of the contract. The rules of the contract are up to me...", Hidara trailed off.

As Hidara kissed Jordan, the room they were in began to shake, as if they were in the middle of an earthquake. As things began to fall and the ground began to shake, Jordan began to slowly lose consciousness. Hidara took her face away from Jordan as she licked her lips with satisfaction.

"I hope you enjoy the power! Don't go too crazy, darling!", Hidara said happily.

-----------------------------------------------

[Moments later]

"You think he'll be ok, Vargoz?", Orai said.

"Yeah. Time in that s.p.a.ce goes slower than out here so he should be up any secon-"

Suddenly, Jordan began to produce a large and deafening demonic roar, as his body began to emit a dark purple glow. Slowly, Jordan's armor was replaced by an armor set of black, red, and gold. His left eye was completely replaced by a red magic eye, which also began to glow. As if connected by some invisible force, Vargoz's eye also turned bright red as the sword reshaped into something more sinister. As Jordan's wounds began to exhibit rapid regeneration, he stood up from the floor and grabbed Vargoz. As Briggs and Orai were watching him, he finally began to speak. However, Jordan's voice sounded like he was possessed by a demon, as a demonic voice followed behind his every word.

"I can give you the power that you desire but you must be prepared to accept the risks of such power, especially for a summoner. Let the anger take over and you won't have to suffer", Tainted Jordan said strangely.

"Hey, lads! What's going on over there? The mobs are acting strange!", Briggs said worriedly.

"I don't...I don't know what's happening! Vargoz! Do you know what's going on?", Orai asked.

"Stand...back", Vargoz said faintly.

As Orai teleported over to Briggs, Tainted Jordan walked over to the Dark Knight. Around the same time that Tainted Jordan woke up, the Dark Knight was able to throw Obsidian off of his body. With the Dungeon Master in his sights, the Dark Knight began sprinting towards Tainted Jordan at superhuman speed.

"Why are these fools still breathing my air? Ma.s.s Sacrifice, 2nd Generation!", Tainted Jordan shouted.

Instantaneously, all of the B+ units in the Dungeon were incapacitated by Hidara's th.o.r.n.y branches, as they were offered to her and Vargoz as a tribute. As multiple magic circles appeared under every hostile, the A rank Minotaur began sprinting towards the Dungeon Master as Tainted Jordan turned to face him.

"The best thing about being a summoner is being able to do this", Tainted Jordan stated.

As Jordan opened his palm to the Minotaur, he began to slowly grab the air as his green summoning circles began to gradually turn red.

"Hidarus is an old fool who doesn't know the true power of a summoner! That's why it's time to change the rules in our favor", Tainted Jordan said.

As Jordan increased his magic, the Minotaur began to slow down before dropping his weapon and grabbing his head in pain. Hidara was filling his mind with unknown horrors to break his Mental Fort.i.tude.

"Your Mental Fort.i.tude is high but I'm afraid it's not enough! Submit yourself to [Takeover] or die like the rest of your friends!", Tainted Jordan shouted.

The roaring, crying Minotaur began to stumble around the Dungeon before falling onto the ground and taking a fetal position. For such a powerful foe to take a disgraceful form was not only surprising to Orai and Briggs but also terrifying to watch. It was clear that Jordan was not in control of himself.

Activating his altered summoning circles, Jordan placed his hand on the Minotaur's forehead as it began to s.h.i.+ne a bright green. Once the Minotaur's eyes turned blue, Jordan took his hand off the Minotaur and watched it stand up. As the Minotaur picked up his weapon and looked at Jordan, he took a knee in front of him as Vargoz began to glow with numerous hidden runes. In an even more demonic voice, Jordan gave the Minotaur commands.

"You will kill that Dark Knight and every single sacrifice in this Dungeon with your own hands. You will then standby for additional orders. Do you understand?", Tainted Jordan stated.

As the Minotaur nodded his head, he let out a large exhale as he walked over to the Dark Knight, who was beginning to get loose from the sacrificial circle.

"Whew! I haven't had that much fun in a long time! I wonder what we should do next, Jordan!", Tainted Jordan stated.

"...Jordan? Is that really you?", Orai asked.

"Yes...and no. I mean, I'm Jordan but not Jordan at the same time, you know? What matters most is that we cleared out the Dungeon, right? I'll give darling his body back since I gave him a taste of what I'm made of. I need to harvest those sacrifices anyway if I'm going to be powerful enough to take on those behemoths. It's a pretty good time to take Jordan out of [War Mode] so we shall meet again, Dungeon Core Orai! Jordan is my Champion Of War! Remember that Jordan belongs to Hidara and Hidara only!", Tainted Jordan said.

As Jordan began to slowly lose consciousness, Orai ran over to him so she could catch him. After telling the mobs to a.s.sist the Minotaur, Orai took Jordan back to D1 and placed him on the bed. As Orai checked his body for wounds, she felt his light but incredibly strong armor as she took off his chest plate and lifted his s.h.i.+rt. Surprisingly, Hidara was telling the truth, as the giant Dark Ice infused wound was nowhere to be found. Mind you, Dark Ice is a material that is not removed lightly so only high-ranking mages and healers can even hope to remove such material from the body. As Orai moved her hand over Jordan's chest, she stared at his face with one of desire.

"I almost lost you, Jordan. We were on the brink of losing this challenge as well as our lives. If one of us dies, we both die together. That's what it means to be a Dungeon Master. Even if that wasn't how it worked, I'm not sure I could live without you. I'm not sure what to do with these repressed emotions either but I have a temporary solution", Orai stated.

As Orai's face turned beet red and her heart began to pound intensely, she slowly moved her face towards Jordan. Unsure what to do with her previously repressed emotions, Orai began to shake nervously, as she touched her lips and pondered if this was the right decision. However, as you would expect, her judgment was clouded by emotions that a Dungeon Core shouldn't have. Seconds before Orai got the chance to give Jordan a kiss, he sprang up as if he woke up from a nightmare. Since Orai's head was close to his, they both collided.

"Ow! What the h.e.l.l? Who's. .h.i.tting me on the forehead...huh? Orai, why are you on the floor? And why are you dazed?", Jordan asked.

"My guess is as good as yours, Dungeon Master Jordan. How did the meeting with Hidara go?", Vargoz asked.

"I see why you made her our last resort but the power that she gives is unreal. I was only half-conscious when she took over but she demonstrated her power. Her looks are definitely deceiving and her true personality is hidden. Despite that, she fulfilled her promise, right?", Jordan said.

She may have fulfilled her promise but at what cost? That's what Jordan thought as he placed Orai on the bed and planned to meet back up with Briggs.

The Dungeon's System was still on emergency autopilot but Jordan decided to leave it on. However, as Jordan looked at his reflection on the monitor, he noticed that his left eye was completely red and featured a rather complex red magic circle in place of a pupil. He could still see out of the eye but it felt...different to him. He remembered that Hidara claimed his left eye but he didn't know what the consequences of her doing that were. Despite that, Hidara offered more substantial pa.s.sive buffs than Vargoz, making Jordan even stronger than he was before.

As Jordan grabbed his chest plate to re-equip it, he noticed that the back of the chest plate had a similar pattern to Hidara's room and featured a message that was surrounded by hearts and th.o.r.n.y branches:

"For My Champion Of War And The One That I'm Searching For".

While Jordan equipped the chest plate, he thought about Hidara. Her scent, beauty, and charming voice were hard to forget. However, as Jordan slapped his face, he also knew that Hidara could have been Honey trapping him to get what she wanted most: his mind. Jordan was a rising star at a prominent inst.i.tution. His mind was essentially a gold mine for a person like Hidara.

However, Jordan was willing to accept any risk if it meant the Dungeon would survive. To prevent the use of [War Mode], Jordan knew that he had to become powerful enough so he didn't have to rely on it. But the Hidarus Challenge was an exception, as Jordan felt that it was finally time to end this.

Hopefully, with Jordan in full control of the Taint.