My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness

“I heard you requested a meeting.”

Azerion Imperial Hospital, Director’s Office.

The room’s owner, his face as impassive as ever, spoke first. Hesperon, sitting opposite him, nodded seriously.

“Yes, regarding my… eye.”

He raised a hand, his fingers gently tracing the outline of the eyepatch covering his right eye socket.

After losing his eye during the Riley kidnapping incident, the imperial hospital had implanted a prosthetic.

It was a necessary measure to maintain the balance of his face, and as expected of the imperial hospital, it was a top-of-the-line product.

A magical tool, powered by a magic stone core, imbued with various beneficial effects related to health and well-being.

“I’d like to replace it.”

He gestured towards the milky white orb he had brought, and the Director’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

A smooth, polished orb, the size of an adult’s eye.

Even with his extensive knowledge, the Director couldn’t identify its material. It seemed extraordinary… but he couldn’t sense any magical energy emanating from it.

‘No magic circles, no enchantments. And there’s no magic stone core inside.’

It was just an ornament. Nothing more, nothing less.

The Director’s gaze shifted back to Hesperon.

His duty was to provide the best possible medical care, regardless of the patient’s… eccentricities.

“We’re almost done cultivating a new artificial eye. Of course, it won’t restore your vision, but at least externally, it will be indistinguishable from a real eye.”

Pupil movement, focus adjustment… everything would be perfectly replicated.

He added that Hesperon wouldn’t need to wear an eyepatch anymore.

“Replacing the current prosthetic isn’t a problem, but why bother? We’ll be transplanting the artificial eye soon anyway.”

Hesperon, despite the Director’s reasonable question, nodded firmly.

He had his reasons.

“Yes, please.”

“Very well.”

Seeing his resolute expression, the Director didn't press the issue.

It was a minor procedure that wouldn’t affect his treatment, and he always tried to respect his patients’ wishes.

‘If he refuses the artificial eye transplant later, that’s a different matter.’

It would be a waste of time and resources, but he wasn’t concerned. After all, it wouldn’t restore his vision anyway.

And Hesperon had the right to choose what he wanted to do with his own body.

The simple procedure was quickly completed.

Back in his private room, Hesperon examined his reflection in the mirror.

‘…Just as I thought. Even an Archmage can’t see through it in this state.’

The milky white orb now nestled in his right eye socket.

The Director hadn’t recognized it. Its true identity was Yulryeongja’s cybernetic eye, the “Calicas Eye”.

Having crossed dimensions, its functions were dormant, its magical properties inactive. It looked like a simple, albeit unusual, orb.

‘There was no need to go to Earth.’

After all, the key wasn't the device itself, but how it was used.

In its current state, it was just a useless trinket, usable only on Earth.

‘I could just dismantle it and give it to Howard. Ideally, I should gather usage data and conduct a thorough analysis… and the best place for that is…’

And Hesperon was the perfect test subject.

He had a vacant eye socket, and…

“Whew, shall we begin?”

…He had a way to bypass the dimensional restrictions.

He took a deep breath, focusing his mind on the cybernetic eye.

“…”

A magic tool from one world couldn't be used in another.

It was an absolute law, an unbreakable rule.

But there was another premise that preceded that law.

Awakened individuals were exceptions to the dimensional rules.

‘Then…’

What if he could completely bind a magic tool to an awakened individual?

Not just as a user and a tool, but as an integrated part of their body?

‘It would be impossible for others.’

But he had a skill that could make it possible.

And then, his skill, 「Chains of the Oath」, activated, initiating a connection with the dormant cybernetic eye.

———!

A sharp, searing pain shot through his eye socket, reaching deep into his mind.

It was an intense resistance, far greater than what he had felt when sealing the curse in his arm.

As expected, the higher the target’s level, the more difficult the connection.

And this eye was completely dormant.

Naturally, establishing a link would be challenging.

‘But… I anticipated this.’

That’s why he had prepared Howard’s 「Technological Revolution」.

The ability to interfere with and modify the structure of items created using technology from other worlds.

‘If the problem is dimensional incompatibility, I just have to make them compatible!’

He could adjust its internal structure, unlocking some of its dormant functions.

Of course, with his limited proficiency, fully reactivating it was still impossible…

But he could at least…

…breathe life into a small part of its dormant functions.

Zing—

A faint vibration emanated from his eye socket as the preset conditions were met.

A subtle whirring sound, audible only to him, resonated through his skull.

‘Done.’

And in that split second,

「Chains of the Oath」 swiftly infiltrated the eye’s core.

‘Come here.’

Encounter, negotiation, adjustment, compromise, coercion, control…

The process unfolded rapidly, culminating in a complete and irreversible binding.

And as the connection was finalized, countless green symbols flashed across his vision, scrolling upwards at an incredible speed.

And at the center of that chaotic stream of information, a single sentence stood out.

<System Reboot.>

“…Success.”

Hesperon stared at the message, a faint smile playing on his lips, and then turned back to the mirror.

The smooth, milky white surface of the prosthetic eye shimmered, and then a stream of symbols began to scroll across it.

Like a computer booting up.

And moments later.

<System Online.>

<Visual Assistance Activated.>

<3D Augmentation Activated.>

<X-Ray Vision Activated.>

<Thermal Vision Activated.>

<…>

<Welcome, new user Hesperon!>

His vision, once limited to a single eye, expanded, taking in the world in all its vibrant detail.

____________________

《New prosthetic implanted. You have acquired the skill “Cybernetic Eye: Calicas”.》

In a way, Yulryeongja, who had lost his sight due to Hans’s mental attack, and Hesperon, who had sacrificed his eye for power, were in similar situations.

They had both permanently lost their vision due to a supernatural cause, not just physical injury.

And this special eye was a perfect solution.

After all, it didn’t rely on the optic nerve. It projected images directly into the brain, creating a visual representation in the mind.

“But… I didn't expect it to be this powerful.”

He looked around, a gasp escaping his lips.

It wasn’t just a matter of regaining his vision.

His field of view, his focus, even his range of vision… everything far surpassed his previous capabilities.

‘Wait, it has X-ray vision too?’

He could even see through his own skull and look behind him just by moving his eyes.

It was like having eyes in the back of his head.

And his vision could zoom in and out, from microscopic detail to telescopic range.

‘I heard ostriches have a vision score of 25. Is this what it feels like?’

He turned back to the mirror.

The smooth, featureless surface of the dormant orb was gone, replaced by a mesmerizing, intricate eye.

A blue ring surrounded the iris, filled with glowing, geometric patterns.

“…Magnificent.”

It was a purely objective observation.

A cybernetic eye, a symbol of futuristic technology. It was a man’s dream!

He felt a surge of gratitude towards Yulryeongja, who had unknowingly provided him with such a valuable gift.

<Undetected update detected.>

<Base performance significantly enhanced due to unknown cause.>

<Checking additional details.>

He glanced at the messages that appeared in his peripheral vision.

「Chains of the Oath」 had a secondary effect of strengthening the bound target, in addition to synchronization.

It seemed to be interpreting that enhancement as an update.

But something bothered him.

<Confirming location information… Failed.>

<Attempting satellite connection… Failed.>

<Attempting communication recovery… Failed.>

<…>

‘Stop it. It’s pointless.’

<Emergency response sequence terminated. Switching to normal mode.>

It seemed the AI’s performance had also been enhanced along with the eye’s other functions.

Of course, it was completely under his control thanks to 「Chains of the Oath」, so it wasn't a problem.

‘A black dragon in my arm and an AI in my eye… This is a strange combination.’

But unlike the “Craving Right Arm”, which had a mind of its own, the AI, nicknamed ‘Calli’ after its origin dimension, Calicas, seemed relatively docile.

“Alright, time for a test run.”

Eager to try out his new abilities, Hesperon headed for the door… then paused.

‘I should keep it hidden for now. I don’t want to attract unnecessary attention.’

After a moment’s thought, he put his eyepatch back on.

Of course, it didn’t hinder his vision. He could easily see through both his eyelid and the eyepatch.

“Let’s go. I’ll start with a walk around the garden…”

And so, the newly upgraded Hesperon confidently left his room.

____________________

“Hmm?”

The head doctor, having finished his rounds and paperwork, suddenly stopped.

He had glanced out the window and noticed something.

His head tilted slightly, his gaze fixed on a single figure.

Riley’s… guest, Hesperon, was acting strangely near the garden path.

He would stare blankly into the distance, then suddenly focus on a flowerbed.

He would flinch and look away whenever someone approached, then scowl at a nearby restroom wall.

And then he would close his eyes tightly, sigh deeply, and stare up at the sky.

“…Hmm.”

It was a series of unusual and inexplicable actions.

The Director watched him intently, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

He recalled Hesperon’s earlier request to replace his prosthetic eye with a strange, milky white orb.

Could his current behavior be related to that? Perhaps he was experiencing some kind of mental instability?

‘It’s understandable. He was ambushed by the same people who caused his permanent injuries. I thought he was coping well, but…’

And he was still suffering from the curse’s aftereffects.

It was surprising he had seemed so normal until now.

‘I should schedule a psychological evaluation tomorrow. He also mentioned wanting to go outside… I’ll have to find a way to accommodate his request… Hmm?’

As he was making notes on his clipboard, his gaze returned to Hesperon.

More precisely, to the eyepatch covering his right eye.

“…Strange.”

He muttered softly, a frown creasing his brow.

But when he looked again, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong.

And that was what bothered him.

‘No magical fluctuations…’

He felt a sense of unease, but couldn’t pinpoint the cause.

‘…Must be my imagination.’

But the feeling lingered, even after Hesperon disappeared from view.

He sighed, shaking his head, and then continued his rounds.

He couldn’t afford to waste time on such vague concerns. He was a busy man.

Meanwhile, Hesperon, the subject of his concern,

Having returned to his room after his stroll and test run, gave his first order to Calli, the AI residing in his cybernetic eye.

<Command acknowledged. Deactivating clothing X-ray vision until further notice or detection of a threat. Also, automatically filtering any unpleasant visuals encountered during X-ray vision.>

“Hmm.”

After all, he was a gentleman.

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