The Dark Overlord Heavens Throne

Untitled Episodechapter 4

Chapter 4: The Poisoned Heart

The world stopped spinning, and the next thing I knew, I was hitting cold, slimy stone. The "Mass Disposal" skill had done its job, but it hadn't been a gentle ride. We were in the palace sewers. The air was thick with the smell of rot and old metal. Water dripped from the ceiling, sounding like a ticking clock in the dark.

I tried to stand up, but my legs felt like jelly. I coughed, and a splash of black blood hit the floor. The poison from the dinner table was still eating me alive.

[Warning: Vital Signs Critical.] [Succession Poison: 92% Blood Saturation.] [System Note: You are dying. An emergency 'Soul-Anchor' is required.]

Beside me, Yan was struggling. Even though he was a legendary warrior, his body was broken from ten years in a cage. He leaned against the damp wall, his silver hair hanging over his face. He looked at me, and for a second, I saw something scarier than the shadow-monster. I saw pure, unfiltered hatred.

He lunged. Before I could move, his hand was around my throat. He slammed me against the stone wall.

"Why?" Yan rasped. His voice sounded like it was being pulled through gravel. His grip was so tight I couldn't swallow. "Why save me? Why not let the Council take my head? Is this a new game, Wei An? A new way to make me suffer?"

"I... am not... him," I choked out. I grabbed his wrist, trying to pull his fingers away. "I’m not... the one... who hurt you."

He didn't believe me. Why would he? To him, I was the prince who had watched him being tortured for a decade. He squeezed harder. My vision started to go fuzzy at the edges.

Suddenly, the air between us began to glow. A blue screen popped up, but this one was different. It was pulsing with a dark, angry red light.

[Emergency Protocol: The Parasitic Soul-Bond Activated.] [The Twist: The Twinned Fate.]

A black chain, made of smoke and glowing sparks, shot out of my chest and latched onto Yan’s heart. He gasped, his eyes widening. He tried to pull away, but the chain was solid. It wasn't just magic; it was a physical weight connecting our souls.

But then, the real horror started.

I felt a sudden rush of heat. It was like a wave of energy flowing from the chain into my body. The numbness in my arms disappeared. The black veins on my chest began to fade. I was getting stronger. I was being healed.

But Yan? Yan was collapsing.

His face went pale. The silver light that usually glowed around his skin dimmed until it was almost gone. He let go of my throat and fell to his knees, panting for breath.

"What... did you do... to me?" he whispered. He looked at his hands. They were shaking. "My strength... it’s leaving me."

I looked at the System screen. My heart sank.

[The Twist Revealed: To make the 'Overlord' strong, the 'Hound' must pay. As Wei An levels up, he will automatically drain the physical power of the Male Lead. The more powerful the Protagonist becomes, the weaker the Male Lead will grow.]

I felt sick. As a disposal specialist back in my world, I had seen some dirty deals, but this was the worst. To save my life, the System was literally stealing Yan’s life. It wasn't a partnership; it was a robbery.

"Yan, I didn't know," I said, reaching out to him.

"Don't touch me!" he roared, though his voice was much weaker than before. He swiped at my hand, but his movement was slow. "You are still a thief. You stole my freedom, and now you are stealing my soul. You really are the Emperor’s son."

I stood over him, feeling more powerful than I ever had in my life. I could feel the magic—Yan's magic—humming in my blood. I could see better in the dark. I could feel the muscles in my legs tightening, ready to run. But every bit of that power felt like a crime.

"Listen to me," I said, crouching down so I was at his eye level. "The Council is coming. They want me dead because I know their secrets, and they want you dead because they are afraid of you. If we stay here and fight each other, they win."

Yan looked at the black chain connecting us. He looked at me with eyes that wanted to kill me, but also eyes that were terrified of being a prisoner again.

"If I kill you," Yan muttered, "does the chain break?"

[System Warning: If the 'Overlord' dies, the 'Soul-Anchor' (Yan) will be consumed by the Succession Poison instantly.]

"If I die, you die," I said plainly. "The System has locked us together. I’m the only reason your heart is still beating, and you’re the only reason I can stand up. We are stuck."

Yan stared at me for a long time. The silence in the sewer was broken only by the sound of rushing water somewhere in the distance. Finally, he reached out and grabbed my collar, pulling me close until our foreheads almost touched.

"I will help you get out of this city," Yan hissed, his breath smelling of blood and copper. "I will be your sword because I have no choice. But hear me, Wei An: I will find a way to break this chain. And the moment I am free from you, I will make sure your death is the slowest thing this world has ever seen."

I didn't flinch. I couldn't afford to. I looked into his silver eyes and nodded.

"Fair enough," I said. "But for now, give me your hand. We have a palace to outrun."

I pulled him up. He was heavy, his strength flickering like a dying candle. I draped his arm over my shoulder, using his own stolen power to carry him. We started moving through the muck, two enemies forced to share a single life.

Behind us, in the distance, I heard the sound of dogs barking and soldiers shouting. The hunt had begun.

[Current Objective: Escape the Capital.] [Time until Yan’s next 'Drain': 23:59:59]