Chapter 8: Soul Contract
"Hmm? What is it? You got more questions?"
"No, I don't have any more questions. But what I do have is a promise.
As long as I am still breathing, I'll use every limb, every muscle, every organ of mine to make sure you don't live to see another day—I am going to kill you"
...
"Ahhhhh! I am soooo scared!
Is that how you expected me to react? Listen kid, you might be able to use the lightning element, but you're nowhere near my level—So shoo shoo and get out of here before I get serious"
"{Lightning Element: Lightning Cloak}" I activated my spell
"Tch—you should've listened to me kid!
{Water Element: Raging Water}" He placed his hands on the ground and released a huge surge of water, rushing towards me.
"I can just go around it!" I ran to the side and avoid the incoming flood, "{Lightning Element: Lightning Strike}" I fired a strike of Lightning
{Water Element: Water Wall}!" Using the water around him, a wall of water rushed out, blocking my strike completely.
"What the, my lightning should've went through, so why doesn't it—"
"{Water Element: Water Dragon}"
"ROARRRR!!" Fusing all the water in the battlefield together, a figure of dragon was formed, flying and rampaging towards me
"I won't be able to dodge it—"
"BOOOM!"
…
"That was close Aether, if I had been a second later, you would've died"
"L-Lord Fenris"
Luckily, I was saved by Lord Fenris before the dragon hit me
"I became even faster after unlocking the Sound element, it must be fate that I saved you.
That man, he must be strong if he pushed you this far"
"Yes he is. He's able to completely block my lightning strike, and create a counterattack while I was still recharging"
Uzui and Kentaki arrived as well, "Yo Aether, it seems like our boy genius is in a bit of trouble huh?"
"Uzui, Kentaki. Be careful, he's skilled"
"If you're saying that, then I guess we can't let our guard down"
The three of them stood together, watching Maniac carefully
"Haahahahhah! You think raising your number a bit will magically help you defeat MEEE?!!
I am going to rip your limbs off, one, by, one. Then I'll pull out who the Paragon is from your filthy tongues"
"Paragon? We don't know what you're talking about"
"You can keep feigning ignorance, but I'll get what I want, even if it means breaking every bone in your body"
"Tch, he's not right in the head. Aether, you stay back and recharge your mana.
Uzui, Kentaki, we will fight together, don't give him time to think"
"Yes Chief!"
Uzui initiated the battle, "{Fire Element: Scattering flame}" Multiple balls of flame travelled in quick succession, flying towards Maniac
"Fwump! Fwump! Fwump!"
Maniac yelled out, "Such a weak and slow spell, {Water Element: Sea Gliding}" A shrushing sound of water emerged, Maniac's feet had been enveloped in water.
He started sliding across the battlefield dodging every shot of fire
"He's too fast.
Uzui, keep the pressure from a distance, me and Kentaki will initiate close combat.
Kentaki, Let's go!"
They rushed toward Maniac
"Hahhahahaah! You think you can beat me? Let me show you the power of a future GOROSEKI!" He bursted forward
"He's coming, get ready Kentaki!"
"Yes Chief!"
"Fwooosssh—CLANG!" Fenris and Maniac clashed their swords, the rang of metal echoed throughout the battlefield.
"HAAAAAHHH" Kentaki appeared from behind, he unsheathed his sword and swung at Maniac
"Such a pathetic surprise attack"
Maniac bended down and dodged Kentaki's swing, "SWWFFTT!" The air was the only thing Kentaki's blade sliced through.
Maniac kicked away Fenris, and swung at Kentaki's arm simultaneously, he was fast.
Maniac's blade swiftly and cleanly severed Kentaki's right arm, "Now you have lost your arm, do you finally see the difference between us? Huh?!" He yelled out
"Uzui!"
"Got it Chief—{Fire Element: Fiery Snakes}"
Uzui was focusing on his spell while Fenris and Kentaki were fighting. His spell, Fiery Snakes summons multiple fire snakes that explodes on contact.
"I poured all my mana into it, and you won't be able to dodge my spell while you're in such an awkward position. Die you piece of scum!"
"Hssssssss—BOOM—BOOMBOOM" The fiery explosion lit up the whole battlefield, enveloping us in its heat and pressure. I could feel the heat all the way from the back.
"Did we get him?"
We were all restless, each of us waiting for the dust to settle.
Then, from the middle of the smoke, "You…you…YOU INSOLENT COWARDS! Once I heal myself, I am cutting you apart piece by piece!" Maniac roared out, his body was burned but no lethal damage had been done.
"Dammit. We didn't finish him.
Kentaki lost his right arm, Uzui has used up all his mana, I can't use my sound element right now and Aether is also depleted… what can we even we do"
Watching Lord Fenris and my friends slowly losing their hope made me frustrated, but there was nothing I could do…except one thing.
I whispered to myself, "Hey Mr Great Divine Emperor, you can hear me right? let's make a deal"
…
"I know you can hear me ghost. Listen, if you give me the strength to defeat this guy, I am willing to give you what you want, well if it is within my power to give you"
…
"Just answer m—"
"CLING!"
Everything went dark around me in an instant, and I was now in a different place.
A voice echoed out, "Sighs, listen here kid, there is a strong seal that binds me from even talking to you. If you want to borrow my power, we'll have to make a contract"
"Wait, where am I?"
"You're inside a stateless domain, or simply your mind. Here time flows differently, and we can talk much longer"
"I-I see. Okay then ghost, what kind of contract should we make?"
"Soul contract"
"Soul contract?"
"Yes, Soul contract. It is a fair and simple contract that allows both parties to benefit equally without tricking each other"
"And how should we make this, Soul contract?"
"Both party will state their terms, then we will confirm that we accept the deal"
"You're right, that was really simple. Okay, my term is this, give me the power to defeat Maniac, and that's it"
"I see, and my terms are also simple. I'll give you enough strength to defeat the guy, but, you'll forget that I am inside you"
"Forget, as in I forget about you completely?"1
"Yes. I'll take over your body and defeat the man for you, but after 5 minutes, you'll forget I exist."
I hesitated for a moment, but decided to make the deal, "Hmm, alright fine, I agree. I accept the terms and think that we have a fair deal"
"Then, I accept your terms as well, the Soul contract, is now active"
"CLING!"
My body—I looked at my body, but I was not the one in control—Void had completely taken over my body.
Maniac was still shouting, "You four cowards, after I am done healing, I'll rip you to shreds and—" he stared at me
He roared out even louder after looking at me, "Yes, yes, yes, YES! Finally I found you. I see, so you're the Paragon all along huh? Huh? HUHHHH?
After I catch you, I'll finally be able to join the Goroseki. Thank you Lord for giving me this opportunity!" He kept yelling and yelling as if he had gone mad
Even though I was not in control, I could feel the dreadful and dark mana running in my body.
My body talked on its own, and casted a spell, "{Shadow Blink}"
"Whooosh"
After hearing the sound of the gentle whooosh, in a single frame, I was now right before Maniac, driving his own sword at his heart.
"Acckkk—H-How did you do… that" Maniac fell to the ground
End of chapter 8.