Amy nodded once. "Give me some time. I'll prepare the contract."
She turned to leave.
Then Arjun suddenly said.
"Wait."
Her steps halted.
Amy looked back, one brow lifting slightly. "Yes?"
"When we said discounts on techniques," Arjun said calmly, "we meant every single book in this store."
Raya glanced at him in surprise. Rohit's eyes widened.
Amy shook her head without hesitation. "That won't work. The Myriad of Techniques doesn't deal only in techniques. We sell research manuals, cultivation theory, historical records, spell frameworks, talent guides—"
"Then include them too," Arjun interrupted smoothly.
Silence followed.
Amy studied him for a long moment, her sharp eyes weighing something unseen.
"…You're asking for discounts on every category of book," she said slowly.
"Yes," Arjun replied. "Anything Rohit buys during the contract period."
Rohit swallowed. "Arjun, that's—"
Amy raised a hand, cutting him off.
She exhaled, then nodded. "Very well. All book categories will be included."
Rohit stared at her. "You're serious?"
Amy smirked faintly. "Don't misunderstand. You'll still need the funds to buy them."
Arjun wasn't done.
"One more thing," he said.
Amy sighed lightly. "Go on."
"During the contract period, you'll personally clarify Rohit's doubts," Arjun continued. "Any confusion about techniques, theory, or application—he comes to you."
Amy's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're pushing quite hard for someone not signing the contract."
Arjun met her gaze evenly. "Because ignorance kills faster than monsters in the Tower."
For a brief moment, Amy looked… amused.
"…Fine," she said. "One doubt per month."
Rohit blinked. "Only one?"
"It won't accumulate," Amy added coolly. "If a month's chance unused, it's gone."
Arjun turned to Rohit. "Alright."
Rohit nodded immediately, bowing his head slightly. "Thank you."
Amy gave him a long look. "Use those questions wisely."
Then she turned away.
"I'll prepare the contract," she said over her shoulder. "Don't wander too far."
As her figure disappeared down the corridor, Rohit let out a slow breath.
"…I owe you," he said quietly to Arjun.
Arjun shrugged. "Just don't waste the opportunities you're being handed."
In the Tower, even knowledge came with a price.
And Rohit had just secured a rare advantage.
Some time later, Amy returned.
In her hands was an ancient scroll, its surface a dull grey that seemed to absorb the surrounding light.
"This is the contract," she said calmly.
She unfurled it in the air.
At the top center of the scroll was a five-sided rhombus symbol, intricate and layered, as if multiple geometric patterns were overlapping at once. It pulsed faintly, giving off a pressure that made everyone's chest feel heavy.
Below it, lines of glowing script formed the clauses of the agreement.
Rohit read them carefully, his expression growing more serious with each line.
"…How do I sign it?" he finally asked.
Amy glanced at him. "Repeat what I do."
She raised her hand and held her finger just above the scroll.
Without warning, a single drop of blood formed at her fingertip and fell onto the parchment.
Drip.
The moment it touched the surface, the scroll flared with a faint golden light. The symbols shimmered, then slowly settled back into stillness.
Rohit swallowed. "That's it?"
Amy nodded. "Yes. Now repeat the same"
Rohit mimicked her actions, placing his finger above the scroll.
He waited.
Nothing happened.
"…Uh," Tim muttered, "is it broken?"
Amy looked at Rohit flatly. "You need to provide the blood."
Rohit froze, then let out an awkward laugh. "Right. Of course."
Scratching the back of his head, he muttered, "That was embarrassing."
He bit his finger lightly.
A drop of blood fell.
The scroll reacted instantly—glowing brighter than before, the golden light spreading across the clauses like flowing liquid.
Suddenly—
BOOM.
The space above them distorted.
A giant eye, at least a hundred meters wide, tore open in the air. Its gaze was cold, ancient, and utterly indifferent.
Everyone went stiff.
"…What is that?" Divya whispered, her voice trembling.
Arjun felt his instincts scream. "Don't move."
The colossal eye shifted, its pupil contracting as it focused on the scroll.
For a heartbeat, the world felt frozen.
Then the scroll tore itself apart.
It split cleanly into two glowing halves.
One streaked forward like a comet and plunged into Amy's chest, vanishing without resistance.
The other shot straight toward Rohit.
"Rohit!" someone shouted.
The glowing fragment slammed into his chest.
Rohit gasped as if all the air had been punched out of his lungs. His legs gave way, and he stumbled backward before collapsing onto the ground.
"Rohit!" Divya cried, rushing forward.
The giant eye lingered for a moment longer—then slowly closed, vanishing as if it had never existed.
Silence crashed down.
Rohit lay on the floor, breathing heavily, his heart hammering wildly.
Amy looked down at him calmly.
"The contract," she said, "is now bound."
Arjun clenched his fists.
In the Tower, promises were not written in ink—
They were etched into the soul
After the initial shock faded, Rohit slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
"I'm fine," he said quickly, noticing the worried looks around him. "Really. Nothing hurts."
Divya still hovered close, her hands clenched. "You scared us."
Rohit gave a weak smile, then turned to Amy. "Wha… what just happened?"
Amy met his gaze without hesitation. "The contract has been bound."
"Bound?" Rohit repeated.
"To our souls," she clarified. "From this moment onward, the terms cannot be ignored. If either party violates the contract, punishment will be immediate."
A chill ran through the group.
Raya frowned. "So that thing wasn't just for show."
"No," Amy replied calmly.
Once everyone was certain Rohit was truly unharmed, Arjun stepped forward. His eyes were still fixed on the space where the eye had appeared.
"That eye just now," he asked slowly, "what was it?"
Amy paused.
For the first time, she seemed to consider her words carefully.
"…It was the Eye of a god," she said at last.