[Brief explanation: Son of Destiny is one of the existences born and loved by fate itself. They possess luck so absurd that they cannot die by any means. They are beings destined to stand at the very peak of the world!]
"Hmm... how interesting..."
With a blood-red lollipop tucked between her lips, Lux — or Mayuri, the name she used in this Template form — narrowed her pink eyes. Those gem-like irises gleamed dangerously as she studied the data appearing in her mind.
From that explanation... wasn't this quite similar to a protagonist in a story? An existence so beloved by fate that reality itself bent to protect them... who would have thought something like a protagonist would truly exist in this world?
"Does this mean he's my enemy?" Lux (Mayuri) asked calmly, her voice steady yet carrying an undeniable trace of interest.
[No. As long as the Host doesn't take the initiative, the Host will not become his enemy. However, as information, if the Host manages to make the Son of Destiny feel a strong emotion, the Host will receive a large amount of Points!]
Lux (Mayuri) pulled her lollipop out slowly, leaving a glistening trace on her soft lips.
"Meaning?"
[Such as making him feel amazed, afraid, shocked, delighted, and so on. As long as it makes him emotional, the Host may receive points ranging into the hundreds of millions]
[It might even make it possible to unlock a new Template Character]
"That significant?" Lux (Mayuri) was mildly surprised.
[That's because the role of a Son of Destiny is extraordinary. They are not easily shaken by any achievement, because they can break through that achievement with their own fate]
[So, causing their emotions to waver is, in itself, a great feat]
"I see..." Lux (Mayuri) nodded slowly, her slender fingers twirling the lollipop stick.
Then... in a voice so calm it seemed to freeze the air around them, she asked something that even made the System fall silent.
"Then, what if I killed him?"
[...]
Silence.
Even the System couldn't say anything for a moment, as if it hadn't expected such a question to come from Lux's (Mayuri's) lips.
But not long after... an answer came.
[There would be many rewards the Host would receive for the achievement of killing a 'Son of Destiny'. However... the System does not recommend it]
Lux (Mayuri) showed no sign of irritation or anger at that refusal.
On the contrary, her eyes gleamed with curiosity.
"Is it because of their luck?"
[Yes. That's one of the reasons. Their luck is so extraordinary that, in other terms, it could be described as their 'plot armor' within a story]
[As for the other reason... once a Son of Destiny dies, the number of Sons of Destiny will increase, and their fate will grow even stronger, making the chance of killing them nearly impossible and surpassing even the Gods]
[It could be a God reincarnated, a human from the world of cultivators, a human with a unique golden finger, and so on...]
"Oh?" For the first time, a flicker of surprise appeared in Lux's (Mayuri's) usually calm eyes.
"Isn't that good news? The more Sons of Destiny killed, the more rewards I receive."
[That's true, but the System still recommends not killing a Son of Destiny]
"..."
Lux (Mayuri) fell silent, closing her eyes for a moment.
She let the gentle breeze caress her golden hair, shimmering beneath the sunlight.
Truthfully, she understood the System's concern.
Indeed, a Son of Destiny was extremely weak at first, but that didn't mean they lacked a hidden, lethal trump card.
Every Son of Destiny surely had a one-time-use ace up their sleeve, capable of killing an opponent no matter how strong.
Even Lux herself had "Mystic Eyes of Death Perception," eyes capable of seeing the lines of death on any existence, as her own trump card, let alone a Son of Destiny.
[However, if the Host still intends to kill a Son of Destiny, the System will assist the Host as best it can]
[There are several powerful Templates unaffected by fate. So...]
Hearing that the System would support her no matter what, Lux (Mayuri) fell silent.
Then, for the first time, a gentle smile appeared on her usually expressionless lips...
"Okay, but for now, let's follow your suggestion first. Don't kill the Son of Destiny yet. Besides, I want to squeeze as many points out of him as possible."
Her voice carried a hidden plan, buried deep within her mind.
[Understood]
[Ding! This Son of Destiny appears to possess a System. Please be cautious, Host!]
"I see..." Lux's (Mayuri's) eyes narrowed with calculation. "His golden finger is a System? Can you find out what kind?"
[Ding! That System is called the 'Divine Contract System']
[This System allows its user to draw upon most of the power of anyone they've contracted, without limitation]
[Whether it's a God, an immortal being, a legendary race, and so on, as long as they all willingly agree to the contract, the user can wield their power!]
"That sounds fairly strong," Lux (Mayuri) murmured, her fingers gently playing with the ends of her hair.
Indeed, to some, that System would sound quite powerful.
Even an ordinary person could become extraordinarily strong after contracting with many beings.
But... could it really be that simple?
Of course not.
For low-intelligence creatures like slimes, goblins, and so on, its user might succeed.
But... the same couldn't be said for the powerful beings in this world.
Every strongest existence in this world was arrogant and prideful. None of them would willingly form a contract with some worthless human who offered them no benefit whatsoever.
[The Host is mistaken on this point]
"Hm?" Lux (Mayuri) calmly raised an eyebrow.
[Any being who forms a contract through the Divine Contract System, whatever that being wishes for, will be granted the moment the contract is completed]
Hearing that, Lux (Mayuri) fell silent. "It couldn't possibly be that simple, could it?" she whispered softly.
[Yes. To grant the contracted being's request, points called 'Contract Points' are required]
[The stronger the request, the more points needed. These points can be gathered by hunting 'Magical Beasts']
[The Divine Contract System's user only needs to explain this benefit to the being they intend to contract, and it will happen]
"Pointless," Lux (Mayuri) replied sharply. "Even if he explains the benefit, no being would be foolish enough to believe something so absurd."
After all, granting any wish whatsoever sounded far too excessive.
Even Lux (Mayuri) herself wouldn't believe such a thing if she didn't have her own System.
[That's not impossible, because he is... a Son of Destiny]
"...I forgot about that."
That was true.
As a Son of Destiny, that person possessed luck beyond reason; even the Gods could only kneel before the power of that plot armor.
Knowing this, Lux (Mayuri) calmly closed her eyes, weighing every possibility.
"One last question..." her voice was nearly a whisper. "Is the 'System' belonging to the Son of Destiny capable of detecting you?"
[The Host need not worry about that matter. There is no existence in this world capable of detecting me]
With that assurance, Lux (Mayuri) calmly opened her eyes.
A dangerous glint appeared in her pink irises. "Then I can carry out my plan smoothly..."
She had already devised a scenario capable of ending this Son of Destiny...
***
On the other side of the city, Shou had just finished bandaging the wounds on his body. The scratches still stung against his sun-scorched skin.
His eyes gleamed with excitement as he began interrogating his System to understand functions he had yet to fully grasp.
Just as had been explained to Lux, Shou received a similar explanation about the Divine Contract System.
But unlike Lux's calm reaction, Shou's expression immediately soured.
His brow furrowed deeply, his lips pursing.
"Grant any wish whatsoever? Yeah, right!" he muttered in frustration, ruffling his messy black hair.
"Who would believe such nonsense?!"
Shou was certain people would think he was insane if he said something like that! Worse still, he might be killed on the spot by some arrogant being who assumed he was lying!
And even worse, what if their request was outrageous? Like... becoming invincible across the entire world.
Shou ruffled his hair even harder. He was certain that even if he died trying, he'd never be able to gather enough points to grant a wish like that!
"At that point, I'd be flicked to death!" he exclaimed in frustration, imagining his body crushed by a single flick from some powerful, furious being whose promise had gone unfulfilled.
It had to be admitted, though his IQ wasn't as high as Lux's, Shou was still sharp enough to notice the fatal flaw in his System.
Of course, if he'd known he was a Son of Destiny, someone beloved by fate itself, he might not have feared the System's weakness and would have dared to form contracts without fear of death.
Unfortunately, the term "Son of Destiny" was something no one could know, not even the chosen one himself...
Shou let out a heavy sigh, his head throbbing from overthinking. "I think I need some rest," he muttered wearily. "Tomorrow will surely be better."
Besides, he thought, he didn't have to contract with some super-powerful being.
He could start with something weak, couldn't he?
'Let's go one at a time. Let's start with the weakest being,' he resolved inwardly.
[Just a note for the Host. The Host can only form a contract with one target]
[To increase the contract target limit, the Host must upgrade the System to Level 2 and so on, using 'Contract Points']
"..."
His eyes twitched.
Just as he'd suspected, maybe he really did need to sleep first...
***
Shou woke up with thick, dark circles under his eyes.
He truly hadn't been able to sleep soundly, endlessly turning over in his mind what kind of being he should contract with.
After all, he only had one chance.
Once contracted, there was no way to swap that contract slot for a different being. It was like choosing a life partner, once chosen, that was your partner forever.
After forming a contract, he would essentially be sharing his life with them. So if the contracted being died, he would die along with them.
That was precisely why Shou had to choose his contract being with the utmost care.
"Goblin?" He shook his head firmly. "Too weak and smelly."
"Slime?" He grimaced in disgust. "Too... sticky."
"Silver Rabbit?" He sighed. "Cute, sure, but what's the use?"
"Rank B Hunter?" He clicked his tongue. "They'd surely want something impossible for me to grant!"
None of them fit! They all had fatal flaws!
The being he dreamed of contracting was one that was super powerful, not selfish, not arrogant, not greedy, and had an appearance that was comfortable or pleasant to look at!
With criteria like that, he could live peacefully!
But he knew... his wish was too beautiful to become reality. Too perfect to be found in this cruel world!
Even a Hunter renowned for their kindness would hesitate to form a contract with him, a nameless young man with no achievements to speak of!
"Just as I thought, there's no truly good human out there," he muttered. "They're all cruel and selfish..."
Shou's expression darkened, clouds of despair settling over his face.
Though he knew selfishness was a natural human trait, he himself was also quite selfish, easily blaming other, genuinely innocent people.
Still... Shou's head kept aching, confused over what kind of being to make his contract.
With sluggish steps, he walked along the bustling city street.
The calls of merchants hawking their wares and the laughter of children playing couldn't lift his gloomy mood.
Shou looked up, gazing at the wide blue sky stretching above him.
Somehow, the sight looked more beautiful than usual.
"At least the sky still looks pretty," he muttered, trying to comfort himself.
True.
A blue sky with soft, drifting white clouds.
And... a giant winged black sphere right in the middle of it?
Shou blinked several times, making sure his eyes weren't deceiving him.
"A... black sphere?" he whispered, confused. "With wings?"
It was an incredibly strange sight.
A large, pitch-black sphere, floating in the air with wings.
Shou swore he could see a strange purple light pulsing from within it.
"Is that someone's creation?" he thought, shaking his head.
"No, that's too conspicuous. Everyone would already be talking about it."
Sighing, Shou turned and continued his search for a suitable being to contract with.
...
...
...
"WAIT A MINUTE!!!"
Shou suddenly stopped, his body frozen stiff like a statue.
His head spun back toward the sky at an inhuman speed.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!! SINCE WHEN DOES OUR CITY HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!" he shouted loudly, drawing the attention of people around him.
Shou gasped and stood stunned.
His expression filled with terror as he stared intently at the black sphere. Those slowly moving black wings were absolutely terrifying, sending a chill down his spine!
His body trembled violently, cold sweat soaking his forehead and neck.
His panicked, frightened appearance caught the attention of someone passing by.
"Hey, kid, are you okay?" asked a middle-aged man with concern. "You look really pale."
"A-ah, I'm fine, sir," Shou answered, stammering, trying to calm himself.
"More importantly... since when does our city have a giant winged black sphere decoration?" His hand still trembled as he pointed toward the sky.
But...
"Huh? Black sphere? What are you talking about, kid?"
The man looked at him in confusion, his eyebrows raised high.
Seeing the man's confusion, Shou grew confused too.
His eyes blinked rapidly. "You don't see it, sir?! That black sphere is right above us!"
The man looked up, studying the sky carefully.
His brow furrowed even deeper, seeing nothing but the clear blue sky and softly drifting white clouds.
"Kid..." The man looked at Shou with pity. "Are you so exhausted you're hallucinating? Or did you drink something strange?"
Shou was stunned by those words. His heart pounded fiercely. 'Am I... am I the only one who can see it?!'
Shou felt a chill of terror!
[Ding! That's correct. Aside from certain individuals, no one else can see that black sphere]
'System?!' Shou called out inwardly, his eyes widening. 'What do you mean?!'
[Exactly as it sounds. That black sphere has a special property that prevents people from seeing it normally. The Host can see the black sphere because the Host possesses a System]
Shou swallowed hard. Cold sweat poured even more heavily down his forehead.
"Hey, kid. Are you okay?" the man asked again, growing increasingly worried about Shou's paling condition.
"Y-yes, forgive me, sir," Shou answered haltingly, forcing a smile. "Maybe, like you said, I really am too exhausted. So I'll take my leave now."
"Well then, get some proper rest."
Before the man could even finish speaking, Shou had already bolted away as if chased by a demon.
His legs moved with extraordinary speed, leaping over several barrels and baskets blocking his path.
The man stood staring blankly at Shou's sudden departure. "Strange," he muttered. "Didn't he just say he was tired?"
***
"System! You said that black sphere is the result of someone's power, and that person is nearby, right?!" Shou shouted, breathless.
[That's correct]
Shou clenched his fists tightly, his eyes blazing with determination. "Then, can you guide me to their location?!"
[What does the Host intend to do?] the System asked.
"Isn't it obvious?!" Shou's gaze sharpened, his voice trembling with determination. "I'm going to form a contract with the owner of that black sphere!"
[Is the Host certain?] the System warned seriously. [You could die. The system does detect that the black sphere's aura is extremely powerful, but there's no guarantee its owner is a good person]
"I trust my instincts!" Shou struck his chest with a clenched fist.
"I feel like... as if destiny itself is calling me. If I ignore this, I'll live in regret forever. So stop asking questions and just tell me the location!"
A brief silence followed before the System finally answered.
[...As the Host wishes]
A holographic compass, glowing blue, appeared in the air before Shou. The compass needle spun for a moment before settling, pointing in one direction.
Without wasting a second, Shou ran with all his might, following the compass's direction.
His heart pounded fiercely, his breath ragged, but his resolve remained unshaken.
Sweat poured from his forehead, his legs beginning to feel heavy, but Shou kept forcing himself to run. The compass kept glowing brighter, a sign he was drawing closer to his target.
At last, he arrived at the location he'd been searching for.
In the middle of a quiet city park, beneath a blooming cherry blossom tree, Shou came to a stop.
His body trembled from exhaustion, his breathing short and irregular.
"Where is that pers—"
His words caught in his throat.
Shou's body suddenly went rigid, his eyes widening in disbelief at the sight before him.
[Ding! A powerful being detected!]
[Searching for information...]
[Ding! Information search complete!]
...
✦ [𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢] ✦
- [𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭]
- [𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞: 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭]
- [𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 ???: 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 - 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐥 (𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲)]
- [𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒𝐒: 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭]
- [𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬] -
- [𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐒𝐒𝐒 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬, 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞! 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠!]
...
A string of glowing information appeared before Shou's eyes, but the young man didn't see any of it at all.
Instead... his gaze was fixed on the figure sitting gracefully beneath the cherry blossom tree.
As if time itself had stopped moving.
Before him sat a girl of a beauty that surpassed the bounds of humanity.
Her golden hair shimmered softly beneath the sunlight filtering through the sakura petals, part of it tied in a ponytail on the right side, adding to her captivating beauty.
Strands of her hair danced gently in the breeze, creating a sight that felt almost mystical.
She wore a white sailor uniform with black-lined accents that perfectly hugged her figure, black stockings running up to her thighs, contrasting with her radiant skin.
A pair of pearl earrings adorned her ears, reflecting the sunlight like tiny stars.
Beside her sat a pink bag that looked almost untouched, as if newly bought.
Her presence beneath the cherry blossom tree created a harmonious sight, the beauty of nature and the beauty of a being who seemed to come from another world entirely.
Shou stood frozen. His tongue went numb. His heart seemed to stop beating.
The world he had always considered cruel and unjust suddenly shone brightly the moment that girl entered his view.
Sakura petals fell around her, a few landing gently on her golden hair, creating a scene that looked almost like a heavenly painting.
𝘿𝙚𝙜!
Beautiful...
The word surfaced without him realizing it...
Then the girl opened her eyes, revealing clear pink amethyst irises, as deep as the ocean and as bright as dawn.
Her gaze was so pure, without a single trace of hatred or malice.
Shou felt as though he were staring into a soul untouched by the cruelty of the world, like a newborn baby, innocent and worthy of protection.
As he sank deeper into that gaze...
[Host, snap out of it!]
The System's rebuke jolted Shou from his daze.
The young man blinked several times, trying to refocus on his original purpose.
"Hey, System... are you sure that girl is the owner of that black sphere?" Shou whispered, uncertain.
The contrast between the terrifying black sphere in the sky and the saintly beauty of the girl before him felt far too jarring.
[Don't be fooled by her appearance] the System responded firmly. [The black sphere's energy originates from this girl. It's impossible for the System's detection to be wrong]
"But..." Shou was still hesitant, his eyes unable to tear away from the girl's figure.
[However, she is a perfect being to form a contract with] the System continued in a more persuasive tone. [Whether it's her personality or her power, she's an excellent starting point for the Host]
[Even the System itself never imagined... a being like this existing in this world. Because of that, the System strongly recommends the Host rush to form a contract with her]
"Y-yes..." Shou swallowed hard, trying to gather his courage.
With steps that felt heavy and a heart pounding fiercely, Shou slowly approached the girl.
His hands trembled, his forehead sweating, but his resolve remained strong.
The girl remained silent, her gaze drifting far into the distance, savoring the beauty of the cherry blossoms with a calm expression, as if the outside world meant nothing to her.
"H-hey, may I sit with you?" Shou asked awkwardly, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears.
He immediately cursed himself for not being able to come up with a better conversation opener.
For the first time, the girl turned to look at him.
Her beautiful eyes gazed at Shou with a calm expression, yet carrying a faint hint of interest. She tilted her head with a graceful, almost hypnotic motion.
"I-is there something strange about my face?" Shou asked, reflexively touching his own face, flustered under the girl's gaze.
"...This is surprising," a gentle voice, like the chime of a heavenly harp, flowed from her thin lips.
"I didn't think anyone in this city could see me."
"H-huh? W-what do you mea—"
[Just like that giant black sphere, this girl shares the same characteristic. She cannot be seen by ordinary people] the System explained.
'Eh? I-in that case, isn't that a huge problem?!'
[For ordinary humans, that might be frightening, but that girl is a True Spirit. By nature, she's different from other beings]
[She doesn't need to eat, sleep, or anything else of that sort. Essentially... she would face no issue even if no one else could see her. She would live peacefully and calmly forever]
'I-I see...'
Shou felt a mix of relief and envy that this girl could live without the worldly burdens that had always weighed him down...
"Being able to see me..." the girl continued, her voice gentle yet carrying a mysterious depth. "You must not be an ordinary person."
"T-that's..." Shou stammered, unsure how to answer.
There was no way he could reveal the existence of the System that allowed him to see her.
"Because I—"
"You don't have to answer that," the girl interrupted gently. "Some people have their own secrets that deserve to be respected." She looked at him.
"So... do you need something from me?" she asked directly, her gaze piercing straight into Shou's soul.
"Ah... that..." Shou grew nervous again, but as the image of his vengeance and his desire to become strong resurfaced in his mind, his resolve hardened.
He clenched his fists tightly and looked straight into the girl's eyes.
"I... I need your power..."
"Power?" The girl tilted her head gracefully.
A sakura petal fell near her, creating a beautiful contrast against her golden hair.
"Could you explain in more detail? I still don't quite understand."
"About that..." Shou took a deep breath and began explaining everything.
With a voice growing steadier, he told her about his goal, about the contract that could bind them, the benefits of that contract, its duration, and the type of power he needed.
He explained everything honestly, hiding nothing except the existence of the System.
For some reason... in front of this girl, Shou felt no need to lie or pretend.
He explained his "Talent" carefully, trying to sound convincing even though his heart felt uneasy having to hide the truth about the System.
"That's why... would you be willing to form a contract with me?" Shou finally asked, his voice full of hope.
The girl fell silent for a moment, her eyes lost in thought as she watched the falling sakura petals. The gentle breeze once again played with her golden hair.
"I see..." She nodded slowly. "That's interesting enough, but not particularly interesting to me. I don't have any wish that needs to be granted."
Hearing that answer, Shou clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
He let out a heavy sigh, disappointment settling over his heart. He had actually expected to be refused.
Even after explaining that any wish could be granted, it still remained hard to believe.
Even he himself sometimes still found it difficult to believe.
The rejection stung, but what hurt even more was the realization that he wouldn't be able to stay with this girl...
"However..." the girl continued, making Shou look up without realizing it, "I'm curious enough whether you can actually use my power, so I agree to form the contract."
"...Eh?" Shou was stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"I want to form the contract," the girl repeated calmly. "Don't you want to?"
"No, no, no! I do! I do! Please, form the contract with me!" Shou exclaimed eagerly, his face lighting up with joy.
The overflowing happiness in his chest even surpassed the joy he'd felt at his very first birthday celebration.
It felt like receiving a gift he'd never even dared to dream of!
The girl nodded, her expression remaining calm. "Then... what do I need to do to form this contract?"
"About that..." Shou pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket, "write your wish on this paper, and once both parties' agreement is confirmed, this contract will take effect."
He paused for a moment. "But I remember you said you don't have any wish."
"That's true," the girl confirmed. "As for my own wish, I'll achieve it through my own power. I don't need anyone else's help to make it come true."
Shou smiled bitterly. "But in that case, this contract can't be formed, since you have to write down your wish."
"Is that so?" A faint frown appeared on the girl's forehead, an expression that somehow still looked beautiful in Shou's eyes.
Unexpectedly, the girl took the paper from Shou's hand and began writing something.
Her white hand moved gracefully, leaving a neat trail of ink across the paper.
Shou waited, his heart pounding. Curiosity bubbled in his chest. What could a girl this beautiful possibly wish for?
When the paper was returned to him, Shou read it immediately.
Instantly, his expression turned rigid. Without realizing it, his hand crumpled the paper.
'This...'
Indeed, there was technically nothing wrong with the wish. But his heart suddenly felt cold, as if doused with ice water.
"Is something wrong?" the girl asked calmly, her clear eyes staring straight at Shou.
Shou didn't know whether the girl had deliberately written a wish like this or not, but the pure gaze from her amethyst eyes eased the anger that had briefly surfaced in his heart.
He let out a long breath and said, "No... it's nothing. Our contract can begin."
Shou rolled up the paper, and miraculously, it instantly caught fire in a shimmering blue flame.
Its ashes drifted into the air, transforming into glowing letters.
At that moment, a beautiful inscription appeared floating between them, forming a contract written in an ancient language, yet understandable to both of them:
...
✦ [𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭] ✦
- [𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮]
- [𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭: 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢]
- [𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢]
- [𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡: 𝐈𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞-𝐚𝐧𝐝-𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬]
- [𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐲𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐢'𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡: 𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐞]
...
Instantly, a strange sensation spread through Shou's body.
It felt as though his soul were being pulled out, then woven back together with an invisible thread into the girl's soul.
The feeling was like two soulmates finally finding each other, completing one another yet also becoming dependent on each other.
But behind that wondrous sensation, Shou felt a bitterness in his heart.
This contract wasn't perfect at all. It could end at any moment, at the girl's whim. He had just entrusted his fate into the hands of a stranger he barely even knew.
Meanwhile, the girl, though her expression remained outwardly calm, silently murmured to herself...
Her gaze still fixed straight ahead...
'Good...'
[Ding! Successfully shocked the Son of Destiny and turned his emotions upside down!]
[Made the Son of Destiny feel amazed, the Host receives 10,000,000 Achievement Points]
[Made the Son of Destiny stunned, the Host receives 10,000,000 Achievement Points]
[Made the Son of Destiny captivated, the Host receives 15,000,000 Achievement Points]
Hearing the notifications ringing in her mind, Lux's expression barely changed, aside from a cold glint flickering briefly in her gaze...
But quickly, her expression settled back into calm.
After all, her target was the Son of Destiny. She didn't believe Shou would keep being shocked just by her beautiful appearance.
For this, Lux had already prepared herself. She had already thought through many scenarios she could use.
In her mind, a plan had already been carefully laid out. She would squeeze Shou dry until the young man was no longer of any use to her...