After a couple of hours of walking, the Kanima looked like a cheerful puppy.
It ran ahead, then behind, then reappeared at Soren's side, wagging its tail calmly. At times it would move a few meters ahead, sniffing the ground or peeking into bushes, as if the entire path were one enormous playground.
It hadn't spoken a single word again.
Ever since its hunger had been satisfied, its previous strange behavior had completely disappeared.
Soren watched it for a moment.
It seems… normal.
Or at least as normal as a small purple crocodile with translucent teeth could be.
Curiously, Soren didn't feel bad either.
After eating from the Hot Potato Nest, his body felt lighter. It wasn't exactly overflowing energy, but neither was it the brutal exhaustion he had endured over the past few days.
It was as if something inside him had stabilized.
Dry mud still stained parts of his clothes, but at least he was no longer covered in blood.
The sky was slowly growing darker.
The sun dipped behind the hills, and the air turned colder.
They walked in silence for a while.
Until Soren saw them.
Small points of light in the distance.
At first, he thought they were fireflies.
But no.
The lights didn't move.
There were too many of them.
And they were aligned.
Torches.
Lit windows.
Lanterns.
The city.
Soren narrowed his eyes as he stared at the distant glow.
Audrey saw it too.
She suddenly stopped.
The Kanima nearly bumped into her leg.
The young woman crossed her arms and observed the lights for a few seconds, thoughtful.
Then she sighed.
"Alright," she finally said.
She turned her head toward Soren.
"It's time to negotiate."
She paused briefly.
Then added with a faint smile:
"Or at least… to make a plan before you walk into a city with an unregistered illegal monster."
The Kanima raised its head.
As if it suspected they were talking about it.
Audrey looked at it with amusement.
"By the way…" she said curiously. "What's your lizard's name?"
Soren fell silent.
He had never thought about it.
In fact, he hadn't even considered naming it.
He looked at the small purple crocodile, now sniffing some stones with absolute focus.
When Audrey asked the question…
Soren felt something strange.
A fleeting sensation.
Familiar.
As if that name had already existed before.
As if he had said it many times… somewhere he could no longer remember.
He didn't even think of a name.
But his mouth moved on its own.
"Grim."
The small crocodile lifted its head.
Its purple eyes blinked slowly.
Then it wagged its tail enthusiastically.
Audrey raised an eyebrow.
"Grim… huh?"
She looked at the little lizard again.
"It fits."
Soren couldn't explain why either… but it felt right.
As if it had always been its name.
Audrey crossed her arms again.
"Well then, Grim," she muttered, looking at the small crocodile. "We'll try not to get you confiscated when we arrive."
Then she looked back at Soren.
"Now… back to the problem."
Soren frowned.
"Unregistered?"
"That's right," Audrey replied casually. "You're just a trainee Seeker. How are you going to explain that you now have three assimilated singularities? And on top of that… the loot you're carrying isn't just anything."
She made a vague gesture.
"You were probably already registered as dead out in the field."
Soren remained silent.
He knew the problem was serious.
He had a way to hide the loot… or at least an idea.
But what should he say once they arrived?
The truth?
Make up a story even more absurd than what he had actually lived through?
Or simply not return… and stay in the forest?
He glanced at her cautiously.
"If you were in my position… what would you do?"
Audrey looked at him for a second.
Then smiled mischievously.
"If I were in your position… I'd be a little depressed first."
Soren expected teasing.
But not that direct.
Audrey shrugged.
"You're not stupid. I'd tell the truth… halfway."
Soren raised an eyebrow.
"You can say I found you," she continued. "That I saved you. Trained you a bit and took care of you on the way here."
She pointed at him.
"And that I helped you become a Seeker."
Then her expression grew slightly more serious.
"But don't mention the Level 3 singularities. And don't mention that your chubby crocodile is Level 3 either."
Grim lifted his head at that.
Audrey glanced at him.
"That would raise too many questions."
She paused.
"And you still have another problem."
Her eyes lowered slightly.
"The singularity loot."
She smiled faintly.
"And I already know you're not giving that Level 3 lightning one to Rusett. You're too greedy for that."
"So… what are you going to do?" Audrey asked, her eyes gleaming with interest.
Soren didn't answer immediately.
He didn't even know what the city was like inside.
He only knew that this body he now inhabited came from there.
He didn't know how he had ended up in the Ash Field.
And even less whether the Fox group had been the ones to kill him.
He was in trouble.
Big trouble.
As big… as the crocodile now staring at him.
And yet, he knew he could handle it.
Lie.
Deceive.
Manipulate.
After all… before arriving in this world, wasn't that his life?
"Heh…"
Soren let out a small laugh.
Then smiled with confidence, as if dropping a mask to the ground.
Audrey hadn't expected that reaction.
"I'll follow your advice," Soren said. "I'll do exactly that."
He looked at her calmly.
"I imagine if I say you saved me… they might even reward you."
Audrey raised an eyebrow.
"And what about the loot?" she asked. "If you register all those singularities, they'll ask more questions. And you'll have to hand them over for registration."
Her eyes sharpened.
"And they'll most likely end up in Rusett's hands."
She continued:
"I'm already a registered Seeker. Even if I'm not from this city, I have certain privileges. I can pass my own loot without too many issues… and I can explain how I got it."
She looked straight at him.
"If you want, I can pass it for you."
She gestured toward the distant lights.
"Once inside, you can sell them at a good price. They're only strict at the entrance."
Soren narrowed his eyes.
Then replied quickly:
"That's already covered."
Audrey stopped.
"I have a way to hide the singularities so they won't be detected."
Silence lingered for a second.
Audrey watched him with suspicion.
There were ways to hide singularities…
But they weren't methods just anyone could use.
Soren met her gaze.
"You're helping me because you want me to help you kill Rusett… right?"
Audrey held his gaze.
"That's right."
She didn't deny it.
"I'm helping you because I need your help."
She shrugged slightly.
"Isn't that how business works?"
Soren nodded slowly.
His expression grew more serious.
"Then tell me," he said in a steady voice. "What exactly do you need me to do?"
Audrey smiled faintly.
"It's simple."
She pointed toward the city lights.
"Once inside, you'll need to register as a Seeker. You've already assimilated three singularities… so technically, you already are one."
She paused.
"That will make the Fox group value you more."
Then she added:
"And I need you to meet me once a week."
Soren frowned.
"For what?"
"To give me information."
Her gaze hardened.
"Rusett has many abilities… and he's extremely slippery."
The night wind blew through the trees.
"Killing him won't be easy."
Audrey crossed her arms.
"I need you to watch him."
"I want reports on his abilities."
"His movements."
"His weaknesses."
Then she looked directly into his eyes.
Soren remained silent for a few seconds.
The night wind swept down from the hills, and the city lights grew brighter in the distance.
"If you help me," Audrey continued, "when Rusett dies… his singularities will be split between us."
Soren slightly raised his eyebrows.
Audrey added casually:
"Half for you. Half for me."
She paused.
"But I choose first."
The Kanima stopped wagging its tail for a moment.
Even Soren felt his breathing pause.
Rusett was a veteran Seeker.
The singularities he possessed couldn't be ordinary.
Soren thought for a few seconds.
Then nodded slowly.
"Sounds fair."
Audrey watched him closely.
"Then there's one last problem."
Her gaze lowered slightly.
"The loot you're carrying."
Soren sighed lightly.
"That's already covered."
He leaned slightly toward Grim.
The small crocodile looked at him with its purple eyes.
Soren pulled out a singularity.
The sphere glowed with an intense yellow light.
Inside it, tiny lightning bolts crackled silently, forming a small electric galaxy slowly spinning within.
The light dimly illuminated the path.
It looked like a treasure.
The Level 3 lightning singularity.
He held it in front of Grim.
"Store it."
Audrey frowned.
She didn't know what she was expecting.
But what happened next surprised her.
Grim opened its mouth.
Its purple teeth glowed faintly.
And then…
The singularity disappeared.
No light.
No sound.
It simply ceased to exist before her eyes.
Grim closed its mouth.
Then wagged its tail in satisfaction.
Audrey blinked slowly.
"What… was that?"
Soren smiled faintly.
"It can store treasures."
Grim opened its mouth again.
For a brief instant, Audrey thought she saw something impossible.
Inside its mouth…
There was space.
Deep darkness.
And floating in that silent void, as if suspended in a private universe…
Was the lightning singularity.
Audrey fell completely silent.
"That…" she finally murmured, "is not a common ability."
Soren shrugged.
"It's useful."
Audrey watched him for several seconds.
Then a small smile appeared on her face.
"Then we won't have any trouble entering the city."
She fell silent for a moment.
Then extended her hand toward Soren.
"Let's seal the deal."
Soren looked at her hand.
"Just like that?"
Audrey smiled.
"Not exactly."
Soren hesitated for a moment… but finally took her hand.
The moment their hands touched…
Something appeared between them.
A small violet light.
The light slowly condensed, taking shape.
A tiny spirit floated between their hands.
It was small.
Its body was soft and round, almost like a little creature made of purple mist. Two small glowing eyes floated on its face, and tiny translucent limbs moved lazily.
Its appearance was strangely adorable.
Almost innocent.
But around it lingered a strange aura.
Ancient.
Mystical.
As if that small creature had witnessed countless pacts throughout time.
Soren's eyes widened slightly.
"What… is that?"
Audrey answered naturally.
"A Level 2 singularity."
The small spirit slowly spun between them, observing.
"It's called a Contract Spirit."
"In its presence, any agreement made is sealed."
Audrey tightened her grip slightly.
"And whoever breaks the contract…"
She paused briefly.
"Will die."
The small spirit floated silently between them.
Soren watched it with fascination.
It was small.
Almost cute.
But the pressure it emitted was undeniable.
"So spirit-type singularities exist too…" Soren murmured.
The world continued to expand before him.
Stranger.
More interesting.
Soren smiled faintly.
"Perfect."
The spirit spun once between their hands.
A soft violet light enveloped them for a second.
Then the creature slowly faded into the air.
The contract was sealed.
Audrey released Soren's hand.
"Good."
Then she looked him straight in the eyes.
"And now let's talk about your reward."
Soren raised an eyebrow.
Audrey crossed her arms.
"When Rusett is dead… besides your share of the singularities…"
She paused slightly.
"I'll teach you how to assimilate a Level 3 singularity."
The world seemed to freeze for a moment.
Soren said nothing.
But his eyes sharpened.
Even Grim stopped wagging its tail.
In this world…
That kind of knowledge had no price.
Level 3 singularities weren't just powerful. Their requirements for assimilation were insane.
The secret to doing it…
Was worth more than any treasure.
Audrey watched his reaction with a faint smile.
"So?"
Soren looked at her.
Then back at the distant city lights.
A new world.
A dangerous game.
Lies, contracts… and power.
Finally, he smiled.
"I say… we have a deal."