BXBX NOVEL Chapter 173: Soul contract
The atmosphere in the room grew tense, but also filled with resolve. Everyone knew their role, and the great battle ahead would be the ultimate test for them all.
Lein gazed at Nita for a moment before finally saying, "Alright, let's move according to the plan. Don't let them destroy everything we've built."
After saying that, Lein took out several items from his spatial ring. The items were sheets of paper radiating an incredibly sacred aura. The holy energy emanating from them even made Laras feel like crying as she was deeply touched. She felt as if the item was a part of her.
"What is that, Lord Lein?" Elen, the little girl who rarely spoke, suddenly asked, curious about the item Lein had just produced. She also felt a bit of comfort from it.
"I'm sure it's not just any ordinary item, as long as it comes from Lord Lein," Arya added, having silently observed throughout the entire meeting. Her green hair did not match her quiet nature.
Hearing their questions, Lein merely smiled warmly and didn't intend to answer. He looked at each of them one by one, recalling when they first met. Back then, none of them knew each other, yet they trusted him to lead the alliance.
Yes, although that trust wasn't entirely pure, there was always the possibility of betrayal. Luckily, it hadn't happened yet. His core members continued to follow his orders and respect him.
But as Lein thought about humanity's progress in the Divine Sky Realm, he began to realize that he couldn't maintain his previous open-minded approach. They might only follow his orders now because of his immense power and wealth, and they knew they couldn't challenge him in any way.
Yet, deep down, what if they grew stronger than him one day? Who could guarantee they would remain loyal? Who could assure him they wouldn't turn against him? No one. No one could be trusted but himself.
Staring at the items in his hands, he paused briefly. After a few moments of silence, he finally summoned the courage to toss the sacred papers to each of the core members. The papers floated gently in front of them. Each core member caught one with a confused and curious look, then examined the description of the item Lein had given them.
Old man Haikal read the item description:
(Soul Paper)
An ancient soul paper crafted from mysterious materials, adorned with magical symbols that shimmer in the dim light. When touched, it feels warm, as if it channels the energy of the souls bound within.
- Master: Lein
- Bound: -
- (Soul Contract): The bound soul will not and cannot harbor malicious intent toward the Master. Punishment: 99% status reduction and imprisonment in the soul prison.
* Please drop your blood on the paper to agree.
* The bound soul limit is Master level & cannot exceed the Master's soul.
Reading this in his heart, his expression remained neutral before finally breaking into a smile. "This is how it should be," he murmured.
Old man Haikal then sliced his pinky finger slightly, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto the paper. The blood dripped onto the Soul Paper, which immediately absorbed it and disappeared into thin air.
Not just old man Haikal, the other core members followed suit. They even smiled slightly as they did so. Letting out a sigh of relief, they then glanced around at each other.
Lein watched their actions. He frowned and observed them carefully, while Nita, beside him, looked puzzled.
"Brother, what did you give them? Where's mine?" Nita asked Lein, raising her eyebrows and extending her hand like a child asking for a treat.
Expecting this reaction, Lein responded with, "What? There's none left." He raised both hands, gesturing that he no longer had any of the items.
"Brother!!! What was that?" Nita yelled in frustration. She glanced at the others and noticed that none of them had the papers anymore, except for the muscular man sitting in the corner.
"Lord Gusti!!! Stop!" Nita shouted as she stood, and in a flash, she was already beside Gusti.
"What is it, Princess Nita? Do you want one?" Gusti asked with a clueless look. He was puzzled by Nita's sudden movement.
Nita ignored Gusti's question, her eyes fixated on the description of the (Soul Paper). She stood still for a moment, reading the system panel with a serious expression. After finishing, she turned to look at Lein across the room.
"Hehe... sorry," Nita said in an embarrassed tone. Her face flushed slightly from shame.
"Sister Nita, your face is red," Elen observed innocently, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Nita couldn't bear to look at Elen and obediently walked back to her seat, resuming her habit of fiddling with her tablet.
"This girl..." Lein shook his head at Nita's foolish actions and returned his attention to his core members.
Moments ago, Lein received a notification that all the core members had agreed to the soul contract he had given them.
[(Soul Paper): Successfully connected with a new soul (Haikal Emanuel)]
[(Soul Paper): Successfully connected with a new soul (Takulani)]
...
[(Soul Paper): Successfully connected with a new soul (Arya)]
...
He hadn't expected them all to agree so easily. The soul prison punishment and the 99% status reduction seemed harsh enough to scare anyone. Yet, here they were, all in agreement, without a single question. It seemed his core alliance members had anticipated this move from him.
"Young Master Lein, you've finally done it," a voice suddenly spoke.
It was old man Haikal, looking at Lein with a kind smile. "I initially had doubts about you, young master, given all your actions. But today, I understand that you are fair and have no intention of harming others. You truly are fit to be the leader of this realm."