"After leaving them there, burning and screaming in agony, I flew in her direction and began to follow her. From that day on, I kept pestering her for a while…"
"I see—so you already knew her mother. Well, I know how to fix this problem," Noah said with a grin.
"What do you mean by that?" the bird asked, puzzled.
Noah met the snake's gaze and offered,
— How about we strike a new deal, just the two of us?
The bird shook its head and, with what sounded like a reluctant sigh, warned,
— …I think I know where you're headed with this… but you'd better not even suggest it.
"Huh? And why not?"
"I'm not sure you were listening to what she said, but if you propose what I suspect… know that there are a lot of them. And their power is… well, it's probably even stronger than before."
"I've been paying very close attention, so don't worry. Just answer: do you accept the deal or not?"
"Are you certain about what you're asking, human…?" the snake hissed, edging closer to Noah. "You'd turn against your people just for a scrap more power?"
Noah laughed,
— My people…?
He couldn't stop chuckling, leaving both creatures bewildered. After a moment, he caught his breath, sighed deeply, and continued,
— Ah hah… my people… that's a good one. Honestly, it's so naive to think you're equals just because you share some physical traits. Sorry to break it to you, but I never saw it that way. Those who should've treated me as their own never did.
The two beasts exchanged confused looks, each trying—and failing—to decipher Noah's meaning. The snake, nervously, finally said,
— …Alright…! I accept… But you must promise me there'll be nothing—and no one—left behind!
"Absolutely… I'll make sure of it."
Relieved she'd agreed, Noah smiled and said,
— Then let's get started…
His smile faded as he suddenly remembered,
— Damn…! How are we supposed to form a contract if you two are already dead?
He fell backward onto the ground, thrust his arm down, and cursed,
— Shit!
"Calm down, human," the phoenix said. "There's still a way."
Noah sprang to his feet. Once he'd regained his composure, he asked,
— A way…? And what would that be?
"It's very simple. Right now, in this place, all that exists are our souls. So we merely need to forge a soul contract. After all, what you're seeing at this moment is your soul as well."
"I understand… so that's why I could refine them so easily… But I still don't grasp how this contract will work."
"Don't worry—it's straightforward. Now stand up and come a little closer."
Noah hesitated, uncertain what to do, but he rose and stood directly before them.
The phoenix glanced at the snake and urged,
— Hurry—do it now!
After hearing that, Noah grew even more bewildered.
'Make…? But make what?' he wondered.
The serpent hesitated, and the phoenix bowed her head— the snake did the same. Noah had no clue why they were bowing, but before he could ask, the phoenix spoke:
"Come closer and place one hand on each of our heads. And don't forget to keep in mind exactly what you wish to gain from this contract as we forge it."
He stepped forward and did as instructed, resting his palms on their heads and focusing on his desire. The serpent and phoenix closed their eyes, and after a few seconds, a delicate white, lace-like mark appeared on their foreheads—and on Noah's chest as well.
Moments later, the mark vanished. They opened their eyes and stood upright as the bird announced,
"Done! Now, human, remember: you must fulfill every promise, or…"
"Or what? What happens if I don't?"
"This binds our souls. If you break your word, your soul will be destroyed—no chance of reincarnation."
Noah gave a mocking bow.
"Oh, lovely—thanks for the heads-up. So… how do I use your powers?"
"There's not much to explain," the phoenix said. "Wielding our gifts is as natural to us as breathing. But thanks to this bond, you'll feel a blaze ignite in your chest, begging to be unleashed. Once you sense it, it will guide you—just try, and it will work."
With that, Noah turned and began walking away.
"All right then—see you around… or better yet, I hope we never meet again. That'd mean I'm stuck in bed, so…"
"Wait, human! Don't forget what you swore."
For a split second, the face of the man she hated most flashed through her mind. In that single glance, she conveyed her contempt:
"Remember: destroy them! Remember to raze the Floating City!"
All Noah caught was 'Floating City"—so that would be his next destination.' With that final thought, he vanished into thin air.
---
"Already? I thought you'd be hanging around a bit longer," Fusu said with a grin, rising from the steps and setting his swords aside.
Ting stepped out from behind a tree and replied,
— There's not much to do in this forest, so…
She glanced at the swords leaning on the stairs.
— What are you up to?
"I was just examining the weapons they used."
"Huh? What's wrong with them?" she asked, stepping closer.
"The quality on all of these is above six-star human rank…"
"All of them?! But these are blades only the emperor's guards normally carry."
Ting picked up the broken sword and continued,
— These are way too expensive for you to be snapping in half like that, aren't they?
"…But I didn't break them."
"You didn't? Then who—?"
Before she could finish, the house door swung open and Noah strode through, cutting Ting off. He kept walking, eyes fixed on the forest beyond.
"Hey, where are you going?" Fusu called after him.
"I'm off to look for—"
Fusu reached into his robe and pulled out something.
— You're going to look for this?
"What are you—?"
"Oh, I found it wandering through the woods. Want it back?"
"Want to give it back? Noah reached for the book. "This book is mine!"
But before he could grab it, Fusu snatched it away.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Noah shouted.
"I'll return it to you, but you owe me a favor."
"What the hell?! That damn book is mine!" Noah retorted, furious.
"No, it's not. It was lost out here and I found it—so it belongs to me now."
"Uncle, what are you doing…?" Ting muttered.
Noah sighed heavily, trying to calm himself. His face looked composed, but his eyes betrayed his irritation.
— Fine, you win. What do you want me to do?
Fusu studied Noah for a moment, thinking, "He keeps his cool pretty well—better than I do. His face says calm, but those eyes… is it at ticked him off?"
He lowered his hand and said,
— I want you to look after her for a while.
"What?!" Ting exclaimed, shocked.
"…How long?"
"Not too long—just a few days, probably."
Noah looked at Ting and warned,
— If she pisses me off, I'm done. And if any more of those people show up, I'm not risking my neck to save her.
Fusu handed Noah the book but didn't let go.
— You wouldn't abandon her. Like it or not, she's your fiancée now—you accepted the engagement, didn't you?
Noah smiled.
— Don't doubt someone you barely know. Yes, I agreed to marry her, but I never promised to babysit her until the wedding.
"You know I'll come after you if anything happens to her…"
"Yeah, I figure."
"So you'll take good care of her, right?"
Noah pulled the book closer and said to Ting,
— Like I said—just don't piss me off. And I'm not covering her expenses. We're not even married yet, after all.
"Tsk! What a stingy brat…"