Chapter 48: NEGOTIATIONS
Everyone stopped moving.
Their eyes seemed to gain another level of clarity as they stared at the person in the center.
Malaric looked at them, the glowing blue core hovering slightly above his palm.
A smile formed on his lips.
"Seems like I won."
As if those were the trigger words, beams of silver light enveloped all the students.
They were back on the same island they had started on.
"That was rough," Yvonne said, tree vines lunging toward the students.
It was so fast that the students only noticed after the vines had already pierced through their bodies.
Muffled sounds escaped their mouths as blood splattered to the floor.
The only two spared were Azrael and Malaric.
"I am sure you can hear me as you heal," Yvonne said calmly.
In the next instant, the air grew thicker.
Not metaphorically.
Each of the injured students found it hard to breathe.
Zuriel’s head, which had only begun to regrow, started to sink back in.
But it was not for long.
Everything returned to normal in the next instant, pulling back as though it had never happened.
When the students looked up again, it was not just Yvonne standing before them.
All four instructors had gathered in the same spot.
’What is going on here?’ Azrael mused as he gazed at the assembled instructors.
[All your instructors are gathered before you.]
The system replied.
Azrael sighed.
’Thank you for that,’ he replied.
Yvonne took on the role of spokesperson for the group.
"We all watched your dungeon run, and we have propositions for some of you."
She paused, letting the injured students, who were now healed, rise to their feet.
The only person still on the floor was Zuriel.
But even his head was nearing completion.
"After deliberation, we have decided to select some of you as our disciples."
The words hung in the air long enough for hundreds of thoughts to bloom in the students’ minds.
Zuriel stood up from the floor with a smile.
After letting them sit with it for a few seconds, Yvonne continued.
"We cannot choose without your permission, so each instructor will negotiate directly with their candidate. The candidate decides whether to accept or not."
Her eyes drifted across each of them, watching for any shift in expression.
There was none.
She stepped back.
Simultaneously, four students vanished alongside their respective instructors.
Zuriel and Valdren were left standing, looking at each other.
It took a moment for the reality to settle.
"No one chose us," Zuriel said with furrowed brows.
Valdren shrugged.
"Is that not better? At least we would not be answerable to any master," he said.
Zuriel nodded with a wry smile.
In a space of ethereal darkness, two people floated.
"Yes, I will be your disciple," Zephyr said before Aiden could even open his mouth.
"You do not want to hear my offer first?" Aiden asked with furrowed brows.
"You would help me grow stronger, right?" Zephyr asked.
Aiden nodded calmly.
"That is a given, yes."
"That is all I need. I accept."
Aiden paused for a moment.
Then nodded with a smile.
"Let us make an essence contract."
Zephyr looked at him and nodded.
"I, Zephyr Malvorin, swear to follow and never betray my master, Aiden."
"I, Aiden Morningstar, swear to do my utmost to make Zephyr strong."
Both of them spoke at the same time.
Each pointed a finger at the air between them, and half circles of pure essence formed over their fingertips.
With a simple push, the circles merged, then shattered into glass-like fragments that dissolved.
On the branch of a tree that shot upward through the clouds, two people sat.
"I will not say much. As my disciple, you will receive one Mythic grade skill fruit, one tier seven weapon, a pet with Primordial grade potential, and a tier seven soul core," Ymir said, her voice calm, as though the outcome was of little interest to her either way.
"And you may come to me with any problem. As long as it is within my power, I will help."
Malaric’s face drained of color.
"Watch yourself. If you fall from here, there is no coming back," Ymir said, catching his slipping frame without looking.
Malaric steadied himself and glanced down at the clouds far beneath them.
"As your disciple, what would my obligations be?" He asked.
Ymir smiled.
"Your ultimate goal, as my disciple, will be to wipe out the angel race and all their sub-races. That is all I ask."
Her tone carried something that felt like killing intent beneath the calm surface.
"That is the goal of every demon," Malaric muttered beneath his breath.
Ymir heard it regardless.
"You will understand in time."
Malaric furrowed his brows but said nothing further.
"Will you sign an essence contract?" She asked.
Slowly, Malaric nodded.
In a jungle where the only sounds were the noise of beasts hunting and devouring each other, two people watched from the cover of the trees.
"Beautiful, is it not?" Yvonne asked Sirris as they watched a long serpentine beast wrap itself around a large creature with the body of a lion, two horns on each side of its head.
Before Sirris could reply, the horse-like creature exploded into a mess of gore and blood.
Yvonne clicked her teeth as she watched.
’I thought she was calm and collected. Who knew she had this side to her,’ Sirris thought.
"Everyone has a side like this. The real question is how well they hide it," Yvonne replied without turning.
"Why do all of you enjoy reading our thoughts?" Sirris asked with a long sigh.
Growing up in a family where everyone could access the mind in one way or another, she had long grown tired of it. Seeing even her instructor do it so casually made the frustration spill over.
"Does it bother you?" Yvonne asked.
Sirris looked at her for a moment.
Then nodded slowly.
"I hated it when I was younger too. That was why I decided to become strong enough to block any interference with my mind."
She looked at Sirris directly.
"So why not become my disciple, grow strong enough, and make it impossible for anyone to ever read your mind again?"
"I was going to accept regardless, as long as you treat me well," Sirris replied, raising her hand for the contract.
"I like you," Yvonne said as their fingers lit up with essence.