Chapter 463: [ Contract Succeeded! ]

Memories came flooding back to him—sharper and more colorful.

As Allen was closing his eyes, suddenly something appeared in front of him. When the Firebird saw it, it was struck dumb.

Allen was really a monster.

The Firebird once again felt dumb. Although it had said what it said before the Firebird had already lost hope that the contract will be formed at this moment. Who said that conjuring a soul essence is that easy…?

Soul Essence is basically the core of the soul. How can it be easily be conjured? Yet now—was it a miracle it was seeing?

The Soul Essence floating in front of Allen was still the size of a fist, meaning it was still just infant. A beginner Soul Core and the more it grew and expanded, the power of the soul strengthened and grew. Of course, this can’t be trained or cultivated using any means. The soul core will only grew as the host grew up.

Allen’s soul essence, unlike the Firebird’s Flame soul or the Ice Queen’s Soul Lotus, looked like a black obsidian skull with horns on each side of the head. There was no mouth or nose, only a pair of eyes in the shape of a rhombus. However, for some reason, anyone who saw it, including the Firebird, felt as if they were staring at their deaths.

The skull shaped soul essence slowly floated towards the already transparent pattern. And the moment the two seals touched from both sides of the pattern, the already transparent flame pattern suddenly grew brighter and the flames burned stronger.

Then white mist erupted out in bursts. However, it did not evaporate away. Instead, it fused itself inside the flame pattern and slowly surged through it. In the end, it occupied half of the pattern.

Watching this phenomenon, a hint of seriousness filled the Firebird’s eyes at this moment.

This is the real deal!

Swish! Swish!

Then, crimson flames erupted out from the blazing flame pattern and landed respectively on Allen and the Firebird’s forehead. As the flames surged, a flame emblem slowly emerged and entered the depths of their bodies. Flames seemed to be burning within the pattern found on their foreheads. This mysterious feeling made it seem like that their life was shared between the two of them.

At this moment, Allen felt some warmth on his body before a very strong power could be felt coming from within him. In fact, it wasn’t just within him but, at this very moment, in his physical body, a symbol of a lifelike bird with its wings spread opened gradually appeared on his back.

It was as if a tattoo had been drawn on it using special means, the entire mark was exuding black colored light and looked very demonic yet at the same time beautiful.

Combined with Allen’s robust back muscles and the strange line markings due to Allen’s Demonic Trigger, the black bird tattoo made him exude a bizarre and unique charm!

*** ***

Allen slowly opened his eyes and when he did, he was greeted by the Firebird’s eyes staring at him, shock. As they stared at each other, both of their eyes showed a hint of complexion. The Contract was a success. No matter what, from now on, they were both an important existence to each other.

Even if they had to risk their lives, they must protect each other. This is because it is the same as protecting themselves.

But Allen wasn’t really into it. He looked down at his arms and found them extremely bright red.

He felt like every inch of his body had been broiled over a slow flame.

Smiling wryly, he looked around for Hela, though he knew she wasn't here. It had seemed so real.

“Now, we are one and the same… your life is my life and my life is your life…” The Firebird suddenly muttered, albeit coldly. Although it also wanted this contract but having a contract as important as this with a human is really…uncomfortable.

“Can you now release me in this hateful cage…?!” The Firebird growled.

Allen stared at it for a bit and then turned towards the Ice Queen who was standing vigilant beside him. He grabbed the Ice Queen’s hands and the squeezed it lightly, “Please,”

The Ice Queen was silent for a bit before nodding her head.

The Ice Lotus slowly bloomed open and the binding chains slowly melted.

Seeing this, the Firebird’s eyes gleamed in excitement. When it finally got freed, at last, it stretched its wings that were over ten meters wide each and let out an excited cry—

Cryaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!

Its cry even irritated the sleeping Dragon and Angel. However, they still didn’t appear as they both didn’t like associating with their host that much.

The Firebird flew for a moment before it finally descended in front of Allen and the Ice Queen.

Staring down at Allen, its pair of eyes gleamed dangerously. Allen didn’t back off and instead stepped forward and glared at it confidently. Even if the Firebird lied to him with the ‘my-life-your-life’ scam, Allen wasn’t afraid of it if it wants a fight.

He wasn’t afraid of it before… why would he now…?

“Hmph! So excited, don’t think too much. The contract is real as its repercussions.” Firebird snorted.

Allen narrowed his eyes and then he noticed a strange flame mark on the Firebird’s forehead. The mark looked like the mark of a black horned skull surrounded by tribal flames. Noticing Allen’s gaze, the Firebird scowled.

“That is the mark of our bond.” The Firebird said casually.

“Bond?”

“Yeah, with that you won’t be able to kill me nor betrayed me or leave me. It’s like a curse, you see.” It explained and pointed the tip of her wings at Allen’s forehead, showing that he also had the same mark.

“You can’t kill me because if you do you will also die. Even if you can resurrect again, you will still suffer the curse consequences, though I can’t say how… but that’s just how the curse is. Although we can be separated or you leaving me behind, but if you tried to betray me, the curse will activate and you will suffer.” The Firebird slowly walked towards Allen who was dumbstruck and couldn’t move due to shock. There was still more effects—?!

What do you mean I can’ betray you—?!!!

The Firebird noticed Allen’s expression and its eyes turned crescent. This was not just for Allen but also for herself. It was her protection and security. “Don’t make that kind of face, the curse works the same with you too so you don’t need to worry. It is impossible for me to harm you because I won’t be able to live the moment you die.”

“Well, anyway, this will also give you some benefits you know.”

“Benefits? Is there still others from the one you told me about?” Allen’s interested was picked.

“Yeah.” The Firebird responded honestly. “Because that mark is like a contract between us, if I became stronger then you will also improve, vice versa. And because right now I’m way stronger compared to you, then you should have acquired some improvements.”

“R-Really?”

“Un.” The Firebird’s bird head nods her head. “So, don’t show an expression that I was deceiving you,”

Regardless of whether it was Allen or the Firebird, at this very moment they both clearly sensed each other, everything becoming very transparent. Allen finally looked at the Firebird as a whole, but this whole was exceptionally vague.

He could sense within its heart an irritation, hate, annoyance, disappointment, sadness, excitement all of the emotions profoundly branded deep into his heart. It’s as if they were laid bare in front of him.

Allen looked at the Firebird with suspicion. He can certainly feel the hate the Firebird it had on him and yet, why did this damn bird immediately agreed on this kind of thing…?

The Firebird felt Allen’s doubt and suspicion and couldn’t help but feel annoyed. With an ill voice, it spoke. “Don’t look at me like that. I indeed have ulterior motives in doing this.”

“However, it won’t affect you at all. Besides, I indeed don’t want to be ingested, especially by you. That threat you gave, I won’t doubt it. I don’t know why but I can sense a very familiar and nostalgic feeling coming from you. And because of that, I’m afraid I can’t let you back into a corner.”

“What do you mean?” Allen frowned. This bastard actually knows how to speak honestly…?

The Firebird snorted. “In truth, I can feel something similar with the heroes of the past from you. They experience various tribulations and survive, becoming even stronger, more monstrous. I might be able to step your head for now, but I’m afraid in the near future, you will easily surpass me, change this situation and when that time comes, you really had the power to ingest me easily…”

Allen chuckled. Acting tough and yet so scared…

Hearing the Firebird’s description, Allen can’t help but feel amused. When it said that, why does he feel as if he was now a member of a certain alien race who becomes stronger the more they fight…?

The Firebird didn’t care about Allen’s mocking and at the top of the frozen boulder that looked like a pedestal, it then lay lazily and waved its wings at Allen as if saying, ‘go, go, this young master doesn’t need you anymore!’

Allen’s brows twitched but he didn’t say anything and just snorted before flying away.

When Allen left, the Firebird glanced at the direction he disappeared and snort unhappily, “Stupid human…”

Although I did that to recover myself but this bastard… just what kind of curse did it contract to…?

This is really driving me crazy… I felt like I shot my own foot.

Due to contract, the Firebird received enormous life energy and magic power as a benefit from Allen while the latter received increased in magic power, fire elements blessings and increase in physical ability.

As expected of Bond of Blood Oath, this didn’t just affect their own abilities; it layered over and improved them. The Firebird’s strength improvement was not prominent, but Allen’s magic power and physical ability had a substantial increase.

However, what the Firebird didn’t expect at all was that Allen was actually suffering in a curse. Thus, the life force and magic power it had gained from Allen was only just a fraction. He really ends up receiving the end of the stick…!!

Unfortunately, it was already too late for it to regret now that things had become like this…

*** ***

As Sheeya was confronting Hanjin, stopping him from attacking Allen, Fiona had already traversed tens of kilometers and rushed in front of Hanjin as well.

Frantically worrying about Allen’s safety, she rushed towards Hanjin, armed with her claws and ferocious wind blades. Her bright eyes were no longer as calm and torpid as they usually were. Her eyes were sharp and ferocious. They were burning with a resolute will.

As for the other powerful beasts, Grafilia, Xinghong, and Yun the newly evolved Misty Horned Dragonsnake, confronted, all wearing ferocious expressions.

Fiona’s claws, along with Sheeya’s sand blades and drills, danced fiercely in the sky. Bright sparks appeared as their claws and sand blades slashed out fiercely on Hanjin’s magma skin. Fiona’s attacks had abandoned any flashiness in its moves. The strikes were simple and direct, which made them extremely brutal.

Still, it barely does any damage.

Sheeya and Fiona spat out a mouthful of blood as they flew back a few meters.

“Pathetic ants! Dare to fight this king, you are only shortening your lives!!” Hanjin snorted in contempt.

“Damn bastard! If you dare touch my master, I will skin you alive!!” Fiona roared in anger!

“Hmph! Too arrogant for a measly maggot!! Die as a punishment!!” Hanjin roared and with his entire body covered in lava, heat spread out of his body.

And in the pair of his eyes, golden flames roiled around as he looked down at Fiona and Sheeya…

*** ***