Jason Identified her.

  Isabella, Commander of the Hordes of Pyraxis – Grade E

  Jason tensed. Grade E? How much stronger was that than Grade F? And what was this about a title? His grip on The Devourer tightened as he dropped into a combat stance.

  Before he could react, she vanished.

  A whisper brushed against his ear, sending a cold shiver down his spine. “You know, you should at least buy a lady a drink before trying to uncover all her secrets.”

  Jason spun, slashing at empty air. She was gone again.

  A light laugh echoed from behind him. “Oh, you’re fun! I’ve decided not to kill you—at least, not yet.” She smirked, tilting her head. “If you agree to my one condition: free me from this hell.”

  Jason eyed her warily. “We… don’t have to fight?”

  She giggled. “Oh, we will fight, that much I promise. Just not here, not now. I needed to see if you’re actually strong enough, which you did by defeating my golem, I made as strong as Pyraxis. But don’t worry! When we fight I don’t drag out fights for sport like some sadist. If I want you dead, I’ll just kill you. No need for theatrics.”

  Jason stared. “Yeah… that’s so reassuring.”

  “Right?” She grinned, then tossed him a dark crystal glowing with a brilliant blue light. “Here’s the deal: once you finish the trials—sorry, first round of the Games” she said with exaggerated air quotes, “you take this crystal and fuse it with Pyraxis’ core. Poof! I’m back.”

  Jason frowned, not taking his eyes off the crystal. “And why would I help you? You sent that thing after me. It killed Maggy.”

  Isabella rolled her eyes. “Ugh, so dramatic. That toy of mine? It didn’t kill your friend.”

  Jason’s jaw clenched. “You said it killed her, if she's not dead then where is she?”

  “I said she was gone, not dead,” Isabella said with a mock shush. “And trust me, it was poetic. I don’t know what she did exactly—teleported, phase-shifted, something.”

  Jason barely registered her words, relief washing over him. Maggy was alive. He took a deep breath and refocused on the maniac in front of him. “If you’re strong enough to make something as powerful as Pyraxis, why not just kill him yourself?”

  “Oh, that?” She waved a dismissive hand. “Tiny issue called a soul contract.”

  Jason narrowed his eyes. “A soul contract?”

  She sighed dramatically. “You really are new to this, huh? A soul contract binds two parties together. If one breaks it—boom—instant death. Dun dun dun!” She threw her arms out dramatically.

  Jason blinked. “You’re insane.”

  She grinned. “Yeah, probably. You try being stuck here for twelve hundred years and not go a little crazy.”

  Jason shook his head. “Twelve hundred years? You look like you’re twelve.”

  “Thanks! I moisturize.”

  A notification appeared in Jason’s vision.

  Soul Contract

  Isabella, Commander of Pyraxis, has offered you a contract of service. She will work for you and not against your interests for five years upon revival. In return, you must revive her within one year of making it to your new planet.

  Jason scowled. “Five years? And after that? What stops you from rampaging and just killing me and everyone else I know?”

  Isabella sighed, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. “Ugh, fine. Add this—” She waved her hand dismissively.

  Soul Contract Addendum

  After five years, Isabella is free to pursue her own interests as long as they don’t endanger Jason or his people.

  Jason eyed her. “And if I refuse?”

  Isabella’s playful smirk didn’t fade, but something in her eyes sharpened. “Then I’ll have to kill you.” She let the words hang in the air for a moment before chuckling. “Kidding! Maybe. Look, I just want freedom. I don’t care about ruling. I don’t want to burn your precious home to the ground. I just want to hunt down the bastards who locked me away.”

  Jason exhaled. If she really does just want freedom. He understood that.

  “Fine,” he said. Not like I have much choice in the matter. “I accept.”

  The moment the words left his mouth, a powerful force gripped his chest, pulling at something deep within him.

  Thump. Thump.

  The air pulsed. Isabella’s smirk faltered, something flickering in her expression—recognition, maybe even fear.

  Thump. Thump.

  Jason’s bloodline rejected the contract it refused to accept something that put them on equal footing. His vision blurred, his soul rattling under the strain.

  Then—

  CRACK.

  The contract shattered.

  Soul Contract Rejected.

  Jason scowled at the notification. Rejected? His chest still burned from the contract’s recoil, his pulse thrumming in his ears.

  Across from him, Isabella remained still, her playful mask slipping for the first time since they met. Her golden eyes flickered with something unreadable—was it intrigue? Amusement? Wariness?

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  “Well,” she murmured, tapping her chin. “That’s a new one.”

  Jason stayed on guard, his fingers tightening around The Devourer. “What just happened?”

  Isabella’s lips curled into a smirk, but there was no humor in it. “You tell me, big guy. That wasn’t a rejection on my end.” She took a slow step forward, tilting her head. “Your soul refused to see me as an equal. That’s… rare. And inconvenient.”

  Jason’s instincts screamed at him to stay ready. “So what now? You just kill me and move on?”

  She let out a low chuckle. “Oh, darling, if I wanted you dead, you wouldn’t be standing in front of my gate. We've been over this.” Her smirk softened, turning into something more thoughtful. “But you’re more interesting than I expected. And I don’t get interested often.”

  A new notification appeared.

  Oath of Allegiance

  Isabella, Commander of the Hordes of Pyraxis, seeks to enter into your service. She pledges her loyalty and will serve your interests for an indefinite period, provided her autonomy and safety are respected. Should her freedom or life be threatened, the contract will be nullified.

  Jason hesitated. This wasn’t the same as the first contract. She wasn’t demanding service from him—she was offering hers.

  His gut told him this was a different game entirely.

  “Why the sudden change?” Jason asked, his voice low. “Why would you want to serve me now?”

  A slow, knowing smile spread across Isabella’s lips. “I still want out of this hellhole. And unlike before, now I know you’re not just some weakling fumbling his way through these trials. You interest me. And I doubt you’ll just take me at my word.”

  The shift in her tone made Jason’s suspicion rise. Gone was the playful arrogance, replaced by something sharper—more calculating.

  His gaze hardened. “And what happens if I don’t revive you in time?”

  Isabella’s expression didn’t change, but there was something almost mocking in the way she tapped her temple. “Oh, nothing. Just some damage to your reputation as a leader.”

  Jason frowned. “What does that mean?”

  She grinned. “It means people will know you don’t keep your word. That you make deals you can’t uphold. Basically that you suck.”

  Jason exhaled sharply, thinking it over. He had two options:

  Accept and maybe regret it later.

  Refuse and definitely die fighting her.

  Neither option was great. But he'd already accepted a worse option plus, only one kept him alive.

  He let out a slow breath. “Fine.”

  Oath of Allegiance Accepted. Isabella has entered into your service.

  A pulse of energy sealed the bond, and Isabella stretched lazily, rolling her shoulders. “Well, my liege,” she purred, a playful grin returning to her face, “I suppose I’ll have to get used to calling you boss.”

  Jason didn’t trust the way she said that. Not one bit.

  A new notification appeared in his vision:

  New Title: Village Elder

  Enhanced resilience and stamina.

  Village Elder: A leader of a small faction.

  Requirements: Have at least one follower. Establish a village within six months after the integration period.

  Obligations: Offer protection to your followers and provide them with a place of refuge.

  Warning: must establish a village within six months after integration period or title will be revoked. A follower cannot hold a higher title than the one they are sworn to. Isabella's title of Commander has been revoked.

  Jason blinked at the message, reading it over a few times to let it sink in. Village Elder? It was kind of cool getting a title, but the idea of having to protect and establish a village was a bit overwhelming. He had never been much into leadership roles, but then again, he liked city-building games, so maybe this would turn out to be exciting. There was something oddly satisfying about crafting and creating a community and watching it grow.

  “Well, my liege,” Isabella said with a mischievous smile, bowing low. “With our new bond formed, here is my soul crystal. I bid you adieu.” She handed Jason a glowing, dark crystal that pulsed with a brilliant blue light.

  He grasped the crystal and looked back at Isabella just as she began to dissipate into a cloud of smoke, which flowed into the crystal now resting in his hand. Curious, Jason used Identify on it.

  Isabella's Soul Crystal (Grade E)

  A crystal containing the essence of Isabella, holding her in stasis. She can be resurrected with this stone. This crystal can greatly increase the power of soul-related spells.

  The last line sparked a moment of interest in Jason, powerful soul-related spells sounded useful. But as quickly as the thought entered his mind, he dismissed it. He wouldn’t go down the path of sacrifice, no matter how much power it promised.

  With Isabella safely stowed in the crystal, Jason sat down to review the other notifications flashing in his vision.

  Core 50% filled

  New Skills Available:

  Skill Sync (Common): Gain the ability to use all non-combat-related skills without drawing your weapon.

  Temporal Slash (Rare): A time-based skill allowing the Mystic Swordsman to strike a target and delay the damage, causing the effect to trigger after a few seconds. This can create opportunities for follow-up attacks or disrupt an enemy’s ability to react.

  Blade of Calamity (Rare): A devastating attack where the Mystic Swordsman channels all their power into a single sword strike, unleashing a shockwave of destructive energy. The attack deals massive damage but drains a significant amount of stamina and willpower.

  Spectral Blades (Rare): The Mystic Swordsman summons two spectral swords to fight alongside them. These ethereal blades are not bound by the laws of physics and can strike enemies from multiple angles at once.

  Jason stared at the skills, weighing his options. Two of them tugged at him more than the others, Blade of Calamity and Spectral Blades.

  He had been missing a real trump card, something powerful that wasn’t tied to his bloodline. The strain on his soul from using the bloodline was becoming almost unbearable, and he hadn’t even fully tapped into it during this latest encounter. Blade of Calamity sounded like the perfect destructive force, something he could rely on in dire situations.

  But Spectral Blades... that got him excited. The idea of summoning extra blades to fight alongside him could be a game-changer, especially if they could be used for both offense and defense. His only hesitation was how strong they would be. Would they hold up in terms of damage? Could they act as a protective measure in battle, giving him time to recover or strike with precision?

  He rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Both skills could prove invaluable, but which one would serve him best moving forward?

  After careful consideration, Jason ultimately chose Spectral Blades. The allure of being able to summon additional swords that could fight alongside him—without placing a heavy strain on his body—was too powerful to ignore. Unlike other skills that offered raw destructive force but came with steep costs, Spectral Blades was versatile, adaptable, and sustainable. He could rely on these ethereal weapons to both attack and defend, all while conserving his own energy for the fight ahead. It was the strategic edge he had been searching for, something that would complement his growing skill set without the constant fear of overexertion.

  With that decision made, Jason shifted his focus to his stats. He had come a long way.

  Jason - Mystic Swordsman (Forerunner)

  Grade: F (Core 50% Filled)

  Race: Human

  Titles: Village Elder

  Skills Unlocked:

  Flame Crescent (Common) - A fire-infused slash that sends an arc of flames forward.

  Firestorm (Rare) - Channels the essence of the Ember Peak Forge, unleashing intense heat through physical contact.

  Spectral Blades (Rare) - Summons two ethereal swords to fight alongside Jason, striking from multiple angles.

  Flash Step (Epic) - Enables the user to move swiftly over short distances, at the cost of stamina

  Village Elder Passive: Increased mana and stamina.

  Weapons:

  Undying-Flame - A katana imbued with the power of fire, capable of igniting even stone.

  Devourer - A cursed bone blade that grows stronger by consuming the essence of slain enemies.

  Jason exhaled, closing his fists. He’d come a long way since the start of this nightmare. However this was just the beginning. Isabella was an ally—maybe. But none of it mattered until he got Maggy back. And for that, he’d tear through whatever came next.