...
[{Appraisal}Level 2 has been activated]
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[Na: --
[Race: Demon Sli (Evolved from the Silver Sli)
[Type: Monster
[Status: Satisfied, and oddly ta...]
...
My eyes twitched at the status.
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[Summary: This previously terrifying monster of the Demon Sli race has now been tad and made a powerful companion instead by a Familiar Contract. Although, a significant portion of its power has been lost, the Silver Sli will forever always be your most powerful and reliable companion.]
...
The description option had also beco Summary instead.
I read the summary and ended up shooting the blob— I an, Sli, a sharp glare from the corner of my eyes.
Is that thing dancing?
Ah, it did say it was satisfied.
In the whole literal aning of bizzare, the Sli was actually dancing.
"It says it's been weakend. What's it's current status? " As I thought that, the description of my appraisal skill changed a little.
...
[Rank: Hero
Summary: The Demon Sli has suffered severe damage to its core which has resulted to a heavy loss in its power. Though still ranked Hero, the Demon Sli is now a shell of its forr self. But it's unique properties as a specie doesn't make it no less powerful...]
...
My eyes lingered on the summary, and I raised my brow curiously.
The Sli evaded my attack by splitting its core, could that be what it's talking about?
And what was with the description of the summary. The choice of words is like it's supporting, or urging to accept the sli. That's just sus and unnerving.
In retrospect, aren't the system prompts and notifications I see aso implented by ta herself? Could this also be her doing?
Sothing was wrong.
Isn't this all too coincidental?
I beat the Sli, only for it to sohow survive by splitting its body and core. And now I was getting contracted to the sa monster.
Wait. ta said it's existence and body were in a fragile state after having sacrificed half of its core to survive, the Sli was in a state that was no less different than dying.
It was also because of that it ford a contract with .
'... a bonding contract which allows sharing of existence and life force with another existence'... I silently recalled ta's words.
I didn't know too much about contracts, in fact I only heard about them a few tis in passing during my ho school. Various factors were considered, and could influence a Contract formation.
But...what if all of these factors...were arranged?
What if, I needed to threaten the Sli into using it's specie defense chanism of splitting its core to disorient it's existence and make it prone to forming a contract with .
The Silver Sli is a Hero Ranked Monster, an entity when one considered how it was also an Evolved race. Contracts, especially, Familiar bonds, require the consent and levels of both party.
What would I, a ager Mortal Ranked human, possibly have to offer to a much higher Ranked Monster?
Stability.
On the premise that it's life and existence was at stake...
And in the option of consent...the system initiated the contract on its own, more or less. I for certain didn't intend to.
Fuck.
Slowly my thoughts began to race. I felt a kind of unease linger sowhere around as I stared at the system prompt.
Just then, I heard a ding, and a notification appeared before .
[To fully complete the contract ritual, a na will be required for you're newest companion.]
"Eh?" The unexpected notification dragged out of my thoughts.
By this point, I still haven't adjusted to the surreal turn of sudden events. From the descriptions, I could tell the Sli would no longer hurt , but this was still the sa monster that gutted out on our first eting, and decapitated on iur second.
Not to ntion, vandalized on our third, just now!
I will have nightmares for days because of this damned monster!
It is totally justified that I held nothing but venom and animosity for it! And now I'm expected to embrace it with open hands?!
Thinking this, I moved my gaze to the sli again.
'Fucking...'
The hateful blob of jiggly silver held my gaze... At least I think it has a gaze...
Then, it's round spherical blob body that was the full size of a fist pushed off the ground and bounced against my right shoulder.
Fuck, it's atta—
Or not.
The sli just touched on my shoulder, and remained still.
"..."
'This is all so annoying... ' I sighed and grumbled.
I glanced at the system screen, then said seemingly to myself.
"A na, huh." Was that necessary?
If the system was telling to, it probably had so significance. But I also couldn't trust the system. My doubts surrounding it's true intent and myself have only deepened after what just happened.
For a mont, I just stared deeply at the screen, masking my thoughts.
Eventually, I withdrew my gaze, dismissed the screen and glanced at the hateful blob on my shoulder.
What would I even call this hateful bastard?
Then I grinned.
"Hateful Bastard has a nice ring to it?"
As if it could understand my thoughts, the Sli shivered and shuddered. I felt sothing from it and frowned.
"What? You don't like the na, you ungrateful bastard?"
'Eh? ' how did I know it didn't like the na?
I blinked my eyes and looked at the sli more deeply this ti.
Sohow...i could 'understand' it's thoughts and feelings.
'Is this another effects of the Familiar bonding? ' I said inwardly and ta affird curtly.
[Affirmative. You share the surface thoughts and feelings with your familiar.]
Great, another one that can invade my thoughts.
I grumbled, clicked my tongue and hesitated. I took the sli in my hands and held it before my face with a light frown. Then I closely studied it.
Well, I guess when it's not a terrifying suit of armor trying to gut ... it's kind of cute?
The sli jiggled and my brows twitched.
"Don't get cocky, I'll get you back for everything!
It jiggled again.
"Huh? You expect to just smile and say 'i forgive you ' even if you apologize? And who the fuck apologizes like that? Dogeza dammit! Do-ge-za!"
This Sli...it's more infuriating than I thought...
For now I ignore the matter and pushed it to the back of my mind.
A na huh...I humd thoughtfully, while I held the sli.
Then I finally said.
"Ham."
Yes.
"I'll call you Ham, for Hamlet because you're round, and kind of remind of ham. So Ham-let."
There.
Satisfied with my answer I grinned.
The Sli jiggled, and expressed its slight hesitation at the choice of nas to telepathically, but a single glare shut it up.
After that, a system screen popped up.
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[Are you sure you want to na your Familiar 'Hamlet'? Yes/No]
...
"Yes." I nodded, but the insufferable system ca again.
...
[Are you really, really sure you want to na your familiar after ham? Yes/No]
This was ta doing, I could tell.
"Yes, dammit."
...
[Confird. The Contract between Hamlet, the Sli (lol), and Victor Bright, the human, has been completed. You now share an inseparable bond, till death do you apart.]
...
What's up with these marriage vows...
I felt a gold radiance suffused from inside of and spread across my whole body. I watched the sa thing happen to Hamlet in my hands as well.
And as I felt a fluffy and soft and intangible connection form between ...and a Sli, I couldn't help but wonder with tears in my eyes, how this ca to be... I sucked in one breath, and with it all of my complex feelings and emotions concerning the subject, and looked down at the Sli in my hands.
"Well Hamlet, I'll be in your care now. Your pleasure, I know."
With that done, I got up and turned around. Luckily the colossal doors were still open, waiting for .
Without exchanging a single word, Hamlet read my intentions and took it's place agilely on my left shoulder. The way the bastard sli suddenly moved almost gave a heart attack.
I still had traumas.
I ignored the matter after shooting a hateful glare at Hamlet, then slowly began to approach the opened exit once more, and I let my mind wander.
'ta, you said there were a few conjectures why Hamlet made a contract wth . You only ntioned one, what are the others. '
Although, you probably planned and orchestrated all of this...deep down I added in my heat where ta couldn't divulge.
The synthetic voice, like a digitalized overlap of vibrations resounded promptly.
[Affirmative. Contract are ford based on the interests of the involved parties, that ans the Sli may have had other intrests in you aside from just sustaining it's existence.]
Oh? A higher Ranked Monster might have other interest aside from gutting my insides as turning into dinner?
'Please, do tell. ' I restrained my sarcastic thoughts and instead said inwardly.
[In this case, it was most likely attracted to your Aura.] As ta said this, I was already embraced by the cold and ghostly billowing cloud of fog that dispersed around the entrance of the large doors.
Without stoping to look back, I walked through the fog and into the bright white light. Internally, I curiously asked ta.
'What do you an? '
ta responded in her usual detached and unsympathetic tone.
[It is not uncommon for Familiar prospects to be attracted to the Aether of their prospects. Especially in the cases of spirits or demonic creatures.
It is a little uncommon for mundane Beasts and Monsters to be contracted companions, but as soone who has digested a Fruit of Aurora, and posses the [Blessing of Aether] Attribute, this is a very likely case.] ta said, and I shot a glance at Hamlet before promptly looking away
I see. That made sense to an extent.
I still had questions, but I promptly put them away for the mont.
For now I was at simply going to first of all get out of this godforsaken place!
The bright light from the door covered my vision and filled my world. This ti around, there was no last minute assault on , and I successfully walked through to the other side.
But it was there my heart quickened.
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