***Klaus***
I stood just a few centiters away from the black egg, my four open eyes of the Ten Eyes Mantra allowing to clearly see the ominous energy radiating from it. The energy was dark and malevolent, yet eerily familiar. I had felt sothing like this before, though I couldn’t place when or where. Despite the danger that pulsed from the egg, sothing within was irresistibly drawn to it, like a moth to a fla. It whispered promises of imnse power, beckoning closer with a strange, seductive pull.
The voices I heard sounded distant, almost like echoes from another world. Were they coming from the egg? Or was I simply falling under so kind of spell? The more I focused on those whispers, the harder it beca to resist. They were like a sweet poison, clouding my mind and dulling my senses.
Realizing what was happening, I let the resonance of my Four Eyes Mantra surge through , reawakening my mind and clearing the fog. The egg was trying to ensnare , but I wouldn’t be taken so easily.
Just then, I heard Greed’s voice in my mind, uncharacteristically pleading. He urged to stay far away from the egg, even offering stat points—a first for him. Greed, always so proud and domineering, was now almost begging. His usual tone of superiority was gone, replaced by genuine fear.
It was the first ti I had ever sensed Greed’s emotions so clearly. Usually, he was adept at hiding them, just as I was able to conceal mine. Yet now, his fear was palpable, so intense that he couldn’t mask it. The sword that had always been so high and mighty was terrified. This alone intrigued more than anything else. If Greed was this scared, there had to be sothing truly extraordinary about this egg.
But Greed’s fear only made more curious. What could frighten him so much? Was it really the egg, or was there sothing deeper at play? And if this egg truly possessed so kind of mind-controlling ability, surely I could resist it with my Ten Eyes Mantra. The Mantra had protected from other attempts to manipulate my mind; why would this be any different?
Before confronting Greed directly, I decided to explore the rest of the crypt. Perhaps there were other eggs like this one, or maybe I could find sothing that would explain Greed’s fear. As I moved away from the black egg, I felt the familiar barrier of Greed’s mind snap back into place. He had regained his composure, it seed, hiding his emotions once again.
I quickly scanned the other eggs, venturing to every corner of the crypt. Each one looked majestic and powerful, pulsing with latent energy. But none gave the sa sense of foreboding as the black egg. When I stood near it, I felt goosebumps, a tangible sense of danger. The other eggs were impressive, but they lacked the raw, ominous presence of the black egg.
Finally, unable to ignore the nagging feeling that I would regret not seizing this opportunity, I decided to confront Greed. The fear and worry I had sensed from him earlier told that there was more to this egg than he wanted to admit. I couldn’t afford to leave without understanding why he was so adamant about avoiding it.
"Hey, Greed, can I ask you sothing?" I finally said, trying to keep my tone casual. I could tell that he was listening, even if he didn’t respond right away. I began walking back toward the black egg, and as I drew closer, I felt the barriers of his mind begin to crumble again. His fear returned, sharper than before.
"Why? Why are you scared of this small black egg?" I asked, keeping my voice steady despite the tension I felt.
{Scared? You stupid human, how dare you suggest that I, the great Greed, could be scared?} Greed’s voice snapped back, filled with its usual arrogance. But I could hear the underlying tremor in his words, the fear he was trying to cover up. {You foolish human, I’m trying to protect you! This is not sothing you can afford to touch! Instead of worrying about being scared, you should kneel down and thank for saving your miserable life!}
He rambled on, his words partially obscured by the strange interference that always occurred when he tried to discuss forbidden topics. It was clear that he was hiding sothing, and his lengthy tirade only confird that he was more scared than he wanted to admit.
"Can this thing alter my mind or sothing similar?" I asked, cutting through his bluster. The question seed to strike a nerve, and I felt Greed’s fear spike again.
He tried to mask it, but he didn’t realize that every ti I was near the black egg, his ntal defenses beca useless. I pretended not to notice, letting him think he had regained control.
{The egg is just a normal egg,} Greed replied after a pause, his voice strained. {Once you infuse mana into it and form a contract, it will hatch without any problems. The issue lies with the runes carved into it.}
"Runes?" I repeated, confused. I couldn’t see any runes, even with the heightened perception granted by my Four Eyes Mantra. All I could see was the black egg, smooth and ominous, with a faint red mist swirling around it.
{The runes are hidden, corrupt, and dangerous,} Greed explained, his tone laced with unease. {Only a madman could have inscribed them. Whatever they sealed inside those runes is forbidden, and its power could destroy you. Trust , Klaus, you can’t resist it forever. It’s not worth the trouble that cos with that egg.}
"I see," I murmured, digesting his words. "So so madman inscribed these runes, and they have the power to control minds or sothing like that?"
{If only it were that simple,} Greed muttered darkly.
A small smile tugged at my lips. "I’ll tell you a little secret, since you seem genuinely worried about ," I said, but before I could finish, Greed interrupted, his annoyance flaring.
{Who’s worried about who? Don’t flatter yourself, stupid human! I’m just concerned about myself. If you die, it’ll be a pain to find another contractor. Don’t think for a second that I care about you!}
I stepped even closer to the egg, and Greed fell silent again. He was clearly on edge, and I decided to take advantage of his distraction.
"The technique I’m using allows to use magic undetectably and protects my mind from corruption," I said, confident in the power of my Ten Eyes Mantra. "So whatever you think will happen to , it won’t."
Greed remained silent, his fear palpable. I reached out and grasped the black egg, its surface cold and smooth beneath my fingers. As soon as I touched it, a familiar chi echoed in my mind.
*DING*
[You found the second fragnt of Greed.]
"Ah, so you were the madman you were talking about?" I said with a smirk, sarcasm dripping from my voice as I read the sudden ssage window that appeared.
Greed’s silence was all the confirmation I needed. He had been terrified because he knew exactly what this egg represented—another piece of himself, hidden away in the depths of the crypt. The fear I had sensed wasn’t just for ; it was for what would happen if I unlocked more of his power. Enjoy new stories from empire
"Looks like I’ve found sothing interesting," I murmured, holding the egg tightly as I turned to leave the crypt. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I was ready to face them—no matter how dangerous they might be.
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