Chapter 79 – The New Contract
The tornado did not descend.
It exploded.
Wind slammed into the throne hall with a force that made the entire temple groan like an old ship in a storm. Broken pillars, shattered stone blocks, fragments of the throne itself—everything the fight had destroyed—lifted into the spinning vortex and turned into a deadly storm of debris.
Peterson instinctively raised his arms over his face.
"NAËLLE!"
"I KNOW!"
Naëlle's voice cut through the roar of the storm.
Peterson turned just in time to see her dismiss her weapons.
The twin water guns dissolved instantly into blue droplets of light that scattered into the air before vanishing.
For a split second Peterson was confused.
Then he realized what she was doing.
She needed every ounce of power she had.
Naëlle planted her feet hard against the stone floor. Her body leaned forward as if she were bracing herself against a hurricane.
Water energy surged violently around her arms.
"Peterson!" she shouted. "Hurry! Get behind me!"
He didn't argue.
He stepped behind her just as she thrust both hands forward.
"Aqua Barrier!"
Water exploded outward.
But this barrier wasn't the same as before.
The shield formed thicker… denser… almost like a sphere of solid liquid glass.
The tornado crashed into it instantly.
BOOOOOOM.
The barrier bent inward violently as debris slammed against it.
A massive chunk of pillar struck the shield and shattered into dozens of fragments.
Another wave followed.
Then another.
The barrier groaned.
Cracks began to appear across the surface.
Naëlle clenched her teeth and forced more magic into it.
Water rushed through the cracks, sealing them again.
Her arms trembled.
Peterson stared.
"…Naëlle…"
She didn't look back.
"Don't talk. Just stay alive."
Another wave of debris struck the barrier.
The shield bent dangerously close to them.
Naëlle forced it outward again with a burst of magic.
Peterson felt the pressure of the tornado pressing against them like a giant trying to crush them inside its fist.
The air screamed.
Dust and broken stone slammed against the barrier endlessly.
Peterson's fists slowly tightened.
Naëlle was doing everything.
Everything.
She was burning through her magic.
She was the only thing standing between them and death.
And he…
He was standing there doing nothing.
Peterson lowered his head.
"Damn it…"
The barrier shook again.
Naëlle's breathing grew heavier.
Peterson felt a bitter frustration rising in his chest.
"I can't even help…"
That was when he heard it.
A voice.
Soft.
Deep.
Inside his mind.
"Peterson."
His eyes widened.
"…What?"
The voice came again.
"Close your eyes."
Peterson frowned.
"What kind of—"
"Close your eyes," the voice repeated calmly.
"Take a deep breath."
The barrier shuddered violently.
Naëlle groaned as she forced more energy into it.
"Peterson you have to hurry, we don't have much time boy!"
The voice spoke again.
"Hold your breath for ten seconds."
Peterson blinked.
"…Are you serious right now?"
The tornado roared louder.
Naëlle shouted.
"I can't hold this forever!"
Peterson hesitated.
But something about that voice…
It felt familiar.
He closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
And held it.
One second.
Two.
Three.
The roar of the tornado began fading.
Five seconds.
Six.
Seven.
Peterson opened his mouth.
"This is ridicu—"
Then Darkness suddenly surrounded his vision.
Everything disappeared.
The wind.
The noise.
The temple.
Peterson blinked.
He was standing somewhere else.
There was no ground.
No sky.
Just endless black.
"…Okay."
He turned slowly.
"…What just happened?"
The voice returned.
"Turn around."
Peterson turned.
And froze.
"…Makroz."
The figure standing in front of him smiled faintly.
Makroz.
The Midnight King.
Roi Minuit.
Makroz crossed his arms casually.
"Well… you look surprised."
Peterson rubbed his forehead.
"Yeah, because the last thing I remember I was about to get shredded by a tornado."
Makroz shrugged.
"And that is still happening."
Peterson blinked.
"…What?"
Makroz tilted his head slightly.
"Your friend outside is currently pouring everything she has into that water shield just to keep you both alive."
Peterson stiffened.
"Then why the hell did you bring me here?!"
Makroz sighed.
"Because if I don't, your death is certain for what's coming next."
Peterson frowned.
Makroz gestured behind him.
"You probably forgot something."
"There are two of us inside you."
Peterson followed his gaze.
Someone stood further back in the darkness.
Leaning against something that looked like a massive stone slab.
A man.
Tall.
Calm.
Watching him.
Makroz spoke again.
"You see, my friend Zed wants to help."
Peterson blinked.
"…Zed does?"
Makroz nodded slowly.
"But in order for him to do that… you have to let him possess you."
Peterson stared at him.
"Possess me… like you did before?"
Makroz shrugged casually.
"I'm not entirely sure how it works."
"But if I was able to lend you my power before…"
"…then I imagine the same rules apply."
He stepped aside slightly.
"Go talk to him."
Peterson walked toward the figure.
As he approached, the man lifted his head.
Then pushed himself off the slab and stood straight.
Peterson scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"…Hi! Sir."
"The Midnight King told me to come see you."
Zed smiled.
A calm, confident smile.
"So he finally admitted you need help."
Peterson sighed.
"Yeah… looks like it."
Zed extended his hand.
"Well then."
"Let's not waste anymore time."
Peterson looked at the hand.
"What do I need to do?"
Zed replied simply.
"You and your friends need to survive for twenty minutes."
Peterson blinked.
"…That's it?"
Zed nodded.
"But first…"
"You need to shake my hand."
Peterson didn't hesitate.
He grabbed Zed's hand.
The moment their hands locked—
A system notification appeared.
[ SYSTEM NOTICE ]
Zed Zobop wishes to form a contract with you.
Accept or Reject.
Peterson didn't even think.
"Accept."
The system changed instantly.
A timer appeared.
19 minutes, 59 seconds
Peterson frowned.
"…wait! What?"
Another message appeared.
Class Upgrade Pending
Peterson blinked.
"Class upgrade…?"
[ Note:...] He didn't even have the chance to read the note.
Then—
A voice screamed.
"PETERRRRSON!"
Naëlle.
His eyes snapped open.
He was back in the temple.
Naëlle was shaking him violently.
"Wake up! Please!"
The barrier around them was barely holding.
Cracks covered its entire surface.
Peterson grabbed her arm.
"I'm here!"
Naëlle looked like she might collapse.
"I can't hold it much longer! Think of someone, friends or family, I need to open a portal"
The barrier shattered.
The tornado rushed forward.
All Peterson could think about was Jean-Daniel and Wilkens.
Then Naëlle thrust her hand out again.
A glowing circle opened in the air.
A portal.
Peterson looked inside.
Wilkens.
Jean-Daniel.
And a girl.
They were fighting a beast inside a cavern.
"LET'S GO!" Peterson shouted.
They jumped.
Their bodies disappeared through the portal.
Behind them—
King Makak saw everything.
His eyes widened.
"A spatial gate…?"
Then his expression twisted into fury.
"NO!"
He grabbed a massive broken pillar.
And hurled it with terrifying force.
The pillar crashed into the closing portal.
BOOOOM.
The impact forced the portal open again before it could seal completely.
The edges flickered violently.
The storm inside the temple raged.
Makak stepped forward slowly.
His eyes burned with anger.
"You think you can escape the king of this temple?"
The portal trembled.
Half open.
Half closed.
And somewhere beyond it—
A new battlefield waited.
End of Chapter 79