Chapter 17: Fealty and Oath
The arena had fallen into a tense, suffocating silence. Jefel's dagger hovered inches above Karth's throat, lightning crackling along its edge. One more push, and the Steelblood heir would be nothing but a memory.
Tink
[Quest Decision Locked]
—Kill: +200 points, rare shard.
—Spare: Hidden reward.
Tink
[Quest Complete: Duel Victory]
Jefel's voice cut through the silence, low and sharp as a blade's edge.
"I don't waste my kill on the broken. Live… and remember who spared you."
His eyes narrowed, predator's aura pressing down like a physical weight. Slowly, deliberately, he lowered the dagger.
Gasps echoed through the arena.
Karth blinked, chest heaving, steel-hardened skin cracked and smoking. For a long moment, he stared at the boy who had just defeated him. Then, slowly, his head sank toward the floor.
"Swear fealty—or die," Jefel said, his aura demanding submission.
Karth staggered, coughing blood. Yet, instead of anger, tears stung the corners of his eyes.
"…I lost," he rasped, voice heavy with shame and awe. "But I cannot walk away unchanged. I… I swear fealty."
He pressed his fist to the cracked stone floor, head bowed before Jefel.
"From this day forward… my blade is yours. I, Karth of the Steelblood line, swear my life to you, Jefel. Not as rival—but as shield and sword. My strength, my steel, my blood—belong to you. I swear my life as your shield… until death."
For the first time, the prideful Steelblood knelt.
He slammed his bloodied fist into the stone floor, the vow burning into the air.
Jefel met the bow with nothing but a faint nod. His aura pulsed, accepting the oath.
Even the instructors leaned forward, unsettled. This was no ordinary duel—it had birthed something far more dangerous.
Lucy, who happened to be nearby, smirked slyly.
Tch. The predator doesn't just kill prey… he tames them.
Tink
[New Companion Acquired: Karth Steelblood]
—Status: Sworn Follower
—Loyalty: 100 (Oathbound)
—Unique Ability: Steel Physique + Fire Dominion unlocked (Can be shared via Resonance in critical moments)
Tink
[System Notice]
—Karth Veyran, Steelblood line → Loyalty bound (74%)
—New Title: Predator Heir → Dominance +5% in rival duels
A foreign energy surged through Karth, binding him irrevocably to Jefel. He knew, in that instant, that there was no turning back.
The crowd erupted in disbelief. A Steelblood heir… kneeling? Some shouted in shock, others whispered fearfully.
"Impossible…"
"He bowed to him!"
"That boy… he's building an army already."
Jefel sheathed his dagger, eyes faintly glowing as he spoke, voice calm but commanding:
"Then stand, Karth. You are my right hand."
"Yes… my lord."
The silence that followed was deafening.
The duel had ended, but something far greater had begun. The predator no longer walked alone.
Above, robed overseers exchanged whispers.
"He forced a Steelblood to kneel without killing him."
"Dominance without slaughter. Dangerous… very dangerous."
"This boy is not just a beast. He is becoming a king."
Instructors met behind closed doors.
"That growth is unnatural. He is dangerous."
"…Or necessary."
"The Predator Heir—if the title spreads, balance will shatter."
Karth nodded silently. Step by step, he followed Jefel through the courtyard like a living wall of steel, shadows of students trailing in awe and envy.
From a balcony above, a girl with obsidian-black eyes whispered to herself,
"So a predator has awakened… and this early…"
"What should I do for you, my lord?" Karth asked quietly.
"Don't worry. Your worth will show when they come. Who will come… you'll understand soon."
Tink
[System Notice]
—Survive three assassination attempts within the month
—Keep your badge secure
Reward: ??? Hidden Evolution
Failure: Death
Jefel smirked faintly, eyes scanning the crowd. He could feel it—new predators circling in the dark. And he welcomed them.
Whispers spread like wildfire. In one night, the boy with lightning eyes had broken a Steelblood heir and bound him into service.
The predator was no longer alone.