In a barren wasteland soaked beneath crimson sunset skies, a heavily injured young man carried a leopard cub within his arms while battling assassins from the Church of Thanatos.
Blood covered his body from head to toe.
Wounds tore across his flesh.
Yet even then… He never abandoned the cub. The assassins demanded the cub be surrendered.
But the young man refused and fought.
Eventually, every assassin died.
Exhausted and bleeding, the young man collapsed onto one knee before gently stroking the cub's back with trembling fingers.
"Juren…"
He smiled weakly.
"Do not fear. As long as I live… I will never allow anyone to hurt you."
The cub released a small roar filled with emotion.
That was the moment the Zheng formed the contract with Lysender on its own volition.
Back in the present, Juren slowly emerged from the memory trance.
His gaze toward Kiara completely changed.
"I believe you are speaking the truth," he finally admitted.
"But…"
His voice turned heavy once more.
