Volume 1: The Foundation of the Abandoned
Chapter 4: The Crimson Contract (Part 1 )
The silence in the camp was heavy.
Only moments ago, Ren had collapsed after expending his mana to evolve the entire goblin pack into High Goblins—tall, muscular warriors who looked more like elite soldiers than scavengers. Now, Ren was awake, his mana capacity doubled, and he stood facing the intruder who had witnessed his miracle.
The Red Ogre, formerly known as the "Red Blade" of the arena, sat on the edge of the wooden bunk. She clutched the fur blanket to her chest, her golden eyes darting between Ren and the transformed goblins outside the door.
She was trembling. Not from fear of death, but from a shattering of her worldview.
"You..." she whispered, her voice rasping from dehydration. "You are a Monster."
Ren blinked, rubbing the back of his neck where his horns met his hairline. "That's rude. I just woke up. Is it my breath?"
"Do not mock me!" The Ogre woman tried to stand, but her legs were still weak from days of starvation. She stumbled, catching herself on the rough wooden wall. "I saw what you did. You took filth—scavengers!—and turned them into High Nobles. That requires the mana of a True Demon Lord. Who sent you? Are you a spy for the Human King? Or a puppet of the Dark Lords?"
Ren sighed, walking over to the sturdy wooden table he had crafted earlier. He picked up a wooden bowl filled with water and a slab of roasted boar meat.
"I'm Ren," he said simply, holding the bowl out to her. "I'm just a guy who likes to fix broken things. And you look like you're about to pass out again. Drink."
The woman stared at the water. Her throat bobbed. Pride fought against survival. Survival won.
She snatched the bowl and drained it in seconds, water spilling down her chin. She tore into the meat next, eating with a ferocity that made S.U.G.A. flash a warning.
[Analysis: Subject consuming calories at dangerous speed. Suggestion: Keep your fingers away from her teeth. She bites.]
When she finally finished, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glared at Ren. But the heat in her eyes was different now. It wasn't hatred. It was curiosity mixed with wariness.
"I am an Ogre," she stated, sitting up straighter to regain some dignity. "I was a gladiator in the pits of the Western Demon Capital. I fought for three years without a name, only a number. I escaped because I would not kneel to a master who treated me like a beast."
She looked Ren dead in the eye, her golden irises burning.
"So, 'Ren'. If you think feeding me will make me your slave, you are wrong. I will die before I wear chains again."
Ren leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "I don't believe in slavery. It's a waste of potential. Unhappy people build weak walls."
"A waste?" She blinked, confused by his calm demeanor.
"I'm building a Sanctuary here," Ren gestured to the open door, where the sounds of the High Goblins testing their new strength could be heard. "A place where people live because they want to. I need strong people. You're strong. I saw you swing that slab of iron you call a sword."
The woman looked down at her hands. They were scarred and calloused. "I am broken. My sword is chipped. My mana is dry. I am a warrior with no war."
"Then I'll give you a new purpose," Ren smiled. "Not a war of conquest. A mission of protection. Help me turn this trash heap into the greatest city in the world. Join me. Not as a slave, but as a... Guardian."
"Guardian?" She tested the word. It sounded noble.
She looked at Ren. He wasn't looking at her body with lust, and he wasn't looking at her strength with fear. He was looking at her like she was a valuable ally.
Slowly, she got off the bed. She knelt on one knee—not a bow of submission, but a stance of respect between warriors.
"If you can promise me freedom... and food... then I will lend you my blade. But I have no name to give you for a contract. I am just the Red Blade."
Ren pushed off the wall. "Well, that's easy to fix. I'm on a naming spree anyway."
[Alert: Host Mana is currently at 100%. Naming a High-Rank Ogre will consume approximately 50% of your reserves. The strain will be significant. Proceed?]
"Fifty percent?" Ren thought. "That's a lot. But she's worth it. An S-Rank Vanguard? I'd be an idiot to say no."
Ren stepped forward. He placed his hand on her head. Her hair felt coarse, like dried straw, damaged by the sun and dirt.
"You're vivid," Ren murmured. "Red like fire, but graceful. Like a flower that blooms in hell."
He thought for a moment. He wanted a name that sounded elegant, sharp, and Eastern.
"Suzuka," Ren said clearly. "Your name is Suzuka. The Vermilion Bell."
THROOM.
The air in the cabin grew heavy instantly. This wasn't the gentle golden light that had evolved the goblins. This was a crimson storm.
Ren felt the mana being ripped from his core. It wasn't a trickle; it was a flood. His knees buckled, and he had to grab the table to stay upright.
[Warning: Massive Mana Transfer detected. 30%... 40%... 50%. Host stability: Yellow. Subject Evolution Triggered: Red Ogre \to Oni Princess (Kijin).]
The woman—Suzuka—gasped. A cocoon of red and black energy wrapped around her.
"My... my body..." she cried out, but it wasn't in pain. It was a rush of pure power.
The tattered leather rags she wore disintegrated into dust. Her skin, once a rough, dark crimson, began to glow and soften. The deep red faded into a porcelain white with a flush of pink, retaining the "Red" aspect only in her aura and the tips of her fingers.
Her hair, which had been a messy nest, grew longer, smoothing out into a luxurious mane of dark scarlet silk that reached her waist.
A single black horn grew from the center of her forehead, sharp and elegant like polished obsidian.
When the light faded, the savage gladiator was gone. In her place stood a warrior princess. She looked like a mythological demon from legends—deadly, beautiful, and radiating an aura that could crush a lesser man.
Suzuka looked at her hands. Her nails were now sharp black talons. She felt the mana coursing through her. It was thick, sweet, and connected directly to Ren.
She looked up at him. Ren was leaning heavily on the table, sweating, looking pale but grinning.
"Nice," Ren wheezed. "You clean up well, Suzuka."
Suzuka didn't speak. She moved faster than Ren could track.
In a blink, she was in front of him. She grabbed his shoulders to steady him, her golden eyes wide with shock.
"You gave me... half?" she whispered. "I can feel it through the link. You gave me half of your soul's energy? For a stranger?"
"You're not a stranger," Ren poked her forehead gently. "You're my Guardian now. I need you in top shape."
Tears pricked the corners of Suzuka's eyes. In the gladiator pits, she was a tool to be used until she broke. Here, this strange Half-Demon gave half his life force just to make her strong.
She stepped back and drew the massive, chipped greatsword from her back.
She held the blade horizontally, then sliced her own palm. Blood dripped onto the floor.
"I, Suzuka, accept the name," she declared, her voice echoing with new power. "I swear by my blood and my horn. I will be your sword. I will cut down any who threaten your Sanctuary. My life is yours, My Lord."
[Notification: Soul Corridor established. Individual 'Suzuka' has joined your lineage. Unique Skill [Warrior's Spirit] acquired via link.]
Ren chuckled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Okay, okay, enough with the blood oaths. Welcome to the team, Suzuka. Now... can we go outside? Mogs is probably freaking out thinking I'm dead again."
End of Chapter 4 (Part 1)