The owl then opened its beak, and for a brief moment, Logan felt a strange pressure build in his chest, as if something wise and ancient was about to be spoken.
But that expectation was shattered instantly when the words finally came out.
"Is it true that your race has books with hot women in them?"
The owl spoke without the slightest hint of shame or hesitation, its golden eyes steady and serious.
Logan did not answer right away, and dead silence spread through the white space as he stared at the Nightmare in disbelief.
'Is this guy testing me?'
The thought flickered through his mind as he weighed his response, then decided there was no point in lying. "Yes…" he said slowly. "That's right."
The owl nodded, as if that answer had confirmed something important.
"Good," it said calmly. "Then I have a few more questions before I decide whether to sign a contract with you or not."
Logan nodded in agreement, his expression tightening as his nerves returned. 'So this was just a prank.' The real test was starting now, or so he thought.
Normally, when multiple Nightmares competed for a single human, the human held the advantage and could afford to make a choice. But right now, Logan had no such luxury. This Nightmare was his only option, which meant the upper hand rested firmly with it.
Looking more closely, Logan began to recognize the creature in front of him.
It was a Descout Owl, an evolved form of a Scout Owl. They were widely regarded as one of the weakest Nightmares in the First Expanse, with a maximum growth potential of only fifty levels.
Judging by its aged appearance and calm demeanor, this one had likely already reached that limit.
"Alright," the owl said eagerly, leaning forward with a glint in its golden eyes, "my first question. When a woman walks past you, do your eyes go up first… or down first?"
For a moment, Logan genuinely wondered if his ears had betrayed him. Of all the things he had expected to hear in the Bridge, this was not one of them. This owl was serious!
The previous question wasn't a prank!
Still, he had already come this far, and if answering such questions was the price of survival, then so be it. He took a breath, swallowed his embarrassment, and answered.
"Well… if she's walking toward me from the front, I notice her boobs first," Logan said, then hesitated before continuing, "and when she passes me… I turn around and take a good look at the ass too."
The moment the words left his mouth, Logan cringed so hard he wanted to disappear into the white space.
His family situation had never given him the luxury to actually think about women like this, let alone say it out loud. But right now, he had no choice. If partnering with a perverted owl was the only way forward, then he would grit his teeth and endure it.
"Kukuku~!" The owl burst into laughter, wings fluttering with delight. "I love your answer! As a Nightmare who has been appreciating beauty for nearly a century, I fully approve. Our vibes match perfectly!" It leaned back, clearly pleased. "I won't drag this out with too many questions. Just one more."
The owl's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Tell me, would you prefer a woman with big boobs and a thick ass but she is bitchy… or a woman with a nice personality even if she doesn't have assets?"
'Nice personality!' Logan wanted to scream it at the top of his lungs. But one look at the owl told him that was the exact wrong answer.
"…Sexy body it is!" Logan shouted with forced enthusiasm, cursing himself internally as he continued. "A hoe is better than a keeper… always!"
"HAHAHA!" The owl roared with laughter, nearly doubling over. "YES! I finally found a fellow man of culture!" It spread its wings wide. "Alright, kid. I'm satisfied. I'm ready to form a contract with you!"
It paused, then added cheerfully, "My only condition is simple. You must give me one of those books of naked women every week."
Logan closed his eyes and nodded in defeat.
'…I really hope this is worth it.'
A moment later, space itself seemed to ripple as a contract manifested between them, a thin sheet formed directly by the Vast Expanse itself.
It hovered in the air, waiting patiently for both parties to finalize the terms. Logan did not hesitate any longer as he wrote the basic terms, such as shared XP and no betrayal.
He then bit his finger, pressed his blood onto the contract, and the owl did the same, its talon cutting cleanly without a trace of pain.
The moment both blood signatures settled, the contract ignited with light and dissolved into countless motes that sank into their bodies.
As soon as the bond was finalized, the owl in front of Logan let out a sharp cry, its massive body trembling violently. Before Logan could react, the Nightmare began to shrink right before his eyes.
Information surfaced instinctively in front of Logan.
[Breed: Descout Owl]
[Level: 50]
The numbers flickered.
The level dropped rapidly, falling from fifty to forty, then thirty, then twenty, until within seconds it reached level one.
At the same time, the owl's once-ginormous body continued to compress, its wings folding inward as its size diminished again and again. In just a few breaths, the towering Nightmare was gone.
In its place sat a normal-looking owl, small enough to perch comfortably on a branch, its presence calm and unassuming.
[Breed: Scout Owl]
[Level: 1]
Logan stared in silence as realization set in.
After forming a contract, every Nightmare lost all previous progress. Levels, growth, and evolution were reset completely. It was the price of bonding.
Most Nightmares accepted this willingly, choosing to climb again from the beginning so they could evolve along a better, more optimized path the next time.
This owl was no different.
Before Logan could say anything, the white space around him began to dissolve. His consciousness was pulled backward abruptly, senses snapping back into place as the Bridge collapsed.
He opened his eyes.
The auditorium came rushing back, the noise, the lights, the thousands of students all staring at him. Logan realized he was standing on the stage once more, his hand no longer on the orb.
And perched calmly on his shoulder…
…was an owl.
A small one.