Kai didn't know what to do.
This situation was a bit beyond his comprehension.
In the middle of a clearing around collapsed buildings that the Malices destroyed. The Tear in the sky had closed slowly, but Kai only focused his gaze on the Oni, Ibaraki Douji, who knelt in front of him.
"Subordinate will fall, obsidian black and burning heart." Suddenly, Amber recited one line from the prophecy as she stared at Kai with a soft smile. "This is the prophecy, Kai. Didn't you say you would accept someone who wants to make a contract with you? She's the Ibaraki Douji, you know?"
"I did say that, but…" He replied to Amber and looked around.
Shuten Douji and Amber had amused smiles. They were looking at what happened to him with a gaze filled with amusement, enjoying his flustered reaction.
Then there was Sayo. He was thankful that there was someone more flustered than him. It calmed him down and made him able to observe the situation with a clear mind.
He looked at Ibaraki Douji. Their eyes met, and he asked, "Are you sure? I don't know you, and you don't know me." His tone changed, and he looked serious. "Are you sure you won't regret your decision?" He repeated.
Being able to read emotions was truly useful at this time. He would be able to know whether Ibaraki Douji was serious about her decision or not.
The subordinate of the Oni god nodded firmly. "I am sure. This is what I had wanted since a thousand years ago when I wasn't strong enough. I wanted to serve you as my master. My Boss has allowed it too."
Her gaze was sincere, and Kai didn't feel any falsehood. Her emotion was stable, and she truly wanted to serve him.
Declining her would… not do any good to Kai. Deep inside him, he wanted to accept her and made a contract with her, just like what he did with Amber. Curiosity. Once again, his strongest feeling was piqued.
He wanted to know what it felt like fusing with Ibaraki Douji. He wanted to hear her story, the real story behind the legend that was spread all over the East land.
"Maybe I am not the one that you think I am."
"Doesn't matter." Ibaraki Douji replied instantly. For the first time he saw her, the edge of her lips curled up a little, creating a smile. "I want to serve you as my master." She exclaimed again with certainty.
It seemed like she was totally serious. The prophecy also seemed to already see this happening.
Kai was curious. How did the prophecy work? How did the person who gave the prophecy know what would happen? Such a thing couldn't be explained by words alone.
Still, his heart told him he should make a contract with Ibaraki Douji. It would help him in the long run.
The individual named Kai wasn't arrogant. But he knew the situation where he needed to be arrogant and show his strength, his power.
Sometimes, it was necessary to build a relationship and intimidate others, just like what he did to Robert and Rebecca when they used Marionette Puppet to attack Foxes Temple.
"Well then." Kai nodded his head and walked toward Ibaraki Douji, extending his hand at her. "I will be looking forward to your service. Let's settle this with a contract and a pledge."
"Yes!" She took Kai's hand and stood up. They looked at each other for a while before a voice separated their hands.
"I see that's settled." Shuten Douji chimed in from the side and approached them. She patted Ibaraki on her back and grinned. "Let's cut our pledge first, Ibaraki. You won't need that tattoo anymore as you will have a new one."
"Yes, Boss!" Ibaraki Douji replied as she beamed into a smile. She turned to the Oni god and extended her right hand.
"I love your expression now." Shuten Douji said as she put her hand on top of Ibaraki Douji's tattoo.
A tattoo was usually used as a sign of a Master and Subordinate contract, just like the contract between Kai and Amber, which left a red Phoenix mark above her thigh.
The contract was sacred and could only be canceled by consent from both parties. One was expected to only serve one person at a time and swore not to betray them no matter what happened.
It was also a way to create a bond between Master and Subordinate, making a telepathic message possible even without them learning how to use Telepathy with their Spirit Power as the contract already connected their Spirit Power with one another.
Shuten Douji's golden Spirit Power was unleashed as she muttered some words, a spell to end the contract between her and Ibaraki Douji that had tied them for a thousand years.
"I, Shuten Douji, herself now declared that our contract has ended. It is void. With this, I allow Ibaraki Douji to gain her freedom once again."
"Ibaraki Douji accepted. I really am happy serving under you, Shuten Douji-sama."
"Umu!"
The golden Spirit Power moved like a living snake toward Ibaraki Douji and engulfed the tattoo on her upper right arm. It then ate them away, slowly erasing them from Ibaraki Douji's skin.
"That's a ceremony to end a contract with respect. You should also learn it, Kai." Amber spoke to him from the side as he watched the ceremony happen without missing any of it.
"Yeah." He nodded and saw Shuten Douji retract her Spirit Power. It all happened in an instant. Not even 5 seconds have passed since the ceremony.
Ibaraki Douji smiled at Shuten Douji and turned to Kai once again.
"Please make a contract with me, Master." She beamed and leaned closer to Kai.
Making a contract with someone else wasn't something Kai knew how to do. But his instinct told him just to follow what his heart told him.
One thing was for sure. He remembered when he met Amber for the first time and blacked out due to making a contract with her. At that time, what did he do? The answer was clear.
"Sure." He nodded his head and approached Ibaraki Douji. His hand touched her chin, bringing it up as his head leaned closer.
"That's it, Kai! Now kiss her while thinking of making a contract with her!" Amber instructed from the side.
Kai knew about that. He watched Ibaraki Douji slowly close her eyes as she prepared to make a contract with him. Their faces were close to each other, and then their lips touched.
Something moved at a fast speed inside his body as soon as his lips made contact with Ibaraki Douji. It was his Spirit Power.
His Spirit Power moved uncontrollably as it tried to escape his body and went inside Ibaraki Douji through the contact they made with their lips. A pale blue aura mixed with a hint of red was sent straight inside Ibaraki Douji's body, causing her to squirm around and let out a muffled moan.
They made their way toward her upper right arm, creating a mark as a sign of a contract between them. The mark was shaped like a tribal fire. It was big, covering almost all of her upper arm.
Kai immediately felt the effect. His Spirit Power was drained. He only had around 60% left in his reserve, but he felt like he was stronger than before.
Then they got separated and looked at each other.
"I am looking forward to your service, Ibaraki," Kai remarked, to which the former subordinate of Oni god answered with the most beautiful smile she ever had.
"Yes, Master."
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