Rakahn explained to him that even if they had joined forces to fight the stronger creatures, they still ended up failing because they were too weak individually to even manage to scratch some. Due to the rule that required them to kill their own prey, their hunting methods had been greatly impacted.
They tried several strategies, one of which was giving everyone their turn to deal the finishing blow, so that everyone could follow a more balanced pace of evolution.
This strategy had worked for a while.
But... it was high risk. The gap in strength between the monsters and themselves was obvious, and the monsters had abilities and skills just as vicious as others. The teams couldn't keep up and ended up decimated. They abandoned these methods and settled for weaker animals, which gave them a better chance of survival.
Faced with these explanations, Cliff remained morose, trying to imagine the losses they must have suffered.
"You just said there was a way, right? Can you tell me in more detail?" He asked, trying to break the silence in the room.
"It's a kind of pact that the elven clans used on newborn monsters before their essences had fully developed, in order to subdue them. The method involved bonding through the weaker creature's mana and essence. They found that they could absorb the essence stones killed by their contractors, but it cost a huge amount of mana, as it was a pale imitation of a spirit contract," Dahlia explained, her voice echoing softly in the room.
"Mhh... we don't know if it's going to work, and as she just told you, my lord, it will cost a lot of mana," said Rakahn, trying to dissuade him.
"There's only one way to find out, Rakahn," Cliff insisted, his eyes shining with determination. "If you're worried about mana, it's not a problem for me. I have a skill that allows me to absorb mana stones. It wasn't without reason that I put some in your bag," Cliff replied.
His impassive face made Rakahn and Dahlia pale. This method was risky; several elven mages had died during the process. Even though Cliff had a large amount of mana and a way to restore it quickly, it still remained dangerous, and bonding with someone he barely knew seemed difficult to imagine.
As generous as he was.
---
A few minutes later, Cliff had left the room, leaving the others behind. He told himself that if they refused his proposal, he would have to hunt alone, so he needed to stock up on mana.
One by one, the mana stones were absorbed. By activating his two skills, "Purification" and "Drainage" simultaneously, the absorption process was done more efficiently.
Slowly, Cliff felt a rush of energy invade his body. All his fatigue seemed to disappear at once. With his eyes closed, he tried to visualize his body and redirect the scattered energy within him.
"My lord?"
"Uh... yes... Uhm, what's your name, actually?" Cliff asked the two soldiers who had knocked on his door.
"It bothers me to keep calling them the dark-haired one and the blonde," he muttered under his breath.
"Ah! My lord, our apologies for not introducing ourselves sooner. I am Sokar, and he is Geb," replied the young, pale-skinned soldier.
As Cliff left the house, he saw that the entire village had gathered outside, watching him. Rakahn stepped forward with determined eyes, as if they had something important to tell him.
A cold sweat ran down his back. Cliff wanted to step back, but he held his ground, swallowing nervously, hoping they didn't intend to attack him.
In front of him, Rakahn bowed, and the others followed suit, their eyes fixed on Cliff.
Embarrassed and curious at the same time, Cliff rushed to lift him up.
"Guys, what are you doing?" Cliff asked in a panic. "You're kidding me, right?"
"My lord, we of Clan Orleth swear loyalty to you. I hope you will take care of us," Rakahn said, his cobalt blue eyes reflecting strong resolve.
It only took a few seconds for Cliff to realize what had happened. He had put his hand on Rakahn's shoulder.
"Why are you doing this? I know you respect strength, but I don't see why you would go so far as to swear loyalty," asked Cliff, exhausted.
"To tell you the truth, my lord, it's partly because of the pact. The one with the lowest mana rate ends up submitting. So, we discussed it and decided that we should submit entirely to you officially. Understand us, my lord, we recognize you as our master," Rakahn proclaimed aloud.
There were murmurs in the crowd. Cliff understood their surprise. He didn't fully grasp what Rakahn was explaining to him—or perhaps, he simply didn't want to admit it.
Cliff had been so focused on his quest for power that he had forgotten to consider their feelings. He didn't mind being seen as an important person, but becoming the master of a hundred people felt too... burdensome.
"And damn! Responsibility," Cliff cursed in his mind.
After a few hours of conversation, they explained the process. Cliff felt somewhat capable of handling it, especially since by doing so, he could gain a more in-depth understanding of mana.
Rakahn sat shirtless, trying desperately to hide his tension. He swallowed hard.
"I think I'm ready," he said, releasing a deep sigh.
"Well, I'll go first," Cliff replied, placing his hand on the young man's back.
What he needed to do was infuse his mana into him, guide it, and finally intertwine it with Rakahn's essence. Easier said than done.
Cliff infused his mana, but once released, he lost control of it, and the mana that escaped at high speed made him feel uneasy.
"Dude, help me," Cliff complained.
After a few seconds, Cliff regained a sense of control. He focused deeply, visualizing the path of the mana through the young man's cells to the strange organ that was the "essence stone."
Cliff was extremely careful. This organ was completely foreign to him. Apparently, it was also where mana was stored. If a strong surge of mana overloaded it, it could break. He gradually intertwined his mana with Rakahn's essence, controlling the influx.
[You have achieved the "Soul Pact" with the individual Rakahn Orleth.]
[Your sensitivity to mana has increased.]
"It was the announcement voice!" Rakahn exclaimed, his eyes wide.
"You can hear it too? What do you know about it?" Cliff asked, confused.
"Yes. I don't know much about it. All I know is that the announcement voice can be heard by anyone who receives it," replied Rakahn, looking thoughtful.
"Ah, so what did you get?" Cliff asked, standing up.
"My mana has increased, and my 'muscle strengthening' ability has evolved," Rakahn replied as he dressed.
"The surprising thing is that I've never heard of the elves gaining any abilities or evolutions from their pacts. Perhaps it's because the monsters they tamed didn't have any yet?" Dahlia wondered aloud as she took a seat in front of Cliff.
"I hope you don't mind, my lord," she said as she undressed, leaving her back bare.
"Mind? Dearest, what man wouldn't want to enjoy this view?" Cliff thought, biting his lower lip.
He placed his hand on her back, trying to ignore the soft sensation of her skin, and began to infuse her with his mana.
"Damn! Her skin is so soft, it's hard to concentrate."
This time, the infusion was faster, and the announcement didn't take long either. Cliff had better control over his mana, and he didn't need any help to guide it into her.
"Saying it like that sounds weird."
In the end, just like Rakahn, Dahlia's ability evolved, and her mana rate increased. Perhaps it was their race that had an affinity with this ability, but unfortunately, Cliff couldn't confirm it.
Half an hour later, Cliff was drained. He had finished with the other two soldiers and was absorbing the remaining mana stones to recharge.
When his "mana heart" was saturated, he stood up. Dahlia handed him her saber and a set of black leather armor—a pair of gauntlets and two shoulder pads that wouldn't hinder his movements.
Cliff told them he preferred to fight without them, but they insisted.
Cliff took his weapon and headed toward the entrance, patting Rakahn on the shoulder.
"Come on, let's go hunting."