The powerful drill-shaped light projectile clashed against the ape's arm.
Sparks and motes of Avon flew out frantically as a clash between enigmas ensued.
At that moment, the screen that had been showing Yoel the battle suddenly disappeared.
All that Yoel saw were the dark pillars of the chamber, once again.
'I didn't bring you here to spectate the battle, you know. There's still something I need from you, and something you need from me.'
Fine. What do you want?
Yoel had finally resigned to hearing the entity's request.
At this development, the entity acted as if it was sneering.
Maybe it was, but no sound reached Yoel's ears, nor did the entity have any facial features.
He couldn't even begin to understand what kind of expressions this entity would be making.
'Ahh! Finally. Alright. Let's get straight down to business.'
The entity held its hand out to Yoel, and numerous circles with weird runes and symbols appeared all over it.
Myriads of chains made themselves visible.
Each one was tightly wrapped around the entity, leaving no limb uncovered nor leaving any leeway for it to move.
'I am currently in quite a bit of trouble. You see.. me and my previous Contractor kind of worked together based on our own interests.. and when the contract ended, he used his power to seal me here.'
Hmm. Must've been a smart one. So, what are you implying?
'Enter a Contract with me.'
As it said so, a different circle of runes appeared in the palms of its hand.
These ones, while still containing an overwhelming color of white, were slightly purplish.
Yoel raised an eyebrow at this unexpected display.
..I think we're skipping a few steps here.
'Hmm?'
What even is.. a "Contract"? What benefits does this grant me, why should I do this for you?
'Well…'
The entity took a long sigh and lowered its proud shoulders.
'A contract is based on mutual agreement. It allows me to interact with the world through you, and it allows you to use a fraction of my power.'
I see. What's the catch?
'Uhm. These chains. They'll disappear the more you use my power.'
..Only that?
'...'
Well, speak up, won't you? What'll you do after the chains disappear?
'It'll help me defeat the other eight.'
At the moment the entity spoke, Yoel felt searing pain pierce through his entire body.
Each and every organ, each and every bone could be felt differently, all at once.
In each and every single part of his body, pain smeared it red.
At the same time, Yoel's figure fuzzed in and out of reality.
He could barely even breathe.
'Your consciousness is on the brink of fading the moment I mention things like this. How do you expect me to tell you the full story if you fade from literal existence?'
Guh.. what? Why..?
'Weakness. You are too weak. Your soul is being pushed to the brink as we speak, actually.'
For some reason, Yoel didn't react much to the entity's words. The pain that had been tearing the very meaning of his existence had been long gone, but his brain had been.. practically fried.
'Child. I'll give you one chance. Make a contract with me, or simply disappear here, with the rest of those weak humans.'
Yoel, while still dazed, was beginning to slowly regain control of his mind, and therefore his soul.
Maybe because of the internal shock or from the pain, he didn't speak back to the deity anymore.
As the entity spoke, the first magic circle that it had had multiplied, and then again..
As this action kept repeating itself, Yoel had fully regained his senses.
After the initial confusion of arriving here in a soul-body and the extreme pain he had felt, Yoel's brain had been thrown into overdrive.
In reality, Yoel hadn't really thought about why he was in this room to begin with.
He was simply thrown into this situation, and he had fully accepted it as if a completely normal thing.
Where did this passiveness come from?
Hey. Cloaked guy, how about we start from the beginning again? I'm sure telling me your name won't hurt my.. uh, soul.
'My name? Hm. Very well.'
Yoel's body began to weaken, and his vision became blurry.
The room began to shine a tad bit brighter, at the words of the entity.
It was as if, the world itself had begun to change to accommodate the introduction of this being.
'I am known as The Devil of Consequence.'
A long, awkward silence filled the chamber.
Devil..
Those were the first words that slipped out of Yoel's mouth.
'Of course, I can't tell you my true name right now, if I did.. you would disappear from existence.'
The Devil scratched its chin with its hand while assuming a thinking expression.
'Listen, kiddo. Swear a contract with me right now, and in time you'll become strong enough to learn my true name.'
A long sigh escaped Yoel's lips.
The circumstances in which we have met, the way you speak to me.. this entire situation.. It's just so hard to accept.
Why should I trust your words? I understand that my own life is at stake here, and if I don't decide on something, I'll just die, but how do I know you're not just going to torture me for eternity, or something?
'I.. I'll help you learn about your past. Doesn't it feel weird? You think you've been doing something all this time, and it's so vague that sometimes you even forget that fabricated past of yours..'
Huh?
What.. what do you mean..?
'You've always introduced yourself as an ordinary person, you went to school normally until your parents got in a car crash and you've never seen them since. Doesn't that feel.. bizarre to you?'
I guess it does feel kind of weird that I was never allowed to see them, but weren't they just going through rehabilitation or something?
The Devil sighed with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
'And after that, you barely had enough money to live by yourself, so you resorted to gambling your life here at this academy..'
As The Devil spoke more and more, Yoel's eyes were slowly growing wider and wider.
It was as if an invisible veil was being lifted off of him, a veil which was so easy to discern, but he had somehow never noticed until now.
'Whatever memories you have of your past life, they are all fabricated. I can help you remember your true past life, the truth as to why you came to this academy, and why this veil was even placed upon you..'
The Devil paused for a second and then continued.
'I will help you uncover it all. Your past, and the future.'
At the end of The Devil's sentence, a tear fell to the ground of the chamber.
The impact echoed across its entirety, creating a kind of lullaby that could soothe even the most wary of hearts.
This tear had been packed with sadness, disappointment, shame.. anger, even.
All these emotions, which Yoel had never felt.
These feelings clawed to the surface of his mental sea, surpassing all others.
These feelings, which had been long forgotten.
Yoel felt his eyes becoming warmer by the second. Bottled tears were threatening to break through any moment now.
'I cannot give you comfort, but I can, and will make you a promise.'
Yoel, who had lowered his head and was currently looking at the soft and crimson carpet, slowly raised his head.
He wanted to hide his tears, but the Devil's words had pierced through his mental disguise.
'I will help you with all of my power, but the road ahead is filled with nothing but pain and anguish.'
Without knowing it, Yoel had begun to shake, nostalgic feelings rising from within the darkest depths of his soul.
In reality, Yoel had no reason to believe this being, but even so.
He felt as if the feelings he had long since abandoned, and destiny itself were pushing him to this choice.
'Of course, I'll tell you all about myself in due time. Together, we shall conquer the future.. the past. What say you?'
Common silence filled the chamber once again, and Yoel looked at The Devil with resolve.
I accept. I shall enter into a contract with you.
As Yoel voiced his declaration, exotic and mysterious runes.. began to ingrain themselves into his mind.
It had been a surreal feeling; he was slowly regaining his lost composure and the pain he felt before was dissipating as if it had never happened.
At the same time, the Devil's domain shook.
'Ah.. its been so long. Finally, I'll be interacting with that world!'
The fire on the torches that had been placed merely for decorative purposes began to dwindle, as light itself was being emitted from somewhere completely different.
'Hahahah.. boy! I'll show you true strength!'
My soul.. I can feel it in its entirety..
Unbeknownst to Yoel, his soul had begun to become warmer at an incredibly fast level.
If Yoel had the soul of a newborn before, now he could finally be considered a "normal human" from the Devil's point of view.
The previously ingrained runes had dug themselves deep into his mind, and almost instantaneously..
The Domain of the Devil disappeared.
All of it, shattered into small and dark pieces, along with the Devil itself.
All of those had entered Yoel's right eye as if vacuumed by an unknown force.
The runes that had been ingrained within him, which had been previously gibberish, now became clear in Yoel's mind.