Chapter 24: Soul Contract
CONTRACT OF THE SOUL: POMPOM & NOAH
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Parties Involved:
* Pompom, the Ancient Dragon(hereinafter referred to as "First Party")
* Noah, Bearer of [Freedom] Class(hereinafter referred to as "Second Party")
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I. AGREEMENT TERMS
Objective
The Second Party agrees to free the First Party from their imprisonment within the dungeon at an unspecified time in the future, contingent upon the Second Party acquiring sufficient power to do so.
Conditions of the First Party
The First Party shall not interfere with the life or well-being of the Second Party or their companions during the duration of this contract.
The First Party shall not destroy the world of Earth nor actively contribute to its destruction. However, the First Party holds no obligation to protect it.
Conditions of the Second Party
The Second Party must actively pursue means to free the First Party, barring situations where such actions would result in their immediate demise.
The Second Party shall not use immortality, everlasting youth, or any similar loophole to delay or evade their obligations under this contract.
Disclosure and Truthfulness
The First Party agrees to provide full and honest explanations regarding any items, skills, or powers offered to the Second Party.
The First Party agrees not to lie or deceive the Second Party by any means during the duration of this contract. Lying by omission is permitted unless explicitly addressed.
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II. PROHIBITIONS AND PENALTIES
Failure to Uphold the Agreement
Should the Second Party fail to fulfill their obligation to free the First Party within a reasonable and feasible timeframe, the Second Party shall suffer eternal torment upon death.
Should any other entity free the First Party before the Second Party, this shall also constitute a breach of contract, and the penalty will apply.
Interference with the Contract
Any tampering with or attempting to nullify this contract will result in both parties being bound to a harsher punishment, decided by the forces of Fate.
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III. ADDENDUM: SKILL BOOK CLAUSE
Skill Effects
The First Party shall fully disclose all details, effects, and consequences of the Skill Books [Good] and [Evil] as requested.
Should any misinformation be provided, the First Party risks death as a breach of the Soul Contract.
Interaction with Skills
The Second Party agrees to responsibly use any skills obtained from the First Party and to not exploit these powers for purposes beyond the intent of this contract.
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IV. DURATION
This contract shall remain in effect until the First Party is freed, destroyed, or otherwise rendered unable to exist.
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Signed by:
Pompom, the Ancient Dragon
(Signature manifested through the First Party’s breath)
Noah, Bearer of [Freedom] Class
(Signature given with a thumbprint of blood)
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Binding through the Powers of Fate and Soul Contract.
Noah stared at the glowing [Soul Contract], now fully integrated into his system interface. Its intricate runes shimmered faintly, a testament to the weight of the promises etched into it. His gaze lingered for a moment before he looked up, his voice steady as he addressed the immense figure before him.
“Send us back,” Noah commanded.
Pompom, who had already dismissed his spectral avatar, now spoke from the depths of his true form. The dragon’s voice resonated with a low rumble. “That I will!”
A surge of energy erupted from Pompom, his breath unleashing a torrent of raw power that enveloped Noah and Althea. The world around them distorted as they were swept into a maelstrom of spatial chaos. Spiraling currents of energy surrounded them, a vortex of color and disorientation.
Noah instinctively activated his [Fly] skill, his invisible wings spreading wide as he fought to stabilize himself within the storm. The sheer force buffeted him, threatening to rip him apart from the inside out. Yet even amidst the turbulence, his thoughts remained clear.
He reached out, grabbing Althea tightly and pulling her into his arms. His grip was firm, his determination unshaken. She wasn’t just his companion in battle—she was his comrade, his friend, and his family. Noah had made a promise, and he would see it through.
“We’re getting out of here,” he whispered, more to himself than to her.
Althea’s arms wrapped around him in return, her hold just as strong. Her voice cut through the chaos, filled with a mix of hope and defiance. “Let’s go!”
Together, they braved the storm, clinging to each other as the overwhelming energy carried them toward whatever awaited on the other side.
In a flash of blinding light, Noah and Althea found themselves tumbling into a narrow, debris-filled alley. The memory of the [Dungeon Call] sent an involuntary shiver down their spines. The sharp, acrid stench of blood and decay hit their nostrils, and the sight before them forced them into immediate alertness.
Scattered around were the strewn innards of dungeon monsters, their grotesque remains sprawled across the cracked pavement. Broken claws, shattered carapaces, and charred flesh bore evidence of a brutal and chaotic battle.
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Althea stepped cautiously over the carnage, her voice low and uneasy. “What in the world happened here?”
Noah didn’t respond immediately. His gaze was drawn upward, taking in the fractured skyline of Obelisk City. A broken billboard dangled precariously from a shattered skyscraper, and buildings that once stood as symbols of modernity now looked like hollowed-out skeletons. The streets were eerily silent, save for the occasional flicker of movement in the shadows.
Noah clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He knew they had been gone for months, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer scale of devastation before him.After all, when he thought hthey have gone for months and when they returned, the world wouldn’t have changed too much.
“I’ll do a little scouting,” Noah said finally, his tone sharp with determination.
Althea nodded, her expression grim but steady. “Go. I’ll be fine on my own.”
They moved instinctively, slipping into a well-practiced strategy honed through countless battles in the dungeon. Althea melted into the shadows, her steps light and her presence diminished as she disappeared into the darkness. Meanwhile, Noah activated [Fly], rising into the air with practiced ease.
As he ascended, the full scope of the city’s destruction came into view. It was a disaster. Entire districts lay in ruin, and streets were clogged with overturned vehicles and broken structures. Fires burned in scattered patches, casting an ominous glow in the distance.
Noah had learned the value of subtlety the hard way during their torturous time in the dungeon. Flying too high or making careless noise had cost them dearly before, and he wasn’t about to repeat those mistakes now. He maintained a low altitude, gliding just above the ruined streets, his movements careful and deliberate to avoid detection. Every slight shift of the air around him was a reminder to remain vigilant.
In his grip, Noah held a well-worn sword—a reliable companion and his only means of defense if things went south. The hilt felt reassuring in his hand as he scanned the shattered cityscape below.
“Kreeee~!”
The sudden shriek jolted him. His heart pounded as he instinctively ducked behind the fractured remains of a billboard advertising shoes. The bright, peeling paint mocked the grim reality around it.
Noah peeked around the edge, his breath caught in his throat. A patrol of goblins on massive, leathery bats flitted through the air, their guttural laughter echoing as they surveyed the streets below. His pulse quickened as he spotted something else—two wyverns swooping down from above, their sharp talons raking the air as they descended upon the unsuspecting goblin riders.
The ensuing chaos was terrifying. Screeches and roars filled the air as the wyverns tore through the goblin patrol with brutal efficiency. Noah clenched his teeth, forcing himself to look away. He had no intention of getting caught between those apex predators and their prey.
What hell has befallen this city? Noah’s thoughts raced as he cautiously moved away from the scene. Is Uncle okay? How about Dad? The weight of uncertainty pressed heavily on his chest, but he couldn’t afford to falter now.
With slow, steady movements, Noah glided back to the alley where Althea was waiting, her form barely visible in the shadows. She stepped forward as he landed, her eyes scanning his face for answers.
“How bad is it?” she asked, her voice quiet but tense.
Noah exhaled and met her gaze. “Very bad,” he said grimly.
“Hands up in the air, and you won’t get hurt.”
The voice was gruff, edged with malice, as a tiger-masked thug emerged at the end of the alley, gripping a steel pipe in his hands. Behind him stood a woman with a bloody wrench, her expression twisted into something between hunger and desperation. Both of them looked ragged, worse for wear—dirty, bruised, and starved—but their eyes gleamed with a predatory intent.
Noah tightened his grip on his sword, its edge glinting faintly in the dim alley light. Althea shifted beside him, pressing her back against his, her gaze darting toward the opposite end of the alley where three more figures appeared. These newcomers wore ragged bonnets and clutched an assortment of chipped and rusted weapons: a battered axe, a serrated knife, and—of all things—a frying pan.
The woman with the wrench twirled her weapon mockingly, her voice dripping with sick glee. “We have fresh meat! The EXP is mine!”
Noah felt the first stirrings of emotion—anger, disdain, and something darker. Kill.
The thought came unbidden, sharp and clear. The countless battles within the dungeon had dulled his sense of morality, desensitized him to the sanctity of life. Skeletons or humans—it didn’t matter. Both were humanoid, both wanted him dead, and both were nothing more than walking sources of experience points to him now.
Without hesitation, Noah elevated himself a few feet off the ground using his [Fly] skill. The tiger-masked thug barely had time to register the movement before Noah surged forward with a thrusting motion, activating [Aerial Strike]. His sword pierced through the man’s chest, driving him backward, and the momentum carried the blade into the wrench-wielding woman, impaling her as well.
Their weapons clattered to the ground, and the alley fell momentarily silent except for the sound of Noah’s labored breathing.
“Noah!”
Althea’s sharp cry jolted him, and he turned his head toward her. She wasn’t looking at the fallen enemies; her wide, shocked eyes were fixed on him.
For the first time, Noah truly saw himself through her gaze—not as the comrade she’d fought alongside, but as someone cold and ruthless, someone capable of killing without hesitation.
The realization stung. But it didn’t change the fact that they were alive.
“It’s us or them,” Noah said quietly, though his voice betrayed the uncertainty creeping into his thoughts.
Althea didn’t respond immediately. She simply turned away, her silence heavier than any words she could have spoken.
Noah frowned as a strange unease settled over him. Something felt deeply wrong. His gaze instinctively flicked to his [System] interface, where a notification hovered ominously in the corner of his vision.
The text “Evil” within his [Good & Evil] skill was blinking.
[You have committed murder of your own species.]
[EXP bonus applied.]
A cold lump formed in his throat, and Noah swallowed hard. He couldn’t look away from the notification, the words burning themselves into his mind. He had killed—humans, not monsters. For a moment, he felt sick.
The sharp sound of footsteps broke his trance as the bonnet-wearing trio at the other end of the alley panicked. They didn’t even attempt to fight, their weapons clattering to the ground as they turned and ran.
Althea’s voice pulled him further back to the present. “Should we chase them?”
Noah hesitated before shaking his head. “No… Let’s leave them alone.”
The text “Good” in the [Good & Evil] skill blinked now.
[You have shown mercy by letting go of your opponents.]
[EXP bonus applied.]
His chest tightened as the notifications disappeared, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The duality of the skill—the way it judged his actions, assigned meaning to them, and rewarded him regardless—was terrifying.
Noah clenched his fists. He made a silent decision then and there: he would never share this function of his skill.
The thought of Althea learning about it twisted his insides. He’d grown to understand her well during their time in the dungeon—her tendency to shoulder blame, to apologize for things beyond her control. If she discovered that his choices were influenced by such a skill, Noah knew she would find a way to fault herself for his actions.
That was the last thing he wanted.
He glanced at Althea, her expression unreadable as she surveyed the alley. He couldn’t let her bear that weight. Whatever this skill was, it was his burden to carry alone.