Under the cloak of an ominously silent night, the air between Lee Yoo-Joon and the enigmatic Anny thickened with a palpable tension. The proposition hung heavy between them, a life for a soul, an exchange so ancient yet so personal. "What?!" Yoo-Joon's voice was a mix of disbelief and desperation. He couldn't wrap his mind around Anny's offer. Saving her—it seemed impossible, yet here stood Anny, offering a glimmer of hope in the abyss of despair. "Her life, I can save her life. But what can you give in exchange for her life to me? Hmm?" Anny's tone, light yet carrying the weight of worlds, demanded a price Yoo-Joon wasn't prepared to consider. "Money, I will give you money," Yoo-Joon stammered, his mind racing to find a currency for the invaluable. "No, no, no. Money is worthless compared to her life. Think of something else, something you most value," Anny countered, dismissing his offer with a wave of her hand. Yoo-Joon's mind raced. He had nothing of comparable value, nothing that could possibly equate the worth of a life. Yet, Anny's next words chilled him to the bone. "Well, you said that you will do anything. Right!! So, are you willing to give me your soul in exchange for her life?" The gravity of the decision weighed on Yoo-Joon. The idea of trading his soul, the very essence of his being, was unthinkable. Yet, as the seconds ticked by, his resolve hardened. "Okay, I am willing," he whispered, a mixture of fear and determination in his voice. Anny stepped closer, her presence overwhelming. She extended her hand, a silent invitation to seal the deal. Yoo-Joon hesitated, his mind screaming warnings at him. Anny was an enigma, wrapped in mystery and cloaked in danger. Her playful smirk did little to ease his fears, yet the unwavering strength that emanated from her convinced him she was his only hope. "F**k it, it's not like I have something to lose," Yoo-Joon muttered, a desperate attempt to steel his nerves. Anny's excitement was palpable. "Ooooo, I'm liking this mortal," she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with an otherworldly lust for the deal. As their hands met, Yoo-Joon fixed his gaze on the girl's face, trying to find a semblance of assurance. "Repeat after me: I, Lee Yoo-Joon, with all of my intelligence and senses, make a deal with Ektotos Sangelos, I exchange my life for what is truly desired." The words felt heavy on his tongue, a solemn vow that sealed his fate. As he spoke, a dark smoke enveloped them, the air charged with a supernatural energy. The handshake, a mere formality, now felt like a binding contract, etching its terms into the very fabric of his being. The burning sensation on his hand was not just physical pain; it was the manifestation of the deal, a mark that signified his agreement with forces beyond comprehension. Anny's proximity was suffocating, her gaze predatory. Yoo-Joon could see a horrifying smile playing on her lips, a look that sent shivers down his spine. It was too late for regrets; the deal was struck, the path chosen. Bracing himself for what was to come, he closed his eyes, expecting pain, perhaps even oblivion. But then, a voice, unmistakably male and laden with an unknown emotion, cut through the silence. Yoo-Joon's eyes snapped open, the unexpected interruption jarring him back to the present.
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