"Phew, that's all of the chains." Kuro wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Kisara, who has been patiently waiting for the long-awaited time, stood up and stretched for the first time in millennia.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Kisara moaned from the stretch. "Thank you, Kuro." She bows her head.
"No need for thanks. I did what my heart told me to do."
"Either way, thank you."
"So what would you do from now on?"
"I still need to recover. But as promised…"
A white light came out from Kisara's heart area and flew toward Kuro before entering him.
Tti-ring!
[Kisara, the Maiden of White, wants to establish an equal contract.]
[Do you agree?]
[Yes or No]
Just as the white light flew into Kuro, he saw system notifications popping up in front of him.
He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. 'An equal contract?'
Kuro took a deep breath and nodded, determination settling over him like a warm cloak. Since he had already granted her freedom, he had to take responsibility for his actions.
"Yes," he said aloud.
The white light around him intensified as the contract was formed. The energy pulsed through him, settling into his very being.
Tti-ring!
[Contract established.]
[You have gained the title: "Partner of the Maiden in White."]
[New skills unlocked.]
Kisara smiled, looking at Kuro. "It's done then, Kuro. We're partners now."
"Feel weird to suddenly have a 'partner' after living solo for both of my lives," Kuro spoke with a resigned sigh, hiding how happy he was inside.
"So, what is this contract about?" Kuro asks after coming back to reality.
"Why don't you ask your 'system'?" Kisara replied. "Though I never thought something like this could exist. I guess the world is bigger than anyone's imagination."
Kuro froze for a second when he heard Kisara speak about his system. "Wait! How did you know about the system?" Kuro was sweating buckets, thinking about how Kisara found out about the system.
"Hehe. Dummy. Why not check the contract? You get your answer."
Kuro did not wait for a second before bringing out the system notifications, especially on the contract.
[Eternal Contract]
The ultimate contract of the Dragons binds both parties equally and cannot be broken.
Tti-ring!
[As the user has signed an Eternal Contract, all of the system functions will be shared with the host partner.]
Kuro's heart skipped a beat as he read the system notification.
"Wait a second," Kuro murmured, still staring at the screen, "all of the system functions? Does that mean you'll have access to everything I can do now?" He glanced at Kisara, who was watching him with a smirk, clearly enjoying the realization settling over him.
"I guess so," she said, her smile teasing. "It's an eternal bond, after all. We're partners, Kuro. That means we share everything—strength, abilities, knowledge... and system. No secrets between us."
Kuro swallowed, his mind whirling. He let out a deep breath. "This is… a lot to process."
"Don't I promise that if you freed me from the chains, I will forever be bound to you?"
Kuro let out a sigh. "You did. But now, how can I go out with a giant dragon following me?"
"Hehe. Don't worry." With that, Kisara started to glow as her body shrank and morphed.
Kuro's eyes widened as the bright glow enveloped Kisara, watching in disbelief as her enormous form shrank. The brilliant light faded, revealing a woman in white priestess robes, her hair a shimmering blue, and her eyes the same striking color.
Kisara—now in her more humanoid form—smiled at him with a knowing look. "Surprised?"
"Very." Kuro nodded. His eyes could not look away from her. "Is this also the effect of the contract?"
"Yes. Since I am contracted to you, I can now transform into a form similar to you, humanoid. You can also transform into a dragon. It is an equal contract for a reason."
Kuro ran a hand through his hair, feeling a little overwhelmed.
"This is… a lot to take in," Kuro muttered, trying to process the new information. "So, not only are we connected now, but I can turn into a dragon too? Just like you?"
Kisara nodded. "Yes, exactly. You have the potential now, Kuro. The power within you will awaken when the time comes, and just like I can take on a more humanoid form, you can embrace your dragon form whenever you wish."
Kuro let out a disbelieving laugh, still not quite sure whether to feel excited or terrified.
"Well, why are you still here? Let's get out of this dusty place!" Kisara suddenly yelled at Kuro when she saw he was daydreaming.
Kuro, who was thinking how cool he would look after transforming into a dragon, suddenly straightened his back, hearing Kisara yell. He suddenly felt a sense of Deja Vu but dismissed it.
Kisara, now in her humanoid form, gave him a playful but impatient look. "What's the matter, Kuro? Don't tell me you're already getting cold feet?"
Kuro shot her a grin, shaking his head. "Cold feet?" Kuro started sweating. "Not exactly. Well, will you look at that? It is almost time for me to get back home. Follow me!" Kuro darted out of the chamber toward the exit.
Kisara doesn't know whether to laugh or not. She follows after him with Niji and Sanji flanking her on her left and right.
"So, why are you both following me? Your lord is up ahead." Kisara point toward Kuro back.
"My Liege does not currently need protection. My Queen does, as you are still weakening after being chained for so long." Niji replied before focusing back on scouting the surroundings.
"Sanji thinks the same," Sanji replied as he stayed close to Kisara.
Kisara raised an eyebrow at Niji and Sanji's response, her lips curving into a small smile. "I see… so, you both are playing the protective guard role now, huh?"
Meanwhile, Kuro quickly made his way toward the exit as he looked at the two new skills he had gained after the contract.
[Skill: Dragon Physique Lv. Max]
Passive skill.
Chakra required to activate: None
A physique granted by an Eternal Contract. Grant the physical prowess of a dragon and the ability to transform into a dragon.
Kuro's eyes lingered on the description, his heart skipping a beat. "So this is the skill that will allow me to transform into a dragon. But Kisara did not mention having the physical prowess of a dragon. I also don't feel any different. Let's ask her later. He quickly skimmed through the second notification.
[Skill: White Lightning Lv. 1]
Passive skill.
Chakra required to activate: None
Grant by the Eternal Contract, allowing the use of the White Lightning of the White Dragon Clan.
Seeing the mention of the White Lightning, Kuro tried to gather his chakra to form it. A small crackling sound sounded in his hand before disappearing.
He sighed, rubbing his hand, a little frustrated but not surprised. "Of course, it's not going to work perfectly right away."
"Alright," he muttered to himself, "practice later, first things first: get out of here and figure out where to go next."