[Feat Earned] [First Pact]—You have formed a pact, an ultimate promise bound by the strongest force there is—the soul. Such commitment will stay with you and hopefully serve as your guiding light. Arcanery + 50.

  [Skill Option]

  [Ashen Brand][Uncommon]—[Flintwind Archer] has a special way to track his target, a way that would allow him to be led by both wind and heat. After creating a threshold of heat dealt to a body, an ashen brand shall be erected upon the target body, committing heat that will alert [FlintWind Archer], and wind shall lead [FlintWind Archer] to the target’s location. Ashen Brand’s requirement shall scale with Arcanery.

  [Flare Template][Uncommon]—[Flintwind Archer] has a certain area where he excels, and he should create one. Pushing his Mana to the ground, [Flintwind Archer] will mark a template that will burst into flame if he steps upon it.

  Suna opened his eyes to a skill option. He shrugged them off and took in his surroundings. The after-battle stench of putrid burning wafted in the air, ruining the serene sight of the beach.

  He groaned, standing up and stretching his body. The great tree trunk was still there, its head submerged in the lake, while the other end laid broken thanks to Suna’s Sootroot arrow.

  Delia's body was lying atop her sister, Uzu. They seemed so unguarded that his Archer Instinct told him to summon his bow and fire, just like he did with the Drow Matriarch. But he suppressed it, clenching his fist tight. There was really no point in killing Delia now, and forgoing the advantage of her teaching him how to unlock Drowfication.

  Suna was surprised that the [Necromancer] allowed it. Granted, he did not allow any respite for the Tiefling, but allowing Suna to learn a skill that could threaten him? He still remembered how Lumien’s eyes had softened on Delia; perhaps that was the reason behind his actions.

  And also how genuinely happy the [Necromancer] was when Delia brought Suna to him. Delia was forced to choose his world as her reincarnation point, despite the obvious danger she had shown him… It’s the only way for her to be with her sister.

  “Hold on…” Suna muttered, scratching his head.

  Maybe he was actually in a better position for the negotiation than he’d been led to believe? Delia subtly threatened to kill him, and she was able to do that. But after that, then what? Suna had killed Dua, and that had caused him to become a strong anchor for her skill resonance. Her other option was to go after the remaining humans, likely the part of the group that had beaten her.

  He was truly her last option.

  Yeah, I probably could have done better.

  Deciding there was no point in thinking about it further, Suna checked on Jack. The Tiefling breathed heavily, even snoring lightly. Suna uncorked a red vial he got from Jack’s pouch and fed it to the Tiefling. He also took one of the Mana Potions and drank it.

  Suna sat down, and the gritty bits of sand pushed up against his legs. Letting out a huff, he lay back, staring up at the endless darkness with faint blue light coalescing like an aurora.

  He saw a sight of his planet, a piece of it at least. Something he hadn’t even known existed. Where was that? Suna’s hand went down into his pocket, and his eyes widened. He still wore the same long trousers he’d worn since arriving here. But of course, the pocket was empty; he had instinctively reached for his phone—Shaking his head, Suna then began reading over the skill options.

  Flare Template was interesting, especially with his Brimhat, he could imagine baiting a monster into it. But Suna was by no means immune to flame, so that counteracted the benefit.

  Meanwhile, he could see nothing wrong with getting Ashen Brand. It seemed similar to what the [Seeker] Drow had; it was a no-brainer.

  Name: Suna Amor

  Level: 41

  Class: [Flintwind Archer]

  Rune: 126

  Feat: 21 → 22

  Mana: 7356/20500

  Pyre Flame: 92287.

  Pact: 1

  Class Skill (13/35)

  - Archer Instinct [Uncommon]

  - Gale Backstep [Uncommon]

  - Moving Shot [Uncommon]

  - Flint Draw [Uncommon]

  - Arcane String [Uncommon]

  - Gale Bow [Rare]

  - Spell String Mastery [Rare]

  - Hissing Volley [Rare]

  - Drill Arrow [Uncommon]

  - Still Form [Uncommon]

  - Saproot Arrow [Rare]

  - Emberwind Arrow [Rare]

  - Ashen Brand [Uncommon]

  General Skill (12/35)

  - Swift Draw [Uncommon]

  - Drowfication [Rare]

  - Rune Seeker [Uncommon]

  - Gale Step [Uncommon]

  - Wind Veil [Uncommon]

  - Thermal instinct [Uncommon]

  - Enchanced Sense [Uncommon]

  - Enduring Body [Uncommon]

  - Battle Focus [Common]

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  - Eagle Eyes [Uncommon]

  - Pyre Shield [Rare]

  - Pyre Flame Starter [Uncommon]

  Strength: 2005

  Dexterity: 1382

  Vitality: 1203

  Arcanery: 2000 → 2050

  Sense: 860

  “Do you need mana?”

  Suna spun around, standing in one motion as his heartbeat quickened. Delia was suddenly in front of her, casually blinking at him.

  “Why didn’t I sense you?”

  “Question to a question.” Delia shook her head in disappointment. She lifted her palm and formed a fist, a crack of air distorted between them, and Delia stepped over in, suddenly teleported inside the crack.

  “But I still should’ve known when you landed!” Suna protested.

  Delia smiled, but her eyes did otherwise; they narrowed at Suna. “Human, don’t assume my patience is limitless. You still killed my sister, remember?”

  “And, I’m your last hope for reincarnation with her, aren’t I? So it would be better for you if you teach me more… and more,” Suna said. “Especially, if negotiation broke down”

  “Hmm,” The annoyance faded from Delia's face. “You speak sense, but My Lord will not kill you, if you go with the Pact that is”

  “He won’t?”

  “He would beat you senseless and throw you to the second stage.” She shrugged.

  “I would make a good Undead for him.”

  “Are you hearing yourself?” she chuckled. “But, yes. Under normal circumstances, I would kill you and offer you to my Lord to raise as undead.”

  One thing he realized about Delia was that she was brutally honest, with no filter.

  “He cares for you that much?”

  “Yes,” Delia spoke softly. “He does, perhaps much more than you imagine.”

  A brief melancholy passed through her eyes. Then she clasped her hands together.

  [You have been Invited to [Witch Tea Party]]

  [Accept/Decline]

  “Now, let us formalize the deal.”

  “Before that, what kind of place can you bring us to?” Suna asked.

  “A place I’m most attached to. I love Serene and Beauty and Safety, just like most. But my other attachment, yes, let's see. Wonder perhaps, however, if it's a place where Mana is strong, then it's not possible,” she explained.

  “Can you bring us to a different location then? I just want to see more.”

  “Of course. Now take my hand,” Delia said, opening her palm and waiting for him.

  Suna took it, and the world around them swirled, but this time there was no headache; instead, they stared at each other while the dark void spun and was replaced by endless blue sky.

  He gasped, and his breath went out, a lungful of it. The air was so clean, and sunlight beamed on him.

  Suna ran forward to the edge of the land. What greeted him was a sea of fluffy white; they rolled like mountains, but that texture was undoubtedly clouds.

  “A floating island. I assume this is not the norm?” Delia asked behind him.

  “Of course not,” Suna said, turning at her, then something much grander greeted his eyes.

  He almost stepped back to his death before catching himself. The sight alone made him do that. A floating castle... A double castle separated by a massive disk whose shape reminded him of a UFO with a spire at both ends extending like its own castle of gold.

  The gargantuan double castle flowed across the sky, parting clouds and sailing away with several golden islands around it. Suna walked forward, and Delia followed, her lips curved with a smile, and Suna noticed how her eyes twinkled at the sight.

  “A newly integrated planet, yes, I have seen such wonder, but to be actually here. Is it strange? I’m doing this for safety, yet at the sight of these… it makes me want to keep my runes, so I can grow strong fast and start exploring.” The [Undead Witch] extended her hand, sunlight caught her skin as her sleeve revealed her pale skin, staining it in crimson. Her hand was trying to reach for the castle, yet so far away.

  “I do understand,” Suna said, and damn him, he did feel excited. What could be inside that place? What kind of monster? Items… and wealth might he discover?

  His eyes caught a flying figure, an almost humanoid-looking shape, with wings of thick white feathers. They were too far away for him to make out clearly.

  “Is that?”

  “Not human, that's for sure. They’re monsters. No race would make it here unless the first batch of integrators returns and opens the gateway inside this planet. If I had to take a guess, I think those are angels,” Delia said, her voice rising, as she said the word ‘angel’.

  “Angels are monsters?”

  “They are,” Delia simply said. “And it appears that the golden double castle was made to be their base… They might get lucky and their rift is already inside it, or they have someone powerful enough to move their rift inside. Or, they’re merely a scout, and now will eagerly tell their main coven.” Delia went on, her excitement was bare to see. “But one thing is for sure. A new dungeon has formed. One of the first of many… Is it strange to say how lucky you are to live in such a time? It's dangerous, yet so full of wonder.”

  “Why are you not counting yourself?”

  That made Delia’s mouth open. “I tend not to want to hope much; you haven’t accepted the pact.”

  [Pact offered]

  [Life and Flourishes]—Delia the [Undead Witch] has offered you her Runes and a chance to unlock Drowfication, along with safe passage to Second Stage, guaranteed by the [Necromancer], for you and other humans. In exchange, you shall seek them and protect them until they’re strong enough for themselves and integrate them into human society.

  Failure to meet the pact will result in the dooming of breaker souls

  Accept/Decline.

  “Before I accept,” Suna said, and he noticed Delia's body stiffened despite her best to hide it.

  She wanted this a lot.

  “Why did you do it? The undead, all of the…killing,” Suna asked, looking her directly in her red eyes.

  “When I woke up, it was not as a baby…but with this exact body,” Delia started.

  That somehow did not surprise Suna; the undead were made for the integrator, after all.

  “I have a voice in my head telling me to make more undead. To serve My Lord. When I found him, my Lord also had the same wish, to create more Undead. Years passed, and My Lord started to question everything. To me, it’s a normal act; it felt like breathing. That was until I got this skill option, after killing an elf with the [Lifeweaver] Class. The timing was quite convenient, you see; it’s the time I leveled up to Level 50, I think. Three incredible skills appeared, including Second Life. I picked it because it's a reincarnation. My Lord and I started to study life, night after night, for years. And then here we are. My Lord intends to make the entire world his. After realizing his desire to stay underground is entirely caused by the system, though it still took years for us to resist the system's will over us.”

  “And here you are…”

  “Here I am, about to break free of the system’s control.”

  “If I let you reincarnate with your Runes… What would be there for me?” Suna asked.

  This earned Delia a pointed look; she stepped close. Her veil brushes against his cloak.

  “That is a bet,” Delia said. “I still wouldn’t have my current power, but I shall progress much faster. But being a level one against these creatures… In a world where I know nothing about… Hmm, if I had information on where the optimal weak area was, then maybe it could work, and I could offer you the incredible wealth I gathered. But no, I will not be that na?ve.”

  “But it wouldn’t hurt to have,” Suna pointed out.

  “Yes, it won’t,” Delia admitted. “What's this? With the sudden charity?”

  “It's not a charity, I’ll only do it if you have something of equal value to offer.”

  The clouds drifted. And a beam of orange bathed them. In a small voice, Delia said. “I do. But it's…”

  “Can threaten the [Necromancer].” Suna smiled at the flustered expression of the [Undead Witch]. “He allowed you to unlock the Drowfication, didn’t he?”

  “This item… will be on a different scale entirely. An item bound by a requirement, which you will meet.”

  Now I want it more.

  But why would she reveal that? Was it desperation?

  “Well, I want it. Add it to the pact. Also, let's modify it.”

  “Modify it? Human, do you think I’m some kind of—”

  “Add half. I want half of what you find. Magic, Spell, Artifact, Wealth, everything. I will still be there to seek you and your sister. But this time…”

  “You want me to work for you?”

  “It's only half of what you had until we met. I know you think you can do it, to survive and explore, even from the start of your power.”

  “I will no longer have Second Life as a skill,” Delia reasoned, her voice a bit vexed. “If I die, then the next reincarnation will be an ordinary one, where no memory goes through. Just a blank slate of soul, where I no longer have attachment to my previous lives. And my sister—”

  “Despite that—" Suna cut her off. “You were lucky.” He said, intending to echo what Delia just told him.

  “Lucky?”

  “Yes, you will be one of the first to explore it all. Don’t you want power to do so? Instead of hiding like a scared cat? All of the possibilities of what you could claim. Including this sky, which currently…” Suna opened his palm, trying to find a proper word. Excitement burst inside of him as he gazed upon the endless possibilities.

  What would await me?

  “Is..

  Spell Bow Chapter 58: “A no man’s sky.”

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