Chapter 182: 182. FIRST BATCH
“Eh!” Brenard exclaimed, a deep frown appearing on his face.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Not when my life isn’t guaranteed,” Brenard explained shaking his head.
Noah nodded his head in understanding, the man had fufilled his side of the forced deal, there was no reason to enforce anymore actions.
“I guess it’s time to end this,” Noah announced without the slightest bit of hesitation in his deep voice.
Panic spread in the minds of the seven cultivators, and each of them quickly shot glances of plea at Brenard. They wanted him to do something, anything.
Brenard saw all of this and his mind managed to produce an idea right before Noah acted.
“Wait!” Brenard called out, adopting a submissive position, by placing his forehead on the ground. The other six doing the same.
Noah saw this and frowned, but still responded to the man’s call anyway.
“What do you want?” Noah asked.
“Is there anyway we can keep our lives,” Brenard enquired, his voice dripping with utter respect.
Having had a conversation with Noah, he understood that the young monster wasn’t an unreasonable person. Meaning he had to find a way to appeal to him.
An eyebrow inevitably rose on Noah’s face at the man’s words, and his mouth opened to make their situation clear.
“There isn’t. You all have seen too much,” Noah declared, beginning to move his essence.
‘So that is it!’ Brenard eyes widened, and a solution to Noah’s insecurity rose.
“How about we all swear an oath,” Brenard suggested rasing his head up for the first time since he began that conversation.
Noah furrowed his brows at those words and quick consulted the mighty system.
‘Is that possible?’ Noah enquired.
[[Yes. But the oath would have to be on your terms, since mana can’t affect the essence you bear]]
‘I thought only those stronger can form an oath with the weaker party,’ Noah wondered.
[[Affirmative. Only those stronger than the oath-taker can be sure of the safety of the oath. But it is the purity of the energy the oathmaker bears that makes the difference]]
Understanding dawned on Noah at those words, and he quickly placed all the pieces of information he had to arrive at a rather obvious conclusion.
The speed forces’s energy was something the entirety of Cregar didn’t have access to, and apparently mana wasn’t as powerful as it.
In short, any oath he made would continue to hold as long as the bearer of the oath doesn’t achieve a purity of essence that matched the speed force.
“Hmmm…an oath,” Noah muttered placing his left-hand on his beardless chin.
Seeing that Noah considered the idea, Brenard promptly continued.
“Yes. You can bound us by an oath that would keep your secret, our cores being at stake if we break the oath,” he explained.
“It’s the perfect way to keep your secret safe, and we our lives,” he elaborated more on the idea, and soon lowered his head again, but a grin shone on his hidden face.
Knowing that the purity of a persons mana was a core path of an oath; he felt reasonably safe.
Although he couldn’t sense what color Noah’s core was, or even the man’s power in general, but he remained certain that he wasn’t in the middle-stage.
Being an expert who had an octahedral red-core about to spew into the yellow realm, he felt his freedom guaranteed.
And having a body at the peak of the first-grade further assured him.
“It is do-able,” Noah announced, “But I’ll need to add a few more conditions to it,” Noah explained.
“Thank you for your consideration!” Brenard exclamained, a smirk spreading on his still hidden face.
‘How do I make an oath,’ Noah soon questioned the system.
[Do you wish to form an oath]
[Yes/No]
Picking yes, Noah saw another panel quickly appear in his eyes.
[Please input the terms in which you wish the oath to carry…]
Doing as the system told him to, Noah watched a few more panels pop up.
[Generating Oath…..]
[Generation of Oath successful]
[Bringing oath into existence]
[Note: this will cost you a portion of your essence]
[Oath has been successful brought into existence]
A unique aura suddenly spread inside the enclosed cave, alerting the bowing cultivators, and Noah.
All immediately laid eyes on a bright yellow sphere the size of a man’s fist.
The sphere of condensed speed essence, had runic symbols of an even deeper shade of yellow running on its surface, making for that aura.
Feeling an intense urge to inspect that floating orb of energy, Noah did as his Instincts wanted, and felt multiple waves Information seep into his mind at that action.
The oaths contents flowed into Noah’s mind, and he nodded when he confirmed that it remained according to what he wanted.
The seven cultivators instead; felt astonished to see that floating orb. Oaths usually weren’t in that refined form, as it seemed like something put together by an expert proficient in oathmaking.
A tinge of respect rose in their hearts at the quickness of the oaths creation, and its stunning beauty. However, one simple question rose in their minds.
Why is it yellow? They wondered.
Their mental waves soon moved to inspect the floating sphere, and a few waves of Information flowed into their minds.
Their expressions immediately went dark after they understood the oaths contents.
Accepting that oath would mean practically become slaves to Noah.
They would have to keep whatever he termed a secret, secret. And would have to obey his every orders. Failure to do both would result in their cores brutal destruction.
But if they complied with the oaths conditions Noah wouldn’t kill them, but it wasn’t stated what would happen to Noah if he actually decided to kill them without any real reason.
Complicated expressions remained on each of their faces after the inspection. Their eyes locked gazes multiple times as they struggled to make a next move.
Brenard had the idea of rasing an objection to the oaths conditions, but Noah’s cold gaze trapped any words he had to say, in his throat.
Seeing the struggle evident on their faces, Noah’s voice rang out.
“Do you have an objection to the oath,” Noah asked. “If you do; raise your hand. I’m willing to listen,” he declared.
Uncertain expressions appeared on their faces at those words, and they soon exchanged glances in hesitation.
“I promise I won’t directly kill you,” Noah smiled. But even that failed to calm their ever growing paranoia.
Seeing that no one looked ready to talk, Brenards eventually spoke up.
“Um…sir,” he started, “The issue with the oath is that it doesn’t state what would happen, if you went ahead and took our lives without any concrete reason,” Brenard explained respectfully.
“Oh that’s your worry,” Noah giggled sinsterly.
“Now, Brenard. I’ll ask you one thing, why exactly should i have to be punished,” Noah spoke slowly.
“I can end your exsitences on the spot if i so wanted. Yet I give you a chance to carry on with your lives, only with a few conditions,” Noah paused.
“Why should I be punished for my act of mercy,” Noah’s voice reached an all-time cold, and a bolt of yellow electrical energy shot out of his figure to strike the caves frozen walls.
A heavy atmosphere fell on the seven at that point, as even more complicated expressions appeared on their faces.
Noah’s words were valid, he didn’t seem to need them. Even though he desired their help to one of the great guild; everyone knew where it was. He could simply ask around.
They found no way out of that situation, and could only remain silent.
“Notwithstanding, i want you all to trust me. I promise not to end your lives simply because i desire to, and i promise not to go back on my words,” Noah declared sincerely. His icy blue eyes flickering with complex emotions.
Noah felt he spoke those words more to himself than the cultivators, as the true translation of those words were more personal, relating to his hate for the royal family, and the fact that he didn’t want to be like them.
Heavy sighs escaped the mouths of the cultivators at that point, how were they supposed to hold on to his words. They had barely began talking for half an hour.
“I accept,” Brenard eventually announced. For reasons he couldn’t completely explain, he felt assured that the young man would do as he had promised.
The others saw this, and similar sentences soon escaped their mouths, even though they remained uncertain of their decision.
The whole cave shone with a blinding yellow radiance at that point, as Noah’s first batch of allies, although slightly forced, was created.
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