Abyss Draconis

"I don't... think I still remember that," Aster said, but Ryuk replied.

"I do, and I think it went along the lines of—"

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"By the Order of the Contract Grimoire: If you, Aster, stand by the side of I, Ryuk, and you help me in all the ways you can, to make sure Endearth wins this war, then I promise—by the Order of the Contract Grimoire—to free you from all Contract Grimoire orders that I have placed you under."

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"And I think you more than stood by my side and did all you could to win the war. So, as promised..." he said, and Aster watched as both Contract Grimoires before her lit up with a brilliant golden light and crumbled into ashes.

Aster's eyes trembled at the sight as she felt a chain seemingly snap within her soul. The restriction that held her was immediately shattered.

But then, she suddenly flashed him an evil smile.

"You do know, I'm still on Endearth and can go slaughter all the humans, right?" she said, but Ryuk watched her with a calm, confident grin.

"I'd bet my life you won't do that. Maybe a possessed Aster, sure—but you?" he replied, as she rolled her eyes,

But then, another voice rang out before more could be said

"What about me?" Rakshasa said as she turned to Ryuk, flashing him an unfairly treated girl's expression.

But then, her eyes gleamed as she watched Ryuk stretch out his hands once more—and then another Contract Grimoire reappeared.

It was hers.

"Our terms are quite simple, Rakshasa..."

"I'm permitted to perform basic actions such as movement, gesturing, or observing the surroundings. However, any action involving physical contact with others, causing harm, or taking life will be strictly prohibited—unless I've obtained your explicit prior permission. The restriction will remain until you're confident that I'm truly of no harm to anyone, as much as any other person is," she cut with her usual wicked grin.

"But I doubt you can cancel out the Grimoire. You shouldn't be confident just yet. I might go harvesting skulls, you know?" she asked with a taunting smirk, turning to sip her coffee, only for her gaze to snap back to Ryuk as she watched the Contract Grimoire slowly burn away.

Instantly, the chain on her soul disintegrated into nothing. She stared in shock at Ryuk.

"You dispersed the Contract!?"

It was something Rakshasa never expected.

Ryuk dispersing her contract? She believed there was no way he could be that confident in her restraint. After all, she hadn't really done much at all.

But he had dispersed it, and looking at him, he didn't seem to have any doubts at all.

"While I can't bet my life that you wouldn't harm someone like Aster, I at least know you won't harm anyone on Endearth. You have no reason to. And you're no mindless monster. So... you're fine," he said, sipping his coffee casually.

[That is a risky trust,] the system gleamed, but Ryuk just smirked quietly, calmly sipping his drink, seemingly without a care in the world.

But then a voice rang out again as Void asked,

"What about the big guy? What's his contract term?"

Ryuk placed his coffee down before turning to Antares with a shrug.

"Antares and I don't have a contract," he said.

Void furrowed its brows.

"And why is that? I feel like he's just as dangerous as the others, no?" Void asked, as Ryuk grinned.

"Oh, he of course is."

"But, you know... men are more stable than women, so—" he was saying, but then his Aetheris surged out.

An invisible barrier formed in front of him instantly, catching mid-air the cups of coffee that had been flung at him along with their contents, suspended just before they could reach him.

"You goof!" the words came at the same time from both Aster and Rakshasa as Ryuk pointed at the coffee and silently turned to Void, who replied,

"Yeah, I see. You're absolutely right," it said, trying to dip its tongue back into its milk bowl when it instantly phased out from where it was and reappeared beside Ryuk.

An instant after, an energy wave blasted where it previously was, dispersing the milk and the bowl into ashes.

"My milk!"

"You goofs need to learn how to talk to ladies!" Aster scolded as Void clicked its tongue before eyeing Ryuk's coffee on the table.

"You don't dare!" Ryuk warned, hand snapping toward the coffee in the next instant—but just before he could reach it, a void vortex materialized beneath it, and the cup vanished into it, reappearing before Void's claws.

Ryuk instantly reached to grab the Void panther, but it erupted into a puff of smoke, reappearing on the stairs a moment later, slowly disappearing upward while purring from the sweet coffee as Ryuk bit his lip.

'Tch, that bastard!'

"Here... you can have mine if you want," Isha said as she passed her coffee to Ryuk, who wrapped his hand around her neck, playfully scattering her hair.

"Who's the only person that cares so much for poor Ryuk? Isha," he said, and she giggled softly under his gentle pats.

"Anyway, Isha, you've reached the Eternity Stage rank. Have you gotten the memory of the map that Elder Celine wants?" he asked, and Isha nodded.

"Good then. We'll visit her soon," he said, and she asked,

"Are we leaving this world, Ryuk?"

But then, the voice chimed in.

"Oh? You both are conspiring to commit suicide?" Void asked as it puffed back into the living room with the coffee cup nowhere to be found.

"Void!" Ryuk called out as the cat shrugged.

"What? That's what the phrase means, no?" it asked, and Ryuk's eyes dimmed.

"Yes. We'll be leaving Endearth, Isha. We're done here already..."

"Oh really? Finally, we get to go see a nice new world with most likely many new beautiful bosoms too. I'm getting tired of seeing only—" Void was saying before receiving two cold, dagger-like stares, prompting it to pause and adjust its tone.

"I mean, not seeing much of the unique types here. Hehehe. Maybe there'll be others in the new world, who knows?" it said, as Ryuk rolled his eyes.

Then Isha asked,

"When are we leaving?"

"After we meet with Elder Celine and sort things out."

"Is the big guy coming with us?" Void asked.

"You do know I have a name, right?" Antares called out as he watched the cat wave its paw dismissively.

"Yes. Antares will."

"What about Rakshasa and Asteralaxia, are they coming to?"