MTLNOVEL Chapter 142: You're Alive?
"Can we talk about this later? And another thing, you can't tell anyone about this."
"Sure, sure, I get it. No one would believe this madness anyway… Anyway, so can we say that you are my new master? Can we do the blood pact right here?" the rat said.
He completely changed his attitude after learning that William was someone who knew his old master personally and had a certain connection to him.
"Blood pact? How does it work?" William asked.
"Well, I give you a contract and we sign it with our blood. It's actually quite simple," the rat explained to William.
"First make the contract and let me see it."
The little magical beast used his mana to create a contract in a matter of seconds. The contract was a single sheet with several things written on it.
It was as if they were rules that both should follow. William read carefully, and from what he saw things seemed reasonable. The part that gave him the most confidence that it was a good deal was the one that said he could terminate the contract at any time.
The rat still added something else to the contract clause: he couldn't tell anyone about William's ability to go back in time.
William seemed satisfied after reading the contract. "I liked what I saw. We can do it, yes. But tell me, was that bizarre creature watching me?"
"Ah, yes, yes. That was just an illusion of mine. I was trying to scare you into going away from my master's tomb."
Now things were falling into place. That's why William could never find that strange creature, nor feel its mana. It was just magic that that little talking rat was doing.
This showed that this little creature had some talents and would certainly be useful for some things.
'Jinra wouldn't have him as a pet if he wasn't useful, right...' William reflected.
The two signed the contract using blood, and after it was complete, a mark appeared on William's arm, like a tattoo. That indicated that he had a contracted magical beast.
The little rat jumped and landed on William's shoulder. "Want help getting to where my master's treasure is?" he said.
William smiled. "You can be sure of that."
With Jinra's clues and Stuart's guidance, William was more than confident in reaching the treasure. They pressed on, the echoes of movement from other corridors reminding them that they weren't alone.
"Are there other people here?" Stuart squeaked, his tiny nose twitching.
"Yes," William confirmed. "Fish-men and pirates. And apparently, some mermaids are involved too."
"What? How did so many people suddenly find this place? It's strange..."
"Now that you mention it..." William paused, a frown creasing his brow.
Indeed, it was odd. Jinra's tomb had remained hidden for centuries, and now, out of the blue, it was swarming with treasure seekers. He'd been so focused on his own quest that he hadn't stopped to consider the peculiarity of the situation.
"We need to hurry then," Stuart urged. "All paths at the beginning of the labyrinth eventually lead to the treasure. If these other people have figured out how to navigate it, well..."
The urgency in Stuart's voice spurred William onward. He quickened his pace, relying on the symbols and Stuart's guidance to navigate the maze. They made rapid progress, but maintaining that speed was impossible. Danger lurked around every corner.
"This place is crawling with magical beasts," Stuart warned. "Some of them are quite powerful. But lucky for you, you have me!"
William didn't understand the significance of Stuart's words until they encountered their first beast. Before the creature even noticed them, Stuart sensed its mana, giving them ample warning.
But that wasn't the best part. With a flick of his tiny paw, Stuart cast a camouflage spell on William, blending him seamlessly with the labyrinth walls. It wasn't invisibility, but it was close enough.
The beast, oblivious to their presence, wandered off into the maze. With Stuart's camouflage, William could bypass the labyrinth's guardians undetected. This was a game-changer. Some of the creatures were weak, yes, but others radiated power that would require a lengthy battle to overcome. Time was of the essence, and every second counted.
With renewed determination, William and Stuart pressed onward, their progress swift and silent. The labyrinth's dangers were nullified, the path to Jinra's treasure lay open.
William felt a surge of triumph. Everything was going according to plan. He was rapidly approaching the treasure chamber, and no one had interfered. A few magical beasts had crossed their path, but Stuart's camouflage had rendered them harmless.
As he rounded another corner, however, he came face to face with someone he hadn't expected. It wasn't the pirates or the fish-men, but the man who had accompanied him from the start.
"You're alive?" the man exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.
The last time he'd seen William, he was plummeting into a trap. He'd assumed William was dead.
"Oh, it's you," William said, his voice flat. "You made it this far."
The man wasn't a fool. He quickly realized that William had orchestrated the whole thing. "You knew that trap wouldn't kill you. That's why you wanted to go to that cabin first. But how did you know about the trap? Have you been here before?"
It was a logical assumption. The man couldn't possibly fathom the truth – that Jinra himself had sent William a message.
"I've never been here before," William said, his voice carefully neutral. "But you seem to know this place quite well to get here so quickly. What do you know?"
The man's lips curled into a sly smile. "Indeed, I know a few things. Let's just say someone hired me to retrieve the treasure. I've been exploring this place for quite some time."
This was turning into a real mess. First the pirates and fish-men, and now this guy too? William had hoped to ditch the man and claim Jinra's treasure for himself, but fate, it seemed, had other plans.
The air crackled with tension. A fight was inevitable, and William wasn't sure he could win this one. Just as he was steeling himself for the confrontation, Stuart's whisper broke through his thoughts.
"More people are coming," the rat warned. "Back away slowly, and I'll camouflage you. They'll only see this guy and attack him."
It was a brilliant plan. William just needed to keep the man occupied while subtly creating some distance.
"Now that we're so close to the treasure," he said, forcing a friendly smile, "we should work together to get it, right? There's no need to fight. We're practically there."
"And how do you know we're close?" the man countered, suspicion flashing in his eyes. "What do you know about this place that you're not telling me?"
William shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "I don't know anything. It was just a figure of speech. We have to believe we're close, right? Otherwise, we'll go crazy."
The man scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Don't play coy with me. You've been one step ahead this whole time. You knew about that trap, you knew about the symbols... What aren't you telling me?"
William felt a bead of sweat trickle down his temple. He needed to buy some time. "Look, I don't know how I knew about the trap, alright? It was a lucky guess. As for the symbols," he gestured vaguely down the corridor, "I just happened to notice them. Maybe they're just decorative."
"Decorative?" The man's voice dripped with disbelief. "In a tomb filled with traps and magical beasts? I don't think so." He took a step closer, his hand instinctively hovering near the dagger at his belt. "I think it's time you started telling me the truth. Or things might get unpleasant."
William's hand tightened around Asura's hilt. He could feel the familiar thrum of the demonic blade, eager for battle. But fighting this man now, with more people approaching, would be suicide.
Just then, Stuart's voice whispered in his ear, "They're almost here. Back away slowly, and I'll cast the camouflage."
William nodded, his mind racing. He needed to keep the man distracted for just a few more seconds.
"Look," he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "I know you don't trust me. And frankly, I don't blame you. But we both want the same thing. Let's work together, get the treasure, and then we can go our separate ways. What do you say?"
The man hesitated, suspicion still clouding his eyes. But greed, it seemed, was a powerful motivator.
"Alright," he said slowly. "But if you try anything funny..."
"I won't," William assured him, backing away another step. "I give you my word."
As the man took a tentative step forward, William felt Stuart's magic wash over him. The world shimmered, the colors of the labyrinth blurring, and then he was one with the wall, invisible to the naked eye.
The man, oblivious to William's disappearance, continued his advance. Just as he reached the spot where William had been standing, a group of figures emerged from the shadows. The pirates and the fish-men.
"There he is!" one of the pirates shouted, pointing at the man.
The man froze, his eyes widening in alarm. He turned to run, but it was too late. The pirates and fish-men swarmed him, their weapons drawn.
William watched from his hidden vantage point, a grim satisfaction settling in his chest. Stuart's plan had worked perfectly. Now, with his pursuers occupied, he could continue his quest for Jinra's treasure, alone.