Op also couldn't help but instinctively consider this possibility.

It seemed the future proposed by Naimes would be more promising.

In comparison, the old priest was just an aged, stubborn madman trapped in his own past obsessions.

He wouldn't discuss benefits with you, but rather directly issued commands.

Every time his experiments required certain materials, he demanded Op obtain them by any means necessary, without caring how they were acquired.

He would occasionally mutter that the divine would provide guidance.

All of Op's desperate efforts, his precarious dealings with cultists, his hard-won establishment in the black market - all became merely "divine guidance" in the old priest's mouth.

This had fostered a deep resentment within Op.

By comparison, whether it was Pur's attitude of faith toward Naimes or Tangs's rapid improvement during this period...

It generally indicated that Naimes might be a better leader.

"However, Lord Naier." Op's form of address changed at this moment.

"There remains one major problem—the old priest is too powerful. His strength likely exceeds your understanding."

"Without defeating him, everything is just empty talk."

"The old priest possesses extremely powerful mental energy. It's said he was just one step away from becoming Gold Seed."

"I've experienced his might firsthand. Even with my mental energy that's just one step from Steel Seed, I couldn't distinguish reality from illusion before him."

"You easily overpowered us Black Stone grades, but can you still win against the old priest?" Op questioned seriously.

"If not, then I absolutely won't betray him."

This was what truly concerned their lives and futures. If Naimes couldn't give Op sufficient confidence, then Op would be better off risking everything here, choosing to flee instead.

He still had some witchcraft tools on him;

perhaps he could rely on the Nest Beast's symbiotic healing ability to hold out until reaching the old priest.

"Betrayal? You jest." Naimes's response came without hesitation, and instead he wore a smile.

"You've been to Wavetail Town many times, you should know about the whale dung beetle." Naimes then named a particular creature.

"The whale dung beetle spends its entire life moving whale dung, drawing nutrients from it. While they appear large because of this, the dung balls they transport and store for their own metamorphosis are quickly taken away by the church, because whale dung is a controlled resource."

Not giving Op a chance to respond, Naimes himself explained the beetle's situation.

"To maintain their large size and achieve metamorphosis, the beetles must repeatedly risk falling as they travel to the whale's tail to collect more dung, then bring it to the relatively safe back of the whale."

"They can only absorb some nutrients during transport, before having their dung balls taken away again."

"A single Floating Whale might have tens of thousands of whale dung beetles, yet in a year, perhaps only one lucky beetle avoids detection and completes its metamorphosis."

"Most beetles never complete the final three metamorphoses to become adults in their entire lives." Read full story at novel{f}ire.net

"Mr. Op, do you think you would be that successful one?"

The example Naimes chose vividly depicted Op's situation.

The smuggling he risked everything for ultimately saw the majority of benefits taken by the old priest.

Op knew in his heart that continuing like this would eventually lead to his death.

Whether from exposure for illegally mining whalehide ore and being punished by the church, or problems with cultist contacts leading to inability to obtain suppression medicine causing full-body Nest Beast rampage, or more likely being betrayed during some transaction.

"Moreover, although church officials gain significant benefits from whale dung, they always regard it as unclean. They classify adult beetles as extremely dangerous organisms that must be eliminated whenever found by the church."

Op was merely the old priest's white glove. Even if the old priest successfully completed his experiments, for his atonement, sinners like Op must die.

"So you never had a choice to begin with." Naimes laid bare this fact that Op had always avoided.

"As for whether I can win?" Naimes smiled, his expression filled with strong confidence.

"Come, let's establish a contract."

"Become my subordinate, become my strength." As Naimes spoke, several contracts materialized.

[Contracting Parties: Party A—Naimes Dartmanley;

Party B—(Pending)]

[Clause 1: Party A Naimes Dartmanley promises to protect Party B's basic life and property security.]

[Clause 2: In situations not involving certain death, Party B will obey Party A's reasonable commands and owes Party A loyalty.]

[Clause 3: Party A will provide Party B with a certain degree of professional guidance, making plans for their improvement or conducting reasonable division of financial benefits.]

[Clause 4: Party B must not disclose any information related to Naimes through language, writing, behavior, hints, or any other method.]

[Clause 5: This contract is solely a loyalty agreement that can be dissolved when either party violates it, or when both parties agree to termination.]

This was the loyalty contract Naimes had drafted specifically for recruiting subordinates.

At this moment, Op and his six subordinates all had contracts before them.

As for the others?

There were no others left here.

Op took a deep breath, glancing at the contract before him, then at Naimes.

On the other side, the dual swordsman had already signed his name.

He had originally joined Op's merchant group because he couldn't defeat Aro, and upon seeing the third clause, he immediately knew he must pledge loyalty to Naimes.

Having witnessed Naimes's swordsmanship, he revered Naimes like a god!

"I..." Aro began to speak.

"I'll sign!" Op's voice interrupted Aro's words: "Aro, all of you sign the contract too."

He knew what Aro wanted to say—that he would only be loyal to Op alone.

But Op also clearly understood that the moment the contracts appeared, both he and Aro had lost any choice.

Anyone with some awareness would recognize that Naimes absolutely couldn't be the former Holy Knight Naier.

And the habitual use of contracts pointed to one very clear direction—demon.

As Op and his subordinates signed the contracts, the atmosphere quickly eased.

Naimes instructed Op to treat that pair of half-bodied brothers, lest they die right after signing the contract.

Naimes himself began focusing on the gains from this latest operation.

After all, he had just established seven contracts at once and granted forgiveness to seven people simultaneously.

These seven people had all become nourishment for his commandment's enhancement.

And perhaps because this was the first large-scale simultaneous commandment completion, the commandment itself had undergone changes.

[Commandment Information Updated]

[Please Make Your Choice.]