CHAPTER 189: THE CONTRACT: ZEPHYR’S CHOICE

Zephyr put his doubts aside for the time being, and instead focused on the specifics of all the individual clauses. As it was, the whole contract was very favourable for Zephyr, but in a way, the elf had revealed his hand by being this drastic.

There was something he knew, or had seen... A conclusion that he had come to based on Zephyr’s revelation of his mana node count that caused him to trigger this Scion contract.

Zephyr didn’t know what it was, but he sure as hell knew it was important!

So now, he was going to find out justhow important it was...

Just how far was Lytheron willing to go to have him as his Scion? How vital was this thing he saw in Zephyr that made him do this without hesitation?

The Voice of The World had given Zephyr three options regarding the clauses — Accept, Decline, or Modify. He was going to pick the last one.

He looked straight at Lytheron, who was watching him with an expression that didn’t give the slightest of his thoughts away. Simply placid and observing, in contrast to his previous fervency.

Zephyr sent his intention, willing the panel open again, and selecting his choice — Modify.

[Selection choice acknowledged. Champion – ZeroOne Sovereign, true-named Zephyrus Sol Ra’Elis, has chosen to ’Modify’ the clauses of Proctor Lytheron A’Uthiel Ryx’s contract.]

Lytheron closed his eyes in silent calmness just as Zephyr received the response from the Voice of The World. It seemed he had also gotten the same announcement informing him of Zephyr’s choice.

But the next parts were solely for Zephyr alone.

All the clauses spread out before him on the panel to see and modify clearly.

And the first clause he went for immediately was the one right at the top — The one that affected him directly– Adherence to the purpose of Origin.

It basically stated that if he accepted the contract, then it was expected of him as Lytheron’s Scion to ’...acknowledge the goals of Origin as one of paramount importance,’ and he’d be ’bound to pursue these goals and objectives with a strong resolve...’

But the major point was that these goals were unknown to him, and would remain unknown to him until he agreed to the clause and accepted the contract —

There was no wayZephyr was going to agree to that!

Right from the start, as the Voice of The World had stated the clauses, that point had stood out sorely to him, and he knew he definitely wasn’t going to accept it no matter what!

So, without hesitation, he delved straight into modifying it.

Previously, it read: ...the ultimate purpose of the Convergence Trial World as will be fully revealed by the Proctor — are now of paramount importance. The Scion is bound to...

But after Zephyr’s modification it now read: The Scion is bound to pursue the goals of Origin only after the Proctor has fully revealed them and only if those goals do not directly require the Scion to violate fundamental moral codes, commit self-harm, or endanger their own established loved ones in the outside world.

This was a non-negotiable point for Zephyr, something he was not willing to compromise on at all. If Lytheron didn’t accept this then there was nothing else to talk about.

The other clause he wanted to modify was more in regard to ’further clarification and refinements’. It was also important, but compared to the first point, there was more room for negotiation.

The original clause stated: If the Scion is a Victor, the Proctor’s fragments will be safely digested, including specialized innate magical talent (such as mana core potential)...

The statement in that clause was fairly straightforward and easy to understand. So much so that Zephyr needed a more direct confirmation from Lytheron that they were on the same page... with the same interpretation...

Because if it was as Zephyr was thinking, then it would mean as long as he came out victorious in this convergence trial, he would get to devour Lytheron’s original mana core potential adding it to his...

Did that include Lytheron’s mana node count?

Zephyr swallowed a gulp at the thought.

Lytheron had not revealed how many nodes he had awakened with when he was alive, but from how insulted he had looked when Zephyr estimated his node count at awakening, he guessed it was an obscene number.

’What will it be...? 128? Or maybe...’ Zephyr shook his head, stopping himself from going even further...

If he could have even a fraction of that added to his potential... the potential for what he could do...

So, he needed clarification. Was the clause in line with what he was thinking? Or was it all just wordplay?

It didn’t even matter. If it was all wordplay, and that was not what Lytheron meant, Zephyr’s modifications already went directly to what he wanted—

"If the Scion is a Victor, the Proctor’s fragments will be safely digested, and the resulting increase in innate magical talent (which encompasses Mana Core Potential— in particular: increase in mana node count, is guaranteed to be no less than 50% of the increase the Proctor would have gained if they had been successful in possessing a new vessel."

’Is 50% too high?’ Zephyr paused for a beat after adding his clause, wondering if he was being too greedy. Lytheron was basically a dead man walking. An ancient consciousness still living for whatever reason.

He didn’t know how this ’talent digesting’ was going to work, but he was fairly certain he would never be able to get the exact same level of power Lytheron magic potential Lytheron had at his peak.

So the issue now was ’by how much?’

Was 50% even possible in the first place?

Just start with that, host. Aegis suddenly chipped in. If it isn’t on the table, then you can simply negotiate down from there.

’Yeah, I had the same thought,’ Zephyr agreed.

He was just about to move to the next clause, when Aegis abruptly cut in again, halting his thought in place.

Hold on host! You can make this final adjustment to the clause... just in case. Aegis sent a thought, along with the adjustments through to Zephyr mentally.

And when Zephyr processed it, he couldn’t help but wonder at the thoroughness of Aegis.

As if Zephyr’s 50% mana core potential ask was not enough, Aegis went on to add this to the clause—

"If the Scion is a Victor, the Proctor’s fragments will be safely digested, and the resulting increase in innate magical talent (which encompasses Mana Core Potential— in particular, without exception, and not limited to: ’increase in mana node count,’ is guaranteed to be no less than 50% of the increase the Proctor would have gained if they had been successful in possessing a new vessel."

Zephyr paused for a few seconds with a weird expression on his face ’...and here I thought I was greedy!’

I am just being thorough, host. There might be more to ’Magic Potential’ than just ’mana nodes’ that you do not know. It might even be something that could end up being vital in later stages. Something that Lytheron would know, but you don’t.

This is just ensuring the contract allows you access to such potential benefits too.

’Oh... Didn’t actually look at it that way...’

Now Zephyr wondered whether his previous modification was thorough enough, or there were loopholes, but Aegis sent him a quick response that it was sufficient, so he safely moved on to the last issue he had—

The failure clause.

It stated: Should the Scion fail to emerge victorious in the convergence trial, the Proctor’s consciousness shall, as a benefit, assume full and permanent control of the Scion’s, otherwise dead body...

From a broader perspective, Zephyr knew this was a somewhat fair and reasonable clause. Just like he had benefits in this contract, there was no way Lytheron wasn’t going to have some too. If he didn’t, Zephyr would be even more suspicious. In fact he’d very likely decline the contract straight away.

It was clear that Lytheron wanted another lease on life. But he’d, for some reason, decided to prioritize Zephyr’s life over his.

So at the very least, if this bet he’d made failed, there had to be a way out for him too.

Zephyr saw the logic in this...

But despite knowing this clearly, he still wanted to modify it.

First, because this was his main probe. His test of Lytheron’s limits to find out just how valuable he was to the elf. To what extent the elf could concede benefits to him.

And second, it just rubbed him the wrong way. The fact that if he didn’t emerge as a victor in this trial, basically ending up as one of the fallen, his body, his superior nano-enhanced body, would end up overtaken by another entity, rubbed him wrong in all kinds of ways.

He’d be dead at that point, but knowing that fact now just didn’t sit right.

It wasn’t like he planned to perish in this trial anyway, but so did those who had fallen. None of them had wanted to die here... but they had.

Zephyr knew how strong he was, and knew that to fully take him down, it would require someone supremely more powerful than. On a whole other level.

He still hadn’t had that talk with Aegis... the maximizing talk from before...

He had ideas as to what Aegis was referring to when it said ’maximizing’ but some part of him still enjoyed the current set-up of what he and Aegis had going right now...

For he feared what he would be if he maximized Aegis... If he truly maximizedAegis...

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A/N: A very special thank you to LunarEcho for dropping a review! I really appreciate it. No matter how little, those stars help in suggesting the book to someone else who might have an interest. So, many thanks!! 💯💯