Chapter 5: Making a contract
(AN: This chapter is mostly about umbrals.)
"I ask you, are you the one who seek my Power?"
Ken was shocked to know that this creature can talk. It's not that he is unaware of some monsters being able to talk, but for a monster to learn another language, it needs to have quite a high level of intelligence.
Deciding that he shouldn't stay silent any longer, as he might find it offensive.
"Yes, I am, and I want to make a contract with you."
In response to Ken's answer, the wolf started to laugh loudly, his amusement clearly evident in his laughter. After he stopped, he looked into Ken's eyes with a glint of interest.
"Boy, let me tell you, the offering you provided is nowhere near enough to summon me. I responded to your call because you're the first one in a decade to manage to connect with us. Though, I still can't understand how you are preventing the shadow energy from coming into this realm."
While saying all of this, it kept circling around Ken, observing him as if finding him very interesting. Ken stayed silent and tried to appear calm on the outside, while inwardly he was terrified.
Why wouldn't Ken be terrified when an eight-foot-long wolf, excluding its tail, was this close to him? One more thing Ken noticed was that when it walked, there was no sound from its footsteps. Hiding his fear, he questioned it back.
"If that's the case, why are you the only one who responded to my call and not any other Umbral?"
Hearing Ken's question, the wolf stopped circling him and sat in front of him, its height easily towering above his.
"That is a good question," the wolf replied. "You may not be aware, but the nature of the skill that the offered monster possesses greatly influences what type of Umbral could be summoned through that offering. And when someone seeks us, their call only reaches a single Umbral, not multiple Umbral at a time. After hearing the call, it's up to the Umbral if they want to accept the offering and respond to the call."
The wolf had revealed many things to Ken that even the system hadn't informed him of. When Ken asked the system why he hadn't told him all of this, he responded that he wasn't aware of those details himself. And yeah, Ken decided to treat the system as male.
"So, you're going to make a contract with me, right? Or else, you wouldn't be here."
To Ken's words, the wolf smiled, showing its large canines.
"Well, I did come here, so I am willing to make a contract with you. But I have a condition."
'I need power anyway, so I can't be picky, The system also said it's normal for Umbrals to give conditions if they are not satisfied with the offering.' Ken thought.
"Tell me the condition first."
Seeing Ken so guarded, the wolf laughed again.
"Relax, I'm not going to ask for your soul. Well, some Umbrals could ask for that, but I am not one of them."
Ken relaxed, but he couldn't help but complain about something.
"I appreciate your generosity, but I am short on time. Can you please hurry and tell me your condition so I could make a pact with you?"
Ken urged the wolf.
As a response to Ken's complaint, the wolf released a tired sigh.
"Sigh, you are so boring. Anyways, I could tell that you are too weak. So I am going to give you one of my abilities to enter an incomplete contract with you. Use that power to hunt 30 wolf-type monsters in two days and offer them to me. This trial would determine if you are worthy of being my master. If you accept my condition, choose a skill of your liking."
As he finished speaking, the system showed Ken the best skills he could choose from.
[Skill]
Name: Shadow Claw
Type: Active
Element: Shadow
Rank: Rare
Effects: The wounds created by this skill have an 80% healing resistance. It applies a Bleeding effect, when in bleeding effect, the target lose 1% of their max HP every 9 seconds. After hitting a target, this skill deactivates. ]
[Ability
Name= Shadow steps
Type= active/passive
Element= shadow
Rank= epic
Active effects= movement speed increase by 50%. Bloolust decrease by 100% for 30 seconds.
Passive effects= your steps will be quiet like a night. While fighting, Your Presence erased by 9%. ]
[ Skill
Name= lone wolf
Type= passive
Element= none
Rank= rare
Effects= while fighting or hunting alone attack power increase by 40% and movement speed increase by 20% ]
Grasping his chin, Ken read all the skill descriptions keenly. All three of them were great skills, but the first and third skills wouldn't help him. Right now, if he got hit once, it would mean his death. What he needed at the moment was a heavy burst movement speed skill that would help him dodge enemy attacks and finish them in a blink.
Ken's eyes fixed on the "Shadow Steps" skill. It had everything he needed for now, with an added passive effect. It didn't take him long to decide because he knew exactly what he needed.
"I have decided, I am taking this shadow steps skill."
After learning that Ken had made his choice, the wolf got up.
"Very well then, I, ferak acknowledge you as my contractor. Do you accept me?"
"I, Ken, accept the contract."
As Ken accepted their pact, Ferak, as he introduced himself, started to turn into particles and fly towards Ken's hand. Immediately, Ken felt a burning sensation on the back of his hand, as if someone were trying to write something with a very hot object. When he checked, he saw the face of a wolf tattoo being drawn on it.
It took only a few seconds for the tattoo to finish. After it was complete, the pain immediately vanished, along with the tattoo. Ken felt like something different was flowing through his entire body. He opened his status to see any changes.
[Status
Name= ken
Age= 18?
Race= human
Gender= male
Mana= 50
Shadow energy= 20
Vit= 5
Str= 7
Agi= 8
Dex= 6
Abilities= shadow steps (lvl1)
Skills= beginner Swordsmanship (lvl1passive)
Contract= Ferak (incomplete).]
Ken could see some new things in his status, but what shocked him was the appearance of a new stat called "Shadow Energy." He noticed another detail that he had failed to notice before, which made him even more shocked.
"Wait, that wasn't a skill but a fucking ability?"
Though Ken had previously mentioned that there were many skills on par with abilities, finding them isn't easy. And a good ability is always superior to skills. So having more than one ability is already a big deal in this world, but with this method, he could obtain multiple abilities.
"That would be broken. But I just realized something," Ken mused. "It seems the shadow skills can only be used by shadow energy. But my shadow energy stat is too low, even lower than my mana."
"[Host, don't worry. I analyzed it and it seems, like mana, it will also increase the more you use it.]
After a long time, the system spoke, for some reason having been silent this entire time.
"Oh system, i almost forgot about you."
Feeling quite good at the moment, Ken tried to joke with the system. However, it became apparent that the system didn't have any emotions.
"Anyways, let's try this new ability."
Under the cloak of the still night, Ken moved with uncanny swiftness, a blur of motion leaving behind him. As he dashed through the darkness, his footsteps were as silent as the whispers of the wind through the leaves. Not a single twig snapped beneath his agile feet. Beneath the moonless dark sky, Ken surged onward, a blur amidst the night.
"Holy shit, it took me only 1 minute to reach the Lemin village."
Not wanting to give excuses to the guards at the gate, Ken entered through a different side. It didn't take long for him to reach his house. Laying on his bed, he thought of the new experiences he was feeling in just two days after coming to this world. Contemplating all the new things he could experience in this world, alongside many dangers, he felt a rush of adrenaline through his body.
"It was a rough day, but I am really looking forward to my days here."
Ken reflected with a sense of optimism.
With a satisfied grin stretching from his ear to ear, Ken fell asleep, unaware of the fact that someone out there was on edge.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Fantasy_Maniac
Fantasy_Maniac I am sorry for such late update. i am actually practicing 2d animation, i want to animate my works. belive me there are many ideas in my head and all of them are interesting in my opinion. and don't worry i have already written chapters till chapter 13 so for now i will upload 1 chapter everyday till ch 13. after that we will see.
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