Contracting a Shadow Raven

For three grueling days, Andrew's spiritual form had been on a daring mission to find a beast to contract in the mysterious world filled with strange and ferocious creatures. But his search had been nothing short of a nightmare.

He had already explored what could be hundreds of kilometers of the mysterious beast world, risking his spiritual form at every turn, yet he had nothing to show for it.

The first day had proven to be his most harrowing experience, as he had been ambushed by several ferocious beasts, the last of which was a savage bird that mercilessly tore him apart with its razor-sharp talons. Andrew's spiritual form had been extinguished almost instantaneously, and he had again opened his eyes in the pagoda, feeling disoriented.

Disheartened and nursing his wounds, Andrew had decided to take another break and rest for a while. As he sat in the pagoda, meditating, he suddenly realized that each time his spiritual form was killed in the beast world, his mentality attribute would also take a hit.

Fearing that he would damage his foundation as a sorcerer, he had resolved to rest for almost an entire day after each attempt before trying again.

He woke up motivated on the second day and commenced the beast summoning ritual, hoping to finally find a suitable contractual beast. But fate had other plans, and things went from bad to worse.

As he reappeared in the mysterious world, Andrew found himself in the den of a humongous serpent, its venomous fangs bared. The creature's bite was quick and deadly, and Andrew's spiritual form was poisoned to death in an instant. It was a terrible setback, and he felt like he was going in circles.

Despite the odds, Andrew refused to give up. He knew the stakes were too high to quit, and he still had to find the appropriate beast to sign a contract with. Filled with a fresh surge of determination, he decided to give it another shot on the third day, hoping that fortune would finally favor him.

As soon as he finished his delicious breakfast, he climbed up to the eighth floor of the pagoda and found a cozy spot on one of the meditation mats. With the renewed excitement of summoning a ferocious beast still surging through his veins, he started reciting the incantation for the ritual.

As he poured nearly all his mana into the beast-summoning totem, he felt an eerie energy fill the room, making his heart race with anticipation. The ancient sorcery was taking shape, and he could sense a particular and enigmatic world calling out to him, its charm irresistible.

Suddenly, his surroundings twisted and distorted beyond recognition, leaving him bewildered and disoriented. When he finally dared to open his eyes, his spiritual form was already floating in the familiar world of wonder and danger. It was a place where incredible creatures roamed free, a destination where every step could lead to an adventure beyond his wildest imagination.

Andrew's spiritual form floated effortlessly into the ancient jungle, feeling the raw power and energy of the wild beasts around him. Today would be yet another day filled with tension, and he had to remain cautious or risk his spiritual form being extinguished by a passing creature before he could even react.

Despite the danger, Andrew's heart was racing as he was on a mission to find a contractual mythical creature that could boost his combat powers, and failure was not an option. With every step, he felt more determined, delving deeper into the world filled with ancient beasts, searching for the perfect match to fulfill his purpose.

As he moved forward, he stumbled upon a strange world of otherworldly creatures. Towering hares, enormous spiders, wriggling worms, and kaleidoscopic butterflies seemed to be everywhere around him. He moved silently, remaining hidden in the foliage like a wraith until he heard the sounds of a fierce battle in the distance.

His heart raced with excitement, and he knew he had to investigate. But first, he needed to ensure he wouldn't get caught by lurking enemies. He planned to stay hidden and take advantage of the chaotic situation.

The only challenge was that he couldn't cast any rank one spell because he lacked ample mana in his spiritual form. But he could still cast rank-zero spells that only required a unit of mana.

Focusing his mind, he immediately expended a unit of mana and mentality before constructing a familiar spell model in his soul space. He cast the rank-zero [lesser invisibility] spell upon himself, causing his spiritual form to become more unnoticeable within the tall bushes.

With his concealment resolved, he continued floating forward like a specter, zooming through the jungle until he arrived close to the battle. On peering through the bushes, he saw a gigantic green serpent, about thirty meters long, fighting an enormous bird that looked like a black raven with a wingspan of about a dozen meters.

"It's two peak rank two beasts fighting. What a brutal battle!" Andrew muttered after perceiving their auras. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he watched the epic battle unfold before his eyes.

The raven was lightning-fast, using its beak and talons to try and rip the green snake to shreds. But the snake was just as fierce, wriggling and glinting with a green sheen as it fought back with deadly accuracy.

Andrew felt his heart pounding with tension as he watched the epic showdown. The raven would sometimes take off into the air, trying to gain an aerial advantage, but the snake was quick to strike with its powerful jaws.

The battle became more heated as the two ferocious beasts started clashing with greater intensity, tearing apart the lush greenery around them. Trees were uprooted, bushes were flattened, and the ground shook with each blow they landed.

Andrew watched from a safe distance as the raven and the giant green snake fought for their lives. It was a close match, but the raven seemed to have the upper hand. However, just when victory seemed imminent, the snake's scales glimmered with an eerie green light, and its entire form suddenly vanished from sight.

The momentary disappearance gave the snake its chance to pounce. It struck with lightning speed, coiling and uncoiling like a spring, sinking its venomous fangs into the raven's delicate wing. The raven let out a bone-chilling screech, and the battle intensified.

More blows were exchanged, and victory seemed uncertain for a moment. However, the massive raven, possessing unparalleled physical strength and shadow-like sorcery, managed to gain the upper hand and overpower the green snake with its sharp beak and talons.

However, even after defeating its foe, the raven was not out of danger yet. The venom from the snake's bite had already taken its toll, and the raven was on its last legs.

As Andrew looked on, his blood boiled with excitement. He had finally stumbled upon a raven - a peak rank two creature with unmatched fighting skills. Being a peak rank one sorcerer, Andrew could contract beasts that were one rank above him. The raven could be his perfect contractual beast, and he could hardly contain his anticipation.

Having ensured that the raven was no longer a threat, Andrew's spiritual form floated carefully in its direction. The raven, sensing the approach of an unfamiliar being, let out a few shrill calls and glared at him. Its aura surged, and it looked like it was about to strike. But suddenly, its momentum deflated, and it seemed to lose all the energy in its body.

Andrew's lips curled into a smile as he stopped a few meters away from the raven. Without hesitation, he activated the Valkyrie transcendent eyes, causing the basic information about the raven to appear before his eyes.

[An extraordinary creature known as a peak rank two shadow raven has been identified. This beast is relatively talented and possesses a trace of the Primordial Emperor Raven bloodline, which gives it unique talents. These include abilities like body morph and shadow sorcery powers such as shadow jump and shadow spears, which depend on the degree of awakening of its bloodline.]

Andrew's eyes widened with excitement as he read about the raven. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he boldly decided to communicate with the creature using the ancient language of the Druids. With a surge of adrenaline, he prepared himself for the mystical encounter, eager to see if he could contract the raven.

"Hey there, raven," he greeted the bird like an old friend. He spoke in the unfamiliar Druid language that sounded mysterious and alien. "I know you can understand me, so I'll cut to the chase. You're not in good shape. The snake venom has spread throughout your body, and you'll succumb to it in less than three hundred breaths if you don't receive treatment."

Upon hearing his words, the raven gazed at him fiercely. With a shrill sound, it released a sudden cry while its strength intensified as if it was making an attempt to attack. However, its severe wounds betrayed it again, and its aggressive momentum subsided within seconds.

"Let us not get impatient, my friend," Andrew gently spoke as he floated back. "Due to the strength you exerted just now, you may only have a limited amount of breaths left before the venom takes its toll. However, I have a proposition for you. If you agree to sign a contract with me, I can take you to my world and provide an immediate antidote for your poison. What is your decision?"

The raven glanced at Andrew with its beady bird eyes, its expression seeming uncertain. However, within seconds, it appeared to have made a bold decision. It let out a small caw before lowering its head and bowing to Andrew in a display of respect.

"You won't regret this decision." Andrew grinned as he prepared to perform the occult companion beast contract. He immediately began consuming his spiritual body and channeled his energy to construct the contract. As he contorted his hands and fingers, ancient runes came alive as an intense aura of sorcery surrounded him, making his ethereal form grow fainter and fainter.

"Come on, don't hesitate! Open up your mind, and let's sign the contract!" Andrew urged urgently, his voice echoing through the surroundings. "Once we're done, I'll return to my world and summon you immediately to heal your wounds. We have no time to waste!"

The runes glowed brighter as Andrew continued to perform the required hand signs with increasing intensity. The air crackled with energy as he called upon the arcane powers of the universe to create the contract. His mind gradually became muddled as he pushed his spiritual body to its limits.

"Almost there!" Andrew exclaimed, his eyes flickering with excitement. "Just a little more, and we'll be done!"

Eventually, the runes pulsated with intense energy, illuminating the place with a blinding light. Andrew's spirits were flying high as he watched the arcane contract float towards the struggling raven before disappearing into its head. His excitement grew as he soon felt the close soul connection between him and the raven.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed. He was now determined to save the raven's life. After all, he had just acquired his first contractual beast and didn't want to lose it due to his negligence. "I'll return to my world and summon you immediately. We can treat your wounds then."

Andrew wasted no time ending the beast-contracting ritual, knowing the raven was on its last legs. As he blanked out for a moment, he suddenly found himself in the broad hall on the eighth floor of the pagoda.

Ignoring the pounding headache caused by his overconsumption of mentality, he immediately started chanting the summoning spell to call out his contractual beast for the first time ever.