Moltenclaw

Borne suddenly coughed, his eyes snapping open as he sat up, realizing he was no longer in that dangerous forest.

Instead, he found himself back in the familiar landscape of his mental world—on the calm surface of the sea.

The surroundings were as peaceful as ever.

The sea was like a mirror, the sky free of clouds, and the warm sunlight fell gently on him, creating a sense of tranquility as though he were in another world.

This place always brought him an odd sense of comfort, but this time, something was different.

His eyes scanned the horizon and soon noticed something unusual.

Not far away, the familiar figure of the young boy stood, but this time, he wasn't alone.

Beside the boy was another figure.

A tall woman.

One short, one tall.

The woman was tall and lean, with a strong physique, her black short hair messily hanging by her ears.

Her expression was cold.

Borne felt unsure of how to react.

He frowned, recalling the injured woman he had encountered in the waterfall cave not long ago, and couldn't help but ask, "Are you the woman who was lying in the cave?"

The woman's gaze remained cold. "Yes, that was me."

Borne's frown deepened, and he shifted his gaze from the woman to the boy.

"Did you bring her here, into my mental world?" 

His voice carried a hint of accusation.

The boy looked up and smiled innocently, surprisingly offering a compliment.

"Looks like you've got some brains after all."

Hearing this, Borne felt like he was being pulled into a storm he couldn't control.

"Why? Why did you bring her here?"

Borne pressed on, trying to grasp the situation.

The boy shrugged nonchalantly, his tone still carefree.

"She's important to you. Without her, you'd already be dead, torn apart by that mother bear."

The confusion in Borne's eyes deepened, but before he could say anything, the boy interrupted him.

"Enough talking. Just come over here."

The boy's voice was filled with an undeniable command.

Then, the boy turned toward the woman beside him, speaking calmly, "You know what to do, don't you? I don't need to say it again."

The woman took a deep breath, her face showing a hint of reluctance, but she didn't argue.

Slowly, she knelt on one knee, her eyes filled with resignation.

She looked coldly at Borne, her voice icy.

"Come here. Do as I say."

Borne had no idea what was happening.

Despite his confusion, he eventually chose to walk forward cautiously.

The boy spoke again from the side.

"Bite your finger, then use your blood to write your name on her forehead."

Borne hesitated but complied.

He bit his finger, feeling a sharp sting as a bead of crimson blood formed on his fingertip.

He raised his hand, bringing his finger closer to the woman's forehead.

Although she remained expressionless, her cold demeanor unchanged, she didn't resist.

Borne's finger moved across her forehead, carefully writing his name.

As he completed the final stroke, the woman's body trembled slightly.

"Well done," the boy said with satisfaction.

The woman raised her head, her gaze meeting Borne's, and her eyes were filled with resentment.

She spoke coldly, her voice still icy.

"Now, it's my turn."

She stood up slowly, towering over Borne as she grasped his shoulder.

She bit her finger gently, letting the blood drip onto the ground.

Then, with the same movements, she wrote her name on Borne's forehead.

Borne's heart raced, and his forehead throbbed from the stinging sensation.

In that moment, he felt an intense connection between them.

"Moltenclaw…"

Borne silently mouthed her name.

It was as if, from this moment on, their fates were bound together by an unbreakable force.

Moltenclaw now knew that the boy in front of her was named Borne.

"Alright, from now on, the two of you are bound by a contract,"

the boy said, his voice carrying a hint of smugness.

"Unless one of you dies of natural causes, your lives are tied together.

If you die, he dies too; if she dies, you'll join her."

The boy grinned with satisfaction.

"You… Why didn't you tell me?"

Borne's voice shook with alarm, his gaze fixed on the boy, cold sweat running down his back.

The boy shrugged, his innocent smile still on his face, as if completely unfazed by Borne's reaction.

"Even if I told you, what difference would it make?

You'd still have to do it.

Your choices are far fewer than you think."

Moltenclaw then spoke up coldly, her voice like ice.

"Complaining won't change anything.

Since we've signed the contract, our fates are sealed. You'd better get used to it."

Borne clenched his fists, rage churning within him, making it difficult to stay calm.

Just as he struggled to comprehend the situation, the boy's childish voice cut through the tension again, casual and almost playful, as if announcing a simple fact.

"Alright, now that the two of you are bound, I guess it's time for me to introduce myself."

The boy smiled, his youthful face showing a hint of mischief.

"My name is Aquafan. Just like you, I've also signed a contract, but my contract is with Raphael."

Borne blinked in surprise, turning to Aquafan as more questions filled his mind.

"Father Raphael?

You've got a contract with him too?"

Aquafan nodded, his grin widening.

"Yeah, I signed my contract with Raphael willingly."

In that moment, a series of thoughts flashed through Borne's mind like lightning, and he began to understand.

He looked at Aquafan, realizing that the innocent smile on the boy's face hid a carefully orchestrated plan.

From meeting Moltenclaw to signing the contract—it was all likely part of a bigger scheme.

And the mastermind behind it all might be Father Raphael.

Why would Father Raphael have me sign a contract with this dangerous woman?

Borne's heart pounded in his chest as a chill ran down his spine.

He turned to look at Moltenclaw, the strong and cold woman whose power was undeniable, and now their fates were inextricably linked.

The thought that if she died, he would die too filled Borne with uncontrollable anxiety.

"So, all of this… was Father Raphael's doing, wasn't it?"

Borne's voice trembled with fear.

Aquafan smiled slyly, his eyes gleaming with cunning.

"Smart brat. I'm just following his orders."

Borne's heart raced, his fists clenched tightly as the uncertainty of his fate overwhelmed him.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but his voice still wavered with fear.

"I'm just a soldier.

Why drag me into all of this?"

Aquafan spread his hands, his expression playful.

"You really think you're just a regular soldier?"

That statement hit Borne like a hammer.

He stood there, stunned, as a whirlwind of emotions swirled in his mind.

All his life, he had believed he was nothing more than an ordinary person, a soldier.

Despite the hardships he had faced, he never saw himself as special.

Moltenclaw then interjected coldly, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.

"You don't need to understand.

All you need to know is that our fates are now tied together. You live, I live; you die, I die with you."

Aquafan watched them, his familiar smile never fading.

Borne felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.