CHAPTER 3: The deal with a witch

"What?! both of the egos escaped?" a booming voice exploded full of fury. A man in his forties with scars all over his face and a body similar to a bear, adorned with shimmering golden armor can be seen.

His hands trembling with anger. The red knight and the priest can only shake in terror. They didn't even lift their heads in fear that they will be killed.

"D-don't worry Sir Leonard. They are only both level ones" the red knight meeked but Leonard didn't speak. His eyes glaring at the red knight. The red knight can feel something drilling his head as he grunts in pain but he can only endure it painfully.

"The portal can only take them as far as 10km since the level one ego has low mana. The both of them can only teleport to the forest of the damn to avoid any people" the priest suggested with his head near to the ground as he bowed deeply.

"I see. Take a platoon and go to the forest of the damn. If the both of you failed to capture them-Leonard released his immense bloodlust that the red knight and the priest falls to the ground shaking and having a hard time breathing as they sweat profusely.

"Don't ever coming back if you fear death" The red knight and the priest nodded like a worm pressed to the ground.

Meanwhile in the forest, Isaac, and Kyle started walking slowly since Isaac still has the wound on his thigh so to avoid further injuring it, he was slowly walking while Kyle has no mana so he was feeling lethargic and tired.

"So where do we go?" Isaac asked

"We walk deeper to the forest, i'm sure that goldie bald has released some of his dogs to hunt us~"

"No, i mean isn't the deeper the forest, the more dangerous it is" Isaac was confused but he can only follow since he's pretty sure that Kyle wouldn't harm himself. Besides, he doesn't know where he is and there's a chance that he might encounter the knights if he walks randomly.

"Don't worry, i have a plan~"

For a couple of hours, both of them keep on walking deeper into the forest. Luckily, they didn't find any animals or monsters inside the forest and has been eerily quiet. There are no winds or the rustling of leaves. The forest is quiet and both of them are in the deepest part of the forest that the leaves of the trees have blocked the sunlight.

It's very dark that Isaac can only see a couple of meters ahead of him. He is holding his katana and in full alert. He keeps on looking around before gazing at Kyle's back. Kyle seems confident about where he is going but Isaac can't help but be alert to any monsters that might attack him.

"Don't be so stiff, it's safe~" he looks at Isaac with his closed eyes and smiled.

"as long as you are with me" he continued mysteriously before walking forward. Isaac still didn't trust him and he's sure that Kyle has a lot of secrets that he hides. Even though he just arrived in this world, oddly enough he seems to know what is gonna happen and where he should go.

Isaac gripped the katana that he is holding harder while gazing around the surroundings. He has a lot of questions that need to be answered but he can wait until he is sure that he is in a safe location. In a chance that Kyle might attack Isaac or kill him.

Isaac started practicing his skills secretly using the blood from his thigh wound with his hand on his back. He experimented countless times. He shaped it into a ball and tried throwing it to the ground only to burst so he manipulated it to come back in his hands. It seems that he can control the speed and the movement of the blood quite easily but given its only a few drops.

It might be not the same in larger quantities. Despite that, he continued to no avail as the blood is indeed thicker than water but it is still liquid. He can't deal any damage by splashing his enemy with blood.

It might work if he tosses it to the eyes of his enemy to temporarily blind them but it might not even hit the eyes since it's a small target.

Suddenly, he got an idea. He tried to compress the blood to form a sharp spike only to fail and instead he created a small red ball. He continued for hours and hours while gazing around the forest. After hours of trials and error, he finally created a sharp spike only to crumble to the ground once he throws it.

He sighed but at least he got some experience from it. The leveling system is different from the games he played. Instead of gaining experience when fighting and killing monsters, he can gain it by controlling and manipulating the blood particles in an effort to create something viable in a battle. It seems that improving his skills gives him experience. Skills:

Pain Resistance (SS)

Blood Manipulation (E-)

Blood Regeneration (F+)

Blood Control (F+)

Blood Magic Creation (F+)

Still, he was not satisfied. He can barely make a spike made of blood and it just crumbles when used. He continued without giving up but suddenly Kyle stopped walking. Isaac jumped back while putting the katana in front of his chest with his right hand while hiding a sticky blood in his back to hopefully blind Kyle if he attacks. His eyes gleam with bloodlust.

"Relax will you, i won't hurt you. We just arrived~"

"hmmm" Isaac contemplated but he didn't put down his weapon.

"Geez, what happened to you in that illusion" Kyle scratched the back of his head while tilting his head and surveying Isaac. Seeing that Isaac has no plans on lowering his guard, Kyle can only sigh before looking forward. Since he is holding his spear in his left hand, Kyle stretched his right hand and opened his palm.

"May the witch of calamity grace us her presence" he opened his mouth.

Suddenly the forest seems to contort and distort around. The tress started stretching and bending while the ground started changing from brown soil to white tiles.

He looked around to see himself in a white mansion full of portraits of a black-haired woman with a smirk on her face. The portraits ranged from a black-haired child to a frail black-haired old woman with the same expression. Eerily, all of them look the same person. Isaac shakes his head while surveying the area. A red carpet is laid down in the center of the hallway.

"Otherworlders?" a woman's voice can be heard from all around the mansion. Her tone peak for a bit as she seems to be excited. Isaac doesn't have a clue on what's happening, and fighting someone is out of his capabilities since he is only a level one, and given her nickname, Isaac can assume that she is really powerful. If this lady has any ill intents then Isaac can't do anything about it. He hated this kind of predicament, being forced because he doesn't have the strength to stop them. This is why he continued practicing and improving his blood magic little by little in hopes to be useful in the future.

For now, he can only grit his teeth and ready himself. "Yes, your highness" Kyle suddenly falls to one knee and bowed in front of no one. Seeing this, Isaac followed like the follower that he is. He doesn't have any information about this world so he can only follow and trust his companion.

"Oooh, so you know my secret" she sounded happy. Kyle stands up while gazing at the portrait on the right side of his. Isaac surveyed the portrait to see a young lady in her mid-twenties smirking beautifully in a ponytail wearing a black gown and black stockings reaching to her knees while holding a glass full of red wine and sitting at the throne made of bones of what seems to be human. Isaac has a bad feeling about this but he can't run away since he's sure that he will be trap in an illusion. He didn't even notice that he was in an illusion and he thought he was still in the forest.

"So i'm sure you didn't come here to entertain me" the woman said with a humorous tone.

"I wish to make a deal" Kyle said confidently and without fear.

"Deal? this witch has more artifacts and treasures than the majority of kingdoms but i'll humor you. Let me hear this deal of yours" the witch sneered. Her voice oozes with sarcasm and snide but Kyle was unfazed by this with his ever smiling expression and closed eyes.

"Pearl of purity. I know where it is" Immense bloodlust and pressure emanated all around the mansion as Isaac grits his teeth while Kyle remains calm.

"Boy, your jokes are not entertaining" the witch spoke full of contempt and annoyance.

"I'm not joking, hide and protect the two of us for a year and i'll tell you where you can find it" Kyle replied

"Oh, and what if you are lying?"

"You can easily kill us"

"I'm not wasting a year, tell me now or i'll kill you and forcefully remove your memories" the witch threatened.

"You're spell won't work on us since when we die, the egos of our weapons will consume our memories. You should know that" Kyle explained while the witch clicked her tongue in annoyance which echoed through the hallway.

"You are merely a chick, basically a newborn. A frail baby but how do you know an artifact that even some of the kings of this world didn't even know existed. You have the audacity to lie to me, i'll give you that" the witch replied

Kyle sighed, it seems that he doesn't want to divulge any information but he was forced to give something to make himself worthy of trust. Meanwhile, Isaac is just listening to them speak and he was more confused than ever before.

How does Kyle know such knowledge when the both of them just arrived in this world. It's impossible to know this while living on the earth since there is no information or rumors of a new world. The topic of a world governed by magic and mythical beings is merely a fantasy that every teenager wishes to be real. Isaac's eyes surveyed Kyle before returning most of his focus on training and perfecting the blood spike that might be helpful in the future. This is the only thing he can do at the moment, his eyes gleam with bloodlust from remembering the torture that he suffered as he burned the faces of the priests and the armor of the red knight inside his mind to never forget his vengeance.

Kyle notices Isaac's bloodlust but he ignored it with a shrug and instead he focuses if he divulges more information but as he can see, the witch will be doubtful if there are no concrete evidence or information worthy enough for the deal.

"Then you can ask me any question" Kyle said

"How do you know where the pearl of purity is?" the witch replied

"I can see the future so it's a given" Kyle shrugged

"Oh, then tell me when will i die?" the witch said amusingly

"Hmm, 10 years from now" the witch bellowed in laughter before calming herself

"Oh, how will i die then?"

"By the hand of the blood emperor"

"Blood emperor? i have never heard of such title"

"He is still an unknown person right now"

"Say, is he besides you" the witch chuckled as she materialized behind Isaac while gripping his hand on his back and nape. Her black hair flowed to the wind and a beautiful smile appeared on her face but her eyes gleam with killing intent.

"How can you say that" Kyle tilted his head with narrowed eyes and furrowed brow. The witch releases Isaac with a push that Isaac nearly face-planted to the white tiles. Kyle nearly burst from laughing but he stopped himself by coughing awkwardly. The witch rolls her eyes before disappearing once again. Isaac pushed himself off the tiles before standing up, his gaze lingered on Kyle for a bit before he dusted himself off. He didn't care anymore if he was humiliated as long as he can survive. You can always take revenge as long as you live.

"Say, if she doesn't want the information. Why should we give it to her?" Isaac blurted out that nearly shock Kyle.

"What?!"

"No, i'm willing to- Kyle said but he was cut off mid-sentence by Isaac

"If you really want to know where the pearl of purity is, then just take it. Oh what is that? you don't know where it is? Shame really, if only someone knows where it is." Isaac sneered while Kyle was wide-eyed by his words. He hurriedly grabbed Isaac.

"Idiot, if she's angry. We'll die" Kyle whispered nervously

"She doesn't have a choice if it's valuable for her and we have the information, we should be the one demanding" Isaac whispered back with a smile

"Sorry, my friend is ju- once again, Kyle was cut off while talking by the witch.

"I see. I'll make a contract and you can just sign it" she said coldly with a lack of anger or any emotions.

Suddenly, a yellow parchment made of unknown leather floated in front of them. Isaac didn't understand what is written but Kyle broke into a cold sweat.

"Your highness, what do you mean by this. In a year, both of you will serve under the witch and all of her orders must adhere without fail"

"what? oh, that. It's nothing, just sign it" her voice full of charm and friendliness. Kyle sighed before writing in the parchment. The parchment disappeared before appearing again.

"Hmm, fine" the witch grunted like she was giving a discount shirt to a homeless person. Kyle reads it again before touching the parchment, he nods to Isaac, and Isaac followed him and touched the parchment. Once both of them touched the parchment, it combusted into flames before a residue of ash falls to the tiles.

"With this, we're safe for the time being" Kyle raised his hand for a high five but Isaac just nodded which prompted him to clap himself awkwardly but a smile grew on his face.