Najenda, Akame, Mine, Leone.
The four women stared at the floating familiar contracts, silent.
But for Hill, whose hollow heart had been filled by Alistair, she was already his most devout follower.
Without hesitation, she took the contract, bit her finger, and signed it with a bloody handprint.
In an instant, the contract turned into a stream of light, merging into her body.
"Hmm~~~"
Hill let out a muffled groan.
A dark light enveloped her.
Her hidden injuries healed.
Her body restored.
Her essence elevated.
Her life transformed.
Undeniably, though Alistair had only recently ascended as the God of Darkness, his divine rank—666—was absolute.
For a mortal like Hill, signing the familiar contract brought a comprehensive evolution, from life to essence.
To be precise, Persephone, Pandora, and Ker would all grow stronger as Alistair did.
Though they were gods, their divine rank paled compared to his. It would take his further ascent to fully manifest their potential.
"Hill!" The other four women watched anxiously as the dark light enveloped her.
But as it faded, Hill emerged.
Outwardly, she seemed unchanged.
Yet anyone with sense could tell—she was different.
"Your Majesty!" Hill stepped forward, bowing before Alistair. When he raised his hand, she took her place behind him, clutching her Teigu, waiting for her comrades' decisions.
The four exchanged glances.
Finally, they made their choice.
There was no need for this being to deceive them.
Najenda, Akame, Leone, Mine.
One by one, they signed the contracts.
As they did, Akame, Leone, and Mine underwent changes similar to Hill's—hidden injuries healed, their life essence elevated.
Najenda's transformation was the most dramatic.
As the light faded, her short silver hair grew long again.
Her right eye and arm regenerated.
Her weathered skin became smooth and youthful.
It was as if she'd returned to her prime at eighteen or nineteen, utterly transformed.
"Huu~~~" Najenda exhaled deeply, raising her right hand and clenching it into a fist. The moment she signed the contract, she understood everything.
But seeing her arm restored—that feeling was something only those who'd lost something could cherish.
Alistair smiled. "Let's go. Now, we just wait."
Najenda hesitated briefly, then stepped forward and bowed. "Your Majesty, may I...?"
Alistair considered, then said, "Yes, I grant your request."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Najenda knelt on one knee. "I will give everything for you."
"Then tonight, you'll attend to me."
Alistair stated his condition, then headed toward Night Raid's base.
Najenda replied respectfully, "As you command, Your Majesty!"
As a familiar, if you made a request, you offered yourself.
"Hehehe~~~"
Alistair and Persephone walked ahead.
Persephone chuckled softly, teasing, "Dust, you're quite the gentle God of Darkness."
"Gentle?" Alistair paused, then waved it off. "Not really. I was once human. As the God of Darkness, I command darkness, not the other way around. For my familiars, small requests are fine."
Persephone smiled, saying no more.
At that moment, Ker returned, holding a radiant orb of starlight in her hand.
Alistair took it, and it transformed into a sparkling nail.
He continued, "Ker, deal with Lubbock and Brand. Retrieve their Teigu, extract their world power, and erase their memories."
"As you command, Your Majesty!" Ker bowed and departed again, showing no signs of fatigue.
Alistair toyed with the nail, formed from Tatsumi's essence, and said with interest, "Persephone, your idea is solid. Using Children or Daughters of Destiny as anchors to bind and consume the entire world into the Underworld."
"Dust, a world left scattered is inefficient," Persephone said, smiling. "This method maximizes a world's value."
"And it strengthens the Underworld further."
She was clearly pleased with her proposal.
"Hmm..." Alistair mused, then asked, "Persephone, are you planning to incorporate this world into your divine kingdom?"
Persephone tapped her lips, considering. "I've thought about it."
"After all, I'm the Lord of the Underworld now."
Alistair nodded. "It's fitting. Could we restructure the Underworld like a Box Garden?"
"Hmm~~~"
He began pondering the feasibility of his idea.
***
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