The campfire dimly illuminated their faces.
They stared at each other, letting the silence fill the space between their words.
A sharp chill ran down the young man's spine.
The secret of the fifth singularity had been revealed.
He turned his head slightly to confirm it. His belongings were there. The leather sack rested beside him, the symbols carved into its surface faintly blinking under the firelight.
She remained relaxed, curled comfortably against the tiger's fur, as if she weren't holding his life between her fingers.
"All of them are there," she said calmly.
"The purple one, level one.
The white one, level two.
The electric one, level three…"
She paused almost imperceptibly.
"And the one you were hiding. The green one with the reptilian eye."
The young man held his breath. He tried to keep his expression steady, but concern slipped through his features.
She offered a faint smile.
"That was a good lie. Every word of it. The detail about having four in the bag. That you'd trade three for your life, food, and protection. And that the fourth was your reward."
She gently shook her head.
"I really believed you. And if you hadn't fainted… I probably would have kept believing you."
The fire crackled between them.
"I even understood why you couldn't arrive empty-handed. That's why I didn't ask more questions."
Her eyes shone with a curiosity that wasn't entirely kind.
"Did you improvise it on the spot?"
The young man slowly exhaled the breath he had been holding.
The lie was exposed.
His weakness had betrayed him.
But something didn't add up.
She had fed him.
She had taken care of him.
She had found a safe place.
If her intention had been to kill him… he would already be dead.
He straightened his back with effort. His body still ached.
"Yes," he answered plainly.
He gathered his courage and looked her directly in the eyes.
"If you're going to kill me, you can do it."
The firelight reflected in his dark pupils, steady despite the fear.
"I don't regret deceiving you. I was protecting what is mine by right."
Silence returned.
It wasn't empty.
It was calculation.
The tiger opened one eye, attentive to the shift in the air.
She didn't respond immediately.
And that delay weighed more than any threat.
"Interesting," she finally said, with the hint of a smile.
She didn't seem angry.
She seemed to be evaluating him.
"Were you planning to give the electric singularity to Russet?"
The name landed heavily.
The young man took a moment before answering.
He knew he was still alive for a reason. Not because of compassion.
"No."
"I was going to give him the level two one—the one we traded as loot. I planned to sell the level one… and the two level three ones… I wanted to understand them first."
"Understand them?" she repeated, almost amused.
"Singularities aren't things you understand just by looking at them."
She nudged a piece of firewood with the tip of her boot.
"Each one demands something."
The young man held her gaze.
"Nothing in this world is free," she added. "And especially not a level three."
Silence stretched between them again.
He didn't look away.
"I'm willing to pay the price," he finally said. "To learn how to use them… and to survive. No matter what happens."
The woman's eyes gleamed again, this time with clearer interest.
"Willing to do anything?"
A spark leapt from the fire and vanished into the darkness.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Then I propose a deal. Your lies might be useful to me."
She paused briefly.
"But understand something. I won't repeat the offer."
The air seemed to grow heavier.
"When I finish speaking, you'll only have two options: help me… or die."
The young man's heart pounded hard, but he didn't break eye contact.
"What kind of deal?"
She stopped leaning against the tiger's fur and straightened slightly.
"There's a mission. It's personal."
She didn't explain further.
The young man waited.
She continued:
"I don't need a warrior. I need eyes. Ears. Someone who can go unnoticed. Someone who can lie without their voice trembling."
A faint smile crossed her face.
"Someone like you."
The fire crackled.
"What's the objective?" he asked.
She watched him for a few seconds, as if deciding how much she should reveal.
Then she let out a small nasal chuckle.
"The objective is sweet."
He frowned.
She tilted her head.
"Your boss."
The silence that followed was not brief.
It was heavy.
The tiger flicked its tail. A glowing ember collapsed into the fire.
The young man swallowed.
Before arriving in this world, his life had been a chain of disasters. Thief. Swindler. Smuggler. Anything to survive in streets that forgave no one.
But a killer… no.
He had never crossed that line.
He didn't kill without a reason he could hold with both hands.
Though now the reason was simple.
If he said no… there would be no tomorrow.
He lifted his gaze.
"I'll do it."
His voice was low, but steady.
"But how do I know you won't kill me once I'm no longer useful?"
She waved her hand dismissively.
"We'll make a contract."
The young man didn't blink.
She tilted her head slightly.
"But for that… you first need to become a Seeker."
The fire crackled.
"You need to assimilate at least one singularity."
The young man felt the weight of the air shift.
This wasn't just a deal.
It wasn't just an assassination.
It was a threshold.
The campfire burned between them, illuminating two silhouettes that were no longer negotiating from the same ground.
And for the first time since he arrived in this world…
he didn't know if he was accepting a pact to survive,
or if he had just willingly given himself to something far deeper.