LORD OF THE KARMIC FATE

Silence descended on the Forsaken Island and both Raven and Luna looked at Astra with confused looks.

And after what seemed several minutes, Raven broke the stillness.

"...A what?"

Blood Oath. That was a concept that Raven has never heard before and from the way, Luna looked at the black fox it seemed it was something new even for her.

And because both of them looked puzzled, Astra's somewhat cocky smile froze and one of her thin eyebrows rose.

"Wait... Don't tell me you don't know what a Blood Oath is?"

"I mean, is it something we should know about?" Raven asked, his confusion only growing by the second.

"Well, considering the time you and your kind had been growing, you or at least someone else should have already cleared a Crimson Gate where the reward was an Ancient Scroll, right?"

"Ancient Scroll?" Raven's face now became a little pained and wished to groan.

He had no idea what she was talking about even though he took the time to learn about all the new stuff the world discovered while he was trapped within that darkness.

Luckily, however, it seemed Luna this time understood what Astra was talking about hence she grabbed his sleeve and explained.

"Ancient Scrolls are similar to Blueprint Scrolls with the only difference that instead of weapons or armaments we get the ability to formulate and generate special consumables such as pills or potions."

"Well, that is not quite right." Astra spoke just before Luna could have continued, "Ancient Scroll teaches one not only how to make powerful and also useful consumables but also allows one to learn unique techniques, like the Blood Oath which is a Common Ancient Technique, hence it is almost the very first Ancient Scroll one could get."

"But it was not," Luna stated with confidence.

She knew no human gained such an Ancient Scroll or else she would have heard about it. After all, the Black Moon Guild's influence and power were by no means small and even if it was not them who obtained it from someone else, they would have at least heard about it in one way or another.

"...Is that so?"

Astra seemed hesitant to believe that, however, upon seeing those confident and unwavering purplish eyes she had no choice but believe it.

"Well..." Astra sighed helplessly and explained, "Long story short, with the Blood Oath you will be able to become my master and I won't be able to disobey any of your words."

"Such a thing actually exists?" Raven asked a little dumbfounded.

"You ask if such a thing can actually exist? In this universe, everything can exist until the Gods above desire so." Astra spoke with confidence before adding, "So I hope you now realize why I'm so confident that you won't win this bet."

Raven's face turned serious and his eyes narrowed to a slit.

"Well, we never know until we try."

"Human boy, I like your attitude, however, unfortunate, it is truly your loss this time." once Astra spoke those words she smiled arrogantly and said, "What I want is not something a mere mortal like you can obtain like those Relics or Rune Marks nor is it something that can be earned through hard work. It is..."

"Something only Gods possess, Celestial Blood."

And right after Astra started her words, a joyful giggle escaped her mouth, her tail wiggling with delight.

"Now you understand, human boy? You lost this bet the very moment you accept my offer. Now you have to do what I will s-, huh?"

Just as Astra was ready to mock Raven and tell him what he has to bring her, her face froze when she noticed how Raven was grinning at her as if he had gone insane!

"Why are you grinning like that?" Astra asked with a complicated face.

"Oh... Was I?" Raven coughed a little awkward before he turned serious and said, "Well, whatever. The thing is, I have won this bet."

"Eh? What did you say?"

"Was what I have just said not understandable? I said I have won this bet."

Astra remained silent and a few seconds later she burst out laughing that strangely enough was rather pleasant to listen to.

"You don't believe me, huh?" Raven sighed helplessly despite expecting such a reaction.

And exactly for that reason he grabbed his weapon and cut his finger, allowing blood to gush forth.

"R-Raven?!" Luna beside Raven became stupified when she saw Raven's act.

"It's okay. I will explain everything later." Raven showed a soft smile, reassuring his little sister everything was fine.

He was not surprised she looked dumbfounded and a little pale, after all, while it was true he told her many things, he didn't mention to her a thing about the baby from his vision being him.

'I hope she won't freak out when she learns the truth.'

Raven sighed and shifted his gaze back at Astra, who at this moment looked at him and his bleeding finger with eyes full of hesitation and confusion.

"What? Are you perhaps lied about wanting Celestial Blood and just wanted to trick me?"

"Huh? What? No! Of course, I didn't lie!"

"Then why are you so hesitant to try my blood? Come and taste it. It's not like it is poison, is it?"

Astra shut her mouth close when she saw Raven waving his finger softly from side to side, and after what seemed to be an entire minute she snorted coldly and stood up.

"Human, let me warn you this time. If you dare to play tricks I swear I will..."

"You don't have to worry, I'm not playing any tricks nor do I want to. Naturally, you will understand it once you taste my blood or whatever you do to see I am not lying."

"Hmph..."

Astra snorted once again and slowly approached Raven with her crimson eyes not leaving Raven's face even for a second. It seemed this time it was her who was cautious.

She only took her eyes off Raven's face and shifted her gaze at his finger when she was right before him, and after a little hesitation licked his bleeding finger.

And right at the very second... Astra's whole body shuddered before she lunged at Raven with eyes filled with blood thirst.

'Thought so...'

Expecting such a thing, Raven quickly activated his Void Domain and with Luna already in his hug, he teleported away.

Whoosh!

"What!?"

Luna looked dumbfounded by how fast they moved from one point to another, however, her shock quickly turned into fear when she saw that Astra, who was supposed to be several hundred meters away was right in front of them, her claws descending on Raven with terrifying speed.

'Interesting.'

Raven's eyes narrowed and without thinking he ordered his Celeste Blade's cloak to deflect Astra's assault.

Whoosh!

Clang!

The sharp sound of something sharp getting dragged over a metallic surface sounded the following second, and Raven could feel as if a large amount of his Mystique was consumed as the result.

'Not good.'

Quickly teleporting away using his Void Ring, dropping his total remaining Mystique below 100 points which was less than 10,000 units, Raven took out his Fortune's Coin and flipped it.

And a second later...

Cling!

With a soft sound, the small coin bounced on the grass two times before it remained still with its darker side visible on the top.

"Bingo!"

A smile formed on Raven's face and watched as the area around the coin was engulfed in purplish darkness, almost as if a few inches thick darkish mist lingered just a foot above the ground!

"This..."

Astra stopped moving when she felt how her strength dropped several Ranks and looked at the coin on the ground with narrowed eyes.

"That this is annoying."

"I know, that's why I like it." Raven smiled and even before Astra could have replied he vanished from his spot and appeared before Astra, his blade already next to her throat.

5 Ranks difference truly made a huge difference.

"Hmph! Arrogant as always." Astra snorted coldly and just before Raven's weapon could have sliced open her throat her body sunk into the shadows below her and appeared just outside of the domain's range.

"Now let's see how long you can keep that Artifact of yours functioning."

"Tsk... You are shameless."

"Shameless? No, that is not quite the right way to define me. I would better say I'm just smart." Astra grinned slyly.

"Is that so?" Raven smiled curiously and waved his blade, causing Astra to turn serious and jump to the side just a fraction of a second before the ground where she stood getting sliced by something invisible.

"That Relic... So it grants you such an ability, huh?" Astra narrowed her eyes at the ring on Raven's finger, greed flashing through her eyes for a split second before she turned serious once again and jumped to the side, barely avoiding getting split in two.