Forsaken By The Gods, I Made A Contract With the Demon King

[The Dark Lord of the Endless Abyss says - "Accept it."]

['Shadow Self' is forcefully upgrading — 'Take the offer.']

Levi stared at both messages, speechless.

'These bastards...'

Since entering the sanctum, he had suffered alone, nearly dying several times. There had also been moments when he desperately needed help or just someone to talk to, but both his dark twin and the Demon King had remained silent. Now, they were suddenly speaking, urging him to accept the unreasonable offer from the massive blackbird, which was a supposed Goddess?

He would have liked to punch them both in the gut if he could, but since he couldn't, he swallowed his frustration and tried to think calmly.

The Demon King had spoken, despite claiming he couldn't communicate with Levi—this had to mean the offer from the goddess was something valuable. Even his dark twin, a being he barely understood, was now putting immense pressure on his mind, like someone was drilling into his skull.

Their reactions had to mean something. At the very least, it seemed like the goddess wasn't trying to scam him.

Levi glanced at the massive black bird. Its golden eyes were still locked on him with an intensity that made his skin crawl.

After a moment of internal struggle, Levi let out a resigned sigh.

"Fine. I'll hear you out. What exactly do you want me to do?"

The goddess's eyes glimmered, a hint of satisfaction flickering in her otherworldly gaze. Her voice echoed in Levi's mind once more, carrying the weight of eons.

"Listen well, Lost Child of Lunacy, for I shall tell you what must be done."

The sanctum itself seemed to darken with the black bird's words, the air growing thick with an ancient power as the goddess continued.

"These chains that bind me are no ordinary metals. They are divine locks, forged in the crucibles of the celestial realm. Five keys exist—each one to unlock a part of my bonds, and each key is guarded by a monster—monsters that were once my children."

Levi's brow furrowed.

"These five monsters reside in sanctums like this one. Their sole purpose is to keep me bound, and they have been doing so for centuries, perhaps millennia," she said, her words making Levi narrow his eyes.

"And you want me to defeat these monsters and collect the keys?" he asked, a bit sarcastic.

"Perceptive, little one," the goddess's voice held a note of amusement. "Indeed, that is your task. Defeat the guardians, claim the keys, and return to unbind me."

Levi's eyes narrowed further, suspicion creeping into his expression. It didn't seem like the goddess understood his concern - anyway, he decided to pry further.

"What kind of power do these monsters wield?" he asked, curious about the enemies he would face. But the answer that followed was not what he expected.

"I don't know," the goddess said, making Levi blink.

"You don't know...? You said they were your children." Levi repeated, his voice edged with disbelief.

"They were, once."

The Goddess said without blinking which made it harder for Levi to ask further.

"Alright... Leave that for now. You said what I'm seeing is an illusion. So, where are you really bound?"

"In a place beyond your understanding. You are too young to comprehend such things."

Once again, her answer was evasive and Levi was really getting frustrated.

"Where are these monsters? And why are you telling me all of this now?" Levi pressed, trying to keep his frustration in check.

The goddess's form flickered as if maintaining her presence in this illusion was exhausting her.

"The first awaits you on the next floor of this tower—where your path would have led had you not stumbled into this illusion I left behind."

"And the others?" Levi asked, his voice tense.

"They will reveal themselves when the time is right," the goddess replied cryptically. "The threads of fate will guide you, Lost Child."

Levi bit back a retort. More riddles, more cryptic words—it seemed gods were all the same, no matter their alignment.

"There's one more thing," the goddess added, her tone softening slightly. "I require only three keys. Three chains unbound, and I shall have the strength to break the rest myself."

Levi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Only three? Then why tell me about five?"

Though he couldn't read the expression on the bird's face, he could swear it was smiling.

"You will know," the goddess said and it didn't seem like she was willing to talk any further.

Levi paused, mulling over her words, weighing his options.

The request still reeked of danger and possible betrayal, but something inside him—perhaps the influence of his dark twin and the Demon King—pushed him toward accepting. He was already contracted with the Demon King, and though he could hide and survive for a while, it wasn't a long-term solution.

There were too many things that could go wrong. Not to mention the looming ten-year quest.

If he wanted to survive past those ten years, he had to find a way to create a demonic sanctuary, and that was definitely not something he could achieve any time soon. His only option was to grow stronger, to continue increasing his power

Levi knew that if he didn't take risks now, there would be greater dangers waiting for him in the future. So instead, he chose to face this challenge head-on.

"Alright," he said finally, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside. "I'll do it. I'll gather your keys."

The massive bird's form seemed to relax slightly, the golden chains around it shimmering in the dim light of the sanctum.

"Then our pact is sealed, Lost Child of Lunacy. Go forth!"

As the words resonated in the air, the providence spoke and the runes appeared.

[You have received a quest from the Forgotten Goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann.]

[The Quest of Keys.]

[Defeat the children of Tuatha Dé Danann who have been corrupted and lost their way. The Mother longs for the return of her children.]

[0/5]

[Rewards: Contract with the Forgotten Goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann.]

[Failure: The Ire of Gods.]

As Levi watched, the illusion of the goddess faded, leaving him once again in the desolate, empty land. A moment later, another message appeared before him.

[Do you want to enter the next floor?]

[Yes/No]

Levi gazed at the spot where the goddess had been one last time before selecting Yes.

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