Soul Devourer Chapter 7 Episode 36 — A Soul's Oath to Raise Their Strength
“Would you mind listening to what I have to say for a moment?”
The three of them looked up at the same time and turned their eyes toward me.
“Oh, have we been talking for too long? By all means, we'd love to hear what you have to say, Hunter Matsubara.”
Suzuki Tensei, the Clanmaster of〈King of Sword〉, answered on behalf of the group.
“With the appearance of the new SS-Rank Dungeon, the difficulty has increased accordingly. However, the Hunter superpowers will inevitably raise their overall level even further.”
“...That's true.”
Karen Miura, the Clanmaster of〈Ifrit Legion〉, nodded quietly.
“At the same time, the gap between weaker nations and the hunter superpowers will widen even further. Even now, I'm still the only hunter in Japan capable of solo clearing an S-Rank Dungeon. Compared to other countries, our growth has fallen behind.”
“...Yes.”
Honoka Kikuchi, the Clanmaster of〈Valkyries of Restoration〉, gave a small nod without lifting her head. She bit her lip tightly.
“The reasons are the small Hunter population, the limited number of S-Rank Dungeons, the low proportion of Unique Skill holders... To be honest, most of those are things we can't overcome through our own efforts.”
“ “ “...” ” ”
Even so, because the three of them had steadily built themselves up all this time, they accepted my words with heavy expressions.
“It's true that I became this strong largely thanks to my Unique Skills. But without the dungeon information my seniors gathered while risking their lives, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“I think you're being far too modest... What you've achieved is the result of your own hard work.”
“I'm happy to hear you say that. But... no matter how strong I become, there's still a limit. If Stampedes were to break out all over the country at the same time, or if another nation launched a military invasion, I alone couldn't protect every citizen.”
“...The same is true for us S-Rank Hunters.”
“That's exactly why I want to help raise the strength of the three of you.”
“Raise our strength...?”
“I'll take the three of you into the SS-Rank Dungeon and power level you. The goal is Level 150.”
“Wait a minute. You mean... you intend to carry us there yourself?”
“That's right. I understand the desire to become stronger through your own efforts. But we're no longer in a situation where we can afford to insist on that. As harsh as it may sound, that's my conclusion.”
“ “ “...” ” ”
“If Japan is going to keep pace with the other nations, we need to increase the speed of our growth. That said, all I can do is help you level up.
…
What comes after that... gaining combat experience, refining your techniques, and training your own clan members... those are things each of you will have to do yourselves. Becoming stronger isn't the end.”
“I see. You'll give us the minimum assistance needed to stand on the same stage, but how we improve from there is up to us.”
“Exactly. And... this isn't mandatory. If you still want to do everything through your own strength, I'll respect that decision.”
“ “ “...” ” ”
The one speaking so confidently was me, yet despite possessing enough power to destroy an entire nation, I still didn't have the ability to protect my own country without casualties.
That's why I, too, had to keep growing stronger.
After a long silence, the three of them finally raised their heads.
“I'll accept your help.”
“So will I.”
“I will too.”
“Thank you. In that case, I'd like us to enter into a『Soul's Oath』to guarantee that I'll fulfill my promise.”
“A『Soul's Oath』...?”
“It's a vow formed through a Contract-type Divine Artifact I possess. Once the oath is made, its fulfillment becomes absolute, and neither betrayal nor deception between the parties is possible.”
“A Divine Artifact like that exists...? I have no objections.”
“ “(Nod)” ”
After confirming the agreement of all three, I activated《Soul Covenant Sigil》.
“『Soul's Oath』
…
『Clause I: Yuito Matsubara shall fulfill his promise to raise the strength of Suzuki Tensei, Karen Miura, and Honoka Kikuchi』.
…
『Clause II: Suzuki Tensei, Karen Miura, and Honoka Kikuchi shall never use the power they obtain for evil』
…
These shall be the terms of our Soul's Oath.”
As soon as the declaration ended, the left side of everyone's chest glowed with a faint light.
“With that, the『Soul's Oath』has been engraved upon all of our souls. As for the second clause, I included it as a safeguard. When people gain power, they sometimes change without even realizing it. I hope you'll understand.”
“I have no problem with that.”
“Then let's exchange contact information. I'll be returning to America after this, but I'll need a way to contact you when it's time for your power leveling.”
“Understood.”
And so, I exchanged contact information with all three of them.
It was true that I needed a way to stay in touch...
But I couldn't honestly say there wasn't a selfish part of me that wanted Karen's and Honoka's phone numbers.
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E/N:
Once a dog, always a dawg! 🤣
Stay tuned!
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