After the Farewell Ritual with their families and the villagers was completed, the Chosen Pupils were taken in special government carriages and immediately brought to the Capital, which would become their new home.
Finally, the carriage arrived at the Capital.
Here, at the Capital, stands the Divine Government—the pinnacle of the nation's power and authority. The Capital serves as the home for the Anima Dei and government officials.
Soon after, the carriage stopped in front of an opulent building—the Divine Academy. After the welcoming ceremony for the Chosen Pupils, they were escorted to their respective dormitories.
Afterward, the old man Jack, Helix, and Beast took a moment to rest. Later that night, they gathered to discuss a fitting nickname for Beast.
"Alright, Beast, what should we call you?" Helix asked, looking at the Beast.
"Axie, how about that?" Helix suggested, noticing Beast's dissatisfied expression.
"Ohh, you don't like it huh?" Helix muttered, then continued, "Okay, how about... Bubbles? Gloop? Lotl?Axy?Oxo?"
Helix watched as Beast's face remained unimpressed.
"Heh, I give up. That's all I could come up with," Helix sighed.
"Hmmmm…ox... Oxo...Oxy, how about that?" said Jack, smiling. "It sounds cute, just like you."
"Pip, pip, pip!" Beast chirped excitedly.
"Oh, do you like that name?" Helix said with excitement.
"Oxy!!"
"Pip, pip, pip!"
"Ah, that's a perfect name for you!
Hey, Oxy!"
"Pip, pip, pip."
After registering Beast's nickname for the divine Contract Ritual, they all decided to rest. Tomorrow morning, they would head to the hall for the divine contract ritual.
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Chosen pupils Name: Jack Montgomery
Beast's Name: Oxy
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***
In the morning, The Chosen Pupils and their beasts were gathered in the hall of the building where The Divine Contract Ritual would take place. Most of the Chosen Pupils were teenagers, aged between 15 to 17, though there were a few exceptions.
A 9-year-old boy was among them, and a ghost of a young boy, accompanied by his beast, was seen floating in the air as he entered the room. And, of course, there was the 220-year-old Jack. Everyone entered the room and took their seats alongside their beasts.
The hall where the ritual would take place was vast, with semicircular rows of seats surrounding a grand stage, giving the space the grandeur of an ancient amphitheater. The seating was divided into four levels. On the ground floor sat the Chosen Pupils and their beasts, while the upper tiers were occupied by the members of the Ordo Militum Dei , who oversaw the divine contract ritual.
The Ordo Militum Dei is an official organization established by the government, composed of Anima Dei. They are tasked as the first line of defense against specialized attacks by creatures wielding divine energy.
As the Chosen Pupils took their seats, the emcee's powerful voice rang out from the grand stage.
"To the esteemed members of the Ordo Militum Dei, guardians of our Nation,
To the chosen pupils, brave souls who stand on the precipice of a new journey,
And to the majestic beasts, who have come to forge a bond with their destined partners.
Today, we gather not just to witness history, but to shape it."
The emcee continued to the next part of the event, "Before we move forward to the main event today, allow me to recount a tale—one you've likely heard many times, but permit me the privilege of sharing it once again."
'When the rifts between dimensions appeared and countless monstrous beings emerged, bringing nothing but suffering and death to the Earth, humanity found itself on the brink of annihilation. It was in this darkest hour that a hero arose—a hero who brought with him a discovery so profound, it would change the course of our existence. This discovery is the very lifeblood of our survival—what we now call the Contract System."
"To all The Chosen Pupils and members of the Ordo Militum Dei, I ask you to honor and welcome the descendants of the creators—those who have safeguarded the sacred bond between beasts and humans for generations."
"Mr. Kaelmir Oathen Dunham."
Clap… clap… clap.
The echo of hundreds of clapping hands filled the hall...
"Thank you, thank you, everyone," said Mr. Dunham, " My family - particularly my great grandfather - has long been revered in our history. And rightly so." He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle. "As the creator of the sacred contract system, he's often credited with the very existence of this nation. Many say that without him, humanity would have perished long ago under the savage might of the monstrous."
His gaze swept across the assembled chosen pupils. "While my ancestor's contribution was indeed vital, I must speak another truth tonight. Without humans willing to sacrifice their very bodies, their energy, their times to this calling... without souls brave enough to stand against the monstrous tide... even the greatest contract would be nothing."
"You," Mr. Dunham said, pointing to the crowd, "It is because of your sacrifices, your courage, that this contract system has become the shield of our nation."
He placed a hand over his heart. "The hopes of every Orynthal villager rest on your shoulders.
With the help of the contract system, which merges the bravery of humans and the strength of beasts, let us forge warriors of the nation, bringers of peace, humanity's best shield."
Mr. Dunham took a deep breath and raised his voice, " And so, let the Divine Contract Ritual begin."
Thunderous applause once again filled the room, marking the beginning of the Divine Contract Ritual.
Then, one by one, The Chosen Pupils will step onto the stage to officially seal their bond with the beasts.
This sacred bond will lead The Chosen Pupils to embark on their new destinies as Anima Dei. Humans whose souls have merged with the power of God.
"Very well, let us begin. I will now call the names of the chosen pupils. When your name is called, please proceed to the stage and take your place at the designated spot.
First, we call upon:
Astrex Bloodhunter
Born in the year 176 AE
16 years old
Hailing from the renowned village of skilled hunters, Venatoris Village.
A devout follower of the God Artorius
At the Fangrove Temple
Blessed with a beast named Hein."
A young boy with a serious expression and a face full of scars stepped forward. Behind him, a beast could be seen hiding with nervous and anxious expression—a hyena-like creature, its spotted body replaced by mechanical augmentation that sparked with bursts of fire.
"Before the ritual begins, I respectfully invite the Soulmancers to come up to the stage," said the emcee.
They were the Divine Contract officers, half-human, half-divine beings, They were the ones entrusted with carrying out the sacred contract ritual.
In the first stage of the ceremony, the Soulmancer approached the chosen pupil, Astrex, and his beast, Hein. Then, the Soulmancers extended their two additional hands, which were used solely for divine matters.These hands gently pressed against the bodies of both Astrex and Hein. After a brief moment, the hands withdrew, or what was called the living scroll.
The Living Scroll of the chosen human holds their entire life story, from childhood up to the present day.
The life scroll for the beast outlines the creature's powers and the terms of their contract.
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Beast's elemental power: Armament Transmutation
Contract condition: The user is forbidden from using their power in moments of anger.
Negative effects of the contract: The beast feeds off the user's emotions, gradually stripping the user of all emotional capacity.
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Every beast born from the gods comes with its own set of contract terms and effects, each one unique and diverse. Some demand peculiar and even humorous requirements, while others impose heavy burdens on the beastmasters. In some cases, the terms and effects can be so dangerous that the risks far exceed the power granted by the beast itself, creating an uneven balance between the risks and rewards of the bond.
The Soulmancer then presented the terms of the contract to the chosen pupils. Once done, he asked, "the chosen pupils, Astrex Bloodhunter, do you accept the terms of the beast contract that will bind you for as long as you wield the beast's power?"
The chosen pupil raised his voice and responded, "I, Astrex Bloodhunter, fully accept all the terms of this contract."
In reality, the chosen pupils had little choice but to accept the contract, regardless of its terms. Imagine refusing the contract and sending the beast back to its God's... What would the villagers and your family think of you? They had worked so hard, sacrificing so much to offer their devotion, hoping to be granted a beast. And yet, you would refuse it... The thought of the disappointment and shame they would feel was enough to make the chosen pupils feel compelled to accept whatever conditions the contract demanded, even if it meant destroying their own body.
Afterward, the Soulmancers combined the life scrolls of the chosen pupil and the beast, fusing them into a single sheet of paper. This paper became the contract between the chosen pupils and their beast.
The contract was then duplicated. One of the copies was then integrated with an interface system that connected directly to the Divine Government.
The Soulmancer carefully embedded the contract paper into the bodies of both the beast and the chosen pupil. The paper with the interface options was placed into the chosen pupil's body. With this, the chosen pupils and the beast were officially connected through a sacred bond.
The ceremony then progressed to the next stage. Four Soulmancer encircled the beast, Hein, and transformed it into a sphere of pure energy. They carefully transferred this energy into the body of the chosen pupils. As the energy settled within him, Astrex would feel it like a new organ within his body, one he could control as easily as moving his arms and legs.
"Try to summon your beast," whispered a Soulmancer to Astrex. "Feel the energy of your beast and call it forth."
Astrex, closed his eyes in concentration. Gradually, he became aware of a foreign energy stirring inside him, like an ancient force ready to awaken. Slowly, he began to guide it, then a light erupted from his body, swirling and pulsing, before it solidified into the form of his beast, Hein, now standing before him.
The emcee stepped forward, his voice resonating through the hall as he proudly announced:
"Astrex Bloodhunter, Through the divine contract ritual, he has now bound himself to Hein the beast of God Artorius, possessing the elemental ability: Armament Transmutation .
With a louder voice, the emcee announced,
"Let us welcome the future protector and savior of the Nation, hailing from the Hunter's Village, the new Anima Dei, Astrex Bloodhunter!!!"
The crowd erupted in applause, led by the Anima Dei from the Hunter's Village. They stood proudly, clapping their hands, filled with immense pride as they witnessed their fellow villager rise to become an Anima Dei.