After the successful inauguration of the first contract, the other chosen pupils were called one by one to step onto the stage.
Nyara Thornwood,
From Virethia, the Dense Forest village.
Worships the God sylvaris
With her beast, Sproutie.
Gale Windsong,
From Kathryn, the Wind village.
Worships the god Aeros
With her beast, Zephy.
Felix Mimeo,
From Clownora, the Art village.
Worships the God Harlequus
With his beast, Micus.
Shade Morgirm,
From Cemeteryn, the Dark village.
Worships the God Nux
With his beast, casper.
Agnar Hellburn
From Pyrovia, center of fire village.
Worships the God Aghnitar
With his beast Ember
Clap… Clap… Clap.
The sound of applause grew louder, and all attention in the room shifted toward the student.
"Hellburn..." The name spread like wildfire through the room, whispered from one stunned chosen pupils to another.
"Are we really training with someone from the Hellburn bloodline this year?"
"You mean Hellburn? The legendary Anima Dei family?"
"Yeah. Anyone carrying that name is fated to become the strongest of their era. It's practically tradition."
"Look at his beast... Wait—am I seeing things, or is that a legendary-class Beast?"
"You're not wrong. That's the strongest fire-type ever recorded. They say even at level one, it can take down most level two beasts."
Well, there go our chances of being the top Anima Dei student this year, I mean what the heck, he was even bonded with a legendary beast.
The whispers grew louder, curiosity turning to awe. Eyes locked onto him from every corner of the room.
Agnar strode confidently to the podium, chin held high, clearly savoring every whispered word.
Finally, it was Jack's turn to perform The Divine Contract ritual.
"Jack Montgomery
Born in 2010 AD / 15 PA
220 years old
From the biomara , Village of Life
A devout follower of God Cellaris
At Morphogen temple
Blessed With a beast named Oxy.
"Please step onto the stage and stand in the designated spot."
As Helix pushed the old man Jack's wheelchair onto the stage, whispers could be heard among the other chosen students.
"Wow, look at that new Anima. Isn't he way too old to become an Anima Dei?" whispered one of the students.
"How foolish he must be, struggling for so long just to get a contract with the beast. "He's pushing himself too hard."
There was this foolish idea spread among the divine pupils: the younger someone was when chosen, the more of a genius they were considered to be. Conversely, the older someone was, the more they were seen as foolish because it took them decades to satisfy the beast.
We can't really blame the divine pupils if such an idea arose, as from a young age, they were always made to compete over who was the best among them. When the youngest among the divine pupils became the chosen one, it meant they were a true genius, surpassing even those older than them. Over time, the belief formed: the younger someone was when chosen as a chosen pupil, the more of a genius they were, and the prouder their family would be. This idea often forced divine pupils to stop pursuing their path as chosen ones if they are not selected by the age of 19. Some even quit when they are not chosen at 17 or 18, in order to avoid further humiliation later on, also because this foolish idea makes them feel talentless if they are not chosen at a younger age.
Not to mention, this idea places immense pressure on the younger chosen pupils. They would face much higher expectations than the others. At such a young age, they are not yet mentally mature enough to handle such immense pressure. The overly young chosen students will truly be tested mentally.
Yet, it truly is a foolish idea, especially considering that each beast chooses its master based on different criteria—some seek a young master, while others desire one in a specific condition.
Oftentimes, it's not because you're not a genius, but simply because you haven't yet met the criteria that the beast desires.
Hearing all those degrading whispers, Helix muttered to himself, "If I could tell them, even a fraction of the hardships the old man has faced, I'm certain all of them would be left in shame, regretting every mocking word they've spoken about him..."
Jack had taken his place on the stage, and the ritual began.
The soulmancers began extracting the life scrolls from Jack's body and his beast, Oxy.
"A... a holy warrior..."The soulmancer whispered in shock. The soulmancer usually doesn't say anything unless it's part of the ritual.
"Is he... a holy warrior?"
"Are there still any alive?"
"I thought all the holy warriors perished in that war..."
"Hmm, that makes sense, considering he's 220 years old…"
"He was there when the Great War happened...
Not only that, but he fought in it as well..."
One by one, the students began to whisper, shocked by what the soulmancer had just revealed.
The term "Holy Warriors" might be familiar to the pupils, as stories of their bravery and sacrifices have been passed down through the centuries.A tale of a cataclysmic war that wiped out the majority of life on Earth—a conflict so devastating, it left behind a rare opportunity for humanity to rise from the ashes and reshape civilization anew.
"I know that old man was a member of the Holy Warriors," Helix muttered to himself, then continued, "because he mentioned it once. But I've never heard him talk about the Holy Warriors or the great battle that took place back then , even though he loves telling stories. Strangely whenever I ask, he just says he's forgotten it. I wonder why."
But It wasn't just the chosen pupils who were stunned by the revelation; even the members of Ordo Militum Dei seated above were left equally astonished.They began whispering among themselves...
"Jack Montgomery, do you know that name?"
"Do you know that person?" asked someone sitting in the grandest chair among the others.
He replied, "Jack Montgomery? I've never heard that name. It doesn't remind me of anything either..."
"But what's even more astonishing is that someone survived the devastating effects of that Great War. Not only that, but he managed to live until now... I had always believed that all the creatures outside the bunkers perished in that war..."
Then someone with a mischievous expression chimed in, "Ha...ha…haha, you'd be shocked at how hard it is to wipe out a whole group of humans. They're like cockroaches invading your home. No matter how much insecticide you spray, you think you've exterminate them all, but there's always one that survives. A few days later, the whole swarm is back, taking over your house again. It's not just humans—some other creatures managed to survive when the bunkers opened...!"
But then his expression suddenly turned serious. "But...He's a truly extraordinary warrior. Not only did he survive that devastating war, but he's also lived long enough to make a contract with a beast. There must be more to him. Does He know something we don't ?."
"Hmmm, He's very suspicious , isn't it?" he said, his face morphing back into a mischievous grin.Ha...ha..ha…"
Despite all the commotion, the soulmancers continued to perform the ritual, just like with the other chosen disciples.
The life scroll of Beast Oxy was also successfully extracted.
_____________
Beast power: Cell manipulation
Negative effect of the beast: Consumes the user's cells
Beast requirement: Takes the user's life essence
_____________
The soulmancer asked Jack if he accepted the conditions from his beast,
"Jack Montgomery, did you accept the conditions from your beast?"
Then the Soulmancer's weathered face softened
Leaning in close, he whispered into Jack's ear.
"Son...These are the terms of an Absolute. Not just your future. Not just your death. Every whisper of your existence—from your first wailing breath to this trembling moment—will belong to Them. Your soul. Your scars. Even the memories no one witnessed."
His yellowed fingernails dug into Jack shoulder
"And here's the beautiful cruelty of it, my son...Not even I can tell you what They'll carve from your flesh or stitch into your soul."
But not even a second after the soulmancer finished asking, Jack loudly answered, "I, Jack Montgomery, accept all the conditions from the beast."
"Very well, son," replied the Soulmancer, then proceeded to the next step of the ritual.
After the ritual stages were completed, the emcee would once again introduce Jack with his new status. In a loud voice, the emcee announced:
"Jack Montgomery has been entrusted with a beast born from the God Cellaris through a divine contract. He has now formed a sacred bond with the beast Oxy, which possesses the power of cell manipulation.
Let us welcome him with applause and cheers, the future protector and savior of the nation. From the Village of Life, the new Anima Dei, Jack Montgomery!"
Accompanied by thunderous applause, a quiet but satisfied smile spread across Jack's face. With his new title as Anima Dei, every hardship and sacrifice he had endured was now officially repaid. He would now begin his new journey, learning to control the power he now possessed to fulfill his life's purpose.