Speed Is King

“Agreed for your life, privacy and eventual freedom.” Elliot immediately said. Of course he agreed. He just needed the information. “But that peerless treasure’¦ Tell me more about it.”

“Huh?” It was Red’s turn to be shocked. “He actually agreed to my eventual freedom so easily? Anyone else would have definitely rejected that point. After all, I am far too valuable and useful. This little boy is still so wet behind his ears. Mwa ha ha ha! Awesome! It’s my lucky day!” He thought to himself.

“Well! A peerless treasure is something like a Demigod Grade Beast Core’¦” Red’s eyes glinted with greed. “Or an immortal pill. Or a serum that could increase my power endlessly.”

“I’m not going to make it easy for you to have me boy. I’m going to make you sweat a bit by making you despair at these impossible treasures!” Red smirked to himself.

“Oh, I can help you increase your power endlessly.” Elliot immediately replied.

“WHAT? You’re lying!” Red shouted in shock.

Elliot merely scoffed and gave Red a look that simply said “I couldn’t be bothered to lie to the likes of just you.”

“It’s not a serum. But it’ll allow you to increase your strength whenever I gain a level. You’ll essentially keep growing at your OWN rate, plus the increases whenever I grow stronger. In fact, you’ll immediately gain a whole bunch of strength immediately too, as well as a unique and powerful skill.” Elliot elaborated.

“Huh? Is there such a good thing in this universe? What exactly is it?” Red asked.

[Affirmative.]

“It’s called a Beast Apostle Contract. Take a look.” Elliot said.

Immediately, the details of the Apostle Contract appeared in Red’s mind.

“Beast Apostle Contract. I’ve heard of it.” Red muttered.

“You have?” Elliot asked curiously.

“Yes, of course. The Frosthaven Empire is extremely famous for their Beast Masters. And the strongest Beast Masters are able to have Apostles. How in all of the heavens are you able to have Apostles with your puny strength? You couldn’t be a single level above a hundred!” Red cocked his head to one side and scrutinized Elliot with his birdy eye.

Elliot simply shrugged.

“Strange.” He finally muttered again. The Beast Apostle Contract in his mind was undoubtedly the real thing. As he studied the contract seriously, understanding finally dawned on him.

“Ah, I see. This contract allows you to sign Apostles starting from Legendary Grade beasts. But with such a weak contract, this Beast Apostle Contract could probably only bind up to Ancestral Grade beasts. If your legendary-grade Apostle reaches a high enough level, it might even gain the strength to break free from this contract. This is a kid’s version of the real Beast Apostle Contract in Frosthaven Empire.” Red chuckled.

“Are his words true, Hawk?” Elliot asked.

[Affirmative. Your SSS Beast Apostle System is granted by a King Grade Monkey, and has the power to tame beasts up to the Ancestral level only.]

“I see. But for the purposes of this apocalypse, this SSS Beast Apostle System is far more than enough for me. I can’t focus on things that are too far away.” Elliot reasoned in his mind and tried to alleviate the pang of disappointment that was beginning to ring in his soul.

“Well?” Elliot asked Red nonchalantly as though his words had no impact on him. “Do you want to be my Beast Apostle?”

However, Red saw through his fake nonchalance as though it was transparent glass.

“But it’s not like there’s no way to hack and strengthen that Beast Master System of yours’¦ In fact. Meeting me is probably the luckiest thing that can happen to you. I can help you upgrade your system to make you as powerful as real Frosthaven Beast Masters!” Red pronounced with a flourish.

Elliot looked at the little red bird which was in turn eyeing him with an undisguised gleam of greed and excitement in his eye.

With a thought, Elliot added the truth clause into the Beast Apostle Contract.

“Final offer. I’ll do away with the Slave Contract, and you can be my Wind Apostle instead. I’ll give you the option of dissolving the contract exactly twelve months after you’ve succeeded in helping me upgrade my Beast System into a standard Frosthaven Empire’s Apostle Beast System. Take it or leave it.” Elliot said.

“Done.” Red immediately replied.

[Beast Apostle contract signed.]

[Received 18,000 XP]

[Congratulations, You have levelled up to level 64!]

[Congratulations, You have levelled up to level 65!]

[Congratulations, You have levelled up to level 66!]

[Please select an Apostle Element for Red.]

“Wind!”

[Wind Apostle Red has received a unique skill.]

[Blade Tornado – Summon a tornado filled with wind blades and deal 1000% wind damage per second.]

[Received Wind Apostle Red’s Unique Skill – Blade Tornado.]

[Received Wind Apostle Red’s Skill – Element Deconstruction.]

[Please select a skill to grant Wind Apostle Red.]

“Frost Domain seems like a pretty good skill for you’¦ But you’re so weak. Maybe Lightning Slash would serve you better.” Elliot scrunched up his face as he considered what skill to give Red.

“I don’t need attack skills, Pip. I have my flying spheres to do all the attacking I’ll ever need. Give me the other frost whatever.” Red said, completely forgetting that he told Elliot that he wanted to “endlessly increase his power”.

“Ah, you’re right. Frost Domain it is.” Elliot nodded. He couldn’t be bothered to remind the bird about increasing his power growth.

[Wind Apostle Red has received Frost Domain.]

“Alright, now that you’re my Wind Apostle, you have to set up a clan for me. But I’m guessing we can probably put that on hold while you help me with upgrading my system?” Elliot said.

“No, setting up the clan cannot be delayed for too long. The contract is not measured by numbers, it is measured by progress. The contract will compel me to always work towards setting up that clan. However, it’s not something difficult to work around. You don’t mind having a huge bunch of birds around you everyday, do you?” Red asked.

“As long as they don’t bomb me and they stay out of my way, sure.” Elliot shrugged.

“Consider it done then.” Red replied easily.

“Ok. For now though, the most important thing for me is information. Now, tell me about the Parasite Games..” Elliot commanded.