Narrator POV.
Power blinked. Isagi lowered his hands calmly, as if nothing had happened. But then he remembered something. Makima's voice echoed in his head.
"You should try to get along with Denji and Power too."
His mocking expression softened slightly. He looked at Power, who was still half a second away from deciding whether to attack him again or start crying from sheer rage. Isagi crossed his arms and studied her with more analysis than ridicule this time.
Power had pride. She had hunger. She had impulsiveness.
And, above all… she had a dangerous obsession with his Marechi blood. His blood was practically a drug for devils. It threw them out of control. Made them lose their composure.
How far would Power be willing to go just to taste it again?
A faint smile formed on Isagi's face. Maybe… he could use that. Not as a victim. But as an advantage.
—Hey, Power… —he finally said, in a more calculating tone than before—. How badly do you want it? And how much are you willing to give in exchange for it? —Isagi asked, rubbing his hands together with the grin of a complete madman.
—Let's make a deal.
Isagi sat back down on the bench with all the calm in the world, crossing one leg over the other as if he hadn't been running for his life just seconds ago. A sly smile spread across his face.
He raised two fingers. Index and ring finger.
—One —he began, moving his hand slightly to emphasize his point—. If you listen to me and do everything I tell you… as a reward, I'll let you drink my blood once or twice a week.
He said it with the casualness of someone offering candy. But the air shifted. The metallic, sweet, tempting scent of his Marechi blood seemed to intensify inside Power's mind, as if merely mentioning it activated her sensory memory.
Power's reddish eyes widened.
—WHAT?! —she took a step back, offended—. The Great Power will not follow your orders, scoundrel!
She pointed at herself with her thumb, deeply insulted in the core of her demonic pride. Isagi simply shrugged.
—Then you'll have to settle for smelling it. —He leaned forward slightly and wiggled his eyebrows up and down repeatedly, mockingly and shamelessly. —But if you want it… the offer still stands.
He extended his hand toward her. Palm open. Waiting.
Silence.
Power clenched her teeth.
—Grrrr…
Her pride screamed at her to crush him. To rip his throat out. To never lower herself to obey some insolent human.
But her instinct… her instinct remembered the taste. Thick. Powerful. Intoxicating. It was like comparing dirty water to divine wine. The temptation was brutal. Her nose twitched slightly. Damn it. She was having an internal war. Pride versus hunger.
Her hands trembled a little.
Until, with a growl full of contained fury… she grabbed Isagi's hand roughly.
—I accept! —Her grip was strong. Almost aggressive.
And in that instant—
[Ding]
A glowing notification appeared in front of Isagi's eyes.
[Congratulations, you have made your first binding vow/pact]
[Current binding vow: Obedience in exchange for blood. If either of the two users fails to uphold their part, they will be punished.]
Isagi's neck cracked as he snapped his head toward the floating screen. His pupils contracted.
—Huh…?
The park was still there. Power was still gripping his hand. But the system didn't lie.
—(A pact?) —he thought, frowning— (Can I make binding vows with people who don't have cursed energy?)
That wasn't in the manual. He hadn't invoked any technique. There was no ritual. No formal intention to create a supernatural contract. It had only been… a strategic proposal.
And yet, the energy that briefly wrapped around their hands when they shook was real. Subtle. Invisible to anyone who wasn't connected to the system.
Power blinked.
—Why are you looking at me like that, human?
Isagi slowly looked back at her. A new variable had just entered the game. And if the system considered this a real pact… then breaking it would have consequences.
His smile returned. But this time it was sharper. More calculated.
—Nothing… —he replied, narrowing his eyes—. I'm just thinking you just got yourself into something interesting, Power.
And maybe… so did he.
Isagi slightly shook his head. Later he'd experiment with this binding vow thing… if he didn't forget. And being him, there was a very high chance he'd completely forget the moment something more interesting showed up.
—Alright, Power —he finally said, regaining his relaxed tone—. Today I'll give you some of my blood. And on the weekend, I'll give you the second portion.
He slowly rolled up his shirt sleeve with deliberate calm, exposing his forearm. Power was practically drooling already. Her pupils had narrowed, locked onto the exposed skin. The mere anticipation of the metallic scent clouded her judgment.
But before she could lunge, Isagi grabbed her face with one hand. Firm, but not rough. His fingers closed around her jaw with confidence, forcing her to look at him. Then he leaned in. They were inches apart. So close Power could feel his breath against her skin.
—Remember something —Isagi murmured quietly. His thumb slowly caressed Power's cheek, tracing a soft line downward. —I'll only give you my blood if you keep your end of the deal. —His eyes sharpened slightly. —You'll have to do everything I tell you… and I never specified the limit of what I can ask of you.
The words hung between them.
Power swallowed.
For a second… just one… the atmosphere shifted.
But then Isagi pulled away. And the dominant feeling that remained wasn't absolute control.
It was… discomfort.
—(I don't think dominating people with words and gestures is my thing…) —he thought, scratching the back of his neck slightly. (I'm more the type to dominate with fists and brute force.)
He sighed.
He drew his katana with a clean motion. The blade gleamed under the park's light. Without unnecessary drama, he dragged the palm of his hand across the edge. His flesh split open with a precise cut. A sharp sting shot through his nerves, followed by the thick heat of blood spilling out. Crimson drops began to slide down his skin, drawing uneven lines all the way to his wrist.
The metallic scent spread through the air.
Power trembled.
Isagi extended his hand toward her. The blood kept dripping, thick and bright.
—Drink… before I change my mind.
There was no mockery in his voice this time. Only warning. And an offer.
Power was practically shaking. It wasn't an exaggeration. Her shoulders tensed and her pupils widened slightly as the metallic scent hit her nose full force. The excitement surged through her body like electricity.
Without waiting another second, she grabbed Isagi's hand with both of hers. She held it like it was something precious. Her tongue slowly slid out and ran across his bloody palm, dragging every drop with an almost reverent slowness.
The blood touched her palate.
And her body reacted immediately.
Power let out a muffled sound—almost a suppressed moan—as her eyes half-lidded. She had forgotten just how absurdly good Isagi's blood tasted.
Thick. Powerful. Carrying an energy that spread across her tongue and went down her throat like sweet fire.
—Don't lick me, it's weird! —Isagi's eye twitched with discomfort. His eyebrow tightened as he tried not to pull his hand away out of sheer pride. —Just bite already! The wound's already closing.
And it was true. Thanks to his passive regeneration, the cut on his palm was already healing. The skin was knitting back together without leaving a trace, and the flow of blood was rapidly slowing down.
Power looked up at him.
And smiled.
A wide smile. Too wide.
She opened her mouth. Her sharp fangs gleamed for an instant before snapping down on the flesh of his hand. Isagi flinched.
—Tch… —he clenched his teeth, already regretting the deal a little.
The pain wasn't unbearable. But it was uncomfortable.
Power closed her eyes.
And she sucked.
Greedily.
The blood started flowing again under the pressure of her teeth, spilling into her mouth as she drank with genuine devotion. A few drops escaped from the corner of her lips and slowly dripped down her chin.
Her throat moved with every swallow. One after another. The wet sound of her sucking broke the silence of the park. At this point, Power looked completely absorbed. Her shoulders relaxed, her expression turned almost blissful, and she drank as if the source were endless.
---
End of the chapter.