Shattered Oath Silent Kings

The cat dragged Ian to the shore, its small frame struggling under his weight. Ian coughed heavily, gasping for air as he lay on the ground. The world around him felt distant, blurry, and unreal. His body was cold, his chest ached, and his head pounded with confusion.

He laughed weakly, the sound dry and bitter. "How pathetic," he muttered, staring up at the cloudy sky. "Humanity's strongest… and this is what I've become." His voice trembled, and the words felt foreign like they didn't belong to him. He clenched his fists, the unfamiliar small hands only amplifying the hollow feeling inside him. "I can't even handle an A-rank monster anymore."

Theoarize, sitting beside him, flicked her tail and regarded him with calm, golden eyes. "You're 13. That's understandable," she said matter-of-factly as if his despair was nothing out of the ordinary.

Ian turned his head sharply to look at her, her composed demeanor adding to his growing sense of unease. He sat up slowly, his body trembling as he built a small fire with trembling hands. The simple task helped ground him, but his mind was spinning. The heat of the flames warmed his chilled body, but not the confusion she had.

"Theoarize," he began, his voice quiet but demanding. His piercing gaze locked onto the cat. "What happened to me? My injuries… they're gone. Completely healed." He pressed a hand to his chest as if expecting to feel the wounds. But there was nothing—no pain, no scar.

Theoarize's gaze didn't waver. "Ian," she said carefully, "you should have died the moment you fell from the cliff."

The words sent a chill down his spine. "What do you mean?" he asked with a sharper accusing voice. "You did something to my body, didn't you?"

"Not exactly." Theoarize tilted her head, her tail flicking again. "It's more like you did something to yourself."

Ian frowned, his confusion deepening. "What are you talking about?"

"The moment you accepted the contract, you gained something else from me," Theoarize explained.

A familiar chime echoed in Ian's mind, making him flinch. He hadn't expected it, and the sudden appearance of the system's screen only added to his unease.

[System Updated]

[Name: Ian ]

[Modifier Title: God of ]

Ian stared at the screen, his eyes narrowing. The flashing errors and cryptic words made his head spin. "What does this even mean?" he muttered, rubbing his temples. "None of this makes sense."

Theoarize sighed, her golden eyes glinting in the firelight. "I've made you a god candidate," she admitted, as if it were a casual remark.

Ian's gaze snapped to her. "A god candidate?!" he repeated, his voice rising. "What does that even mean?"

"I didn't realize it would happen," Theoarize continued, ignoring his outburst. "Honestly, I thought I could finally be free, not have to deal with a successor. But the laws of—"

Her voice suddenly cut off, replaced by static-like interference. Ian flinched again, his confusion mounting.

"After all, the laws of ****** and ****** are not something mortals understand. And—"

Ian's frown deepened. "Theoarize? What's with the censored words? Why can't I understand them?"

Theoarize tilted her head thoughtfully. "Censored? Could be about the ****** and ****** realms. Those are restricted topics."

"Restricted?" Ian echoed, his voice flat. "What the hell does that mean?"

Theoarize didn't answer directly, her expression contemplative. "I see. It must be their interference, then."

Ian's head was spinning. Nothing was making sense. He forced himself to focus on something tangible, anything to distract himself from the spiraling confusion. Standing, he moved to the river and caught a few fish with his bare hands. He skewered them on sticks and roasted them over the fire.

He handed one to Theoarize without a word, his mind racing.

"What are you going to do now?" Theoarize asked between bites, her voice calm but probing. "Are you going to meet your younger brother?"

Ian didn't answer immediately. He stared into the flames, his thoughts were in jumbles. "Not really," he said finally, his voice distant. "Allen will be fine. A commoner asking to meet the crown prince is ridiculous."

Theoarize's tail twitched, her gaze sharp. "You're in the Death Forest, Ian. The land of monsters and evil beings. Don't you want to go out and see the world? You never had the chance before."

Ian's hands stilled, his eyes fixed on the fire. "I've already seen everything," he muttered.

Theoarize blinked. "How long do you think this system update will take?"

"A few years, I guess," Ian replied, poking at the fire idly.

Theoarize froze, her fur bristling. "A few years? And you're planning to stay here? Are you out of your mind?"

Ian let out a hollow laugh. "Theoarize, I don't want to interfere with anything. My brother's the hero candidate, right? He'll be fine. After all…" His voice softened, his eyes dull. "Allen died to the Demon King because of me."

Theoarize opened her mouth to argue, but Ian continued before she could speak. "I'll stay here and guard the forest. No one else should get hurt because of me."

"You can't seriously believe this is a good idea!" Theoarize exclaimed.

Ian ignored her protests, standing and looking around. The valley was lush, with a clear river, a cascading waterfall, and dense trees. The morning light made the place seem almost peaceful.

"This place isn't bad," he said, his tone eerily calm. "I'll build a house here, plant some herbs over there, and purify the area. It'll be safe enough."

Theoarize gaped at him. "You're wasting your second chance!"

Ian crouched by the river, scooping water into his hands. He stared at his reflection for a moment, his expression unreadable. "No, Theoarize," he said softly. "I'm finally living the life I want."

Theoarize stared at him, stunned into silence.

Theoarize yawned, stretching her small, furry body as she sat by the fire. "Alright, Ian," she said, flicking her tail lazily, "what's next on your little survival project?"

Ian sat cross-legged on the ground, staring intently at a blank wooden bowl he had set in front of him. "Holy water," he said with a serious tone.

Theoarize tilted her head. "Holy water? Why?"

"We need it to purify this place," Ian explained calmly. "If I'm going to live here, it needs to be safe."

Theoarize sighed dramatically. "Holy water isn't just some liquid you whip up in your free time, Ian. It's a type of alchemy that need a balance of ingredients and magical energy."

"Then tell me how to make it," Ian said, gesturing for her to explain.

Theoarize blinked, slightly surprised at his determination. "Fine," she said after a moment, hopping closer to him. "You'll need water from a flowing stream—fresh is best. Then add purifying herbs like moonflower and silverleaf, a pinch of sacred ash, and a few drops of divine energy. Not that you have any of that in your current state."

Ian nodded thoughtfully. "Moonflower and Silverleaf grow around here?"

Theoarize waved a paw dismissively. "Of course. The forest has plenty of both. But you'll need to search carefully. They're not exactly easy to find."

Without a word, Ian placed the bowl in front of Theoarize.

She stared at it, then at him. "What's this?"

"You need to work for shelter," Ian said, his tone deadpan.

"What?!" Theoarize hissed, her fur puffing up. "I'm not your errand cat!"

Ian raised an eyebrow, leaning back casually. "You're the one who dragged me into this situation. You should at least help."

Theoarize glared at him but didn't argue further. After a few moments of grumbling under her breath, she stood and flicked her tail. "Fine. But don't think I'm doing this because you told me to. I'm doing it because I want this place purified too!"

Ian smirked faintly, watching as the small cat disappeared into the forest.

As Theoarize hunted for herbs, Ian turned his attention back to his "hut." It was barely more than a makeshift roof at this point—crude and uneven, with gaps letting sunlight and wind through. He sighed, looking at the pile of gathered wood and vines he'd collected.

"This is going to be a pain," he muttered.

Grabbing a sturdy branch, Ian began shaping the structure, his small body struggling with the heavier pieces of wood. He climbed onto uneven stacks, slipping and falling more than once. "Damn this height," he grumbled as he tried to tie the wooden beams together with vine.

The hours passed, but slowly, the hut began to take shape. He managed to create a solid roof first, covering it with large leaves and layers of bark to shield against the rain. The walls came next, though they were lopsided at first. He hammered them into place with rocks, sweat dripping down his face.

By the second day, the hut started to look more like an actual structure. Ian added a small door, a simple bench for sitting, and even a fire pit inside. He cleared the surrounding area of debris and created a pathway leading to the river.

Theoarize returned on the third day, a bundle of herbs in her mouth. Dropping them on the ground, she huffed. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a moonflower in a forest full of monsters?"

"Did you find everything?" Ian asked, not looking up from the small table he was assembling.

"Yes," Theoarize grumbled. "And I fought off a demonic fox while I was at it. You're welcome."

Ian finally turned to her, inspecting the herbs. "Good. Make the potion, then."

Theoarize narrowed her eyes. "You're putting me to work, aren't you?"

"You're the one who knows how to make holy water," Ian pointed out, turning back to his table.

Theoarize muttered something under her breath but began mixing the ingredients. She ground the herbs into a fine paste with a rock, added them to the bowl of water, and sprinkled sacred ash from a small pouch she had produced from seemingly nowhere. A faint glow emanated from the bowl as she infused it with a bit of her energy.

"It's done," she said after a while, pushing the bowl toward Ian.

He took it and nodded. "Good."

Together, they walked outside to pour the holy water around the area. As the liquid soaked into the ground, a faint shimmer spread outward, creating an invisible barrier.

"Now this place is officially safe," Theoarize said, satisfied.

Ian glanced at the now-completed hut. It had everything he needed: a roof, three small bedrooms, a tiny kitchen, and even a balcony overlooking the river. The once-dangerous clearing now felt like a sanctuary.

"Not bad," he said quietly.

Theoarize looked at him, tilting her head. "So, are you going to stay here?"

Ian nodded, his expression calm. "I've made up my mind."

"You're wasting your second chance," Theoarize said, her voice firm.

Ian turned to her, his gaze steady. "No, Theoarize. I'm finally living the life I want."

Theoarize sighed, shaking her head. "You're as stubborn as ever,"