Chapter 171: Contract
"Yes. I did tame him," Nolan said, his voice steady as he turned to Lyra.
Lyra's brows furrowed. "But Master… that isn't wise. You shouldn't. Who knows if he might defy you—after everything you've done?"
Nolan's eyes glinted with quiet certainty. "Don't forget, the contract is absolute. He can't break it. Even if he's immortal, he'd lose his life if he tried. And with his current strength—even in his true form—he wouldn't win."
Lyra hesitated. "Yes, Master, but…"
"There's no 'but,' Lyra." Nolan's tone sharpened. "You're wiser than you think, but we need him. If the world turns against me one day—if Celia, Linda, or any of you are threatened—I'll need an army, and a powerful ally like him could decide the battle. If another divine beast or deity descends to challenge me or destroy this world, he'll be there to add to our strength. I don't expect to use him lightly, but I won't ignore an asset like this."
Lyra bit her lip, eyes cast down. "Yes, Master… I understand."
"Good. You understand."
But she still looked troubled. "Master… something is different about you." Her eyes narrowed, scanning him as if searching for the familiar mana she'd always sensed. "It's like you're no longer just… you. I can't feel your mana anymore—only something far greater. A presence. A… divinity. What happened?"
Nolan smiled faintly. "I've become a Chrono God."
Lyra's breath caught. "So it's true. I suspected as much when you unleashed that power—when that halo appeared above your head and you took the Dragon King away. For me, it was like less than a second had passed… but for you?"
Nolan nodded. "Time Space. A realm where time stands still. To you, it was an instant. To me, it was long enough to pass judgment."
Lyra exhaled slowly. "Then it's real. You're truly a god now…"
Nolan's smile deepened—calm, assured, but edged with something dangerous. "Yes. Don't worry, Lyra. I feel stronger now than ever."
"Yes… you truly are," Lyra said softly, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Once again, I didn't expect you to reach this level so quickly. The form Michael told you you'd take when you reached level 100—you didn't even need to live to reach that. You've already surpassed his expectations of you. You're not as strong as him yet… but that form you took in the dungeon that day was extraordinary. And now…" She hesitated. "The Chronogod is a deity. And not just that—you're immortal now."
Nolan smiled faintly. "Don't make it sound weird. I'm still human. I can still live my daily life as a human."
Lyra tilted her head slightly. "Yes, I understand… Master, what level are you at now? Did you reach level 100 to achieve this? How?" She stepped closer, her voice low and eager. "Please—I need some explanation."
"It wasn't easy," Nolan said. His tone grew quieter, almost distant, as memories flickered in his mind. "When that fire was burning me, it wasn't just my skin—it felt like it was about to burn my bones. Nothing would have been left of me. But I knew that wasn't the end. Do you remember how I've been suppressing ninety-nine percent of my mana? Ever since I came to this world, my mana level has been high, but it kept increasing so drastically that even one percent of it made every ability I had devastating."
He looked at her, his eyes glowing faintly with golden light. "I unleashed it all. The ninety-nine percent I had locked away—I released it. And that's when it happened. I became a Chronogod. I reached level 30, but my power… it was beyond human."
Lyra's breath trembled. "That's… actually pretty impressive," she whispered. "But… is there anything else you encountered? Because… you can't actually be a Chronogod without meeting the Almighty. Did you… meet the one who created me—and every human?"
Nolan nodded slowly, his expression turning solemn. "Oh yes. I did. The Almighty Creator himself. I can tell you—his aura was overwhelming. It was so intense I couldn't even look at him clearly. The light was too bright to bear."
"Wow… that's outstanding." Lyra's eyes glistened with pride as she looked at Nolan. "The Almighty Creator already recognized you. Master, I always had expectations for you, but you've surpassed them. I'm really glad to be your companion. I'd like to see where your journey goes… I'll follow you, no matter what."
Nolan gave a small chuckle, the corners of his mouth lifting. "Well, well, well… there's no need to sound worried or anything. But fine—same here."
A smooth voice interrupted them. "Am I… interrupting something?"
Both of them turned. The Divine Dragon King stood nearby, now in his human form — tall, strikingly handsome, with long silver hair cascading over his shoulders and eyes that glowed faintly with draconic power. Even in this form, his aura was heavy, ancient.
"Master," he said slowly, his tone a mix of awe and guilt. "Is it true? You met the Almighty Creator?" His eyes widened as he stepped closer. "Wow. I never knew you were this much of a big deal. Even I, the Divine Dragon King, have never stood before His throne or seen Him. I'm so proud of you… and… forgive me for what I did today."
Before Nolan could answer, Lyra's voice cut in like a blade. "You can never be forgiven. You don't need forgiveness. You can't change."
The dragon-turned-human's golden eyes narrowed at her. "Hey," he said, his voice low, "I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Master."
Lyra stepped forward, fire in her tone. "Shut up. What do you mean, 'talking to Master'? He's my master. Not yours. So shut your mouth."
"What happened has happened," Nolan said quietly, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "He went through intense pain… even when he was at the brink of losing his life. So I have forgiven him."
Lyra's eyes widened, but Nolan continued, his gaze steady on the dragon-turned-human before him. "And I've already decided on a name for you. From now on… you are Damian."
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