In this world, if anyone wants to get stronger, they just need to acquire a powerful spirit contract.

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After borrowing the key to the shrine from my older sister, I immediately head to the Sukicho shrine.

Thanks to the map app on my smartphone and the guide map I have prepared, I reach the shrine surprisingly smoothly.

But I never dreamed that one day I would be riding a bicycle through the streets of "Martina" like this.

At first glance, it doesn't look like urban areas, but there are tall buildings and massive trees here and there, making it genuinely fascinating to watch.

"I've come to the world of EB (Eternal Bonds) - This feeling..." I can't describe what I'm feeling, but I know that this feeling is good. I think to myself as I ride. Before I know it, I arrive at my destination.

Now, it is an old shrine that has fallen out of practice. It used to be run by the distant ancestors of the Tatsuya family, but nowadays, no one serves as a priest. The reason is that only my sister and I are left in this Tatsuya family.

My sister, who receives the key from our mother, comes here regularly to clean up.

Now, hundreds of years ago, the first ancestor of my family prayed for Sukicho Deity in this place where he was dying. He prayed to save his children in this place, so this is also the place where the shrine was built.

 I hope that Sukicho or whatever it's still here, and hope that this Sukicho Deity will be a spirit, so I can contract it and hope this spirit will be a high-ranking one; otherwise, there is no meaning to form a contract.

My chances are high time low, but let's do the best.

Using the key my sister gave me, I open the door leading to the shrine grounds.

With a clang, the lock comes undone, making a satisfying sound.

"All right, here we go."

I take a flashlight from my backpack and proceed straight into the dimly lit shrine grounds.

It has an atmosphere that makes me feel like something might jump out at me, but I don't encounter anything as I make my way to the destination.

"Here it is."

The light from the flashlight illuminates the center of the darkness.

There sits a single sacred statue of a woman in a meditative pose.

Her posture is quietly beautiful and yet conveys a sense of transience.

It is the Sukicho Deity statue.

Now that I come here, what should I do?

I think I should call or pray, "Sukicho Deity, please appear in front of this lowly human and help me."

I don't know what to do, so I should pray like this and see if something happens.

"Confirming activation protocol/Biometric authentication cleared/Detecting DNA of the living undead/Rewriting phase texture, transitioning to dialogue mode."

A mechanical voice echoes in the darkness. At the same time, the statue in front of me begins to emit a dazzling light.

Ah, what is this? Am I getting a cheat or something?

The radiance that pierces through the darkness of the unlit shrine, the emotionless words of an electronic entity.

When I notice, the world is dyed entirely black.

A vague pitch-black space even at the boundary between heaven and earth.

In the center of that space stands a woman.

A black woman with white hair.

A black woman in a black space.

 Though it is difficult to see in terms of colors, her hair and figure are still clear to me.

Because she is not ordinary.

Even judging solely by visual information, she is exceptionally extraordinary.

First and foremost, her white hair catches my eye. In this black space, her white hair is like a flower, free from all impurities of the world.

She is wearing a pure black dress that is cut just above her breast, revealing her shoulders and a golden dragon tattoo that goes up to her cheeks.

Dangerous, terrifying, those phrases come to mind looking at the woman.

Her well-defined features and perfect balance are akin to haute couture crafted by a renowned artisan, and her eyes are so fresh and captivating, resembling a delicate red ruby that has wandered into this pure black world.

What stands out the most is her hair.

Her well-maintained bind in a bun with some strands loose around, and they are pure white, like virgin snow, untouched by impurities. Its glossy and mysterious beauty makes me sigh just looking at it.

It is truly a beauty that transcends human understanding.

"Are you the one who woke me up?"

I am stunned by the events. I have low hopes that something will happen here, and when it happens, the thing that happens is the summoning of a beautiful woman.

"Urm... Yes, I am."

"Hmmm."

The woman looks at me with ruby-like red eyes that seem bored or dead. I don't understand her eyes; they're beautiful but also feel dead.

"Are you descendants of those children I saved many hundreds ago?" Her lazy and uninterested voice speaks.

"Yeah, I am." I nod.

"So... What do you want?"

"Well... I didn't expect to meet Sukicho-Sama, but since I met Sukicho-Sama, I want to form a contract."

Although I don't know how powerful Sukicho Deity is, one thing I know is that she is far stronger than all the options I have.

"Hm." Sukicho Deity looks at me with her dead eyes for a while.

"You have a ten years. In this ten years, if you manage to make me feel excited for a moment, then I won't kill you and all of your family after a ten years. Do you agree?"

I blink my eyes, those dead eyes; she is just bored with her life and this world. I think of something that might excite her; there are many things, but I don't know if they are enough for this woman.

Fuck it; first, get the contract, then I will think about it.

"I agree."