Chapter 18: Binding Oath
Eric felt a stinging pain on his neck as the sword cut him, but he paid it no mind and instead focused on Levi.
"Does the name ring any bells?" he asked.
Levi tightened his grip on the sword. "How do you know my sister's name?"
Levi wasn't naive enough to think it was a mere coincidence that Eric mentioned his sister's name to stop him from killing him.
"Did you have anything to do with what happened to her? Do you know where she is? Do you…"
A barrage of questions was thrown at Eric as Levi kept losing his composure and couldn't stay calm at the mention of his sister.
"It doesn't matter how I know about your sister, but the most important thing is that I might be able to help you find her," Eric said, drawing Levi's attention.
"How?" Levi took a deep breath and asked, trying his best not to slit Eric's throat.
"With my special ability," Eric lied without hesitation. "Once I'm at a high enough level, I can track her for you."
Levi stayed silent for a while, his gaze fixed on Eric, before opening his mouth. "What kind of special ability?"
"Sorry, I can't tell you that," Eric apologized. "It's kind of a secret of mine. And it's considered foolish to expose my ability details to someone I barely know."
"Even though that might get you killed?" Levi continued. "Is it still worth it to keep a secret?"
"It depends on how much you want to reunite with your sister," Eric shrugged, seemingly unconcerned. "You can kill me now, but I can guarantee that without my help, you will never be able to track her."
"Oh yeah? What makes you so sure?" Levi raised his eyebrows, surprised at Eric's bold claim.
"Like I said, my ability allows me to locate anyone I want to find," Eric said. "So, do you still want to kill me and risk searching for your sister your entire life across this vast world? Or will you team up with me and fulfill my conditions in exchange for finding your sister?"
Hearing the two choices given by Eric, Levi hesitated, unsure what to do.
Deep down, he knew that the chance of finding his sister was quite slim, as he didn't even know where to start looking.
As Eric said, he might spend his entire life searching for her all over the world, only to fail to find her in the end.
As for the possibility of her being dead, the thought never crossed his mind—no, he pushed that thought away, refusing to believe it as it would only break him.
So when Eric claimed he could help him track her, he felt his heart pounding as a glimmer of hope shone in his eyes.
As a system user, he knew that Eric must have his own special ability as well, like him, so he might be telling the truth and could really track his sister.
"How can I trust you?"
But Levi still couldn't trust this man, especially after he refused to show how his ability worked.
"Well, you don't have to trust me to believe that I will fulfill my part of the bargain," Eric said with a smile.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Levi was confused, not understanding what Eric meant. "Your words don't make any sense."
Instead of answering him, Eric offered his hand for a handshake.
"What are you doing?" Levi asked, confused by Eric's actions. Did he want him to shake his hand?
His thoughts were confirmed as Eric said, "Shake my hand, and you will understand what I mean."
Levi looked at Eric, and, seeing the serious look on his face, it didn't seem like he was joking.
He hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should take it. What if it was a trick to make him let his guard down?
Despite being wary, Levi couldn't help but accept the handshake. Just the thought of his sister being far away and not finding her because he didn't accept a stupid handshake was unbearable.
Lowering his sword from Eric's neck, he slowly raised his hand while his eyes stayed fixed on Eric.
The moment he grasped Eric's hand in a firm shake, an unexpected window appeared in his vision.
[The user Eric Walker wants to take a system oath with you.]
"What…"
Surprised by the notification, Levi couldn't help but turn toward Eric. But before he could ask anything, another, much larger notification popped up.
The user, Eric Walker, set the oath conditions.
The conditions are:
The user Eric Walker will help Levi track his sister within 6 months.
The user Levi will try his best to help Eric Walker level up and reach rank 3 within 6 months.
Penalty: failing to fulfill these conditions will result in death.
[The penalty applies as long as both users are still alive.]
Levi's eyes widened as he read the conditions. His mind raced with thoughts and emotions. The conditions were clear, but the penalty was severe—death. The weight of it all pressed down on him, making him reconsider every word Eric had said.
He looked at Eric, who seemed calm and confident. "Is this your ability?" Levi asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
"No, it's one of the system's functions," Eric replied.
In the novel, Levi used this trick to make a deal with a bunch of prisoners in exchange for helping them escape, earning him a group of loyal followers.
Fortunately, Eric remembered the trick, as it was one of the most important moments mentioned in the novel.
The binding oath was a function only usable between system users and couldn't be used by others.
"I see," Levi said, surprised by the revelation of such a function. But instead of dwelling on the matter, he switched his attention back to Eric and looked at him seriously. "But isn't the penalty you set too harsh?"
"This is a binding oath. If either of us fails, we pay the price. But if we fulfill the requirements, you'll have your sister back, and I'll reach the level I need," Eric said. "This is the only way for us to trust each other to keep our part of the bargain without any doubt."
Levi took a moment to consider his options. The thought of his sister, lost and alone, haunted him. This was the best lead he had to find her, and despite his mistrust, the system oath was not something to be taken lightly. It was a powerful magic that bound users to their words. If Eric was willing to make such a pact, maybe there was truth to his claim.
"Alright," Levi said finally. "I'll accept your oath."
Eric's expression remained unchanged, but there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Good. Let's formalize it, then."
Levi confirmed the oath through his system interface, and a faint glow enveloped both of them as the magical contract took hold. The air seemed to hum with energy, and Levi could feel the weight of the agreement settle into his very being. There was no turning back now.
"So, after making such a restrictive penalty, may I assume that you have a plan?" Levi asked, feeling a strange mix of apprehension and hope.
"We start by leveling up," Eric said, already turning to walk deeper into the cave. "I know several unexplored dungeons in this forbidden zone that we can use to hunt monsters and raise our levels much faster."
"I won't ask how you know all of this, but..." Levi followed, his grip tightening on his sword. "Do you promise this will lead me to my sister?"
"Even after the binding oath, you still don't trust me?" Eric glanced back at him, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Don't worry. I already promised you. And remember, our lives depend on it."
Eric didn't see any disadvantage in taking such an oath, as he knew exactly where Levi's sister was. But he wouldn't just tell him that. He planned to squeeze every possible benefit from Levi before revealing her location.
Eric couldn't help but crack a smile as he strode through the dark tunnel. With Levi's help, he would level up much faster and acquire the item that would make Levi one of the strongest beings in the world, an item set to appear in a month from now.
'Isn't Levi helping me to rob his own chances with his own hands?'
Eric felt amused by such thoughts, but he brushed them aside and focused on the dungeon ahead.
As they moved forward, Levi couldn't shake the feeling that he had just made a deal with the devil. But if it meant finding his sister, it was a deal he was willing to make.
For now, he would keep a close eye on Eric and see if he could learn more about this mysterious man and his true intentions. He would find his sister, no matter the cost.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone