Contract with the Goddess of Night

“Damn it.”

With my head thrown back, I spat out the curse.

I had crossed the darkness-shrouded corridor and faced death several times. Without my sixth sense, I would have stepped on the threshold of the underworld at least three times.

‘Antonio, that lucky bastard.’

I recalled Antonio, who had obtained the Shadow Orb before my regression. He had said his unique ability protected him from the traps’ attacks. If even one trap had activated, he would have died. He should have struggled like me!

“Whew, done.”

With a short sigh, I cast away my anger. The hardship had been worth it. I lifted the orb at the end of the passage.

Wow. I stared at the information window of the Shadow Orb, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mouth agape.

“Insane.”

The stunt I pulled to clear the corridor had been worth it. No, this reward was far beyond what the word “worth” could express. The Shadow Orb was an incredible prize that defied simple description.

Legend grade! An ultra-high-grade artifact almost impossible to obtain on the Tower’s lower floors. The stat boost was enormous, but what was even more astonishing was that the Shadow Orb was a growth-type artifact. It would grow stronger once certain conditions were met.

Antonio’s development of shadow abilities had been the result of strengthening the orb, not his own power.

‘So that’s why he embedded the orb in his forehead.’

I had thought it was just his bizarre fashion sense. Now I understood—he had wanted both hands free while deploying his “shadow” ability.

‘Well, that’s all pre-regression history.’

Don’t worry. Now that this artifact is in my hands, the Antonio who once ruled Brazil as a tyrant will never appear, nor will anyone ever embed an orb in their forehead again.

Just then, a sweet scent wafted from the Shadow Orb.

“This smell……”

My voice trailed off. It felt similar to when I had discovered the rock containing Uturi’s essence. On a hunch, I scanned the Shadow Orb with Devour.

Heh. A hollow laugh escaped me. The Shadow Orb’s grade was Legend, yet the essence within it touched the realm of Mythic. That meant…

‘This item is a Relic.’

A Relic—an artifact containing the traces or power of a specific god. Mythic grade. The highest-grade essence that even my pre-regression self had rarely consumed! Most of what I had devoured had been to activate the gamble called Regression.

‘And this is already the second Mythic-grade essence before the tutorial even ends.’

My luck was good. A smile spread across my face.

Shuaaaak! The darkness filling the orb gradually lightened. It was a smaller amount compared to Gaia’s essence. Well, if I was lucky, I might gain another blessing. A player who hadn’t even contracted with a Constellation yet possessing two blessings? If this fact became known worldwide, it would cause an uproar.

People with many abilities are always busy.

‘Alright, I don’t know what essence is inside this orb, but I’ll devour it all.’

Tremble. The darkness within the Shadow Orb resisted violently.

I’ve already absorbed the Earth Mother’s essence once, you know? Back then I was only Level 1, but now I’ve grown much stronger. No matter which god this Relic belongs to, it won’t escape my Devour ability!

Crack. A long fissure appeared on the orb’s surface. The Devour ability had activated, and its durability began to deplete.

Good. It’s biting. I savored the essence seeping through the contact surface and licked my lips.

Just then—

—Who is there?

A beautiful voice echoed in my ears. I stopped Devour and looked around. There was no one. I scanned the surroundings with ultrasound, but felt nothing except the corridor.

“Must have misheard.”

—I asked what you are doing holding this one’s Relic.

Whoosh! The darkness within the Shadow Orb surged violently.

Ah. The one speaking to me… was the Relic itself?

* * *

The “essence” inside the Shadow Orb writhed. Divine power. It was probably the presence of the being called [???], the owner of the Relic. I stroked my chin.

‘Antonio never mentioned anything like this.’

An unexpected variable. However—

‘All the better.’

A deep smile curved my lips. Opportunities to devour a Constellation’s power were rare.

“Nameless Constellation. It was nice meeting you, but time to go.”

I activated Devour once more.

Crack! Crack-crack! The fissures on the Shadow Orb widened further.

—W-what are you doing, mortal!

“I’m putting the power inside this orb to good use.”

—How insolent.

“What insolence?”

—Do you speak so knowing who I am!

“Judging by the hidden name, you’re probably some Old God remnant.”

I replied in a curt voice. The beings who built the Tower of Babel. The Old Gods could not reveal their true names until the Tower completed its synchronization with the world. Unlike the Constellations whose divine names were recorded among the stars, they had lost their authority and names as they declined.

‘This god is the same.’

A name displayed as [???]. I had never seen this notation even before my regression. The Old Gods had hidden their faces with robes and used only the title [Administrator]. They had never concealed themselves as [???].

Yet I was certain the owner of the Shadow Orb was an Old God.

‘Otherwise, there would be no need to hide the name.’

An Old God who could not step forward openly. Even if I devoured one Relic, they would have no way ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to respond.

—Old God? What does that refer to?

“A god without a name, just like you.”

—Insolent. This one properly possesses the name Nyx.

Huh? I stopped using Devour.

“Who are you?”

—Did I not say? Nyx.

A frown formed on my forehead. An Old God who revealed their true name without hesitation. This defied pre-regression common sense.

“How can an Old God speak their divine name and remain unharmed?”

—Mortal, I do not understand what you are saying.

Our conversation ran parallel. Come to think of it, that name just now—I felt like I had heard it somewhere.

‘Nyx…… wasn’t that from the Olympian side?’

Nyx, or Nox. A primordial goddess who governed darkness, a distant ancestor of the Olympian gods. Like Gaia, she was closer to a “concept god,” and her power was so immense that she rarely appeared in myths as a deity with personal will.

“Goddess of Darkness.”

—Hoho, so you recognize this one at last.

Wow. I never expected it to actually be that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Nyx. Nyx was not on the same level as Old Gods like Hyperion or Humbaba. As darkness itself, she was an existence comparable to Gaia within Olympus.

‘So that’s it!’

I finally understood the situation completely—why this goddess’s name was hidden as [???].

At that moment, an idea flashed through my mind.

‘I can use this situation.’

Grin. I forcibly suppressed the corners of my mouth from rising.

* * *

Concept God. Literally, deities who governed abstract “concepts” such as light, darkness, or chaos. Because their power was so immense, they did not interfere in worldly affairs and had fallen into slumber.

‘Even King-rank Constellations have to watch their step around them.’

According to mythological records, even Zeus, the king of Olympus, had once retreated in fear of Nyx’s intervention. The Old Gods had exploited this.

—Let us bind the concepts and powers of the slumbering Concept Gods to the Tower.

The current-generation gods welcomed it because the number of beings they had to be wary of decreased. The Old Gods obtained the “concepts” needed to construct the Tower.

The fact that Nyx’s name appeared as [???] meant it was a joint scheme between the previous-generation gods and the current-generation gods!

“Um, Goddess.”

—I sense no respect in the voice calling this one.

Good grief. As expected of a goddess, she was picky.

“Now isn’t the time to act so leisurely, is it?”

—Mortal, what exactly are you saying?

“Goddess, try using your authority.”

A brief silence. With arms crossed, I waited for Nyx’s reply.

—Strange. Why is this one’s power flowing to an odd place?

“Why else? While you were asleep, someone played a trick.”

Nyx’s power was being consumed as a “concept” composing the Tower of Babel. Her consciousness seemed to have awakened because I stimulated the Shadow Orb, but……

To put it bluntly…… she was under sleep paralysis. A state where one is conscious but cannot move their body. That was Nyx’s current situation. I briefly summarized my pre-regression knowledge and explained it to her.

—……Those wretched beings.

“Even the Titans you cherished were involved.”

—I cannot believe it.

Denial and anger. Both emotions could be felt from Nyx’s thoughts. As expected. Nyx had known nothing about the Tower of Babel.

‘It’s like stealing a sleeping person’s seal and ID to take out a loan.’

The Old Gods and current-generation gods had conspired to commit fraud. Good. The groundwork was laid.

“Goddess, how about a proposal?”

—What is it, mortal?

“Let’s make a contract.”

—A contract?

“Yeah. I imagine you don’t feel good just being on the receiving end.”

—Honestly, I do not feel pleasant. I cannot even move my body as I wish.

“I’ll help you regain your power.”

—Do you think that is possible for a mortal?

“Yeah. I’m a player climbing the Tower. I can become stronger.”

Showing through action would be more convincing. I manifested a tiny grain of divine power once more.

—That power……! How can a mortal wield power permitted only to gods?

“I’m not some demigod, so don’t doubt me.”

—I know. Your soul carries no divine scent.

“Right now I’m still at mortal level, but I’ll grow strong quickly.”

Nyx fell silent for a moment. Seeing me freely wield divine power as a mortal seemed to have shocked her considerably. This goddess had quite the expressive reactions.

—Your words do not feel like lies.

Good. She was halfway convinced.

“Then let’s decide the contract terms.”

—Player Yu Jinho and the Goddess of Night Nyx acknowledge each other as equals.

—Nyx shall assist Yu Jinho in growing stronger to the extent of her power.

—Yu Jinho must free Nyx from her bindings.

Nyx read the contract conditions I recited several times, mulling them over.

—To acknowledge a mere mortal as equal to this one……

“If you don’t like it, forget it.”

—That is not the case.

This goddess sure changed her attitude fast.

‘Good. She’s almost there.’

I suppressed my laughter. In truth, even without a contract, Nyx would suffer no loss. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Old Gods and current-generation gods had schemed, but the moment I awakened Nyx’s consciousness, their plot was already half-dismantled. In about five hundred years, she would regain her divine authority, wouldn’t she? That was a long time for me, but not so long for this goddess. It was essentially a fraudulent contract.

—Very well. Yu Jinho, I shall form a contract with you.

Nyx called my name for the first time. It meant she acknowledged me not as a mere mortal, but as an equal contracting party.

An invisible thread bound our souls.

Crackle-crackle—. The Shadow Orb shattered into pieces. The essence within the orb vanished the moment the contract was formed. I felt no regret. Beside me stood a goddess who could grant something far greater than any essence!

“Goddess, since we’ve made the contract, how about helping me out a bit?”

—What is it, Contractor?

“Please grant me a blessing.”

—That is no difficult matter. Wait a moment.

Nyx’s blessing, huh. I could only guess it would be related to the shadows Antonio had wielded. Yet after one minute, then five, no change occurred.

Wow, our goddess must be preparing something truly amazing to take this long.

—Contractor.

“Yeah?”

—There is a rather small problem.

Nyx’s voice trailed off.