Chapter 102: More for the Order ( 4 )
The situation had quickly changed after Jian had taken out the Royal Family's seal. The nobles had been arguing like crazy and before Jian could even say anything, the family's head punched the table to silence them.
"Mister Crow, could you please let us talk among ourselves ? This is a difficult decision to take." The man asked. Surprisingly, at least for everyone except the young man himself, Jian nodded and left.
'Mara stay here, I want to know everything they are saying. We should still be able to talk even when you are somewhere else, right ?' Jian said in his head.
'Affirmative. Let me spy on those morons. I don't think they'll be planning anything though, I can see the greed in their eyes.'
'I know, I know...But only time tells. They may not be planning for now, but I need to know just how scared they are of me. I don't exactly like being that kind of person, but with them I'll rule with fear and if they don't fear me enough...They'll start scheming in my back.'
The doors closed and Jian decided to lay on a wall for the time being. It was time to spy on those little slimy nobles.
"Family Head, let me say this...While I can see why it would tempt you, we cannot allow ourselves to accept this easily. We can't be seen as weak in this negotiation, especially since he is asking for a lot of things. " One of the nobles said. The family Head had decided to hear all of their views on the question, so he simply nodded and the man who had just talked sat down. A woman got up next.
"Family Head, what he just said was logical, but we also cannot overlook the fact that this is our best chance at becoming closer to the royal family. More and more people are saying that the situation in the capital was planned by the royal family, and since they aren't even stepping in to intervene while a massacre is going on in their own capital, we can all see the truth in that statement. We could end up slaughtered very easily if that goes on. The only families who are safe for now are the Jin, Qin and the Su since they apparently escaped and they weren't even a target of the royal family to begin with." The woman said before sitting down. Everyone seemed relatively alright with what she had said, but another man stood up right after she sat down.
"We also have to consider what he said about Sun Cheng, brother." A muscular middle aged man said.
" Ah yes, helping our Cheng flourish."
"Indeed brother. We were never a family of cultivators, but cultivators will always be revered no matter the place on the continent. For our family to shine, we need someone powerful at the head of it. At this rate, Cheng could have reached the law realm by the time he has to become the next family's head. That isn't on a level of a heaven defying genius, but it's still pretty good and enough for our family to shine even amongst all the other noble families. We won't reach the level of the top families, but we would still be placed at a nice and comfortable position, especially if that thing he just showed was really the seal." Cheng's uncle said.
Once again, most of the members were agreeing, but one of the few who was still skeptical stood up.
" Family Head, everyone.....We can't accept this proposition. I know it's tempting, I know that alright. But we can't. That man, that Crow.....I'm not feeling him. He gives off an aura similar to an Asura, but even worse than that." The man said and that froze everyone.
This was one of the only fighters of their family and he had already encountered an Asura, a creature that could slaughter the whole capital with relative ease. If he said that the Crow had an even worse aura.
"We'll just have to thread carefully then ! We cannot ignore what that man can offer us. We have already lost a lot with that sudden attack that left so much of our members burning ! As long as we prove ourselves useful, he will have no reasons to do anything to us." The woman who had talked before said. It was easy to see the problem here. Everyone would've agreed already, if the Crow wasn't such a fearsome figure. Most of them weren't good at sensing anything, but even they could sense how dangerous that man was.
Becoming the allies of such a thing could prove to be dangerous, but it could also bring them to new heights.
"Are we willing to bet everything on this ? That's the question. I propose a vote." The family head declared.
They then proceeded to vote and the result was easy to predict. Out of the fifteen nobles, ten of them voted yes while five others voted no with the Family Head votting no. It seemed like the man was capable of reigning in his greed.
"* Sigh* Very well then. Let's announce our decision to Mister Crow. He should've a contract at the ready. " The family head said. However things didn't exactly go as planned. Jian had predicted that they would ask for a contract, but he had prepared nothing. However while the nobles were talking and since Mara knew that they would accept the proposition, he told Jian he could make a contract himself. Though his was a bit different due to his nature.
As soon as the doors opened, The Crow entered the room and went back to his seat, not even glancing at anyone. When the family's head was about to speak, Jian stopped him with a motion of his hand, and smiled.
"I can already tell you've accepted it. You're not making the faces of people who are scared to face the consequences of rejecting my proposition. Now I have a contract for you, or rather one of my subordinates has it." Jian said while a certain unholy immortal cursed at him.
'You shitty kid ! How am I your subordinate ?!'
Even though he complained, Mara still went with his plan. And the room was frozen once again. It was once again because of fear, but a different kind of fear. The kind that had you looking at the ground in terror, not willing to face whatever creature from hell had just appeared. The kind that had you nearly puking and losing consciouness. The type that would leave a scar on your mind.
A thing purple gas filled the room, while a shadow appeared on the wall. They saw it, the shadow of a monster. However they couldn't directly see that monster and yet by looking at the wall, they saw it moving towards them. The sound of the floor cracking beneath it's feet terrorized them and it's coarse breathing had them unable to draw in air for their lungs.
"Contraaaaaact." It said with a voice more demonic than even that of an Asura. This wasn't a demon...This was the devil itself.
'He....He is making us sign a deal with the devil ?! Who the hell did we just agree to become allies of ?' The warrior noble from before thought.
A piece of paper appeared out of thin air. It contained all the terms given by the two parties and had two boxes for the signatures. The family head was given the contract and he shakily took out a pen. However said pen was sent flying away as the Family Head put his hands over his head and screamed.
"Arghhh ! Don't hurt me !"
The nobles all watched in shock. At this point it was a wonder they were still conscious with how they could barely breath.
"Contraaaaact....With bloooood." The devil said as something sharp suddenly pierced the arm of the Family Head. He winced and watched in awe as the blood flowed out in a weird manner, as though it was controlled by the devil. It fell on the piece of paper and formed the word Sun. The wound on the man's arm instantly healed while hissing as though it was burning.
"W-What was that...."
"Maaaaster...." The Devil spoke as the piece of paper flew to the Crow. He extended his arm over the arm without a care in the world as the Devil pierced it. His blood fell on the paper too and formed the word Crow.
"With this...We are now allies. Smile, because your family will rise to new heights. And no need to be afraid about me...We are allies now, not enemies." The Crow said as the piece of paper disappeared as did the Devil. While the nobles slumped in their seats as though they had lost their souls, The Crow walked out and left the mansion.
"Cheng, what sort of monster did you have backing you up ? Were you trained by that Devil ?" The Family Head spoke.
"Ah...No....It wasn't that devil." Cheng said. He too had problems speaking after what he had just seen. He had been trained by a monster, but not on the level of what had been there a few seconds ago.
"W-Who trained you ?"
The nobles waited the boy's answer with their eyes wide. It floored them.
"I-I was trained by the legendary Man-Eating Serial Killer of the capital..."