Chapter 39: Sometimes, the greatest results begin with a small experiment.

  I exhaled slowly as thoughts crowded my mind, then the question finally escaped:

  “So… does this mean that if I want to travel to the Martial Soul World, I must first find the Contract Circle?”

  She did not hesitate.

  Her voice came steady, stripped of embellishment:

  “Yes. That is correct.”

  Then she added, as if recalling a distant memory:

  “In any case, I remember that your grandfather, the Red Dragon Emperor, once made a pact with one of the Emperors of that family in the Martial Soul World. Through that agreement, he obtained a special permission—allowing one of his descendants, one day, to form a contract with one of that Emperor’s descendants.”

  She paused briefly, then continued in a more serious tone:

  “But the Contract Circle cannot be activated from this world. It must be activated by a member of that family within the Martial Soul World.”

  I felt the path becoming clearer… yet at the same time, more complicated.

  Then her next words were heavier than the last:

  “And remember—the circle can only be used once. After it is activated, it destroys itself automatically.”

  That was no minor detail.

  “That family is not permitted to use it unless they are in genuine need of assistance.”

  She looked at me directly.

  This means that only the Red Dragon King can use it.

  Then she added with blunt clarity:

  As for you… you are far too weak to meet the conditions. In your current state, you would not be able to use it.

  I showed no reaction.

  But her words settled deep within me.

  Then she continued, without softening their edge:

  “Moreover, whoever uses the circle to travel to the Martial Soul World will never be able to return.”

  The air inside the cave grew heavier.

  “His life there will depend entirely on the type of contract he forms with the one who summons him.”

  Then came the question—cold, direct:

  “So… are you prepared to become a contracted beast?”

  “Or a slave?”

  “Or an equal?”

  “Or… something else?”

  A brief silence followed.

  The path to the Outer Universe was not a door to be opened, but a chain to be chosen.

  I inhaled slowly, then said with quiet honesty:

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  “Alright… thank you.”

  I lifted my gaze to her.

  “For now, I don’t know what will happen.”

  It wasn’t an answer of escape, but an acknowledgment of reality.

  Then I added:

  “But I am grateful to you.”

  “You have given me valuable information.”

  Between the claws of death and the innocence of life… lies a mercy known only to the strong:

  Strength is not only in muscles, but in the will that drives you to walk along the edge of the cliff.

  She showed no desire for courtesy when she replied.

  “No need to thank me.”

  Then she tilted her head slightly, a faint trace of curiosity slipping into her voice:

  “But I am curious to know what kind of contract you would form, if you were ever given that chance.”

  She paused briefly, then added in a tone close to quiet mockery:

  “Though it’s unfortunate that this may never happen. It’s merely curiosity.”

  Her small wings moved lightly as she continued:

  “In any case, the Red Dragon Clan is the only clan that possesses this great opportunity. In this era… it is more precious than a hundred rare treasures from ancient times.”

  She fell silent for a moment, as if comparing two different ages.

  “In the past, no one gave it much thought. Many even rejected it, because they had no need for it. Especially after the Martial Soul World began to decline, no one paid attention to it.”

  Then her tone rose slightly:

  “But now… it is greater than a hundred ancient treasures.”

  I contemplated her words deeply.

  If it was as she described… then entering the Martial Soul World was not merely moving between two worlds.

  It was a gamble.

  If that was the case, then stepping into the Martial Soul World was filled with danger. Not a simple trial.

  I lifted my gaze to her steadily and said,

  “I must be completely prepared before I even consider such a step.”

  She smiled.

  But it wasn’t admiration—it was a faint mockery of how simple the sentence sounded against the weight of reality.

  “Exactly.”

  Then she added, more bluntly:

  “Most who heard of this opportunity refused it. Not because they didn’t desire it… but because they understood its consequences.”

  Her voice sharpened further:

  “The moment you enter that world, you will no longer be the master of your fate.”

  A heavy silence followed.

  “The summoner will decide your life.”

  “And your freedom… may become nothing more than an illusion.”

  I let out a deep sigh.

  If that was the case, then this was no longer about power or treasure.

  It was about sovereignty.

  But that also meant… there were still individuals in the Martial Soul World who possessed the ability to summon someone from this world.

  I fixed my gaze on her.

  “And that means there are those who can control the fate of new arrivals.”

  She nodded slowly.

  “You understood quickly. That is good.”

  Then she continued:

  “Yes. The imperial family there still retains this power.”

  She paused before adding:

  “But they will not use it except under the harshest of circumstances.”

  Then her final sentence struck directly:

  “And do not forget—this opportunity is available only to the Red Dragon bloodline.”

  Her gaze turned colder.

  “But even if you are qualified… you are still far too weak to meet the requirements.”

  There was no mockery in her words.

  Only assessment.

  And the difference between the two… is what creates Emperors.

  I smiled.

  It wasn’t a smile of defiance, nor empty stubbornness.

  It was quiet certainty.

  “Then that simply means I need to become stronger.”

  I lifted my gaze steadily, as if the barrier she had spoken of was no longer a distant concept, but a defined goal.

  “Sooner or later, I will reach the point where I can cross that barrier. Whether through the Contract Circle… or by some other method.”

  The Poison Empress laughed.

  A short, light laugh, carrying mockery not entirely devoid of interest.

  “Your enthusiasm is impressive. But do not let your ambition blind you.”

  She moved slightly closer, her voice deepening.

  “There are things in this universe far greater than you can imagine right now. But… perhaps, perhaps only, someone may appear who will change this fate.”

  Then her final words settled like a clear warning:

  “If you choose to seize this opportunity, prepare for sacrifice. This path is not for those who fear losing everything.”

  After she finished speaking, I did not answer immediately.

  But another question began forming in my mind.

  Does this apply to heroes as well?

  I don’t think so.

  Any true hero—with his pride, with the aura of a protagonist—would never accept becoming a slave.

  That contradicts his nature.

  Which means…

  There must be another path.

  A way to break the rules of servitude. A way to bypass the very conditions of summoning.

  I am certain there exists a hero who will accomplish that.

  All I have to do… is find him.

  But it is not simple.

  Finding a true hero is not a matter of luck—it is a matter of timing, place, and era.

  And deep inside, I know it will happen.

  But where?

  When?

  In which age?

  I do not know.

  The more I thought about it, the less my enthusiasm faded—it only grew stronger.

  It was no longer just about the Martial Soul World.

  It was about searching for heroes, seizing their opportunities, and making use of their luck.

  If I must find that hero…

  then I will.

  As for sacrifice?

  From the moment my feet stepped into this desolate world, I was prepared for it.

  An opportunity… remains an opportunity.

  But what determines its value is how it is used.

  And how it is turned into a higher step on the ladder.

  After that, I looked around.

  This cave—the place that had become my home from the moment I found myself in this world.

  It was not an ordinary cave.

  It was filled with things unrelated to monsters.

  Cages, neatly arranged, containing rabbits and other small animals.

  And in a deeper corner, a wide pool of water, teeming with different kinds of fish.

  I stared at those creatures.

  They were a source of food for me and for Mia.

  But another question surfaced in my mind.

  What would happen to those low-level beasts…

  if I fed them a Spirit Pearl?

  How would their path change?

  What would they become in the future? Would they remain mere prey?

  Or transform into something else?

  After a brief moment of thought, I made my decision.

  I would experiment.

  I decided to feed some of the rabbits… and some of the other beasts.

  Sometimes,the greatest results begin with a small experiment.