The cave's tunnel stretched on, its rocky walls seeming to close in with every step.

Charles walked steadily, carrying Nora in his left arm while gripping the black sword in his right hand.

The golden light pulsing from the sword's hilt lit the path, making it unnecessary for Charles to use his electric energy to generate light.

The blue sparks that had previously crackled around his body had faded, and the tunnel was now bathed in a soft yellow glow, casting long shadows on the walls.

Nora remained in his arms, her own crossed, her expression a mix of exhaustion and unease.

She hadn't spoken much since Charles pulled the sword from the ground, but every now and then, she glanced at him, as if trying to figure out what was going through his head.

Charles, meanwhile, was focused on the conversation happening in his mind.

The sword's voice, high-pitched and brimming with attitude, wouldn't stop talking, and though he tried to stay calm, he was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.

"Hey, human!" the sword's voice said, its tone more mocking than annoyed this time. "I know you're listening. Stop playing dumb and talk to me. If you want to know more about system users or anything else, we need to make a deal first. A contract, got it?"

Charles frowned, glancing at the sword in his hand.

'Seriously…? A contract?' he thought, his tone laced with distrust.

A sword abandoned in a cave, claiming it was betrayed by a jealous human, now wanted him to sign a contract.

No matter how he looked at it, it screamed trap.

His instincts told him something was off. It all sounded too good to be true: a sword promising greatness, limitless power, and the ability to amplify his lightning skills.

But Charles wasn't one to fall for empty promises.

Thanks to the system and the dangerous situations he'd been through, he'd learned nothing came without a cost.

'Alright,' he thought, responding to the sword in his mind. 'If you want a contract, be clear. What exactly does "making a contract" mean? No vague nonsense. I want details.'

The sword let out a sound like a gleeful laugh, as if excited by his response.

"I knew you'd be interested!" it said, its tone almost triumphant. "You're one of those negotiating types, aren't you? I like that. Humans always want to negotiate."

Charles snorted, nearly laughing aloud.

'Negotiate?' he thought with a touch of sarcasm. 'I thought you said you weren't a merchant. Because you sure sound like one right now.'

The sword made a sound like a tongue clicking, clearly amused.

"Ha! You're quick, human," it said proudly. "You're starting to grow on me. But I'm not a merchant, got it? I'm an ego sword, created for something far greater. And if I just give you my power without a deal, what's to stop you from ditching me when you think I'm no longer useful? Humans are like that, you know—use things and then toss them aside."

Charles raised an eyebrow, though he knew the sword couldn't see it.

'Ditch you?' he thought, his tone teasing. 'Isn't that the fate of any weapon? Things wear out, become obsolete. If you can't keep up, you get replaced. That's normal.'

The sword's voice rose, clearly outraged.

"How dare you!" it shouted in his head. "I'm an ego sword, not some cheap dagger you buy at a market! I'm competent, powerful, and I'll never fall behind! My blade can cut through anything, and my power will grow with you. Don't compare me to some useless piece of metal!"

Charles grinned, amused by the sword's indignation. But he couldn't resist poking at it a bit more.

'If you're so powerful…' he thought, 'how'd you end up stuck in the ground in a forgotten cave? That doesn't sound very epic.'

The sword made another tongue-click, louder this time.

"I already told you!" it exclaimed, its tone a mix of frustration and anger. "It was that stupid human! My last wielder was strong, but his companion betrayed him. She hid me here so no one else could use me. It wasn't my fault, got it? I was betrayed!"

Charles sighed, growing tired of the back-and-forth.

'Alright, alright,' he thought. 'Let's cut to the chase. If you want a contract, tell me exactly what it involves. No more dodging. Get to the point.'

The sword fell silent for a moment, as if weighing his words.

When it spoke again, its tone was calmer, almost professional.

"Glad you're being direct…" it said. "The contract is simple but important. The first and most crucial part is that you give me at least one hour a day to be free. I mean, to do what I want."

Charles stopped dead, confused.

'Free?' he thought, frowning. 'What the hell do you mean by "be free"? What, are you gonna go for a stroll like you're a person?'

The sword laughed, a high-pitched, almost childlike sound echoing in his head.

"Exactly!" it said cheerfully. "I want to walk on grass, feel the wind, maybe drink some water. Normal stuff!"

Charles blinked, utterly baffled.

'Hold on,' he thought, his tone incredulous. 'How's a sword supposed to walk or drink water? You don't have feet or a mouth! What are you talking about?'

The sword laughed harder, clearly enjoying itself.

"Oh, human, you're so slow!" it said, its tone mocking. "I'm not saying I'll use your body, if that's what you're worried about. I'm not one of those weapons that possess their wielders. I can turn into a human! Well, sort of. I can take a human form, but I need a wielder to do it. Without someone holding me, I don't have the energy to transform…"

Charles was speechless, his mouth slightly open.

The idea of a sword turning into a human was… absurd.

But then again, it wasn't stranger than the system showing him arrows and messages in his head.

Still, a question popped into his mind immediately.

'If you can turn into a human,' he thought, 'why didn't you do it to escape this cave all this time?'

The sword's voice lost some of its confidence, and when it replied, its tone was softer, almost embarrassed.

"Because… I can't do it alone," it admitted. "I need a wielder, someone with energy to activate my powers. Without a human, I'm stuck in this sword form, and I can't move. That's why I was here, waiting. Until you showed up."

Charles frowned, processing the information.

The explanation made sense, but he still felt like the sword wasn't telling him everything.

Before he could press further, Nora's voice pulled him out of his mental conversation.

"Rian," she said, her tone more impatient than worried. "What's with you now? You've got that spaced-out look again, like you're talking to ghosts. Is it the sword? Because if that thing's cursed, I swear I'd rather walk on my own."

Charles turned to look at her.

Nora was still in his arms, her own crossed, her expression screaming she was close to losing patience.

The sword's golden light illuminated her face, making her eyes glint with a touch of irritation.

"Everything's fine," Charles said, forcing a smile. "Just… figuring out how to get us out of here. Don't worry."

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