"Hahaha! Interesting, truly interesting! Kid, you're far too amusing."
Amidst the shattered remnants of the rain-drenched jungle, Quetzalcoatl lay sprawled on the ground, arms outstretched, looking rather disheveled yet utterly content.
The satisfaction in her eyes, the lingering smile on her lips... it was clear that she had thoroughly enjoyed the intense wrestling match that had just taken place.
After all…
"There are few gods who can fight me to such a state."
"Not at all. You held back considerably. You didn't use your divine constructs or noble phantasm against me. You chose to compete with me in the simplest, most direct manner. If you had fought seriously, I would have stood no chance."
Roy, still standing only by virtue of the Third Magic's restorative properties, sighed, feeling utterly drained.
He had no right to accept such an honor.
Even without relying on her noble phantasm or divine constructs... without even utilizing her inherent skills... Quetzalcoatl had been able to break his bones hundreds of times over.
If not for the Third Magic, which allowed him to heal and continue fighting, he would have long since been twisted into an unrecognizable heap by her overwhelming and unparalleled wrestling techniques.
She had already suppressed her own power to the greatest extent possible, yet he had still needed to rely on the Third Magic just to endure.
There was nothing to take pride in.
Even now, as she lay on the ground, Quetzalcoatl had not truly lost her ability to fight. She was merely savoring the moment, finding no need to continue the battle.
Give her a brief rest, or let the divine sunlight shine upon this place once more, and within a few breaths, she would be back to full strength.
Sure enough, after reveling in the jungle floor for a moment, she stood up again.
But this time, as she looked at Roy, the battle-hardened intensity in her gaze had vanished, replaced instead with a hint of respect and recognition.
Slowly, she stepped forward, raising her hand lightly and placing it upon Roy's own.
Then, channeling her energy...
"What is this?"
Roy looked at her in surprise.
"Haha, don't be so shocked, kid. This is a reward for the victor, as well as a token of my recognition."
Seeing Roy's astonished expression, Quetzalcoatl let out a hearty laugh, patting his shoulder in admiration.
"In terms of temperament, strength, and many other qualities, you are someone worthy of trust. That is why I choose to believe in you. You possess the qualifications to become my Master. I am willing to stand by your side and fight alongside you."
She met his gaze, her expression solemn as she asked, "So, do you have the resolve to grasp the fire of the sun, kid?"
"Feathered Serpent Goddess…"
Staring into her earnest eyes, Roy nodded solemnly, his voice steady and determined.
"I am willing. Though I cannot be certain that I can accomplish such a grand task, I will give my all to see it through."
"So please, forge a contract with me, Feathered Serpent Goddess. Lend me your strength and stand with me in the battles to come."
"Of course, Master. That is precisely what I intend to do."
Hearing Roy's unwavering response, Quetzalcoatl smiled gently before clasping his outstretched left hand firmly in her own.
In that instant, a crimson light flashed before their eyes.
The magical link was forged... the contract was sealed.
As a surge of boundless magical energy flowed into her being, Quetzalcoatl felt an exhilarating rush.
"Such immense and pure magic power… It is as vast and endless as the ocean. No matter how freely I unleash myself, you will still be able to sustain me. And these nine thousand magical circuits… This body of yours is a natural masterpiece. Calling it a true miracle would not be an exaggeration."
Sensing the sheer abnormality of Roy's existence, Quetzalcoatl couldn't help but voice her admiration.
"No wonder you were able to battle me to such an extent."
Roy was equally astonished. The contract had only just been formed, yet she had already discerned so much about his body's nature.
It was a testament to her status as a divine spirit. Her abilities and perception were incomparable. Compared to a pseudo-divine vessel like Taiga, Quetzalcoatl... one of the chief god... was in an entirely different league.
He couldn't help but reflect on that realization.
"Though our contract is now in place, Master, I do have two small requests to make of you."
Quetzalcoatl spoke once more.
"Please, go ahead."
Roy nodded, signaling for her to continue so he could consider her words.
"Good. They are both rather simple matters."
"First... tell me your name, Master. We've fought for so long, and I have even accepted your confession, yet I still do not know the name of my contractor. That is quite a dilemma for your elder sister, wouldn't you say?"
Hearing her words, Roy hesitated for a brief moment, wanting to clarify that his previous statements were in no way a confession.
But after a short pause, he realized that no matter how much he tried to explain, she would never listen.
This god, while kind and broad-minded, was also rather eccentric in certain ways. Trying to reason with her using human logic was a futile endeavor.
She followed her own path, guided by a perspective that revolved entirely around herself.
Such was the nature of a god.
Satisfied, Roy decided not to explain further and directly answered her question.
"Roy. My name is Roy, and from now on, I am your partner, Quetzalcoatl. I look forward to fighting alongside you."
"Roy? I will remember that." Quetzalcoatl murmured to herself.
"But, did you just say that our relationship is not that of master and servant, but rather partners? Like a perfectly synchronized wrestling duo?"
Wrestling duo?
Hearing such an odd description, Roy couldn't help but furrow his brow.
But after some thought, he realized it wasn't entirely inaccurate. So, he nodded lightly and accepted it.
"Yes, like a wrestling duo... partners who can fight side by side and entrust their backs to each other."
"I see, I see… Quite bold of you, forming a partnership with a deity."
"But I must say, I like your straightforward nature more and more. So, have you reconsidered marriage? Even if you already have a family, I wouldn't mind, you know~"
"Please, spare me from that." Roy let out a wry chuckle and hurriedly declined Quetzalcoatl's playful yet serious proposition.
He had no idea what this somewhat eccentric deity was truly planning. If he casually agreed and she took it seriously, it could lead to serious trouble.
Shiki would definitely cut him down.
So, he swiftly changed the topic.
"What's the second matter?"
"Ah, the second matter is quite simple. Since we are partners now, you don't need to call me by my divine title. Just call me by my name."
"This privilege is reserved only for the most exceptional warriors recognized by the gods. So, you must cherish it, okay~?"
After their wrestling battle, an exchange that reached deep into their souls, Quetzalcoatl had fully acknowledged the young man before her.
"Rest assured, I promise to treasure this hard-earned honor, Quetzalcoatl."
"Mm, I believe you." Quetzalcoatl smiled.
"And I will cherish fighting alongside you as well, Roy."
"Now that you have earned my recognition, let's return to my Sun Temple first. We can discuss the current state of Mesopotamia and our plans for cooperation there."
"Besides, my temple is vast, and there are plenty of dinosaurs that can perform backflips. If you get tired of talking, you can even take a nap there~"
"…"
Looking at the suspiciously enthusiastic Quetzalcoatl, Roy found himself momentarily at a loss for words.
Something about this felt a little off.
"Awoooo!!" Suddenly, Jaguar Man let out a loud howl. "I saw Roy-niisan form a new contract, and I got jealous, so I showed up just in time!"
"Back suplex!!"
With a roar, Quetzalcoatl grabbed the suddenly appearing Jaguar Man and effortlessly performed a dazzling back suplex.
But this suplex wasn't just any suplex... it sent Jaguar Man flying out of the rainforest with immense force.
"I will return!!"
In the blink of an eye, Jaguar Man was launched into the sky in a graceful arc, disappearing beyond the jungle.
"Honestly, this cat who bites the hand that feeds her needed a proper lesson."
This wasn't just a punishment for ruining the mood... it was also a little payback for siding against her earlier.
Though, now, Roy was no longer considered an outsider.
"Come, Master. Let's go to the temple together. There are many things waiting for us to handle."
With Jaguar Man dealt with, Quetzalcoatl enthusiastically grabbed Roy and pulled him toward her temple.
"Ahaha… Alright, let's go."
Roy scratched his head and agreed without hesitation.
It definitely wasn't because he was scared by what happened to Jaguar Man. He was simply curious about the backflipping dinosaurs and wanted to discuss Uruk's affairs seriously with Quetzalcoatl.
Definitely not scared.
***
Hi guys! Elena here, hope you're all in good health.
We wanted to let you know that we are currently working on a great new project, if you are interested in checking it out feel free to visit.
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[Bleach: Love and Bonds Make Me Stronger!]
Synopsis:
Falling into a rabbit hole called the Soul Society is bad enough.
But do you know what's even worse than that?
Landing in a Soul Society where the very concept of the Gotei 13 doesn't even exist yet!
Armed with shattered fragments of meta-knowledge, Makoto struggles to survive in the Rukongai amidst human-shaped monsters.
But even after throwing everything he's got into the fight, staying alive in a world where the Soul Society's Most Diabolical Criminal still roams free is nothing short of impossible.
Fortunately, it seems the gods might have heard his suffering, on the brink of death, his cheat finally awakens!
[Love and Bonds System!]
As long as he builds relationships be it romance or friendship with every character around him, his strength will grow.
Simple, right?
But…
[Unohana-mama, can you give me some of your milk?]
[Bald old man, you're lucky to face just 1% of my power, otherwise, you'd be split in half and dead!]
[Saito-chan, could you sit on my face? Please!]
[Aizen-kun, you might be good at manipulation, but that brain of yours is still only 3% of mine!]
[Yhwach, if you can see every possible future, can you see one where you become a Magical Girl?]
Why the fuck this system have a foul mouth that only drags him toward death instead of fostering love and bonds?