Kiyomi's hand still gripped her dagger as she stared at Cain who's expression was rather cold. She knew that his intent was not specifically targeted towards her but it was still a very intimidating situation.

She could literally feel sweat dripping down her spine as Cain's gaze shifted towards her. For a moment, she almost expected him to swing a blade at her or something. However that moment quickly passed as Cain shook his head, an uneasy look on his face.

"Sorry...I lost control of my emotions there for a second. If you don't wish to take the contract, I promise not to harm you but I will have to limit what I can share with you. If it comes to it, I will even ask that you leave the team."

Maris and Mira felt extremely conflicted. They did not want to pressure Kiyomi into doing something she did not want, but at the same time they understood why Cain was drawing this line. Trust was the one thing keeping all of them alive in this cursed place.

Kiyomi's fingers tightened on the dagger hilt. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears, loud enough that she thought everyone could hear it. She had seen what Cain was capable of. His skills, his composure, the way he cut down enemies like it was second nature. The thought of being on his bad side sent a chill through her chest.

Cain's expression remained calm, but his eyes carried a weight that left no room for argument. It was not hostility exactly, more like a quiet acceptance of whatever came next.

Finally, Kiyomi spoke.

"If I say no," she began slowly, her voice low but steady, "then what? I leave, and that is it?"

Cain simply nodded his head in affirmation.

Kiyomi let the silence stretch for several moments before finally voicing the question that had been gnawing at her since Cain first brought up the contract.

"What happens if you betray us?"

Her tone was sharper than she intended, but the question came from a very real place.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Though if it makes you feel better, the contract works both ways. I can't betray you and you can't betray me."

Cain's words hung in the air, firm and absolute. There was no hint of mockery or defensiveness in his tone, only a calm certainty that left no room for misunderstanding.

Kiyomi's eyes narrowed slightly. "Both ways," she repeated softly. "So if you turn on us, you pay the price?"

"Indeed. If I betray Mira, then I will lose my hands. If I betray Maris, I will lose my blood. If I betray Jayden....I lose my life."

The sudden reveal of what Jayden had put on the line as part of her contract was not only astounding to the others, it was downright terrifying to them hust how devoted Jayden was to Cain.

Maris blinked, stunned by the weight of Cain's words. She had known Jayden was loyal, but to put his very life on the line like that? It was almost unthinkable. Her eyes flicked toward Jayden, who stood with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression. He did not flinch. He did not speak. It was as if the revelation meant nothing to him.

Mira, on the other hand, felt a shiver crawl up her spine. It was one thing to trust someone with your back in battle. It was another to stake your life on it in such a literal way.

Kiyomi swallowed hard. The dagger in her hand felt heavier than ever. The silence that followed Cain's explanation seemed to stretch on endlessly. Every heartbeat, every shallow breath felt louder than it should.

"You are serious," she finally said.

Cain nodded once, slowly. "I am."

The air felt thick.

Kiyomi's mind raced. She wanted to say no. She wanted to keep her independence, to avoid binding herself to anyone. She had survived this long on her own instincts, her own blade. However it was also these same instincts that were now telling her to take that leap of faith and join him.

She could only hope that trust led to her continued survival.

Kiyomi's hand finally loosened around the dagger hilt. Her knuckles ached from how tightly she had been gripping it, but the weight of the decision felt heavier than the weapon itself. The others were watching her closely. Maris with quiet concern, Mira with narrowed eyes trying to read her thoughts, and Jayden with that same unshaken calm as if he already knew what choice she would make.

She had spent so long surviving on her own that the idea of binding herself to anyone felt wrong. Yet Cain's voice carried a steadiness that made it hard to doubt him. He did not plead. He did not manipulate. He simply set the terms and left the choice in her hands.

Her instincts whispered the answer before her mind fully caught up.

"Fine," Kiyomi said at last. Her voice was quiet, but it cut through the tense air. "I will take the contract."

Cain inclined his head slightly, as from his hand, another violet ball of energy burst into existence. Perhaps to hide her nerves, Kiyomi let out a soft chuckle as she remarked "This is not how I imagined my first time being penetrated by a guy to play out."

Cain nearly tripped standing still at Kiyomi's joke while Mira and Maris had blushes of their own forming. Jayden however, looked like she was about to emit steam as her face quickly matched the color of her hair.Of all the girls ccurrently present, she was the only one to have slept with him.

"D-Don't be stupid!" Jayden shouted with a stutter, clearly flustered and out of her depth when it came to responding to jokes like Kiyomi's.

"Cain isn't that small! That light has nothing on him! Cain's the big one!"

The silence that followed was excruciatingly painful. Cain felt like he was going to throw up blood one of these days if Jayden kept on talking this way.

The solemn atmosphere in the training grounds disappeared immediately and Cain could feel three different sets of eyes staring at his crotch.

He wanted to yell at Jayden but he knew it would do him no good right now. It was best to just finish the contract with Kiyomi before he ran away and hid for a little while.

"Let's just get this over with...." He sighed with the intensity of the man who had more than enough and just wanted to go to bed.

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