Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 209 Everyone has their own agenda
Zhang Yuan took out a contract scroll from his pocket, preparing to draft a contract document with magical power.

Every clause on it was carefully considered and fiercely debated; every word and pattern written on it was repeatedly examined and scrutinized.

As for the matter of real names, the two sides reached a compromise: Grando must use part of his real name to sign the contract, while Zhang Yuan must swear an oath to Azus.

After this series of contests, the mage actually came out on top.

Acquiring knowledge and power is no easy task, let alone cheap, while helping a demon regain his power seems to require only a few tricks, making the cost disproportionately high.

Of course, you might need to sacrifice something tiny, insignificant.

While Grando appeared indignant at the loss, he was secretly delighted. The other party was indeed too young, naive, and immature.

You think you can bind a Tanari with just a fragment of their real name and a vow? You're dreaming!

As the ultimate manifestation and symbol of the chaos of the entire multiverse, the Abyss itself is equivalent to chaos, the unknowable, and the undefinable. How could the Tanari, as the beloved child born of the will of the Abyss, be bound by so-called contracts and order?

The only thing that can truly compel these children of chaos to obey is the oath they swore to the Styx in their full true names; everything else is merely a rope tethering a bison, from which they can break free in an instant.

Knowledge and power—as a high-ranking demon who considered himself not far from being a lesser lord, how could Grandor be stingy with these things? Since that mage wanted them, he would give them to him. However, knowledge and power are never inanimate objects; the more one obtains, the stronger the traces they leave on one's path.

When the problems become too deep to be reversed, that's when the course of action will change.

Knowledge from lower planes, in particular, is like candy coated with poison. If one fails to discern and exercise restraint, it is only a matter of time before one falls into depravity.

Grando could easily imagine that this little mage would eventually fall into depravity and become an evil mage. How to deal with him at that time would be entirely up to him.

Should we let the other party stay in the prime plane as our servant? Or should we simply send him a one-way ticket to the bloody battle in the abyss?

"I'm still a little worried. By the way, the Styx Oath sounds pretty good. Why don't you consider it?"

Grando, who was envisioning a bright future, suddenly heard this sentence, and his entire shadowy body froze instantly, even forgetting the most swaying dance moves of the arrogant and enchanting Shadow Fiend.

He knew! He knew about the Styx Oath!
Is this damn guy from the main world pretending to be someone he's not? Is he about to reveal his true colors?

"Put away your ridiculous little tricks, mortal! That's not something you can lay your hands on. Or do you dare to go back on your word in front of the mighty Grandor?" The demonic shadows flickered, flames flashed, and the air seemed to be filled with the acrid smell of sulfur.

Ignoring the other party's intense emotional fluctuations, Zhang Yuan said casually, "It's just a small suggestion, why are you yelling so loudly?"

"As for whether I'm going back on my word?" The mage shook his head, and after the other person calmed down a bit, he spoke again: "Be confident, you guessed perfectly!"

"I knew you'd understand the significance of our collaboration... Wait, what did you say?!"

Looking at the reptilian mage opposite her with a wicked grin and a hideous face, Tanari's anger at being tricked instantly burned away all the little rationality she had left.

"Die, you insect! How dare you offend the great Grandor!" "I dare not." The mage's seemingly conceding words startled the demonic shadow.

Is she trying to beg for forgiveness? Too late!

Grando showed no sign of stopping. The Tanaris were not a good-tempered species. Seeing that the other party was not fooled at all and had no intention of fulfilling the contract, Grando, whose plan had failed, simply overturned the table. Even if it meant being ostracized and sent back to the Prime Material Plane, he was determined to teach this arrogant reptile a lesson it would never forget.

Shadow Bind is not an innate spell-like ability, but rather a niche spell that Grandor mastered through his bloodline and shadow affinity. Its effect is similar to the Necromancer's Soul of the Pot.

Yes, Grando is vengeful and vindictive, so how could he possibly let this despicable fellow go? No matter how many tricks the other party has, he is ultimately just a mid-level mage. He may seem to have a wide variety of tricks, dazzling the eye, but in reality, he hasn't even figured out his own path.

It was just another soul prism, he thought with a sinister grin, the demonic shadow running rampant.

The mage, who was already considered a dead man in Grando's eyes, was surprisingly calm at this moment, neither running away nor making any counterattack or resistance.

The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and his gaze seemed to hold both mockery and pity.

Are you scared out of your wits?

For some reason, seeing the other person's expression made Grando increasingly angry, and he also felt a sense of unease.

This lowly reptile dares to provoke the great Grando!
The demonic figure thought it was enraged by the mortal's contempt and was about to extract his soul to teach him a lesson.

A thunderclap in a clear sky, a sudden thud from under the pants!
A bolt of lightning struck from the sky, tearing apart the crimson sunset and the tranquility of dusk, landing squarely on the demon's forehead.

Intense pain swept through Grando's entire consciousness, and fear and anger surged into his heart at the same time.

That familiar tactic, that damned druid!
No longer caring about arguing with the little reptile in front of him, Grandor forced himself to flee directly back to his hometown. With teleportation spells sealed, the rejection from the prime plane, which he used to find extremely annoying, and the summoning pull from the abyss were his only way out.

"Guests are welcome, why rush to leave?" A somewhat familiar, aged voice rang out.

Before the words were finished, the newcomer slammed his cane on the ground, and a bright ray, like starlight, shot out, striking the demonic shadow that was already at its last gasp and could barely maintain its form.

All resentment and curses were suppressed in that instant. The brilliant starlight, like amber, solidified and sealed the black mist-like Grandor, leaving only two fiery eyes that kept flashing.

The newcomer was none other than Garas, the Wrath of the Heavens!

This was the source of Zhang Yuan's confidence. He had activated the communication crystal under the cover of his clothes the moment he took out the contract scroll, and all the subsequent conversations were just stalling for time.

What if the old man doesn't make it in time?
Then let's sign it. I can get some benefits for free. Anyway, it won't be me who kills Grando, that unlucky guy, so it won't violate any agreement.

Once my creditors are dead, I'll be debt-free and carefree. If I'm not shameless and not ruthless, why would I want to be a monk?

(End of this chapter)