After carefully returning the Fireball books to their original place, Arjun stood still for a moment, deep in thought.
"…I need to tell the others about this," he murmured.
He turned and began moving through the floating platforms, searching for the rest of the group. It didn't take long to find them gathered near the entrance of the attack-magic section.
"So?" Raya asked as soon as he saw him. "Find anything useful?"
Arjun nodded. "More than I expected."
Before he could continue, Tim spoke up. "We were just sharing what we found. Divya picked a technique."
Divya lifted the floating book beside her. "Fireball."
Arjun blinked. "…Fireball?"
"Yes," she replied, slightly confused by his reaction. "Is something wrong?"
Arjun stepped closer and glanced at the book. The name was the same, but the aura, the structure, even the instinctive image it gave off was different from the ones he had seen earlier.
"This isn't the same Fireball I found," Arjun said slowly.
Divya frowned. "Different? But the name—"
"That's the point," Arjun interrupted gently. "There are multiple Fireball techniques. Same name, different construction, also each has different results ."
Raya crossed his arms. "You're saying they're not the same ones?"
"Exactly," Arjun replied. "Some cast slower but hit harder. Others are faster but weaker. It's like using different formulas to reach the same answer."
Divya hesitated, then said, "I was planning to use the free technique offer on this one."
Arjun raised his hand quickly. "Wait."
Everyone looked at him.
"Don't decide yet," he said seriously. "If there are multiple Fireballs, there are probably better versions—or versions that suit you more."
Tim tilted his head. "So what do we do?"
Arjun thought for a moment. "We shall browse more. Or we wait for Rohit to come back with Amy and ask directly. If anyone knows which techniques fit us best, it's the Myriad staff."
Divya looked at the book again, then slowly let it float back into place. "…Alright. I'll wait."
Raya nodded. "Makes sense. No point rushing a free choice."
Tim sighed. "Yeah. It would be stupid to waste it."
Arjun said, "Let's browse together"
Everyone nodded and checked the techniques together this time.
While the group was still browsing suitable techniques, a familiar voice echoed through the corridor.
"Did all of you choose a technique already?"
Everyone turned at once.
"Rohit!" Rita exclaimed.
He walked toward them, Amy a short distance behind, her expression calm and unreadable.
Raya smirked. "You took your time. So? What happened back there?"
Rohit let out a breath and began explaining—starting from the archway, the sudden pull into darkness, the floating island, and finally the old man who called himself the Benevolent Sage.
As he spoke, the group grew quieter.
"…And then he gave us tea," Rohit finished. "Just one sip."
"A sip?" Arjun repeated slowly.
Rohit nodded. "That's all it took."
"Took what?"
Rohit replied, "To gain a talent"
"You gained a talent… from tea?" Tim said weakly.
Divya stared at him in disbelief. "That's… absurd."
Raya let out a low whistle. "You're lucky beyond belief."
Arjun was the first to recover. He stepped forward and extended his hand. "Congratulations. That talent suits you perfectly."
Rohit smiled and shook it. "Thanks."
After the excitement settled, Divya asked carefully, "So… what about the contract?"
Rohit's expression turned serious. "That's why I came back. I want to discuss it with all of you."
He looked around the group. "Help me make the most advantageous contract possible."
Silence followed.
Then everyone started talking at once.
"We need financial backing," Raya said immediately. "Techniques aren't cheap."
"And discounts," Tim added. "Especially for experimental ones."
Arjun raised a hand, calming them. "More importantly, long-term flexibility. No forced missions. No direct control over Rohit's actions."
Divya nodded. "And limits on reporting. His privacy matters."
They debated, refined, and argued.
Minutes turned into an hour.
Finally, Arjun summarized calmly, "The core terms should be simple. Financial support. Technique discounts. No interference in his choices."
Rohit turned to Amy. "These are our conditions."
Amy listened without interrupting, her eyes sharp.
"…Reasonable," she said at last. "I agree."
Relief spread through the group—
Until Amy added calmly, "However, there will be a penalty clause."
The atmosphere froze.
"If Rohit breaches the contract," Amy continued, "he will become the property of the Myriad of Techniques—bound as a slave until the end of his life."
Divya's face went pale. "That's—"
"Harsh," Amy agreed evenly. "But necessary."
Silence followed.
Then Amy continued, "To balance this, reporting requirements will be light. Rohit will submit one progress report per year."
Everyone nodded slowly.
"For a maximum duration of one hundred years," Amy added.
"…What?"
Everyone stared at her.
"One hundred years?" Tim said. "That's—wait. That's insane." Tim blurted out.
Raya frowned deeply. "That's basically forever."
Rohit scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly. "I doubt I'll even live a hundred years."
Amy looked at him calmly. "Age is just a number."
She added casually, "Take the Benevolent Sage, for example. He's over a million years old."
Silence slammed into the group.
"…A million?" Divya repeated weakly.
Rohit's mouth opened, then closed.
"…Then how old are you?" he asked without thinking.
Amy stopped walking.
She turned slowly, her eyes sharp.
"…It's rude to ask a lady her age," she said flatly.
Then she smiled faintly. "Especially in the Tower."
Raya coughed, trying not to laugh.
Arjun cleared his throat. "So… once per year, for a hundred years. Then the contract ends?"
"Yes," Amy confirmed. "After that, you're free."
The group exchanged glances.
The terms were dangerous.
But the rewards were immense.
Rohit took a slow breath.
"…Alright," he said firmly. "I agree."
Amy nodded. "Then the contract will be prepared."
As the tension eased, Arjun placed a hand on Rohit's shoulder.
"Just don't break it," he said quietly.
Rohit smiled faintly. "I won't."
In the Tower, power demanded time.
And Rohit had just agreed to give it a century.