Re-Overlord: I Can Acquire Anything!-Chapter 35: A Vow / A Promise

"You’re not here for a joke, are you?" Igaris muttered with a chuckle.

The man’s expression darkened. "You think I’m joking? Watch your mouth, boy," he warned, narrowing his eyes.

Igaris turned away, gazing at the vast Ashen Desert stretching out before him.

"The ancient Summoners had powerful Arts, Mythical Beasts... and still, they lost to those Mechas. So what makes you think you have a chance now? Hmph... You won’t convince me with that nonsense," he sneered.

The man laughed, low and confident. "Your worldview is so narrow, boy. Do you think we’re just charging toward death like fools? We have powerful backing. Once you join us, you’ll understand. We’re confident this time. What the Ancients failed to do, we will accomplish."

As he spoke, a massive creature materialized behind him, its presence overwhelming the air like a storm on the horizon.

"ROARRRR!"

The deafening roar knocked Igaris off his feet. He stumbled to the ground, ears ringing.

But more than the sound, it was the heat—an unbearable, searing pressure behind him, like a raging inferno creeping closer.

"Hehehe... A Dragon? Now it’s getting really interesting," Evernight chuckled darkly.

Hearing her words made Igaris tremble. He hoped she was wrong. He prayed she was wrong.

But when he turned around slowly, cautiously—he froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

Evernight was right.

Behind the smug man stood a Dragon. A real one. A towering Western Dragon, easily 20 meters tall. Flames hissed from its nostrils and mouth, the sheer heat distorting the air around it.

In the dim twilight, its molten red scales shimmered like living magma. Each step it took made the ground tremble.

"Meet Helios, my favorite summon. Is this enough to convince you, boy?" the man said smugly.

"Haha.. don’t even think of using that strange magic of yours on it. You’d be burned to ashes before you even tried," he added, noticing the glint of desire in Igaris’s eyes.

Still, it wasn’t enough to scare Igaris.

He was really thinking of stealing it. The Dragon’s power, its majesty, its sheer presence—it drew him in like a flame to a moth.

"My liege! don’t even think about it! I’m not strong enough to defeat that monster. You thinking is useless. You’d need at least a Master-level Summoner before you have any chance," Evernight warned, pouring cold water on his rising ambition.

He knew she was right. He was deluding himself with fantasies. But even then, he couldn’t stop imagining it how unstoppable, how awe-inspiring he’d be with that Fire Dragon by his side.

"So, do you join or not? I don’t have all day, brat," the Dragon Summoner snapped, clearly growing impatient.

Just as Igaris stood there, deep in thought, another presence made a dramatic entrance.

"Master, you should have waited for me!"

A girl descended from the sky, riding on the back of a dragon-like creature. It resembled a Wyvern—an inferior bloodline compared to the Dragons. Igaris had seen them many times on Orca.

She landed gracefully with a small leap, dust scattering around her boots. As the light caught her face, her features became clear.

She looked about 16, with delicate features and flowing white hair that shimmered in the twilight.

"Nina, if I had waited, this little fellow would’ve run off already," the Master replied calmly.

Her eyes turned to Igaris, then shifted to the Wind Griffin beside him. A strange glint sparked in her gaze.

She suddenly smiled in an odd way, staring at the Griffin as if she had just caught a thief.

"Master, this Wind Griffin belongs to that arrogant guy, Mystic. He must have stolen it from him," she revealed. Then, with a hint of doubt, she added, "But... he looks so weak. How did he even defeat Mystic? Even I would have struggled against him."

Hearing her words, Igaris felt a chill. A bad premonition crawled up his spine.

As expected, the Master’s lips curled into a smirk of amusement.

"Impressive! You even dared to steal from Drago’s group?" he remarked, half-threatening. "Do you know what’ll happen if this gets out to the Freedom Force? They’ll come for you. Every last one of them."

"But if you join us, we won’t tell anyone. And once you rise through the ranks, even they won’t touch you when they find out. It’s all up to you now," he finished with a shrug.

Igaris narrowed his eyes. He didn’t like being threatened. But they weren’t wrong.

Igaris didn’t like the idea of being hunted constantly.

He stood silent for a few moments, weighing his options.

Then he exhaled sharply and said, "Fine, I’ll join. But how can I trust either of you?"

The man let out a low chuckle.

"Cautious, aren’t you? I take it you’ve had a rough past." He turned slightly, glancing at the massive dragon behind him. "Alright then. I’ll bind myself to a vow. If we ever betray you, our pact shall break—and can never be restored."

A fiery glow passed through the dragon’s eyes for a second, signaling the imminent pact.

Nina, still standing beside him, looked genuinely shocked.

"Master, is that really necessary? I know he’s got some weird talent for stealing beasts from summoners, but what can he possibly do against the Mechas? I don’t think we need to go this far just to recruit a weakling into the Freedom Force."

The man didn’t look at her. His eyes remained locked on Igaris.

"You can’t see what I see, Nina," he said quietly. "When I look at him, I sense freedom—or maybe... something even greater. I don’t know what it is yet. But he’s worth taking a chance on."

Nina blinked, stunned. She had never seen her master speak with such seriousness before. So, despite her doubts, she said nothing more.

After knowing Igaris’ name Leon continued:

"My name is Leonardo Ashborne, sworn Summoner of the Ebon Flame. Before my contract beast Helios and the ancient bonds that tie all Summoners, I vow this—"

The wind grew still, and even Nina fell quiet as Leon’s voice echoed with power.

"If I ever betray the boy named Igaris, may the pact of fire that binds me be shattered. Let my bond with Helios be broken, never to return. This I swear."

The dragon roared, not with aggression, but with ancient authority, sealing the vow in fire and spirit. A thin mark of red light traced itself on Leon’s forearm—proof of the unbreakable promise.