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nWisps are peculiar beings, even among familiars.

nThey are often referred to as the original Familiars, and that is for a single reason—their natural state as souls!

nUnlike other Familiars who were once living beings that died and became Bond Souls, Wisps have always had the appearance of Souls. Having no physical body, to begin with, they are the real deal, authentic Familiars who never age and still have the total pieces of their memories and Egos intact.

nThey do not get corroded with the passage of time…

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n“T-these are… Wisps!”

nFour of them floated around me, donning different colors! It was amazing to imagine that my intentions had resonated with not just one, but all four at once.

n‘I didn’t expect this!’

nMy Resonance conveyed the Contract I intended to make, and just like a bid, I expected those who were interested to show themselves.

nOne of the terms I placed was ‘First Come, First Served’. I only had room for four Familiars, after all.

nSuddenly, I felt my mind grow hazy. Like a fog slowly creeping up on me, my vision blurred and my strength was just about used up. I only had a few minutes left.

nDid I currently have what it took to contract with four Wisps?

n“I’m glad you answered my Resonance. Unfortunately, my power is all used up. Please, lend me your strength now. I shall offer you a place of abode… the most comfortable kind!”

nThe creatures of light drew nearer, and I could hear a humming sound emanating from them. Having studied these unique beings for some time, I knew what they were about to do.

n“Human.”

n“Do you deceive us?”

n“Is it possible that you truly possess multiple Cores to house four of us?”

n“Prove your worth.”

nAs I heard their voices echo in my head, my mind grew foggier. Usually, Familiars would be more cordial, but I was dealing with proud beings here. I needed to be smart about my next move.

n“You are Wisps, are you not? Why do you not resonate with me and find out?”

nAfter I managed to say this, silence prevailed. I stared at each of the floating beings tiredly, waiting for their decision.

nZWUUUNMMMMM!!!

nI felt a vibrating frequency within me. It was like every part of my body was being thoroughly searched, and I knew why. The Wisps were confirming my assertion by resonating with my Mana Cores.

n“Very well.”

n“You appear to be speaking the truth.”

n“Who would have thought, though… a human possessing this many Mana Cores.”

n“It’s a good thing we decided to come and spectate out of curiosity. The others didn’t believe you… looks like they missed out on a rare sight.”

nJudging by their words, I had to deduce that the reason my Resonance was unanswered was due to doubt on the part of the Familiars. They must have thought I was merely bluffing and not worth any time. Speaking of which, time was running out, my stamina as well. I needed to hurry!

n“Now that you have seen my Cores, do you believe me now? Form Contracts with me!”

nSilence pervaded the area once again.

n“Human.”

n“You mentioned having a suitable home.”

n“Your Mana Core is merely at the Yellow Core Grade.”

n“Do you believe it is worthy of us?”

n“Do you know of our status? How dare you.”

nNow they were mad! What arrogant little pricks these Souls were. Wisps were strong, but not by a large margin. Many Familiars, who were once legendary beings, outstripped them in both power and Mana potential.

nThe reason for their pride was due to the fact that they were Original Familiars. If I wasn’t so desperate, I wouldn’t need to go out of my way to cajole them. The benefits I offered went both ways.

n“Do you not know, o’ Wisps? Having four Mana Core Grades to house four of you, I intend to specialize them in the Magic attribute that you all possess. That makes it the most suitable home for your respective personas.”

nImmediately after I said this, the Familiars suddenly emitted a brighter ray of light, causing me to nearly go blind.

n“What did you just say?”

n“Do you mean it?”

n“Resonance shows that you don’t seem to be lying.”

n“Why would you do that?!”

nWhile Familiars were searchers of residences to live in, some were extremely picky concerning the types of Mana Core which would house them.

nMana Cores become specialized the higher the Grade, and while the basic use of other magic is possible, one’s specific attribute would be sure to be more pronounced when using related spells.

nFor Familiars, the more attuned the attribute of a Mana Core was to their own attribute, the better the home would be. Since the proud ones preferred comfort, they sought those who had similar attributes… but it was extremely rare to find an individual who had exactly the same attribute as the Familiar.

nWhy?

nMages generally preferred versatility. If one had specialization in Fire Magic, it was clear that they would seek a Familiar who had a complimenting ability, probably wind, to increase the mage’s power. No mage would intentionally pick a Familiar that could do the same thing he could. It would be a waste!

nThat was why these Wisps were most likely surprised by my offer.

n“I will make my specialty the same as your attributes. Fire. Water. Wind. Earth. Four of the basic elements. I have enough Mana Cores to do that!”

nMy smile broadened as I stared at the glowing beings. With my strength fading, I could only put on this facade for a minute longer, but I had to remain strong. If I passed out here, the contract would never be signed and I would lose my chance.

n“So, what will it be?”

n‘Please say yes! PLEASE!!!’ I screamed internally.

n“You intrigue me, human.”

n“You are quite impressive.”

n“Having a Core dedicated to me does sound appealing.”

n“And we get to have one another as neighbors…”

nMy body throbbed, muscles ached, and I knew it would only take some seconds before I blacked out.

n“Very well. You have won us over… we will sign the contract on one additional condition.”

n‘Tch! What now?!’

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