"Go ahead."

"Yeah." Alice clutched the scythe tightly in her hands and looked at Ern, "I need to get some energy into it, right?"

"Right. Pretend you're using skill and channel the energy. It's easy, you're bound to succeed."

Alice nodded, and her aura shook. Wind currents appeared around her arm, but they disappeared, and suddenly the eye on the scythe blade began to twitch.

The eye opened, and a powerful aura erupted from the scythe.

"Girl? Did you awaken me?" Dormant Stalker asked menacingly. His voice sounded harsh and cruel.

"Yes...!" Alice flinched and answered uncertainly.

"What a coward... and you want me to make contact with you? Is this some kind of joke?! Your energy is not stronger than that of an ant, no, even an ant is more worthy than you!"

The Dormant Stalker was a living weapon, and it was very much like humans. They, too, could talk and think and had their unique character.

'Alice is out of luck, she's not used to this kind of thing.' Wain thought.

He and Ern watched in silence what was going on. They would only intervene if Alice were in danger.

Even though the conversation went wrong, Ern was relaxed and had a confident smile. He felt Alice could handle it, otherwise he wouldn't have spent two million on weapons.historical

"Yes, you're right. I am actually weak, but isn't that okay? I'm going to be strong, and you can't break me, on the contrary, you're going to help me do it!" Alice uttered. She pulled herself together, and the Dormant Stalker's aggression no longer affected her.

"Huh, at least you have character, that's not bad anymore." Dormant Stalker muttered, "Hey, will you guys keep eavesdropping? Nothing's bothering you, huh?"

"No, that's fine with me. Feel free to keep going." Wain smirked.

"I disagree." Ern objected and put his hands together, "I'm missing a bottle of wine and grapes. We're sitting in the front row and should be enjoying it to the fullest!"

"I see, your mates are clowns, well, that's fixable." Dormant Stalker snorted.

"Huh." Alice chuckled and smiled.

"Girl, is that funny to you?!"

"I'm sorry, but that honestly was." Alice looked away.

The Dormant Stalker looked at her intently, "Okay, I don't mind trying to make a contract with you, but I can't promise it will work, and be prepared for the consequences."

"Hmm? Is it dangerous?"

"Yes, you may be hurt, but from the looks of it, these two will save you if necessary."

"Of course." Ern nodded, "Alice, don't worry, focus on the process, he has agreed to work with you, so most of the work is already done."

"Okay, I get it. What do I need to do?"

"Nothing complicated. I'll channel my energy into you, and you have to connect with it. We'll probably be able to do it, but then the hard part starts."

"What?"

"Never mind, you'll see soon enough." Dormant Stalker uttered, and his aura intensified.

Blue streams of energy went into Alice's hand, and she flinched slightly, but nothing unusual happened.

"Come on, now you."

Alice nodded, and gray energy came to meet the blue one. They merged into one flow, and Alice's aura gradually intensified.

'She's doing it, but is it really that simple?' Wain pondered. He watched the whole process intently, he was curious and thought that one day he too might have such a weapon.

All was well, but at one point, Alice began to tremble, to gnash her teeth, and goosebumps ran down her body.

'What's going on?'

"This is it..."

"Hmm?"

"She's scared. You've seen the description of this scythe, its power is connected to fear, and Alice needs to overcome it and take control. Otherwise, it won't work." Ern said seriously.

The aura of Dormant Stalker gradually intensified, and a powerful pressure came over Alice. Her eyes went blurry, and she began to hallucinate.

"How strange..." Alice muttered and looked at her trembling hand.

"Girl! Don't you dare give up! You almost made it!" Dormant Stalker shouted, and his words reached Alice's mind.

Her pupils narrowed, and she clenched her palm into a fist and created a powerful wind stream. It blew away a lot of cutlery, but it also dispelled the energy of fear that bound her like chains.

Then she touched the scythe blade and used the wind to take some of the Dormant Stalker's energy.

"It's over...?" Wain was puzzled.

"Yeah... I guess so." Ern muttered, "Alice, are you okay?"

"Yeah, now I can definitely get stronger and not disappoint you." Alice smiled contentedly.

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to make it." Dormant Stalker pronounced, "But I was wrong, probably a good thing. You have such unusual energy, it's strange, it's like you have no limits."

"Um..." Alice didn't know what to answer.

"There's nothing strange about it, it's just the way it should be." Wain said, "She's a human, she has no boundaries and can grow in any direction, complete freedom, but a thornier path."

"Human... How interesting. Alice, would you like to try out our new powers?"

"Sure!"

"Okay, focus. I'll guide you." Dormant Stalker said, and a huge amount of energy burst out. It was like a vortex that headed towards Alice and engulfed her.

Wain and Ern were alert; they were ready to rush to help at any moment.

"It's okay." Alice suddenly said, "Now fear is my ally, and as my partner, I know very well how to control it."

Whooooooosh.

The swirl of energy dissipated, and Alice appeared. She wore dark armor covered in scales like a dragon, her hair long and blue. Her aura made even Wain and Ern get goosebumps. It was her martial attire, along with the Dormant Stalker.

Ern smiled. He was right, and he made sure he didn't spend a lot of money on Alice for nothing.

"All right, Alice, you have a great future ahead of you, just like I said!"

'It's just like me...' Wain thought intently as he stared at Alice's new look.