"Are you sure this is the Oath you wished to take?" the angelic voice asked, giving Alex one last chance to change his mind.
"After a process of elimination, I have deemed that this oath will not limit my growth and the paths I wish to take in life," Alex replied.
"Even if it means that you might be betrayed by the people you have vowed to protect?" the angelic voice asked.
"I’m not a martyr or a doormat," Alex said simply. "Just because I take hits doesn’t mean I can’t hit others back. If they betray me, then I’ll just beat the crap out of them and feed them to fishes."
The angelic voice went silent for a moment, as if processing everything it had just heard.
It had met many people in the past, and many of them had the same mindset as Alex.
However, each individual was still unique in their own way, which was the reason why it didn’t know if it should be amused, or be concerned about the young man’s answers.
"...Feeding them to fishes is not an officially sanctioned part in the Oath," it finally said, but the voice now sounded slightly less majestic and slightly more confused.
"Well, good thing I’m a freelancer." Alex shrugged. "No employer, no HR."
A glowing figure began to descend from the heavens.
It was a handsome youth with long red hair, and there was a mischievous spark in his eyes as he looked at Alex.
But as if being observed by a higher power, the handsome young man’s expression unnaturally switched to a serious one, and he placed his hands on his hips.
"You stand here as the second Oathkeeper who will make their mark on the world," he stated. "Do you, knowing the weight and consequence, truly intend to swear the Oath of the Heart?"
Alex crossed his arms. "Yeah. Big heart, stronger abs. Let’s get on with it."
"The path is one of selflessness, service, and sacrifice–"
"That sounds like my last group defense in college."
"There will be pain."
"Did you see my fight with the crimson fire salamander?"
The angel hesitated again, then consulted what looked suspiciously like a celestial clipboard made of light.
"...And you’re aware that, should you break the Oath, you will fall from grace and become an Oathbreaker–"
"Edgy antihero mode unlocked, got it."
"There will be brooding."
"I brood recreationally."
"There may be... eye shadow."
Alex paused for a few seconds before giving a thoughtful nod. "Noice."
The angel sighed. "Very well. Kneel, and—wait, are you eating?"
"Bro, I haven’t eaten for nearly a day," Alex answered as he finished the last bite of Dim Dim’s roasted pork bun.
The angel coughed lightly and took out a sword.
Alex understood that the time for jokes was over, so he knelt like a knight about to be given a responsibility he must carry out for the rest of his life.
"You come under The Lovers’ gaze, not for honor, not for recognition, but to bind yourself to something greater than pride. Are you prepared to give your heart freely, knowing it may break?"
"Will you protect those whom you have vowed to protect, even when the world turns its back on them?"
"Will you stand against cruelty, even if it means you will stand alone?"
"I will stand even if I’m alone."
"Do you vow to listen to the cry of the heart, even when it leads you away from comfort, power, or safety?"
"Will you raise your shield for the sake of others without expecting anything in return?"
"I will raise it without fail," Alex replied with conviction.
"Should those you protect turn on you...
Should your name be cast aside, your efforts forgotten...
Will you remain true to the Oath, not out of obligation, but because it is who you are?"
"For as long as I can keep it, I will stay true to my Oath," Alex answered.
"And in your final hour, when your shield cracks and your breath is thin,
Will you still choose to protect, even if no one sees it but the stars?"
"Even then, I swear to it," Alex stated.
From the sky, a shield slowly descended.
It was a round gray shield, looking old and battered yet still pulsing with the power to fight.
A claw emblem was embedded at its center, making Alex’s eyes widen in shock.
The shield landed in the hands of Leo, who had now appeared to complete the ceremony of passing his legacy on.
"Rise, Oathkeeper," Leo said as he handed the shield to the young man. "The world will not always know your name. But it will feel your presence, and that shall be enough."
"It is my honor to receive this shield from you, Sir Leo," Alex replied, doing his best to keep his voice from cracking due to the myriad of emotions he was feeling at the moment.
< You have received Everguard >
< Everguard recognizes you as its new master >
"You hold it not because you are unafraid but because someone has to be brave."
Item Grade: Super Rare
Active Skills: Taunt [EX]
Passive Skills: Last Bastion, Knock Back Immunity, Guts, Charm Immunity, Petrification Immunity.
— Force any creature to attack you once.
— As long as you shout at a creature to provoke it into attacking you, Taunt [EX] will automatically activate.
— When the wielder of this shield enters a critical state or has received very serious injuries, a dome of light will wrap around them for twenty seconds, reducing all incoming damage by 95%.
< Knockback Immunity >
— While holding this shield, the wielder cannot be pushed back by anything, but they will not be immune to damage received.
– Attacks that can instantly kill you will not kill you. Instead, it will leave you with 1 Health Point remaining.
— The wielder of Everguard is immune to the Charm Skill.
< Petrification Immunity >
— The wielder of Everguard is immune to Petrification.
As Alex held the faded, battle-worn shield in his hand, he could tell that Everguard only had one last battle left in it.
Cracks could already be seen in several places on the shield, and yet, Alex understood that it wouldn’t break until it fulfilled its last vow to protect the Clawford Tribe.
Alex raised his head to face Leo, who was looking at him with a faint smile on his face.
"Please, protect them one more time in my stead," the Catkin said.
"I will do my best," Alex promised. "But my best may not be enough."
The old Catkin nodded in understanding. "I know. That’s why I will use the last strength in this Will of mine to help you as well."
With that, Leo turned into particles of light that flew off.
When Alex and Dim Dim understood what the old Catkin had planned to do, the young man decided to make a very shameless request.
Leo laughed heartily and agreed to the young man’s request.
Since the young man was willing to risk his life for the Clawford Tribe, he decided to lend him his strength and allow him to have a higher chance of fulfilling his first Oath as the Oathkeeper.