Comply with the Fate part 1

'I need it to... to save the life of someone very dear to me.'

This was definitely not the answer he had expected, considering that the few cultivators he had met were all a bunch of greedy bastards.

Her reason was noble but nonsensical: 'The World of Oblivion is filled with extraordinary treasures and potions... there must be a safer way. You will surely find another way with your vast network of information.'

'I already did all I can do. Not even with my father's influence, I found a solution on the continent...' Rose looked very sad: '... I have been looking for a solution for years, but despite possessing a lot of money, I have never found a way to solve the problem. It was only by pure luck that I discovered the existence of these Legendary Fruits. According to legends, they can cure any disease and curse in this world...'

The girl lifted her face filled with tears and continued: '... I implore you; we can't leave without one of them.'

Atlas found himself in a difficult situation.

'Damn it...' Atlas sighed bitterly and then pinched Rose's cheeks to repay her for all the injustice he had suffered: '... foolish, you've run out of water... how do you expect to hold out without Chaos Energy in this hell?'

Rose ignored his gest but still found his word softer than before.

'Sell me several liters of water... I know that your artifact has an immense amount.'

'You understand that you're not clear-headed right now...' Atlas pinched her cheeks again: '... Even if I give you all the water, you wouldn't be able to survive in this place alone.'

'Don't worry... just give me some water and leave.'

Clearly, Atlas was tempted by that considerable amount of Chaos Stones. Still, he could leave her in such a place. He couldn't honestly do something like this.

Atlas briefly reasoned about what to do and suddenly realized that Rose was not threatening him with the so-called curse she had inflicted on him.

What was the point of pleading with him when she could simply force him to do whatever she wanted?

'Maybe...'

The young man found the situation strange but was undecided about what to do. Sure, he was tempted also by those peculiar fruits, but the danger lurking below was an excellent reason to think about that matter a second time.

Stormed by doubts, Atlas stared at the beautiful moon high in the sky, searching for an answer.

Seeing him so focused, Rose didn't interrupt him and instead waited hopefully for his response.

'Nihilir... what should I do?'

Left with no alternative, Atlas tried to contact the person who had asked him to come here, hoping to receive an answer.

'Nihilir... is it worth it? What should I do?'

Receiving no response, the young man insisted, and just when he was ready to give up, Nihilir's voice echoed in his mind: 'It's up to you... but surely nothing is entirely free in this universe... And good fortune is always accompanied by a dangerous encounter...'

Vague, as usual, was his response. Still, the meaning behind his words was pretty obvious.

Noticing the young man's expression, Rose thought about how to finally convince that brute, but suddenly Atlas's voice reached her, appeasing her restless Soul.

'Hmm... I'll help you get those damn fruits, but I will take half of them...'

'Really?" Rose was pleased but also a little shocked by the answer, so she stared intently into the young man's eyes, searching for confirmation.

Atlas nodded without delay, and the girl's answer shocked them. In fact, perhaps caught up in the succession of all those intense emotions, she kissed his cheeks battered by her canines several times.

She realized her actions only after doing it, and with a much calmer expression and a slight blush on her cheeks, she thanked him with words: 'Thank you... I only need two of them, so you can take all the others.'

It took him a little longer to understand what had happened, but eventually, he directed only a fleeting glance at her before throwing her body to the ground abruptly.

The boy didn't give a damn about his rude gesture and walked to the nearest branch with a clear objective.

'You idiot... what a brusque manner you have! I only gave you a little kiss on the cheek...'

Atlas didn't respond to her blatant provocation and climbed up the fiery branch instead.

'You bastard...'

Rose was still a little angry, but after all that had happened between them, that irritation had been partially replaced by something else.

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After leaving her in that heartless way, Atlas started an arduous path.

The higher he climbed, the higher the temperature rose, which was strange since he was getting further away from the lava.

In truth, Atlas already had a plausible answer for that dilemma, but the fact was not very convenient.

With the temperature rising sharply, breathing had become increasingly complex. The hot air invading Atlas' lungs was as sharp as a blazing blade, and the sweat was dripping from his pores, covering every part of his body and making even a simple action like blinking difficult.

'Damn those fruits... Who knows what incredible properties they possess...'

The two were now too far apart to communicate as before, which gave his mind a brief moment of tranquility.

It was not that that sensual voice was annoying. It was just that communicating like that was exhausting in the long run.

One layer of cloth was no longer sufficient to insulate his hands egregiously from the tremendous heat from the bark, so he employed another piece.

It was a hellish journey, but after an hour spent climbing the steep, fiery bark, Atlas reached the top of the first branch.

The Scarlet Peach was only a few steps away, and he needed only a little to win the first juicy prize, but with that beast protecting the tree, the young man quelled that impelling desire and carefully checked below.

'Everything seems too quiet... how strange...'

Indeed, he could not believe that being would be lounging among those fiery waters in peace. So, there had to be a more logical explanation.

'Damn...at most, we'll stay above this fucking tree for a while.'

There was no point in waiting any longer, so he extended his palm forward and, neglecting the terrifying flushes, clutched the magical fruit in his hands.

'It's done...'

Looking at the odd peach in his palm, a large amount of information flowed inside his mind from Chaotiss. Undoubtedly, that thing wasn't a rune, but for some reason, Chaotiss' knowledge invaded his head anyway.