After nearly two hours of negotiating the terms of the contract, Priam and Jasmine had come to an agreement. On almost everything.

"Fuck, I told you I accepted your deal, no need to tie me up," the young woman growled.

Feet and hands bound by Log-a-rhythm, Jasmine sat cross-legged on the floor. Priam didn't want to risk a last-minute escape attempt.

"You're an assassin, and I have zero trust in you. Plus, there will be kids around, so watch your language."

"Or what? You'll kill me?"

"Yes." Priam's cold tone seemed to calm Jasmine. He stood in front of her.

"We're not equals. From now on, I'm your boss, and if you don't like it, you know what to do."

The two rivals locked eyes for a few seconds before the assassin lowered hers. It didn't surprise Priam. The moment Jasmine agreed to have her soul monitored, she chose survival over pride.

She had sold her soul and needed to learn to live with it.

While Jasmine struggled to accept her new situation, Priam was deep in thought.

[Evolution of [Priam's System] due to the consumption of AI hoplite Deep Grey.

Artificial General Intelligence level reached.

Possibility to specialize [Priam's System] according to the following hoplite technology:

Assistant: Your system develops conscious intelligence to better fulfill its missions. The Assistant and your soul work in symbiosis. The Assistant is a modified copy of yourself designed to anticipate your expectations and act proactively. The Assistant cannot use Supremacies or Concepts to their full potential.

Transhumanism: The boundary between man and machine gradually disappears. AI merges with your soul and transforms you deeply. Probable change of race. Optimization of logical, linguistic, spatial, and kinesthetic intelligence. Modification of character.

Partner: The core of AI takes on the identity of a person - real or imaginary - who accompanies and grows with you. Eventually, the AI could unlock its own soul. A high degree of freedom allows almost infinite potential for the Partner. Be cautious, as with individuality and judgment, your Partner may develop negative feelings towards you.]

Priam already knew he would choose Assistant but read each description attentively. There were good ideas he could develop someday.

Transhumanism was unthinkable because Priam hated the idea of transforming his consciousness. What was the difference with death if he wasn't himself anymore? There were philosophical considerations to the question - after all, considering that most of the cells in his body had completely renewed since the beginning of the Tutorial, was he still 'Priam'? - but he refused to accept modifying his soul like that.

However, it was interesting to note that modifying his soul or consciousness would also likely change his race. There was a spiritual dimension attached to the race. If Priam continued to accumulate draconic or phoenix blood, would his race change? The answer might depend in part on his mindset and how he viewed himself.

Partner was instantly ignored - Priam dreaded the possibility of an AI rogue knowing all his weaknesses - but was interesting. This specialization opened the door to creating life. By spending his Potential, Priam could connect artificial intelligence to the Concepts System. From there, it was only a step to attribute a soul.

He confirmed Assistant. [Priam's System] disconnected for a moment to update itself. It operated on a soul augmented by the System coupled with the brain of a High Human. An unprecedented and powerful hardware.

[Update...]

Priam felt his thoughts slow down. The skill used a significant part of his memory and vivacity. He glanced at Jasmine, hoping she wouldn't notice anything. Fortunately, the assassin seemed preoccupied with her existential problems.

As his add-on evolved, Priam felt like a pre-System human. The experience was quite traumatic - as if someone had stolen his mental faculties. He couldn't solve ten physics problems in parallel anymore. There was something terrible about being mentally restrained. He felt like an idiot.

A few seconds later, his brain reconnected.

Lvl Up: [Priam’s System] lvl 16,17,18,19,20MEM+10VIVA +5

[Priam's System] has reached level 20. As a rare skill, you're entitled to a bonus. Choose from these three options... Preselected Assistant option. Bonus deferred for the evolution to epic rank.

[Update successful. Routines restarted. Select the Assistant's personality: Human/System.]

"Mmmh." Priam hesitated. If his Assistant had a human personality, he would want to talk to it. There was no harm in talking to oneself, and Priam did it regularly. But when a voice responds, it's often a bad sign. System for now.

[[Priam's System]:

Assistant - General Artificial Intelligence linked to Priam Azura's soul.

Current routines:

linked to Log-a-rhythm for monitoring the base in Elysium.

linked to Concepts Archipelago for monitoring and analyzing the internal world.

linked to [Eidetic Memory] and [Emotional Discipline] for mental monitoring.

linked to Micro, [Diagnostic], and [Human Anatomy] for body monitoring.

linked to Domain and [Kinetic Control] for monitoring the immediate environment and reacting to physical attacks.

linked to [Eidetic Memory] for monitoring treasures compatible with Heavenly Dragon.

New:

Data on hoplite training and combat methods downloaded. Recommendation: incorporate into [Shadow Boxing] to improve martial performance.

Anomaly detected in Concepts Archipelago. Presence of a foreign structure preventing the completion of the world analysis. The anomaly being at the heart of the sun (inheritance of the Phoenix Prince), the Assistant predicts a connection between the two. Recommendation: manual search by the Host.

Minor recommendations:

pay attention to Myuri's mental state.

lack of land in Concepts Archipelago.

Rose is certainly waiting for a discussion with you to finalize her plans. Despite your absence, you are an authority figure in her eyes.

...]

Priam smiled as he swept through the rest of the notifications. His Assistant had compiled a list of hundreds of things to do. Most were very relevant. But before that...

"We're going to start," he said to Jasmine. "Ready?"

"... Ready," the assassin replied after a long silence. She seemed less sure of her choice, which Priam could understand. Unfortunately, waiting longer would change nothing. He stood in front of Jasmine before sitting on the floor. He had briefly considered standing behind her, one hand on her head like a Sith Lord before changing his mind. It cost him nothing to make his future subordinate comfortable.

Using his Domain, Priam touched Jasmine's mind. Surprised or frightened, the young woman began to tremble.

"Breathe deeply and let it happen. My Domain will simply create a bridge between our two minds," he explained.

Jasmine swallowed before lowering her defenses. Slowly, Priam's Domain advanced before feeling something. A flood of emotions poured into him. Thanks to magic, Priam was among the first men to understand a woman.

Fear, disgust, anger, injustice. Negative emotions pressed against his Domain. Priam hesitated for a moment before selecting one of his own feelings - honesty. With a mental push, he sent it towards Jasmine.

"I haven't lied to you. I won't torture or punish you. As long as you don't try to betray me, you have nothing to fear from me," Priam assured Jasmine mentally. Using their link, he then showed her his morality and sincerity. It was a matter of perspective, but Priam was convinced it was the best decision for her. Or at least the best compromise.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Jasmine's breathing calmed. Priam's words, coupled with his emotions, made him credible. Other emotions overwhelmed the young woman.

Curiosity, apprehension, resignation. Priam could accept that. Without even needing to ask, Jasmine's defenses disappeared completely. Priam's sphere of authority ventured further into the young woman's mind before reaching her spiritual core.

A sphere of shifting shadows represented Jasmine's soul. These shadows existed independently of all lights. Jasmine had grasped a concept related to the shadow.

Priam's mind advanced, and the shadows separated, revealing a black sphere dotted with a myriad of golden points. Jasmine's soul resembled a planetary city seen at night from space. Billions of tiny lights blinked, symbolizing life and modernity. Arkana, a human hive that never slept. The hunting ground of the Nightwalker.

Can you create a mental satellite capable of monitoring and controlling this soul? Priam asked his Assistant.

[Best suggestion: Creation of a synchronized copy of [Priam's System]. Requires Potential expenditure to create the structure. Potential can be provided by the second host, for they are the ones who will benefit from it. Optimal cost as the blueprint is already known.

Setting up a Raid 1 - data mirroring: Real-time replication of the system's data on all its physical architectures to ensure continuous availability in case of desynchronization.

Attention, to maintain a link between the copy and the main system, it is necessary for the copy to be in the Domain or under the influence of a relay.]

Priam furrowed his brow. For Jasmine to be useful, she had to be able to travel to Elysium to fulfill missions. If Priam had to be constantly by her side, her only usefulness would eventually be as his shadow. Literally. That didn't interest Priam.

Can we work around this problem?

[Possibilities:

Increase the size of the Domain.

Create relays (Log-a-rhythm's domain will allow you to synchronize different system copies, for example).

Quantum connection between the copy and the original Assistant:Pro: Instant synchronization in the current Universe.Con: The copy is likely to be corrupted if the quantum entanglement is broken.

Spiritual connection between the copy and the original Assistant:Pros: Instant synchronization in all Universes. The copy is capable of defending itself even when isolated from the main system. The copy is capable of assisting the main system during an attack.Con: Requires a fragment of your soul. Chance of death: almost certain.]

Priam didn't hesitate for a moment. The soul connection was the most powerful, and his Talent allowed him such madness. Maybe for another, a divided soul would be a problem, but not for him. Well, as soon as [He Who Eludes Death] is primed.

"First, we'll make the structure together," Priam explained. "Here's what you need to create."

Mentally, he sent the blueprint of [Priam's System]'s structure to Jasmine. She remained undecided for several seconds. Priam felt her hesitation but remained silent. After all, it was up to her to make her choice.

A proud death or an uncertain life.

Jasmine was a survivor.

The Potential appeared, forming a complex structure in a few seconds. Priam followed the creation of the second Assistant, checking that Jasmine didn't include any backdoors. Once the foundations were in place, Priam deposited a load of [There is no Heaven]. If, for some reason, the Assistant was destroyed, Jasmine's soul would not survive. Priam liked it when his enemies stayed dead.

Lvl Up: [There is no Heaven] lvl 3WILL +9

He then turned to the young woman to recite the terms of the agreement they had reached.

"Here are the terms of our agreement. This Assistant will monitor your soul. You won't try to destroy or modify it, and you'll do everything in your power to prevent anyone other than me from accessing it. Your soul will be monitored for fifty of my years, and then this agreement will become null and void. If you disobey me or betray me, your soul will be destroyed. Those are your duties."

Priam gave Jasmine a few seconds to understand the scope of the contract before continuing. "Now, your rights. You'll have the right to refuse an order if it goes against your most cherished values - at the time of the order. You'll have the right to question my orders at the moment I give them, but not afterward. In that case, I will have the final say. You'll have the right to refuse to kill someone dear to you unless it puts you, my family, or myself in danger. You'll be entitled to time off..."

Upon hearing her rights, Jasmine gave Priam a complicated look. Her thoughts were a whirlwind in her head. Surprise, recognition, pity, submission, anger, pride, and relief. Priam furrowed his brow. How could Jasmine be relieved to make a contract with him?

Priam asked the fateful question. "Jasmine, do you agree to respect these terms in the spirit in which they were stated?"

"I agree." It was too late to back down now. A last surge of Potential entered the second system's structure and sealed their agreement.

When the divine aura withdrew, a satellite orbited around Jasmine's soul. Priam connected to it, and through it, the algorithm of his Assistant copied in seconds. Bluish runes crossed the Domain before penetrating the new Assistant. The base of its system was coded in a language unknown to man, but which Potential had taught in part to Priam. Hidden in these arabesques of misty-blue aether was an artificial intelligence that resembled him.

For a fleeting moment, Priam smiled as he checked the information transfer. He wasn't destroying. Despite the terrible purpose, he was creating something wonderful.

I love magic…

Then, the transfer stopped. The second Assistant, a satellite linked to Jasmine's soul, shone before being swallowed by the shadows of her soul.

Lvl Up: [Priam’s System] lvl 21,22,23,24,25MEM+10VIVA +5

[Assistant(copy) in service. Synchronization with the main Assistant: on.]

Priam only needed to concentrate to feel Jasmine's soul. The assassin had no secrets from him. The feeling of voyeurism disgusted Priam. Mentally, he compartmentalized the information he received. His system needed to know the temperature of Jasmine's palm, but not him. Priam was not a pervert and saw no interest in spying on her intimacy. Despite the harsh contract, he wanted a subordinate, not a slave.

During the next few minutes, Priam set the information he would receive directly. In the end, only Jasmine's position, health status, and mental state would be transmitted to him. His Assistant would take care of the rest and alert him if there was a problem.

Priam opened his eyes, and his gaze met Jasmine's.

"I can feel our connection," she whispered mentally. She continued aloud, "You're not spying on me," she noted.

"You have the right to your privacy and dignity," Priam replied. "I repeat: you are not my slave."

"We'll see."

"Now, I can remove that." With a thought, Priam released Jasmine from her chains, and the young woman stood up.

"What's the first mission?"

Priam smiled, getting up as well. He walked a few steps away, checking the stability of their connection. Log-a-rhythm operated as a relay, and the connection between the two systems was clear.

"Your first 'mission' is to check the information your new system will send you. A list of obvious orders, such as 'Show good faith when following my commands,' 'Don't hide in some unlikely place between missions, waiting for fifty years,' 'Don't deceive me by omission,' etc."

"You're a bit paranoid."

"You tried to assassinate me," Priam retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Once you're familiar with the rules, we'll find you a place to sleep. Any preferences?"

Jasmine shrugged. "I prefer lying down to standing."

"Like most people. Anything else?"

"... I like it when it's not raining on me."

Priam burst into laughter for several seconds before stopping, noticing Jasmine's dark expression. "Wait, are you serious?"

Jasmine's gaze remained hard.

"All right, come with me. It's not a luxury hotel, but it should suit you."

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)

PHYSICAL:Strength 419Constitution 724Agility 432 Vitality 547Perception 637

MENTAL:Vivacity 352 (+10)Dexterity 444 Memory 182 (+24)Willpower 694 (+12) Charisma 450 META:Meta-affinity 371 Meta-focus 261Meta-endurance 208 Meta-perception 131 Meta-chance 219Meta-authority 15Potential: 1042 (+23)Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge: OFF. Reloaded in 13 hours 42 minutes 59 seconds.

[Tribulation]: Five Tribulations pending.Future Tribulations delayed until:Time: 175 days 14 hours 16 minutes 12 seconds.Next thresholds: 12 attributes > 400 / 6 attribute > 600 / 1 attribute > 800