The corner of Clark’s lips was twitching as he listened to the teenage boy’s explanation about his amazing, fabulous, mysterious, one-of-a-kind, and incredible secret organization. Vincent’s eyes had glazed up, and no one could tell what he was thinking. Char, on the other hand, was finding everything Ziuon said so silly, and yet, she wanted to join it for the sake of humoring him. She didn’t believe, not even for a moment, the young man’s words as the truth. I mean, how could she believe that the teenage boy was best friends with a Majin Prince, two Majin Princesses, and a God-like being who could perform miracles in Solterra? "And that is everything that I have to say," Thirteen said with a faint smile on his face. "With so many benefits, I’m sure that the three of you are very excited to join, right?" The teenage boy then glanced at the three teenagers and observed their reactions. But aside from Char, who looked amused, Clark and Vincent seemed to have fallen into a daze. As if finding the two young men’s reaction funny, Thirteen clapped his hands once loudly, making the two regain their senses. "Um, that organization does indeed sound amazing," Clark replied. "Where do I sign?" Truth be told, he decided to just play along with Zion’s farce for the sake of being given a second chance to join the tournament. He was half-convinced that the teenage boy needed a psychiatrist because he seemed to be suffering from delusions of grandeur, which was very common for people his age. "Mmm, this sounds like a really amazing organization." Vincent nodded. "I’ll join as well." He had long wanted to be Zion’s close friend because he kept on having a strange feeling that the teenage boy wouldn’t betray him no matter what. This sensation felt very strange, and yet, Vincent didn’t mind it one bit. ’He’s still young, so it’s very normal for teenagers like him to feel this way,’ Vincent thought. When he was Zion’s age, he would also pretend to be some kind of superhero who fought secret organizations and saved damsels in distress. He had that phase in the past, and frankly, remembering it was enough to make his body shudder. Char, on the other hand, had a similar thought to Vincent. She had always wanted to know more about Zion Leventis. In her eyes, the teenage boy was very mysterious. The stories that surrounded him, especially his fight against a Majin Prince and a Majin King, had been spread far and wide. The authenticity of such reports was hard to believe since Zion was only a Rookie. There was no way that a Rookie could achieve the things he did, and yet, there were eyewitnesses who swore that all of those stories surrounding Zion Leventis were the truth. Frankly, Char also had her own suspicions, but meeting Zion in the flesh made her feel something that she hadn’t felt before. She felt some kind of thrill as if she was about to do something bad. Experience new stories on empire Something veeeery bad. "I’m also in," Char said. "So, what should we do to become the members of this ’secret’ organization of yours?" "Well, it’s rather easy," Thirteen replied and produced three contracts from his dimensional storage and handed them to the first three slaves—errr, members of his secret organization! "All you need to do is put a drop of your blood in this contract, and all three of you will become official members of my secret organization." Vincent, Clark, and Char took a good look at the contract and began to read its contents. ***** THE OFFICIAL AND UNBREAKABLE CONTRACT OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE APOCALYPSE Herein lies the agreement that binds the undersigned (hereafter referred to as "The Recruit") to the illustrious, mysterious, and slightly ridiculous order known as the "Knights of the Apocalypse" (hereafter referred to as "The Organization"). ARTICLE I: PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION The Knights of the Apocalypse exist to: Prepare for, cause mild chaos during, and, if necessary, survive the Apocalypse (no refunds if the world doesn’t end). Wear overly dramatic cloaks and practice our ominous laughter in secret chambers. Exchange witty banter during perilous missions because what’s an apocalypse without style? ARTICLE II: INITIATION The Recruit agrees to: Recite the Oath of Doom in a theatrical tone while holding a rubber chicken (for tradition, not ridicule). Consume the sacred snack of the Organization—flaming-hot nachos with extra cheese—without complaint. Commit to practicing the secret handshake until mastered, even if it takes decades. ARTICLE III: PERMANENCE OF MEMBERSHIP Upon signing this contract, The Recruit’s membership in the Knights of the Apocalypse is eternal. Escape is impossible. Seriously, any attempts to leave the Organization will result in polite but relentless pursuit by the Order’s Official Maple and Cinnamon Hug Patrol. P.S. The Hug Patrol is exceptionally persistent and oddly comforting. Membership extends beyond mortal existence. Upon demise, The Recruit shall receive their own ghostly cloak and spectral sword. ARTICLE IV: DUTIES OF THE RECRUIT Attend monthly secret meetings held in obscure locations (think abandoned castles, underground lairs, or occasionally a Denny’s). Contribute to planning creative end-of-the-world scenarios, such as "Meteor Bowling Night" or "Zombie Flash Mob Fridays." Answer the Official Call to Arms within three business days. ARTICLE V: BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP Access to the Organization’s secret lairs, all equipped with state-of-the-art apocalypse survival kits and overly dramatic lighting. A personalized title, such as "Duke/Duchess of Doom" or "Baron of Banishment," which looks great on business cards. Unlimited use of the Organization’s stockpile of capes, all swishable for maximum flair. ARTICLE VI: NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT All secrets of the Knights of the Apocalypse must remain within the Organization. Violations will result in an immediate banishment to the Eternal Chamber of Karaoke. ARTICLE VII: MISCELLANEOUS CLAUSES The Recruit acknowledges that the term "Apocalypse" is open to interpretation. Whether it’s zombies, robots, or the Great Potato Uprising, we’re ready. No refunds, exchanges, or take-backs. The Organization is not liable for any emotional trauma caused by excessive overtime without pay. SIGNATURE OF BINDING ETERNAL AGREEMENT By signing below, The Recruit acknowledges their eternal membership and agrees to abide by all rules, absurd as they may be. Failure to comply will result in tickling, awkward silences, or being sent on coffee runs for life. SIGNED AND SEALED THIS DAY: _______________ THE RECRUIT: ___________________________ (Signature) OFFICIAL KNIGHT OF THE APOCALYPSE REPRESENTATIVE: ___________________________ (Signature) WITNESS TO THE DOOM: ___________________________ (Signature) ***** The three teenagers looked at the contract, and couldn’t help but read it not only once, not only twice, but thrice. After that, they looked at Thirteen, who had his hands clasped behind his back and was looking at them with a faint smile, as if they were already part of his secret organization. The three then exchanged glances, as if asking each other the question "are we really going to do this?" But, just as they were hesitating, Thirteen gave a light cough, catching their attention. "Remember this, once you put your drop of blood on those contracts, there are no longer any takebacks," Thirteen said in a serious tone. "You can still refuse if you really don’t want to join this organization. I don’t want to force you guys. But, remember this, it’s fun to be on the Dark Side." With that, Thirteen gave the three encouraging looks, making them once again glance at each other. Gritting his teeth, Vincent decided to throw caution to the wind and produced a small dagger to prick his thumb, drawing blood. After that, he stamped his thumbprint on the contract. Just as soon as he finished signing, he felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine as if he was suddenly connected to something or someone. Clark and Char saw his reaction, but they only thought that Vincent was just over-exaggerating things. After great consideration, the two of them also procured sharp weapons that would prick their thumbs so that they could sign the contract as well. But just like what happened to Vincent, the two teenagers also felt the same thing, making their eyes widen in shock. The three contracts in their hands then flew to Thirteen’s hand as if they had a life of their own. A moment later, they turned into particles of light, vanishing out of existence. "Congratulations!" Thirteen said. "You are now part of my secret organization. Now, please wear these eye masks, so I can take you to our headquarters." Thirteen handed an eye mask to each of them and waited for them to put it on. Clark, who wanted this farce to finish, was the first to put on his eye mask. Vincent and Char followed next. A few seconds later, they heard a clap, followed by Thirteen’s voice. "Okay, you can now take off your masks," Thirteen said. "We’re now in our secret headquarters." Clark, who thought that Thirteen was just messing with him, irritatedly took off his mask. He felt as if he was being made fun of by the teenage boy, so he planned to voice out his complaints. However, whatever he was going to say froze in place as his gaze landed on a red bat-like creature, who was looking at him with a smile on his face. Beside the bat were two beautiful women, the sight of which made Clark’s breathing grow ragged. Vincent and Char, who had also taken off their masks, also saw these three beings, which made them shudder. As Wanderers, they were given a special ability to detect the rank of Jinns and Majins within their field of vision. "Are these your Knights, Thirteen?" Camazotz asked. "Aren’t they a bit weak?" "Well, it’s not the first time that Jinns and Majins recruited humans as part of their armies," Paimon commented. "But you’re right. These guys are pretty weak." Kamrusepa didn’t say anything and simply gazed at the three teenagers, who now had horrified looks on their faces. At the start, they thought that Zion was just messing up with them. But now, they were starting to regret that they didn’t take his warning seriously, and this feeling grew the more they stared at the three beings who would make the Monarchs of Pangea flee for their lives.