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Chapter 46 HIV/AIDS Legacy

Elian had never personally seen a contract, so he was unfamiliar with the typical format. To be honest, he wasn\'t even sure if there was a standardized form for contracts in this era. Before the cataclysm, contracts had to adhere to specific substantive and formal requirements to be considered legally binding. Nowadays, however, these legally binding contracts have fallen out of favor.

The reason for this is quite straightforward: legal bindings now have almost no weight. After all, such bindings are relatively ineffective against individuals powerful enough to single-handedly dismantle an army. Of course, most countries possess the manpower or resources to apprehend such individuals. However, with each nation having a population of at least a billion, it would be an impossible task to track down all contract breakers.

Despite their unpopularity, these contracts still exist, but they are primarily used by individuals below the middle class. These contracts are enforced by legal authorities, who are responsible for ensuring that no party defaults on their obligations. However, if the contract breaker possesses a certain level of strength or if the cost of pursuing them exceeds a certain threshold, legal authorities will not pursue the matter. Essentially, if you enter into a contract with someone too powerful, you are on your own. Of course, there are some instances that can be hired to hunt down contract breakers for a hefty fee, but these fees are far too expensive for the lower classes. Additionally, high-ranking individuals would never consider using these outdated contracts, as they all favor the new-era alternative: magic contracts.

The term "magic contract" is a simplified colloquialism for the more precise "magically binding contracts." These contracts encompass a variety of forms, but they all share the common characteristic of self-enforcement. In other words, if a party breaches the contract, there is no need for external intervention; the contract itself enacts the consequences. Soul oaths are the most widely used type of magic contract, likely because they are relatively inexpensive, even though their cost can still be quite significant.. While there exist other types of magic contracts, they are typically reserved for the elite, and Elian had never encountered them before this instance.

??? Twin Contract ???

? Twin ?

?Name | El ?

?Entity Type | Soul Persona ?

?Existence Level | Lowest?

?Soul Quality | Mediocre?

? Terms ?

?Role: El, hereby agreeing to exist within Elian\'s consciousness, assumes the role of primary protector and guardian, employing all necessary means within this contract to ensure Elian\'s safety and survival in moments of peril or distress..?

?Soul Power Requirement: El shall have access to and control over 90% of Elian\'s soul power. ?

?Pause Clause: In the event that El\'s existence poses a direct threat to Elian\'s safety, activating this clause will pause the contract until El\'s presence ceases to endanger Elian, ensuring the contract remains inactive during this period of threat.? [NEW!]

? Time Limit ?

?Indefinite?

? Enforcer ?

?####### ####### ?

? Ongoing Contract ?

Despite having already read the contract five times, Elian found himself drawn back to its words, each rereading eliciting a fresh wave of emotions.

A wave of relief washed over him as the realization dawned that El might not be dead but merely in a dormant state. This dormancy could be attributed to the newly implemented pause clause, which would explain El\'s sudden and inexplicable disappearance.

Despite the glimmer of hope, a shadow of doubt lingered in Elian\'s mind. El\'s dormant state could explain his sudden affinity for lightning, implying a possible merging of souls, which would also account for El\'s seamless access to his memories. However, if that were the case, would deactivating the pause clause trigger the creation of a new El, given the inevitable blending of memories? Elian feared that if El were to awaken, his personality might be altered by this amalgamation of memories. The possibility of this change extended to Elian himself, but he quickly dismissed his own concerns, focusing solely on El\'s fate. Would El return as the same individual, or would he be a mere replica of his former self? Elian\'s mind was plagued by a multitude of existential questions.

Elian\'s heart swelled with relief at the realization that El was not entirely lost. It was akin to discovering that someone presumed dead was merely in a coma. A fleeting image of his father\'s smiling face crossed Elian\'s mind, but he swiftly dismissed it, reminding himself that such fortune was unlikely to strike twice.

While a coma offers no guarantee of survival, it preserves the flame of hope, a delicate spark that might one day ignite into a reawakening.

El’s case was quite different though . Elian was certain that without intervention, El\'s awakening was an impossibility. This realization ignited a tempest of fury within him, a storm of emotions that threatened to engulf him. From his talk with Ark, he could understand why this pause clause was activated hence why El is absent.

El, perceived as an aberration by the universe, was probably detected during Elian\'s slumber, forcing El into concealment. Elian, with his keen mind, understood the universe\'s rationale. From its perspective, El resembled a viral infection, and its defense mechanisms were bound to eradicate the threat upon detection. This knowledge, instead of placating Elian\'s anger, only intensified it.

The universe, in its blind pursuit of order, had deemed El a threat, an anomaly that must be eliminated. This callous disregard for El\'s existence, for the life he had built, was an affront to everything Elian held dear.

The revelation of El\'s potential demise ignited a storm of anger within Elian, directed not only at the universe\'s callous judgment but also at himself for his lack of preparedness. While he had been oblivious to the impending danger, he couldn\'t shake the nagging feeling that he should have been more vigilant. Despite the universe\'s perception of El as a mere virus and its vast, seemingly insurmountable power, Elian refused to succumb to helplessness. His resolve was fueled by a fierce determination to protect El, even if it meant defying the very forces of the universe.

Elian\'s knowledge of history reminded him of countless instances where underdogs emerged victorious, defying all odds. Drawing parallels to their own struggle, two historical instances resonated with Elian: David\'s victory against Goliath and humans’ battle against HIV/AIDS, the latter holding a closer resemblance to their current plight.

Even amidst the technological and medical breakthroughs that preceded the cataclysm, HIV/AIDS remained a persistent threat, an insidious virus that defied eradication. Despite the arsenal of antiretroviral drugs that could suppress the virus, a cure remained elusive. This stark reality served as a humbling reminder that despite humanity\'s vast knowledge and technological prowess, it could be brought to its knees by a microscopic entity. Yet, in the face of the universe\'s first offensive, Elian had failed to mount a defense. He could not direct his anger towards the universe; the blame rested solely upon his shoulders. A virus, a mere nanometer in size, had managed to accomplish what he had failed to achieve.

What\'s even funnier is that El\'s predicament eerily mirrors HIV\'s viral latency, where the virus enters a dormant state within specific immune cells, rendering it undetectable by the immune system and antiretroviral medications. This latent reservoir poses a significant obstacle to achieving complete virus eradication, and El\'s current situation presents a similar challenge to the universe.

Drawing a parallel between himself and the virus that was eradicated by the cataclysm, Elian let out a soft chuckle. \'Given our uncanny similarities,\' he mused, \'I hope you won\'t mind if I borrow a page from your book.\' With a resolute nod, he added, \'Your legacy will live on.\'