NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: New Mentality
Hearing the constant rumbles of whatever sort of warfare overtook the estate, he pushed the words from his mouth:
"Temporary Summon: Familiar."
[Temporary Familiar Summoning Initiated | (N): 70% | (R ): 20% | (SR): 7% | (SSR): 2% | (UR): 1%]
The air shifted in the untouched guest room, disrupting the neatly-set sheets on the bed as a small, meager pillar of light touched down in the center.
[Chance Summoning complete…You've obtained…!]
A rather small, stocky creature of dark-green skin and yellow eyes presented itself, boasting a crudely-made spear as its pointy ears twitched.
[Familiar Temporarily Obtained: (N ) "Goblin Spearman"]
"A goblin?! Are you kidding me?!" He let out in frustration, watching as the tiny fighter hopped over in front of him.
It looked up at him as if waiting for his command, though the rumbling in the corridor just outside of the door made it seem like a joke.
"Well…Get ready to stab whoever comes through that door, alright?" He whispered to the green-skinned creature.
The goblin nodded its head with a furrow of resolve to its brow, pointing its spear ahead.
Gael positioned himself against the wall to the left of the door, pressing his body against it while listening to the footsteps.
'The second he bursts through, I'll slip by…He'll be distracted by the goblin—for a few seconds, hopefully,' he planned.
"Enough of the games, Gael!—"
The intruder's voice boomed before the entire door along with some wall clinging to it were blown through. A storm of debris rained into the room, though the goblin somehow remained steadfast.
"Raaa!"
The pint-sized warrior charged with its spear pointing towards the invader before—
"Gyuk?!"
A squeal left the goblin's lips as it was grabbed by the throat, lifted up.
"Oh? What's this? Housing wild monsters, too? Or is this the work of that "system" of yours that was reported?" The fake butler remarked, squeezing the helpless creature's neck.
In that moment, watching the life squeezes from the goblin, he considered running. However, he decided right then and there, holding his ground was his choice.
It may be a lower percent of survival, but he could at least die fighting—a thought he found irrational for himself.
"Permanent Summon: Weapon!"
[Weapon Summoning Initiated | (N): 70% | (R ): 20% | (SR): 7% | (SSR): 2% | (UR): 1%]
The flashing lights rumbled into the room, intercepting him and the one who hunted him. As the goblin was cast aside like a discarded toy, the man approached with a thunderous stomp.
"I'm done with these games. I've got a mission to complete," the intruder declared, cracking his knuckles as his muscles seemed to coil with intense strength.
[Chance Summoning complete…You've obtained…!]
Across his body, a heat etched itself, witnessing bright-red tattoos on his right arm, going down to his hand, while blue ones stretched down his left. The matching etchings on his skin resembled the spiraling bodies of scaled beasts—
[Weapon Permanently Obtained: (SSR) "Seals of the Scarlet and Azure Dragons"]
There wasn't a single second left to spare, only calling upon the weapons marked onto his arms as the inhumanly strong man erupted towards him:
"Hyaaaah—!"
Gael pushed his hands forward, commanding a fearsome wind to roar through the room. Both arms felt as though they were set ablaze, though it did not harm him.
From both sides, the unruly winds manifested into ethereal dragons, spiraling and launching forth, echoing with their ancient roars.
"What?!—" The intruder raised his arms in a guard.
The serpentine beasts of magical origin burrowed forward with an intense force, pushing through the walls while charging against the enemy.
It was a torrent of fire and lightning; scorching crimson and electrifying sapphire, ripping through the wood and stone alike. All he could see ahead was the spiraling tunnel made of the ethereal dragons, exploding forth with burning lightning–
"Hyaah…!"
The spell was dissolved with an expulsion of a breath from his lungs, finding the twin dragons fading away into particles of their respective elements. Ahead of him, dozens of holes were created through halls, all leading to an opening in the mansion itself.
[EXP: +35]
[Level Up!] [4 -> 5] [16/50]
[BODY: +2] [MANA: +2]
[PERMANENT SUMMON: +1] [SR Ticket: +1]
'I…did that? An SSR weapon…It's powerful, but it doesn't come free, does it?' he thought, looking down at his trembling hands.
It didn't come without a toll of its own, feeling as though he'd performed hours of intense lifting with his arms as they ached and cramped up. Still, the potency couldn't be denied as he looked at the devastation left in the trail of the dragons.
Pieces of wood collapsed as some shelving gave way in other rooms, looking as if a tornado swept through that row of the mansion in particular. As he let out a breath, he looked over at the limp creature on the floor, finding that it no longer drew breath.
[Familiar "Goblin Spearman" has died.]
"Couldn't have done it without you. Sorry about that," Gael quietly apologized, feeling guilt in using the creature as bait, though knowing it was necessary.
Despite the destruction left throughout the mansion, feeling his heart thumping in his ears and his blood running hot, beyond the shock he felt was a different feeling–joy.
["I'm not a guy that seeks out conflict. I avoid confrontation if possible. That's how I've been my entire life. I kept my head down throughout high school, did my best, but ultimately it got me nowhere. That's right…The life I led before wound up in nothing but my own death. Being a quiet, lonely loser did nothing for me. Change it–I have to be the opposite of the shell I placed myself in my whole life.
So, I'll try it a bit differently in this new world."]