Level 0 Summoner

"Are you sure about this?" Ren asked Emma as they navigated through the busiest part of Brightwood, the city under his family's control. "Is the woman you mentioned really staying here?"

They walked down a wide street lined with small shops on both sides, where merchants loudly advertised their wares to attract customers. But neither Ren nor Emma paid any attention to them. Suki, in her fox form, was curled up and sleeping comfortably in Ren's arms.

"Skill books! Find skill books here!"

"Selling cheap, high-quality weapons!"

"Looking for high-quality potions? Right here!"

Though some of the merchants' shouts sounded tempting, they had a specific purpose for being here. Emma had insisted they meet with a friend of hers, saying that she would make it possible for Suki to obtain a skill with that person's help, though Ren still didn't know who this friend was.

"Who even is she?" Ren asked again, already tired of repeating the question. Emma had dodged it each time with the same response.

"You'll see soon enough."

Ren had no idea who this person was or what she did. The only reason he was following Emma's lead was because of the memories he'd inherited. Otherwise, he would never have agreed to follow her into such an unknown situation.

Suddenly, Emma turned sharply into a narrow alleyway hidden behind a bustling row of shops. The alley was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, and it had a dark, foreboding feel. The further they walked, the quieter it became, with only the distant sounds of rats scurrying and water dripping breaking the silence.

"Uh… Emma, are you sure we're in the right place?" Ren asked as he accidentally stepped into a murky puddle.

"Yes, the person we're looking for… doesn't really like being around people. Let's say that she likes her privacy a bit too much."

After a few more minutes, they reached the end of the alley, where a crooked wooden door stood beneath a sign that read, Do Not Enter!

"That's… definitely welcoming," Ren said, raising an eyebrow at Emma, who didn't seem the least bit concerned.

Ren couldn't imagine what kind of person would willingly live in such a dark, grimy place. He was beginning to doubt that anyone capable of helping them could be found here.

"Don't worry; she's very welcoming!" Emma said, giving the door three solid knocks.

"Ugh, coming…" a faint voice mumbled from the other side of the door.

"Oh, and one more thing," Emma added in a whisper. "Don't mention her appearance or what she smells like. She can be… sensitive."

Just as Emma finished, the door creaked open.

"Who came all the way here to bother me…" the woman muttered, rubbing her eyes.

Ren took a quick look and instantly understood Emma's warning. Let's just say that she wasn't the prettiest nor the cleanest. She had long, disheveled black hair, her eyes had huge dark circles beneath them as if she hadn't slept in days, and, more importantly, her clothes honestly smelled terrible. Ren did his best not to pinch his nose to avoid making a bad first impression, but it was a difficult task.

Ren's hopes plummeted. Yeah, she definitely won't be any help at all.

The woman scowled as her gaze shifted to Emma. "Emma, is that you? What the hell are you doing here after all these years? Did those useless nobles finally toss you out?"

Emma coughed awkwardly, glancing over at Ren. "It's… it's been a while."

The woman's eyes flicked to Ren, and she raised an eyebrow. "And you even brought a pretty boy with you. Not bad, Emma! Though he's a bit young for you, isn't he?"

"He's not my boyfriend! He's one of the 'useless' nobles you just mentioned!" Emma protested, flustered.

"Oh, so this is the 'trash' noble you take care of?" The woman suddenly leaned in, inspecting Ren's face closely, grabbing his chin as her eyes trailed down his frame—and then settled on the fox cradled in his arms.

"What's this creature?" she asked, eyeing Suki with intrigue.

"She's why we're here. We need your help with something," Emma replied.

"If you came all the way here, it must be important," the woman said, "but why not ask his family for help? They're rich enough to cover anything."

"It's… complicated," Emma said, avoiding a detailed answer.

The woman shrugged, clearly not interested in probing further. "Fine, come in."

As they stepped inside, a powerful stench assaulted Ren's senses—it was even worse than the alley outside. The room was a cluttered mess, filled with broken vials and flasks scattered across the floor. A rickety table stood in the center, surrounded by a few mismatched chairs, and the bed in the corner looked as if it hadn't been touched in days.

Ren, Emma, and Suki settled around the table, though Suki stayed comfortably curled in Ren's arms. The woman, however, kept her gaze fixed on Suki with an unsettling intensity.

"So, why are you here, Emma?" the woman asked, finally breaking her stare at Suki.

Emma took a deep breath. "As I mentioned, we need your help with this little fox."

"I understood that much," the woman replied dryly. "But what's so special about this little fox that you'd come to me?"

Ren glanced at Emma, wondering how much she'd reveal. He didn't feel comfortable with this stranger knowing about Suki's abilities. For all he knew, she might run off and tell anyone who'd listen, causing trouble with his family.

"You know about the test to enter the Awakened Academies, right?" Emma asked.

The woman scoffed. "I may be disconnected from society, but I'm not that out of touch. Of course I know about it."

Emma nodded. "Ren here wants to pass the entrance exam for one of the top academies. But… well, you may have heard about him. He's a summoner who can't level up, which makes things practically impossible."

The woman burst into laughter. "Practically impossible? It is impossible! If he hasn't given up by now, he should."

Emma clenched her fists, clearly irritated by the remark, but she took a deep breath, reigning in her frustration. "Listen. That's why we came to you. I'm not here for a lecture."

"Alright, alright. So why do you need my help?"

"Ren's class evolved," Emma explained. "And his skill as well. With his new class, he has a chance to join a top academy. But his family won't support him because of his past and a few other reasons. That's why we came to you, Sofia. We need your help making his summon stronger—specifically, we need you to create a skill that's a perfect fit for her."

Sofia's eyes widened. "His class evolved while he's still Level 0? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious," Emma replied, her voice firm. "His new class can give him a fighting chance. But without support from his family, he's at a disadvantage. That's why we're asking you for help."

Sofia scoffed, her face skeptical. "Even if he has new strength, why not just show it to his parents? They'd probably give him all the support he needs."

"Because I don't want to tell my parents. I don't want to rely on them anymore, especially not after what they did to me. My class evolution also isn't some kind of overpowered cheat. I'm still stuck at level 0; only my summons have become a lot stronger than before," Ren said, interjecting in the tense conversation.

Sofia raised an eyebrow and pointed at Suki, still nestled in his arms. "And this fox is your summon?"

"Yeah, that's my summon," Ren replied, shrugging off her skepticism.

Sofia wrinkled her nose. "She doesn't exactly look like a powerhouse. I can't sense any strength from her at all."

Ren chose not to explain, still wary of revealing too much. He didn't fully trust Sofia and felt uneasy with how much information Emma had already shared.

"So, will you help us or not?" Emma asked.

Sofia leaned back, crossing her arms. "Why should I help you?"

"Ren, show her Suki's real form," Emma suggested, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

Ren hesitated. "I need to know who that woman is first. I've never heard of anyone capable of creating skills for the awakened, and if it was possible, then this woman right here would be absolutely famous without a doubt."

Emma sighed. She knew she would have to explain a little more about Sofia to Ren. Otherwise, he wouldn't accept. Just as she was about to tell him more, Sofia interjected.

"My situation is a bit of a complicated one. Some… accidents happened, and I was thrown into this place. However, I can promise you that I can actually create a single personalized skill for your beast. I won't go too far into details, but I once worked for the Royal Family in the past… but, uh, things happened. Let's leave it at that."

"The Royal Family?!" Ren's eyes widened, even more confused than before. "How do you even know Emma, then?"

"We were best friends when we were younger. Well, we still are; I just haven't seen her since she was recruited to work for your shitty family."

Ren was honestly perplexed by Sofia's lack of care for the nobles. She had insulted a noble family in front of Ren, a noble, without any hesitation. He couldn't confirm what Sofia had just said. However, as far as he could tell, she wasn't one to lie. There was also the fact that Emma was nodding, confirming everything that had just come out of her mouth.

Knowing somewhat more about the extent of her usefulness, Ren decided to wake up Suki as he gently stroked her fur.

"Ew… why does it smell so bad?" Suki muttered in her high-pitched voice, her eyes fluttering.

"A lot happened while you were asleep," Ren said. "Could you change into your original form, please?"

"Of course! Anything for you, Ren!"

A blinding golden light surrounded Suki, forcing everyone in the room to shield their eyes. When the light faded, Suki had transformed from a fox into a fox girl with delicate features and captivating beauty.

Sofia's jaw dropped, her eyes widening with surprise as she took in Suki's true appearance. She stayed silent, clearly stunned, before finally glancing at Ren and Emma.

"Alright," she said slowly, a smile creeping onto her face. "Now this is worth my time. I've made my decision. I'll help you."