An hour had passed.
And the thing I feared the most had happened.
"Oi, you motherfucker! Come out, Marcus!"
I shouted into the empty field. At my own soul. At the dead general supposedly residing within my QUOR core.
"I know you're in there! Get your dead ass out right now! Before I start spreading the fake tales of your treason to the whole world!"
Still nothing.
"Damn it."
I collapsed back onto the grass. Staring at the sky in frustration.
I knew this would be difficult. Summoning your summon for the first time was a time-consuming and backbreaking task.
Most kids who received their summons required at least one full year to practice the bonding process. It required training your QUOR to fuse with a foreign soul residing in your core.
And that wasn't even counting all the other factors involved. The mental synchronization. The spiritual wavelength matching. The countless failed attempts before the first success.
I had read books. Gained whatever theoretical knowledge I could about the process.
But theory and practice were completely different things.
I learned that painful lesson in the past hour.
This son of a bitch. This lowest rank cunt. He absolutely refused to come out.
'I was stupid.'
Stupid to get my hopes up because of my insane luck today.
I thought the traditional method wouldn't apply to me. I thought this game-like system would help. Like I could just throw my summon out from the inventory like a Pokémon.
But nah.
My luck ran out.
And now I didn't know what to do. I couldn't wait around for a year of training. I had desires to complete. Quests to finish. A world to conquer with my dick.
Even if I trained my ass off, I would need an exceptional trainer to guide me.
But who?
Mother?
Nah. Her teaching would probably take more than a year. She was too gentle. Too patient. Too willing to let me learn at my own pace.
Beatrice?
She would actually be a good choice. Talented. Skilled. Knowledgeable about summoning.
But she was deep in her revenge phase right now. She would probably teach me a method where my soul explodes. Or Marcus takes over my body. Or both.
Anything was possible with that girl's hatred toward me.
I lay there cursing Marcus internally when movement caught my eye.
A girl walking along the road at the edge of the field.
And behind her, four figures. Closing in fast.
Bandits.
Sharp daggers gleaming in their hands. Predatory grins on their filthy faces. Charging toward her with clear intent.
I smiled.
'Time to be a hero.'
I pushed myself up and sprinted toward them.
They were close now. Close enough that she finally noticed. She turned around. Eyes widening at the threat approaching her.
But before she could panic—
Before she could scream or run or freeze—
THWACK!
My fist connected with the first bandit's stomach. Right in the soft spot between his ribs.
"GUHK!"
He doubled over. His knife clattered to the ground.
The second bandit didn't hesitate. He rushed me immediately. Dagger aimed straight at my chest.
I watched the trajectory. Read the angle of his attack.
Dodged.
The blade whistled past my ribs.
CRACK!
My knuckle slammed into his temple. His eyes rolled back.
I followed through with a side kick, launching him away while my attention shifted to the third.
He was already swinging. Dagger aimed at my neck level. A killing blow.
My right leg was still in the air from the previous kick. No time to plant it.
So I improvised.
I bent down. Forced every ounce of strength into my grounded foot. Used the momentum of my raised leg.
SWEEP!
A spiral shot directly into his ankle.
His leg buckled. He stumbled. Crashed face-first into the dirt.
I stood back up. Three down. One to—
"Watch out!"
The girl's voice. Sharp. Urgent.
I sensed it before I saw it.
A swing. Coming from behind.
The fourth bandit. Wooden club raised high. Already descending toward the back of my skull.
I tried to dodge.
But he was too close. Too fast.
I managed to move my head slightly.
Just slightly.
CRACK!
The club connected. Not with the back of my head. But just above my ear.
Worse.
So much worse.
My world started spinning. The sky and ground swapped places. Then swapped again.
I stumbled. Like a drunkard after a three-day binge.
But I didn't fall.
'Not yet.'
I struggled to stay on my feet. The grass beneath me seemed to tilt at impossible angles.
My ear was burning. A wet warmth trickling down my neck. Blood probably.
I staggered toward the girl. Put myself between her and the remaining threats.
Raised one hand in a gesture for her to stay behind me. The other hand pressed against my bleeding ear.
Two bandits were still standing now. The one with the club. And another who had recovered from my earlier assault.
They saw my condition. Saw me swaying.
And charged.
'Fuck.'
'Fuck fuck fuck.'
I was cursing Marcus with every fiber of my being.
'This might be it.'
'This might be my end.'
But even so.
'I won't die like a coward.'
'A heroic death.'
'And hey, at least I'm not a virgin anymore.'
I looked at the girl over my shoulder.
"Run."
My voice was steady despite the world spinning.
"I'll stall them as long as I can. Don't look back."
I turned to face the approaching bandits. Raised my fists. Tried to focus on their blurry forms.
Find an opening. Kill these bastards. Even in this pathetic state.
The one with the club reached me first. Swung high. Aiming to finish what he started.
I prepared to dodge.
To duck under the blow and counter with everything I had left.
But before I could move—
WHOOSH!
Golden light streaked past me.
A figure. Armored from head to toe in brilliant gold. Moving so fast it seemed to teleport.
SCHLICK! SCHLICK!
Two sounds. Almost simultaneous.
Two heads flew into the air.
Two bodies crumpled to the ground.
The golden knight stood between me and the remaining bandits. A massive greatsword in his gauntleted hands. Dripping crimson.
The surviving bandits looked at their decapitated comrades. Then at the golden figure.
Terror flooded their faces.
They tried to retreat. Scrambling backward. Crawling away.
FLASH!
The knight moved.
SCHLICK! SCHLICK!
Two more bodies. Separated at the waist this time.
It was over in seconds.
The golden knight stood motionless for a moment. Then raised his helmeted head toward the sky. As if apologizing for the violence. Or perhaps thanking some higher power for the strength to protect.
A complex gesture I couldn't fully understand.
"Good job, Ashen."
The girl's voice came from behind me. Calm. Controlled.
"Now return."
The golden knight didn't acknowledge her words. Didn't bow or salute.
He simply dissolved.
His armor fragmented into countless golden particles. Rising into the air like fireflies. Scattering into nothingness.
Beautiful.
And terrifying.
I stood there. Swaying. Bleeding. Completely confused.
'What the hell just happened?'
I turned to look at the girl.
And only now did I truly see her.
She was divine. She was beautiful.
Impossibly beautiful.