"Of course! To be able to summon spirit is considered as a treasured skill. By the way, why are you making souls fly around you?"
She pointed out at the three souls revolving around me with her spoon.
"That is because I decided to continually use my skill so that its proficiency would level up. I am keeping it all day, everyday. And since my mana regeneration is higher than the consumption, I can keep doing it as long as I want to"
"That is an effective method but that is also mentally exhausting"
Even without the help of a blessing from a god, I am confident in my mental pain tolerance.
"Can I ask to use some kind of laboratory for a while. I won't take too much time, I promise"
"What are you going to use it for?" She ask nonchalantly.
"To create a weapon suited for assassination"
Hearing what I just said, she almost choked on her tea that she was drinking. She quickly get a handkerchief to wipe the spilled tea on the table.
"Assassination?" She ask in disbelief.
"Yes. For personal reason I need it. Of course, you can rest assured I am not doing anything to you or your country using this weapon of mine"
She reach for a something in the drawer.
"Fine. Go to the second floor of the magic tower. Use this stone so that you will get teleported to a laboratory that you would need. Just so you know, you should buy the things that you will need first"
Gwen then gave me the shiny black stone. A brooch.
"Thank you!"
I bowed and left.
I went to the market to buy the necessary materials that I need.
Last night, as I was reading the books Gwen told me, while doing the soul training I made, a pop up came.
[Skill evolution
Soul manipulation 2> Soul manipulation 3
Successful
You are now able to talk telepathically with those you have established a soul link. Only those who have a
-Nunu, go to the magic tower in about two hours from now.
-U-understood, master.
I guess he was startled. This is our first time talking like this. I just hope that he didn't think that it was someone else who is acting like me.
One and a half hour left before I go to the magic tower, I took a detour to the department of resources. Since I am wearing the black stone brooch that Gwen gave me, no one seemed to be asking me, who is not a staff here, why I am here.
"Can I talk with whoever is in charge here" I ask.
"Please follow me, Sir"
The girl replied. It looks like she needs to do something but gave me a priority. I wonder just how much credit one gets just by wearing this brooch.
She led me to a room, three levels underground. We entered the room.She gave a bow and left.
"My name is Solig, head of the resource department. Is there something you need, Sir?" She said politely.
Even someone like her is treating me with respect. Seriously, just how great is this brooch.
I sat down on the chair.
"I need to find some stones but it wasn't out in the market. Which is why I am here to ask for some help. If you don't mind that is"
"Of course! Is there something unique about this stone? Any characteristics that differs from the rest"
I thoroughly explain the physical characteristics as well as the properties of titanium and other metals I need to her. Those are missing metals that I will be needing in my next project that I did not find in the market. I doubt that I would be able to buy from the black market so going here should be the right choice.
Using a teleportation circle, we went to some kind of vault. Different kind of stone, gemstone, and crystals were displayed there. After searching for a while, I got everything I needed. We went back the same way. I thank her before leaving.
I only have less than an hour. Using the remaining time, I wen to the alchemist association. Just like the resource department, they also treated me like an important guest. I was able to acquire the needed chemicals I need.
In front of the magic tower with barely five minutes remaining. Nunu was already there waiting. I feel bad since he is too stoic. I need to add the fun factor in his system later.
"Master, can I help you with anything?"
"Yes. With your dragon flame, it will come in handy for my next project"
"I understand!" He replied with a smile.
So pure. So innocent.
While going to the laboratory.
-Hey, Melanie, what are you currently doing?
-Master? I'm trying... to create a curse... right now that... can eat away your... power that enslave... me.
-Really? Base on your voice I don't think you are doing a research right now.
-I need to go, bye!
The telepathy ended. Tsk. Since her soul is superior than mine she was able to forcefully end the line.
We arrive at the laboratory and there were nice tools and equipments here.
"Now, let us commence project one!"
Three days later we were able to finish making a sniper rifle. AFF-27. A one meter long sniper rifle created at the early 24th century. Using the same methods but slightly different. The first time someone who was able use magic in our world was around the mid 22nd century. She created a gun were you need to use mana to boost the bullet.
"You need to have a good control if you don't want your gun to explode right in your face" Is what she said.
So instead of mana, we will be using aura.
After another three days. We finish making ammunition for the gun. Naturally, all the bullets were enchanted by myself so that it can take the aura when fired. The bullets that we made is divided into three: Anti-magic, exploding, and normal ones.
For efficiency purposes, I made sure to use highly explosive chemicals for the exploding bullets so that they cannot be detected by mages. While the anti-magic ones are the bullets meant for destroying barriers. The exploding ones won't explode unless the tip of the bullet made solid contact. The strengthening here is triples than the rest because I don't want to blow up just because of something stupid like that.
I finally adapted to the common sense of this world. Magic is so convenient that the possibilities are endless, which are also terrifying. I should be able to create a simple atomic bomb with the convenience of magic and my knowledge. But it is not the time for something like that.
Since I made the AFF-27 mostly with titanium, it is easy to carry. Even a child should be able to carry it. I want to have more advanced tools to create more powerful weapons. Unfortunately, I have to bear with these old weapons. Speaking of, this kind of weapon should already be classified as a unique grade. The efficiency of the weapon alone is proof for it to be worthy of unique grade.
Since I don't need to sleep or eat, the time needed was sooner than expected. Nunu sleep and eat everyday of course. With his dragon flame, melting the metals was a piece of cake.
Now for a test run. Before testing it out we went back to Gwen's office and return the brooch. I really appreciate the V.I.P treatment but that will only dull my senses.
I ask her to come with me for a field test.
"So, you are saying that you want my crystal golem, this country's best non-living defense force, to be your little guinea pigs for your weapon?" She said with her arms crossed.
"Don't say it like that. In a way, we will be able to see just how much damage your golem's can take. So you can also improve them. Win-win!" I said with a bright smile.
We will be using the same place when we fought.
Going into position, approximately eleven hundred meters away from the target.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Inhale. Exhale.
For some reason I'm nervous. It's been a long time since I touched any gun.
In this world, information about an individual is express through a number system. Using about three thousand worth of aura should be enough.
I concentrated the aura into my hands then slowly transferring it to the gun.
Boom!
I fired and the crystal golem was destroyed. With the magazine containing fifty bullets, I should be able to fire fifty times within five to four minutes max. That is if I divide my aura into fifty.
Troy and Gwen were shock. Their golem were destroyed in one shot after all. Nunu, who know nothing about the absurdity of what I did clap his hands in awe ans cheered for me.
"HEY! Explain this!" She shouted.
Troy laughed at the situation.
"As I said, with this experiment I can practice my shooting while you guys can further improve your golem's. Win-win!"
Even with a normal bullet enforce with aura, it was able to destroy the golem that had such durability. Well, even when I used rupture against those things, it was pretty draining.
"Don't give me that kind of excuse! Just how were you able to destroy it?! I understand back then when we fought. You use something called 'martial arts' that generates vibration through your body which is plausible but this one isn't!"
I once again explain to her that she also needs to re-evaluate her standards. I use aura back then and right now. There is only a little difference if you ask me.
I tried firing again and again with each time I fire, the distance also widens. Currently, the maximum range of the sniper rifle I created is approximately twenty-one hundred meters, more or less. Since this is the only place where I can get the bullets needed, I made sure to make as much as I can. The same thing with the gun, I made five extra spares in case of it getting broken.
Gwen's thoughts were in disarray after the show I showed her.
"You doing fine?" I ask.
"No! I am not doing fine!"
She scratch her head with all kinds if things going on her head.
"Here"
I gave her a paper. The paper contains on how to create a flying vehicle. It needs a lot of fine tuning though. In exchange for the blueprint, I ask her if she can give me books related to spirit summoning. Her mood brighten very quickly and went out, giving me the right to enter her personal library.
Nunu is training on the first floor. While me and Troy went to Gwen's library. Since Gwen was starstruck by the idea of a flying vehicle, Troy had no place with her in Gwen's personal laboratory. So he is now stuck with me, reading. Someone needs to keep an eye on me after all. All theses books are classified and some are forbidden knowledge.
"You're not mad at me for reducing your time with her, are you?"
"No, I am use to it. Whenever she thinks about something or pick up something that greatly interest her, she would shut herself in for days or even weeks inside. I am the one who brings her food since she forget to eat when she is deeply immersed" He said with a warm smile.
I learn a lot about runes, souls, and spirits. Such as methods for altering memories, completely stealing a 'skill' from someone, and how to create an army of elemental spirits.
When summoning a spirit, you need to beat it first in a fight to own them. The summoner alone must be able to win on a one-on-one fight. If not then you die.
When summoning a spirit, the environment must be related to the spirit that you summoned. You cannot summon a fire type spirit in the ocean and you can't summon an earth type in the clouds.
As a bonus treat, I also read about the weaknesses and strengths of every race.
The elven country, both the forest elves and dark elves, high elves are the nobles while fairies are the royals and they serve the Goddess of animals and hunt, Diana. Some of the royals possess the bloodline of being a spiritualist. Those who can borrow powers from the spirits. And apparently, the highest they ever summon in history is a low class spirit.
As for the dragons, they serve the Dragon God, Io. The one who is also angry at me. The dragon's system is similar to the elves. The sub dragons at the lowest, then the dragons as nobles and the true dragons as the royals. For some reason, Troy is a true dragon himself even though he was only the son of a normal noble dragon family. By any chance is he part of the dragon royalty?
Let's skip that part.
The Western Beast Federation is govern by four clans which are regarded as royalty. The white tiger clan that worships the legendary beast white sabertooth. The golden lion clan that worships the legendary beast nemean lion. The scarlet fox clan worships the sacred beast nine tailed fox. And the black wolf clan worships the divine beast fenrir.
Now that I think about it, isn't Alfred also royalty? Is it even normal to just meet a royal here and there?! Forget it! I'll lose my brain cells if I even think about it.
The kingdom of giants are ruled over by the titans since they are the nobles and royals there. They worship the God of Giants, Aurgelmir.
The witches worship the Goddess of Witchcraft, Hecate. The vampires worship the Demon of Gluttony, Beelzebub. It doesn't make sense why though. The dwarves worship the God of Blacksmith, Hephaestus. Harpies worship the legendary beast gryphon. Sirens worship the Goddess of Water, Amphitrite.
That's it for the known races. I am intrigued to find out the things about the barbarians, valkyries, and chimeras. They seem to be fun experimenting on.
With all the things I learn. I now know what to do.
Troy went to give some food for Gwen while I went back to the inn which we don't really use much. It was night. I went ahead, counting our money and looking if there are any equipment that needs to be repaired.
Currently, we do have a ton of money. But it is not enough. I should go to the black market and sell these drugs.
"Um, Goddess?"
[The Master of the Souls' is listening to what you have to say]
"I agree with the contract that you propose. I now swear an oath that I shall not make any contract with any God or demon."
I signed the contract and the paper vanished.
[You received page 003 of Solomon's forbidden grimoire. The skill
Wow! So Solomon's forbidden book actually exists!
[You have receive the title: Summoner]
I touch the paper which is written in a language that I do not know of. As I made contact with it, it slowly merge with my hand as if my hand started to absorb the paper that was right in front of me.
Now I can summon a spirit.
I went outside, in the middle of the park. No one was here. I started to prepare the summoning.
"My name is Michael Santiago. At this moment, I now open the gate to the spirit realm"
Wind started to get stronger.
"In the moonlight and the veil of the night. Heed my call to those who live in the abyss"
Dark clouds started to swirl with me at the center.
"I offer a drop of my blood"
I made a wound using a knife, enough to make a drop.
"And here, the Gods shall be the witness of this summoning"
A dark magic circle form. And a little girl appeared. She was wearing nothing but rags. Her appearance matches that of the slaves that I saw before.
"I challenge you into a duel" I said.
"I accept" She replied in a low voice.
[The challenge has been acknowledge]
[Activating dueling grounds]
Light shined everywhere, just like last time.
This is the plan I have created. If you summon a fire spirit near a volcano, they would have buffs due to the environment. But you need to challenge them verbally. Coincidentally, the dueling grounds activation is also verbally, that is, in a form of a duel.
Now, I get to choose what the environment will be.
The two of us are now facing each other under the sun. A high noon. A plain where there are no darkness or shadows. The worst possible environment for a dark-type spirit.
"You are very shrewd. And that was not a compliment" (Loki)
"I don't care what you think. This is what you would call a tactical move"
The fight began and it end fast.
There are no shadows or any darkness that the spirit can use to conjure her powers from. And since she is under the sunlight, her resistance to everything became significantly lower.
[You are now exiting the dueling grounds]
[You have beaten a dark-type spirit. Your chances of summoning a higher ranking dark-type spirit have increase]
We came back to the park. Now this little girl is now mine.
[You can now summon your
[The mana needed to summon a spirit depends on their rank]
-Inferior rank: 1,500
-Low rank: 5,000
-Mid rank: 10,000
-High rank: 25,000
-Superior rank: 50,000
+
This is not good! I have a low amount of mana pool to begin with! The only reason why my mana pool got bigger is because of the blessing I got from the Master of the Souls. Damn it!
Forget it. I have more important things that I have to do.
"Come with me" I said.
She nodded and followed me.
"Lie down on the bed. I will start operating you now"
She lay down on the bed and I begin the spiritual surgery.
Using both
"From now on, your name will be Ella"
She sit and smiled brightly.
"I understand, master!"
I hold her head.
[Status information]
Name: Ella
Class: None
Race: Dark spirit (Inferior rank)
Sex: Female
Age: 44
Level: 12
HP: 3,000/3,000
MP: 8,200/8,200
Strength: 20
Agility: 20
Stamina: 30
Intelligence: 23
Level cap: 80
Psychological state: Extremely happy
Status: Familiar
Abilities: Shadow
Attributes: None
+
"Listen closely. From now on, you will be a 'sniper'. The one who will support me from my back. Before you do so, I'll be teaching you how. So rest for tonight, because starting tomorrow, we will be doing some hardcore training"
Now that I got someone that will do the sniping from behind I need someone that can get information. Someone that can infiltrate buildings and quickly get information.
Inside my room, I started to create a magic circle this time. To summon another spirit. My current limit is three. So for now I'll be summoning two.
"My name is Michael Santiago. At this moment, I now open the gate to the spirit realm"
Wind blew inside the room that came from absolutely nowhere and is now trashing my belongings.
"In the mirror that would reflect all. Heed my call to those who envies all"
Voices started to whisper to my ear.
"I offer a drop of my blood"
The magic circle glowed.
"And here, the Gods shall be the witness of this summoning"
Another girl appeared. And the wind stop trashing the room, thank goodness. Phew.
Just like earlier, I challenge the girl in a match and won in a landslide.
"From now on your name shall be Ello"
I just noticed it now but, do I really suck at naming?
Just like with Ella, I also brainwashed Ello.
I took a look at her stats and it is not quite different from Ella.
[Status information]
Name: Ello
Class: None
Race: Mirror spirit (Low rank)
Sex: Androgynous
Age: 93
Level: 23
HP: 2,000/2,000
MP: 11,200/11,200
Strength: 20
Agility: 26
Stamina: 37
Intelligence: 53
Level cap: 45
Psychological state: Extremely happy
Status: Familiar
Abilities: Transformation
Attributes: None
+
Androgynous? So, Ello is not a girl?
"You're not a girl?"
"I am not, master. I can take of any form you want me to, however, to all mirror spirits, we do not have such things as gender or sexuality"
Ello was wearing a shirt and pants. But base on Ello's looks I just assume that she(?) was a girl.
Well that is also convenient. For many reasons that is.
Ella woke up.
"I'll be assigning your tasks now. Ella will be the sniper, one who dispose of all the enemies silently and stealthily from a distance. Ello will be gathering information using your transformation skill. I will be teaching you guys how to use Aura later on. Also some self-defense as well. Any complaints?"
"None!" They said in unison.
-Nunu, how you doing?
-I am doing great, master! I am steadily improving myself.
-Good. Don't forget to eat the food that I gave you, okay.
-Understood.
The three of us went to the third floor of the magic tower.
There I forcefully open all 42 ways so that they can use aura. From now on they will be needing to work out so that they will have the body that can handle the pressure of using aura.
For a whole week, Ella would practice how to shoot from afar and tricky positions. While Ello learn first hand martial arts from me. In terms of technique alone, Ello is already better than Alfred.
Ella's specialty is spatial insight, control, and her natural ability to move through the dark. While Ello's strong points are his body coordination, acting, and her natural ability to transform to look like anyone she knows of.
(TN: Both 'he' and 'she' is use since Ello is androgynous.)
I can shoot for about twenty-three hundred meters but Ella can shoot a rabbit's ear from twenty-seven hundred meters. Is it because she is a spirit that her eyesight is better than a human's. I'm already using aura on my eyes to improve my sight but I can't even begin to compare to her.
Since Ello can transform into a girl and a guy whenever she wants. She should be able to use warstyle as well. Though it is a bit early for that.
Nevertheless, they are making steady progress.
Of course I am not slacking off. While teaching them at the day, I would be controlling souls and make them revolve around me using
I gathered the three in the third floor of the magic tower. All of them leveled up quite a lot.
The three are standing in front of me.
"Now, for the final test. You three against me. Surely you three would be okay with that right. While we are at it, I won't be using any skills regarding souls and my warstyle. With those two away, half of my fighting capabilities are basically sealed, so what are you waiting for. START!"
You must always be ready for combat no matter where you are.
"W-wait, r-right now, master?!" Ella shouted.
I charge in but Nunu intercepted me. I can't touch those flames of his since they are even hotter than the last time I saw them. And here I was trying to take out the sniper first, now she ran away.
Nunu is a mid range fighter. Ello is a melee fighter. While Ella is a range fighter.
The battle now begin in earnest.
Ello would attack me in a hand-to-hand combat, whenever I would try to counter, Nunu is accurately using his
Damn those dragonic eyes! With those eyes he can predict my next move by reading the slightest movement of my muscles.
Whenever I try to widen the gap, Ella would shoot at me. And since she uses shadow to change location almost instantaneously I can't pinpoint her exact location. How annoying.
I can't even sense Ella's killing intent. How nice of her.
But, even I have range attacks. Using my staff, I fired a barrage of aura bullets to the two.
Bang!
The bullet hit the liquefied titanium. By expanding my aura, I can perceive everything around me. Normally it would be impossible for the human brain to process so much information. But since I was raise to be a weapon, something like this is my daily life already.
I'm pretty sure Ella was taken aback by that.
I turn the match into a battle of attrition. Their aura capacity are much lower than mine so they need to think of ways how to efficiently to use them for as long as they can.
After three hours.
"Done already? I can still keep going for another seven hours!"
I exhausted their aura and mana. Now they can't fight anymore due to fatigue.
"Okay you all. Sit here. I am going to be announcing your scores."
They from a line.
"First, Ella. Shooting from afar by boosting you aura as I instructed, you were able to do it while supporting your teammates. But, you need to pick your timing. You were just blindly shooting when you found a chance, the chances that I gave you and you took the bait every time. Seventy points"
She frowned. I patted her head to cheer her up.
"Next, Ello. Your movements are sharp. Overall you're already first-rate. But you are too indecisive. You keep hesitating. Fifty points. Hesitation in the middle of a fight will result you into your defeat"
"I understand! I will reflect on it, master!" He said.
"Lastly, Nunu"
He flinched. I guess he already know what he did wrong.
"Just because you possess a large mana pool doesn't mean you can keep on wasting them. Sure, your precision and timing was top notch. But you are wasting too much mana and all for unnecessary reasons as well. Also fifty points. Work on that side better.
I clap my hands three times.
"All of you did a good job progressing this far within a week!"
"T-thank you very much for the guidance, master!"
"I will be giving these as your rewards for doing such a good job!"
I then put one hundred souls into each of them. The source of those souls were from Gwen. I ask her if I can be the one to kill those prisoners who are meant to be executed. The difference this time is that, I just gave them a hundred soul cores as well.
Both Ella and Ello went back to rest. I can just summon them later on anyways.
-Melanie, how you doing?
-I finish the job you ask me to do, master.
-Really?! That's great then!
-When will you get here?
-Me and the gang will arrive about a five days max from now.
Things are flowing better than I thought it would be. Time for phase four of the plan,
We went to the tower master's office to say our goodbyes.
"You guys are leaving now? You can stay a bit longer you know"
"I have my job as an apostle after all. I can't be slacking off. Sorry Gwen"
"You sure are friendly" (Troy)
He scoffed while looking at Gwen.
Hehehe, he sure is possessive.
"Here. As a thank you gift for the blue print you gave me"
She handed a bottle with sparkling water. Cola? No way!
"This is an elixir. A high grade one. It can increase your mana pool permanently"
Huh?
"Hey now, you sure I can have such an expensive item?!"
"Yes! I insist! I advice you to drink it before you go sine you will feel dizzy for quite some time"
"I will. Thank you very much"
We waved hands.
Me and Nunu went to an inn. And I started to drink the elixir.
I do feel somewhat dizzy after drinking it, but not too much. I guess it is because I have such a high mental pain tolerance.
Argh!
Sharp pain continued to assault my mind.
Nunu quickly assisted me to bed.
So Gwen said it would hurt knowing my tolerance. Hahaha, I sure become reckless.
When I woke up it was already past noon. I quickly took a look at my status.
[Status information]
Name: Michael Santiago
Class: Hero
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Age: 23
Level: 53
HP: 4,000/4,000
MP: 19,000/19,000
AP: 39,000/39,000
Strength: 43
Agility: 38
Stamina: 62
Intelligence: 203
Level cap: ???
Psychological state: ???
Status: ???
Abilities: Soul, Divine healing, Aura, Spirit summoning
Attributes: Holy, anti-magic
Slave(s): 7
Spirit familiar(s): 2
Blessing(s): 2
Title(s): 4
+
Now that I am looking at my stats, my body feels lighter, my muscles feel more compact, and I can think way faster than before. I wonder how much an elixir cost. I want to buy mountains of them.
"Master, how do you feel?"
He ask worriedly.
"I'm doing great! No need to worry. Now that I am doing better. Let's go to the labyrinth"
Using the car, I drove the car one hundred and seventy kilometres per hour. My face feels a bit numb from the wind, but it feels so amazing! Even Nunu can't hide his smile. So I called the other two so that they can also experience this sensation.
In three and a half days we reach our destination. One of the only three labyrinths around the world, one which is located in the empire near the holy kingdom. Hel's labyrinth.
"This is your daughter's labyrinth, right"
"Unfortunately, yes. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to crash it for a while. Two to three months I suppose"
"She will get really mad"
Let's go!