The woman's reaction to Eddie's question was one of utter astonishment. To her, everything below his portrait on the tome was blank. She couldn't see any patterns or words.
Eddie's earnest expression made it hard for her to believe he was lying, leaving her to wonder if there truly was a talent that she was unable to see.
"Little Eddie, you're not deceiving me, are you? Is there really a talent? I can't see anything. What kind of talent is it?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mix of excitement and apprehension as she clutched Eddie's hand.
Caught off guard and scrambling for an answer, Eddie blurted out, "Ah, it's a... hidden talent!" There was a touch of truth in his lie, considering the tome's inscription described him as cunning and elusive. He realized, with a tinge of irony, that he was indeed embodying the fox-like cunningness the tome attributed to him.
The woman's face lit up with relief and joy upon hearing Eddie's explanation.
"A talent, matters all!" she sighed.
In this world, every tome owner awakened to a talent, and the absence of one would have certainly cast a shadow over his reputation.
To her, the nature of the talent was secondary; its existence was enough to uphold Eddie's dignity and promise a bright future.
"Little Eddie, I'm so happy for you," she said, her hand gently caressing the top of Eddie's head, a gesture filled with maternal pride and hope.
Frost, not wanting to be left out, reached out her small, delicate hand to ruffle Eddie's hair playfully, joining in the moment.
Seeing her daughter's antics, the woman quickly set Frost down, but the warmth of the moment lingered, offering Eddie a fleeting sense of belonging in this strange, new world.
The woman, containing her excitement, gestured for Eddie to flip the page of the Summoning Tome.
"Let's see your Guardian Beast," she said, trying to calm an overeager Frost who was keen on assisting.
"Oh, is this mist? A white, foggy essence? Your Guardian Beast is of the elemental type? That's excellent! Elemental types might be slow growers, but they are mighty in the later stages."
She clapped her hands delightedly, all smiles at the prospect of her 'son' having a powerful guardian. But Eddie was staring at the page, completely dumbfounded. What he saw wasn't a white, foggy essence at all, but a dark, shadowy figure that looked eerily similar to himself.
Below this shadow was a brief description of its capabilities:
Phantom: Special class, Level 1. You can control your shadow, and each one possesses half your ability. Shadows can overlap and amplify the host.
Eddie gently laid his hand over the Phantom symbol, and a faint golden light flickered through his fingers. He was starting to understand. The knowledge of summoning beasts and the lore of Dragonrise Continent filled his mind.
In this world, even the average warrior could learn one or two summoning skills and bond with a beast, though they were significantly limited without a Summoning Tome.
Ordinary warriors might bond with only one beast, while the exceptional few could manage two. But those with a Summoning Tome, like him, faced no such constraints. Every page of the tome could bond a new creature until it was filled.
However, the true advantage of the Summoning Tome wasn't the number of bonds it could form but the unique, powerful Guardian Beast it bestowed upon its owner. Unlike ordinary beasts, a Guardian Beast never truly died and would never betray its master.
It would grow alongside its owner, increasing in power as the owner's abilities or the tome's level increased.
Eddie was starting to realize the significance of what he had stumbled into. This wasn't just some mysterious book; it was a source of immense power and a companion for life.
His mind raced with the possibilities of what he could achieve with such a phantom at his side, especially one that mirrored his every move and could strengthen with him.
It was a thought that both excited and terrified him as he contemplated his new, strange existence in the Dragonrise Continent.
Eddie's initial attempt to summon the phantom proved futile. The knowledge that flooded his mind indicated he lacked the necessary spiritual energy to bring forth even a single shadow. He could vaguely sense that summoning these shadows required ten times more spiritual energy than normal summoning beasts.
"What's wrong?" the woman asked, noting the change in Eddie's expression. Her concern was palpable.
"It's nothing," Eddie replied, shaking his head. "I just don't have enough spiritual energy to summon my Guardian Beast right now."
He pondered over the information he had just learned. The phantom, capable of overlapping and amplifying his abilities, seemed like something he should keep under wraps. It was better as a secret weapon, to be unveiled at the most opportune moment.
The woman hastened to reassure him. "Don't worry, Eddie. Elemental-type beasts are particularly demanding in terms of spiritual energy. It's normal not to summon them at first. Your Guardian Beast will undoubtedly be the most helpful ally in your growth!"
Eddie nodded, agreeing outwardly while harboring different thoughts.
Based on the knowledge from the Summoning Tome, he knew the standard for summoning spiritual energy.
If it were a normal elemental beast, he felt confident he could summon it.
But his 'phantom,' requiring more than ten times the usual spiritual energy, was a much more daunting task.
As it was only level one, the energy requirements would only increase as it leveled up.
However, he realized that the greater the energy required for summoning, the more powerful the beast that emerged.
His phantom would likely be leagues beyond ordinary beasts in strength, akin to the difference between a heavy sniper rifle and a bow and arrow.
Furthermore, Eddie discovered that the real difference between his phantom and other beasts wasn't just in strength but in duration.
Ordinary beasts summoned by average warriors would last about an hour, while those called forth by exceptional ones might last a couple of hours.
Only a rare few prodigies could maintain their summons for up to five hours. But his phantom, once summoned, could exist for a staggering ten days.
Although he couldn't summon it yet, just the knowledge of its potential filled Eddie with a mix of dread and anticipation.
The phantom was not just any guardian; it was a formidable, enduring presence that would grow alongside him, shaping his destiny in this mysterious world.
He carefully covered the image with his hand again, feeling a strange connection with the shadow, a silent promise of the power and challenges that lay ahead.
Eddie was internally panicking, realizing the potential danger of being discovered as some sort of anomaly or a living lab specimen. "Fuck!," he murmured, not expecting his offhand comment to catch anyone's attention.
"What's 'Fuck,' Eddie Brother?" Frost asked with wide, innocent eyes, tilting her head adorably.
Eddie improvised.:
"Oh, that's a powerful summoning beast called the ' Freaking.' "
"It's an incredibly strong creature that can increase one's rage by a hundred points and may cause the enemy to enter a state of utter confusion, leading to wild, chaotic reactions. "
"This beast is known for its love of lounging by the manger and munching on grass."
"It's said to be incredibly powerful. Not even the mythical River Crabs of the Heavenly Empire can match its might, let alone creatures like the Jackalizard or the Yame Butterfly!"
The woman initially thought Eddie had simply let slip a vulgar exclamation in his excitement, but as he elaborately and seriously described the mythical beast, she began to wonder if there really existed such a strangely named creature.
Of course, she knew that mythical beasts were beyond the reach of mere novices and even many peak warriors.
She advised Eddie, "These mythical beasts are incredibly powerful and won't bond with the weak. Focus on training your summoning skills and increasing your spiritual energy. We'll think about the academy after the new year. Work hard, and you'll make your mark!"
"Yes, yes," Eddie replied, wiping the figurative sweat from his brow, relieved that his impromptu mythological creature had been convincing enough to distract from his accidental curse. After the woman and Frost left, he exhaled deeply. He had dodged a bullet, keeping his true identity hidden for now.
But what next? How was he supposed to navigate this new world with its mysterious powers, hidden talents, and his own phantom shadow?
The possibilities were as exciting as they were daunting. Eddie couldn't help but feel like he was walking on a tightrope, balancing between the potential for greatness and the risk of being discovered as an imposter.
Only time would tell which way he would fall. For now, he had to focus on understanding more about his newfound abilities and the strange world of Dragonrise Continent.