Reading all the content and details about summoning another one, Leonard hit a wall. He wasn't aware of the meaning or context behind some of the words. There were three options, three attempts to summon, and now three chances to succeed in the Trial Summon. What even was that?
Before making a decision, the wise move was to learn what these concepts were. But where could he ask?
This seemed to be a problem for him, making him stare at the screen for a few seconds. However, the content started to become clearer, along with the details. The words that had confused him had a distinct shade from the others—they were slightly grey.
Tentatively, he clicked on the highlighted, or maybe lowlighted, words—whatever. Another window appeared, showing the definition of each concept.
'The three options are clear. I get that. But this one, attempts to summon and Trial Summon—they're shaded differently.'
[Attempt to summon pertains to the call to the summon. If the summon hears your call, you will succeed in summoning them.]
Inwardly, Leonard nodded. That made sense.
Now, onto the next one.
[Trial Summon]
[Summoning has its challenges. Even after succeeding in the summon, they must choose to become a summon before they can join your ranks. The Trial Summon will determine if they want to be loyal to you. Each trial differs, but an indicator will appear on the screen.]
[Example: 'Finally, things are clear to me. Looks like I don't have to worry too much about that. I'll pick what seems to be the rational choice,' Leonard nodded to himself. Mentally, he had already decided what to choose from the options. For him, the only reasonable choice was the last one, Mount Olympus. Not only would he have a high chance of succeeding in the summon because of his unique skill, but also because of the anomaly with Zeus, who was from Olympus. Selecting the last option in his mind, a new window appeared, blurring out the others in the background. The only window he could see now was the newest one. The foreign concept amazed him. For some reason, he became more excited, as if he was in some sort of ritual. He felt like he was caught in the strings of fate, now deciding what the flow of his story would be. Even though it seemed irrational to think of his life in this fantasy world as part of a novel or story, to him, life is just another story, whether in a novel or not. At the end of the day, every experience turns into nothing more than a story to tell another day or to other people. The content of the current window was still unclear. There were texts, but most of them were in Greek, and he couldn't understand them. Furthermore, he noticed the screen was enlarging at an alarming rate. 'What is happening? It's like it's eating me whole!' The bluish screen swallowed Leonard's entire vision, and abruptly, everything turned black, then flashed with an ethereal light. He was no longer in the plains but in a place that seemed like a subspace. The surroundings were dark, with only three lights emanating from the ground. There were also three light figures, each illuminated by the light from its base. It felt as if Leonard had entered a character selection screen from a video game. These three figures were supposed to represent another set of options. 'How many sets of three options are there?' Even with the sudden change in environment, Leonard felt calm, reassured that nothing would happen to him. He could at least connect the change of surroundings to what he was aiming to do—summoning. Now, it became clear to him why summoning was so difficult. The process was a task, with many restrictions and conditions. He was still at the summoning stage, yet to reach the Trial Summon. [Mount Olympus] A text he could read appeared above the three bright figures, standing just slightly taller than him, about the average height of a man. [Please pick] [Greek Goddess of Wisdom, War, and Craftsmanship – Athena] Athena was sculpted from light, standing tall and commanding. Her sharp gray lifeless eyes seemed to watch over all who approached. She wore a bronze breastplate and a simple, flowing robe, with a helmet on her head and a shield at her side, its center marked by Medusa's face. Her long hair cascaded beneath the helmet, and she held a spear. The figure perfectly captured her strength, wisdom, and protective presence. [Greek Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Desire – Aphrodite] Aphrodite was sculpted with delicate beauty, her serene face soft and inviting. Her flowing hair cascaded down her shoulders, and she wore a simple, elegant gown that draped gracefully over her form. One hand gently rested on her hip, while the other held a rose, symbolizing love. Her pose was relaxed yet enchanting, capturing the essence of love, grace, and timeless allure. [God of Commerce, Travelers, Thieves, and Messengers – Hermes] Hermes stood in a dynamic pose, as if in mid-run. His youthful face was lively and sharp, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He wore a light tunic and sandals, both adorned with winged motifs. A winged helmet perched atop his head, and he held a caduceus, symbolizing his role as a messenger. The figure captured his swift, agile nature and playful demeanor perfectly. Choosing was nerve-wracking. Leonard could feel his heartbeat racing, refusing to calm down. The figures of the Greek gods before him were both thrilling and terrifying. They were all monumental figures from Greek mythology! Even though he had grown accustomed to Zeus's presence, he only felt comfortable because Zeus had shown a unique and unknown personality different from what the myths described. Before getting to know him, Leonard had also been terrified, fearing for his life when Zeus first appeared in their abode. However, the benefits of this choice were enormous. He needed to think carefully… but deep down, he already knew which god he would summon based on his current needs. Leonard knew he was weak and needed the guidance of a master fighter who could easily crush their enemies. It was clear that the other two gods weren't what he needed right now. Zeus had even mentioned before that it would be better if he could summon someone like Athena. How ironic that he now had the chance to summon her! 'I'll pick Athena.' As soon as his choice was confirmed, the surroundings changed instantly, as if all the light was being sucked into a smaller space, plunging everything into darkness before returning him to the plain inside the forest. Leonard's eyes widened in surprise. What had just happened? Had he succeeded in summoning Athena? [Successfully Summoned Athena!] [Trial Summon First Chance: Answer Athena's question and satisfy her with it.] Leonard's heart skipped a beat as he saw Athena standing before him, still clad in the armor she wore as a figure. Everything about her remained the same, except her eyes were no longer lifeless. She was now looking at Zeus with a surprised expression. "I assume you were summoned before me, Father Zeus," Athena said, bowing slightly in respect. Zeus, who had been quietly observing Leonard's actions as he navigated through his system, finally broke his silence with a satisfied and proud smile. "You picked the right one to summon." Athena, still processing the surprise, recalled how she was summoned and what she had seen earlier. Her gaze shifted to Leonard, but this time with a different look—a hint of disinterest in her eyes. "Were you the one who summoned me?" she asked, her tone almost indifferent. Passing Note: For today until Friday, I'll be uploading one chapter per day. My stack of chapters is almost exhausted, but I'll make sure to restock them soon.