"Joker?" shock Alyssa and Duri together.“Belinda?” asked Joker, who was no less surprised when he saw Alyssa's appearance at his weapon shop.Alyssa growled and clenched her fists. "Don't call me by that name!""Oh, sorry, I forgot. However, among the Guardian Summoners, you are known as Belinda the viper.”"Joker, what are you doing here?" asked Alyssa. "Shouldn't you be level nine?"Joker shrugged his shoulders. “You can see for yourself. I'm trading here. How could I pass up an opportunity to make money? I can easily sell my collection of antique objects here. You, I mean you guys, what brought you here?”Alyssa took a deep breath. He pulled a stool in front of the table and sat down without being invited.Joker came out from behind a counter displaying various types of rare weapons and went to the mini fridge to get a can of soda."You look really tired," Joker said as he handed Alyssa the cold soda."Yes. There's a lot going on here. And I feel no progress. Even though I have to
Alyssa and Joker, accompanied by Wanda, meet the Lightning Summoner. He is a tall man with a large spear weapon that can emit electricity.The man sat opposite Wanda in a cafe. Meanwhile, Alyssa and Joker stood not far from them but could still hear their conversation."Is it true that the weapon made by Iron killed Kayes?"Flash, the Lightning Summoner, looked very surprised by the information that Wanda had just conveyed.Gloomily, Wanda nodded. "That's right."Suddenly, Flash stood up and yelled angrily in front of Wanda."Why was Kayes just killed now? Did Iron mean to frame me and make me the culprit? Was Iron also the one who snatched the sealed summoned spirit from Sandra's hand? Was he the one who killed Sandra that time?"Wanda was furious. She stood up straight with her back to the cafe window and glared at Flash."Why are you asking me that? I should be the one demanding answers from you. Because only you and Iron rejected Sandra's decision to sell the sealed summoned spiri
The cawing and flapping of the wings of crows and vultures shouted in the dark night. Thick fog blanketed the top of a mountain of open dumping waste that was as dark as a shadow. The night birds scavenged through the piles of trash and the carcasses of wild animals trapped there. Their beaks keep pecking at whatever they can eat. Occasionally a herd of mice ran to save themselves from the stalking of the owls that flew silently. The nocturnal birds' delight in scavenging through mountains of trash is soon shattered when a truck approaches. Birds scatter into the sky with resounding flaps of their wings. The rodents sneak into the pits of the waste mixed with stale lye. The taillights of the truck glowed red. The sound sensor beeps loudly when walking backward to find the way. The tailgate of the dull brown trash truck, already rusty in many parts, slowly started to lift up. The back door was wide open. Gravity makes an entire load of garbage in the tub sag out. Among the trash thro
Six months later.Eryk jumped from one rooftop to another as the silver eyes of the moon and a white owl soared high in the dark sky above him without a sound. Rockwool City stretches out like a sharp rock. Many tall, old, and abandoned buildings stick out almost everywhere.Eryk watched the City. There were towering skyscrapers to the east and west, the endless slanting roofs of the poor districts, and many smoking chimneys in the industrial districts. To the north loomed abandoned flats. The black river is somewhere south. The muddy stream carries the dirt away from the City, but it doesn't make it look clean. Eryk could even smell its stench at that distance."But nothing as rotten as the dump I was buried alive in."Eryk knelt on one of the roofs of a luxury restaurant made of glass plates. His legs were wobbling because the roof of the building was on an inclined plane, and the surface was quite slippery.Eryk glanced through the glass roof that was hazy with dust and dirt. Downs
Something hurtled towards Eryk's head. It stretched like a long, flexible whip, but its slashes were as painful as swords.Slap!Eryk dodged a little too late. The tip of the whip scraped his cheek until it bled. After hitting his cheek, the whip made of plant vines was again drawn into the palm of a person standing covering the end of the alley.A beautiful girl with waist-length black hair wearing a red qipao (Chinese dress) modified to be more casual and slightly open at the chest blocked Eryk's steps. The pounding of her knee boots made Eryk tremble slightly.The girl stood with her hands clasped on her waist. Between her body twisted several tendrils of green plants with leaves, each leaf has an eye. The plant tendrils seemed alive and stuck all over the girl's body, loosely coiled and moving.Eryk needed to see the proper form of the plant vines wrapped around the girl's body. He thought the dozens of eyes that might attack him in the darkness were beasts. But those are the eyes
"Please don't!" Eryk tried to defend his life by all means, but his strength was too weak when he was snared so tightly by the plant's tendrils.The strange girl with plant tendrils all over her body was still sitting at Eryk's feet. She failed to stick the tip of a thorn into Eryk's heart. She instead took out a dagger and wanted to cut Eryk's fingers which were stretched on the asphalt surface.Eryk couldn't see White anywhere. Sometimes the owl came to help him. More often than not, he suddenly disappears when Eryk is in a desperate situation. Fear pumped into Eryk's veins."I die tonight," he thought over and over.But the dagger was just a trick to play Eryk."Careful!" shouted the owl, suddenly taking a sharp dive. The owl gripped the plant tendrils tightly before piercing Eryk's heart.Eryk looked up when he heard the scream of an owl, which could be heard shivering on the back of his neck.Someone came from the end of the alley and shot an arrow that flew and cut the tendrils
When Eryk stepped onto one of the roofs of the next building, he didn't pay much attention because it was dark. Someone suddenly hit him with a baseball bat, causing Eryk to fall.White flew above him without a sound. He could only see Eryk rolling on the roof of the building. Footsteps were rushing up the fire escape not far from where Eryk fell.The sound of the footsteps made Eryk immediately alert. When he tried to get up, a group of men dressed in all black came after him.Eryk struggled to swing his legs to stand up and run. However, his toes felt sunk in the holes in his shoes. Something was blocking Eryk's movement. He became stiff and not as flexible as usual.The place where he stood was sheltered by the shadow. However, he could see through the streaks of light from the surrounding buildings. Several men lined up near the wall and surrounded it. They were all dressed in all black and wearing black masks.Eryk couldn't recognize them—boys or girls, Eryk didn't know. None of
Eryk woke up screaming. Sweat was starting to dry on his forehead, and his arms were getting goosebumps. He could see his breath under the layer of awning stretched between the branches above him. As it sat, the tree creaked, and the nest in which it lay shook slightly. The white owl rushed away from Eryk's hand."Coincidence," Eryk muttered. "This must be just a coincidence.""What is it?" White asked. He landed from the branch above Eryk's head and approached him beside the young man.Eryk closed his eyes and imagined a gold ring with a distinctive symbol on the finger of the pale man who had attacked him."Tell me, White. How can I come back here? Wasn't the last time I was attacked on the sidewalk in the middle of Rockwool City?""Yeah, you passed out after a bunch of guys threw you from a great height. My friends and I tried to catch you and land you on the pavement. But after that, you screamed like crazy, and you passed out again.""Not!" Eric shook his head. "That's not how it
Alyssa and Joker, accompanied by Wanda, meet the Lightning Summoner. He is a tall man with a large spear weapon that can emit electricity.The man sat opposite Wanda in a cafe. Meanwhile, Alyssa and Joker stood not far from them but could still hear their conversation."Is it true that the weapon made by Iron killed Kayes?"Flash, the Lightning Summoner, looked very surprised by the information that Wanda had just conveyed.Gloomily, Wanda nodded. "That's right."Suddenly, Flash stood up and yelled angrily in front of Wanda."Why was Kayes just killed now? Did Iron mean to frame me and make me the culprit? Was Iron also the one who snatched the sealed summoned spirit from Sandra's hand? Was he the one who killed Sandra that time?"Wanda was furious. She stood up straight with her back to the cafe window and glared at Flash."Why are you asking me that? I should be the one demanding answers from you. Because only you and Iron rejected Sandra's decision to sell the sealed summoned spiri
"Joker?" shock Alyssa and Duri together.“Belinda?” asked Joker, who was no less surprised when he saw Alyssa's appearance at his weapon shop.Alyssa growled and clenched her fists. "Don't call me by that name!""Oh, sorry, I forgot. However, among the Guardian Summoners, you are known as Belinda the viper.”"Joker, what are you doing here?" asked Alyssa. "Shouldn't you be level nine?"Joker shrugged his shoulders. “You can see for yourself. I'm trading here. How could I pass up an opportunity to make money? I can easily sell my collection of antique objects here. You, I mean you guys, what brought you here?”Alyssa took a deep breath. He pulled a stool in front of the table and sat down without being invited.Joker came out from behind a counter displaying various types of rare weapons and went to the mini fridge to get a can of soda."You look really tired," Joker said as he handed Alyssa the cold soda."Yes. There's a lot going on here. And I feel no progress. Even though I have to
"I don't agree with that method!" the other Guardian Summoner members protested. "That strategy will harm the villagers.""That shouldn't worry you. Because the villagers you are referring to here are none other than the summoners themselves. Each of them should be able to fight and protect themselves. And the villagers should not relax but join in the struggle with us against the destroyers.""But-"Alyssa glared at the stubborn young man. "The battle this time was completely orchestrated by me–Alyssa Harris, vice-leader of the Guardian Summoners. Please obey my orders!"After the meeting did not go smoothly, they finally disbanded. Alyssa returns to town, where her inn is. He walked accompanied by Duri.Duri appears dressed as a warrior, although his skin is still green. Duri's body, in its original form, looked firm and muscular. He always escorted and watched over Alyssa.As soon as they entered the city gates, Alyssa and Duri gasped in shock. Above the fortress gate that protecte
After the main prize was given, which was won by Eryk, suddenly, the vast, boundless field has now turned into a city. The town's appearance resembles the cities on levels one and two.Eryk and the other participants realized that the field they had just seen was a floating island where the arena matches were usually held.Lizard immediately ran away as fast as his foot could take it. But, the testers seem to let it be."Why did you let him when you found out he was cheating?" Rosemary shouted at the level three examiner through the loudspeaker before her."According to the rules we have explained," replied the examiner. "The only rule in the land of shadows is to deal with summoners who kill each other. The examiners and organizers will not take any action concerning theft and other crimes. But, because now you are still in the level three area. Even though the match is over, I still give the same rules."Rosemary suddenly grinned and glanced at Eryk. They both nodded their heads at e
Returning to the centre of the competition arena was much more troublesome and difficult than leaving it to seek the outer limits of the field. Eryk got lost several times and walked too far. However, they started to find summoners running last and slowing down."We are getting closer to the centre of the arena. In a moment, the centre of the field should be visible.""Hey, Young Man!" said the turtle summoner who strolled. He rides his turtle. "Why did you return to the centre of the arena? Did you find the limit? You should have crossed that line to survive.""Sorry, Old Man, it seems we failed to find the outer boundary of this field. Too vast and impossible. We haven't even reached it after an hour of running.""Gosh, if you guys who are as strong and as good as this can't even find it, what about my turtle who strolls and me? How many hundreds of years would it take us to get to the outer limits of the field? This is simply impossible. I could return with you and repeat this exam
"Watch everyone!" exclaimed the examiner through the loudspeaker. "We will immediately carry out the challenge at level three without rest. You will be able to rest after going through this challenge."Everyone was making a fuss. They haven't finished calming down after the tension in the previous level two challenge. And now, when they arrive at level three, they hope to rest for a while but are offered the next battle instead."I'm a kind examiner!" said the figure through the loudspeaker. "I will not burden you with serious and difficult challenges. There is only one challenge this time. You have to find the boundary of this field. Only the first 20 participants who manage to find the field's outer boundary will be selected and will qualify for the next stage."Everyone was whispering. The remaining 40 summoners will be eliminated in half. Everyone started to get excited and threw away the tiredness and tension before. Now they welcome new challenges to defend life and death."Spec
"Trying to kill us with this stuff?" quipped one of the summoners.But she still dared to open the gift box. Her eyes immediately lit up when she saw a beautiful dress there."Wow! How did you know I wanted this beautiful dress?""Time to open the gift box!" shouted a food summoner. He let out a scream as he earned so many gold coins."Eryk, what did you get?" White asked.Eryk opened his gift box and got a giant clam shell made of crystal."I don't know if this thing can be of any use? How about you?" replied Eryk.White opened her gift box and showed a pen made of goose down. The cell has solid toxic ink."Oh, I got some golden hairclips here. Not too bad," said Rosemary.Then they turned Black."Why haven't you opened your gift box yet, Black?""I was too scared to open it. I'm not sure if I deserve a prize? I've never had a surprise before," said Black, who looked such a melodrama when he received his first gift box."Just try it," said a summoner. "Your gifts are quite interestin
"The competition has just started," muttered someone in front of the level two area surveillance monitor.The figure in the black robe pressed a button.After rescuing the summoners almost mired in the crater, Eryk and the others started to rush off to find another place with fewer traps."We should head back to town. This forest is not safe at all. And I'm not sure there will be an exit in this forest.""I'm sorry," said Rosemary. "I have already given the wrong advice.""There's nothing to be sorry for, Rose. We are all struggling and trying our best."They returned to the city. While on their way to the plaza, they saw that many summoners had died, trapped in a battle, or by attacking each other with their teammates. Everything was prepared by the testers at level two."In fact, I suspect this level two area has no way out," Black said defensively. He was still carrying Rose on his back.While in the city centre, Eryk accidentally found a building slightly different from the usual
"Crow summoner spies?" Eryk asked. "I guess that's a bit impossible. If it is true that this land of shadows upholds rule and justice."Their conversation was cut short by an announcement."Participants, we have a little surprise for you on this wild night. The competition will be carried out earlier than the actual schedule."The two summoned spirits, Eryk and Rosemary, were surprised to hear the sound from the loudspeaker. Even though they are sure that a new competition will be held tomorrow morning. Suddenly the schedule was accelerated tonight, and they had no preparation."Testing at level two this time is a bit different. You don't need to come to the arena. We'll do it out in the open."Eryk and the summoners on the second floor also clearly heard the announcement. They all started scattering out of the house and their respective comfortable places.The summoners gathered in the plaza and filled the streets with panicked faces. They need clarification.Midnight and they were f