Mason gritted his teeth as even more exhaustion overcame his body and soul. He caught himself from collapsing, his knuckles turning white as he formed them into fists, resisting the toll it took to use summon.
An eruption of power bathed miles of forest in a thick layer of energy. Animals died immediately, bodies bursting under the pressure. Goblins collapsed, brains and organs turned to mush, and anything stronger was simply paralyzed, unable to move in the presence of such an entity. A meter above the lush foliage, a crack, like throwing a rock at glass, burst in space. Fragments of reality evaporated, forming a rough oval shape. Beyond was a black, endless abyss, not too dissimilar from the one Mason floated in only moments ago. A foot stepped through. Waves of energy exploded outward, ripping apart trees for miles, and evaporating the nearby foliage. However, this energy seemed to part, and avoid Mason as it drew close to him. He immediately thought of the skill description, his tense muscles easing as the fact became clear.
Dirt flew, the once pristine forest reduced to a barren wasteland for miles around. The full form of the summon was now exposed. It resembled a middle-aged man with a fair complexion and a large yet toned physique. His sharp features were accentuated by piercing black eyes that darted about, scrutinizing the unfamiliar surroundings. Short, white hair cascaded just below his jawline, merging seamlessly with a thick, white beard. From his forehead sprouted two silver horns, arching backward. The man donned attire befitting a war general. From neck to toe, his body was sheathed in black armor, crafted from an otherworldly metal that radiated an unusual power distinct from the summon itself. Complementing the armor were intricately woven patches of black leather, notably around the wide collar that stood upright, framing his neck.
[You have successfully summoned {Dragon King Astaroth}]
"So, you’re—” Astaroth’s sharp eyes locked onto Mason for an instant before something interrupted him. His stern, unchanging expression offered Mason no insight as the monstrous entity suddenly shot to the ground, kneeling. The ground cracked beneath him as he spoke again, this time in a more subservient tone, “My name is Astaroth. Thank you for summoning me, master!”
The intense waves of power ceased, leaving the area enveloped in a desolate silence.
“Aaaah,” Mason was utterly speechless. He could hardly muster a word, but eventually managed a feeble, “You’re welcome.” The two sat in palpable silence, and Mason’s mind raced as he tried to find the right words. A question finally came to him.
“Where did you come from?” he asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable with Astaroth’s passionate kneeling.
“All I remember is dying and then appearing in a void. A blue screen with words appeared before me. It said that I was granted another chance at life and was to be summoned by someone in another dimension,” Astaroth recounted, his voice booming as if he were a low-ranking soldier reporting to a general. Mason admired his enthusiasm, but the show of admiration and loyalty unnerved him.
“You don’t have to kneel,” Mason chuckled awkwardly. Like a robot, Astaroth shot upwards, his posture rigid. Mason saw this and quickly added, “You don’t have to be so formal. Just act casual. I always hated that kind of stuff in the army.”
Tension released from Astaroth's muscles, “Sorry, master,” he chuckled, scratching the back of his head. The change was noticeable, and Mason appreciated it. He knew he might be spending decades with this summon, and a friendly relationship seemed preferable to that of master and servant.
“Just call me Mason,” Mason said, understanding how challenging it might be to establish such a relationship, but deciding to try anyway. Astaroth nodded, and Mason was about to ask another question when a blue screen interrupted his train of thought.
[Would you like to see Astaroth’s Skills?]
Driven by insatiable curiosity, Mason blurted out his answer without a second thought,
“Yes.” A slight look of confusion, indicated by the slightest facial change appeared on Astaroth’s face, however, Mason ignored this.
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[Due to skill compatibility, you can use [Skill Upgrade] to forcibly increase the skill tier of Astaroth’s skills. However, due to Universal limitations, you can only upgrade two of a summons skills and the energy drain will be split between the summon, and the summoner. The bonus for [Skill Upgrade] will also apply.]
Mason let out a defeated sigh as the screen folded closed. He was curious whether such a thing was possible with Skill Upgrade, and ensuring all his summons have at least two God Skills was still useful, but he had dreamed of something greater nonetheless.
{Astaroth} [Skills]
{God} [World of Illusion]
{Divine} [Void Armament]
{Divine} [Hand of Michael]
{Sovereign} [Shield]
{Intrinsic} [Dragon’s Breath]
{Intrinsic} [Lightning Manipulation]
{Intrinsic} [Dragon Transformation]
{Intrinsic} [Humanoid Transformation]
Mason’s eyes scanned the list in awe. Instinctively, he questioned Intrinsic skills and the details of each skill. The system gave a prompt answer.
[Intrinsic skills are skills specific to the species of an entity. They do not have tiers like normal skills, but instead, scale with the user's strength.]
[You are currently unable to view the details of Astaroth’s skills]
Mason noted the new type of skill and was not disappointed at the system's message. He doubted simply asking Astaroth would be an issue. He scanned the skills once again.
“World of Illusion, Void Armament, Hand of Michael…not bad,” Mason spoke out loud, attempting to smoothly transition into talk of his abilities. Astaroth’s eyes shot open, and his jaw nearly reached the floor.
“What!?!... How?” He could barely muster words to express his astonishment, and Mason swiftly cut him off when he tried to speak.
“I have a very unique skill,” Mason said, the blue screens in front of his eyes folding closed, giving a better view of Astaroth's expression, “Long story short, I can upgrade any skill, to any tier. Obviously it takes a toll on me, but I’m fine right now, and I upgraded a few skills to Sovereign tier and one to Divine tier in the last few minutes.” Mason waited for Astaroth to say something, expecting at least a gasp, but instead, Mason saw a look of reverence and awe. He decided to continue.
“I upgraded a skill called summon, and as you know, I summoned you. Essentially, these two skills are compatible, and I can upgrade any of your skills. Only two though, cause of universal limitations.” Silence reigned over the two just as before, Mason awkwardly waiting for a reply, while Astaroth was bathed in an astounding feeling. Finally, the quiet was broken.
“You are worthy to have summoned me.” Astaroth bowed as he spoke, “I was unsure at first, and my curiosity peaked when I sensed such a powerful soul. The skill you have has solidified my loyalty even more. My life is yours.” Mason opened his mouth to correct such formality, but closed it, resorting simply to another awkward chuckle.
“My soul is powerful, huh?” A memory of the void surfaced, recalling the vast soul points he had, to choose any species he desired.
“Much greater than anything I’ve ever seen. My former master, the Dragon God, might've had a similarly powerful soul, but I was forbidden from examining it, and he had defenses to protect against that kind of intrusion anyway.” Astaroth said, eyeing the sky as he rocked his brain. Mason nodded, admired himself for an instant, then returned to the conversation.
“Standing here and talking is good and all,” Mason said, deciding to keep his reincarnation a secret for now, “But we should head to a nearby village and find somewhere safe to rest. Although, I don’t have any money…” Considering the group of adventurers he woke up around were weak and had little equipment, it was safe to assume a village was within a day's travel. Although Mason hoped Astaroth’s extravagant entrance didn’t obliterate it.
A wave of force passed through Mason's body. It was weak, something one might feel at a concert with the speakers blasted to full volume.
“A group of incredibly weak humans seem to be fighting a few miles in that direction.” Astaroth said, turning and pointing to his right, “The weakest human is wearing a lavish dress and is in a carriage guarded by multiple humans. If we help her, we could most likely extort plenty of money.” He explained, calm yet ruthless. Mason recognized such a mentality. He saw it in his old self, and others he worked with in the army. Astaroth clearly went through war more than once.
“Alright. Although,” Mason chuckled, “Extorting might be a little far. If she’s from a wealthy family, getting on that family's good side could net us more. We might be able to form some connections too.” Astaroth sat in contemplative silence, and then he bowed,
“You’re incredibly wise mast-, Mason. Such incredible insight would have never crossed my mind.” Astaroth blurted out, loyalty and reverence infused into his tone. A deep sigh escaped Mason's lips,
“Let's just go over there and figure out what to do after,” He said, opening up his list of skills, recalling one that would be perfect for such a situation.
[Skills]
{God} [Skill Upgrade]
{Divine} [Summon]
{Sovereign} [Sword Master]
{Sovereign} [High-Speed Regeneration]
{Unique} [Teleport}
[Rare] [Silent Movement]
[Rare] [Enhance Strength]
[Rare] [Enhance Speed]
[Rare] [Harden]
{Common} [Beginner Magic Proficiency]
{Common} [Dash]
“Teleport seems incredibly useful anyway. Might as well upgrade it now-” A surge of wind struck Mason, knocking him back, his arm flailing as he stumbled, trying to keep his balance. His hair was flung around and his clothes slapped against his body. Dirt flew, and he brought his remaining hand up in front of his eyes. Mason questioned if a hurricane suddenly appeared on top of him.