< Master, wake up! There is a hairy dwarf at the door! > (Kit)
I wake up to the telepathic screams of my pet fox, Kit.
' What does he even want me for... ' (Me)
I get up from my bed, get dressed and walk to the door. He's been banging on it for the whole time.
«At last! I was getting bored of waiting! » (Hairy dwarf)
«I realized that but how did you know I was still here? » (Me)
«That matters not! Let's go! » (Hairy dwarf)
He grabs my arm and throws me through the window, making me fall into some kind of portal. I then appear in the same space where I made the sword.
' It's the same place but... Is it different somehow? I mean, I don't remember giant statues everywhere... '
A row of important looking people stands at the feet of the biggest statue. The hairy dwarf steps forward and bows towards them. I follow his lead and bow. Kit does the as well.
' I guess they are the big shots around here huh? Based on looks and gut feeling... I would be dead in negative six seconds. that's how powerful they look. '
«So this is the new "Fool". I welcome you to The Metal Warriors, Jim. » (Leader?)
I remain silent and simply not in accordance.
« I guess it's his first time seeing someone like us. Be at peace, boy. We are not dictators. You can talk if we direct our words to you. » (Sub-Leader?)
«Y-Understood.» (Me)
«Show us the weapon that you've created and it's characteristics. If you impress us, we might give you more than others. Think of this as a "trial".» (Leader?)
' That's a bit too simple...'
My gauntlet expands and a sword is formed from out of it. The Gauntlet is unaffected.
Their eyes open wide. Some even have their mouth gaping.
«A Metamorphic weapon? It's been a while since I last saw one. You have far surpassed my expectations. Brussog, you made a fine judgment.» (Leader)
«I am honored, sir.» (Brussog)
«Now, Jim. I'll give you a quest. The time you must take on it is undefined. Your mission consists of going to a specific ruin and slaying a specific monster in it. Are you up for it?» (Leader)
' I better not ask for what I'll get. Might give them a bad impression of me. '
«Understood. I shall slay the monster.» (Me)
«The monster you're looking for is a chimera. A fusion of different creatures. Brussog, Bring him a map to the ruins.» (Leader)
The hairy dwarf runs to a nearby door and comes out holding a small map. once I had it in hand I noticed that it was an artifact that would show me the way as I walked.
«I wish you the best of luck.» (Leader)
As the sword was fusing back into the gauntlet, the leader(?) smiled slightly and a portal opened under my feet. I was suddenly in my room again.
«Where have you been?! I've been looking for you the whole morning!» (Noemi)
«Sorry. I was taken somewhere that I probably can't talk about to outsiders. I was given a mission so I'll be out for a while.» (Me)
«Did you find a mistress already?» (Noemi)
«Wha-No!» (Me)
«Of course not.»
She put on a smug face and turns around.
«I'll tell Galgo and Mirim then. They were also looking for you.» (Noemi)
Stolen novel; please report.
She then leaves.
' I wasn't expecting it to be that easy... '
I get some basic essentials and depart immediately.
'So... How am I supposed to use this?'
'Is it really only that?'
I keep walking and eventually, arrive at the ruins of what looks like a temple. The temple seems to have been abandoned for quite a lot of time but the main building is still intact. Not only that, there seems to still be some kind of barrier protecting it. I get to the barrier's boundary and look inside the main temple building.
' Wow, it's bigger than it looked from outside. '
' Sounds like this won't be as easy as they made it look... '
Once I go in, I find myself in a completely different place. The sky is green and the previous main temple building turned into an old castle. Once I go into the castle, whose door was open, I meet many different enemies. Spiders, praying mantis, ants, and many other kinds of insects.
' That's a lot of insects... '
My gauntlet expands and a plain staff comes out.
' I don't know how to use a staff! '
With a series of vertical and horizontal swings of the staff, every bug was squashed.
' Luckily they were not smart or had any kind of strategy... I have no idea what I just did. '
<*Chuckles*> (Devouring monster)
After walking for a while I come across a room that looks like some kind of old torture room. Blood stains everywhere and a peculiar creature in the middle.
' WHAT IS THAT THING?! '
' That's a chimera?! I thought it would be a lion with an extra goat head and a snake tail! '
' Oh... So that... centipede... cockroach... thingo... is a chimera? '
The chimera start's wiggling its gigantic body and moving around. The chimera looks like a giant centipede with a cockroach outer shell.
' That thing's disgusting. '
My staff starts to morph into the usual giant sword as the Chimera finally notices me.
' I'll have to make it fly then... It's too dangerous otherwise... '
The chimera charges forward at incredible speed and passes by me. All of its hundreds of legs are being used either to move or attack me.
' So that orange spot on the legs are the weak points then. I know what to do now. I can use nature magic right? '
' You'll see. '
Suddenly, thousands of leaves start falling, appeared from out of nowhere. Those leaves are razor sharp leaves that are sharp enough to cut through stone. A giant tornado appears and swallows all the leaves while lifting up the centipede in the air. My feet are buried in the ground and I'm using the air armor so that no leaves ever touch me.
The chimera wails in agony as the razor leaves cut its legs through its weak points and the under of its body is filled with cuts. The room starts to get sprinkled with yellowish blood.
Once the razor leaves are almost over and the tornado isn't as strong, I jump for its head and land a clean cut under its neck. It twitches for a while and then, comes to a stop.
' That was surprisingly easy '
(Devouring monster)
' I'll be honest, I just adapted one of the techniques Mirim used at the tournament. '
(Devouring monster)
' I'll really have to eat this won't I '
' *Gulp* I think I'm going to puke... '
I start eating the chimera. After two hours, the centipede had disappeared. I somehow ate the whole centipede that was hundreds of meters in length.
' It wasn't that bad... I think '
' So now you find it disgusting?! '
I walk out and as I pass through the barrier, I get shocked beyond belief. Not only is it night already, which was supposed to be still evening, but also the moon... is crimson. A crimson moon can only mean one thing in this world... War.
I run back to see if everyone is alright but...
«Sorry, we can't let you in. Only students and authorized personnel may go in.» (Head guard)
«But I'm a student here. I went on a mission this morning and just came back. » (Me)
«Sorry, boy. I know every student in here from two years till now, but I don't know you. I don't know your circumstances but if you don't want trouble, go fight the human. If you do well, you'll be able to go in. That's a good option if you really are a student right?» (Head guard)
' Either we'll fight for him or we'll be seen as traitors on the spot... fuck! '
I walk in the said direction while pondering what is going on.
' This is just too weird... '
«And keep your pet fox under control.» (Head guard)
Kit's growling at the guard for a while now...
' ... Don't feel bad Kit but I forgot about you. '
Such a sweet fox...