I froze.
My eyes stretched wide. I couldn’t believe my ears.
“I must have heard wrong. I must have! I didn’t even get the chance to test Beta out on the beasts on this floor. Surely, Vice Guild Master Hansel must have meant for Luke or Darrel to fight. There’s no way he wanted me to fight.”
I needed to make sure.
“Vice Guild Master Hansel. You said Luke, right?”
“Get down here, Liam!”
“You want me to fight?!”
With a serious look on his face, Hansel nodded and curled his finger, motioning me to come down. I gulped.
“Crap. He really was talking to me! No way!? I’ve never fought with Beta before! Damn. What should I do?”
“Haha! How suiting! Mother chicken Hansel raising another wimpy baby chicken! Pathetic! You Ivory Climbers were meant to be fodder for the real Climbers! Or should we give you a merciful death?”
Hansel turned. The words, ‘merciful death,’ triggered him. The weight of his boiling aura of soul energy blasted out, clashing against Damion’s. I heard the wretched laughter and looked across the ravine.
One glance, and I knew I didn’t like that guy. He gave off bad vibes. Vice Guild Master Damion was a giant, rivaling Reld’s physique. He was intimidating with his large frame and wild unkempt red hair. Something about him reeked of evil. He reminded me of the Heathens who attacked our kingdom six years ago. He suited their cruelty and murderous ways.
It wasn’t so much the pulled-up corner of his lip arranged in an arrogant smirk that bothered me. There was something about his eyes. Even from high up, I saw all the whites of his eyes. They stared at me, pulled wide open. Unnaturally wide. It was like he was high on some drug. The sinister stare creeped me out. There were other intentions behind his fixed gaze. He looked like he was going to rip me apart.
Chills shook my body. However, I shook them out. I hated the feeling of being underestimated even more. I was not just some powerless Dysfunctional.
“I’m a summoner! I proved my worth! My name is Liam, not Dysfunctional! And I will become powerful!”
But… I’m not powerful right now…
I walked awkwardly down along the narrow ledge of the ravine. My back stood straight from my self-encouragement but then slumped over, thinking about my current predicament. I grew stronger, but I was still powerless.
“Shit! What am I going to do!? I’m going to walk slower and come up with a plan. Come on brain, think!”
“Master.” I heard the familiar voice in my head. “Of course! Ordinance! You saw everything. I’m in a pickle! That Aden guy said he wouldn’t need his summon. Maybe I can attack him with my sword? Or launch a surprise attack with Beta? Any suggestions?”
“We need more information. But both options are valid. Displaying information on Aden.”
Ding!
System Function: Analyze
Name: Aden
Species: Mammal - Humanoid
Subspecies: None
Unique Talents/Constitutions:
None
Stats:
Strength: 3.5
Agility: 3
Dexterity: 2
Intelligence: 8
Willpower: 7
Aligned Elements:
Dark: 19
Unique Soul Skills:
Shadow Ball
Astro Project
Skills:
Apprentice Swordsmanship: 55.56%
Apprentice Fighting Tactics: 90.49%
Basic Jafar Breathing Technique: 68.90%
Apprentice Cardinal Direction Breathing Technique: 30.79%
“Your opponent’s stats are similar to Luke’s. However, please be wary of his unique soul skill, Shadow Ball. It shoots out condensed projectiles of dark soul energy.”
“A long-range attack skill? What’s my second soul skill, Ordinance?”
“Your second soul skill is the same as one of Beta’s skills, Extract. There are multiple uses as you can pull out desired properties from your target, such as their soul energy. However, you require physical contact or contact through a physical medium. But most importantly, you need focus. Unless your opponent stands still while you drain him, your second skill is not effective for attacking.”
“… I’m so screwed.”
“However, Master, if it’s only the summoner, you can attack with Beta from afar or fight him yourself. I still need to analyze his summon. More data will better determine favorable actions.”
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Aden shouted and interrupted my internal conversation with Ordinance. “Is the baby scared? Are you waddling around because you need a diaper change? You’re only delaying the inevitable, Dysfunctional!”
I glared, hearing his ridicule. “Dammit, if I only had more time I wouldn’t need to worry! Beta had barely any time to grow!”
I hated being called Dysfunctional and the condescending beliefs attached along with it. I was going to change the world’s perception of us. They would no longer boldly joke and make fun of us. The word Dysfunctional would rattle their minds.
“I will make them whisper in fear when mentioning Dysfunctionals. And I’ll start with this guy.”
The soles of his shoes skidded against the ground with his lazy strides. He stopped, standing in the middle of the ravine, and didn't even bother looking at me. I watched as he focused on picking the loose threads of his shirt underneath his leather vest.
His relaxed attitude bugged me. He didn’t take me seriously at all.
“I’m going to give that bastard a surprise beating!”
I reached the bottom, and Hansel had a few words.
“Go on, Liam. I’m here, and so is Antwon. This will simply be a battle between you and that pompous kid over there.”
I nodded and looked at Aden in a stare-down. The surroundings went silent. There was nothing but the ground between us, but the air felt heavy. I heard the sound of my tense breathing, and my fists automatically clenched.
This was it.
My heart beat faster. Adrenaline rushed through my body. My eyes focused, and the world became vivid. I noticed the rocks and pebbles on the ground. I realized how jagged the stone walls were and clearly saw the extensive damage from the two Vice Guild Master’s aura battles. The minute details distinctly appeared in my sight. I was surprised at all the finer points I missed on a regular basis.
The menacing smile on that Aden guy’s face looked downright evil. The mentor and mentee duo had ‘psychopath’ written all over them. The smirking bastard was out to get me.
Two can play that game. I drew my sword. It gleamed from the rays of the sunset.
“Ordinance! Relay my orders to Beta!”
“Acknowledged, master.”
The best defense was a good offense. I hoped that would be true. I took the initiative and launched myself at Aden.
“Ha! What else did I expect from a Dysfunctional!? Can’t even summon out anything to fight! Don’t blame me if you end up in a hospital! It’s your fate!”
Aden lowered his stance. My blade cut the air as I rushed towards him.
“Just a bit more.” I ignored Aden’s taunts and closed in on him. “Come forth! Beta!”
“Ordinance! Tell Beta to smite that pretentious bastard.”
I was going to say, ‘wipe that smirk off his face,’ but I already did that. His eyes widened at what came out through the crack of space behind me.
Beta’s young girl form stepped out, landing on the ground.
He didn’t expect I could call out my summon. I used their assumptions regarding Dysfunctional stereotypes to my advantage. And it worked. They froze. I momentarily broke their minds. Their understanding of the Dysfunctionals started to crumble. Not only did Aden’s jaw drop, but so did all of the assholes from the Cardinal Guild.
Now it was my turn to smirk.
Aden was deeply shocked as he stared at Beta, unfocused at my incoming presence. Those guys keep underestimating me again. I contemplated stabbing my sword through Aden but instead stabbed the earth. I knew better.
I appeared in front of Aden and clenched my fist, bent my knees, and lowered my body. Aden jerked and tried to jump back, realizing his bad spot. He lifted his hands to block, but it was too late. I had already pulled back my arm like a spring. With one powerful thrust up from my feet, my legs shot up. My body twisted, unleashing all of my coiled muscles. I launched a punch, digging right into the side of the asshat’s face.
The guy had fast reflexes. He pulled back and lessened the blow while kicking me in the stomach. I grabbed my sword to hold me in place, but my punch connected. I felt the impact of my fist smashing his face. He tumbled backward and crashed away. Slowly he pushed himself up, shooting daggers at me from his eyes. But he was not getting up fast enough.
Right on cue, Beta pointed to the sky and shouted, “Smite of Lightning!”
The sunset sky immediately darkened, and thunder rumbled. The sky cried out, booming and shaking the surroundings. Lightning crackled with a flash and zapped down, striking Aden. The high voltage shocked the glaring twerp, and he collapsed back on the ground.
“Is it over already? What the hell were they all boasting about? They just lost to a little girl! Hahaha!” Luke cackled from the ledge above.
However, the fight was not over. It had just begun. The smoke of charred meat wafted into the air as Aden quickly sat up in heavy silence.
He now looked at me seriously. His eyes squinted in caution, and his body was tense and alert. However, he suddenly realized I forced him to take me seriously, and his face warped from shock to rage. He realized he had lost in our first exchange. But worst, he realized he lost to the Dysfunctional he despised and chastised.
I broke his ego. His clenched fists trembled. He took out his anger, punching the dirt.
“You shit! Is this a joke? A Dysfunctional bringing out an actual summon? But some little girl isn’t going to do anything! I don’t need a summon for this! I’ll beat the crap out of you and that stupid ugly doll myself!”
Beta pointed back, not going to take the beratement. “You’re the shithead! Come on then! I’ll smite you again!” Beta’s furious manly shout stunned Aden.
Aden did not recognize Beta’s new form. However, Damion definitely did. He noticed the odd young girl resembled Lady Gwendell and warned his disciple.
“Call out your summon now, Aden! Don’t play around! Something is wrong with that Dysfunctional’s summon!”
“Ha! So what if it can talk!? I don’t need to bring any summons for this stupid baby! Look at them, Vice Guild Master Damion!”
Aden pointed as Beta walked up beside me. “They’re a scrawny malnourished-looking duo. That ugly abomination of wrapped metal doesn’t scare me.”
The corners of Beta’s eyebrows twitched. “Ugly. Abomination. Me? Death to the miscreant!” Beta’s skinny finger pointed to the red-orange sky above Aden, ready to call down lightning.
Aden glared at Beta. His anger boiled in silence, but he took his mentor’s words seriously. I saw the resistance turn into reluctance. He had to take me seriously. That kept breaking his ego and made him furious.
“Saena, Daard’s Reaper of the Darkness! Rip that ugly little girl apart!”
An unusually long pair of thick arms, covered in fur black as night, stretched through the crack of space. The arms touched the ground, making no noise. The snout of a wolf emerged out of the fracture. It walked out upright on two legs.
The werewolf's knees bent backward, lowering its weight onto its back limbs. It stood with its thick powerful arms pressing on the dirt like a gorilla. The wolfman sniffed around in search of prey. It looked at Beta and me, grinning with a mouth full of serrated teeth.
Ding!
System Function: Analyze
Name: Saena
Stage: 2
Species: Mammal - Humanoid: Lycan
Subspecies: Shadow Demon
Stats:
Strength: 16
Agility: 21
Dexterity: 9
Intelligence: 7
Willpower: 15
Aligned Elements
Dark: 24 Earth: 7
Skills:
Enshroud stage 2
Hypnotize stage 1
Descent of Darkness stage 2
Curse of Darkness (locked stage 3)
Evolution Paths / Ratings
Cursed Werewolf - 4 stars
Demon General of Daard’s Army - 6 stars