I returned to my personal space a bit excited. An excellent rating meant better rewards, so the first thing I did was head to the reward chest. Cracking it open, I sorted for new items only.

Reward Chest.

New Inventory.

1. Copper coins, 278.

2. Silver coins, 47.

3. Gold coins, 1.

4. Resistance scroll.

It was a rather nice haul, and it was good to see a gold coin again after getting so many copper and silver ones. The thing I was most interested in was the scroll. I selected it from my inventory and reached in to grab it. The system put the scroll in my hands and gave me a description of what it was.

Scroll of Resist Toxin. This scroll can be activated to grant the user minor resistance to all toxins that are harmful to its species. Once activated, the resistance will slowly build up over a period of several hours and there may be some discomfort while going through the process.

This was great, it wasn’t as exciting as a whistle that summoned angry hyenas, but this was something that could save my life. Even better, it affected my body which meant that it should follow me back home. I wasn’t sure how much a “minor” resistance would help if I gulped down a bottle of cyanide, but it would probably help out with something bad in my food, or if I inhaled a gas or something.

With nothing to lose, I activated the scroll. I could feel changes in my body begin, but I couldn’t pinpoint them. It was like a buzzing sensation that moved throughout my body. The tingle grew into a dull pain that moved from spot to spot. At times, I would feel hot and feverish, then I would have horrible stomach cramps which were followed by a sore throat.

I plopped down into my rocking chair and tried to ride it out. It wasn’t the worst pain in the world, but it was enough that I didn’t want to do anything other than sit there. From my rocking chair, I was able to catch a glimpse of the return gauge. It showed that I was well over 70% now. The excellent rating really made a difference not only in the rewards, but also in how short my summoning sessions would be.

After the worst of the scroll’s effects passed, I dragged my chair into the training center so I could finish recovering and watch Melvin while I waited for the next summoning to start. He was in the middle of a battle when I sat down, my friend was up against another of those small fire elementals that looked like a burning lizard, and it was biting and pawing at Melvin who tried to engulf the creature. He gave a better accounting of himself this time, but the system judged that Melvin had taken enough damage to kill him and ended the match.

“You’re getting better against those, and I think you’ll have its number before too long,” I said, trying to encourage the little cube. Well, I thought of him as little, but he had grown since I’d gotten him. Seeing him fight the elemental showed his size had increased from the last time I’d watched the two fight. I had no idea how big he’d get, but I may need to find a use for the room expansion before long if he kept growing. Maybe they had a gelatinous cube residence I could purchase.

Checking on the ambient mana in the room, it was at 65%, probably enough for Melvin to fight another round or two if he wanted. Instead of choosing a new opponent, Melvin picked the fire elemental again. He sent the cube equivalent of a “watch this” feeling through our connection, and I ignored the lingering effects of the scroll in my body as I anticipated a good fight.

The fire lizard elemental appeared at the other end of the training center and began to charge toward Melvin. I still thought it was cute how the elemental left little flaming footprints behind him as he ran. The footprints only lasted a few seconds and from what I could tell, the training center was sort of indestructible. I was just glad I didn’t have to clean it after each session. During my brief time studying martial arts, cleaning the mats after a session was my least favorite part.

Melvin responded to the attack by forming a little pseudopod at the corner of his cube. With a quick snap, the pseudopod launched a lump of slimy goo that flew at the lizard. The blob slapped into the lizard’s face and began to dissolve it even as the flames consumed the slime. The lizard stopped in its tracks and pawned at the acidic slime. Its flames burned away the attack after only a second or so, but the strike had left the creature blind.

Sliding slowly across the floor, Melvin tried to keep away from the now rampaging fire elemental as it went berserk and ran blindly around the training center looking for its prey. After about a minute of this, Melvin fired off another blob of slime at the lizard, hitting it on one of its back legs. The lizard hissed and began to bite and claw at the wound, doing almost as much damage as the slime itself.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

It burned off the new attack in seconds, but its speed was much reduced from before as it dragged its wounded leg behind. Melvin had a plan for this foe, and he was executing it perfectly. He was too slow to avoid the elemental attacking him, so he first blinded it, then reduced its ability to move. Now, as long as the elemental didn’t somehow stumble upon Melvin, he could pick it apart with ranged attacks.

Minutes passed and Melvin kept up his attacks. He could only fire about once every minute or so, but after a few more hits, the lizard was just lying there on the ground. He moved in to finish off the lizard-like elemental, engulfing it with his body and ending the match.

“Nicely done, Melvin. Those ranged attacks were a nasty surprise for your foe. The only thing I don’t understand is why you moved in to finish it off at the end. Getting up close with something like that would hurt you pretty bad in a real fight,” I asked, not really expecting an answer.

I was shocked when Melvin started sending me not just thoughts, but also some images to back them up. First, he showed how the ranged attacks used up a small portion of his mass, and I now understood why he didn’t keep them going indefinitely. Next, he showed me images of him trying to engulf the fire elemental dozens of times. He was testing to see where the flames and heat were weakest. In a real fight, he’d take less damage but still finish off the foe.

His last image was him engulfing a fire elemental over and over again. After a time, the exterior of his cube began to take on a slightly different shade and it seemed to resist the fire a lot more. Eventually, flame attacks would be much less dangerous to him.

“That’s a good use of your training time Melvin, but it’s too bad you can’t build up your resistances by training against these figurines. They’re just system created punching bags for us. I get enough of being cut, burnt, crushed, and eaten during my summonings, so I’m kind of glad nothing in here really hurts,” I told him. Melvin sent me an image of him going with me through the portal. The image shocked me as he sent his desire to join me and help out.

“Sorry, buddy, I don’t think you can go through the portals. Even if you could, there’s no guarantee that you’d come back again. I get rebuilt by the system here, but I’m not sure you would be. It’s too much of a risk, I don’t want you getting hurt out there if the injuries might be permanent,” I argued, feeling bad as I sensed his disappointment. There was also a tinge of sadness, and he felt like I didn’t want him to go with me.

“Don’t feel that way, I really do want you to go with me, it’d be awesome to have you helping out,” I assured him.

“If that is true, then I go,” Melvin whispered in my mind.

“Woah, that’s new, you can talk?” I asked. He didn’t speak again, but I got the impression that speaking directly to my mind was much more difficult than just sending emotions or images.

“That is true, Melvin, I would love to have you come with me, but only if we could be sure you’re safe,” I answered. Hopefully he’d realize that I was being truthful, I really did want to hang out with him more. The little cube was a cool dude.

Instead of another answer, images, or emotions, Melvin’s cube just sat there on the ground quivering slightly. I was worried that something was wrong, but he sent one last burst of emotion, assuring me he was okay. A small, stone version of Melvin was pushed out of his body, and I could sense his weariness as Melvin sent his intent for me to take it. When I grasped the cube, a system prompt suddenly appeared.

Your bonded companion, the gelatinous cube known as Melvin, has offered to bind himself to a summoning figure. If you accept this offer, Melvin will function as an additional summoned minion, linked to your core. When inside your personal space, Melvin will revert to his normal form, but once you leave the personal space, he will inhabit the figurine once more. In return for his help, Melvin requests a chance to see and experience other worlds.

Do you accept Melvin’s offer to become one of your summoning figurines? Y/N.

“Are you sure of this, Melvin? I don’t always go to nice places you know, and there will be battles where pain and even worse things could occur. I’d love to have your help, but only if you know what you’re getting into,” I said.

“I want to go.” Was his reply.

“That’s good enough for me, glad to have you aboard, Melvin,” I said as I accepted his offer.

The entity known as Melvin is now a bound companion figurine. Summoning him requires no mana, and there is no gear cost to equip this figurine. Should he be destroyed during a summoning, Melvin’s figurine will have an extended recovery time before he can be summoned again. Should you return to your personal space, he will appear there, but will not be available for summoning until the recovery time is over.

Melvin has the following tier, rank, and abilities. As you gain experience, so will Melvin and his skills and power will grow with your own.

Melvin. Gelatinous Cube.

Teir 0.

Rank 2.

Experience. 0/10.

Abilities.

Digestive Touch. When a gelatinous cube touches another creature, it will begin to digest it, causing continuous damage as long as it is in contact with the target.

Fling Corrosive Slime. Melvin can fling a small bit of his mass once per minute. He can only fire 3 shots before his body refuses to lose any additional mass. After feeding on a foe, or resting in your personal space, he will recover mass and this ability will reset.

Resistances. Gelatinous cubes are resistant to most non-magical physical attacks.

Vulnerabilities. Gelatinous cubes are vulnerable to fire and freezing damage.

“Looking good Melvin. We’ll get your tier and rank up in no time,” I told him. I barely had time to add him to my loadout and my return home selections when the familiar prompt appeared.

You are Summoned!