Heroine Creation: All My Summons Are Custom Made

Chapter 81: A Huge Matter Has Risen [Bonus Chapter]

There were very few reasons the students of A.S.I were called to gather in the Assembly Hall. So, with it happening today, everyone was on high alert.

Students made guesses and theories of what was about to go down. A person like Lancet wondered how they could even spend time talking when inside in a place as magnificent as this.

He remembered vaguely the description of the hall. But seeing it was exhilarating, just being inside caused his chest to pound.

It was a glorious white-and-gold amphitheater large enough to be a den for dragons. The design bluntly manifested the Academy’s rigid hierarchy in stone and gold.

There were angel statues made into pillars and between these pillars were tiered, semi-circular balconies that rose high into a ceiling that seemed to reach for the unseen heavens.

It was segmented perfectly by the years. At the apex, bathed in the warmest ambient light and seated upon plusher, cushioned benches, sat Class Group-S.

Below them descended Group-A, then B, and then C, the seating growing progressively less comfortable. Finally, crammed together on the quality wooden pews of the main floor, sat Class Group-D.

Today, the hall was packed to the brim.

”I’m telling you, it’s her,” a boy whispered furiously, leaning over to his friend. ”I heard that Principal Danistasia would be returning soon.”

A girl beside him shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. ”I heard that too? Who knows, but gosh, when she does return, the school is going to get even scarier. She’s not called the Ice Witch for nothing.”

”Hey, it’s the Dean,” someone hissed sharply from the aisle. ”Shush. Shush!”

Lancet looked away from the group of gossiping boys, his eyes drifting toward the front of the hall.

The wave of gossip was washed away by an instant silence as Dean Ordenance stepped up to the golden podium.

”Good morning, students of the Awakener Supreme Institute,” Ordenance’s deep baritone echoed without the need for a microphone, commanding the air itself.

The students echoed back a greeting.

Ordenance gripped the edges of the podium and leaned forward.

”What is the purpose of this Academy?” he abruptly asked. ”Many of you sit here today taking the stones of this hall for granted. So, I would like to remind you how and why the Awakener Supreme Institute was built.”

He adjusted his robes. ”A hundred years ago, after the Era of Ash, and the Era of Rebirth. The Era of Education began. The founders of this Institute understood that Awakeners were scattered, unchallenged, and blunt. And they knew our best chance to fight back against Gehenna was to unite us and teach every Awakener what they needed to know to enable them... us... defend this world.”

”They did not build a school of comfort, nor did they intend to. They carved this Academy out of a hostile world, erecting these walls over the mass graves of the fallen to serve as a crucible. A forge. ASI was built with one singular purpose: to manufacture living weapons capable of pushing back the darkness so that humanity might survive another day.”

He was silent for a while, ensuring the weight of the Academy’s bloody foundation settled squarely on their shoulders.

”We remind you of this history,” Ordenance continued, his tone turning even colder, ”because ASI is a harsh place by design. Outside this school, outside the capital, outside the steel walls of the major cities: Aethelgard, Rosenblum, Arkhaven, Crescent City, New Fall, Old Fall, Darkington, Broken Palace, State X, The Blue Prism, Carrion Spire, Ashenrise, and Godcrypt.”

He strictly mentioned all of them, the names of the Steel Bastions of Earth. With each name, the students felt the Dean’s intensity, and the intensity of his words.

”The evil spreads endlessly,” Ordenance declared. ”From the White North to the Green South. We try our best to hold our regions, yet the evil of the Second World spreads like a virus.”

Ordenance leaned into the podium, his expression darkening into a grim, chilling scowl. ”And I do not use that word lightly. It is a literal infection of our reality. While you sit here in safety, the soil in Rackron, beyond the border walls, is turning to black ash. Rivers that once ran clear are choking with abyssal sludge. The sky in the outlands is permanently stained a rotting red. Entire farming settlements vanish overnight, leaving nothing behind but blood-soaked timber and the footprints of monstrosities.”

His eyes narrowed gravely. ”Your problems are miniscule compared to the sufferings that soak our world!”

Then, as his last words echoed, he relaxed his shoulders, taking a settling breath.

Lancet remembered this speech. But for others, they were just shocked to see the Dean so serious.

”Our world has advanced,” Ordenance continued. ”We have modernized once again, but don’t let the comfort of modernity blind you to the madness happening beyond our steel walls. That’s why we do our best to stretch you in this academy, regardless of whatever region you come from. The esteemed, protected citadels, or the forgotten slums.”

He looked directly down at the main floor. ”From next month, Class Group-D joins the other Years in the competitions and the true, gruesome training that will decide who will be the front protectors of this world.”

The first-years all gulped in unison, fear in their eyes.

”But for now, a huge matter has arisen.” The Dean’s eyes narrowed. ”A Demon Break has begun in Hebthej.”

Gasps tore through the balconies. A Demon Break. Everyone knew what they were, very few had ever experienced one. But all were terrified of it.

”Demons have migrated to the town and have begun to lay their filth and kill the townsfolk, wanting to create yet another Demon Citadel,” Ordenance explained, his voice hard as iron. ”With more and more citadels stretching into the protected cities, it is greatly important that we stop this Break as soon as we can.”

Excited, panicked murmurs broke out. Why tell us? Where are the Guilds?

”Awakeners from most of the Great Guilds are in Calamity Dungeons as we speak,” Ordenance announced, silencing the crowd. ”They have their hands full with stopping the deadliest of Dungeons from breaking and releasing more monstrosities to our already frail world. Now this is when we, the Academy, the Awakener Supreme, step in.”

Eyes widened. Students are going to stop a Demon Break?

”The government has asked us to send in aid,” the Dean stated. ”A party of our most powerful students will be going to defend Hebthej. Since the main Dungeon expeditions are starting, we cannot afford to collect a number of you from a particular year, so we spread it out amongst the Years and Class Groups.”

Students started glancing at one another, wondering who and who would be summoned.

”The students selected to defend Hebthej will now be called.” Ordenance unrolled a heavy golden parchment.

”I will begin with Class Group-S. The student chosen to lead this defense... is Vernon Heavenblum.”

The hall erupted.

Vernon! Thank the heavens! A 2-Star Platinum Awakener! He’s an Elemental Mage, he can control all elements in the fifth base!

Lancet looked up as Vernon Heavenblum rose from the highest tier. His prismatic eyes glowed with a confidence that was arrogant although somewhat princely.

The S-Class and A-Class students cheered. With an Elemental Mage leading the charge, the panic in the room subsided into some sort of relief.

Ordenance held up a hand. ”Class Group-A.” He read off four names—one Elementalist, one Enchanter, one Specialist, and one Summoner from the fourth years. They stood, looking ready to prove their worth.

”In Year Three, Class Group-B, it is two each. The only year that could allow for two.” He read down the list. When he reached the Summoners, his voice declared the last of the duo: ”Nereus Grimlake.”

A low murmur of deep respect and fear swept the hall. Nereus Grimlake. No one was surprised. With his shadows, he was a monster in any battle. If anyone was built for a Demon Break, it was him.

”Class Group-C.” Four names were called. One from each branch.

The tension returned, pulling taut as a bowstring. Only the first-years remained. Lancet tried to act normal, but he couldn’t help the way his heart was pounding.

”And finally, in Class Group-D,” Dean Ordenance announced, his eyes sweeping over the nervous sea of freshmen. ”For Specialists... Renan Falconhart.”

Whispers of excitement and jealousy instantly sparked. Renan! He’s amazing. Of course he gets picked. A Heavenly Knight with the greatest Grace Retention the Academy has ever seen!

Renan stood up, looking appropriately noble and determined, the picture of a righteous hero answering the call.

”For Elementalists, Frieda Castleloft.”

Frieda stood with her fiery red hair ponytailed behind her. She hid her gasp and bravely stood up to the applause of her peers.

”For Enchanters, Amira Vineheart.”

Amira proudly stood up, her glorious magical aura making her appear as the most fit for this mission amongst the First Years. Even with Renan in the team.

Dean Ordenance looked at the very bottom of the parchment. Then nodded faintly.

”Finally,” the Dean’s voice echoed through the silence of the hall. ”For Summoners... Lancet Leogardt.”

For a moment, nothing happened. The entire Assembly Hall seemed to stop breathing.

Then, murmurs suddenly ripped through the student body.

”Who?!” ”Lancet?!” ”The slum rat?!”

”Is this a joke?”

”Why are you so surprised? Didn’t you hear he’s now a Gold Rank?”

”But he’s only been Gold for a day.”

”Shit. We can’t call him Dull Rank anymore.”

High on the podium, the other members of the vanguard studied Lancet as he carefully stood up.

Renan watched him with an unreactive expression, Vernon Heavenblum looked at him like he was an insect that had somehow wandered onto his battlefield.

Lancet was half worried he would trip and fall but he kept his posture and managed to walk up to the golden podium, joining the rest of the peers.

Many didn’t like this. Because to them, this was an ordaining of sorts. Like the Academy officially declaring that the slum rat was just worth as much as the rest of them.

Perhaps even more.