Others Summon, I Forge Beast Armor

”Won’t breaking up the team cause problems?” Vivian asked. ”You’d lose that hundredfold bonus. Would you still be able to hold your spots on the leaderboard?”

It was a valid point—an obvious one, even. Yet Lucy was stunned, as if the thought had never crossed her mind.

Seeing this, Mizuki knew she had to stand up for her friend. She took Lucy’s hand and said to Vivian, ”Three can gather to make four, four can gather to make six. Can’t you see it? What matters to her is putting distance between herself and Prince Derek.”

”Well, that’s none of our concern,” Raven said. ”Just hope you’re not thinking of dragging us into this new team of yours.”

”Haha, Lady Raven, not a chance.” Mizuki answered with a smile. She had the confidence for it too, since on the Rankings, she sat above Raven.

”Good to hear.” Raven said. ”Vivian and I are off to see a Master selling exclusive Monster Zones. If your new team’s looking to get a head start, might be worth your while.”

Raven and Vivian turned and walked away to a tent in the distance.

But when they got inside, neither sister could recall deciding to come here, or even when the thought came to mind. It was as if something had drawn them in because they’d never planned on coming here at all.

Inside the tent: a table and two chairs, sparsely furnished.

On one chair sat a girl seated cross-legged. On the other sat a man in odd armor.

Seeing them enter, the girl stood up. She was wearing a bear mascot costume, round and plump as a plum, while the man looked familiar, because the moment the illusion spell dropped, his identity was revealed.

”Luke, it’s you!” Vivian cried out in delight. ”How’d you find us? Or — wait, how did we find you?”

”Thanks to this little hamster of mine.” Luke said, pushing Seraphina forward, who was all smiles. He explained that she’d used Soul Sense to draw the two of them here.

”And who’s this girl exactly?” Raven asked.

Luke introduced Seraphina. ”This is Seraphina, my — my — girlfriend. Seraphina, these are my sisters, Raven and Vivian Kingsley.”

”Girlfriend?!” The two of them exclaimed in unison.

”That’s right.” Seraphina answered, going along with the lie Luke had spun because Luke wasn’t sure whether telling his sisters straight out that Seraphina was a Mythic-grade Summon was a good idea.

Pity that Luke didn’t know his sisters would rather believe he’d summoned a Mythic-rank Beast than believe a beauty like this would fall for him.

Luke mused that they ought to believe in their brother’s charm.

After all, he had once been engaged to Scarlett Trump—the number one catch in the entire country!

”What have you been up to lately?” Raven stepped forward. ”Adrian’s back at the Academy. You should be worried about your life. He could kill you a second time.”

”And the Vice Principal too.” Vivian said. ”He’s in league with Roselyn. Principal Claris getting suspended? That was to let him run things Roselyn’s way!”

This was the first Luke had heard of it. It finally made sense why Principal Clarice and Camillia hadn’t been seen for so long. It wasn’t just academic duties holding them back. Claris had been sidelined to make way for Howard, and the same was likely true for Camillia.

Luke rubbed his chin in thought while his sisters waited anxiously for his response.

But when he finally spoke, his words were infuriating.

”Didn’t expect you two cared this much. Here I thought I was a disgrace, that things would be easier without me around.”

”Don’t flatter yourself, you jerk.” Raven cursed. ”You’re still our brother. You’re a Kingsley. You’re our last hope. If Adrian gets his way, we’ll be married off to other families, our potential and our futures — all ruined.”

”We’re not asking you to fight to be Heir again.” Vivian said. ”We’re asking you to fight for your own standing, to grow stronger. That way, Father and Adrian’s position looks weaker.”

Luke felt a lump form in his throat because he hated the idea of his sisters being married off as mere breeding stock.

Their mother suffered the same thing.

Penelope Kingsley was a remarkable summoner, but after joining her life with Cedric, she was trapped by maternal duties, leaving her unable to make important steps in life. That was why she wanted to reclaim her footing, cultivating with Loki Blackstone, and fighting for a better future for humans and Beasts.

Luke made up his mind — he would not let his sisters suffer that.

”Then the change has to start with you two.” Luke said. ”Twelfth, thirteenth on the Rankings? You’re practically dandelions ready to be plucked by anyone passing by, hardly the rosy orchids you’re supposed to be.”

”Is that our fault? The Monster Zones are getting cleared out one after another. Students have started fighting each other. The Trial’s only got one day left.”

”Lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place.” Luke said.

Using his Token, he transferred a voluminous amount of data to Raven and Vivian.

”I bought a Comprehensive Index of Monster Zones, so I have way more than anyone could ever clear through. Here, you two get copies free, the rest, I’m selling off to other students, while I use what’s left.”

When Raven and Vivian opened their maps again, they found the maps packed with Monster Zones, thick and uncleared, as far as the eye could see!

Soon, all the students in the Trial heard someone was selling Monster Zones.

Luke had himself a field day with cash.

The good thing about his Zones: no duplicates.

Buy one off him, and you wouldn’t run into another party already camped there. Some of his Zones even needed clues to find in the first place. Some students liked that. Others just wanted blood immediately.

Luke sold to plenty of students like Lucy, but nobody recognized him because Seraphina’s spell was back in effect.

Now he’s convinced he can achieve many things with the Empyreal Angel.

By the end of the day, he came back with pockets full of cash.

His customers even included Rake Cooper and—Adrian, but Adrian didn’t come in person. Mark did.

Luke set down all the cash he had on the table and counted an income of 25,000 Scrips after selling over a hundred monster zones.

This money was smaller than what he needed these times.

Besides, money earned this way didn’t last.

What was longevity-friendly?

His Dimensional Items.

Fortunately, the demand was very high. Unfortunately, the supply was thin.

Luke wanted more, so he closed his eyes, meditated, and entered his Soul Space so he could visit the Insect World.

He remembered this would be Seraphina’s first time going in. Bringing her along, he was glad to.

*Whoosh!*

Luke entered the soul space.

Mist was everywhere, and steadfast for an eternity, the ever-burning Furnace with flames fierce but also soothing.

”Feels like I’m forgetting something,” Luke muttered, in no rush to enter the Insect World.

”Master, am I to cultivate in the Insect Realm from now on?” Seraphina asked.

Now, her voice sounded like thunder because there was no Age in a soul space.

Every summon is forced to be in their normal state in Soul Space.

So Seraphina was forced back from her Teenage Empyreal Angel form into her Adult form, nine feet tall again, just as she had been when Luke first summoned her.

”That’s right,” Luke said. ”Amigo, that little Astral Tortoiseling, cultivates the same way. I can evolve my Beasts through methods other Summoners simply can’t.”

”Astral Tortoiseling?” Seraphina repeated. ”Master, an Astral Tortoiseling is a palm-sized little thing. And you have been comparing it to me? I could crush it flat with one thigh, then eat it!”

”Trust me, he’s no ordinary Astral Tortoiseling,” Luke said. ”And even less so, going forward. He’s the first Beast I ever Resurrected, and I think highly of him. Speaking of which... where’s the Dark Dragonlord? How much longer until it Resurrects?”

*Whoosh!*

Seraphina searched the Soul Space for the Dark Dragonlord.

Her wings were so colossal that they sent the Furnace fluttering, almost extinguishing those eternal flames!

When she flew back, she was cradling something in her hands — an egg.

The egg was very big.

The patterns on it looked draconic and volcanic. Cold to the touch, and utterly out of place.

Luke refrained from carrying the egg because it seemed very heavy, and Serpahina, with her super strength, fit the job since he had no armor equipped currently.

”This is the Dark Dragon King you’ve been waiting for,” Serpahina announced.

”That’s it? How so?” Luke asked. ”I waited days, expecting a fierce, ill-tempered dragon with two heads, and what I get is an egg?”

”Are you disappointed, Master?” Seraphina asked. ”Don’t be! Some Mythic beasts have to go through Transmogrification before they Resurrect.”

A system panel appeared in front of Luke.

On it was the method for hatching this egg.

Luke didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused. He thought he’d walk in and find a living, breathing Dragonlord waiting for him.

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A/N: Thanks for reading!