ã€ŠSummon the Eternal [Pet Cultivation]ã€‹


 1. The New World (I)

    A summoner at twenty years old was supposed to be in the happiest period of their life. Zachary at the age of twenty was a convicted murderer. His life now existed only in a cramped and bare cabin. This was his prison cell for the past forty days, inside an unknown ship that was steaming toward an uncertain destination.

    As the sky outside the porthole gained its first like, an alarm started blaring throughout the corridor. At the same time, the metal floor beneath him shuddered as the ship slowed down. The voices of fellow prisoners in nearby cells joined the cacophony; shouting, cursing, and sometimes crying.

    Zachary groaned and curled up on the cold floor, covering his ears with his hands. The headache was back. It began between his eyes and spread out in all directions as if a railroad spike was being pounded into his skull. The noise made it even worse.

    The pain reminded him of what he had lost, not just as a person but as a summoner. They ruined his life but they also wounded his soul beyond repair. Now, he could only summon the weakest creatures. He would never be able to grow any stronger than his current state. For a summoner with dreams and desires, this was worse than death itself.

    Gradually, the ship came to a halt. The alarm stopped and a crisp voice replaced it.

    "This is the captain. We have arrived. Guards, bring the prisoners above deck. Prisoners, any disobedience will result in immediate execution. That is all."

    The announcement ended and a chill swept through the corridors. The threat from the captain hung in the air, thick and suffocating like death itself.

    Zachary stood up. He ignored the chill of the metal floor against his bare feet. He silently waited, his heart pounding with equal ferocity as his headache.

    The guards soon arrived in force. They began gathering the prisoners one by one. He was in block H, room eighty-eight. That was all he knew of the ship.

    ¡°Prisoner¡­¡±

    One of the guards was only a few rooms away, their voice barely audible.

    "Prisoner Derrick Mason... twenty-four years old¡­"

    The guard came closer and Zachary could make out more of what they were saying.

    "Prisoner Heather Glenn-Bower¡­ Thirty years old¡­ Adept rank summoner. Murdered two husbands? Haha, impressive. Perhaps you will soon find your third victim here. Get in line."

    Heavy footsteps finally arrived in front of his door. He strongly considered making a break for it. If the guard was also an adept rank summoner, he could deal with them. Then he could incite the other prisoners to riot.

    There was a clank as the lock was undone and the door swung in. A shadow fell over the doorway as a face appeared. Instantly, Zachary lost his will to resist.

    The face was twice as large as a human¡¯s. It had a prominent forehead, little black eyes in deeply sunken sockets, and wide nostrils that flared with each breath. It smiled, revealing long yellow fangs that sharply contrasted with its shiny gray fur.

    The tiny room was filled with a sense of savagery, raw power, and brutish arrogance. Zachary took a step back instinctively. His back hit the wall behind him and there was nowhere to run from the danger.

    It wasn¡¯t just the beastly face but the massive body that blocked the way. Beneath the fur, thick muscles rippled with the slightest movement. Its limbs were as thick as tree trunks and could probably rip a person into pieces with ease.

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    This was an Ensouled, a living being that had formed an individual soul. There were countless species of Ensouled across the world. Each one had abilities suited for their natural environment and method of survival. This one specifically was known as an iron fur gorilla and Zachary knew exactly what it was capable of.

    "Move."

    At the terse command, the gorilla awkwardly shuffled backward. A middle-aged man with a trimmed beard and a sharp moss-colored uniform appeared. It was the guard. The Ensouled was his summoned beast.

    "Prisoner Zachary Zhang. Twenty years old. Adept rank summoner." The man paused, squinted his eyes at the words on the page, and let out a wheezy laugh, "Four counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder. Very impressive¡­ a mass murderer at such an age. Don''t you think so, Gray Hand?"

    The gorilla answered with a series of grunts, whoops, and other noises.

    "Hahaha, right, what an idiot!" The guard said.

    Zachary remained expressionless but inside, he was yearning to shout out in retort. He wanted to say that he was innocent, that he had done those things only in self-defense, that the trial had been a sham.

    But he knew that nothing he could say here would make any difference. There had been a trial, sham or not, and it had been all over the papers. In the eyes of the Republic of Adorin, he was guilty of his crimes and as good as dead.

    "Whatever, get in line." The guard said, losing interest. The gorilla also left the doorway.

    Zachary stepped out of the cabin. He blinked as he tried to adjust to the darkness of the corridor. He took the open spot in front of a woman, the prisoner from the previous room, Heather Glenn-Bower. They were dressed alike; bare feet, dirty hair, and a simple outfit that consisted of a brown short-sleeved shirt and brown pants that had not been washed in forever. Her face was pale and her expression dispirited. He imagined that he probably looked the same.

    The prisoners behind her were difficult to make out. At the very end of the line, an oversized head popped out. It belonged to another iron fur gorilla. It brought up the rear and its hulking stature loomed over the prisoners, discouraging them from trying to escape.

    The guard went ahead and continued gathering prisoners. The line grew slowly and they shuffled forward like marching tortoises.

    They kept going until they reached room one hundred of block H. After that, the guard veered off into a side corridor and went up a set of narrow stairs that were more akin to ladders. The gorilla went next, not actually using the stairs but simply reaching up with its heavy arms and climbing through the hole in the ceiling.

    The prisoners followed. One after another, they climbed one set of stairs, then another. After three levels, they finally emerged onto the top deck of the ship.

    Zachary took the first whiff of warm ocean air. He brushed some long strands of black hair out of his eyes and looked around, squinting under the orange rays of the rising sun. The ship was huge, a solid metal construction with a flat, featureless deck that was as large as several training fields and a tall superstructure at the rear that contained the bridge. White steam wafted from a single smoke stack and a large blue and white flag hung from the mast, drifting in the breeze.

    This was unmistakably a navy ship. He had seen illustrations of them in books and even admired them. Why such a ship was being used to transport prisoners was unclear. They were all death-row prisoners. A simple beheading would have sufficed.

    "Keep moving!" A nearby guard shouted.

    Zachary lowered his head and kept up with his line. They were herded into neat rows of ten, facing the rear of the ship. Each row was stacked ten deep before another formation began.

    Prisoners continued to gather until the sun had fully risen and daylight was bright and clear. All told, there were thousands of them, tightly packed and guarded on all sides by numerous guards, their powerful summons, and the ship¡¯s crew.

    A short while later, a woman in a starch-white navy uniform appeared on a balcony below the bridge. Her face was thin and weathered, her stature was diminutive. She raised a white-gloved hand to her forehead, palms inward. A summoner''s salute.

    All of the guards returned the same salute in unison.

    "Captain Willis, all prisoners are present and accounted for." A sailor below the balcony reported.

    "Good." The captain said, observing the crowd below.

    Her gaze came with an invisible wave of pressure against his soul. Zachary¡¯s throat tightened as he was struck by a feeling of insignificance and self-loathing. It was far worse than standing face-to-face with that iron fur gorilla. He didn¡¯t know what summoner rank she had achieved, only that it had to be far above his own.

    Captain Willis spoke again after a long silence, her expression was as cold as her voice, "You have finally arrived at your new home, the New World!"

 2. The New World (II)

    "The New World?"

    ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°What are we doing here?¡±

    The prisoners, who had all been awaiting their fate for the longest time, couldn¡¯t help but express their fear and astonishment.

    Zachary was equally shocked. What was the New World? Unlike the Old World which had been the home of humanity for millenniums, the New World was ruled by wild Ensouled. Powerful monsters roamed the land, fearsome predators soared through the skies, and unknown nightmares resided in the seas. There were countless beings that far surpassed human understanding. It was a place where humans were at the bottom of the food chain, where even high-ranked summoners could lose their lives in an instant.

    Nobody knew how vast the New World was. It was an endless frontier. It was filled with dangers but it was also a land of opportunity. Many summoners dreamed of exploring the New World, seeking powerful new summons and precious resources to make them stronger. There was money to be had as well as power. Those who experienced fortunate encounters could return to the Old World to etch their names in the history books.

    Zachary had learned about all of this in primary school. He had even dreamed of exploring the New World after attending university. He never expected to come to the New World like this, his soul wounded and without a single summon to his name. It was not much different from a death sentence.

    "You all should rejoice." Captain Willis spoke again, this time with a cruel smile, "Each one of you deserves to die for your crimes but your nation has decided to give you a second chance. As adept summoners, you have a responsibility to the Republic of Adorin which has raised and taught you. Before you die, you can use your remaining life as repayment. And if you do well, you will even have a chance to live, to receive a full presidential pardon!"

    There were gasps from the gathered prisoners. Everyone knew what a presidential pardon was. With it, their convictions would be reversed, their crimes would be wiped away as if they never existed. They would be able to start a new life as a new person. After facing certain death for so long, there was finally hope.

    But some did not react favorably, Zachary among them. It was impossible to pardon everyone. There was no point steaming a navy ship to the middle of nowhere to give them all pardons. There had to be a catch and the captain''s next words confirmed it.

    ¡°Look starboard! This place is known as Outpost Emerald.¡±

    Everyone turned at her words. The ship was anchored some distance away from a rocky beach and black cliffs. Above the beach, a thick verdant jungle extended in all directions. Far in the distance, jagged mountains peeked above the clouds. The scenery elicited a deep sense of wonder towards the vastness of the untamed. At the same time, it also triggered the primitive instinct to stay away from the unknown.

    The captain continued speaking, ¡°This is a new region we have claimed for the republic. It is far beyond the three continents and the five seas. It took us forty days to get here and here you will stay. Your task is simple; venture into this jungle, catch Ensouled, and survive for a year. In a year, I will return. Those that are left can fight for the four pardons that are available. As for the rest¡­ hehe, you can stay in the New World forever!¡±

    Zachary¡¯s throat tightened. So, this was their scheme, to use prisoners like him as expendable explorers. They wouldn¡¯t have to pay them anything and wouldn¡¯t shed a tear if they all died. Anger surged in his soul. His lingering headache that had somewhat subsided returned with searing intensity.

    Only four spots out of thousands, it was impossible odds. But more importantly, the republic had made sure to take away all of their worldly possessions, even their summons. It would be a miracle if any of them survived the whole year.

    Noises of discontent grew among the prisoners again. With so many packed tightly together, it was like a dangerous beast was awakening. The same thought came to many of them. Even if they didn¡¯t have any summons. They far outnumbered the guards and sailors. If they could only¡­

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    Suddenly, a large bird of prey dropped down from the sky and landed next to the captain. It was twice as tall as an average person.

    ¡°Kreee!¡± It let out a deafening screech.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± Zachary cried and clutched his ears.

    The deck shook and his eyes felt as if they were about to pop out.

    The beast spread its wings. They were so huge that they almost covered the width of the ship. With one flap, powerful gusts of wind swept over the deck like a cyclone, knocking many of the prisoners over. It let out another cry as if daring anyone to retaliate.

    Nobody was dumb enough to do so, not against this armored eagle, one of the premier species of Ensouled raised by the republic. Its defense was akin to this ship made of steel. It could take on dozens of iron fur gorillas with ease. Squishy humans were nothing but ants in its eyes, no matter the number.

    The captain patted her summoned beast and addressed the prisoners again, ¡°Don¡¯t act like you are already dead. The republic has provided this opportunity so naturally we will give you a fighting chance. You will each receive supplies including summoning cards. Aren¡¯t you all adept rank summoners? Catch Ensouled. Use your skills to fight and survive. This is the only way you can hope to return to the republic! Otherwise, you can just wait to be devoured¡­¡±

    The captain paused and turned towards the shore. She fixated on a spot in the distance and stared at it for a long moment.

    ¡°Go, Skybeak!¡± She shouted.

    ¡°Skreee!¡± The armored eagle let out a battle cry and took off towards the shore and some unseen threat.

    ¡°Guards!¡± The captain called out sharply.

    ¡°Yes, captain!¡± Their replies shook the morning air.

    ¡°Hand out the supplies and unload the prisoners!¡±

    ¡°Yes, captain!¡±

    Sensing the urgency of the situation, the guards started shouting at the prisoners and at each other.

    ¡°Stay in line!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t complain about what you receive or don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡±

    ¡°Hurry, grab the boxes!¡±

    The guards started walking through the ranks of prisoners. Each iron fur gorilla that followed behind carried a large wooden crate effortlessly. Each prisoner they passed by received a single leather bag and nothing else.

    Zachary soon received his. His stomach dropped when he felt it, it weighed barely anything. He quickly opened the drawstrings and looked inside. There were small wrapped packages that looked like dried rations of some kind, enough to last him a few days at most. There was a small knife that seemed only capable of cutting fruit as well as a flint rod for starting fires. There was also a leather summoner''s belt of a basic design, with four pockets on each side of the buckle.

    Lastly, there were twenty or so rectangular objects, the summoning cards. They were small. Two of them could fit in his palm. They were made out of a secret material. It was multicolored and slightly opaque. It was cool to the touch and had a similar texture to stone.

    He pulled a card out and held it up to the sun. It glittered with all kinds of colors as if it contained the mysteries of the world. He didn¡¯t understand how it worked but each card could hold one Ensouled. After capture, the summoner could freely summon the Ensouled to fight on their behalf and then call them back into the card when not needed.

    But capturing wild Ensouled wasn¡¯t so simple. They had to be weakened sufficiently or else their rebellious souls had a chance to destroy the cards. Looking low quality of these cards provided, they would not survive beyond one or two unsuccessful captures.

    ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± Zachary said to himself.

    Taking a mere twenty summoning cards into the New World was laughable.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not enough. What did you expect, a school field trip?¡± Someone said.

    He turned around and found a woman staring up at him, eyes filled with contempt.

    He recalled her name, Heather Glenn-Bower. She was the husband killer.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± She asked gruffly.

    She had striking features, a sharp chin, and dirty blonde hair. In a past life, she would have been a stunning beauty. But he wasn¡¯t one to get nervous around attractive women. He had always been confident in his looks, even if he was covered in dirt and sweat and couldn¡¯t remember the last time he bathed.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± He retorted.

    She glared up at him, ¡°If you don¡¯t want those crappy cards, then just give them to me. It would be better than getting robbed later.¡±

    He scoffed, ¡°Better for who?¡±

    Before she could reply, the guards around them started shouting again.

    ¡°Head to starboard!¡±

    ¡°Follow your line!¡±

    ¡°Quickly!¡±

    The prisoners around Zachary started to move. Heather shoved him from behind. Everyone fell into disarray. Like a giant wave, they were herded towards the starboard side until the front rows were right at the edge. The ocean below was turquoise blue. Nobody knew what vicious creatures swam beneath the seemingly tranquil waves.

    ¡°Hurry up, jump!¡±

    ¡°Jump down and swim to shore!¡±

    ¡°Stop pushing!¡±

    The guards¡¯ shouts mixed together with the cries of the prisoners. The first batch fell into the water with loud splashes. They resurfaced and started struggling towards the rocky beach. More followed behind. Like a flock of ducks, they poured over the side and into the water without stopping

    Zachary closed his eyes and exhaled as he plunged. The water was warm and clear. Training from the past came to him like instinct. He broke the surface and his legs kicked out automatically. He swept his arms forward and began to move.

    There was no looking back, no time to think. The only path was straight ahead, toward the New World.

 3. Sudden Attack (I)

    The calm ocean became chaotic as several thousand souls flailed towards the shore. It didn¡¯t seem too far from the ship but the distance seemed to multiply after jumping into the water.

    ¡°Don¡¯t kick me!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t swim¡­ help!¡±

    The strong swimmers started to pull ahead. The weak made slow progress away from the hull of the ship. The unfortunate few quickly sank beneath the waves, never to be seen again.

    Zachary was in the middle of the pack. He had learned how to swim out as a part of the standard curriculum for novice summoners. But he wasn¡¯t good at it and he expended a lot of effort simply keeping his head above the water.

    Other prisoners around him were equally struggling, weighed down by their wet clothes and leather supply bags. They were tightly packed together like a school of fish.

    ¡°Hey! Let go!¡± Someone shouted. ¡°My cards! Bastard, get back here!¡±

    Zachary tightened his grip on his bag. He didn¡¯t need to look to understand what was happening. People were already starting to fight amongst themselves, robbing supplies from each other. After jumping from the ship, they were no longer prisoners. They were now summoners of the New World. The weak would be eaten so the strong could survive!

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    ¡°Murderer!¡±

    Screams filled the morning air as blood spilled into the water not far from where Zachary was. Someone had pulled out their knife. These people were robbers, murderers, rapists, and traitors; the most heinous people the republic could gather. But it still shocked him that their humanity could be so easily thrown away.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    All of a sudden, an even more wretched scream cut through the morning air. But it wasn¡¯t a scream of anger or defiance but one of sheer terror.

    ¡°Ahh! My leg! Help!¡±

    Zachary¡¯s stomach tumbled. Something was here, something not human. Another scream from a different direction meant there was more than one.

    His training as a summoner kicked in once again. He took a deep breath, stuck his head underwater, and opened his eyes. The first step when facing a wild Ensouled was to identify it. Only then could he analyze its strengths and weaknesses and whether he should fight or escape.

    He scanned his surroundings but found nothing. The ocean floor was featureless with black sand in all directions. The turquoise waters were empty. He couldn¡¯t even find small fish. It was as if they had all disappeared.

    He closed his eyes and looked inward. When an Ensouled could not be found through normal senses, there was a chance that they could still be found by sensing Eternum, or what humans called the world''s energy.

    Eternum, it was an invisible phenomenon that permeated everything; every speck of sand, every ray of sunlight, every leaf on a tree, every creature in the world. It was this energy that gave birth to Ensouled. It was what allowed humans to be summoners.

    All Ensouled emitted this energy from their soul. With enough soul force and practice, humans could sense the aura of Eternum in their surroundings, whether it came from inanimate objects or other Ensouled. It was a basic skill required for all summoners.

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    Zachary stayed still and let the waves carry him. He filtered out the commotion caused by people swimming around him and focused his senses downward. Faint ripples of Eternum brushed ever so slightly against his soul. These were normal and a product of the water.

    Then he felt it, a powerful surge of energy coming towards him from behind and at a steep upward angle. It was fast, far faster than a human could possibly swim. And there was something else too, a feeling not connected to Eternum but a visceral desire, a primal sense of hunger and an overwhelming desire to kill.

    His eyes snapped open and he whirled around. He almost shouted in surprise as he came face-to-face with a large shark. It was at least twice as long as he was tall. It had a streamlined head, small black eyes, and a gaping maw below its snout that was filled with rows of razor-like teeth.

    It was closing fast. He didn¡¯t know what species of shark it was but he knew one thing. For sharks at the lower ranks, their greatest threat was their teeth and this was also their weakness.

    He extended his right hand at the shark. At the last moment, he caught the top of its snout with his palm and firmly pushed downward, directing it away from his body.

    The creature pushed against him, trying to find something to bite. He pushed back with all of his strength, even calling upon his soul force to assist. The momentum forced his body almost entirely out of the water. Thankfully, he did just enough and splashed down behind the shark.

    The beast slid away through the water and quickly disappeared from view. During the brief encounter, he was able to get a close look at it. It was a common species of Ensouled in tropical waters known as the blue tiger shark. It had blue scales in a wavy pattern that acted as natural camouflage. In addition, its innate soul skill enhanced this natural attribute to the point that it was impossible to see with human eyes.

    ¡°Get away!¡±

    ¡°Nooo!¡±

    The screams around him continued and grew even more wretched. There wasn¡¯t just one blue tiger shark but a whole pack of them. They attacked indiscriminately to satiate their hunger.

    ¡°Help...¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±

    People were torn apart limb from limb by merciless beasts. The water turned blood red. One after another, human lives transformed into freshly blossomed flowers of death.

    Zachary felt sick but had no time to rest. He kept his soul force active to sense the ripples of Eternum around him. This put tremendous strain on his wounded soul and reaggravated his monstrous headache. But he could only grit his teeth and carry on.

    He felt a surge of bestial hunger again as another blue tiger shark came after him. He used the same strategy to deflect its attack. This time, the shark turned sideways and immediately charged at another person swimming beside him. It happened too fast and that person was directly chomped in half before he could even scream.

    Zachary recognized the face that was frozen in agony and disbelief. It belonged to Derrick Mason who had resided two cells from him. If Zachary had been a little slower to react just then; if his soul force had been slightly weaker...

    As the dead man sank, something in the water caught Zachary''s attention. It took him a moment to realize what it was before he lunged towards it. It was Derrick''s supply bag, now without an owner.

    Zachary swiped at the bag but missed. He went upside-down and reached as far as he could. It was a hair too far away. Weighed down by summoning cards, the bag slipped past his fingers and disappeared into the depths.

    He screamed in frustration underwater, letting out a long stream of bubbles. This attracted another shark and he was forced to expend nearly all of his strength to escape and not drown in the process.

    Around him, more and more people died with every passing moment. Their supply bags were no longer needed and were up for grabs. Driven by greed, a large number of people stopped swimming to rob the dead or dying. But before they could enjoy the spoils, they were set upon by more blue tiger sharks. It all seemed so futile.

    Zachary knew he had to get out of his mess. He had to get out of the water as quickly as possible. He continued swimming toward shore. He dodged shark attacks one after another until he lost count. His head felt like it was about to split open from pain. His limbs were so tired that he could barely feel them. There was only one desperate thought, to get out of the water and it was what kept him going.

    Gradually, the screams of the dying faded away to the rumbling of waves crashing against black rocks. His weary body slammed against a jagged boulder, shredding his shirt and leaving behind a bloody mess. He wasn¡¯t able to grab hold and he was swept away. Another wave carried him into the same boulder. This time, he pushed himself out of the water with all four limbs and grabbed onto a sharp ledge. Gasping from pain and exertion, he was finally able to pull himself up and away to safety.

 4. Sudden Attack (II)

    Zachary lay on the jagged boulder for a while to catch his breath. He had depleted all of the Eternum within his soul defending against the blue tiger sharks. He had expended almost all of his physical energy swimming to shore and getting out of the water. In his current state, he could easily die to the weakest wild Ensouled.

    ¡°Help! Help!¡±

    A weak cry from below caught his attention. He sat up and found a soggy figure floating up and down with the rough waves. With a short stature, they were struggling and failing to grab hold of anything. It looked as if they were about to drown at any moment.

    He watched the person crash against the rocks several times. He wasn''t sure if he should help. They were fellow prisoners on the ship but now they should be enemies. If he did nothing, it would be one less soul competing for the presidential pardons.

    "Damn it!" He muttered, shaking his head.

    He laid down on his stomach and scooted to the edge. He reached down with one hand and shouted, "Over here! Come here!"

    That person''s eyes widened. Then they struggled toward him. The waves carried them up and down a few times until he finally caught their small hand with his.

    He tried to pull but it was difficult. He used his other hand but he almost slid off the boulder and back into the water.

    After struggling for what seemed like forever, the other person managed to get a few good holds with their free hand and finally climbed to safety with his help. The two of them promptly sat down and gasped for air.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± The voice was warm and pleasant, the voice of a young woman.

    Her long brown hair hung in clumps and hid most of her face but a pair of vivid green eyes shined through. He felt a strange sense of familiarity which went away as quickly as it came. There was no way he had met her before.

    ¡°No worries.¡± He replied.

    The two of them fell into awkward silence. Due to their closeness, they avoided staring at each other and looked around their surroundings. The beach was mostly made of rocks, big and small. It was a product of erosion from the black cliffs that loomed over them in the near distance, another obstacle before they could reach the jungle.

    More prisoners were arriving on the beach with each passing breath. Despite the casualties, there was still a large number that survived. They were all adept summoners after all, not helpless novices.

    The blue tiger sharks that attacked them were dangerous but not adept rank Ensouled. They were able to cause so much mayhem because of the advantage of being in their natural environment as well as the innate skill to completely hide themselves in water. The prisoners also had no water-attribute summons to fight back with.

    ¡°Ah! What are those?¡± The woman yelled suddenly.

    Zachary looked toward where she was pointing. His mouth opened in shock as an enormous flock of flying Ensouled emerged over the top of the jungle canopy. They were high in the sky and formed a dark cloud. They looked like overgrown seagulls except they had two pairs of wings, one larger and one smaller. Their sharp beaks and long talons gleamed dangerously under the morning sun. Their white features shone brightly although some of them were stained crimson with what looked suspiciously like blood.

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    ¡°Where are they going¡­ the ship!¡± He exclaimed.

    The strange flying beasts quickly surrounded the navy vessel. They squawked and flapped their wings menacingly. There were so many that they cast a shadow over the sea.

    ¡°Did they kill that armored eagle?¡± He wondered out loud.

    Such a large flock of wild Ensouled would be able to kill a single Ensouled of a higher rank, albeit with many casualties. Maybe they now wanted revenge.

    Suddenly, one of the birds dived toward one of the guards and their iron fur gorilla. The two Ensouled collided with a sickening sound. The reverberation of Eternum crashing together made the air around them shimmer.

    The woman beside him gasped.

    The seagull was so big that the impact sent the gorilla backward multiple steps. The gorilla also suffered a gaping wound on its arm where the gull¡¯s beak had pierced it. The summoner shouted some inaudible commands and the gorilla hugged the seagull, not letting it fly back into the sky.

    The guard then retrieved a thin, rectangular object from a pocket. It was a summoning card!

    Zachary held his breath, eager to see what Ensouled would be summoned.

    The guard shouted something else and held the summoning card to his forehead, slightly above the junction of the eyebrows. This was the gateway to a human soul. The summoning card in the guard¡¯s hand glowed red. Immediately after, a beam of bright red light shot out, turning into a small creature that landed on the iron fur gorilla¡¯s head. Its fur was yellow with streaks of orange. Its squashed face contained large watery eyes, a button nose, and a small mouth.

    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s an ember cat!¡± The woman squealed, sounding more like a little girl than a hardened criminal.

    It was indeed an ember cat, a very popular Ensouled in the Republic of Adorin. Unlike the armored eagle from before, ember cats were widely available to the public.

    The small feline quickly showcased its most iconic skill, ember slash!

    The ball of fur turned into flashes of yellow and orange. The overgrown seagull screeched in pain as its body was quickly shredded by flames. Its feathers burned to ash and numerous black marks appeared on its flesh. It struggled to escape but the iron fur gorilla was too heavy. The other gulls in the sky shrieked in anger and one of them plunged down to free their brethren. It smashed into the same gorilla, sending bodies sliding across the deck.

    The ember cat deftly dodged away and landed on the deck. The other summon, the gorilla, fared far worse. Blood flowed like fresh springs from numerous puncture wounds. It collapsed on the ground and no longer moved even as the two gulls continued to peck at it furiously.

    The guard fell to his knees and clutched his forehead. Zachary also felt a faint throb of pain himself. He could sympathize with what the other person was going through, the death of a summon, the shattering of the bond between souls.

    More guards as well as sailors rushed over to help. So did the seagulls. The flat top of the ship turned into a chaotic battlefield. The seagulls used their numbers to attack in groups while the humans could summon multiple Ensouled to work together. The iron fur gorilla acted as the shield while the ember cat was the spear.

    ¡°Ember cats are so awesome.¡± The woman sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    Zachary felt another stab of pain in his forehead, ¡°Tch¡­ I hate cats.¡±

    A look of horror appeared on her face as if she couldn¡¯t believe he had just said that.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it looks like they won¡¯t be able to hold on. Look.¡± He pointed.

    Corpses steadily piled up on the deck of the ship. There were far more dead gorillas than seagulls. Ember cats also fell and so did their summoners. Even with the entire ship¡¯s crew joining in, the human side was still being pushed back.

    This place wasn¡¯t the Old World. These were beasts of the New World. One navy ship full of low rank summoners was far from enough.

    The smokestack at the rear of the ship belched steam and the ship started to move. It retreated before everyone onboard was slaughtered by the bloodthirsty flock of beasts.

    Zachary got to his feet. ¡°We should get off the beach. We¡¯re too exposed here. I don¡¯t want to wait until those crazy seagulls come back for easier prey.¡±

    She nodded, her prior discontent towards him seemingly forgotten, ¡°Okay.¡±

 5. Meeting the Competition (I)

    Zachary and the young woman climbed over a series of boulders and arrived at a relatively flat area below the black cliffs. Along the way, he had to help her several times due to her small stature. He still didn¡¯t know her name and it got somewhat awkward the longer it went on.

    As the two of them walked along the shore, looking for a way up, they encountered other prisoners. Some were alone while some had also formed small groups. Zachary avoided all of them and kept going. The young woman also was not the talkative type and simply followed him.

    They eventually found a collapsed section of the cliffs that seemed climbable. Others also thought the same and several dozen people had gathered at the base. Zachary held his supply bag close to his chest and approached cautiously.

    One person started climbing, grabbing onto whatever they could find including jutting rocks and clumps of grass. Another followed right behind, seemingly eager to get to the jungle as quickly as possible.

    ¡°Hey!¡± The one in front shouted, ¡°Get off my ass!¡±

    ¡°Shut up and go faster!¡± The one behind retorted.

    They were both middle-aged men with rough appearances like they had seen more than a few things in their lives.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push me or we¡¯ll both fall!¡±

    ¡°Everyone, stay calm!¡± A loud voice interjected at the bottom, ¡°We can work together!¡±

    The one who spoke was a tall man who somehow looked far less disheveled than the rest. His still-wet prisoner shirt revealed a well-built figure that akin to a soldier or a fighter. A few people looked in his direction but most ignored him. There were only four pardon spots available in a year so everybody was a competitor.

    ¡°My name is Aaron White! The New World is dangerous and none of us have any summons at the moment. If anyone wants to team up with me, we¡¯ll have a much better chance of survival!¡±

    These words attracted more attention and someone asked, ¡°We¡¯re all dead sooner or later. What should we team up with you?¡±

    The man named Aaron smiled, ¡°Although I don¡¯t have a summon right now, I am a Six Paths Adept Rank summoner. Is that enough?¡±

    This was met by murmurs of amazement; this Aaron White was strong!

    Six Paths Adept Rank summoner, this was the formal way summoners introduced themselves and their attainment in soul cultivation. It was universal throughout human society. It was also used to describe other Ensouled, whether they were wild or summoned.

    Adept was the second lowest rank with novice being the lowest. As for paths, all souls had eight paths and this never changed. These eight channels connected their soul to the outside world. When a soul was born, they had no paths and no rank. When the soul was old enough to understand the world and themselves to a certain extent, they would be able to unlock their first soul path and reach the One Path Novice Rank.

    With an opened soul path, one could absorb the world¡¯s energy, Eternum, to strengthen their soul and open more paths. For humans, after many years of training, given enough resources and opportunities, they would reach a bottleneck at the Eight Path Novice Rank. They would have to challenge the limits of their soul and achieve a fundamental breakthrough, usually with the help of their summons.

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    If successful, one would reach the One Path Adept Rank, with their soul strength improving by leaps and bounds. They would be able to bond with adept rank Ensouled. And the process of soul cultivation would repeat once more, this time with greater difficulty.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Aaron asked, now the center of attention, ¡°Who wants to join my team?¡±

    ¡°I will!¡±

    ¡°I will!¡±

    Two people jumped at the chance. This convinced others and soon, he had gathered ten or so people around him. The one that had challenged him hid their face and shrank back into the crowd.

    Zachary looked on from a distance. He was currently at the One Path Adept Rank. His talent was considered pretty good for his age but nothing compared to Aaron White. However, he was not the following type so he had no interest.

    He looked around and then at the young woman. She also didn¡¯t seem interested in Aaron White¡¯s team.

    ¡°You should join him. Better than staying with me.¡± He said.

    ¡°No.¡±

    He sighed.

    "Hey! How about joining my group?" A slightly familiar voice came from behind.

    Zachary and the young woman turned around. He recognized the face. It was Heather¡­ something.

    "It''s you?" He blurted.

    He wasn''t sure if he was more surprised about meeting her again or the fact that she survived.

    Heather ignored him and turned to the woman beside him, "Hi, I''m Heather. Don''t be fooled by his pretty face. I was in the cell next to him. He is a very dangerous person. Leave him and come with me. Us women should stick together and help each other. What do you think?"

    The young woman appeared taken aback. She took a few steps back and slightly hid behind Zachary. "Umm... I''m alright."

    Heather gave Zachary an accusing glare, ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± He seriously asked.

    Heather huffed in frustration. But given the situation, it was clear that she wasn''t going to achieve her goal. With a defiant flip of her blonde hair, she marched off, probably to recruit other women.

    "You should have joined her." He said when that crazy woman was out of earshot.

    The young woman shook her head and didn¡¯t elaborate.

    He sighed again.

    It was eventually their turn and the two started climbing. Zachary in front and the young woman behind. He again had to help her on some parts, not because he wanted to but because she was holding up the line and was cursed at by the people below.

    The rocks were unstable and it was slow going. Clumps of grass that had served the first few climbers had been ripped out. After the ordeal of swimming to shore, he was still exhausted and felt himself struggling toward the end.

    ¡°My friend! Grab the vine!¡± A voice came from above.

    There was a gnarly vine lying across the path nearby. It was thick and looked strong enough. It also happened to be right at a tricky spot with few secure holds.

    Zachary grabbed the vine and pulled himself up. He eventually reached the top and crawled to safety. Tropical trees grew all the way to the edge of the cliff and he was able to get out of the blazing sun. Completely worn out, he sat down in the shade to get some rest.

    The young woman followed him to his spot. The two sat together in silence until a youth around Zachary¡¯s age walked up to them.

    ¡°Hi,¡± He said in greeting while also sitting down, ¡°I¡¯m Jean-Pierre.¡±

    Zachary recognized the voice as the one who had called out about the vine. The person had short black hair and a youthful, unassuming face. With a casual smile that gave away little, it made it difficult to judge his intentions. This person could just be friendly or he could secretly be insane, there was no way to tell.

    Jean-Pierre offered a hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m Zachary.¡± Zachary said and shook it reluctantly, ¡°Thanks for the vines, really helped towards the end.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Jean-Pierre said. He turned towards the young woman and also offered a hand, ¡°And what about you, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    She stared at him for a moment before saying, ¡°Katherine.¡±

    She didn''t shake his hand.

    Jean-Pierre smiled anyway. ¡°Well, really nice to meet you!¡±

    She wasn¡¯t impressed and stayed by Zachary¡¯s side. Jean-Pierre also showed no intention of leaving. As for Zachary, he had no idea what he was supposed to do with these two people.

 6. Meeting the Competition (II)

    The three of them sat together under the shade. Due to their youth, their group contrasted with others that were mostly middle-aged or older. Nobody else after Jean-Pierre came to strike up a conversation or try to join them.

    After a while, the area top of the cliff became rather crowded. More and more survivors made it up and there had to be at least several hundred. More remained on the rocky beach, having been spread out by the rough waves close to shore. Some had found alternate paths up the cliffs.

    ¡°How many people do you think survived the sharks?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    Zachary shrugged. ¡°Who knows.¡±

    The odds of surviving were not good but he was more worried about himself and his wounded soul. He was probably the only one who had to contend with such a handicap as his situation before had been very special. He would have to keep his situation a secret, to hide this weakness from the competition.

    Jean-Pierre hopped up and walked over to the cliff¡¯s edge. He looked out towards the sea and along the beach. ¡°There¡¯s a lot more than I expected¡­ definitely over a thousand. Maybe close to two.¡±

    ¡°Oh, shit¡­ Look out!¡± He suddenly shouted.

    A wretched scream came immediately after his shout. It sounded like someone dying in agony.

    Zachary rushed over to take a look.

    On the beach, a prisoner was crawling with his hands. His upper half seemed fine but his legs were both missing below the thighs. Blood gushed from the two stumps, leaving a short but distinctive trail to the culprit. Nestled amidst the black rocks was a blood-covered boulder the size of a beer barrel, only it had a gaping mouth and many rows of jagged saw-like teeth. The unfortunate man had unwitting walked over this creature and gotten his legs bitten off.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ what is that?¡± Jean-Pierre said and made a face of disgust.

    ¡°Ew!¡± Katherine squeaked and hid behind Zachary.

    Zachary didn¡¯t think much about the gory scene. So many people had died from the ship to the shore. One more was like a drop in the ocean.

    He was more interested in the Ensouled that seemed to be a mouth and not much more. ¡°It should be a big mouth barnacle or something close to that. I thought they couldn¡¯t grow that big unless they were high-ranked.¡±

    As he spoke, the unfortunate victim finally collapsed after a brief struggle. With both legs gone, there was no hope for him.

    ¡°Big bro!¡± Another middle-aged man shouted and rushed over. ¡°Ahhh, big bro¡¯s dead! Big bro!¡±

    He wailed next to the dead body until he noticed the blood trail and the gaping maw that was still open and chewing on its food.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The man shouted crazily.

    He leaped up, looked around the ground, and picked up a rock the size of a melon. He walked closer and hurled it at the ugly beast only for it to suddenly close its mouth. The rock bounced harmlessly off of its hard outer shell and this made the man rage even more.

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    Zachary shook his head, ¡°Hopeless¡­¡±

    ¡°The big mouth barnacle?¡± Jean-Pierre asked. ¡°Why is it hopeless? Maybe that guy can wound it enough to capture it. Its teeth are quite sharp.¡±

    Zachary explained it a little more. He had read about this in a book about the New World. ¡°A big mouth barnacle is, as the name suggests, a barnacle with a large and vicious mouth. They normally stay dormant but would suddenly attack anything that comes too close. Their bite is incredibly powerful and can break the hardest shells and even iron. Their own shell is also quite durable, but they have practically no mobility.¡±

    This kind of creature was somewhat interesting but it was not very desirable for low-ranked summoners who preferred well-rounded creatures. Big mouth barnacles had a very specialized skillset of extreme defense and extreme close-range attack. For high rank summoners, such strengths could be used in unique situations. For him and the other prisoners who had to survive a year in this wilderness, this Ensouled was basically useless.

    ¡°You know all that? Wow! I had no idea what that was.¡± Jean-Pierre praised.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Zachary shrugged and returned to his spot under the shade.

    Around noon, some of the survivors were done resting and pushed further inland. Alone or in small groups, they left the relative safety of the jungle¡¯s edge to brave the unknowns of the New World, eager to be the first to encounter a good Ensouled. Among them, he caught a familiar face, blonde-haired Heather, heading into the jungle with three other women. He didn¡¯t expect her to actually succeed in forming a team, what with her big mouth and attitude.

    Katherine tugged Zachary¡¯s shirt and asked, ¡°Should we¡­ go?¡±

    ¡°You can go, if you want.¡± He replied.

    He still had not completely recovered his energy yet.

    She huffed and looked away.

    ¡°No need to rush.¡± Jean-Pierre said, ¡°Who knows what other crazy Ensouled reside in this place? Those gulls that attacked the ship are already enough to wipe all of us out.¡±

    While the three of them remained in relative harmony, the others weren¡¯t so peaceful. There were more than a few fights. Death seemed to be just around the corner and everyone wanted to live.

    This resulted in more people joining together for self-protection. As these groups formed, they sat separately and eyed each other with suspicion. They also tried to recruit the people that were still coming up the cliff.

    ¡°Hey! Hey you! Come here and join our Dark Star Gang! We have the strongest summoners!¡±

    ¡°Screw the Dark Star Gang! The Daybreakers will ensure you get your fair share of food and captured Ensouled!¡±

    ¡°Ignore those bastards, our group has many women!¡±

    This last statement attracted the most attention. Out of all the prisoners, the ratio of men to women was roughly three to one. Surviving a whole year in the New World was already a deadly challenge. Trying to do so without the company of the opposite sex was tantamount to torture.

    Jean-Pierre chuckled at the antics, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t trust anything the Dark Star Gang says. They are a highly insular and vicious criminal gang. They look to have a few people who are already branded members. Look at the star tattoo on their necks. They might seem friendly now but they will use these new people as meat shields. The Daybreakers should be the same. In fact, they and the Dark Star Gang are rivals and they might even use the recruits to fight each other. And as for those women, I don¡¯t think any of them can compare to our little beauty Katherine.¡±

    At his words, Katherine moved suddenly and pulled the knife out of her bag. She brandished it and glared at Jean-Pierre like he was a dangerous pervert.

    He held up his hands in surrender, ¡°Just joking¡­ just joking¡­¡±

    ¡°What about that Arron White and his group? He is quite strong.¡± Zachary asked.

    Jean-Pierre waved his hand dismissively, ¡°He is strong. Maybe is the strongest one here. But he is making a mistake, his group already has too many people. It will come back to bite him.¡±

    ¡°Jean-Pierre, you seem to know a lot about these people,¡± Zachary noted.

    ¡°Me? Haha, I guess? It¡¯s nothing special. I just like studying people. It was kind of my specialty before this unfortunate situation.¡±

    Zachary nodded along, not understanding. He was never good with people. He preferred Ensouled and learning all there was to learn about them. It was this knowledge that gave him a sliver of hope.

    But this hope was constantly under threat of being extinguished. He had almost lost his life to the blue tiger sharks countless times. When he was traversing the rocky beach, he could have been eaten by one of those barnacles at any time. And there were far more dangers ahead.

    He didn¡¯t know how he was going to survive the next few days, let alone a whole year.

 7. Dangers Everywhere (I)

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Zachary said and got to his feet.

    ¡°Oh, are we going?¡± Jean-Pierre asked with enthusiasm.

    Zachary didn¡¯t bother to reply and opened his supply bag. He slid four empty summoning cards into the summoner¡¯s belt and put it on. He also took out the dagger just in case. He looked up to find Jean-Pierre and Katherine had done the same. They were now looking at him expectantly like beggars after seeing a kind-hearted benefactor. But he wasn¡¯t such a person.

    ¡°What?¡± He asked, ¡°I¡¯m going. You two can do whatever you want.¡±

    He then turned to leave, finding an opening in the underbrush and pushing away stray plants that blocked his way.

    Katherine wordlessly followed close behind.

    ¡°Hey! Wait up!¡± Jean-Pierre called out and also followed.

    The three of them entered the Jungle with Zachary in the lead. He went slowly, taking time to observe his surroundings. A few plants were familiar but too many were strange. The small insects flitted about all around but they weren¡¯t much of a threat. The air smelled like trees. It smelled of abundant life and hidden dangers.

    It was probably close to noon. With the clear sky, the sun blazed with unbearable intensity, especially through the gaps in the foliage. The air was so thick with humidity that one could almost taste it. After walking for only a little while, his tattered shirt was completely soaked with sweat. If the coarse fabric didn¡¯t offer a tiny bit of protection against sharp leaves and stray insect bites, he would have thrown it away long ago.

    Zachary suddenly stopped and looked up. He heard something from ahead. It was faint and he couldn¡¯t make it out clearly.

    ¡°Shush!¡± He said.

    He looked behind. Both Jean-Pierre and Katherine were also alert. They both had their small knives in their hands but he wasn¡¯t worried about them backstabbing him. At least, only Katherine was directly behind him and he had a sense that she wouldn¡¯t do something like that as long as he didn¡¯t do anything to offend her.

    ¡°Die!¡±

    A shout interrupted the peace of the jungle. A flock of small birds took flight in fright, reacting to the unnatural sound that never existed in this place before.

    Zachary headed toward the source. His pace wasn¡¯t fast or slow. He was still aware of his surroundings. Considering all the possibilities, this was most likely an opportunity and he needed any chance he could get.

    ¡°Haha! Die, bastard, die!¡± The harsh voice became clearer and clearer.

    Ahead, beside a massive tree trunk, two survivors were locked in combat. The smaller person was lying on the mossy ground, their legs twitching and their arms flailing, while a large man sat on their chest, his thick fingers around the other person¡¯s neck. The one being strangled tried to fight back but it was in vain. Their punches already lacked any real strength.

    The large man looked up and glared at the approaching Zachary.

    ¡°Back off! This one is mine!¡± He snarled.

    His eyes were crazed and bloodshot. This combined with his wide chest and messy gray beard, he was more like a wild beast than a person.

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    ¡°We should kill him,¡± Jean-Pierre whispered, his voice unexpectedly cold.

    Zachary frowned. He had also considered killing this ugly old man for the extra supplies. After all, he had killed a few people already. But he wasn¡¯t a murderer. He hadn¡¯t made a decision so quickly like Jean-Pierre.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not. Let¡¯s go.¡± Zachary said.

    By now, the person beneath the large man had already stopped moving. The opportunity had passed.

    Zachary turned and left.

    Katherine followed obediently.

    Jean-Pierre gave the killer a disdainful look before quickly catching up.

    ¡°We could have taken him,¡± Jean-Pierre said. ¡°I know you were thinking about it too. And Katherine here isn¡¯t a weak chicken either. Three against one, he had no chance!¡±

    ¡°Not worth it. But don¡¯t let me stop you if you really want to fight.¡± Zachary replied.

    ¡°Tch¡­ whatever.¡±

    The trio traveled in silence for a while, each person lost in their own thoughts.

    For Zachary, the death of another competitor didn¡¯t affect him too much, even if it was cold-blooded murder. There was going to be plenty more of that in the days and seasons to come. There were only four tickets out of this place and so many people fighting over them.

    To survive, to claim one of those four pardons, what mattered wasn¡¯t a few more deaths but the summons one obtained. They were all summoners. This was a competition between summoners and their Ensouled. Otherwise, there was no point in humanity¡¯s millenniums of progress.

    ¡°Shh!¡± Zachary sensed something.

    He signaled to his group and hid behind a large fern.

    Just ahead, there was a wild Ensouled. He was able to sense its presence before he could see it. This meant it was either not good at hiding, confident in its own strength, or both. This could be either good or bad depending on what kind of Ensouled it was.

    The beast was large enough that it towered over the nearby bushes and saplings. Its hide was greenish and looked very tough. It stood on four thick legs with a rotund body, a small head, and a long appendage in place of its nose.

    ¡°Some kind of elephant?¡± Jean-Pierre whispered.

    Zachary nodded but he wasn¡¯t sure what kind. In place of ears, the beast had many growths that looked like large leaves. They were verdant and vibrant and formed a ring around the beast''s neck like a mane.

    Their group was still far away and the beast hadn¡¯t noticed them. It was happily munching on the plants and flowers in its surroundings, leaving behind a wide trail on the forest floor. It was probably the one responsible for creating natural paths in this jungle.

    ¡°Should we fight it?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    This time, his voice was filled with uncertainty and a tinge of nervousness.

    Zachary shook his head. He had no idea if this was a novice rank Ensouled or an adept rank. It could even be at the expert rank and he would have no idea if it was good at hiding its soul aura.

    The rank of an Ensouled was notoriously difficult to judge without fighting it. Some Ensouled would change their physical appearance after they advanced but some remained identical until higher ranks. As for the number of soul paths it had unlocked, that was even more impossible to tell unless it displayed its full power.

    The Old World had many elephant-type Ensouled but none like this. His knowledge was also limited to the Republic of Adorin. He knew a little about neighboring nations like the Kingdom of Selisk and the Bonnai Islands but not much else. Within the three continents and five seas that encompassed the Old World, there were many independent factions. Some Ensouled were popular worldwide while others were unique and even strictly controlled so that rivals wouldn¡¯t be able to obtain them. Zachary was still twenty years old and his experience was limited.

    The elephant beast gradually moved away and this made his decision easy. There was no need to risk it all so soon. It was too dangerous to fight without any summons. And even if the elephant wasn¡¯t that strong, its sheer size made it a challenge with just three people.

    Zachary slowly got up to leave but ducked down right away. ¡°Hide!¡±

    As he said this, shouts rang out.

    ¡°Over here!¡±

    ¡°There it is!¡±

    In the direction the elephant was going, a dozen or so survivors came into view. Many of them had long sticks that looked like hand-made spears. They spread out and faced the beast in a rough arc. They clearly wanted to capture this Ensouled.

    ¡°Where did all these idiots come from?¡± Zachary muttered.

    He watched the impending battle through the leaves. He was pretty sure that the group had no chance but he was also curious about the elephant.

    ¡°How long do you think they¡¯ll last?¡± Jean-Pierre asked, also looking through the same bush.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but depending on how many people die, get ready to grab their supply bags.¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Haha, got it!¡±

 8. Dangers Everywhere (II)

    ¡°Bwaaaa!¡±

    The green elephant beast roared upon seeing smaller creatures blocking its way. It looked left, then right, and waved its trunk around. It wanted to chase these impudent things away.

    ¡°It¡¯s scared! Haha! Get behind it!¡±

    The people with spears slowly started forward. Their weapons were crudely made from tree branches and bamboo. However, they were sharpened to a point and there were plenty of spares.

    The elephant roared again, this time in uncertainty. It started backing away but soon found itself surrounded on all sides. It turned around a few times, unsure of what to do.

    ¡°Bwaaa!¡± It snorted hot air from its snout.

    ¡°Attack!¡± One of the survivors shouted.

    Two people behind the beast rushed up and thrust their spears. Its green hide was tough but it wasn¡¯t hard. The sharpened points sank slightly into its flesh, making it roar in pain. There was no blood but any creature would be uncomfortable after being poked in the butt.

    The elephant whirled around to face the evil foes but quickly suffered more painful jabs. This time, they not only attacked its rear but also its sensitive sides. Enraged, it charged a few steps in an attempt to trample the attackers. But that failed as the humans ran out of the way only to reform the encirclement after it had stopped.

    Zachary watched the battle from afar. The survivors had the upper hand at the moment but it probably wouldn¡¯t last for long. The Ensouled was an herbivore and probably a juvenile so it did not have a strong instinct to attack or kill. Without being under the command of a summoner, the beast was still trying to escape instead of properly fighting back.

    But that probably wouldn¡¯t last too long.

    He activated his soul power to sense the flow of Eternum. Although this instantly brought upon a sharp headache, it was the only option he had to try and predict what would happen next. He gripped his knife tightly to fight off the pain but it barely helped.

    ¡°Attack its eyes!¡± One of the survivors shouted.

    They began to throw rocks. These had been gathered from the beach and had jagged, sharp edges. It did little against the beast¡¯s hide but a lucky hit could seriously wound its large eyes.

    The green elephant Ensouled finally felt danger against its life. It acted out of anger, fear, and instinct within its soul. It didn¡¯t know what these annoying creatures were doing, it simply wanted to protect itself.

    Zachary felt it, a tremor in the air as the beast¡¯s powerful soul finally revealed its true form.

    ¡°Careful!¡± He whispered to his companions.

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    Right as he said this, the large green leaves around the elephant suddenly started moving. There was no wind but the leaves started flapping around the elephant¡¯s face, deflecting all incoming missiles. It was so effective that the small rocks were completely neutralized.

    The elephant¡¯s ring of green leaves were each like giant shields. They covered its entire head and could even change shape rapidly and meet an incoming attack from any direction. Even if the survivors had better weapons like steel arrows or spears, they probably would not have been able to penetrate this defense.

    ¡°Ignore its head!¡± The leader shouted.

    The survivors did so and gave up on throwing rocks. They still had their spears and they still had strength in numbers. The elephant beast was large but not overwhelmingly massive. They had it surrounded and as long as they were patient, it would inevitably be poked to death.

    At least, that¡¯s what they probably hoped.

    Zachary grimaced as he felt a shocking spike in Eternum from the wild beast. His breath caught in his throat. His head felt as if it was about split apart from the sheer amount of uncontrolled Eternum that swept over him.

    The giant leaves around the elephant¡¯s neck glowed bright with verdant light. They trembled ever so slightly before releasing all that pent-up power. Multiple blades of green energy shot out, so fast that nobody could react.

    Sha!

    Sha!

    Sha!

    One survivor who was the closest was directly split in two, their blood spraying out like a fountain.

    ¡°Ah¡­ ahhhh!¡±

    Wretched screams rent the muggy jungle air. Another had their arm entirely cut off. The rest of the group stood and stared in shock but that was the worst thing they could do.

    The green elephant bellowed and its leaves glowed bright once again.

    Sha!

    Sha!

    It attacked wildly, without a care of what it was aiming at. It simply wanted to eliminate all threats around it and unleashed its innate soul skill desperately.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Noo!¡±

    Three more people were hit. One was lucky enough to suffer only a glancing blow. The other two were not so fortunate and lost their lives just like that.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    ¡°Help!¡±

    The survivors¡¯ formation broke apart under this fearsome attack. They scattered in all directions with many of them sprinting towards the beach. They had underestimated the New World. This was a place where even a stray Ensouled could kill a powerful summoner. Such a large beast like the green elephant was definitely not a weakling.

    ¡°One¡¯s running our way,¡± Jean-Pierre whispered and brandished his knife.

    A frightened survivor crashed through the underbrush in their direction. He hadn¡¯t noticed them in his panic.

    Katherine also drew her knife, preparing herself to pounce on the unsuspecting prey. Zachary probably should have been concerned about Jean-Pierre and Katherine¡¯s eagerness to attack another person. But his attention was focused on the flash of green light that headed towards them.

    In the heat of the moment, he had no time to think. His body was already moving. He pushed his body off the ground with all his strength and crashed into Katherine who was right next to him.

    ¡°Hey!¡± She gasped as they tumbled away together.

    In the next moment, a diagonal blade of Eternum sliced through the fleeing survivor¡¯s legs just ahead of them. The powerful attack continued onward, directly through the area that Zachary and Katherine had just vacated.

    ¡°Shit, are you alright?¡± Jean-Pierre shouted from the other side.

    Zachary barely heard him as he lay atop Katherine¡¯s soft, petite body. He was panting heavily from the close call, his senses still primed at the raging beast which was luckily moving in another direction. He was ready in case another attack came their way.

    Katherine instinctively tried to push him away but quickly realized the situation. She stopped resisting and watched Zachary as he scanned their surroundings.

    The green elephant charged towards the beach and disappeared from view. Zachary finally got off Katherine.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± He muttered.

    The two shared a long look until she finally smiled.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

 9. Dangers Everywhere (III)

    Wordlessly, Zachary offered a hand. Katherine took it without hesitation. He pulled her up and the two of them joined Jean-Pierre.

    The other youth had already dispatched the unfortunate survivor. He stood over the corpse, an extra supply bag hanging over his shoulder. His expression was as calm as the cloudless sky.

    ¡°Come on!¡± He urged.

    He then took off towards another survivor who was howling in pain some distance away. He quickly silenced their screams and dug his hand through their clothes.

    Zachary headed in another direction towards the body of the one who had been split into two. Katherine followed close behind. He avoided looking at the bloody mess and picked up the supply bag which was underneath one half. Katherine stuck her tongue out in disgust but didn¡¯t make a sound.

    The three of them searched a few more bodies before their looting spree was cut short. The green elephant had satisfied its rage and was coming back from the edge of the forest. It crashed through the underbrush and headed into the deep jungle.

    Zachary dodged this powerful beast a second time but they soon had to contend with additional survivors, drawn here by the sounds of battle. With dozens of people converging from all directions, they quickly left the scene, following the wide trail left by the green elephant for some distance.

    With him in the lead, the group eventually found a place to rest deep in the jungle. It was up in branches of a thick tree, away from the paths of large beasts. It was also unlikely that they would run into any other humans soon.

    They examined their spoils. Of the five supply bags they obtained, the one hundred summoning cards were the most important. The extra ration packs didn¡¯t hurt either. They had also taken a few spears so they would have more effective weapons than just short-range knives.

    Zachary stared at the extra thirty-four summoning cards that joined his limited stash. It was the spoils from five dead prisoners and they had shared them equally. He glanced at Katherine and then Jean-Pierre.

    Aside from two that had died immediately from the elephant¡¯s attacks, Jean-Pierre had killed the other three while they were writhing on the ground or bleeding out. Zachary was fine with that but he probably would have given it a few moments of extra thought. Instead, Jean-Pierre had killed them without blinking.

    ¡°Brother, they weren¡¯t going to survive anyway, not with those wounds. I gave them a quick and merciful death.¡± Jean-Pierre said, misunderstanding Zachary¡¯s stare, ¡°Also, those people were from the Blood Church. I found the mark when I searched their bodies. They all had that symbol on their heart.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Zachary felt an instinctive wave of dread at the mention of the Blood Church. It was something instilled in him and all children through the republic¡¯s standard education for summoners. They were outlawed by almost all nations in the Old World. Any member of the church would instantly receive a death sentence if they were caught.

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    ¡°If the Blood Church is here¡­ then the beast cults?¡± He asked slowly.

    Jean-Pierre nodded, ¡°They are among the prisoners too.¡±

    ¡°Shit¡­¡±

    The Blood Church and the beast cults, they were the two most notorious groups of summoners in the world. They had believers all over the Old World and the new. They were so notorious because of their beliefs as their way of summoning directly conflicted with what was accepted by most people.

    Since humans were also Ensouled, the Blood Church believed that there was nothing special about humans as a species. Aside from high intelligence and the ability to summon, the Blood Church treated humans like any Ensouled. A high rank summoner was comparable to a powerful wild Ensouled in terms of the amount of Eternum they possessed.

    Ordinary summoners killed wild Ensouled to improve their summons. Blood Church summoners felt it was the same to kill other summoners to improve their summons. As a result of this belief, they were the cause of many horrible incidents throughout history, from assassinations to man-made disasters to bloody wars. Zachary didn¡¯t know if they deserved all the blame but their way of doing things was certainly unacceptable.

    Beast cults were somewhat different. There were many cults and they fought amongst each other as much as with others. They were more secretive and less understood by the general population. From what he learned in class, all beast cults believed that humans were inherently weak. Instead of believing in humanity and human destiny to explore and conquer the world, they worshipped powerful Ensouled.

    Instead of the summoner being the master of their summons, a beast cult summoner was subservient to their Ensouled. Zachary couldn¡¯t understand why anyone would find that an attractive proposition so he never thought too much about it. But these people also wouldn¡¯t bat an eye to killing summoners at the behest of their Ensouled masters.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ the Blood Church and the beast cults. If we meet any of them, it''s better to run because you can¡¯t reason with those people. Otherwise, it''s best to quickly kill them.¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    Zachary understood the reasoning but he didn¡¯t feel good about it. The situation was more complicated than he expected. He was fine with a few criminal gangs. He was even prepared to handle mass murderers. But these two groups went against the accepted way of summoning.

    He looked up at the sky and sighed. It was too tiring to worry about these things. It was mid-afternoon and he hadn¡¯t eaten in roughly a whole day. He fished out a ration brick and took a bite. It consisted of cornmeal held together by lard. It didn¡¯t taste good but it would at least fill his stomach.

    He needed energy if he wanted to capture his first summon. The other survivors, even if they were the evilest people imaginable, didn¡¯t matter right now. Wild Ensouled were the most pressing challenge and he had to get started on them quickly.

    ¡°We should focus on capturing weaker Ensouled. That green elephant was at the adept rank at least. We have to be careful and pick the right target.¡± He said.

    He would have preferred to move alone but these two people clung to him like barnacles. He didn¡¯t have it in him to chase them away, at least not Katherine. But thankfully, they were both competent enough.

    ¡°Good, I was thinking of the same thing,¡± Jean-Pierre said cheerfully.

    Zachary looked towards Katherine to see if she had opinions. She simply nodded and flashed him a smile.

    His stomach fluttered slightly, in an uncomfortable way. It made him think about the past and how he had arrived at his current situation. It was all because of that woman. It was because he loved her too much, so much that he was willing to kill for her.

    He rubbed his forehead as his soul throbbed with pain.

    None of that mattered anymore. He had already made peace with it during the trial and his time in prison. He didn¡¯t know whether he would live or die tomorrow. He could only tackle the things right in front of him.

 10. A Wounded Soul (I)

    Night in the jungle was even more exciting than the day. Mosquitos and moths buzzed through the air like a rolling fog. The tree trunks were alive with frogs, snakes, and spiders. While between the branches, dark shadows of birds and flying rodents flitted about. Even the ground was teeming with worms and bugs as if all of them had been hiding just for this moment to burst out.

    Atop a large tree with twisted limbs that spread out in all directions, three figures squatted on separate branches. They silently observed a net trap made from green vines. In the middle was a small dead mouse, the bait for whatever creature was willing to seek out a tasty meal.

    Time passed slowly. The jungle was filled with the energy of life. There were all kinds of living things, big and small. They lived and died and survived to create the next generation. A summoner was but a small part of this world.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ hoo!¡±

    Zachary jumped slightly at the sound. It was an owl¡¯s call, eerie and majestic. Unseen hunters of the night, they were respected creatures and valuable summons.

    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Jean-Pierre nudged him, ¡°You¡¯re in luck.¡±

    Zachary shook his head. He didn¡¯t think an owl would go for a dead mouse. They preferred to hunt living prey.

    The three of them had agreed that the first catch would be his since the net trap had been his idea. The other two helped him make it by gathering green vines and tying them together the way he demonstrated. The trap was big enough to ensnare a human-sized Ensouled. Hopefully, he could catch his first summon of the New World tonight.

    As for the mouse, he had caught it will a smaller net trap and a small chunk of dried rations as bait. The tiny creature''s body was barely the size of two fingers. It was not suitable as a summon because it didn¡¯t have a soul.

    In this world, a creature had to have a certain size and mass to become an Ensouled. Small insects and critters couldn''t achieve this. The general rule was that it had to be big enough to fill a person¡¯s palm in order for it to manifest an individual soul of pure Eternum. Everything else, such as the small mouse, existed as ordinary living things at the very bottom of the food chain.

    ¡°Shh¡­¡± Zachary held a finger to his lips.

    He sensed a disturbance in the surrounding Eternum. With it came feelings of hunger as well as curiosity, prickling against the edge of his soul.

    The underbrush rustled. A pair of shiny horns appeared. Then an armored head with small, black eyes. Six spindly legs followed beneath an oblong body.

    It was some kind of stag beetle. Its smooth shell was tinged with purple color. Its two pincer-like horns were as large as the rest of its body. In total, it was about an arm''s length long.

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    Zachary wondered why a stag beetle was going for the dead mouse. They usually preferred flower nectar and tree sap over the flesh of other creatures. Regardless, his luck was quite good.

    Stag beetles were a popular type of creature for summons. They had a strong defense and strong attack. Their mobility was limited on the ground but they could usually fly. It was a well-rounded species. And if this one had any special attributes or skills, it would make it even better.

    The stag beetle looked around and approached the dead mouse. It was wary but also excited about the food. As an Ensouled, it had basic intelligence but not enough to identify a trap, something it had never seen before.

    It clattered forward and fell on its meal. Its mandibles opened and took a big bite.

    ¡°Eee¡­ Eee¡­¡± It let out high-pitched squeals of what had to be joy as it ate.

    It was almost cute.

    Zachary pulled hard on the vine rope in his hand.

    ¡°Eee!¡±

    The net rose into the air, carrying the frantic beetle with it. Its back opened and wings sprang out. But it had nowhere to fly to as its limbs and horns tangled with the strong vines.

    Zachary leaped down with his dagger in hand and rushed toward the struggling creature. In the few seconds it took for him to reach it, the beetle had already managed to slice a small hole through the net with its horns. Its will to fight was admirable. It even glared at him as if it wanted nothing else than to cut his flesh apart.

    Zachary pressed down on the head of the large insect with his free hand and stuck his dagger into its back.

    ¡°Eeee!!¡± The beetle cried out in pain.

    He pushed the dagger deeper, causing greenish inner fluids to gush out. He could have gone for the kill but he only chose to wound heavily. An Ensouled could be captured at the moment before death but he would only have one chance. If he failed, then he was out of luck. A wounded Ensouled would resist capture more strongly but he would have more chances as long as it remained alive.

    The beetle gradually stopped moving as if it understood that was useless. It seemed almost docile.

    Zachary drew a summoning card from his belt. Close up, the surface was flat and featureless exception many small and faint carvings on both sides. Some of it looked like writing of some archaic language while others were indistinguishable patterns.

    He put the card to his forehead and summoned the power of his soul. After a moment of concentration, a thin amount of Eternum flowed out and into the card, binding it to his soul. He then placed the card against the beetle¡¯s head.

    ¡°Little stag beetle¡­¡± He said, his voice soft and slightly hoarse, ¡°Little stag beetle¡­ heed the call of my soul. Be my summon.¡±

    Eternum surged and the summoning card glowed with a soft white light. The beetle trembled as the energy hit its body and pierced towards its soul.

    ¡°Yeeehh!¡±

    Another surge of Eternum came from the beetle and clashed with the one from the summoning card. The card¡¯s white light was instantly overwhelmed.

    Ka!

    The backlash from the failed capture landed squarely on the summoning card, causing a hairline crack to appear on one corner.

    Zachary bit his lip to suppress a curse. Truth be told, he was not disappointed in the first attempt failing. This Ensouled was strong and defiant. It was a good thing. It meant that it had a fighting spirit and that its combat ability was probably not low.

    He was more disappointed in the shoddy quality of the summoning card. This stag beetle was the lowest of low among novice rank Ensouled. To suffer a crack after one failed capture, it meant these cards were probably defective products that even the poorest summoner wouldn¡¯t consider.

    But in his current situation, he had no other choice. He held the summoning card to his forehead, refilled it with Eternum, and tried again.

    Another failure.

    He tried a third time.

    It failed again and this time, the card split into two and then quickly crumbled into pieces.

 11. A Wounded Soul (II)

    ¡°Damn it!¡± He muttered.

    He flung the dust and fragments away. He glanced up at Jean-Pierre and Katherine and fought back the heat in his cheeks. They were watching his every move, his every failure.

    He took out another summoning card and repeated the process. This one only lasted two tries before it too crumbled to dust. These cards were really garbage.

    ¡°You alright?¡± Jean-Pierre asked from above.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ just need to focus.¡± Zachary replied.

    A third card came out and a third card turned to dust.

    He muttered a curse to himself. He had caught many, many novice rank Ensouled before. They had never been this hard. He knew what the problem was and it wasn¡¯t a lack of effort or focus.

    It was his wounded soul. He was an adept rank summoner so all eight soul paths had been opened many years ago. Only right now, one of his soul paths was broken.

    One soul path out of eight didn¡¯t seem like a big deal but it was¡­ because it was his very first and foundational soul path. It was the first path he opened to become a One Path Novice Rank summoner. It was also the path that he broke through to become a One Path Adept Rank summoner. With it crippled, it created great instability, making his soul force unfocused and easy to resist.

    Zachary took out a fourth card but paused before putting it toward his forehead. He already failed so many times. He didn¡¯t want to ruin another card. Despite its cheap quality, it was still a precious resource at the moment.

    He let out a long sigh. He closed his eyes and slowly looked inward, into his consciousness. In the center of his very being, there was a sea of energy. It was constantly swirling and flowing according to his thoughts and emotions. This was a representation of all the Eternum contained in his soul.

    At the edge of his soul sea, there were eight channels arrayed in a circle. East, south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast; these made up the eight paths of the soul. His first path unlocked had been the east. Compared to the other seven, it should have been several times as wide. Instead, there were only shredded remains as if the path had been forcibly ripped away from his soul sea, leaving a gaping wound.

    He could no longer absorb or expel Eternum through that broken path. Because of it, his capacity for using soul energy was less than one-tenth of what it used to be. And whenever he strained too hard with his remaining seven paths, he would suffer agonizing migraines without fail.

    What was he going to do? What could he do?

    Jean-Pierre walked up beside him and gave him a nudge, ¡°Be careful, it''s about to die. You probably only have one more chance.¡±

    Zachary nodded and raised the card to his forehead. He hesitated for a long while before finally putting the card back down.

    ¡°You do it.¡± He said.

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    He turned away abruptly, hiding his face.

    ¡°Hey¡­ hey!¡± Jean-Pierre called out.

    But Zachary continued walking away.

    ¡°Tch, crazy bastard¡­¡±

    Jean-Pierre drew out a summoning card, powered it up, and pressed hard against the stag beetle¡¯s head, almost crushing it.

    ¡°Little bug, listen up!¡± His voice was low but it contained an overbearing aura, ¡°I know you can hear me. You aren¡¯t dead yet but you are going to be. If you don¡¯t want to die and become food for worms, you better be obedient! I will give you this one chance! Summon¡­ capture!¡±

    The card glowed white and Eternum shot out. It pierced the beetle¡¯s shell and went inside. Unlike the previous rounds with Zachary, there was no resistance. Perhaps it was already too weak. Or maybe, Jean-Pierre¡¯s condition was far better.

    The beetle and Jean-Pierre¡¯s soul energies combined according to the mysteries of this eternal world. The air around both of them throbbed as everything seemed to suddenly stop. There was a flash of white light. The stag beetle¡¯s body disappeared, leaving behind a solitary summoning card that landed neatly in the midst of the now-empty vine net. Only, it was a little different now. Instead of a featureless surface, there was now a tiny crystal the size of a grain of rice embedded in the middle. Even in the darkness of night, it glittered with a mix of purple and cyan light.

    ---

    Zachary returned to the tree and sat down cross-legged on a branch. He ignored Katherine¡¯s curious look and closed his eyes to think. He didn¡¯t expect that he couldn¡¯t even catch a small stag beetle. The weight of his wounded soul pressed down his state of mind. What little hope he had of surviving this ordeal seemed laughable now.

    He concentrated on meditating, reading drifting and random motion of Eternum in his surroundings. With seven paths open, each breath carried fresh energy from the surrounding jungle. It was rich in multiple elemental attributes. As it all coalesced with his soul sea, the wild and untamed energy became calm and submissive, transforming into a slightly different form that was solely under his control. This soul energy, as it was commonly referred to, helped replenish that which he had expended trying to capture the beetle.

    After that was done, he slowly examined his soul sea. His seven open paths were in good condition, aside from the fact that they were all still at the novice rank. He had originally been a One Path Adept Rank summoner but now, he was equivalent to a Seven Paths Novice Rank summoner. He was probably the weakest among the survivors. And with one path broken, he would never be able to complete all eight paths and break through to the adept rank again. He would not be able to progress any further than his current state.

    He had to heal this wound but he didn¡¯t know if it was possible. In the Old World, it would have required summoners several ranks above him utilizing life-attribute Ensouled with powerful healing abilities. And it would have probably required multiple sessions. Or maybe, if there was some kind of rare and expensive medicine or healing herb, he would be able to rebuild his broken path and start again.

    Only, he had none of those things. He had no summons. He had no belongings. He was stuck in the New World. There were untold dangers everywhere but also hidden opportunities waiting for the brave and the strong.

    He was so weak right now. Could he be brave enough to make up for it?

    He had no idea. He had never been in this situation before, fighting for his life against such impossible odds. His life had been smooth until half a year ago. His progress as a summoner had been quick and uneventful. It wasn¡¯t the best by any means but it was respectable. He even managed to get admitted to one of the top universities in the republic.

    Maybe if he was a generational talent, he would be as strong as Aaron White or even stronger. Maybe if he was the scion of some venerable summoner family, he would have the lineage and special training to bravely face life-threatening situations. Or maybe if he was the descendant of an explorer family who had lived his whole life in the New World, he would find this jungle as simple as a walk in a nature preserve.

    But he was just Zachary Zhang. He thought he was pretty smart. What use was that? He scored well on summoner training courses, ones offered by the republic to all youths. What use was that?

    He wasn¡¯t special, at least not anymore ever since his wounded soul.

 12. We Need a Plan (I)

    ¡°Wake up, sleepy heads.¡±

    An unripe berry of some kind hit Zachary¡¯s face and bounced off. It was rather hard.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He groaned and rubbed his head.

    He got up and stretched his stiff legs. He had sat for half the night. His soul energy was mostly recovered and his headache had subsided.

    Jean-Pierre was nearby while Katherine was on another branch higher up. She was rubbering her head and glaring at the cheerful youth as if he had offended her entire family.

    ¡°Are you done moping?¡± Jean-Pierre asked Zachary.

    Zachary snorted, ¡°Who was moping? I was just resting.¡±

    ¡°Whatever¡­ take this.¡± Jean-Pierre threw a small, flat object at him.

    He caught it and recognized the familiar shape. It was a summoning card and not an empty one. He stared at the tiny purple and cyan crystal embedded in the middle. It only required a brief burst of soul sense to tell that it was the same stag beetle he had failed to catch last night.

    He looked up at Jean-Pierre to ask why.

    The other young man shrugged, ¡°Your net trap was really good. We caught two more Ensouled after the beetle.¡±

    He flashed two summoning cards in his hand. One had a clear, white crystal while the other one was a solid green.

    ¡°Well, technically I caught all of them. Our princess over there,¡± He nudged his head toward Katherine, ¡°Didn¡¯t think they were good enough for her.¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t.¡± She replied flatly.

    Zachary rubbed the gem on the card. It was a construct of pure Eternum known as an anima crystal. They were created by the soul force of an Ensouled and represented their entire being. Each Ensouled had one. When a soul died, they left behind an anima crystal. In this sense, capturing an Ensouled through the summoning card was akin to killing them, killing their free will so that they would obey human commands.

    This way of summoning was widely accepted throughout the Old World but it was something that few truly understood. The manufacturers of these summoning cards maintained strict secrecy and it was unheard of for ordinary summoners to recreate a card on their own. Some said that these cards came from the ruins of ancient civilizations. Nobody knew the truth. These cards had been around for a long time but their origin remained murky.

    The stag beetle¡¯s anima crystal contained two colors, purple and cyan. It meant that it was a very talented Ensouled with the attribute of the sky and the attribute of death. The attribute of the sky was common for Ensouled that could fly. The attribute of death was unexpected but made sense given its penchant for eating meat and dead animals.

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    It was a really good summon. It would sell for a sky-high price in the Old World.

    ¡°What a pity,¡± Zachary said and threw the card back at Jean-Pierre.

    Jean-Pierre caught it with a questioning expression.

    Zachary shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t like its attributes. Just give me the normal one.¡±

    Jean-Pierre scoffed but didn''t argue, ¡°Fine, suit yourself. And take your dagger too.¡±

    Zachary received the two items and retreated to his own branch. He put away the dagger and examined the summoning card which contained a tiny, white anima crystal. This color meant that it had no attribute, that it was the normal attribute.

    This type of Ensouled was easiest to summon and control. It was the best bet to avoid embarrassing himself and revealing his unique weakness. He hoped that it would work.

    He raised the card to his forehead. He first wiped Jean-Pierre¡¯s soul imprint from it and injected his own. He then opened the seven available paths in his soul and let Eternum flow through them.

    The card glowed white as a bond formed between human and beast. The anima crystal turned into a streak of white light which landed on the branch at his feet. It quickly took shape, a coiling body of scales and sinew. It was a snake, probably of the boa family. Its body had a camouflaging pattern of brown and yellow. It wasn¡¯t venomous and killed by constricting. Its favorite food was small animals like mice.

    Zachary picked up the snake. It wasn¡¯t too big. The thickest part of its body wasn''t even as big as his wrist. He studied it and the snake stared back at its new master. Because of the bond through the card, it was completely obedient and awaited his orders.

    He wasn¡¯t disappointed since he was able to successfully summon it. But he wasn¡¯t impressed either. This boa snake was on the small side. Its movements were slow to begin with and it also had no venom. Its only strengths were sneaking around and constricting other animals to death. It was a far cry from the stag beetle which had dangerously sharp pincers as well as the ability to fly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call you Boba, Boba the Brown Boa.¡±

    The snake bobbed its head, making its name even more fitting. It couldn¡¯t understand his words directly but it understood his intent through their bond.

    Zachary smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever. Boba didn¡¯t react, its large yellow eyes with narrow black slits continued to move around and look for prey. Its pink-colored forked tongue shot out and flitted about in front of his face, tasting the scent of its human companion.

    ¡°Boba, let¡¯s see what you can do.¡±

    Zachary climbed down the tree with the snake wrapped around his arm. He walked around in a circle and counted the number of creatures he could find, whether it was up in the thick foliage or down on the ground, inside the hollows of dead trees or beneath large rocks.

    ¡°Alright, use your senses to find creatures around us. Squeeze my arm when you find one and point to it with your head.¡±

    Boba nodded its head earnestly. Simple commands were easy to understand, especially actions it was already used to performing.

    Zachary slowly walked around the tree. He only made it four steps before he felt a soft squeeze on his arm. The snake flicked its tongue and pointed its head toward a bare patch of dirt.

    He knelt down and primed his soul sense to the limit. But he got nothing and could only give up. There was probably some kind of underground beast, a large bug or worm or even a mole. It wasn¡¯t something he was interested in at the moment so he continued.

    After they finished the loop around, Boba found so many creatures that he lost count. The forest was teeming with life but as a human, he was greatly limited. His summoned snake¡¯s senses were incredibly sharp and far better than he had thought. Whether it was smell, sight, or perhaps its special ability to sense heat, they were far superior to his current physical senses as well as soul sense. Although its combat ability seemed low, these more than made up for it.

    Zachary looked at the boa and rubbed its head. This was the New World so he had to change his mindset. Even a normal attribute beast at the novice rank was so talented!

 13. We Need a Plan (II)

    Zachary returned to the tree shelter with Boba. Jean-Pierre and Katherine greeted him expectantly. He had become the informal leader of their little group. He originally wanted to ditch them as quickly as possible but now, he wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°This tree is a good place for us. There doesn¡¯t seem to be adept rank Ensouled around here but all kinds of novice rank ones. My boa snake,¡± He showed them Boba who was wrapped around his arm, ¡°Has been a great help with that. His senses are very sharp.¡±

    Boba seemed to understand the praise and wiggled its head. He patted it and it flicked out its tongue to tickle his fingers.

    ¡°He¡¯s quite cute, isn¡¯t he?¡± He asked, continuing to stroke Boba and not caring for an answer.

    Jean-Pierre scrunched his nose, ¡°Uh¡­ sure, man.¡±

    Katherine took a step backward as if the tiny snake was going to suddenly fly at her face.

    Zachary ignored them. He raised Boba¡¯s card to his forehead. With a ray of white light, the snake was recalled.

    This was a necessity as Ensouled residing within cards should only be summoned for short periods of time. Longer was possible but that could damage the card itself. The soul bond facilitated by these cards was the weakest type and most limited. Although the soul had been captured, it was unwilling and rebellious.

    If the summoned stayed out for too long, it placed undue stress on the card and the soul bond. This could end with the card shattering and the summon escaping. In many cases, the Ensouled would then attack their former masters due to lingering resentment.

    Zachary slid Boba¡¯s card into one of the four empty slots on the right-hand side. Empty cards on the left and summons on the right, this was his style. He patted his belt and looked up at the other two.

    ¡°Anyway, we can continue to catch them with the net trap and also build some bigger traps. I¡¯ll show you guys how. Our summoning cards are limited so we don¡¯t need to use them on everything we catch. We can directly use their anima crystals to train the ones we already have and their flesh as food. Of course, if you find an Ensouled that catches your eye, we won¡¯t kill it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    ¡°Good!¡± Katherine also chimed in.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to work.¡±

    Throughout the morning, Zachary showed them how to build more net traps as well as other kinds of traps. Bird traps used the thinnest green vines as ropes. Hooked up to a springy branch and baited with ripe fruits, it would snare any bird hungry enough to stop by.

    Deadfall traps worked well on the ground. These used large stones and fallen tree trunks to crush moderately-sized creatures. For the even larger ground-dwellers, they could build pitfall traps but that would require more time and effort to dig the pits so they left that for another day. These new traps weren¡¯t as reliable as net traps but they were passive setups. They could build multiple ones and only needed to check on them occasionally.

    These traps worked very well. It also helped that the jungle was teeming with life. Before sunset, they had caught five more novice rank Ensouled and a handful of small creatures that could be used as bait.

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    The most notable Ensouled was an armored insect that looked like an overgrown pill bug. It was over a meter across when curled up into a ball. Its yellowish shell was covered by sharp spikes that destroyed the deadfall trap it had triggered. They ended up catching it by throwing their biggest net onto it and beating it into submission with large rocks.

    Jean-Pierre used a summoning card to capture it. He offered it to the others but Zachary feigned disinterest to hide his weak soul while Katherine didn¡¯t need to pretend. She seemed genuinely disgusted by all the Ensouled they had found so far. She was especially spirited in killing the ones she deemed ugly and creepy.

    After nightfall, the three companions went back up the tree to rest and eat dinner. They distributed their spoils for the day. Katherine received two anima crystals since she didn¡¯t have a summon yet while Zachary and Jean-Pierre each got one.

    ¡°What are you going to use your anima crystal for?¡± Jean-Pierre asked, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Not sure¡­¡± Zachary thought about it.

    There were a few options. Since anima crystals contained Eternum, they could be easily absorbed into one''s soul. This helped replenish one''s energy after a hard battle or as fuel for soul cultivation. It was many times more efficient than absorbing Eternum from the environment.

    Because of this, anima crystals had inherent value based on the amount of Eternum they contained. Back in the republic, they were used as a form of currency. Crystals from high rank Ensouled were worth more than ones from the lower ranks. Even in this wilderness, if the survivors didn¡¯t have to kill each other, they could barter and trade using crystals.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Zachary asked.

    Jean-Pierre shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ll probably hold onto them. It''s pointless trying to improve any of these Ensouled. It would be better to catch an adept rank Ensouled directly.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not ready for that.¡± Zachary pointed it out.

    ¡°I know. But if we can catch enough novice rank Ensouled, we can do it. Everything has a weakness, you know that.¡± He sighed like an old man dispensing wisdom, ¡°The sooner we can capture an adept rank Ensouled, the better. If we can¡¯t, it is only a matter of time until we die. I¡¯d rather not wait for it.¡±

    ¡°We need a plan.¡± Zachary said, ¡°We have to find the right target. It has to be an isolated one. We also have to build a team of the right novice rank summons to counter its weaknesses. Only then will we stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Right, and we¡¯ll need everyone¡­¡± Jean-Pierre emphasized that last word and glared at Katherine, ¡°To contribute.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± She retorted.

    ¡°Oh yeah, what are you going to do? Stab the adept rank beast to death with your fruit knife?¡±

    She snorted, ¡°I haven¡¯t found the right Ensouled.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ why are you so difficult?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Sensing that this argument would go nowhere, Zachary got up and headed for his branch to rest.

    Jean-Pierre, Katherine, and himself; they each had their preferences and it was difficult to change them. They were still strangers to each other and also competitors. Each person was different and so were their ways of summoning.

    Jean-Pierre had no special requirements for his summons as long as they were strong, as long as they could beat up other Ensouled. He currently held the purple stag beetle and the yellow pill bug. He had also caught another summon the night before but it was much weaker than the other two. Therefore, he released it from its card and killed it for its anima crystal. It didn¡¯t matter that he had already formed a bond with it, albeit a weak one.

    Katherine was a far more finicky summoner. She had a very narrow preference and she stuck to it. Zachary had a hint of what it was but he wasn¡¯t certain. She hardly said anything to either of them. Even so, he found it silly that she was being so stubborn about it. They were in the New World. She was putting herself at a great disadvantage. But she didn¡¯t care and didn¡¯t waver.

    As for himself, Zachary didn''t have many requirements. He wasn¡¯t picky like Katherine but he wasn¡¯t so focused on fighting ability like Jean-Pierre. His Boba appeared weak and useless but it had great senses. And since he had bonded with it, he wouldn¡¯t be so heartless.

    Any Ensouled was fine with him. Each one was blessed by the mysterious energies of the world. Each one was unique and had its way of surviving. He was interested in exploring and learning about all of them.

 14. Improving Their Strength (I)

    The second night in the New World was less stressful than the first one. The trio had found a shelter in the ancient tree. They had established a functional dynamic. They were striving towards a shared goal of capturing Ensouled and surviving.

    Zachary still didn¡¯t trust either of them. But after fighting and struggling together, he respected their competence. With their help, especially Jean-Pierre¡¯s, he might be able to work around the problem of his soul.

    However, the matter of the adept rank Ensouled was a far trickier problem. Aside from the risks involved, there was the question of who would get the powerful summon if they were ever able to capture one. Did he deserve it as the leader of their little group or did the person who contributed most to the capture deserve it?

    In the republic, it was common courtesy to consider fairness and honor between summoners. But this was the New World, not the republic. There were no social repercussions, only death. The only thing that mattered was survival.

    If Jean-Pierre was an evil person at heart, he could easily betray them with an adept summon in hand. If Katherine was an ungrateful woman, she might run away with the prize after all of their hard work. Even the times he had saved her life would be wasted.

    Still, the biggest problem was still himself and his wounded soul. He was currently equivalent to a Seven Paths Novice Rank summoner. It meant that he couldn¡¯t summon an adept rank Ensouled even if he wanted to, even if the team captured it and offered him the card.

    He had to solve this problem¡­

    Zachary sat down to meditate. Just like the night before, he looked inward at his soul. The swirling sea of Eternum appeared and so did his seven open paths.

    He breathed in deeply, once more taking in the Eternum in the surrounding air. He let it course through his body and pour into the seven soul paths. Like small streams, energy flowed little by little into the reservoir of his soul, replenishing the small amount that had been lost summoning Boba during the day.

    After that was finished, he looked towards his broken path. No Eternum flowed through it as expected. The shredded remnants still looked raw like a fresh wound, even though it had been half a year already. There was no improvement even after so many days of meditation on the prison ship.

    This was his only adept rank soul path. Without it, he could only summon novice rank Ensouled. He had to do something about it if he wanted to improve his strength.

    He only knew one basic soul refining technique, a method of meditation to control Eternum and draw it into his soul sea. It was taught to all youths of the republic. It had limited uses but he had no other choice.

    He reached into his bag and retrieved a small pouch made from animal hide. Inside was a tiny animal crystal the size of a grain of rice. It had a light cyan color like the sky. He had chosen this one out of the crystals they had obtained today because it held an attribute that was important to him.

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    He placed the anima crystal in the center of his right palm and covered it with his other palm. He then entered meditation again.

    The method for extracting Eternum out of concentrated sources was simple enough. The basic soul refining technique outlined it clearly. All one had to do was open all soul paths and let the energy in like drinking from an open tap. However, what he wanted to do was a little more difficult.

    Summoners had eight paths in their soul. Arranged in a circle, they aligned with the eight cardinal directions; east, south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast. In addition, each path also aligned with the eight fundamental elemental attributes.

    East was the attribute of the sky. South was the attribute of fire. West was the attribute of the earth. North was the attribute of water. Southeast was the attribute of the day. Southwest was the attribute of life. Northwest was the attribute of the night. And finally, northeast was the attribute of death.

    When absorbing Eternum from the environment or from anima crystals, all soul paths could freely accept the normal attribute. For specific attributes, only one soul path that had the opposite attribute would be blocked off. The other seven soul paths could still accept that energy with varying degrees of efficiency.

    However, it was slightly different for capturing and summoning Ensouled. With one path crippled, Zachary wasn¡¯t exactly sure what he could or couldn¡¯t do. Failure to capture the stag beetle had spooked him and that was why he had refused it when Jean-Pierre offered it to him. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to summon it or not with his broken sky path.

    Therefore, he resolved to do something about it. He didn¡¯t know if it would work but it was better than doing nothing and waiting for death.

    The concept from the basic soul refining technique was straightforward. It relied on a large amount of Eternum to forcibly open or widen a soul path. This was how some poor summoners at the novice rank opened their soul paths one by one. It was also a method used by unfortunate summoners who were desperate to break through to the next rank.

    Zachary finally activated his soul force, causing the anima crystal held between his palms to glow softly. Compelled by his will, it released the energy stored within, that which had been collected over the whole life of the Ensouled it originally belonged to. Streams of sky blue light entered his palms and through his body. It all collected towards his brow and approached his soul sea.

    Like water, the wild energy sought out a path to flow into his soul sea. He felt stabs of pain as a few strands of energy prodded his wound. But with the sky path blocked, the external energy spread out in search of other paths.

    He grimaced and activated his soul force to the peak, corralling the stray strands of energy to return to the front of his wounded path. Then, he gave a mighty push.

    Pain erupted.

    He almost cried out. He gnashed his teeth and held it in.

    He pushed again.

    His head throbbed.

    He kept pushing.

    Sky blue energy crashed against the shredded remnants of his soul path. His brain was being turned into mush as he tried to force it through. The pain was blinding. It was a simple but brutal method. All he had to do was keep pushing.

    The anima crystal in his palm eventually lost its color and turned to dust. All of its Eternum had been absorbed into his body and all of it was concentrated in front of his east path, desperate to go somewhere, anywhere.

    He gave it one last push, the culmination of his frustration and desperation.

    His broken soul path stood firm.

    ¡°Puuu!¡± Zachary sprayed a mouthful of blood into the air.

    All the extra energy he had gathered was released in an instant. It escaped out of the pores on his skin and returned to the world.

    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±

    His head felt as if it had been split open by an axe. It would have probably been better if it was. He spat out some more blood and leaned against the tree trunk, gasping for air.

    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Jean-Pierre¡¯s voice came from what seemed like far away.

    Zachary wiped his mouth, ¡°Toothache.¡±

    ¡°Fucking¡­ maniac!¡±

 15. Improving Their Strength (II)

    Zachary slumped over, his head between his knees. He tried to push away the dark thoughts of his failure and his inevitable doom. With every ragged breath, daggers of agony sliced across his scalp and scraped against his skull. Cold sweat poured down his back as he resisted the urge to scream.

    He had to give up on this method. It wouldn¡¯t work even if he had the biggest anima crystal in the world and flawless pain tolerance. He would probably just end up brain-dead. This was the reason almost nobody dared to use the basic soul refining technique like this.

    Sometime later, Jean-Pierre came by and nudged him on the shoulder. The sky was still pitch black.

    Zachary stood up and patted his worn-out clothes. Blood covered the front of his shirt but he couldn¡¯t do anything about that. It was his turn to stand watch until dawn.

    ¡°Toothache huh?¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    Zachary shot him a warning glare.

    Jean-Pierre shrugged, ¡°Forget I asked.¡±

    Zachary squeezed past him and climbed down to a lower branch just above the forest floor. He summoned Boba and scanned his surroundings with his snake.

    After making sure that there were no Ensouled nearby, he landed on the ground. He went around the perimeter and checked the traps one by one. A few of them contained small critters. He killed the ones that were still alive and stored them in a bag to use as bait.

    A deadfall trap had crushed and killed a lizard Ensouled. Its body was a brilliant yellow, hinting at it possibly being poisonous. He carefully sliced it apart and retrieved the anima crystal which was tinged with purple, the color of poison and death.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ hoo!¡±

    Zachary stilled at the call of an owl. He held his breath and looked around. He hoped that it had landed in their bird traps. He really wanted to catch it.

    ¡°Hoo!¡±

    Following another cry, the tree branches directly above his head trembled slightly. The owl was gone. The night air remained calm and returned to silence. Boba, which had been curled around his arm, relaxed and stopped squeezing him.

    Zachary continued his patrol. He cleaned all the traps, reset the triggers, and placed down fresh bait. He then returned to the tree to watch over the two net traps. So far, the strongest Ensouled had all been caught by these nets.

    He wondered what kind of creatures would wander here tonight. Despite the terrible headache, he was constantly thinking about the type of summon that would best suit his current situation. As his teachers in the past liked to say, a summoner was nothing without their summons.

    The jungle contained many possibilities. Some were strong, others were sneaky. Some flew across the sky while others burrowed underground. In the same sense, a summoner could have different specializations based on their lineup of summons and their battle strength could vary wildly.

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    Right now, he was in a strange land with dangers everywhere. Seeking absolute strength was one option but he was keen on another. What he needed was information about his surroundings and what kinds of Ensouled he could hope to find. Since he had nobody to tell him, he had to extract these details from the jungle itself.

    There was also another matter. Summons affected not just fighting strength and survivability but also a summoner¡¯s soul cultivation. If a summon with the same soul cultivation as the summoner happened to unlock another soul path, the summoner, as a byproduct, would have a great chance of unlocking the same soul path. If a summon at the same soul cultivation broke through to the next rank, then its summoner would likely achieve the same.

    Even the basic soul refining technique contained a way to provide summons with soul energy to help them cultivate. And it was far more reliable than the cruel method he had used on himself.

    This was why for summoners across the world, their soul cultivation came primarily from training and improving their summons. A summoner was truly nothing without their summon.

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    ¡°Onk, onk!¡±

    Zachary tensed at the strange noise. He listened intently until he identified the direction. It came from the furthest pit trap. He leaped off the tree and rushed over.

    The trap had been triggered. A furry brown mass the size of a dog was squirming and squealing loudly at the bottom. Wooden stakes that were supposed to have impaled its body were instead lying broken around it.

    ¡°Onk¡­ Ooonk!¡±

    The creature was upside-down and struggling to get back up. Its four stubby legs flailed about hopelessly. Its body was fat and wide as a wash basin. It had a squashed face and a flat nose like a pig. Even as it was panicking, its mouth was still moving non-stop and chewing on the poison lizard flesh that he had just put on this trap. What was more, the rotting fruits that had also been in the trap were already gone.

    Zachary took out his dagger and jumped down. The strange pig creature¡¯s back was covered in tough fur but its belly looked tender and vulnerable. He pressed his weight against the creature using his knee and prodded its heck with the tip of the blade.

    ¡°Greedy piggie,¡± He muttered, ¡°What are you doing stealing my food?¡±

    ¡°Ooonn?¡± The beast was so surprised that a chewed-up lizard tail dropped from its mouth.

    But a moment later, it stuck out its tongue and found its tasty meal again.

    Zachary pressed the dagger deeper into its flesh. Fresh crimson blood spurted from the wound, making the pig-like creature cry out in pain. It thrashed about, almost throwing him off.

    He quickly pulled out a summoning card and filled it with what little soul energy he had recovered from the previous ordeal. He didn¡¯t know if it would work but he wanted this Ensouled. It had certain abilities he critically needed at this moment.

    He didn¡¯t call Jean-Pierre. He didn¡¯t want to draw any more attention to his wounded soul.

    ¡°Ensouled¡­ listen to my words¡­¡± He said slowly.

    The pig stopped struggling. It let out a weak ripple of Eternum that was full of fear. There was so much fear but there was still hunger, the desire to live so that it could fill its stomach.

    ¡°If you accept my summoning, I¡¯ll let you eat all kinds of food. Many new things you have never seen before. I promise!¡±

    ¡°Onk?¡± It grunted weakly.

    Zachary took out a yellow fruit the size of a plum. It had a fresh and sweet fragrance. Unlike the rotten version he had used as bait, this one had just ripened. It was something that the beast had never tasted before since it could only eat the rotten ones that had fallen to the ground.

    He placed the fruit close to its mouth. It quickly stuck out its tongue, grabbed the fruit, and started munching. Its snout was soon covered in fruit juice and it snorted happily, having seemingly forgotten about its predicament.

    Zachary pressed the summoning card against the beast¡¯s stomach. Eternum surged from the card into its body and towards its soul. It was still enjoying the meal and oblivious.

    There was a flash of white light. The Ensouled¡¯s rotund body was replaced by a summoning card with an anima crystal in the middle. Its color was brown, the color of the earth.

    "Yes!" He blurted in excitement.

    This was his first official summon in the New World!

 16. Individual Circumstances (I)

    Over the next three days, Zachary¡¯s group caught more Ensouled and steadily improved their strength. The jungle was abundant with life and they could have used up most of their summoning cards if they didn¡¯t have to conserve. They also didn¡¯t encounter other prisoners or adept-rank Ensouled. It was quite a streak of luck that was sure to end sooner rather than later. But for now, their situation gave them a more confident footing in the New World.

    Beneath the massive tree they called home, the three youths sat around a small campfire. The sun was starting to go down but they had enough time to enjoy a well-earn meal. They held skewers of mysterious meats over the flames. Fat sizzled under the heat. Bursts of fragrance made their mouths water.

    ¡°Are you sure this is edible?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    He eyed his skewer. It held chopped-up sections of snake meat which were starting to char.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Onkie here is my trusty food tester.¡± Zachary said, patting the furry beast beside him.

    ¡°Onk?¡±

    The furry pig he had caught a few days ago raised its head. It snorted it a few times, taking in the strange smells in the air. Nothing was visible except for its dense brown fur which also hid its snout.

    Zachary lifted his own skewer of snake meat out of the fire to cool. It only took a few moments until the beast went crazy. It bumped into his leg and dug at the dirt. It cried out pitifully as if it was about to die.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡±

    Just like he had done many times before, he took a piece of snake meat from the skewer and dropped it on the ground. Onkie pounced on it and ate it swiftly with a single bite.

    ¡°Tch¡­ is that a dog or a pig?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zachary said and also took a bite.

    It wasn¡¯t the most amazing thing he had ever tasted. But it was close. They had survived on dried rations and wild fruits until now. And there was no need to mention the things he was given on the navy ship. This was the first square meal in a long time.

    The other two also started to eat. Seeing that Zachary and his summon were still fine gave them the confidence. Jean-Pierre devoured a whole piece of snake in one go and started into another piece even before he had finished chewing. Although a petite woman, Katherine also ate spiritedly, taking smaller bites but with furious speed.

    Zachary patted Onkie again. Its special ability was related to food. It was a trash feeder that foraged on the jungle floor. Random plants, rotting fruits, and dead creatures were its usual fare. This gave the beast the ability to identify what was edible and what was not. And specifically, it would show great interest in things that it knew tasted good which helped Zachary identify additional food sources.

    When the snake skewers were gone, they started cooking another batch, this time with fat toad legs that looked especially juicy and promising.

    Jean-Pierre eventually took a break from staring at the roasting meat and spoke, ¡°So, when are we going to start hunting adept rank Ensouled? If we wait too long, the easy ones might get taken by the others.¡±

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    Zachary nodded, ¡°I know. I think we are getting close. I have Boba for close-range scouting and Onkie for close-range defense. Arrow for long-range attack and Blue for long-range scouting and attack. But I want to wait until I catch one or two more birds for more scouting coverage.¡±

    Arrow was a poisonous tree frog. Its innate ability allowed it to spit poison. Its accuracy was quite good and could snipe targets on the ground and in the air while clinging to tree branches. Its poison was quick acting and could incapacitate novice rank Ensouled of equal strength.

    Blue was a jungle bird with brilliant blue feathers that made it stand out. It had the dual attributes of sky and water, with an unremarkable water-attribute attack that created a harmless light rain. Still, he was very happy with it since it proved that he could still summon sky-attribute Ensouled despite his wounded sky path.

    Zachary¡¯s lineup of Ensouled showcased his approach. He wanted to understand the jungle and what kind of dangers it held. He wanted extra eyes and ears. He wanted to know what dangers were around them and get ample warning to either evade or fight. Even Onkie contributed to this, not with immediate dangers but with learning how to survive long-term. Already, he had been able to gather a list of edible and semi-edible fruits, roots, and even flowers.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Zachary asked.

    Jean-Pierre fished through his leather bag and retrieved his summoning cards. He counted them off one by one.

    ¡°Purple stag beetle, you guys have seen it already. Pretty strong. Yellow pill bug, good defense. Giant mosquito, fast. Red praying mantis, really strong. Round black beetle, good defense¡­¡±

    He went on and described all nine of his captured Ensouled. They had obvious strengths whether it was attacking ability, defensive resilience, or sheer speed. His lineup had one purpose and that was to win a fight.

    At the novice rank, it was truly fearsome. One of his insects could fight two of Zachary¡¯s weaker summons. Since they were in the wilderness, there were no rules and he could summon as many as he needed. Such a force could probably hold off a much larger number of prisoners if such a group ever showed up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t name your summons?¡± Zachary asked, ¡°How are you going to keep track? You have four beetles and I am already confused which one is which.¡±

    ¡°Brother, they are just novice rank. I am not going to keep them forever. They aren¡¯t my pets.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Katherine chimed in, ¡°He¡¯s just a creepy bug catcher.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a bug catcher!¡± Jean-Pierre replied hotly.

    Zachary suppressed a laugh. Bug catchers had a bad reputation in the Republic of Adorin. Insects were seen as ugly and dumb. Their combat ability was indisputable but summoners that used them were considered low-class and cheap. Jean-Pierre¡¯s nine summoning cards all happened to be insect Ensouled. It was an unfortunate coincidence.

    ¡°Bug catcher.¡± She needled him.

    ¡°Fuck it.¡± Jean-Pierre threw a stick into the fire in frustration, ¡°If I am a bug catcher, then what are you? You don¡¯t even have a summon. You sponge off of us every day and you don¡¯t contribute¡­¡±

    ¡°Jean¡­¡± Zachary warned.

    ¡°No, listen!¡± Jean-Pierre shot back, ¡°How do you put up with her? She doesn¡¯t do anything. What is she going to do when we hunt an adept rank Ensouled? I really want to know!¡±

    He glared at Katherine who remained unperturbed. She wasn¡¯t bothered by his yelling at all as if she had expected it. She also shamelessly continued to nibble at her food.

    Eventually, with both men waiting for an answer, she tucked some stray locks of brown hair behind her hair and looked at them with a haughty expression.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. But since you want to know, here.¡± She pulled on the neck of her worn-out shirt.

    A furry face slowly appeared in the space she created. It had small round ears and wide eyes, a stubby nose and plenty of whiskers. Its fur was a mix of white and black patterns with a tuft of hair on its forehead that stuck up like a crown.

    The small beast fumbled about as if it had just awoken. It examined its surroundings, its irises shifting rapidly along with its curiosity. Its gaze swept past Jean-Pierre and Zachary and landed on the roasted meat in Katherine¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Meow?¡±

 17. Individual Circumstances (II)

    The black and white cat climbed up further and batted a tiny paw at the empty air. Katherine took it out and placed it on her lap. She fed it pieces of meat and smiled as it made a string of happy noises.

    ¡°You¡­ when did you catch that?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    ¡°Yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Yesterday? And you didn¡¯t tell us?¡± He asked again, ¡°Where did it come from, I didn¡¯t see you even summon it.¡±

    Zachary wondered about that as well. A new summon would result in a flash of light as the soul bond was activated but he didn''t see one. She could have summoned the cat before dinner but that would mean that it had been out and hiding for a long time already.

    ¡°I never said I summoned her.¡± Katherine said and stroked the cat¡¯s head, ¡°She got caught in the net trap but I didn¡¯t have to use a summoning card or hurt her. Marble decided to follow me, isn¡¯t that right, Marble?¡±

    ¡°Meow!¡± The cat replied as if understanding her words.

    She scratched its ears to reward its loyalty.

    ¡°She followed you?¡± Jean-Pierre asked suspiciously. He then turned to Zachary, ¡°Are you believing this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ possible? Some wild Ensouled can be tamed and they wouldn''t need a card. But it''s very difficult."

    Taming an Ensouled like this was known as pet summoning. It was an antique method that did not utilize a soul bond of any kind. The Ensouled remained free. It could come and go as it pleased.

    This method often relied on raising an Ensouled from infancy to develop feelings of trust and familiarity. It was common among the domesticated species of Ensouled in the Old World. There were also certain people who were born with a natural affinity towards certain species of Ensouled which made taming easier.

    Jean-Pierre continued to stare at the cat suspiciously, "Pet summoning, in the New World and in a single day? Nonsense."

    Zachary also didn¡¯t quite believe but he didn¡¯t say anything. An awkward silence fell around the campfire as they digested this newfound dynamic. Pet summoning was seen as less reliable by some because one could not ensure absolute obedience through the soul bond facilitated by the summoning card. Pets also couldn¡¯t understand orders and instructions as clearly.

    However, unlike card summons, pet summons had no limitation in terms of how long they could stay active. They ate and slept and fought alongside their summoners. There was no firm bond between souls, only an inexplicable sense of connection and belonging between two living creatures that chose to be companions.

    The black and white cat named Marble eventually finished eating and curled up in Katherine¡¯s lap. It closed its eyes and purred happily. The two looked exactly like many pet owners and their pets back in the republic. The only hint of uniqueness was the tuft of hair on its forehead.

    She stroked her pet and said softly, ¡°You guys are so closed-minded. I just have a thing for cats, ever since I was a kid. I grew up around them. My first proper summon was an ember cat. All of my summons have been cats. And my parents¡­¡±

    She trailed off as a painful expression flashed across her face. It was gone as quickly as it came.

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    She let out a sigh before continuing, ¡°Anyhow, I¡¯ve loved them ever since I can remember. But I wouldn¡¯t say I have any special ability to tame cats. This little girl is just really friendly and obedient. And she won¡¯t disappoint you in a fight. Watch. Marble?¡±

    She leaned down and whispered a few things in its ear. The furball stood up on its four legs, yawned, and abruptly disappeared.

    ¡°What!¡± Jean-Pierre shouted in surprise.

    Zachary was also about to shout when he felt a soft weight on his right shoulder. He turned and found Marble a few hairs from his face, its large eyes blinking curiously. It gave him a lick on the cheek and then disappeared again without a sound.

    Katherine giggled and patted the front of her shirt which held a wriggling furball. The cat returned to its hiding place and didn¡¯t show its face again.

    ¡°Heavens eternal! That was a supernatural ability! That¡¯s crazy!¡± Jean-Pierre blurted.

    ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡­¡± Zachary agreed.

    Ensouled abilities were usually distinguished according to their elemental affinity. If they did not require an element, they were called normal abilities. However, there was a special class known as supernatural abilities that could not be explained by one, two, or even three elements.

    It was understood that supernatural abilities were the amalgamation of all eight elemental attributes. It was a mysterious phenomenon that created strange and fantastical effects that could not be explained by common sense. Ensouled that could use supernatural abilities were themselves supernatural and considered the rarest and most powerful in the entire world.

    ¡°Jealous?¡± She asked.

    Jean-Pierre closed his mouth which had been wide open due to shock. He shot her a glare but had nothing to say.

    ¡°What about you, jealous?¡± She asked Zachary.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like cats.¡± He replied flatly.

    ¡°Jerk.¡± She muttered.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    That killed the conversation again. The three of them retreated into their own thoughts, watching the fire die down and the sky gradually darken.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Jean-Pierre broke the silence as he often did, ¡°We all have pretty good summons. But the most important thing is still the summoner. Surviving a year in this place will be extremely dangerous. I don¡¯t know either of you. Will you two be able to handle it?¡±

    He looked at Zachary and then at Katherine. They stared back at him. Strands of Eternum shifted in between them, reacting to the rising sense of tension. Nobody was keen to volunteer any information. They were still strangers after all.

    ¡°Fine, we all have our circumstances that we want to keep to ourselves. I get that. How about this, let¡¯s just share what crimes landed you in this place. Then at least, we¡¯ll have a sense of each other¡¯s ability.¡±

    Zachary nodded and so did Katherine.

    ¡°Great, I¡¯ll go first. Jean-Pierre Beaumont. Twenty-three years old. They pinned a serial murder case on me. Three convictions and six others that they tried but didn¡¯t have enough evidence.¡±

    Zachary frowned, ¡°A serial killer?¡±

    Jean-Pierre¡¯s voice became low and dangerous, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t lump me in with those freaks. When I kill people, I kill with purpose and I don¡¯t get caught. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.¡±

    He grinned and revealed a brief burst of untamed ferocity.

    After a long pause, his face brightened again, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. All you need to know is that I am strong. Okay, what about you?¡±

    Zachary coughed and cleared his throat. Even so, his voice sounded hoarse and distant, ¡°Zachary Zhang. Twenty years old. Four counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder.¡±

    Jean-Pierre whistled lightly, ¡°My good brother, you¡¯re even better than me!¡±

    ¡°No, it was only one incident. They tried to gang up and kill me. So, I fought back in self-defense. What I didn¡¯t know was that it was a setup. The trial was over before it started.¡±

    ¡°Shit, that sucks.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The two young men shared a moment of camaraderie due to their similar experiences. Then, they turned towards the last person.

    ¡°Katherine Holt. Twenty-four years old. Unfortunately, I¡¯m not a mass murderer like you two. I¡¯m here for treason or so they say. I was in the republic military, with the army. One day, I was dutifully serving the republic and its people. The next, I was a traitor.¡±

    ¡°So, are you really a traitor or was it a setup like Zachary here?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    She gave him a piercing glare.

    ¡°Ugh¡­ forget I asked. But the military is good enough for me. We have a decent team. As long as we steadily increase our strength, we should be in good shape. So, let¡¯s keep working together.¡±

    Zachary agreed while Katherine replied with the faintest of nods.

 18. On the Move (I)

    The best-laid plans often went awry, let alone plans made with strangers during desperate times. Zachary found this out the next morning when their tree base was rudely invaded by a large group of prisoners. It was bound to happen sooner or later but it still came as a nasty surprise.

    Blue was the one that discovered them. The bird acted as his eyes from above and had been on a regular patrol when it came back early. It then proceeded to fly circles around his head and squawk like a dumb chicken. It was difficult trying to communicate with novice rank Ensouled but it was easy enough to infer the situation from its panic and the direction it had come from.

    He threw a pair of unripe fruits at Jean-Pierre and Katherine, repaying the former for his kindness from before.

    ¡°Get up! We have company!¡±

    The two reacted quickly and jumped down from their perches. Katherine rubbed sleep out of her eyes while Jean-Pierre was fully alert.

    ¡°How many?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Zachary said and pointed into the jungle, ¡°They are coming from that direction. With Blue¡¯s reaction, should be a lot more than us.¡±

    ¡°Tch¡­ damn it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    The three looked at each other in understanding. They weren¡¯t going to fight against unfair odds. They had wanted to stay at this safe place for a few more days to round out their roster of summons but they would have to make do with what they had.

    ¡°Leave the traps, let¡¯s retreat for now.¡±

    Instead of completely abandoning their home for the last few days, Zachary led them in the opposite direction until they reached a tall tree a safe distance away. This was one of many fallback positions that he had prepared. He climbed up and could get a somewhat clear view of their tree base through the foliage.

    He summoned Boba to scout the immediate surroundings while Blue continued its vigilance from the sky. He didn¡¯t have long to wait as a group of ten or more survivors came into view. At this distance, he could barely overhear their conversations.

    ¡°Boss, there¡¯s nobody here.¡±

    ¡°Same, boss.¡±

    The person in the middle whom they called boss was a skinny old man with scars all over his face. He wore no shirt, proudly displaying an array of tattoos all over his body. He emitted a dangerous aura. It wasn¡¯t his soul force or talent as a summoner but probably because of a long life of crime.

    ¡°Mmm. They probably left recently. These traps are still fresh.¡± The boss spoke in a gravelly voice.

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    ¡°Boss, should we chase after them?¡±

    ¡°Forget it. They are probably long gone by now. Look at these traps. There''s a number of blood stains so this place looks like a good hunting ground. We¡¯ll stay here and build our strength. Luca, Saban, take your teams and go scout the surroundings some more. Boris, set up the camp and take care of the women.¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±

    As the men started to move, Zachary also got up from his perch. But he paused when he saw something else.

    One of the gang members reappeared tugging on a rope made of vines. Behind him were two female survivors. The younger one was probably in her late thirties while the other was slightly older. Their hands and feet were bound by the vines so that they could only make small, shuffling movements.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± Boris said gruffly, pulling so hard that the woman in front tumbled to her knees, ¡°Useless bitch!¡±

    Zachary didn¡¯t need to see anymore. He silently climbed down and led his group away. He felt conflicted but there wasn¡¯t anything he could do. Saving people had never been his thing. He could barely afford to protect his own life. But those women reminded him of the past and the incident that led to him losing everything. It was hard to get that memory out of his head.

    ¡°Good thing we left early,¡± Jean-Pierre said as they made a path through the jungle.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± Zachary agreed.

    ¡°If those dirty men saw our Katherine, they definitely would have chased us to the mountains.¡± Jean-Pierre laughed at his own joke which earned him silence from the other two.

    A somber mood overtook them. They were once again delving into the jungle after several days of reprieve. Having to face the unknown, everyone was on high alert.

    However, unlike the first day, they now had some novice rank Ensouled on hand. Zachary finally felt like a summoner again.

    ---

    Over the next few days, Zachary and his group moved deeper into the jungles of Outpost Emerald. The flat and featureless shoreline made way for rocky hills and deep gorges as a series of rushing rivers cut through the land toward the ocean. It was slow going, requiring them to watch out for the difficult terrain as well as potential dangers. The rivers would give them a path further inland but they didn¡¯t take that risk yet. Zachary had a sense that far stronger Ensouled resided further inland and he wasn¡¯t ready for that challenge.

    They didn¡¯t run into too many humans. The jungle was endless and had seemingly swallowed the thousand or so prisoners that had survived the swim to shore. They did encounter a small group of four who were hunting novice rank Ensouled. With almost equal numbers, both sides declined to fight and went their separate ways.

    They continued to explore the wild jungle for a new hunting ground. At the same time, Zachary was also keeping an eye out for a suitable adept rank Ensouled.

    The difference between an adept rank Ensouled and a novice rank one was like a mountain to an anthill. An adept summon would allow an adept summoner to showcase their full strength. This was the most important matter on everyone¡¯s minds. If Jean-Pierre had an adept rank summon, that man would have definitely killed that group of four without even thinking about it. If it was himself, Zachary had to admit that he would probably do the same just to get rid of a few competitors.

    Zachary wasn¡¯t just looking for death. He knew the limits of their team. However, constant thoughts about his wounded soul weighed on his mind. He was worried that his two companions would eventually deduce it from his behavior. If that happened, he didn¡¯t care if they chose to abandon him. He was more afraid that Jean-Pierre would simply choose to kill him and move on.

    Right now, they were equals so there was a sense of respect and cooperation between them. If they found out he was a crippled summoner, then all bets were off. He had ample experience with the way a human heart could go from warm to cold in an instant. He wasn¡¯t the same na?ve young man he was before.

    Therefore, as the group looked for a new home, he secretly searched for a solution to his personal problem.

 19. On the Move (II)

    A purple stag beetle sliced through the thick undergrowth, opening a path onto a clearing beside a small pond. Jean-Pierre appeared behind the large insect and took a breath of fresh air. He stepped into the clearing and was soon followed by Zachary and Katherine who brought up the rear.

    They had been on the move for many days since they left their tree base. They had been unsuccessful in finding a new home due to the large numbers of dangerous Ensouled as well as other human parties. They had also encountered a few adept rank Ensouled but none of them fit Zachary¡¯s needs.

    ¡°Where is this adept creature?¡± Jean-Pierre asked. ¡°Are you sure we can beat it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure. It¡¯s here somewhere, we just have to draw it out,¡± Zachary said. ¡°It can¡¯t run away easily. Just go slow.¡±

    This time, Zachary had found exactly what he was looking for to hopefully heal his wounded soul. It had taken a while to convince the others, to challenge this adept rank Ensouled hiding on the other side of the clear. Actually, Katherine needed no convincing as she agreed to his idea without much thought. Jean-Pierre was the difficult one but he eventually agreed to give it a try after Zachary convinced him that their target had low mobility and they would be able to run away if things got too dangerous.

    ¡°Blue, scout there!¡± Zachary pointed ahead.

    The little bird that was loitering above their heads zoomed across the pond and entered the thick foliage.

    ¡°Arrow, come out!¡± He called as he raised another summoning card to his forehead.

    A streak of purple light landed on top of his head, depositing a diminutive frog with brilliant purple and green patterns. It hopped around a few times to get used to its surroundings and then obediently waited for a command.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°About time!¡±

    Zachary and Jean-Pierre walked side by side across the clearing.

    Jean-Pierre had his stag beetle in front. He carried a wooden spear as well as a few more on his back. His fighting ability was the best out of the three. He killed easily, without batting an eye, with a kind of eagerness that came with experience. Maybe he really was a serial killer.

    They reached the other side but there was still nothing. Zachary didn¡¯t dare to go in and summoned Boba.

    ¡°Hiss!¡± The little brown snake didn¡¯t sound happy.

    It had just settled into a well-earned nap after a long day of scouting.

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    ¡°Sorry, Boba.¡± He said softly and raised the snake on his arm towards the left side of the trail, ¡°Do you sense anything?¡±

    Boba hissed again but reluctantly pointed its head towards the right directly. After bobbing its head side to side and flicking its tongue over and over, it shrank back and didn¡¯t make a sound. It probably didn¡¯t find anything but he wasn¡¯t sure. This was a weakness of card summons, they were obedient up to a point but it was a struggle if they were tired.

    Katherine finally spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll try. Marble has pretty good senses too. Come out, Marble. Go!¡±

    A black and white ball of fur climbed out of her shirt and onto her outstretched arm. Her pet summon made a brave leap and then disappeared into thin air. A few breaths later, it was back, with a proud expression gracing its squashed, furry face.

    ¡°Meow¡­ meowwww.¡± It said and licked her face a few times.

    ¡°She found it. She said it¡¯s coming but it¡¯s really slow¡± Katherine said.

    ¡°She said?¡± Zachary asked sharply.

    Summons couldn¡¯t say anything unless¡­

    He shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He would have to address this discovery about Marble another time.

    He waited silently until he finally sensed faint waves of Eternum. The trees shook and swayed. From the depths of the jungle, something was on the move and coming their way.

    It was definitely at the adept rank. The powerful soul force it emitted was filled with the feeling of hunger and ferocity. There was also anger and indignation as if it couldn¡¯t believe that a few puny creatures had dared to challenge it.

    ¡°Eee! Eee!¡±

    Blue bolted out of the trees in fright, crying as if it was about to die. It returned to Zachary and landed on his shoulder. The excitable bird was almost useless. Its water-attribute attack was harmless. If it couldn¡¯t fly, he would have probably cooked it and eaten it.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming, careful!¡±

    Zachary brought out his last summon, Onkie, which snorted aggressively at nothing in particular, seemingly ready for a fight. Beside him, Jean-Pierre summoned four insects in total and arranged them in a battle line. Behind them, Katherine¡¯s cat returned to its home inside her shirt, as if this impending battle had nothing to do with it.

    Then it appeared, a mass of thin green tendrils that snaked along the ground. It was some kind of living plant, blindly seeking nutrients and prey. The first few tendrils were thin as noodles but they quickly grew in width until they were thicker than a person¡¯s arm.

    The creature¡¯s main body slowly broke through the underbrush. It was green like the forest around it. It was made up of thick vines twisted together into a straight stalk that rose above their height. At the very top was a large yellow flower with a blood-red pistil. It looked a head but it had no facial features, not even eyes.

    ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s ugly!¡± Jean-Pierre exclaimed.

    Zachary agreed but he also saw beauty in it. This was a plant type Ensouled. Across the world, this was among the two most common types along with beast type Ensouled.

    He wanted a plant Ensouled because they were resilient. They had strong defenses and could soak up damage that would kill beasts of the same rank twice over. They also could recover from said wounds far more easily, even without the help of a summoner. But most importantly, it was not uncommon for this type to have an affinity with the element of life. And the element of life meant the chance for a healing ability, exactly what he needed for his soul.

    ¡°Get ready!¡± He called out.

    His soul trembled with excitement and anticipation. It wasn¡¯t going to be an easy fight. He hoped that this flower wouldn¡¯t let him down.

    The large flower atop the living plant opened fully and slowly turned in their direction. The wide petals fluttered and the long pistil quivered. It made no sound except for its countless vines that moved toward them once more. This somehow made it even more formidable.

 20. A Part of the Food Chain (I)

    ¡°Arrow, poison spit, target the flower!¡±

    Zachary¡¯s frog raised its head. Its throat expanded to twice the original size. With a surge of Eternum and a sharp exhale, a blob of purple and green slime shot out and formed a mesmerizing arc in the air.

    Splat!

    The range was good but the aim was bad. The poison landed below the flower on its stalk and started to bubble as the poison ate away at the tough exterior. The creature stopped going after Jean-Pierre and turned towards Zachary. Its numerous vines shook angrily and several of them shot towards him with alarming speed.

    ¡°Arrow, keep firing! Onkie, eat the vines!¡±

    His words were clear and sharp. Novice ensouled could only handle the simplest of commands.

    Arrow and Onkie responded without error. Blobs of poison shot out one after another, landing on the flower, its stem, and the mass of vines. They didn¡¯t seem to cause too much damage but it kept the creature frozen in place.

    At the same time, the small mountain of fur that was Onkie charged forth bravely and tackled an encroaching vine. It bit down, chomping through the plant and swallowing it whole. Finding it palatable, it attacked another vine, picking on the most tender portion at the tip.

    ¡°Zachary, hold your frog!¡± Jean-Pierre shouted.

    ¡°Arrow, stop!¡± Zachary ordered.

    The frog stopped firing poison and a few moments later, two large flying bugs descended from the canopy. They were the purple stag beetle and giant mosquito. They flew directly at the flower with the mosquito in the lead and pulling ahead. The mosquito¡¯s proboscis extended straight down like a rapier, ready to pierce the flower. The stag beetle behind it opened its two horns as it prepared to take a big bite.

    Pa!

    The mosquito¡¯s proboscis slammed into the yellow petal. But instead of piercing through, the proboscis broke on impact. In the few breaths that it perched on the flower, unsure of what to do, several vines had already surrounded it.

    ¡°Hee!¡± It hissed in alarm as the vines quickly wrapped around its thin frame.

    Its weak legs quickly snapped into pieces and its carapace started to crack as the vines twisted and constricted.

    ¡°Hee! Hee!¡± It hissed even louder in pain but there was nothing it or Jean-Pierre could do.

    The purple stag beetle finally arrived and landed on another flower petal. It took advantage of the dying mosquito occupying the flower creature¡¯s attention and snapped its claw-like horns towards the red pistil that seemed like an inviting meal. The target was unprotected. It seemed like an easy victory. Whatever it was, it had to be this strange thing¡¯s weakness.

    Suddenly, a blast of Eternum erupted from the flower. Like an inexorable gust of wind, it swept both the purple stag beetle and the mosquito away. The stag beetle was able to recover and fly away to safety whereas the mosquito hit the ground and did not move.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Jean-Pierre took out the mosquito¡¯s summoning card and glanced at it.

    The anima crystal in the center had already turned to dust, meaning the summon had died. The bond between human and Ensouled was broken and that was that. Jean-Pierre didn¡¯t even glance at the dead body of the mosquito that had been his loyal soldier.

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    He quickly brought out another summon to replace the fallen mosquito. It was a particularly ugly and fat caterpillar the size of a small dog. It was brown and yellow with dangerous-looking spikes all over its rotund body. It was something that not even the most avid entomologists could appreciate. It was truly a tough life being a bug catcher.

    While this was happening, Zachary¡¯s frog had resumed its poison spit attack. However, the flower monster¡¯s body was so tough that Arrow¡¯s poison only left some shallow marks. The toughness of adept rank Ensouled was far beyond the abilities of ordinary novice rank Ensouled.

    There were also differences in Eternum reserves and Eternum control. Zachary and his group¡¯s entire force of summons could fight until exhaustion and the flower would probably still be full of energy. If he and Jean-Pierre had an entire lineup of Eight Paths Novice Rank summons, they would have a better chance of wearing this creature down. This thing was substantially weaker than the green elephant but in their current state, it was still an arduous endeavor.

    Unless¡­

    ¡°Katherine, help us!¡± Zachary shouted over the noise of battle.

    Her wide eyes whirled in his direction, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    It sounded less like a question and more like a statement.

    ¡°You¡­¡± He suppressed the first retort that came to mind.

    So far, she and her cat had done nothing. But he needed them if they were to have any chance.

    ¡°Your cat! Tell it to do something!¡± He cried out in exasperation.

    ¡°Why? Marble is just a little kitten. How can she fight against that ugly thing?¡±

    ¡°Heavens Eternal! Will you two shut up?¡± Jean-Pierre roared.

    During their argument, he had lost another insect. It couldn¡¯t keep going like this. It was a losing proposition.

    ¡°She¡¯s not going to risk her cat. This is pointless. Let¡¯s just run!¡± He shouted.

    Instead of answering, Zachary glared at Katherine. She didn¡¯t back down and clutched the furball to her chest like it was her baby. The cat also had an expression of uncaring and superiority as if the current situation had nothing to do with it.

    It was infuriating. The opportunity was quickly slipping out of his grasp. If they couldn¡¯t capture this Ensouled¡­ he didn¡¯t know when or how he could heal his soul. He felt helpless.

    He whirled around and waved to Jean-Pierre, ¡°Damn it. Let¡¯s retreat!¡±

    ¡°Fuck! Fine¡­ get behind me. Keep your frog attacking until the last moment. I will send two of my beetles to hold it off and we can make a run for it!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Zachary followed the plan. Arrow remained atop his head and fired poison shots every few breaths. It was exhausted but he urged it to keep going for a little while longer. It resisted through his soul bond but he pressured it with his higher-rank soul force.

    For the rest of his lineup, he sent Blue ahead along their path of retreat to make sure it was safe. He recalled both Boba and Onkie to conserve Eternum. Boba was done today. If he summoned it again, it would probably try to break the enslavement of the summoning card and escape.

    ¡°Alright, ready?¡±

    ¡°Now!¡±

    The rain of poison stopped as Arrow was recalled. At the same time, the yellow pill bug and the round black beetle charged at the flower monster. They didn¡¯t get far as they were quickly wrapped up by vines. The black beetle struggled mightily but in vain as its limbs were snapped. But it had a tough shell which was difficult for the vines to handle. As for the pill bug, it had rolled into an armored ball and seemed impervious to the vines.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zachary shouted and turned.

    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that? Ahh!¡± Katherine suddenly screamed.

    She sounded so scared that he actually paused his steps against his better judgment. Even before he turned around, he sensed a sharpness and wickedness in the air that wasn¡¯t there before. The forest clearing was suddenly plunged into shade as something covered the sun.

    Huge wings with white feathers, a gleaming yellow beak, and sharp black talons descended from the sky. It was one of those four-winged seagulls that had attacked the navy ship. It was even bigger up close.

    The giant seagull paid no attention to the three diminutive humans and crashed into the flower. It batted away the mass of vines that tried to entangle it. In a flash, it bit down on the long red pistil and sliced it apart. The flower monster thrashed desperately but it could not throw off the seagull which proceeded to peck at the exposed and delicate flesh in the middle of the flower petals.

    It eventually ripped the whole thing off, a bulb the size of a watermelon that bled with fresh nectar. With the prize in its beak, the seagull flapped its wings and took off, disappearing into the sky as quickly as it came.

    The flower creature¡¯s body that remained stopped moving and withered. It died just like that. This adept rank Ensouled that gave Zachary and his group so much trouble was merely a part of the food chain of this jungle. It was uncertain when they would become a part of it as well.

 21. A Part of the Food Chain (II)

    Zachary breathed a sigh of relief and got to his feet. At some point during the giant seagull¡¯s sudden attack, he had fallen over as he watched. He hid his embarrassment as he walked toward the corpse of the flower Ensouled.

    Jean-Pierre glanced at the summoning cards in his bag. He had lost three summons during the battle. A fourth one had suffered heavy wounds. He stared at its card briefly before rescinding the soul contract and absorbing the anima crystal left behind to replenish his strength. He then caught up with Zachary.

    ¡°Find what you need?¡± He asked.

    Zachary knelt beside the withered body of the flower. Its green vines were now brown and shriveled. The large yellow petals lost their original vibrant color. There was a gaping hole where the red pistil had been ripped out by the seagull. That area had also dried up and he couldn¡¯t get any more nectar.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ That giant gull took off with the flower¡¯s primary organ which contained its anima crystal. Let me see.¡±

    He held up a summoning card and summoned Onkie. The furry pig beast appeared and scurried around in confusion, still thinking it was in the midst of battle and looking for vines to eat.

    He ripped a piece off one of the yellow petals and held it to its mouth. ¡°Onkie, try this.¡±

    ¡°Onk?¡±

    A series of munching sounds followed. The pig devoured the petal quickly and bumped his hand to ask for more. Jean-Pierre gave the beast a funny look.

    ¡°An adept rank Ensouled¡­ is this all it''s good for now, pig food?¡± He asked.

    ¡°What else can we do with it? It¡¯s not like I can eat it. Do you want to try?¡±

    Jean-Pierre scoffed and shook his head.

    Zachary felt the same. He had wanted it alive, not dead. Plant type Ensouled could not be casually consumed by humans. They could cause an upset stomach, severe poisoning, or a quick death. It was difficult to tell what would happen without experience and knowledge of the specific species of Ensouled.

    While Onkie munched on another piece of the flower, the group of three stood around in silence, unsure of what to do next. The excitement of the battle hadn¡¯t worn off completely. There was disappointment for sure but also relief that the fearsome gull had ignored them.

    ¡°You have an interesting summoning style,¡± Jean-Pierre said suddenly.

    ¡°Who, me?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Yeah. You bring out and then recall your summons very quickly. It¡¯s like you can¡¯t bear to lose them.¡± Jean-Pierre gave him a pointed look at the end.

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    ¡°I mean¡­ what¡¯s wrong with that? If I can save a summon, then I¡¯d rather save it than let it die needlessly.¡± Zachary argued.

    ¡°Uh huh¡­ Summons are soldiers, meant to die its summoner in battle. They are not pets. They won¡¯t be able to display their full strength just because you¡¯re nice to them. If you keep going like this, you¡¯re not going to survive.¡±

    Zachary strongly disagreed but he couldn¡¯t find the right words for a retort. He remembered the performances of Blue and Boba which could only be described as abysmal. They couldn¡¯t contribute to the fight at all.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Katherine interjected before he could, ¡°Why does everything that comes out of your mouth have to be so annoying?¡±

    Jean-Pierre made a noise of disgust, ¡°I wasn¡¯t even talking about you.¡±

    ¡°Sureeee.¡± She said sarcastically.

    ¡°And what exactly did you do during that fight?¡± Jean-Pierre

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Leaving her tongue-tied and steaming, Jean-Pierre turned back to Zachary, ¡°And you, let¡¯s talk about that flower thing. What was your plan exactly? It was way too strong for us. How did you think you were going to kill it? And what were you going to accomplish with only two useful summons?¡±

    Zachary felt heat rising to his cheeks, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like we had no chance. We still have Katherine¡¯s cat.¡±

    Jean-Pierre waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Doesn¡¯t count. You can¡¯t rely on her or her cat.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Katherine protested, ¡°I told you already. That plant was too strong!¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Jean-Pierre threw up his hands and turned away.

    This argument was going nowhere fast. This was usually the case of arguments between the three but this one felt particularly heavy. Zachary felt like he had done something wrong. He wondered if he had let the desire to heal his soul cloud his judgment. It was probably the case but there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it now. It wasn¡¯t like he volunteered to be the leader or asked them to follow him.

    The group stood around the flower Ensouled corpse at the edge of the clearing, in no hurry to move. Jean-Pierre meditated to recover the soul energy he had lost during the battle. Katherine played with Marble. She tried to feed the cat a flower petal but was flatly rejected.

    Zachary was silently brooding about his situation. He was trapped in a predicament. It was incredibly difficult to defeat an adept rank Ensouled with only novice rank summons. However, even if his soul was in perfect condition, he wouldn¡¯t have an adept rank summon to call on unless he caught one first.

    He briefly considered choosing one of his summons and training it until it reached the adept rank. He shook his head and quietly abandoned the idea. His current summons were all the One Path Novice Rank. He would have to help one cultivate its soul all the way to eight paths and then search for a way to help it break through. Truth be told, he would rather throw himself at another adept Ensouled. That would probably be easier.

    Suddenly, while Zachary was still lost in thought, a panicked blue bird shot out of the foliage on the other side of the clearing. Blue landed on his shoulder and buried itself into his long hair as if it had suffered a great fright.

    ¡°Looks like we have company,¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    Soon, the snapping of twigs and rustling of dead leaves accompanied the appearance of a group of people. There were nine in total.  They approached slowly, eyeing Zachary and his companions with great interest. At a glance, it was easy to tell that they weren¡¯t simple.

    They walked with purpose like they owned the jungle. Some had colorful tattoos across their bodies while others proudly displayed battle scars like marks of honor. Then he saw it, a bare-chested old man with a distinctive teardrop tattooed on his chest with red ink, right above his heart.

    Zachary turned sharply to Jean-Pierre who nodded grimly. Zachary¡¯s grip on his bamboo spear tightened. His soul sea trembled as he felt a deep sense of crisis as if he had suddenly fallen to the bottom of the food chain.

    ¡°Hey, lads. What have you got there?¡±

 22. Separate (I)

    It was the Blood Church!

    It was the same group of crazies that had attacked the forest elephant head-on. Now faced with three humans, they were like a pack of wolves that had stumbled upon a fat, tasty meal.

    ¡°I said, what have you got there?¡± One of them repeated the question.

    There was still a little bit of distance between them. It was enough to make a run for it. Three-to-one odds wasn¡¯t something Zachary was interested in testing, especially since they had gone through a tough battle already. He really wanted the flower corpse but not enough to risk his life, not against these people.

    Jean-Pierre gave him a questioning look, silently asking what he was going to do.

    Zachary held his gaze for a breath and then made eye contact with Katherine.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fight them, let¡¯s just run. On three.¡± He whispered.

    They nodded ever so slightly.

    Zachary gave the wrinkled body of the flower one last look before turning to the approaching Blood Church members.

    ¡°Hey!¡± He shouted, making them pause, ¡°We killed this Ensouled so it''s ours. Go away!¡±

    He then lowered his voice and whispered so that only Jean-Pierre and Katherine could hear, ¡°One¡­¡±

    The one that looked like the leader laughed mockingly, ¡°Did you hear this lad? He has some guts.¡±

    ¡°Two¡­¡± Zachary whispered.

    Several others joined in the laughter while the leader pulled out a knife, ¡°How about we pull out his guts and see just how much he has?¡±

    ¡°Three!¡±

    Zachary turned around and took off into the jungle. Jean-Pierre and Katherine were right behind him.

    ¡°He ran?¡±

    ¡°Chase!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them get away!¡±

    Zachary led them through the path in the jungle that the flower Ensouled had created. He had no time to look back but he could hear the Blood Church members rushing after them. When the path finally came to an end, he chose a random direction and crashed through the underbrush.

    He used his bamboo spear to knock away large leaves, and his bare hands to prevent sharp leaves and stray thorns from tearing his face apart. His bare feet landed on sharp rocks and stray tree branches but he could only ignore the pain. He had no idea where he was going, he just wanted to run until those insane idiots gave up.

    ¡°Enemy summons!¡± Jean-Pierre shouted from behind.

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    Zachary glanced backward.

    Jean-Pierre already had two summons out, two of his armored beetles which he held in each hand as wiggling, living shields. Behind him, several flying creatures were rapidly gaining on them. There was a black bird in the lead with a long, sharp beak followed by an array of flying insects that weren¡¯t too different from the ones Jean-Pierre had.

    Zachary cursed, ¡°Why do they want us so badly? We already gave them the flower!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Blood Church. Killing people is what they do.¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    Zachary returned his focus to the jungle ahead. He untangled Blue from his long hair and spoke to it sternly, ¡°Fly straight ahead. If there are any dangers, come straight back to me. Be brave, Blue. You can do it!¡±

    ¡°Chrr!¡±

    ¡°Go!¡± He flung the bird up and it raced away through the trees.

    But before he could continue running, Jean-Pierre shouted again, ¡°Behind you!¡±

    Zachary whirled around, catching sight of a black blur coming right at him. A small black bird with a sharp beak, it was like an arrowhead, ready to punch a hole through his face.

    He dived towards the ground. He was barely in time. The dangerous attack passed over his head, a few hairs from his scalp.

    The black bird zoomed into the air and circled around for another run. This time, he was ready and swung his spear into its path, causing it to veer away.

    ¡°Kyuu! Kyuu!¡± The black bird chirped angrily and attacked again.

    While Zachary was occupied by one little bird, Jean-Pierre in the rear was fending off more than his fair share. He was surrounded by four large buzzing insects. He was using his two armored beetles like boxing gloves, smashing anything that dared to come close. One of the enemy insects, a small stag beetle already lay on the ground, its shell shattered and green guts spilling out.

    They were holding their own, but only barely. Humans were truly weak creatures. Although they were all adept summoners, with only card summons at their command, their fighting ability was no better than the weakest novice Ensouled.

    Zachary could protect his life against the vicious bird but he had to focus most of his attention on it. Jean-Pierre also had to protect himself and couldn¡¯t turn his back to the enemy Ensouled. Their forward progress slowed to a crawl and the Blood Church members rapidly closed the distance.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    The black bird came down for another attack. Its body blurred as it gained speed. But as it passed by a tree branch, another blur of black and white leaped out and collided with it.

    ¡°Kyaaa!¡± The bird let out a cry of anguish.

    Its body spasmed. It veered off in a random direction and crashed into the ground at Zachary¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Marble!¡± Katherine held a hand and recovered her pet summon.

    The black and white furball returned with blood around its mouth. It stuck a tongue to lick its achievement and let out a cute meow.

    Zachary gave Katherine an appreciative nod before turning to Jean-Pierre who was still locked in combat with the insects.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± He shouted.

    Jean-Pierre struck another insect, crushing the hapless insect with his oversized beetle gauntlets. Taking advantage of this small victory, he dashed towards them before stopping a few steps away.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Zachary waved at him to catch up.

    Jean-Pierre paused a moment and then shook his head. His expression was eerily calm and the words he spoke next felt like they had become a different person.

    ¡°You guys go on. I will hold them off.¡±

    ¡°What... are you doing?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°This is where we go our separate ways.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Zachary didn¡¯t know what to say. He always knew that their little group was a temporary arrangement. They were strangers with no reason to help each other. He just didn¡¯t expect the end to come right then, in the middle of a desperate situation. He didn¡¯t know why Jean-Pierre wanted to tag along in the first place and now, he had no idea why Jean-Pierre was leaving.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Jean-Pierre said and patted his shoulder, ¡°I hope you can find a way to heal your soul. If you can¡¯t, then you are useless to me. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±

    ¡°How¡­¡± Zachary spluttered.

    Jean-Pierre stiffly raised his right hand, palms inward, to his forehead. After a quick summoner¡¯s salute, he turned and strode toward the oncoming enemies. ¡°Don¡¯t look back. Don¡¯t try to help. When I start killing people, I don¡¯t stop.¡±

 23. Separate (II)

    Jean-Pierre summoned all of his Ensouled and faced the Blood Church alone.

    Zachary¡¯s feet remained stiff and rooted to the ground. He wanted to run but was still stunned by Jean-Pierre¡¯s sudden change.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Katherine pulled on Zachary¡¯s arm, pulling him back to reality.

    He gave one last look towards Jean-Pierre and ran after her. Various thoughts raced through his mind. He couldn¡¯t believe that Jean-Pierre had deduced his weakness. But why did Jean-Pierre choose to stay behind? If he wanted to act like a hero, Zachary wasn¡¯t going to stop him. But something in the back of Zachary¡¯s mind told him that Jean-Pierre¡¯s words weren¡¯t just for show.

    ¡°More bugs!¡± Katherine shouted.

    Zachary looked back. Two large insects were chasing them, their large transparent wings carrying their ugly bodies. But it was only two of them. Jean-Pierre was holding the rest back by himself.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    His hands moved before he had finished thinking about it. He first pulled Arrow¡¯s card and summoned the poison frog onto his head.

    ¡°Croak¡­¡± The little thing sounded very unhappy but he had no choice.

    He then quickly summoned Boba which landed on his palm and then curled around his wrist. He didn¡¯t bother with Onkie because it was too slow and too heavy to use as a shield.

    ¡°Arrow, poison spit! Target the bugs chasing us. Boba, stay alert, tell me if there are any dangers nearby!¡±

    The poison frog was very reluctant but finally started lobbing poisonous spitballs at the two flying insects. This caused them to slow and change direction as they dodged, meaning that they were no longer gaining on them.

    At the same time, with both Blue scouting far ahead and Boba¡¯s sharp senses, Zachary felt confident enough to charge through the jungle as fast as he could. If they fled long enough, the bugs would have to return to their summoners. Because their anima crystals were bound to their summoning cards, if they went too far, the bond could break and they would die as a result.

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll survive?¡± Katherine asked as she ran behind him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe?¡±

    Right after he said that, a horrible scream came from behind. It was faint but filled with terror and anguish.

    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± An even louder scream rang through the jungle.

    Zachary paused for only a few breaths before he kept running. More screams followed his footsteps but it was pointless to go back now. Either Jean-Pierre was killing the Blood Church members like he had said or he was currently being tortured to death for his arrogance. Either way, it didn¡¯t matter to Zachary anymore.

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    ---

    Zachary and Katherine were eventually able to throw off the pursuing insects. They had to zig-zag their way through the jungle to avoid unseen dangers. Blue, Boba, and Marble all contributed to the effort and managed to survive the day and find shelter on a large tree.

    That night, dinner was a quiet affair. Jean-Pierre was the noisiest one among them. Without him, Zachary didn¡¯t have much to talk about. Katherine and him sat side by side on a large tree branch, munching on dry biscuits. They faced the setting sun which cast an orange glow on the sea of green around them. Occasionally, they could hear strange cries as the creatures of the wild went about their lives.

    Every Ensouled, every living thing had to struggle to survive each day. He wasn¡¯t any different. In the Old World, in human society, he lived in comfort with little worries except for becoming the strongest summoner he could be. Here, he was a tiny existence that could be wiped out at any moment. This would have caused him deep anxiety in the past and even a few days ago when he had first stepped onto the beach.

    But now, after an exhausting day of fighting and fleeing, he felt it was eerily soothing.

    ¡°I think he¡¯ll live,¡± Katherine said, her soft voice breaking the silence between them.

    ¡°You think so?¡± Zachary asked, ¡°How can you know?¡±

    ¡°I think you know too.¡± She replied. ¡°He is not an ordinary summoner.¡±

    He brooded on her words. They had several implications and possibilities. In this world, not all summoners were born equal. Some were blessed with unique talents. Others held advantages from the families they were born into. Some could have natural talent with soul cultivation, a strong affinity with specific paths and their elements, or the ability to easily bond with certain species or types of Ensouled. Others had access to legacies passed down through generations; advanced methods of training summons and raising their soul cultivation or secret, powerful abilities that could be taught to summons.

    There were countless possibilities, as many as there were people in the world. Some were stronger than others. Not all summoners were born equal but that only meant that they were unique.

    ¡°Maybe he is someone special. But you heard him today, he¡¯s not coming back.¡± Zachary sighed and looked up at the colorful clouds in the sky, ¡°Why do you still follow me? Maybe we should go our separate ways tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Katherine said and quickly grabbed his arm.

    She held onto him and rested her head against his shoulder. ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m staying with you.¡±

    ¡°Why? You heard Jean-Pierre today. I have a wounded soul. I¡¯ll admit it. And he chose to face down a group of murdering psychos rather than deal with me any longer.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about him.¡±

    ¡°So why?¡± He insisted.

    ¡°Why I am still following you?¡± Katherine smiled and let the question hang in the air.

    Meanwhile, Marble reappeared after a long slumber. It climbed up her shirt and let out a soft meow. The kitten then jumped onto his shoulder and gave him a small lick on the cheek.

    ¡°Marble likes you. That¡¯s why.¡± She teased.

    He scoffed.

    She laughed. She hugged his arm and her bright green eyes stared into his dulcet brown.

    ¡°Because¡­ you are a special summoner.¡±

    ¡°How am I special?¡± He asked.

    He didn¡¯t believe her. She was hiding something and she was still playing him for a fool. There was nothing special about him. His knowledge of Ensouled could be achieved just by reading books. He had no special talent in cultivating summons or in battle.

    "Why are you following me?" He asked again.

    She tapped a finger to her lips, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a secret.¡±

    She laughed at his reaction and refused to elaborate, no matter how much he prodded her.

 24. A Team of Two (I)

    The next day, Zachary and Katherine got up early in the morning and headed deeper into the jungle. They couldn¡¯t stay still for too long as they were afraid of the Blood Church catching onto their trail. They also needed to establish a new camp and hunting ground. Without Jean-Pierre, Zachary had to bolster his summon lineup. He really only had two summons that could fight in Arrow and Onkie. He needed a lot more than that.

    They headed east, using the rising sun as their guide. This region named Outpost Emerald was so vast but it was also small. With over a thousand adept rank summoners roaming the land, they were bound to run into each other. With just two people in their group, Zachary¡¯s only choice was to go deeper until the dangers from wild Ensouled outweighed the threat of murderous people.

    ¡°What if we get lost?¡± Katherine asked halfway through the morning, ¡°Look in front, look behind us. All these trees look the same. The bushes look the same. Even the dirt looks the same. I can¡¯t even remember which direction the ocean was.¡±

    Zachary snorted, ¡°The ocean is to the west. And I still have Blue, he has a good sense of direction.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I guess that works.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t cats have a good sense of direction?¡±

    ¡°Hah! You wish. If I asked Marble which way to go, she would simply go back to sleep!¡±

    The dynamic between them had shifted somewhat after last night. Katherine was far more talkative than before. But given that she barely talked, she still wasn¡¯t a chatterbox like Jean-Pierre. However, the change was a welcome one as Zachary often fell back to brooding if he had nothing better to do.

    The only things that improved his mood besides Katherine were his summons. Although Blue was useless in a fight, the little blue bird was cheerful and obedient. It brought a smile to his face whenever he summoned it. The happy chirps it made when he fed it were especially pleasing to the ear.

    He felt the same about the other three in his lineup. Onkie was always silly and made him laugh. Arrow was a serious one but it was adorable enough. Even Boba which was proving the most temperamental of the bunch had its moments. They all fell into his hands by chance but he already felt attached to them. He could never be like Jean-Pierre who was cold and callous with his summons. In this respect, it was a relief that the weird guy was gone.

    Around noon time, the pair decided to rest on the bank of a wide river. The water was deep and fast. In addition to the strong current, there could also be all kinds of dangerous Ensouled living beneath the surface. But they couldn¡¯t just stay on this side. They had to cross the river if they wanted to head deeper into the jungle.

    Zachary suggested that they try and catch an Ensouled in the river. Aquatic Ensouled could help them scout the waters and provide extra assurance. Katherine agreed and they got to work. He made a sturdy fishing pole out of a young sapling while she helped make a fishing net out of green vines.

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    Plop!

    Zachary cast a line attached with a fat grub. He had nothing for a fishhook. If something came up to bite the grub, it was Katherine¡¯s task to throw out the net and hope for the best.

    ¡°Are cats supposed to be good at fishing?¡± He asked.

    Katherine beside him was staring intently at the rushing water which was clear as glass. Underwater plants swayed with the current, sometimes revealing the black sand on the bottom.

    ¡°Yes, cats are very good at fishing, at least the ones that are not afraid of water.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Are you?¡±

    She answered by kicking the water up at him.

    ¡°Hey!¡± He protested, ¡°You¡¯ll scare everything away!¡±

    ¡°Jerk!¡±

    Her laughter was warm and pleasant. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. He forgot about all other matters as he fished. Her accompaniment soothed his frazzled soul; it was exactly what he needed.

    ¡°Look, something is coming!¡± Katherine pointed at the water.

    He followed her finger and saw a dark mass approach his line. It was the size of a washbasin and roughly rectangular. When it got closer, he could distinguish a sharp snout and four clawed limbs.

    ¡°A turtle? It¡¯ll be tough to capture.¡± He said.

    ¡°Who cares, get ready!¡±

    The line pulled as the turtle chomped on the whole grub. Katherine immediately threw the net which sank around the turtle. But before she could pull on the rope to catch the thing, the Ensouled retreated into its shell and started spinning. It quickly picked up speed and started moving in a steadily widening circle.

    After a few rotations, its spinning shell met the net. The green vines it was made of only lasted a few strikes before they were severed cleanly. The turtle, sensing that it was free, popped its head and limbs back out and quickly swam away.

    ¡°Aiya!¡± Katherine slumped down in disappointment.

    ¡°Yeah...¡±

    Zachary reached out a hand instinctively to comfort her but pulled back when he realized what he was doing. He quickly preoccupied himself with repairing the broken net. Afterward, he tied another piece of bait to the fishing pole and started over.

    The pair continued to fish by the river. Their summons took turns patrolling the area to make sure they were safe while they cast out bait and repaired nets over and over. The Ensouled of this river were all tricky things and not so easily caught.

    ¡°Damn fish!¡±

    ¡°Stay still!¡±

    ¡°It ran away again!¡±

    Katherine blurted out a stream of nonsense after each failure. They encountered rainbow-colored fish, bright red salamanders, and even a small crocodile. Each one left them empty-handed.

    Finally, after countless tries, a slow-moving crab waddled its way into view. It was about the size of the turtle from before and had one claw that was several times larger than the other. It probably used it as a club to bludgeon its prey to death.

    Right as it started to nibble on the fat grub, a large net fell over its head, accompanied by two frustrated humans.

    ¡°Bless the Ice Saint! I finally caught one!¡± Katherine shouted as she resurfaced, dragging the struggling crab which was now completely entangled by the net.

    Zachary also emerged from the waist-deep water. He laughed and helped her pull it to shore.

    The two eventually stood over the wriggling, furious Ensouled and looked at each other. Her smile was radiant. Her thin prisoner¡¯s garb was plastered to her drenched body, making her far more attractive than before. His gaze drifted as he appreciated her beauty for the first time since meeting her.

    As for Zachary, he had abandoned his shirt sometime while fishing. With only tattered pants, his long hair dripped water over his wide shoulders and his toned figure. He could feel her gaze on him as well, her green eyes wandering in inappropriate ways.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± He eventually spoke, breaking the spell between them, ¡°Do you want this?¡±

    Katherine looked away to hide the rising color in her cheeks, ¡°No way. How can this water bug compare to my Marble? It¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright.¡±

 25. A Team of Two (II)

    Zachary set to work trying to subdue the furious crab. It was strong and its reddish-brown shell was extremely tough. He tried to wound it with his small dagger but only managed to chip the blade horribly after trying to stab and slice the joints. He resorted to a wooden spear but that only resulted in a blunt tip after just one stab.

    The crab also wasn¡¯t one to sit still and get poked to death. It struggled nonstop. It tried to smash his head with its large claw, only failing due to being tangled by the net. If the net didn¡¯t exist, one strike from the claw which was the size of a watermelon would have knocked him out cold.

    He also had to watch out for the crab¡¯s other claw which was like a pair of sharp scissors. It had no problem cutting through the green vines that made up the net. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he would have to bid goodbye to his fingers.

    Zachary struggled for a while with no progress. This crab Ensouled was much stronger than the ones he had encountered around the first hunting ground that had been so fruitful for him and Jean-Pierre. Its shell was tough as rock. His fruit knife was now a useless piece of metal. Kicking the thing was simply self-torture as it only left him with bruised feet.

    ¡°Onkie, come out!¡±

    ¡°Arrow, you¡¯re up too!¡±

    Zachary finally brought out two summons to help him. In the excitement of finally catching something, he had almost forgotten that he was a summoner.

    ¡°Onkie, sit on it, make sure it doesn¡¯t move. Bite its claw if it tries to attack you."

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    The obedient summon laid down on the crab. Onkie''s weight was probably several times heavier than the crab''s. And since the crab was still entangled by the net, it could still wiggle its limbs but had no hope of going anywhere.

    Faced with this change, the crab started attacking the smelly thing on top of it with its two claws. Its heavy claw struck the pig''s thick, overgrown fur over and over. Its sharp pincer took off clumps of knotted hair with each cut.

    ¡°Oonn! Onn!¡± Onkie cried out as it took the attacks.

    It was a tough and thick-skinned Ensouled. It could resist it, at least for the moment.

    ¡°Arrow, poison spit, aim at the mouth,¡± Zachary instructed as he held the small frog in front of the crab.

    Pu!

    A blob of purple and green poison landed inside the crab¡¯s gaping mandibles. A direct hit.

    Pu!

    Pu!

    More spitballs followed. The crab clamped its mouth shut but it was too late. This poison could even threaten Zachary¡¯s life so it was potent enough for it.

    The crab soon started to make strange noises as if in pain. ¡°Kack¡­ kack¡­¡±

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    It produced white foam to try and expel the poison but that merely allowed more poison to leak in. Meanwhile, Arrow never stopped spitting poison.

    ¡°Kack¡­¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for the poison to spread and take effect. The crab¡¯s movements turned sluggish. It gradually stopped attacking Onkie. It even stopped struggling to escape. It was still foaming at the mouth but that foam had turned from white to a mixture of purple and green.

    Zachary felt the time was right. He retrieved an empty summoning card and filled it with Eternum from his brow.

    ¡°You¡¯re trapped, little crab. You won¡¯t be able to survive the poison.¡± He said earnestly and pressed the card against its head, ¡°Come on, accept this summon!¡±

    The summoning card glowed with a gentle white light. The crab barely reacted as a surge of Eternum penetrated its shell and raced towards its sea of consciousness.

    A thrill of excitement arose in Zachary¡¯s soul as he felt the faintest sensation of the bond forming. He couldn¡¯t believe it was working on the first try¡­

    Ka!

    The bond broke the instant later. He never had a chance.

    ¡°Damn¡­¡± He sighed.

    The summoning card had a brand new crack that ran halfway down the front side. He wanted to blame the failure on the quality of the card but he would only be lying to himself.

    Because of the blocked soul path, his soul force was unstable. He didn¡¯t have the control to compensate for it. He could barely establish the summoning bond briefly before it was broken by the Ensouled''s unwilling soul. He could not exert enough strength to resist.

    He braced himself and tried again. Another failure.

    He tried a third time which destroyed the card.

    He quickly took out a second summoning card, then a third. Even a fourth one turned to dust.

    On the fifth card, Zachary finally gave up and turned to his companion. Katherine had been watching him all this time. Sitting beside him by the river, she hadn¡¯t said anything all this time. He briefly wondered what she thought of him, after witnessing his incompetent efforts.

    ¡°Can you¡­¡± He said as he fought off feelings of embarrassment and uncertainty, ¡°Can you help me?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure because she never helped when Jean-Pierre was around. She made traps and watched over them but she never used a summoning card, at least he had never seen her do it. She had flatly refused even after countless arguments.

    However, to his surprise, Katherine nodded her head with a smile. ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± He blurted.

    She laughed, ¡°Only for you. If it was that guy, I would never in eternity. Marble wouldn¡¯t allow that either, right?¡±

    ¡°Meow!¡±

    Katherine stepped up and drew a blank summoning card. Without a word, she performed the ritual. Eternum surged through her body as she released her soul¡¯s intent and inner strength. It was over as quickly as it began. The crab¡¯s body turned into a deep blue light and entered the summoning card, leaving behind a small anima crystal with the color of the ocean.

    ¡°Here you go.¡± She said cheerfully and handed him the card.

    ¡°Thanks¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t wait so long to ask me next time.¡±

    He nodded slowly, with some difficulty. He used to be able to do that in the past. Capturing a novice rank Ensouled was as simple as eating and breathing. Now, everything was a struggle.

    Zachary put away these frustrating sentiments and focused on his new summon. He extended his soul sense to examine the crab that resided within the card. To his surprise, it was actually at the Three Paths Novice Rank. It was indeed far stronger than the Ensouled of the first hunting ground. If this thing had been in deep water, he would have had no chance. He was able to subdue it only because he was able to lure it to the river bank and then pull it out of the water... because he had the help of his summons.

    As he thought about it, he gradually came up with a new strategy. He could presume with some certainty that the deeper into the jungle he went, the stronger Ensouled he would encounter. Three Paths Novice Rank, Six Paths Novice Rank, even Eight Paths Novice Rank; as long as he was patient and did not challenge anything beyond his means, he would be able to steadily catch stronger summons.

    It had been his mistake to try for that adept rank flower Ensouled. He would focus on novice rank Ensouled for now. Step by step, one path after another, he wouldn¡¯t think about adept rank Ensouled until his roster was filled up by Eight Paths Novice Rank summons, ones at the peak of the novice rank. Only then would the true battles begin.

 26. His First (I)

    By the end of the day, the river proved to be a fruitful hunting ground. With help from Katherine and the new summon which he named Hammer, Zachary was able to adjust his methods and catch several more Ensouled. He kept a small fish with beautiful rainbow scales while killing the others for their anima crystals as well as to serve as food.

    Aquatic Ensouled had their uses in water but were far weaker out of water. Only creatures like Hammer could still provide combat power in the jungle while the rainbow fish was completely useless. Even with Katherine''s near-perfect success rate with summoning cards, they still had to be mindful of their limited supply.

    ¡°Is it ready yet?¡± Katherine asked as she sat next to the small fire.

    She voiced the question that was on several minds at the moment. Marble sat on her lap, staring at the sizzling pieces of roast fish and licking its lips. Onkie was by Zachary¡¯s feet, bumping into him constantly and begging silently.

    ¡°It¡¯s ready. Be careful, it¡¯s hot.¡±

    Katherine snatched up two skewers and fed one to Marble. Zachary also took two and gave one to Onkie.

    The fish was fragrant and oily. Its flesh was white and flaky. The skin was crispy and slightly charred. Even without salt or other seasonings, it tasted great.

    It not only filled their hungry stomachs; it also provided a small amount of Eternum to replenish their soul sea. While most of the Eternum within an Ensouled remained within their anima crystal, a fraction of it would be constantly circulating through the body, improving physical attributes and enhancing natural abilities. Eating the flesh of Ensouled was not the most effective way to absorb Eternum and cultivate the soul but it was better than nothing.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan now?¡± Katherine asked.

    She had just finished a skewer and picked up another.

    ¡°I am not confident enough to cross the river with just Hammer and Dream. I want to catch something else that can fight on land as well as in the water. This place is a good hunting ground, it won¡¯t hurt to stay a little while to gather strength¡­ as long as nobody comes to bother us.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± She said and started munching, taking small but quick bites in action that mirrored her cat.

    Zachary watched her in silence, a question rising to the front of his mind but not sure if he should ask it. He finally cast aside his uncertainty when she took the last skewer that should have been his.

    ¡°So¡­ you know that I have a wounded soul. I want to know, why you still follow me and want to help me.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t figured it out?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t read your mind, how am I supposed to?¡±

    She chuckled and slowly finished the last bit of fish. She licked her lips and wiped her mouth, taking her sweet time just to annoy him.

    She turned towards him, her pretty face flickering with firelight as the sky darkened around them. There was an air of mystery around her like he didn¡¯t know her at all. And he didn¡¯t. He felt a strange sense of comfort in her company but she was not much better than a complete stranger.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it was a secret?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Her eyes sparkled with playfulness, ¡°I can tell you, but only if you tell one of your secrets first. It¡¯s only fair.¡±

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    ¡°Fine, I can tell you how my soul was wounded.¡±

    She waved her hand, ¡°No, no. No need. I already know that.¡±

    ¡°How do you¡­¡±

    ¡°I want to know,¡± She said with emphasis, ¡°About your first summon and how you obtained it.¡±

    Zachary stared at her for a long time. He had never told the story of his first summon to anyone except his parents. He wondered what her aim was and how she already knew so much about him.

    But after considering everything, he decided that the past wasn¡¯t worth more than his life in the present. He needed her. And as she said, it was a fair trade.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see, my first summon¡­¡±

    ---

    It happened during the summer when he was nine years old. He remembered it all clearly, the town of Warton where he grew up with his parents. It was right along the seashore, a small town that consisted of mostly farmers and fishermen.

    In the Republic of Adorin, children at the age of ten could go to school to learn about becoming a summoner. Tuition was free. The only requirement was that they had to have a summon that they called their own.

    His family wasn¡¯t rich but they weren¡¯t so poor that they couldn¡¯t afford a summon for their only child. Her mother ran a small bookstore. It was a curious sight in a rural town but it allowed him to be surrounded with knowledge about various Ensouled at a young age. His father worked for the town as an accountant of some sort. He didn¡¯t make a lot of money but it was enough to support the small family as well as the bookstore that rarely turned a profit.

    Zachary was finally at an age when he could finally receive his first summon. After growing up on his mother¡¯s stories and reading endless piles of books, he could hardly wait.

    ¡°Mom, when is Dad coming back?¡±

    A middle-aged woman with slightly graying black hair looked up from her task at the counter. Peering over a stack of books, her warm gaze fell upon her son, Zachary Zhang. With black hair that flowed down to his shoulders and charming looks, he was a healthy boy of nine and some change. He had already unlocked his first soul path and was eager to officially become a summoner.

    ¡°Your father only left yesterday. It will take three days by train to reach New Cambria and a few days more to find the right Ensouled for you. If you want him to rush, then he¡¯ll just get you an ember cat.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± He shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want a cat!¡±

    ¡°We know, we know,¡± She waved him off, ¡°Go and play outside, get some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Zachary grabbed his fishing pole and ran out of the shop. He strolled along the streets, casually waving at other children who were playing in the alleys between brick houses. An occasional wagon or carriage rattled past him, pulled along by common equine Ensouled.

    Warton was a small town. The tallest building only had two stories. He followed the main street and walked past the harbor. The fishing ships had all gone out, the fishermen and their loyal sea dogs hard at work harvesting the bounties of the sea.

    There was one merchant steamer at the docks. With a black-painted hull and tall smokestacks, it was eye-catching. A creation that combined human ingenuity and the power of Ensouled, these steamers allowed people without water-attribute Ensouled to cross dangerous oceans.

    It was the same for trains. A high rank Ensouled that specialized in speed on the ground could far outpace the fastest trains. However, they were expensive and only available to high rank summoners. Trains allowed ordinary people like his father. to travel long distances quickly.

    Zachary left the town and crossed over into the countryside. Endless fields of wheat and corn occupied the rolling hills with only the occasional ancient tree to break the view. It wasn¡¯t planting season or else he would have seen tri-horn oxen everywhere, plowing the ground at the behest of their summoners.

    He headed for his favorite fishing spot. Hardly anyone came around here. The nearest town was half a day away by horse.

    He eventually reached the ocean after climbing down some cliffs and scrambling over the rocks. He cast out his line and waited patiently for a bite. He wondered if he would be able to catch an Ensouled. He wouldn¡¯t know what to do with it as he didn¡¯t have any summoning cards or know what to do with them. But at least he could daydream.

    As he was staring at the calm sea and the blue sky, he noticed a strange sight.

    A dark cloud appeared over the horizon. It moved in a straight line, parallel to the shore, with the pace and ferocity of a horde of wild Ensouled. Soon, it had covered half the sky, casting the land into gloominess.

    Lighting flashed through the clouds. Thunder rumbled. But there was no rain. Surprisingly, it was snow that began to fall around him, swept around by the sharp wind that buffeted Zachary''s small frame.

    The rolling clouds were filled with a sense of fury and defiance like they were going to sweep away everything in their path. He wanted to run but an overwhelming pressure weighed on his soul and rooted his feet to the ground.

    Suddenly, a great flash of lightning went off, over the sea directly in front of him. His mouth fell open as an amazing sight appeared.

 27. His First (II)

    A giant shadow appeared within the clouds, illuminated by lightning. It was difficult to make out its exact shape but one thing was unmistakable. It had majestic feathered wings, so massive they could cover half the sky.

    Boom!

    The ground shook. The waves turned turbulent. Zachary lost his footing and landed painfully on his butt.

    Boom!

    The clouds came alive once more, displaying the majesty of this strange creature that could seemingly change the weather and bend the world to its will. But then, he noticed something else, multiple smaller shadows around the larger beast. They were moving around at high speed, surrounding the thing like tiny flies before an elephant.

    The skies flashed again, but this time with many different lights. It wasn¡¯t just lightning. It was a kaleidoscope of colors; crimson red, deep blue, forest green, toxic purple, and more.

    ¡°Summoners!¡± Zachary exclaimed.

    A furious battle broke out within the clouds. An unseen and unknown number of summoners challenged this saint-like existence of the sky. No doubt riding flying mounts, they summoned an array of Ensouled to attack the much larger beast.

    Faced with this onslaught, the mass of dark clouds slowed but didn¡¯t stop. It continued along its path as it batted away the insignificant insects bothering its day. The skies flashed with lightning and trembled with thunder. A fierce snowstorm followed out of nowhere, casting the ocean and the shoreline where Zachary was in a wintery purgatory.

    Crack!

    A large object fell from the sky and crashed into the rough waves, creating a mighty water spout.

    Another object followed and Zachary was able to make it out. It was a piece of ice. Or more accurately, it was probably something that had been flash-frozen by the wrath of the mysterious creature. This misshapen piece of ice crashed into the cliffs nearby and disintegrated into icy dust.

    Crack!

    Boom!

    The lights within the clouds seemed to intensify. The battle reached a critical point. In addition to snow, it started to hail. Large and small hailstones joined the countless humans and their summons fell from the sky, entombed in ice.

    ¡°Ah! Ow! Crap!¡± Zachary shouted in panic.

    He ran blindly for cover but there was none to be found. Ice crashed down all around him, a few landing so close that the impact knocked him off his feet. He finally huddled behind a large rock and covered his head.

    Ice and snow continued to fall. Large waves crashed onto the rocks. Flashes of light cast bizarre shadows around him. He shivered from the cold. He felt like he could die at any moment. Growing up in the peaceful seaside town of Warton, this was his first time experiencing the dangers of the world and what summoners had to face.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Dang it.¡±

    ¡°What the heck, ah¡­¡±

    Then it was over. The bright sun returned. The dark clouds that swept over the land were gone just like that.

    Zachary emerged from his hiding spot to a scene of devastation. The beach was covered in snow and large chunks of ice. Among the ice were countless broken bodies¡­ those of various Ensouled and their human summoners.

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    ¡°Ugh.¡± He covered his mouth and suppressed the rising discomfort.

    He gave these corpses a wide berth and headed for the path back to town. But he had only made a few steps before he sensed something. It wasn¡¯t sound, smell, or anything he saw. It was simply a mixture of feelings; pain, fear, grief, and confusion.

    There was something nearby, something that had survived the battle in the sky.

    Curiosity got the better of him and Zachary rushed in that direction. He found it amidst the rocks, a spherical piece of ice the size of a pumpkin. Strangely, it had split into two perfect halves as if by some mysterious force.

    Curled up within was a small mass of white fur. It had dark stripes that ran along its entire body and down to its four little paws. Its face was hidden away but it couldn¡¯t hide a pair of magnificent wings. They were lined with fluffy white feathers that folded neatly against its small frame. They were gorgeous.

    ¡°Wow.¡± Zachary breathed, not quite believing what he was seeing.

    ¡°Yao¡­¡± The little thing let out a weak cry.

    ¡°Crap!¡± He jumped back in fear.

    But nothing happened. The little beast quivered slightly but seemed too weak to do anything else.

    Zachary tip-toed over, drawn by the strong emotions radiating from it. He couldn''t bear to leave it here. Thinking about the battle that had just taken place in the sky, he had a feeling that this little creature would grow up to be incredibly strong.

    After a little while, the beast stopped moving as if it had fainted. He prodded it but it didn¡¯t even stir. He didn''t have to think about it and made the decision. He picked up the little beast and bundled it carefully in his coat. He then dashed back home as fast as his short legs could carry him.

    When he reached Warton, many people were in the streets, having heard the commotion in the distant skies. Some went out to investigate, with their summons leading the way. Nobody stopped him but a few gave him strange looks. Only when he went inside his family¡¯s bookstore could he breathe a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Zach!¡± His mother cried out, ¡°Are you alright? What happened?¡±

    She rushed over to check on him. Thankfully, she ignored the bundled-up coat tucked under his arm.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. See? Nothing happened. I thought a storm was coming so I came home.¡±

    ¡°Alright, go wash up. Also, I need your help around the bookshop the next few days so you can¡¯t go out and play without asking me.¡±

    Zachary smiled and nodded. He understood her meaning and he had no intention of going outside anytime soon.

    He waved to his mother and rushed to the upper floor. He dropped his prize on the bed and went to wash his face. He also went to the kitchen and pilfered some small fish and a piece of bacon.

    ¡°Yao?¡±

    A small cry greeted him when he returned. His coat had become unfurled, revealing the cutest little face he had ever seen. Big blue eyes as profound as the sky, furry cheeks with long whiskers; he was instantly smitten.

    ¡°Yao!¡±

    It displayed defiance as well as a warning to the thing that had taken it captive.

    Zachary stared in wonder. It was a little tiger! A little white tiger with wings. Amazing!

    He had told his parents that he didn¡¯t want a cat as his first summon. Cats were most popular Ensouled across the republic. Many summoners started out with a cat as their first. He didn¡¯t want to be like everyone else so he insisted. However, he would make an exception for this little thing. After all, a tiger was not a cat.

    ¡°Little tiger, don¡¯t be afraid. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± He said softly.

    ¡°Yao¡­¡± It mumbled weakly.

    Its body swayed after the momentary exertion. It eventually tumbled to one side and let out a pained cry.

    Zachary rushed over and examined it. He gently brushed its soft fur with his fingertips, checking for any obvious wounds. He felt a great sense of discomfort from the little tiger and quickly stopped.

    ¡°Sorry. Sorry. I was just worried you were hurt.¡±

    It closed its eyes, seemingly ignoring him.

    ¡°Are you hungry, maybe this will help you regain your energy?¡±

    He offered the small fish his mother had bought from the market that day. The tiger took a few sniffs and didn¡¯t react. But he could definitely sense rising hunger so he tempted it again.

    ¡°What about this?¡±

    He presented the piece of bacon. It still ignored him but its sense of hunger rose by a level. It was stubborn, it didn¡¯t even look in his direction.

    Zachary waited silently. He didn¡¯t leave the room nor did he leave the food on the bed. He kept it in his hand, just out of the tiger¡¯s reach. He sensed that it would give in.

    Another child in his place might have done things differently. He, instead, relied on his intuition, a unique sense that came to him after he unlocked his first soul path. He had never told anyone about this, even his parents.

    It took a long time but, in the end, the little beast finally turned towards him. It opened its mouth wide, revealing small white fangs. Its head swayed blindingly from side to side as if it expected food to fall into its mouth.

    Zachary chuckled and fed it a piece of bacon, ¡°Here you go. Don¡¯t choke on it.¡±

    ¡°Yao, yao, yao¡­¡± The white tiger cub made happy noises as it chewed.

    It quickly finished and begged for more. He watched it eat, happiness swelling up in his soul.

    ¡°I will call you Yaoyao. From now on, you¡¯ll be my first summon.¡±

 28. Her Story (I)

    The cooking fire had died out, leaving behind only dim embers. In the twilight sky above, there was still a faint purple glow, signifying the short few moments before complete darkness.

    However, sitting across from Zachary, Katherine¡¯s eyes shined with unexpected brightness, as if she had suddenly found the most interesting thing in the world. His story was finished but she was still as excited as she had been at the beginning.

    ¡°Zachary Zhang and his Yaoyao¡­ I knew it was you. Ahhh!¡± She squealed like a little girl.

    ¡°What¡­ you knew? How?¡± He asked.

    Instead of answering, she hopped out of her seat and slid next to him. She gave him a tight hug and rubbed her head against his arm.

    ¡°I knew it. Well... when I first met you, I was pretty sure but not totally. When you told me your last name and your crimes, I knew for certain. Zachary Zhang and his Yaoyao, the famous novice summoner with his one-of-a-kind winged tiger. The pair that steamrolled through the novice competition of Plymouth County with a single summon!¡±

    She laughed happily and refused to let him go, even when he tried to push her away.

    ¡°How do you know about that? That was years ago, I was like eleven¡­¡± He protested.

    With Yaoyao, he had indeed won a novice summoner competition in his local county. She was the offspring of that majestic saint in the sky. She was far away the strongest within the novice rank. It wasn¡¯t even a fair fight but straight-up bullying.

    But he hadn¡¯t done anything else after that. Yaoyao¡¯s performance was far too shocking and his parents made them keep a low profile from then on. Although he was the champion of the county, he did not go on to the provincial level, let alone the national level.

    However, he couldn¡¯t stay in Warton forever and eventually left for university after passing the exams. He had only managed to experience a few short months of university life before the incident happened. He lost everything after that, including Yaoyao.

    ¡°Yes, yes. You were only a little novice summoner.¡± Katherine said, ¡°But with that one competition, you had already attracted the attention of various people in the republic and beyond. They had all been keeping an eye on you and Yaoyao, all this time.¡±

    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Zachary muttered.

    He had known something like that was possible. His parents had warned him many times. He also had many days on the prison ship to reflect on the events that led to his current state.

    During that time, he had come to the conclusion that he had trusted the wrong person. He gave his na?ve heart to her and she had stabbed him in the back. She played him from the very beginning in order to get her hands on Yaoyao.

    He didn''t expect that it wasn''t just her... that there were even more people eyeing Yaoyao.

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    Zachary let out a long sigh, ¡°Alright, fine. So you know about my past and my first summon. That still doesn¡¯t explain why you are following me.¡±

    She let go of his arm and jumped to her feet, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯ll tell you tomorrow.¡±

    With that, she climbed up the nearby tree with surprising speed and agility, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts as the first watch of the night.

    ---

    The first thing Zachary noticed when he awoke was that it was far too warm. The jungle was hot and humid during the day and also during the night. However, he felt as if he was covered by a soft blanket. Then he realized that the said blanket had arms and legs and was clinging to him like a barnacle.

    ¡°Hey¡­¡± He groaned.

    Katherine¡¯s face was buried in the crook of his neck. Her scent tickled his nose. Her light snores sounded so content.

    ¡°Hey.¡± He nudged her.

    They were on a large tree branch. His back scraped against the rough bark. It wasn¡¯t the most comfortable place to sleep. On the other hand, she had conveniently used him as a cushion.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± She mumbled.

    ¡°You were supposed to be on watch."

    He had diligently watched over their surroundings for half a night. She was supposed to do it for the second half.

    ¡°Marble said she would do it.¡± She said.

    Zachary looked around for the cat and didn¡¯t find it. He felt something fluffy and looked down. Her cat was nestled between them, sleeping like a brick.

    He muttered to himself as he tried to push her off. The sky was already bright blue. He didn¡¯t know how long they had slept in. There was no need to mention the dangers of doing so in this place.

    ¡°Are you angry?¡± Katherine asked, still clinging to his neck, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was really tired last night. Marble promised she would stay awake. I will discipline her today, I promise.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯m not angry.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She said softly.

    She then leaned up and kissed his cheek.

    ¡°Eh?¡± He made a silly noise from surprise.

    He rubbed the spot on his cheek reflectively. Her lips were small and soft, like a ball of fur. She had a distinct scent, it reminded him of what he had lost.

    ¡°What? Do I smell?¡± She asked after seeing his expression.

    She checked her breath and then her hair, sniffing herself all over. ¡°I suppose we both smell a little bit. An easy fix.¡±

    She detached herself from him with speed akin to a startled cat. She leaped off the tree and dashed to the riverbank. She then jumped into the water.

    ¡°Hey! ...damn it,¡± Zachary said and scrambled after her.

    He quickly summoned both Hammer and Dream. Dream¡¯s rainbow scales flashed briefly under the morning sun before it slid smoothly into the water. Hammer¡¯s large body followed with a large splash.

    ¡°Dream, Hammer, stay alert for other Ensouled.¡±

    ¡°Kack!¡± The crab answered with an affirmative while the fish wagged its tail.

    There was another splash as Katherine reemerged. Standing in the shallows, she gave him a dazzling smile. Sunlight reflected off the river, surrounding her with flashes of rainbow colors. Water dripped from her hair and down her smooth, bare skin. The two gentle swells on her chest glistened as they guided droplets to their pink tips.

    Her hands were thrust into her sides, making no attempt at modesty. Her hips were cocked to one side, playful and enticing. His gaze inadvertently drifted downward. A small gap of daylight was visible above the water, between her thighs. Its secrets were hidden by a small triangle of brown hair that captured his attention for far too long.

    His breath caught in his throat. He wanted to say something but found a sudden lack of coherent thoughts.

    ¡°See something you like?¡± Katherine asked coyly.

    Zachary coughed and looked away, suddenly far more interested in the trees on the other side of the river.

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± She said and dived back into the water.

    With their summons standing guard, she swam around a little before washing herself. She scrubbed her body from top to bottom. She cleaned her hair the best she could. She also washed the worn-out prisoner outfit she had been wearing for far too long.

    All the while, Zachary tried to look at anything except her. Unluckily, he failed more than he succeeded.

 29. Her Story (II)

    ¡°Blue, rain daggers!¡±

    At Zachary¡¯s command, a blue blur descended from the trees toward the target. At around the halfway point, Blue put on the brakes, expanding its wings to the fullest. It then let loose with its special ability, using its feathers to produce a light rain that drizzled around the target.

    The target, a piece of driftwood sticking out of the sand next to the river, wasn¡¯t harmed in the least. Meanwhile, the culprit of the attack, the little blue jungle bird, had disappeared from view.

    ¡°Good job, Blue. Come back.¡±

    He held out his hand and Blue reemerged from the trees. It circled his head and gave a few happy cries before landing. He stroked its feathers and then fed it a small worm.

    ¡°Chrr! Chrr!¡± It sounded very proud of its accomplishment.

    Zachary was also satisfied. Blue¡¯s ability to produce rain was useless in a fight. This new routine was still useless against wild Ensouled. But against another summoner, it would be able to buy him a few precious seconds.

    ¡°Wow, did he learn a new ability?¡± Katherine asked.

    They were still hunting for aquatic Ensouled by the wide river. It was currently her turn to watch over the fishing pole. The matters from last night and this morning were still fresh in his mind but he put them aside to focus on improving their strength during the day.

    Zachary shook his head and replied, ¡°Not a new ability, just a routine of its existing ability. This way, its rain will be slightly useful. But trying to get it to learn a whole new ability is just not possible.¡±

    A routine was just a different way to use an existing ability. For Blue, it was the ability to produce rain. Given its current soul cultivation at the One Path Novice Rank, this was all it could do. However, it was possible to utilize a summoner¡¯s creativity to create different routines for the same ability.

    He was thinking of doing a similar thing with Arrow. Its poison attack was very important to him as his only long-range attack. Teaching it a routine would improve its effectiveness by a large margin.

    That wasn¡¯t to say that routines could replace abilities. A new ability represented a fundamentally different or greater way of utilizing Eternum and a stronger Ensouled. For Blue, a new ability would be something like infusing so much power into a single raindrop so that it would have the power and sharpness of a blade. Or, it could produce so much rain that it became an actual downpour rather than a drizzle.

    But getting new abilities was easier said than done. For some Ensouled, they might naturally learn a new ability as they increase their soul cultivation. If not, certain abilities could be taught given that the Ensouled met the threshold of soul force to produce a specific effect.

    ¡°What about your cat? It seems quite talented. Are you going to train it?¡±

    ¡°Marble? I didn¡¯t think about that. Do you have anything in mind?¡± She asked back.

    ¡°I mean¡­ a pet summon is tricky. You can¡¯t tell exactly what ability it has. It has some kind of teleportation ability. Its claws could take out other Ensouled so that could possibly be another ability related to claws or it could be tied to a generic physical strengthening ability. It¡¯s hard to come up with any improvements without knowing its limits.¡±

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    After he finished speaking, Marble popped out of Katherine''s shirt and gave him what was probably a dirty look. It stuck out its tongue, licked its lips, and disappeared once more.

    His eyes lingered there a little longer before he snorted and looked away.

    Katherine chuckled, ¡°I think you don¡¯t have to worry about her. She is very talented.¡±

    ¡°Sure, sure¡­¡±

    The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Zachary and Katherine worked together to catch more Ensouled and reconvened at sundown to share a meal and as well as their spoils.

    As the fish skewers sizzled next to the small fire, he held up a small summoning card. Within it was an Ensouled from the river but the anima crystal¡¯s color was green as the forest around them. It was the attribute of life.

    The creature was as strange as it was ugly. It could only be described as a slug made up of slimy seaweed. He wasn¡¯t going to waste a summoning card on it until they discovered that it was really difficult to kill.

    It had a powerful regenerative ability. Even when its body was pulled into pieces, it could still reconstitute itself. If too many pieces of seaweed were pulled from its body, it would simply grow more.

    ¡°Does it have the ability you¡¯re looking for?¡± Katherine asked, briefly eyeing the card in his hand.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s ability is tied to its own body. It can¡¯t be used elsewhere. But that¡¯s natural since it is only at the Three Paths Novice Rank. I¡¯ll keep it. If there are no other options, maybe I can raise its soul cultivation until it learns a new ability and hopefully that will be more useful.¡±

    ¡°Mmhmm.¡±

    The pair shared a quiet meal. It was the same routine as yesterday. Except, Zachary had a question he was dying to ask Katherine. But he knew it was better to fill her stomach first beforehand.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Katherin sighed and patted her stomach.

    She had eaten a lot, a whole fish by herself. Marble also managed to eat another half of a fish. It was impressive. Combined with Zachary and his growing menagerie of summons, they had demolished all the food they had caught that day.

    ¡°Full?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Stuffed.¡± She finished rubbing her stomach with a smile and said, ¡°Go ahead, you can ask.¡±

    He coughed and said, ¡°I told you about my first. I think it''s only fair that you explain how you know so much about me and why you are following me around. Without that, I don¡¯t think I can trust you.¡±

    The two of them shared a long look. His brown eyes were filled with concern and inquisitiveness. Her green orbs were like the vast jungle around them.

    He hoped that she could at least come up with a believable lie. If he could accept it, then it was even better. He wanted her to stay and, subconsciously, he was already giving her a great deal of leeway.

    Katherine tapped her chin and made a pondering expression, ¡°Where to begin¡­ there are so many things I want to tell you but you might not believe them. Some things that might scare you or make you want to run away.¡±

    He waited patiently while she seemed to contemplate the mysteries of the world.

    ¡°Alright,¡± She finally said, ¡°I should also start at the beginning.¡±

    She got up, walked around, and sat down next to him, ¡°Zachary Zhang, look at me. What am I about to show you is very important. It will shock you. But before you react, remember that I have never done anything to harm you. And I promise that I never will.¡±

    ¡°Okay?¡±

    With his reply, she scooted backward slightly and then did what he least expected. She pulled her shirt above her chest, giving him an eyeful once more. Under the dimming sky, the pink circles around her nipples were especially prominent.

    She ignored his reaction and started to whisper, ¡°Bless the Ice Saint, your servant requests your aid. Glory to the Ice Saint, please reveal your mark to this human so that he may see your might. May the Ice Saint rule over this world eternal¡­¡±

    As she finished, a faint light started to glow on her chest, in the area directly above her heart. It started faint and then turned a deep blue. It then gained clarity, creating an eight-pointed pattern akin to a snowflake.

    The mark pulsed with profound power. Waves of Eternum swept over Zachary, making him feel as if he was drowning, as if he was being buried in an endless snowstorm. Lightening flashed before his eyes and he finally felt a sense of recognition.

 30. Her Story (III)

    He remembered. It had been over ten years since he felt this same power. It was the fateful day he witnessed the insane battle between a mysterious Ensouled and an army of summoners. It was the day he met Yaoyao, the beginning of everything.

    ¡°This¡­¡± He muttered, unsure of what to say.

    He had so many questions and countless thoughts. But mostly, he was relieved by the sense of familiarity.

    The mark on her chest glowed for a little while longer and then went away. Darkness surrounded them but he could feel her faint breaths, tinged with traces of excitement. He was the same, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.

    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Katherine asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°This,¡± She rubbed the spot above her heart, ¡°Is the mark of the Ice Saint. Do you know about the Ice Saint?¡±

    He started to shake his head but quickly put the pieces together, ¡°Is this Ice Saint the same as the Ice Tiger King, one of the Eight Saints of the New World?¡±

    This was something he had researched a great deal in his spare time, the matter of Yaoyao¡¯s origin. He eventually found a reference to the Eight Saints of the New World. These were eight wild Ensouled that had no other equal. It was rumored that they ruled vast swaths of the New World. Their power could rival entire nations. Among them was the Ice Tiger King, a massive winged tiger with the ability to create snowstorms at will. It was mostly likely what he had seen that day.

    Novice rank, adept rank, expert rank, noble rank, royal rank, and finally, saint rank; these were the ranks of soul cultivation known to humanity. The saint rank was the highest, with the Eight Saints of the New World standing at the very peak. They could bend countless souls to their will. When one appeared, the whole world trembled.

    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied with a smile, ¡°Very good.¡±

    ¡°But why do you call it the Ice Saint?¡± He asked.

    She didn¡¯t reply immediately. She instead took his hand and led them to their perch up in the trees. It was getting late so he didn¡¯t complain. With Marble and Blue standing guard, the pair sat down again on a wide branch and faced each other.

    ¡°Here comes the crux of my story. Will you still accept me after I tell you?¡±

    ¡°Since this is related to Yaoao, I will listen with an open mind.¡±

    She sighed softly, ¡°Fine, the Ice Saint, there is no easy way to say this¡­ but since the mark has shown itself to you, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter. The saint¡¯s mark is special, it will only reveal itself to people who are worthy enough to see it. You are not one of the saint¡¯s people but you were Yaoyao¡¯s summoner. That makes you qualified.¡±

    She gently clasped his hand with both of hers. She held it as if was something precious. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were filled with emotion and vulnerability. ¡°Zachary¡­ I am a member of what you and other people call the beast cults.¡±

    She paused and waited for his reaction.

    He blinked a few times but stayed still. Meanwhile, a surging feeling of fright began in the pit of his stomach and quickly spread through his body. His instinct and past training told him to run, to do anything but sit there dumbly. However, he held it all back with great difficulty.

    ¡°Okay.¡± He replied, staying neutral.

    She nodded in appreciation, seemingly understanding his struggle, ¡°Beast cults have countless factions and they do not follow the same Ensouled. I follow the Ice Saint and have from a young age. I suppose that my story also starts there but unlike you, I did not always have a happy childhood¡­¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Katherine Holt¡¯s story started with loving parents and a large family. They bred cats and sold them as pets or summons. Since cats were the most popular type of Ensouled in the republic, it allowed them to live a comfortable life, one that she remembered to be filled with joy and endless cats.

    That all ended when she was seven, during the Hundred Days War. Many of the republic¡¯s largest cities were attacked and there were heavy civilian casualties. She lost her parents, her siblings, and her happiness. In the aftermath, she struggled at the overcrowded orphanage, with harsh relatives, and then on the streets where she had to fend for herself and compete against hordes of other war orphans.

    As a result, she fell in with some unsavory groups and eventually with people who were worshippers of the Ice Saint. She was persuaded to their cause and took the mark of the saint soon after as a symbol of her allegiance. The beast cult fed her and trained her as a summoner. And when she was ready, she joined the republic military on behalf of the saint to carry out secret missions in the future.

    Years passed. She slowly rose through the enlisted ranks and took part in a few campaigns. She was involved with raising and training cat-type Ensouled that were used by the military. Due to her nature, cats loved her, even those of other summoners. She established herself as someone with a unique talent for cat summons.

    She did a few small missions for the cult throughout her time in the military. It was mostly small matters such as passing information on a regular basis. However, six months ago, she received a priority mission, one that came directly from the Ice Saint. It was to rescue Yaoyao who had been forcefully taken by the republic. Due to her military posting, she was the best candidate and most likely to gain information on where Yaoyao might be.

    Katherine accepted the mission without hesitation. Although she was a low-ranking member of the cult, she already knew about Zachary and Yaoyao. It was widely known to all members within the republic, that an offspring of the saint became the summon of an ordinary human.

    It was a huge matter when it first happened. The higher-ups wanted to immediately take back Yaoyao and kill the outsiders involved. However, the Ice Saint passed down word that he would let the matter develop. He wanted to see how strong Yaoyao could become with a human summoner and without any other assistance.

    With this, Zachary Zhang and his Yaoyao became famous within the cult of the Ice Saint. They were constantly monitored and their progress tracked. Therefore, when that incident happened, the cult knew about it the same day. The Ice Saint had allowed Yaoyao to stay with Zachary. But he could never allow the republic to possess her.

    ¡°What happened to Yaoyao?¡± Zachary asked, suddenly interrupting her. His words were filled with desperation and his hand gripped hers tightly, ¡°Did you find her? Is she okay?¡±

    It was his one regret.

    He didn¡¯t regret killing those people. He didn¡¯t even regret the mistake of trusting that person. He had already accepted that. But Yaoyao was different. She was his first, his soul summon. They were supposed to be partners for life.

    Katherine replied softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know because I failed my mission. I was able to find out her location. She was transferred from the military to the Yoon-Cromwell Corporation, one of their research labs, for study and observation. I was on my way there, hiding in one of their supply trains. But I underestimated their security measures and was discovered.¡±

    Zachary let go of her hand and slumped over in disappointment. Her story made sense. She was imprisoned as a traitor to the republic because she was one. She knew about Yaoyao because she was a member of the cult of the Ice Saint.

    ¡°Wait,¡± He said after some thought, ¡°What about Marble, you never explained where she came from. And don¡¯t say that you picked her up in the jungle.¡±

    ¡°Aiya, why are you so smart? Hehe. Of course, I didn¡¯t. Marble was given to me for the mission. She is a yin-yang cat, a special species from the Ice Saint¡¯s domain. She is tied to the saint¡¯s mark and can reside within it. The mark cannot be detected by ordinary means so she was able to follow me to this place. That¡¯s all. I promise that I am not hiding any more secrets¡±

    He sighed in defeat, ¡°Alright, alright. I believe you. So, what now? What do we do?¡±

    She laughed and with a deft movement of her legs and hands, pushed herself forward so that she landed sideways on his lap. Ignoring his stunned expression, she hugged him tightly.

    ¡°What else is there to do?¡± She said softly, ¡°We are just two people trying to survive in this wild land.¡±

    She looked up and landed a soft kiss on his chin, ¡°You need me. And because of Yaoyao, I will follow you. What do you say?¡±

    Their eyes met and silent emotions passed between them. Her pretty face was illuminated by the stars. She reminded him of the past, beautiful memories as well as painful ones. She also represented the future, an uncertain one at that. Yaoyao, the republic, beast cults, and the Yoon-Cromwell Corporation; they were too far away. Right now, he only had her, only her and a rag-tag lineup of summons to face the New World.

    He leaned down, his gaze drifting toward her lips, and gave her his answer.

 31. Her Story (IV)

    Their first touch was soft and tentative. Her small lips quivered against his, coming forward only briefly before pulling back. She was like a kitten testing the surface of an unknown body of water.

    He pressed ahead, capturing her mouth once more, not wanting her to leave. The night was warm but the temperature between them was rising steadily. Affection was shared between their lips and their bodies. Their breaths mixed together as they both came up for air.

    He held her tightly but she wasn¡¯t going anywhere in the first place. She snuggled against him and let out a breathy laugh. It was one filled with contentment as if she had found the most comfortable place to be. In this jungle of the New World, she was the only person he could rely on. It was lucky for him that she would have it no other way.

    They met again and this time, their kisses became even more heated. Two people, each with their own thoughts, were remarkably aligned in that moment. Both were seeking solace against the unknown, seeking comfort in the Old World and a past that happened to intertwine.

    At some point or another, Katherine had changed position. She pushed him down on his back and straddled his waist. She leaned down and devoured his lips. Her hands clutched at his bare chest, his shoulders. Her fingers ran their way through his long hair and then moved to caress his face.

    He felt like he was slowly drowning. His thoughts became fuzzy as he lost himself in the moment. He cast away all other worries and focused solely on her.

    He called her name. His voice was husky and filled with desire. ¡°Katherine¡­¡±

    She stopped nibbling his neck and looked up, ¡°Mmm?¡±

    She was so lovely. Messy brown hair framed a small face. Her green eyes sparkled in the night as they peered into his. Her freshly kissed lips were red and glistening.

    His hands moved downward and she didn¡¯t resist. Two worn-out pieces of clothing separated them and those were quickly removed. She raised her hips, letting his arousal gently touch hers.

    He groaned.

    She purred.

    His fingers groped her naked thighs, slightly trembling in anticipation. Her hands rested against his shoulder and chest, her nails gently scraping against his skin.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, their bodies connected. He plunged inside her, delving into heat and ecstasy, savoring this temporary connection of the soul.

    ---

    Zachary barely slept that night. He kept watch even as Kathrine slept like a dead cat all the way to the morning. He didn¡¯t blame her, not after the things they had done.

    He gained some mental clarity after the fact and considered what she meant to him. He decided that it did change some things but not everything. He did not love her after one night and he didn¡¯t think he would ever love her.

    His heart was hurt too badly by the incident and there was no chance for it to heal so soon. The person who betrayed him was his first love. And up until six months ago, he had thought that she would be his one and only. He was so sure he was going to marry her only for it all to be a lie. He wondered if her feelings for him back then had all been fake as well.

    The lazy cat in his arms finally stirred, bringing him back.

    Katherine yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She stretched as best she could in his arms. He smiled and let go. She gave him an appreciative kiss before getting up.

    She let Marble out and climbed down. He followed, retrieving Boba and bringing out a fresh and rested Hammer. Together, they went into the river, staying in the shallows. Zachary and Katherine washed themselves and their clothes. Hammer happily stood guard, sending out a stream of white foam from its mouth.

    Afterward, they reconvened on the riverbank, sitting together on a piece of driftwood.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± Katherine asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zachary replied.

    She laughed, ¡°Zach, we already slept together, why are you so nervous?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± He protested but it wasn¡¯t convincing.

    ¡°Relax, the Ice Saint Cult also knew about you and your relationship with that person.¡±

    He spluttered, unable to find the right words. Did everyone know about his personal matters?

    Katherine looked up at him, ¡°I told you everything because I want to help you. And that I hope you can trust me.¡±

    Zachary gave her an affectionate nudge, ¡°Thanks. I do. We¡¯re a team now. You and me, we¡¯ll make it.¡±

    She smiled, ¡°A team? I supposed a survival team better than calling it a situationship or friends with benefits.¡±

    He snorted with laughter, ¡°We can be those things too.¡±

    She joined him.

    Their laughter rang brightly in the morning air. The jungle and the rushing river nearby swallowed their voices, but not before a small flock of birds took flight in response.

    They both quieted and examined their surroundings, returning to reality from their light-hearted moment.

    ¡°So, what now?¡± Katherine asked again, this time with complete seriousness, ¡°When can we cross the river?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Zachary tapped his chin and considered the question.

    He knew that they could not remain in their current position forever. The chance of encountering powerful Ensouled was always there but the risk of another survival team arriving rose with each day. The Ensouled they could catch in one location was also limited. It was best to keep moving. They had to keep heading deeper into the jungle.

    ¡°One more Ensouled.¡± He decided. ¡°We should try to catch another Ensouled on the level of Hammer to be safe.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±

 32. Crossing the River (I)

    ¡°Hold on tight,¡± Zachary said as he waded deeper into the river.

    Katherine, who was clinging to his back, let out a hiss as the cold, rushing water submerged them both up to their necks. They were finally crossing the river, not for any pressing reason, just that they had to continue pushing deeper into the jungle. It was a risk but one they had to take to survive.

    Zachary felt a tug and started to move forward. The vine rope tied around his waist was taunt, connected to a large, gray catfish that was swimming slowly and pulling them along. As the latest addition to his summon lineup, he had named it Whiskers. Katherine protested the name but he disagreed as a catfish still had cat in the name.

    Whiskers was close to one meter from head to tail. Its body was wide and girthy. It weighed as much as Katherine. The catfish didn¡¯t have any special abilities but it was a powerful swimmer. With soul cultivation at the Three Paths Novice Rank, there were probably few creatures in this section of the river that could compete with it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He said and started to swim.

    With Whiskers pulling them along, their pace was not slow. The river was as wide as a training field. The current was weak near the shore but quickly became fierce as they crossed. However, they made steady progress and the opposite shore closed in steadily.

    Katherine kept her head up, examining their surroundings as well as the sky above. At the same time, Zachary¡¯s other Ensouled were scouting the water. Hammer, the giant crab, and Dream, the rainbow fish, formed a perimeter around them while Sugo, the green slug that was covered in seaweed, crawled along the river bottom.

    ¡°Stay alert,¡± Zachary said as he came up for air.

    They were crossing the midpoint now. It was the most dangerous position, the longest distance from safety. If any aquatic Ensouled had observed their attempted crossing, now would be the most optimal time to attack.

    Zachary kept his soul senses active, scanning all directions. His physical condition was good as Whiskers was doing most of the swimming. Although he was already suffering from a rising headache, it was still bearable. If nothing stopped them, the trip wouldn¡¯t take much longer.

    However, just as he became optimistic, Katherine¡¯s grip around his neck tightened. Before he could ask, she was already shouting into his ear.

    ¡°Seagulls! Three of them! They¡¯ve spotted us!¡±

    He shivered. It was the worst possible enemy. These giant seagulls were all at the adept rank whereas the toughest creature in the river was only at the novice rank. But at least, three was better than five or ten or a whole flock.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Hold your breath!¡± He shouted.

    He heard her take a deep breath. He did so as well and then gave three quick tugs on the vines connecting him to Whiskers. This was one of the preplanned signals. The catfish thankfully understood and started to swim downward, pulling them along.

    He could no longer see the seagulls above but he knew they were coming. He was well familiar with their aura now as waves of Eternum filled with sharpness and savagery accosted him from what seemed like all directions. They were already a body-length beneath the surface but he didn¡¯t know if it was enough.

    In a burst of inspiration, he expended a great deal of Eternum to recall Hammer from a long distance. He then immediately summoned the crab again.

    His actions came just in time as in the next instant, the water around them shook violently as a massive, body splashed down right above them.

    ¡°Gah!¡± He out a mouthful of air, stunned by the impact.

    Before he could recover, a large bird head appeared. It had a shiny yellow beak surrounded by white feathers and a pair of small black eyes that were filled with hunger. It lunged towards him and Katherine.

    ¡°Ahh!¡± Her scream was muffled by the water.

    Zachary was also frightened. If that beak connected, at best he would lose his arm or suffer a grievous wound. At worst, both of them would be pulled out of the water and become a tasty meal.

    Kah!

    The seagull¡¯s beak connected¡­ but not against soft human flesh. Hammer¡¯s giant claw was in the way. The bird let out of burst of Eternum in anger and bit down again, easily crushing the crab¡¯s hardest body part.

    The powerful adept rank Ensouled flapped its wings and pulled. Hammer¡¯s claw was ripped out of its socket. But that was all it had as it returned to the sky.

    Before Zachary could celebrate, he felt another shockwave as a second seagull plunged into the river. They were twice as deep as before but the wild bird still tried to snap its beak at them. Hammer once again came through for him, acting as a shield and sacrificing two legs in the process.

    All of this action left him almost breathless. He imagined that Katherine was probably the same. But he didn¡¯t dare come up for air just yet.

    He gave two sharp tugs on the vine rope and felt an immediate tug. Whiskers sped forward while remaining at the same depth. He gave two more sharp tugs after a pause, causing the catfish to go into a frenzy and use its full power.

    The river rushed past as they swam, creating a roaring sound in his ears. His eyes stung from being open underwater. His lungs screamed for air. The fear of drowning threatened to cloud his mind. It was all he could do to not thrash around in desperation.

    They finally started to rise as they came upon the opposite shore. He didn¡¯t know if the seagulls had left or if they were waiting for them to reappear. He couldn¡¯t take the risk of sticking his head out so he could only send out Hammer once more.

    The resilient red crab swam up after receiving a push on its bottom. It broke the surface with a splash, waving its one remaining claw in the air in a threatening manner. Fortunately, nothing accosted it even after a long time.

    Zachary and Katherine eventually emerged in the shallows. Gasping for air, they rushed and stumbled up the steep river bank. Without looking at the sky, they helped each other and dragged their weary bodies along as quickly as they could manage until they were finally within the safety of the trees.

    He collapsed onto a soft patch of dirt in relief. She chose to fall right on top of him.

    She hugged him and mumbled tiredly, ¡°I hate seagulls.¡±

 33. Crossing the River (II)

    ¡°Ugg¡­¡± Zachary wanted to respond with something smart but he could only manage a groan.

    All coherent thought disappeared as a furious headache hit him. He had expended too much Eternum during the river crossing and too quickly. His vision became dizzy from the pain. His body shuddered from an additional wave of nausea that washed over him without warning.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Katherine asked.

    She wiggled around on top of him. This didn¡¯t help at all as it felt like she was pushing directly on his stomach.

    ¡°¡­ need to throw up.¡± He mumbled.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I need to throw up!¡± He said and pushed her off.

    Ignoring her aggrieved expression, he rolled over and heaved his breakfast back out.

    Katherine didn¡¯t say anything else. She rubbed his back as he remained bent over, coughing and spitting everything in his stomach back out. She disappeared briefly and came back with water from the river, held in a bowl made from a large leaf.

    Zachary didn¡¯t protest and drank several mouthfuls. Afterward, he let out a long sigh. His head still throbbed but he felt a lot better.

    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my soul wound.¡± He said.

    ¡°I assumed as much.¡± She said, ¡°Still, that was very impressive, what you showed off back there. The combination of a long-range recall and a rapid resummon. It''s rare to see either one in the adept rank.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He mumbled through a pained smile.

    He was a little proud of his performance. The only problem was that both techniques required a tremendous amount of Eternum as well as control over it.

    For a long-range recall, he had to find the exact location of his summon from afar using acute soul sense in order to activate the recall. Then, he had to use his soul force to protect the soul bond as it returned. This was especially challenging in the water and without direct visual contact.

    As for a rapid resummon, it was even more difficult. The act of summoning and recalling were complete opposites. When taking a recall, the Ensouled expected to return to safety and get a good rest. Pushing them back out with a resummon not only required a large amount of Eternum, it also went against the spirit of the soul bond, creating resentment in the relationship. For misbehaving Ensouled, a rapid resummon had a high chance of failing as the Ensouled was more likely to ignore the command and remain inside the card.

    Speaking of which¡­ Zachary looked around hurriedly for Hammer. The wounded crab was in a sorry state, lying half-dead on the river bank. One claw was gone as well as two legs. The shell that protected its back had also suffered a break, exposing its vulnerable insides. Its mouth moved weakly, expelling a few bloody bubbles.

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    He found the right card after a brief search and finally recalled the hard-working crab. Inside the summoning card, its condition would not get any worse. There was even a chance it could slowly heal based on specific physical attributes.

    ¡°What are you going to do with it?¡± Katherine asked.

    He flipped the card in his hand, ¡°I won¡¯t give up on it so easily like Jean-Pierre did with his bugs. Hammer is resilient and crabs can generally regrow limbs and shells.  I think it can recover.¡±

    ¡°With a rapid resummon, aren¡¯t you worried about a weakened bond?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I don''t know, let me see.¡±

    He held the card to his forehead and sent Eternum into it. This energy went directly to Hammer, helping it regain its vitality and improve self-healing. Afterward, he received a small response from his summon.

    It was not as obvious as a wave of Eternum or anything. Instead, it was more like a warm feeling one would get on a summer day or after a cup of tea. It was Hammer¡¯s feelings and emotions.

    There was a lot of pain. It had suffered against much stronger opponents. Other people may assume that things like crabs couldn¡¯t feel pain because they did not have an expressive face or the ability to voice their suffering. But since he was a summoner, he had to at least know this much about his summons.

    ¡®Hammer, you did well,¡¯ Zachary sent silent words of comfort through the bond, ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have been able to survive without you.¡¯

    ¡®Ka¡­ Ka¡­¡¯ Hammer responded weakly.

    There were no coherent words, just feelings and emotions. At the novice rank, this was the limit between them.

    It was mostly a sense of satisfaction. The crab was proud that it was able to block two attacks from powerful adept rank seagulls. All Ensouled were intelligent. Although crustaceans were not known for their brainpower compared to other Ensouled, they still understood enough about the battle. In its mind, it had won a great battle and indeed it had.

    Zachary chuckled and sent a wave of his thoughts through the bond, ¡®Haha, good! I will make sure to heal you back to full strength. And I will help you get stronger. If we meet those seagulls again, you¡¯ll have your revenge!¡±

    ¡®Kack.¡¯ It replied with an agreement.

    It was not afraid. Because Hammer was simple-minded, it feared nothing, not even death. It was just the way it is, the strong and silent type, always reliable. It also developed a grudge against the ugly flying rats that wounded it. It would get its payback sooner or later.

    Zachary withdrew his consciousness and looked back at Katherine, ¡°I think Hammer will be fine. I will heal him.¡±

    He rummaged through his supply bag and took out his summoning cards. He had started with twenty and that number grew to thirty-four after looting some dead bodies. However, after two weeks in the jungle, he only had nineteen left over. The expenditure was far greater than he had expected and he had to be more careful from now on.

    His lineup was also problematic. He currently had Boba the brown boa, Blue the jungle bird, Arrow the poison frog, Onkie the furry pig, Hammer the crab, Dream the rainbow fish, Sugo the seaweed slug, and Whiskers the overgrown catfish. There were too many weaklings and too many aquatic beasts.

    He tossed around the remaining contents in the supply bag, making a series of clinking noises. He took out the culprits, four spare anima crystals he had. He made a face. It wasn¡¯t enough and he would have to gather more.

    He chose a clear, attribute-less anima crystal. With Hammer¡¯s card in one hand and the crystal in the other, he pressed them together and entered a meditative state, directly feeding the wounded crab pure Eternum to speed up its recovery.

 34. Strange Trees (I)

    The jungle on the other side of the river was different. The trees were taller, with thicker trunks and dense foliage. So little sunlight could reach the ground that it made it seem like twilight. The air was heavy with Eternum and the aura of plant life. It was unknown if this was due to an abundance of more powerful Ensouled or something else.

    The area near the shore seemed shabby in comparison. It was a transition of sorts, from an ocean environment to a jungle one. It felt like this was the start of the true challenge. The prisoners that stayed close to shore might not face greater dangers but they also wouldn¡¯t be able to get stronger. They might be able to survive a whole year but they wouldn¡¯t be able to take the four pardon slots or ever leave this place.

    Zachary led Katherine and slowly delved into the depths. Each step was made carefully, with ample scouting and study of the surroundings. He first used Boba and when the little brown snake was too tired to continue, he switched to Blue. And when the blue bird couldn¡¯t fly anymore, it was Marble¡¯s turn.

    Katherine still only had a black and white kitten as her summon, something she received from the Ice Saint Beast Cult. She had refused very captured Ensouled when Jean Pierre had been with them. She continued to refuse at their second hunting ground by the river. Zachary had asked her if she would only be satisfied with a cat Ensouled and she answered affirmatively.

    Although she remained stubborn like that, she was more willing to use Marble with just the two of them. The little cat had sharp senses that were equal to or even greater than Boba''s. He wasn¡¯t sure of its exact soul cultivation but it was definitely higher than anything he had. He estimated that it had to be in the upper half of the novice rank at least.

    The pair broke through some underbrush and entered a grove of peculiar trees. Instead of towering trunks that extended high into the air, the trunks split into a multitude close to the ground, leading to twisted branches that extended horizontally. Underneath it, nothing else grew, not even moss.

    Zachary stopped, feeling a tinge of foreboding. The grove was wide and they would either have to pass through it or take a detour. Blue was currently on scouting duty. It had not discovered any Ensouled around them. However, it seemed afraid of the trees in front and did not dare to rest on its branches.

    He extended his soul sense forward. He examined the closest tree, its multitude of split trunks and branches as well as the vines that drooped downward toward the bare ground. He took a hesitating step forward but stopped again.

    He rummaged in this pocket for the right summoning card and brought it up to his forehead. A dull burst of light deposited Onkie by his feet.

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    ¡°Onk.¡± It snorted as if to declare its presence.

    It stood bravely against unknown challenges. Even though its face was not visible, it was obvious by its forward-leaning posture.

    ¡°Onkie, approach that tree. When you get to the base, dig around and see if you can find any grubs to eat.¡±

    Onkie grunted at his command.

    ¡°But be careful. I will summon you back if there is danger. Be ready for that.¡±

    He said this so that if he had to do a long-range recall, it would be more efficient. If the summon was prepared beforehand, it would struggle less and require less effort.

    The furry pig grunted and started walking. Its face and snout were flat against the ground as always. It meandered forward, its long fur dragging against the ground, sniffing and making small noises as it searched for food.

    Onkie went beneath the tree¡¯s wide branches. It started to dig in random places. Its four little limbs caused dirt to fly out behind it. It let out a squeal of excitement as it sensed something delicious, its digging speed doubling in an instant.

    Zachary kept a close eye on the situation. His hand remained raised with the empty summoning card, ready to activate the recall at any moment. He didn¡¯t have to wait for long.

    The tree¡¯s branches were moving. He hadn¡¯t noticed at first but they were much lower than before. They extended towards the pig beneath, as if to surround it and prevent it from escaping. Onkie was completely unaware even when its path of retreat had been cut off.

    ¡°Onk?¡± Onkie finally looked up, sensing something was wrong.

    Brown branches and gnarly vines surrounded it on all sides. It circled around in confusion before throwing its body against the cage. The branches and vines creaked but did not give way.

    Onkie bounced back to its feet and shook its head. With its summoner¡¯s support, it wasn¡¯t scared, only angry that it had been trapped. It ran around the perimeter of the encirclement and then tackled the wall of plant matter with everything it had.

    Crack!

    Two of the smaller branches broke, creating a small hole. It didn¡¯t have any offensive abilities but its heavy, sturdy body was also a weapon.

    Crack!

    It did the same thing again, making the hole even bigger but not quite enough to squeeze through. One more good shot was probably enough.

    However, by this time, the living cage had shrunk considerably. The tree, as if eager to swallow its prey whole, moved its branches more vigorously. Onkie had very little room to move around or even build up speed for a strong attack.

    Zachary had seen enough. He raised his right hand, holding the empty summoning card against his forehead with his thumb and index finger.

    ¡°Onkie, come back!¡± He said firmly and activated his soul force.

    Rays of clear, invisible Eternum emerged from between his brow, connected with the card, and then shot across the distance toward Onkie. The energy passed through the opening among the branches and went into the summon. Its body turned ethereal, then into a mote of yellow-brown Eternum, and finally flew back into the summoning card and back to safety.

    ¡°Dangerous,¡± Katherine muttered, ¡°If we were trapped inside there, I doubt these fruit knives can get us out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Zachary nodded.

    He turned to one side and led them on the detour route. It would be longer, but not by much. This grove of trees couldn¡¯t go on forever.

    But they had barely taken a few steps when a tree branch swung out from a blind spot, straight at his head. Too slow to react, he took the shot across the face. It knocked him flat on his back.

 35. Strange Trees (II)

    ¡°Gah!¡±

    All the air in his lungs escaped as he landed, leaving him dazed. He stared unfocused at the thin pillars of sunlight that peeked through the foliage, momentarily forgetting where he was.

    A scream sounded from what seemed like far away, ¡°Watch out!¡±

    He was still trying to figure out what exactly to watch out for when a large green and brown blob filled his vision, another large tree branch. The rough, knobby bark and sharp twigs that stuck out in all directions seemed quite uncomfortable if they were to make contact with his face again. His mind still foggy, he covered his head with his arms and instinctively rolled to one side.

    Zachary rolled several more times, gaining clarity with each roll. Aside from the rough ground, he did not suffer from any other sources. After rolling some more for good measure, he finally sprang to his feet. His thoughts were calm, his eyes were sharp. He summoned Onkie and Arrow in quick succession, with the furry pig as his vanguard and the poison frog atop his head as the long-range attacker.

    The enemy before him was a single creature. It didn''t look like any beast, more like a part of a tree that had sprung out from its original host. Its body was made up of bark and vines that twisted together tightly. It had two thin legs with feet that splayed out like roots. Its two long arms extended almost to the ground, with many twigs still covered in leaves. Curiously, this creature had an obvious head; with sunken, empty sockets for eyes and a gap in the bark for a mouth.

    "Arrrr." It groaned and moved towards him, swaying its arms like clubs.

    It looked like a walking tree. Its speed was not slow but not fast, about walking pace. Its height was a bit shorter than the average person.

    "Arrow, poison spit, target its face!" Zachary said.

    Arrow opened its mouth and blobs of green spit shot out in a steady stream. They formed a perfect arc in the air and landed on the creature.

    "Arrrrr!" It groaned loudly as if in pain and anger.

    It extended an arm that quickly started to stretch towards him. A twisted mix of vines and branches grew rapidly, becoming thinner and longer. The attack was fast and closed the distance in a single breath. Zachary didn''t expect such an attack and only dodged at the last moment. However, this slow reaction allowed the creature''s hand to catch his foot, sending him crashing into the ground. It then twisted several vines around his ankle and started dragging him back.

    "Marble, slash it!" Katherine said, joining the battle.

    Marble disappeared from her bosom and reappeared atop the long arm of the creature that was stretched out toward Zachary. The little black and white swiped its paw downward, its sharp claws making several visible cuts. But nothing else happened. It wasn''t clear if the cut was too shallow or if this Ensouled just didn''t bleed. Either way, the tree creature''s wounds quickly started to mend back together at an astonishing pace. Meanwhile, Zachary was still being steadily pulled towards it, unable to escape no matter how he struggled.

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    "Onkie, bite through it!"

    The pig let out a brave cry and rushed over. It landed atop the extended arm, covering a section of it with its fur. Soon, the sounds of crunching and munching emerged as it used its formidable teeth to chew through the tree''s arm.

    "Arrow, keep firing at its face!"

    The poison frog, which had landed a short distance away when Zachary fell, hopped forward and resumed spitting poison.

    At the same time, Katherine also ordered her own summon, "Marble, attack its ankles, quick!"

    Marble dashed forward, dodging an attempt by the tree to stomp on it and starting clawing around spindly legs.

    The battle continued like this for a while. The first to achieve a breakthrough was Onkie, successfully chewing through the arm that had grabbed Zachary. Marble soon followed with its own success, using formidable claws to cut through the creature''s legs which were a lot thinner than its arms. Arrow had also done significant damage with its poison and the tree''s face was now a misshapen mess of green goo.

    "Aaaawww." The thing let out a long groan as it fell over stiffly.

    It wasn''t able to get back up and seemed to have lost its fighting spirit. However, as this happened, a series of creaking sounds came from all around them. More of the same Ensouled appeared, uprooting themselves from the surrounding bushes or peeling themselves off from larger trees where they had been camouflaged. It was as if this whole place was its territory.

    "We have to go!" Katherine cried out, already starting to retreat.

    "I know, but let''s take the wounded one with us. They''re slow, they can''t catch up to us if we run." Zachary said as he grabbed the Ensouled''s stump of an arm where Onkie had chewed it off.

    "Fine!"

    She didn''t sound happy but did so anyway, grabbing the tree''s other arm which had been flailing around randomly. Together, the two humans kidnapped this hapless Ensouled from its brethren and ran. Blue flew above their heads while Arrow hopped onto Onkie¡¯s back which was running beside Zachary.

    The motley group retreated all the way to the river before finally stopping. Behind them, the jungle was silent. Nothing chased after them, even after waiting apprehensively for a while.

    Zachary let out a sigh, "Damn it, I didn''t expect a whole forest of those things. We couldn''t sense them at all."

    "Yeah, they blended in with the surrounding trees. We''ll have to be careful, if there are small tree creatures, then there are sure to be larger ones as well."

    He nodded, "Mmm. I think that''s why the seagulls only hunt in the open and don''t dare fly into the trees."

    "So, what do you want to do about this one? Do you want to kill it or capture it?" She asked.

    The Ensouled in question was still thrashing around weakly, unable to get back up or escape. Zachary glanced at it only briefly as he had already made his decision.

    "It''s a humanoid type. That in itself makes it special. It would be a waste to kill it. Will you capture it for me?" He asked.

    Ensouled came in many types. In addition to beast and plant types, there were elemental, demonic, humanoid, and even artificial types. This tree creature was a combination of plant and humanoid type. Similar ones were called treants in the Old World. They were versatile, powerful, and very expensive, costing five to ten times as much as beast or plant Ensouled with singular typing.

    He felt that this treant would be able to contribute greatly to the challenges ahead. This place was its natural habitat, giving it all the advantages and none of the drawbacks. Even if its killing power was somewhat low, its ability to ensnare opponents was a healthy addition. He also hoped that it would be able to sense other treants and help open a safe path through the dense jungle.

    "Please?" He added.

    Katherine smiled, "Alright, since you asked so nicely."

    She twirled a knife in her hand and walked over to the treant. It tried to struggle but Onkie and Marble kept it at bay. She hacked away at its chest until it stopped moving. A short while later, she stood back up and held up a summoning card triumphantly towards the sun. The small leafy-green crystal in the center of the card sparkled with brilliance.

 36. Steady Training (I)

    Zachary sat cross-legged on a branch, his back against the tree trunk. His head was down, his long black hair covering his face. His two hands were held close to his chest, his palms facing upward. In one hand was a summoning card with a tiny blue crystal embedded in the center. In the other was another blue crystal of about the same size. Both items were slightly glowing.

    Eternum swirled and moved through his body according to his will. With every breath, he absorbed the energy of the world from the surrounding air to nourish his soul as well as his summon within the card. Simultaneously, he steadily drew out Eternum from the blue anima crystal, the product of the wild aquatic creature¡¯s soul and life force. He fed that excess energy to his summon, healing its wounds and improving its soul.

    A period of time passed and the solitary anima crystal lost its color. All of the energy within had been expended and the crystal structure crumbled to dust. A gust of wind carried what was left away, to rejoin the world from where it came.

    Zachary pulled out another blue anima crystal. It gradually met the same fate and was replaced with a third. This time, there was a noticeable change as the crystal within the summoning card reacted strongly, glowing much brighter than before.

    ¡°Finally¡­ it¡¯s going to break through.¡±

    When he had caught Hammer, it was at the Three Paths Novice Rank. For Ensouled within summoning cards, training them to become stronger was not too difficult at the novice rank but it also was not easy. It had taken four anima crystals in total to heal its injuries and then four more to get to this point.

    The bond between a summon and a card summon was not very efficient. A lot of Eternum was lost during the process of cultivating. If it had been Yaoyao, which had been his soul summon, a pure bond with nothing acting as the intermediary, it would have required half the amount.

    ¡°Come on. Do it!¡± He muttered.

    He urged Hammer onward. The crab was struggling mightily within its own soul. Of its eight paths, three were already open and he was steadily pushing against a fourth. Supplied with what seemed like boundless energy from the external anima crystal, it only had to continue doing what it was doing, fighting against the discomfort, and pushing past its limits.

    After a long struggle that depleted the anima crystal, it finally happened. The fourth soul path within Hammer popped open like a cork and fresh Eternum poured through it. In the real world, its summoning card glowed bright with blue light before settling down.

    Zachary let out the breath he had been holding, ¡°Four Paths Novice Rank, good.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s done?¡± Katherine asked.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He held up the card to his forehead, ¡°Hammer, come out!¡±

    A ray of light shot out, landing on the ground below the tree. It took shape and Hammer appeared. Its red and brown shell gleamed under the sun, strong and healthy. Its two claws were large and potent. One was used for crushing while the other for slicing.

    Zachary hopped down and walked around it. He examined it from top to bottom and even rubbed the hard shell of its claws. He was glad he had not given up on Hammer. The crab was a strong Ensouled, it had even grown a little bigger after the breakthrough. Its body was now wider than a washbasin. If stretched out fully, it was well over a meter from claw to claw.

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    Katherine walked up beside him and gave him a hug, ¡°Good job.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± He replied simply and returned her hug, wrapping an arm around her small shoulders.

    Zachary and Katherine agreed not to risk the deeper jungle until they had recovered and improved their strength. They were spooked by the strange trees and appearances of treants that could not be easily detected. They stayed near the river, at most moving up and down its banks for the optimal hunting spots.

    In the past week, Zachary finally healed Hammer and then steadily trained until it finally reached the Four Paths Novice Rank. After increasing its level, Hammer grew bigger and its claws were tougher and more dangerous. It was still as expressionless and stoic as before, though the amount of bubbles it produced seemed to have increased with its size.

    The recent addition to the lineup, the treant which he had named Oakley, was at the Three Paths Novice Rank. It had a sturdy body and the ability to entangle opponents with its vines. It was his second strongest summon and the primary focus of training at the moment.

    He did not neglect his other summons, at least the ones that could fight on land. Boba, Blue, Arrow, and Onkie; he raised them all to the Two Paths Novice Rank. From the One Path Novice Rank to the Two Paths Novice Rank, just one level did not require too much in terms of anima crystals but the benefits were great. Blue was able to fly faster. Arrow''s poison spit increased in volume. And Onkie grew a little bigger and heavier.

    As for the aquatic summons, he temporarily set them aside. Dream, the rainbow fish, was at the One Path Novice Rank. Sugo, the seaweed slug, was at the Two Paths Novice Rank but its combat power was even lesser than Dream. Whiskers, the fat catfish, was the strongest at the Three Paths Novice Rank but it was a pity that it could not grow legs and walk on land.

    All in all, Zachary was satisfied with the current strength of his summon lineup. He felt confident enough to continue exploring the jungle. He made up his mind. He wanted to gather up their things and prepare to leave.

    Katherine sensed the change and snuggled closer, hugging him fully and rubbing her head against his chest.

    ¡°Do we have to go?¡± She asked.

    ¡°We should. We can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± He said.

    He could continue to raise Boba, Blue, and Arrow to the Three Paths Novice Rank and then the Four Paths Novice Rank but it would take a lot of time. The aquatic creatures they could catch from the river were mostly at the One Path or Two Paths Novice Rank. Three paths or higher was a rarity and often escaped from their traps.

    After the Four Paths Novice Rank, their pace of soul cultivation would drop down significantly. The only way to offset the difficulty of the higher soul paths was to head deeper into the jungle and hunt stronger Ensouled. Stronger ones would leave behind bigger anima crystals that contained far more Eternum. These would make soul cultivation at the higher soul paths that much more efficient.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Katherine said softly, her breath warming his skin, ¡°But can we stay just a little while longer?¡±

    She looked up at him. He caught her gaze and he knew what she wanted. He leaned down and her lips opened to greet his.

    Katherine was sometimes aloof but sometimes, she was needy and passionate. This was one of those times. Her tongue quickly met his and wrapped around each other. She bit his lip and moaned into his mouth. Her hands roamed over his chest, down his lean stomach, and between his legs, giving his lower half a thrilling greeting.

    All of their times together, he had never initiated it. It had always been her. He didn¡¯t mind it as he had enjoyed every moment, just like he was going to enjoy it this time.

    Zachary''s hands slid up to knead her small breasts. After he had gotten enough, he moved to her butt, before finally gripping her thighs and lifting her into the air. He turned them around and pressed her against the tree. She wrapped her legs around him and invited him in. He pierced her deeply, with a strong and steady rhythm, and the only sounds that could be heard above the rushing waters of the nearby river were her cries of pleasure and his steady, satisfied groans.

    Beside them, Hammer stood obediently, its eyes watching its summoner and his companion. It did not quite understand what they were doing not that it really cared. Its mouth foamed with white bubbles as it dreamed of its next meal.

 37. Steady Training (II)

    ¡°Oakley, point it out to me,¡± Zachary said softly.

    He was partly hidden behind a thick bush. His treant summon named Oakley was beside him, also crouching albeit with much awkwardness. It raised a thin arm made of branches and vines and pointed at a small sapling a short distance away.

    ¡°Aaah.¡± It made a noise like a sad sigh.

    Its face, if it could be called one, was void of emotion. It had sensed the presence of another treant. Zachary didn¡¯t quite understand it but it could do what he and his other summons could not.

    Encountering wild Ensouled was not difficult but also not easy. Weaker ones would run away or hide. Stronger ones, if they were alone, would also choose to flee. On the other hand, if it was a group of wild Ensouled, he would have to quickly make a run for it. Whether it was a large group of weaker Ensouled or a small group of stronger Ensouled, they could all overpower his team in a blink.

    This was why he chose to hunt treants. They couldn¡¯t run like beasts and they also couldn¡¯t chase after him.

    ¡°Oakley, let¡¯s go. Beat it up for me.¡± He ordered.

    ¡°Arrrr!¡±

    Its response was loud and energetic and it stomped towards a sapling that was taller than it but much thinner. When it got close, it immediately swung an arm, bashing the main body of its opponent, causing it to bend like a bow.

    ¡°Huuu.¡± A noise came from the sapling as it came to life.

    Its roots erupted from the ground and formed into legs. A few knobs on its bark took the shape of a face with two small ones for eyes and a bigger one for a mouth. It waved its large head made up of green leaves around, took one look at the situation, and turned to run.

    ¡°Arrr!¡±

    Oakley charged. With the snapping of twigs and the sound of tree bark crashing together, it smashed both arms into the other treant. In the next moment, Oakley fell onto it, relentlessly pummeling the other treat with its hands which were like wooden clubs.

    Oakley was a strange thing. It loved to fight. Aggression was in its nature. This was probably the reason it had jumped out to attack them.

    The wild treant finally started to fight back. Although it had been knocked down, its body was tough and it was still full of energy. Its hands formed into sharp tendrils that started poking at Oakley. The damage was minimal but it was no doubt uncomfortable. Oakley continued to throw punches but blunt force was not very effective in this situation.

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    ¡°Time for reinforcements.¡± Zachary said and Hammer appeared before him, ¡°Go, Hammer, chop it up.¡±

    ¡°Ka!¡±

    The crab shuffled forward. It quickly reached the wild treant that was being held down by Oakley. Its cutting claw snapped branches off of the treant¡¯s head one by one until it was completely bald. Then it smashed its heavy crushing claw smashed down onto the treants face over and over. Oakley also joined in and the two steadily turned the hapless creature¡¯s head into wood pulp.

    ¡°Very good!¡± Zachary said after the battle was over.

    The anima crystal retrieved from the treant was at the Three Paths Novice Rank. It was rich in life-attribute Eternum. He briefly considered which of his summons to use it on and chose Oakley. Although Hammer was stronger, since it was at the Four Paths Novice Rank now, an anima crystal at the Three Paths Novice Rank would be less beneficial to it. And plus, Oakley was a humanoid Ensouled. Zachary was eager to see its growth and future potential.

    Zachary waved to Katherine who had been watching the whole thing from afar, ¡°Let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Pushing deeper into the jungle, they walked along a path that seemed to have been opened by a wayward forest elephant. The fearsome beast was nowhere in sight so it gave them the confidence to continue.

    However, after following the path for some time, Blue suddenly came dashing back, chirping crazily. It flew around Zachary''s head in circles like a mad bird before he could finally catch it in his hand. He couldn¡¯t understand most of its nonsense but one thing was clear. Something strong was approaching!

    ¡°Not good,¡± He said.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Katherine nodded.

    But before they could even turn around, the ground started to tremble and a rumbling sound reached their ears.

    ¡°Hide!¡± Both of them said at the same time.

    They dove into the underbrush beside the trail, ignoring the sharp leaves and prickly branches.

    The rumbling sound grew steadily until it was almost on top of them. Heavy footsteps pounded into the ground like a chaotic drumbeat. They didn¡¯t dare to make a single sound, hugging each other tightly.

    "Ice Saint help us. Ice Saint help us." Katherine muttered constantly; her eyes tightly shut.

    Zachary was also frightened but he had no saint to pray to. The herd of Ensouled didn''t seem to end. He counted twenty, then thirty. They were all powerful, at least at the peak of the novice rank and beyond.

    When the noise started to subside, Zachary stuck his head up and caught a fleeting sight of these creatures. They were what he suspected, a herd of those forest elephants. Some were huge, at least twice as big as the one they had seen near the beach. Other ones were like babies and much smaller. They had made an absolute mess of the trail; their wide footprints were everywhere. A few had strayed dangerously close to their hiding place.

    He sucked in a cold breath. They had been a few hairs away from death. He ducked his head back down, just in case those things decided to turn around.

    ¡°What were they?¡± Katherine asked from beneath him.

    ¡°Forest elephants, a ton of them. They probably went to the river.¡±

    She frowned, ¡°We can''t go back then. And we can''t follow this path into the forest either in case they decide to come back.¡±

    He sighed wearily and rested his head against her chest. He listened to her heartbeat as they both calmed down. The road ahead was difficult. There was no easy path. The only thing they could do was continue struggling, continue walking. As long as they were careful, as long as he steadily trained his summons, he would one day be able to fight those forest elephants as well as those damnable seagulls.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Zachary said. "We''ll have to make our own path through the jungle."

    "Yeah."

    He held out a hand and pulled Katherine up with him.

 38. Special (I)

    Pushing through the dense forest was a slow and difficult process. Hammer was in front, leading the way. Its hard shell was impervious to thorns and spiky plants. Its sharp cutting claw would make short work of stubborn vines and underbrush. Oakley was also indispensable as it was the only one that could sense treants. However, since they had no replacements for either one, it meant that their progress was very slow. Hammer and Oakley had to return to their summoning cards to rest. There was no way around it so more than half of each day was spent sitting around, not making any progress.

    They were far away from the river, having delved into the deeper jungle for several days. Zachary wasn¡¯t exactly sure where they were, only that they were going east, away from the ocean to the west. The terrain had become mountainous with small hills and deep ravines. It was slow going.

    "Times like this, I wish we still had Jean-Pierre," Zachary said as they sat side-by-side on a soft bed of green moss. "His bugs were pretty good at navigating the jungle."

    The trees were also different, towering all around them. Their branches were high up in the sky and their smooth trunks offered no possibility of shelter. As such they could only find a comfortable spot on the ground and while keeping one scouting summon out at all times.

    "If you want to be a bug catcher, go ahead. I''m not stopping you." Katherine said.

    He glanced at her. The expression on her face didn''t match her words, it was as if she had smelled something stinky.

    He chuckled. They both had misgivings about insects. These opinions developed in their youth couldn''t be easily changed, even in the New World. They had encountered many insect Ensouled but had caught none of them, only killing them for their anima crystals.

    "Forget about him, it''s just the two of us now." Her tone was soft as she looked up at him.

    Her eyes shined with an almost imperceptible light. He felt a tinge of excitement rising.

    "What will do you if you get the pardon?" She asked.

    "Huh? Oh... I don''t know. I haven''t thought that far."

    He turned away from her, disappointed. He stared blankly at the endless sea of green in front of them. He had expected a different method to pass the time. He was unlucky. Eating, sleeping together, and chatting; there were only three choices and chatting was his least favorite one.

    "I''ll probably leave the republic." She said. "Since people know I am a follower of a beast cult, I think they''ll force me out even if I didn''t want to leave. And besides, it''s not like I have anything to return to."

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    "Yeah, makes sense."

    "What about you?" Her tone brightened as she asked, "You still have your parents. If you can make it back alive, I am sure they will be happy."

    "I... I don''t know." He replied slowly, "I''m not sure actually. I wasn''t able to speak to my parents after my arrest, only the lawyer provided by the republic. They weren''t allowed to attend the trial and afterward, I was sent straight to prison."

    Katherine fell into a long silence before she spoke again, "Someone, or some people, wanted you to quickly disappear."

    "Yeah," Zachary said simply.

    "And," She continued, "If you survive this place and go back, those people will still want you gone."

    "..."

    What she said was logical. He had been set up. And if he somehow survived and returned to the republic, those people who set him up would likely come after him again.

    ¡°Who did it?¡± She asked, ¡°Do you know?¡±

    He let out a sigh and then a shrug. He didn¡¯t want to talk about it. The past was his secret to keep. And he had been honest, he had not thought that far. He had expected to be dead already but somehow, he was still alive.

    ¡°Was it Yoon-Cromwell?¡± She asked.

    He glanced at her sharply but quickly realized his mistake.

    ¡°So, it was them.¡± She said, more firmly this time.

    He tried to play it off. But it was too late for that. He still kept his mouth shut, hoping she would get bored and talk about something else.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say anything, then don¡¯t say anything.¡± She laid a hand on his arm and comforted him, ¡°I want you to consider what I am about to say. Strongly consider it before giving me an answer.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Zach, Yoon-Cromwell won¡¯t let you go. They have deep connections throughout the entire Republic. If you survive and go back, they might not come after you immediately. But you know they will eventually. How many peaceful days will you have? Maybe you might be able to ward off their schemes the second time around. What about your parents? What if they go after them?¡±

    He stiffened. He didn¡¯t think the Yoon-Cromwell Corporation would go that far. He didn¡¯t think that person would go that far.

    Yoon-Cromwell dealt in summons. They sold all kinds of Ensouled in the Republic. Novice rank, adept rank, and even expert rank, they had a vast catalog. They even had research facilities to develop new, more powerful Ensouled.

    But they were not some secret organization with hidden agendas. They compare to the blood church or the beast cults. They were just a corporation¡­

    Zachary furrowed his brow. Many different possibilities raced through his mind. He couldn¡¯t make sense of it all but one thing was clear, Katherine¡¯s words were reasonable. He couldn¡¯t refute them.

    Katherine spoke again, ¡°The republic has thrown us into the New World to feed wild Ensouled. We are dead to them and they are dead to us. But there is something you can do, a place where you can go where you will be accepted with open arms¡­¡±

    A faint blue light started to glow on her chest. Like an icy heart, it pulsed with the power of the world. Eternum swirled between them as if to draw them closer. It was irresistible and he leaned towards her. The temperature dropped and their breaths formed puffs of condensation in the air.

    ¡°Zach, join our Ice Saint Beast Cult.¡± She said, her voice barely above a whisper, ¡°You are Yaoyao¡¯s summoner. This is where you belong. Join us.¡±

 39. Special (II)

    Zachary opened his mouth but then closed it. He frowned and tried to think but he only felt confused. Katherine¡¯s offer was so far away from what he had expected that he had no idea how to respond. They were just having a casual chat while resting. How did it turn into an opportunity to sell his soul to a saint beast and join a beast cult?

    ¡°Why?¡± He eventually managed to squeeze out, his voice a higher pitch than normal.

    Katherine hugged his arm, clinging to him tightly. If he wanted to shake her off and run away, she probably would not willingly let go.

    ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re Yaoyao¡¯s summoner. Because you are special.¡± She said firmly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not special. How am I special?¡± He argued.

    They had discussed this subject before but he still didn¡¯t understand. In this vast world, he wasn¡¯t particularly talented compared to his peers. Without Yaoyao, he would hardly be considered a strong summoner or one with a bright future.

    ¡°I think you know. You just don¡¯t want to admit it to yourself.¡± She said.

    To that statement, Zachary opened and closed his mouth a few times like a surprised fish.

    There was indeed something about him. He had never considered it very deeply but it did exist. It was also hard to control and somewhat unreliable. That was why he never seriously considered it as his special talent as a summoner.

    It was his abnormally strong soul sense.

    Other summoners could use their soul sense to perceive the presence and movement of Eternum in their surroundings. They could use their soul sense to detect strong sources of Eternum, whether they were strong Ensouled nearby or naturally occurring deposits of concentrated Eternum.

    Zachary was different. His soul sense gave him all the normal abilities but it also gave him something else, the ability to sense strong emotions from an Ensouled.

    It had to be said that the ability to sense emotions from Ensouled was not something unique or groundbreaking. All summoners at the novice rank were able to do it with their summons. Through the soul bond, summons understood basic commands from the summoner and the summoner could feel the basic emotions of the summon in return.

    However, for Zachary, he could do a little bit more. He could sense emotions from not just his summons but other Ensouled as well. Whether it was wild Ensouled or another person¡¯s summons, if the emotion was strong enough and he was close enough, he could feel it in his soul.

    This was what had saved him from the blue tiger sharks when he had jumped off the ship and from the forest elephant¡¯s berserk attacks later on. This unique trait of his had helped him on other occasions in the past, the most notable one being how he tamed Yaoyao.

    As an offspring of the ice saint, Yaoyao was naturally very proud and willful. It was in her bloodline. She would not easily submit to a human, especially a nine-year-old child. When Yaoyao was happy after a meal, he would approach her. When she was angry, he would keep his distance. When she was scared or moody, he would comfort her. When she was energetic, he would let her play in the yard. Using his sense of Yaoyao¡¯s emotions, he gradually wormed his way into her heart. It took three months and a sizable portion of his parent¡¯s savings to buy meat and fish. But he was finally able to earn Yaoyao¡¯s trust and recognition.

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    That was his most memorable usage of his special ability. There were few others that could compare. His soul sense didn¡¯t suddenly turn into a powerhouse. He had to train his summons just like everyone else. He was constrained by his limited resources and unremarkable family background. Compared to true geniuses of the republic, he was far, far away.

    Zachary sighed and stared at the blue sky above. Katherine was still clinging to him, resting her head against his shoulder. He didn¡¯t know what to say to her. He didn¡¯t want to join a cult but he also didn¡¯t want her to get offended and leave him. He had few good choices which was the most frustrating thing.

    ¡°What are you worried about?¡± She asked eventually, perhaps finally running out of patience.

    ¡°I mean¡­¡± He said, ¡°I can¡¯t just agree to join a beast cult like this. What kind of stuff will I have to go through?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What about rituals, do I have to offer my blood or maybe get piercings in weird places? And prayer, will I have to pray to the saint in weird positions multiple times a day? What about other restrictions? Are we not allowed to eat certain foods or wear a certain color?¡±

    Katherine untangled herself from him and shot him a disapproving look, ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ that¡¯s all I could think of at the moment,¡± Zachary admitted.

    ¡°Zach, don¡¯t be obtuse. The Ice Saint Beast Cult has no need for crazy people. We are not the lunatics that the public portrays us as. We don¡¯t have silly, pointless rules. We don¡¯t have many rules at all. We swear fealty with our soul to the Ice Saint and in return, we are given unity, hope, and a purpose. I was a war orphan. I was going to die in the streets as a nobody. But I was given a new home, a chance. Other members are similar. We are all normal people who have found a greater calling. Now, I am offering the same to you.¡±

    Her words were spoken in earnest. He fully believed it, that she meant everything from the bottom of her heart. And that was the biggest problem.

    He frowned and said, ¡°See, that is what I don¡¯t understand. In school, we were taught that beast cult members are fanatical. They don¡¯t see other people as people but as enemies. They are willing to die for their masters, willing to die for the sake of beasts. And now you speak of purpose and a greater calling. What is that? What is it that you believe in?¡±

    Zachary hit the crux of the issue. Katherine didn¡¯t answer for a long time. She studied him with her bright green eyes as if trying to unearth his hidden thoughts. He stared back at her stubbornly. He wasn¡¯t about to be sweet-talked into offering his soul to a beast cult. Even if the sex was great, he wasn¡¯t that dumb.

    ¡°Zach,¡± She said slowly, ¡°This matter, the truth can only be revealed after you accept the Ice Saint¡¯s mark. It is a matter of faith and outsiders are not allowed to question.¡±

    He threw up his hands in frustration

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± She quickly added, ¡°There is something¡­ what does the term ¡®eternal¡¯ mean to you?¡±

    ¡°Eternal? Like the definition or what?¡±

    ¡°No, think back to your schooling and your memories, what does eternal mean to you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Zachary wracked his brain. All of his years in primary school, all of his experiences as a summoner, training and battling with his summons, he put all of that together but he couldn¡¯t think of anything significant.

    Throughout the Old World, the term eternal was used with exclamations or curses. Nobody really understood the reason, only that it sounded good. Eternal was equivalent to this vast and mysterious world. When something went wrong, all people could do was to complain to world about their misfortune.

    That was all there was to it, right? He had no idea.

    Katherine gave him a mysterious smile and patted his arm, ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me a reply today or any time soon. I am bound by my oath to the Ice Saint so this is all I can tell you. If and when you discover the truth of the word eternal, you will understand what I believe in.¡±

 40. Delving Deeper (I)

    A long creaking sound echoed through the deep jungle. A dead tree with a height of several stories swayed heavily before falling toward the ground. Splinters flew everywhere along with a cloud of rotting tree dust. Several flocks of frightened birds took to the sky to escape the mayhem.

    At the same time, a wriggling, clattering wave of black emerged from within the broken tree trunk. It was not a smooth wave but one with countless furry bumps. Each furball had eight spindly legs and eight shiny eyes that gleamed with anger and viciousness. They were all seeking the enemy, the one who had destroyed their nest.

    ¡°Arrow, poison strafe!¡± A clear, energetic voice rose above the horde of spiders.

    Zachary stood a short distance away from the fallen tree. He thrust a fist towards incoming bugs, a purple and green frog sitting on the back of his hand. Arrow opened its mouth wide and spat out a glob of poison. However, unlike in the past, it did not stop with just one and let out a constant volley of poison. This was a new ability routine. Instead of a single attack with high accuracy, it went for volume instead.

    Pa! Pa! Pa!

    Wet sounds resulted as the poison landed on the carapace of several spiders. Those that were hit quickly lost their vigor, stopping in their tracks or moving about erratically, blocking the way of their brethren. Most died after a short struggle.

    "Arrow, keep using poison strafe as long as you can!" Zachary said.

    By now, Arrow''s body was slightly shriveled. This new ability routine required a lot of energy as well as the poison it had stored for a long time. It couldn''t sustain such a high rate of fire for long. But taking out a few more spiders meant a few less to deal with.

    "Hammer, Oakley, Onkie, it''s your turn, kill them all!"

    At his command, the three summons met the charge of the horde of wild Ensouled head-on. Hammer waved its large crusher claw, knocking spiders away like they were made of paper. Oakley''s arms split into multiple branches, grabbing several spiders in one go, snapping limbs and breaking bodies. Onkie charged into the midst of the enemy using its sturdy body as a battering ram, its thick fur impervious to their bites.

    Oakley was now at the Four Paths Novice Rank, the same as Hammer. Onkie was at the Three Paths Novice Rank and was not far behind. Since leaving the river and delving deeper into the jungle, he had worked hard to train his summons to this point. These three were his frontline bruisers, with high defense, attack, and endurance. It didn''t matter if they were not too fast or agile. Against wild Ensouled with limited intelligence and organization, it was an effective arrangement.

    Amidst the battle, several spiders managed to outflank the defensive line. As if releasing their pent-up frustration and anger, they made rapid clicking sounds with their mandibles as they charged.

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    "Marble, go!" Katherine said.

    A black furry blur emerged and then disappeared. Reappearing on the right side, it pounced on top of a spider, stabbing its claws into its head before slashing another in half. It then used its void ability to travel to the left side, easily dispatching another three enemies.

    Zachary gave her an appreciative smile. He still wasn''t sure of the exact strength of her summon but its strength was no joke. She didn''t like to let it fight but it was clear, Marble was the ace of the team.

    "Looks like they are finally giving up," Katherine said.

    The swarm of black spiders retreated as one, abandoning their foe as well as their destroyed nest, and faded into the darkness of the trees. Dozens of corpses littered the ground. These spiders were not that strong, with most at the One Path Novice Rank and a few at the Two Paths Novice Rank. If they were any stronger, Zachary would not have attacked them.

    The battle was a success, giving them a big harvest of anima crystals. These were light purple, containing a weak poison attribute. They would be good for Arrow which was still at the Two Paths Novice Rank.

    "Here," Zachary said and gave Katherine a bag with half of the crystals.

    "Nice." She smiled as she felt the weight of the bag.

    After the anima crystals, he also cut off some spider legs. He chose the biggest ones and tied them up in a bundle like a bunch of firewood.

    "What are you going to do with those?" She asked.

    "This? This is our food." He said

    "Eh? Eww! I''m not eating that!"

    "What?" He laughed, "A bug this size has a lot of meat in the legs. They are quite tasty. Think about it, you eat crabs and shrimp, right?"

    "Yeah?"

    "Well, crabs and shrimp are just bugs that live underwater. There''s no difference."

    She made a face, "Ugh, fine. If they taste like shit, you''re sleeping alone for a week."

    Zachary laughed and eventually, so did Katherine. They gave each other playful looks before packing up. Although Zachary had still not given her answer regarding the offer to join the Ice Saint Beast Cult, she didn''t mind it at all. Having shared their past with each other, she was far more intimate than before and never left his side during the night. He wasn''t sure what to make of their relationship but went along with it anyway.

    The two continued their journey, traveling farther and farther away from the ocean. The terrain turned more mountainous. The air became thicker and there was fog everywhere, even in the middle of the day.

    They pushed through the jungle which seemed to grow denser with every step. Thorns and bushes with razor-sharp leaves were everywhere. Trees were so close together that they had to squeeze in between the trunks. There were no Ensouled around, not even treants. The situation filled Zachary with a sense of danger and he instinctively slowed his pace.

    ¡°Kak!¡± Hammer cried out in surprise just a few steps ahead.

    It broke through the foliage and revealed daylight in front. Only, there was nothing else, not even the ground. Where the trees stopped, what remained was a vertical drop into a bottomless abyss.

    ¡°Kaaaa!¡± It let out an uncharacteristic scream of fright as its ungainly body began to fall.

    ¡°Hammer!¡± Zachary shouted and quickly cast the recall sequence.

    Two fingers pointed at his brow, focusing the invisible ray of Eternum that shot towards the plunging crab. His movements were fast and well-practiced. The connection was made and the soul bond pulled Hammer back in the nick of time. If he was any slower, then he would have lost his summon.

    ¡°Damn it, that was close,¡± He breathed out a sigh of relief, ¡°Why is there such a huge cliff here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a cliff, look!¡± Katherine said.

    ¡°What the¡­¡±

    He was shocked at the sight. It was a giant sinkhole. It was so deep that clouds had formed within, hiding the bottom from view. It was so wide that a town could fit within it. Its walls seemed impossibly smooth as if a divine being had punched through the ground in anger.

 41. Delving Deeper (II)

    ¡°Wow. This sinkhole is huge!¡± Katherine said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one so big! Is there anything down there?¡±

    She brushed past Zachary and went right to the edge. Without a fear of the stomach-churning heights, she leaned over to look down into the depths. He wanted to pull her back but he felt slightly queasy already.

    ¡°Ay¡­ it¡¯s too foggy. I can¡¯t see anything.¡± She glanced around before letting out another excited cry, ¡°Look! Look! Over there, I see something!¡±

    ¡°What? Another sinkhole?¡± He carefully walked up behind her and followed the direction she was pointing to.

    Surrounding the giant pit in the ground was an endless jungle amidst a hilly terrain. However, he saw something strange, something unnatural that jutted out of the foliage. It was not a wayward tree or patch of bare rock atop a hill. It had a distinctive rectangular shape with smooth sides and a flat top. Its color was dark gray, sharply contrasting with the sea of green around it.

    ¡°Ruins?¡±

    ¡°Ruins!¡±

    Zachary and Katherine both came to the same conclusion. This area had never been explored before. For such a structure to appear in the middle of nowhere could only mean that it was manmade ruins.

    The construct was not very tall, only protruding above the tallest trees by about two stories at most. If they had not encountered this vast sinkhole that allowed them to get an unobstructed view of the area, they might have never realized there was something like this here.

    In this world of summoners, ruins were something that many desired to explore. It was a remnant of an ancient civilization, a human society that had thrived in the past and was now extinct. Such ruins could contain hidden treasures, perhaps a stash of high rank anima crystals left over from the previous occupants. They could also contain lost techniques for raising summons or even new kinds of Ensouled.

    Secrets hidden within ruins could even cause great waves across society. It was rumored that summoning cards were a relic from the past, found in some ruins of a civilization that was forgotten by history. There were also urban myths that some of the modern machinery used in ships and trains came from ruins.

    Of course, these were all speculations. Zachary was never really interested in the subject of human history. It was glossed over in primary school which mostly focused on the glorious events and records of the Republic of Adorin and how it was founded. Anything beyond that amounted to a few pages at most.

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    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Katherine said, tugging his arm.

    ¡°Go where?¡±

    ¡°To the ruins!¡± She said matter-of-factly.

    ¡°You sure? Seems dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so interested?¡± He asked, frowning, ¡°I thought you worshipped the Ice Saint? Does the Ice Saint care about human ruins.¡±

    Katherine shook her head, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. If it was some ruins in the Old World, then the Ice Saint definitely wouldn¡¯t care about them. However, this is different. These are ruins in the New World, in an area that has never been explored. Think about it, how did it get here?¡±

    Zachary shrugged, ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°It means¡­ that this is not the product of the summoner era but a lost era!¡±

    ¡°Lost era? What¡¯s that?¡± He asked.

    ¡°How do you not know about¡­ oh,¡± She said as if realizing a great truth, ¡°I forgot, you were only able to go to university for a few short months. You would have definitely learned about it in your second year or your third year at the latest.¡±

    Katherine seemed to be very interested in this subject and explained in great detail. She started with the Summoner Era which was the current time period. It covered the rise of human summoners in the Old World, including the countless wars that were fought between various human factions as well as against invasions of wild Ensouled. It recorded the rise and fall of countless kingdoms, nations, and empires until the present day which was the year 2381 of the Summoner Era.

    Before the Summoner Era was a period of roughly three to five thousand years known as the Wild Era. During this time, humans still had not conquered the Old World. They lived in small groups and had to fight for their lives against wild Ensouled that were the true rulers.

    Humans were like ants, struggling to survive against the forces of nature. They were mostly nomadic. At best, they formed some small towns but those could be wiped out in a blink. There was no chance to create a civilization and vast constructs that could withstand the test of time.

    Finally, anything beyond the Wild Era was referred to as the Lost Era. There were no surviving records, no lineages that could be traced. The only clues to the past lay in the various ruins hidden across the land and perhaps the sea. Everything else was lost and thus the name.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think its exciting?¡± Katherine said.

    Her eyes were sparkling and her smile was filled with eagerness. She had never shown him such an expression before, even when they had embraced each other in the throes of ecstasy. He felt strange as if he should be offended somehow.

    ¡°Is it exciting?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Of course!¡± She said as she pulled him along, ¡°Within the beast cult, this was considered my specialty. Even though I had low rank, I could be considered a slight expert in this subject.¡±

    ¡°It was? I didn¡¯t think you would know so much about something other than cats.¡±

    She laughed, ¡°Cats are cats. Human history, on the other hand¡­ Oh, there are so many mysteries! Haven¡¯t you wondered how we managed to conquer the Old World? What about the Wild Era? How did we even survive? Humans could have easily gone extinct if we were so weak back then. And those prehistoric civilizations of the Lost Era, what were they like? How did they fall?¡±

    ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Zachary replied dumbly.

    He had never thought about the topic like this. The way she described it, it was kind of interesting. For people who delved into the depths of the past, there were endless questions and few answers. It was enough to keep a person occupied for their whole life.

 42. Ruins (I)

    The ruins were far more impressive up close. Zachary and Katherine stood in front of a row of dark gray stones that formed the border of the ruins. They had circled the great sinkhole, avoided several nests of wild Ensouled, and spent several days to reach this place.

    The terrain here formed a wide depression, hiding ancient buildings that would have otherwise peeked above the trees. The little bit they had seen from a distance was actually a massive eight-sided monolith. It was at least one hundred meters tall, perhaps one hundred and fifty. If the navy ship that had carried them to the New World was flipped vertically, it would be about the same height.

    This central monolith was surrounded on all sides by countless buildings made of gray stone. Some were vast like warehouses with many arched windows. Others were smaller, about the right size for private residences with one or two stories. Whereas the base of the monolith was hard to see due to fog.

    Everything was covered in moss and vegetation. Many buildings had collapsed, with giant blocks of gray stone lying haphazardly as if a huge monster had stumbled its way through. Tall trees grew throughout the ruins, their roots forming thick knots amidst the stone. A thick canopy cast the whole area in shade. Only a few beams of sunlight showed through the gaps.

    Zachary felt strange. This place was inexplicable. There was so much Eternum flowing in the air, its concentration was several times higher than the surrounding jungle. It was as if he was standing before a living being rather than the ruins of an ancient civilization.

    If this really came from the Lost Era, then it was over eight thousand years old. Yet the structures seemed in relatively good shape despite all of the vegetation. From what little he knew of human history; a few hundred years was enough to turn some human constructs into rubble. The power of the world and nature was far greater than what humans could resist. And yet, these ruins were able to survive for so many millenniums.

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Katherine said breathlessly.

    She stood beside him, looking around at everything with wide eyes. Even Marble had decided to come out, clinging to the hem of her shirt and peering ahead with a blank stare.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go take a look.¡± She said.

    ¡°Wait, you want to go in there?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re already here. It won¡¯t hurt to look around.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t so sure. The ruins felt a little too quiet. The abundance of Eternum was interfering with his senses.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a scaredy cat.¡± She urged, ¡°Who knows, we might be able to find something to heal your soul wound!¡±

    He scoffed, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go. Just be careful.¡±

    He didn¡¯t have high hopes that something from ancient times could help him. But he had to agree that they had nothing better to do. The jungle was dangerous but also boring. These ruins would serve as a distraction to break up the monotony.

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    Zachary called over Blue. The little blue bird landed on his outstretched arm and chirped happily. It had received a full meal of grubs that morning and its stomach was still bulged slightly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fly too far into the ruins. Stay close. Come back if you see any movement. Cry twice for Ensouled, three times for humans. Understand?¡±

    Blue looked up at him with glassy eyes and nodded several times. It then took off and landed on a stone wall a few steps ahead.

    He then summoned Boba and Oakley. He let Boba wrap around his arm as usual and commanded Oakley to lead the way.

    The small party went slowly. They climbed over the first row of stone blocks that seemed like a wall of some sort. Beyond that, they had to navigate their way through some partially collapsed walls before they arrived at what seemed like a narrow street.

    The stone tiles that paved the way were covered by moss and plants. Some he had seen before. Others were new species with unknown effects. He had Oakley uproot the bigger ones that blocked the way for good measure. Along the way, the treant suffered some minor damage from acidic sap, sharp thorns, and poisonous pollen. But as a plant creature, it was largely immune to these things. If it had been him leading the way, he could have died many times over already.

    ¡°Hey, that building looks intact. Go inside?¡± Katherine said while poking his back.

    The one she was pointing to was indeed in good shape. Nothing had collapsed and the doorway was even clear of plants and debris as if it was inviting them inside.

    Zachary nodded and summoned Onkie.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡± The furry pig snorted excitedly, eager for action.

    ¡°Onkie, go in there, search for Ensouled, and report back.¡± He commanded.

    ¡°Onn!¡±

    Onkie charged forward, its tiny feet creating a steady sound as it disappeared into the darkness of the building. Out of his frontline summons, Onkie was the fastest and the best for this type of scouting mission. True to his expectations, it came back after a short while. Aside from a small bug which it had already eaten, it had found no other living thing.

    Assured, Zachary and Katherine went in and slowly looked around. The building seemed like a private residence. There were several large rooms and three smaller ones that were probably bedrooms or studies. All of the furnishings had rotted away. There wasn¡¯t much besides bare stone walls and dirt.

    Zachary was bored after a short while and went to the doorway to stand guard. Katherine was much more thorough. She patted the stone walls every so often as if she expected to find a secret compartment. She sifted through the dirt on the ground with her bamboo spear so carefully it was like she was searching for lost gold.

    ¡°Eh, I found something!¡± She called out excitedly.

    She returned to him with an excited smile and a shard of what seemed like porcelain or some other kind of pottery. The object itself was unremarkable but there were some strange characters engraved onto the surface. They looked like multiple little earthworms in strange configurations.

    ¡°Can you read it?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± She mumbled, not directly responding but raising the shard to her face and studying it from many different angles.

    Her intent expression and mannerisms made her appear like an expert in history and archeology. She suddenly seemed far more mysterious than before. She originally introduced herself as a member of the republic army. Then she became an agent of the Ice Saint Beast Cult. He wondered what other secrets she could be hiding from him.

    ¡°I think I know this,¡± Katherine said, ¡°I can¡¯t read it but I¡¯ve seen these characters before. The squiggly lines are very distinctive. It should be the Bomoi Civilization of the Second Lost Era.¡±

    ¡°Bomoi Civilization¡­ Second Lost Era?¡± Zachary repeated, ¡°Wait, when was there a second lost era?¡±

    ¡°After the first one, there would be a second one, duh!¡±

    He was about to give her a poke for her sardonic reply. But before he could, Blue flew down from the trees above and landed on his shoulder.

    ¡°Chirp, chirp¡­ chirp.¡±

 43. Ruins (II)

    Zachary froze, immediately becoming alert. His heart almost jumped out his chest at first and it was still pounding fast even as he took deep breaths to calm himself. They had not encountered any other prisoners after separating from Jean-Pierre. He was ashamed to say that he had almost forgotten about them. After all, the jungle was so dense and vast that it could easily swallow a thousand souls.

    He peeked out of the stone house, carefully keeping his distance from the doorway so that his figure was hidden in darkness. He saw no one and it was quiet. He also could not sense the presence of any Ensouled outside, human or otherwise. However, senses weren''t always reliable. There were many abilities that could hide one''s presence and aura. If Blue had found humans, then it had found humans. He trusted his summon that much.

    "Anything?" Katherine whispered.

    "Nothing." He answered and glanced back at her, "What about Marble?"

    "Nothing close to us."

    He let out the breath he had been holding. He straightened up and let out a sigh of relief after having gone into a crouching position instinctively. He trusted Marble''s senses and he was pretty sure they were not under immediate threat.

    Zachary found Blue which had buried itself in his hair and pulled the frightened little bird out. It quivered in his palm as if it was about to lose its life at any moment. The silly bird was still so hopeless and he had to shake his head.

    "Blue, how many humans did you see?"

    It chirped once, very softly. So, it had seen only one person.

    "Which direction?"

    It pointed in a direction that led deeper into the ruins. He turned to Katherine and they shared a look of concern. Someone had reached these ruins before them.

    "How far from here?" He asked.

    This time, Blue cocked its head and looked up at him in confusion. It didn''t understand. Or more accurately, their bond was not strong enough to convey deeper meanings and concepts. The bird probably had a concept of distance but not in the same way as humans. They would not be able to bridge this gap until the adept rank. If Blue was able to reach the adept rank and if he was able to heal his soul wound enough to make that happen, he would be able to understand Blue''s chirps as if it knew how to speak and Blue would be able to understand him as if he was chirping like a silly bird. He wondered what kind of inane thoughts graced its tiny little head.

    "Let''s go check it out," Katherine said. "We''re already here so we might as well."

    "Alright, let''s go."

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    The pair left the stone house and proceeded carefully. They climbed over a few collapsed stone walls and houses and arrived at another street that seemed to go around in a circuitous route around the ruins. The enormous pillar in the center was closer now but still hidden behind many rows of buildings.

    Blue guided them along the street until they found the person in question. They were already dead, which allowed Zachary and Katherin a breath of relief.

    Zachary went up first and poked the body with the butt of his spear. There was no sign of rotting. The man had died recently. Zachary pushed harder with the spear, revealing a puddle of fresh blood.

    He almost threw up. The man¡¯s frontside was a horrific assortment of wounds. His face had been chewed to the bone. His throat was completely mangled. There was a gaping hole where his stomach should have been with his inner organs nowhere to be found.

    ¡°Eh¡­ yuck.¡± Katherine made a face and hid behind him. ¡°Whatever did that is probably nearby. There might also be more humans.¡±

    Her guess was quickly answered as Blue returned from a round of scouting. The little bird was once again agitated. It flapped its small wings furiously while trying to point towards the central monolith.

    ¡°Chirp, chirp, chirp!¡±

    ¡°Chirp, chirp, chirp!¡±

    Zachary grabbed Blue out of the air and recalled it so that it would stop making noise, ¡°Seems like a lot of humans ahead. That combined with whatever Ensouled did this¡­ we should leave.¡±

    ¡°No, wait!¡± She replied quickly and grabbed his arm, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look¡­ please?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t understand why she was still so eager. It was obviously very dangerous to keep going.

    She seemed to understand his unspoken worries and said, ¡°Just a little peek. We¡¯ll be safe and run if it¡¯s not.¡±

    He had a bad feeling about this but in the end, he gave in. She was just like a cat, too curious, too headstrong for her own good. If he said no, he was afraid that she would throw a hissy fit of epic proportions or even decide to continue onward without him. At this point, he still needed her more than she needed him.

    The ruins¡¯ layout became apparent as the pair tried to find a path inward. The larger streets were arranged in a circular fashion which would take them around the ruins but not inward. Therefore, they had to navigate narrow alleys and climb through and over many buildings.

    Along the way, they found another two fresh bodies. A burly woman had been bitten all over until she bled out. Another man¡¯s head was gone and nowhere to be found. Zachary anxiously wanted to turn around but Katherine seemed even more excited than before.

    The terrain was also strange. The further they went, the more they descended into the basin. The whole place formed a vast depression that seemed totally out of place from the surrounding jungle. These ruins were slowly sinking and the place sinking the fastest was the middle.

    What was more, when they had reached about halfway to the monolith, they encountered water. No rain puddles or garden ponds, these were deep gullies and small lakes that hid unknown dangers.

    The source of the water was also apparent. On the other side, what seemed like a river was pouring into the basin from a series of waterfalls. This begged to question, where was all this water going¡­

    Zachary was just contemplating that question when Katherine pulled on his arm and made him stop.

    ¡°Shh, do you hear that?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Hear what?¡± He replied.

    He held his breath and closed his eyes. With other senses closed off, he heard it as well. It was sounds of battle, faint shouts of male and female voices as well as the strange cries of unknown Ensouled. They weren¡¯t too far away.

    Before he could say anything, he felt Katherine¡¯s hand leave his arm. His eyes snapped open only to catch her figure leaping over their latest obstacle, heading straight for the monolith and the source of the sounds.

    ¡°Damn it.¡± He muttered and quickly followed.

 44. Pinecitta Tree (I)

    As they approached the center of the ruins, cracks and holes appeared in the ground, growing larger and larger. The surrounding water poured into these cracks like small waterfalls. In some places, buildings and walls were partially collapsed due to the sinking ground. Smaller houses had already completely disappeared, swallowed up by the abyss.

    The monolith in the middle still stood on solid ground. But surrounding it almost entirely was a circular chasm. Most of the water that was pouring into the basin ended up at the base of the monolith and emptied into the unseen depths. These waterfalls produced great plumes of mist that rose into the air, carried by the wind, covering the area in a wet fog.

    The sounds of battle grew louder. Several wretched screams rang out along with loud growls and angry barks. Human shouts were mixed together with the cries of birds and the buzzing of insect wings.

    Zachary and Katherine stopped as a crowd of figures came into view. There were about ten that stood upright, human survivors. They were huddled together as tightly as possible, shoulder to shoulder. Their summons which numbered about twenty were arrayed around them in a protective circle. There were a few familiar ones such as an armored beetle with a yellow shell and a praying mantis that stood over a meter tall. There were several jungle birds, a furry pig similar to Onkie, as well as a monkey with six limbs.

    This ragtag force was surrounded by a large pack of black wolves. There were over a hundred of them, perhaps even more. Their pointed ears and a long snout were unmistakable. Their yellow eyes gleamed with hunger and viciousness. Curled lips revealed large white fangs that glistened with saliva.

    The pack circled around the humans and their summons. Every so often, several howls would sound out through the pack, causing many others to join in, creating a frightening chorus. A handful would then make probing attacks against their prey.

    ¡°Kill!¡±

    Sha!

    The giant praying mantis swung its forelimb and caught the first wolf, slicing it into its head. Another wolf tried to get past and at the summoner behind the mantis but was also caught by the large insect¡¯s claws, losing a forelimb in the process.

    This mantis was very strong. It was probably at the Four Paths Novice Rank, perhaps even the fifth path. It was not something that the wolves could face in ones or twos. In fact, each individual wolf in the large pack was not that strong, perhaps no more than the Three Paths Novice Rank. However, there were so many of them and they kept coming.

    The wolves were also smart. Their fans could do nothing against the hard shell of the yellow armored beetle. And yet, several wolves worked together and managed to overturn the lumbering insect. With its underbelly exposed, it was quickly torn apart by merciless fangs.

    Each attack left gaping wounds, puddles of blood of various colors on the ground, and an occasional death. Summons that suffered grievous wounds were reluctantly recalled. Those people who had no more viable summons could only fight with bamboo spears or tiny knives.

    These people had nowhere to go. The wolves didn¡¯t let them leave.

    ¡°Ace, get back¡­ No!¡± Someone shouted as their summon fell.

    Another furiously skewered a wolf with their spear, ¡°Damn mutts, I¡¯ll kill you all!¡±

    ¡°Curse the eternals!¡±

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    ¡°Aaron, you bastard! You caused this mess, you better fix it!¡±

    The scene became even more chaotic as the survivors started arguing amongst themselves.

    Hearing the name, Zachary jerked to attention. He focused on the tallest figure and found a familiar face. It was the same Aaron White whom he had met on the beach. That person had gathered a large group of thirty or so survivors before heading into the jungle.

    Jean-Pierre had been right. Having too many people was not a good thing. They caused too much noise. They were difficult to control. Counting the bodies up until now, Aaron had entered the ruins with less than twenty people. The casualty rate was already frighteningly high. Now that they had met this pack of wolves, it was difficult to say if any of them could make it out alive.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Katherine, who was crouched beside Zachary, let out an unnatural cry.

    Before he could ask her, she tugged on his arm and pointed ahead. His eyes followed and fell upon an astonishing sight. His breath caught in his throat and he suddenly forgot to breathe. He blinked several times to make sure he wasn¡¯t hallucinating.

    Aaron White and his group were situated near a wide ledge that jutted into the chasm. Just beyond the sea of black wolves that surrounded them was a narrow pathway of stone and overgrown grass that had yet to collapse into the abyss. This path led directly to the base of the monolith as well as a strange tree situated beneath the towering stone construct.

    ¡°No way!¡± He blurted.

    He recognized this tree. Most summoners with any level of education would have as well. The tree had a reddish-brown bark that was smooth, almost polished. Its trunk and branches were twisted in every direction. The tree formed an oval-shaped crown of green pine needles that were occasionally tinged with red.

    However, the most eye-catching aspect of this tree was its fruit. Small, perfectly round spheres grew from the tip of the spindly branches. They were the size of apricots and the color of glass. They were transparent like little ice crystals. There was no explanation for how something like this could have formed, only the whims of the heavens.

    Two sets of words arose in Zachary¡¯s thoughts. He almost couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Pinecitta tree.

    Soul orbs.

    The pinecitta tree was a special tree prized throughout the summoning world. It was said to grow in places with especially high concentrations of Eternum. It was difficult to find and even harder to cultivate. As for the fruit it bore, they were known as soul orbs. It was one of the pillars of human summoning. It served as an alternative to summoning cards, only much, much better.

    The glass-like soul orb that grew on the pinecitta tree was hollow on the inside. It held a clear liquid inside that allowed a person to perform orb summoning. If one placed a drop of their own blood into the liquid and let a wild Ensouled drink the concoction, they would be able to tame it and form a soul bond. After the bond was established, the Ensouled¡¯s body would then reside within the orb, from where it could be summoned into the real world at any time.

    At its simplest, it was another method of summoning, another method of capturing Ensouled to fight on one¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± Zachary muttered.

    He was frustrated beyond measure. If there were no wolves, he would have jumped out and rushed towards the tree. Each soul orb he could obtain was an additional chance of survival.

    In this wild jungle, summoning cards were a limited resource. Even if he robbed others, the overall number of usable cards would decrease as the days passed until none were left. However, the pinecitta tree was covered with ripe soul orbs, more than he could count.

    If he had these soul orbs, he could build an army. Even if they were only novice rank at first, it didn¡¯t matter. If he could catch twenty or thirty of a powerful Ensouled like Hammer, he could sweep through the jungle with little worry. He could search for an Ensouled with healing powers to heal his wounded soul. He could even subdue an adept rank Ensouled with sheer numbers.

    He looked back at Aaron White. His group probably had similar intentions when they saw the pinecitta tree. It was their misfortune that they were too careless. This place was no doubt the wolf pack¡¯s territory. For such a special existence like the pinecitta tree, even if the wild Ensouled could not use the fruit like humans, it was still a great place to cultivate the soul.

    ¡°Zach,¡± Katherine spoke up, slightly breathless and unable to hide her excitement, ¡°Do you want these soul orbs?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Listen, I have a plan.¡±

    ---

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 45. Pinecitta Tree (II)

    ¡°A plan?¡± Zachary asked, also excited.

    His rational mind told him that this was a bad idea, that they stood no chance against so many wolves. It was better to retreat and live another day. However, in the heat of the moment, there was only the greed of the human heart.

    Things like the pinecitta tree were why people dared to venture into the New World. There were dangers but there were also rewards. The bigger the danger, the bigger the reward.

    A pinecitta tree was a big deal, especially for low rank summoners. A single soul orb was equivalent to the average monthly income of an adept rank summoner. A whole tree surpassed what an expert rank summoner could earn in their lifetime. If one was able to somehow uproot the whole thing and replant it in the Old World, it would be like growing money for years to come.

    And it was just one example.

    The New World was filled with such treasures. They came in all shapes and sizes. The remains of ancient Ensouled could leave behind powerful anima crystals. The passage of time could produce deposits of elemental quintessences which were even more precious. Strange Ensouled, mysterious ruins, or even a lost tribe of humanity from the Wild Era; the possibilities were endless.

    Zachary had been sent to the New World as punishment for his crimes. This jungle was intended as his final resting place. Instead, he found himself an opportunity and he didn¡¯t want to let it go.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± He asked again, more anxiously this time.

    Katherine took out her leather bag, the one they had gotten from the ship, ¡°First, we need to figure out how many soul orbs we can carry if we can reach the tree.¡±

    He opened his own bag and examined it. It was only half filled with spare summoning cards and food. There was about three days¡¯ worth of dried biscuits and an equal amount of dried fish. The remaining space could hold a small number of soul orbs, maybe around twenty.

    He felt that this was far from enough and looked around, trying to find something else that they could use to carry more soul orbs. He instinctively patted the small cloth bag tied to the snakeskin belt around his waist. It could hold a handful of soul orbs but it currently held his active summoning carbs so it wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡°To take more soul orbs, we¡¯ll use this.¡± She stuck a large leaf under his nose.

    It was as big as a table. He watched as she deftly folded the leaf over several times, creating a large pocket that could hold an armful of plunder.

    ¡°Neat.¡± He said as she handed him the leaf pocket and quickly made another.

    With looting bags ready, the two of them looked back toward the ongoing battle. During their brief distraction, another summon died. Three wolves also fell but that hardly dented their numbers.

    ¡°How do we get to the tree,¡± He said, thinking out loud, ¡°We can¡¯t exactly sneak past so many wolves.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± She said.

    ¡°And,¡± He added, ¡°Even if Aaron White¡¯s group manages to break out and lead the pack away, we can¡¯t do anything. The wolves will be back soon since this is their territory. They¡¯ll likely catch our scent. If those people make a run for it, we have run too.¡±

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    ¡°I know¡­ That¡¯s why we have to help them.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He asked sharply, ¡°Help them? Are you crazy?¡±

    He wasn¡¯t the type to trust strangers and he didn¡¯t know this Aaron White person. The wound left behind by that person¡¯s betrayal remained fresh in his soul.

    ¡°Not crazy. Look.¡± Katherine pointed to the narrow land bridge that connected the monolith to the rest of the ruins. ¡°It is very narrow, three people can block it off or three large summons. You have Hammer, Oakley, and Onkie but it¡¯s not enough. We need strength in numbers. With Aaron White¡¯s group, it will be enough to hold off the wolves.¡±

    Zachary shook his head, ¡°No way, we¡¯ll be trapped. There is nowhere to go except down. We¡¯ll be trapped and those beasts aren¡¯t going to let us off for invading their territory. Even if we can hold the land bridge for a while, we¡¯ll eventually be worn down. Their numbers far exceed ours.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll get reinforcements. Did you forget about the pinecitta tree? The ripe soul orbs? We can capture the wounded and summon them to fight. There are far more soul orbs than the wolves. As long as we can hold the bridge, we¡¯ll beat them.¡±

    He didn¡¯t like it. He had to admit that her plan was feasible. He would have never thought of something like this. It was probably due to her training and experience with the army. But he still didn¡¯t like it. He couldn¡¯t explain exactly why.

    Seeing her determined face, he eventually gave in. After all, he wanted the soul orbs just as much as her.

    ¡°Okay, fine! But we¡¯ll have to work together with them. How do we coordinate?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Already on it.¡± She said.

    She found another large leaf. On it, she used her fingernail to write a few short sentences as she explained the plan in detail.

    Once done, he summoned Blue and let the bird carry the rolled-up leaf in its claws.

    ¡°Blue, fly over there and drop this on the tallest person¡¯s head. Do you see him? Good, chirp a few times to get his attention first.¡±

    With that, Blue was off. It flew over the pack of wolves and circled above the group of humans, chirping nonstop. It then dropped its payload, just in time to bound off of Aaron¡¯s forehead as he looked up.

    Its mission accomplished, Blue zoomed away, leading Aaron and several other people¡¯s gazes toward Zachary and Katherine who had stood up.

    They both waved and pointed at Aaron several times.

    Aaron quickly understood. He unfurled the leaf and read the contents. He crushed it afterward and cursed.

    ¡°Hey!¡± He shouted and waved his arm, ¡°Are you fucking crazy?¡±

    His voice was strong and loud, even louder than the incessant howling.

    Zachary gave a thumbs up and then moved hands across his brow several times, bringing out his four strongest summons in succession. There was Hammer, Oakley, Onkie, and Arrow. It was a strong lineup, enough to take on a dozen wolves by himself.

    ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll do it your way!¡± Aaron shouted, ¡°Everybody get ready! We¡¯re going to make a break for the land bridge!¡±

    ¡°Why are we going back?¡±

    ¡°Who is that?¡±

    ¡°Aaron, are you going to listen to that pretty-faced bastard?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Aaron roared.

    The dissent was quelled by his powerful voice and spiritual force. He wasn¡¯t the leader for nothing. The others still followed him because he was the strongest summoner among them.

    ¡°Alright! Listen closely!¡±

    As Aaron explained the plan, Zachary and Katherine started moving. They climbed over several obstacles of fallen stone walls and overgrown vegetation and arrived at the edge of the chasm that separated the ruins from the central monolith. They then sneaked along the edge until they were close to the land bridge and the ongoing battle.

    Most of the wolves were occupied with encircling Aaron¡¯s group. Only a few mutts were loitering between Zachary¡¯s side and the land bridge. They would be able to reach it with a short sprint.

    ¡°We¡¯re ready!¡± Aaron shouted into the air. "Come on! Kill the wolves if you want to live!"

    His strength gave everyone else confidence. The remaining survivors roared to life and fought the wild beasts with renewed vigor. Their summons followed their masters and became even more ferocious.

    Even Zachary felt bolstered. He felt his heart pound fast in the face of a dangerous struggle. They would make it. It was going to work.

    ¡°Go, go, go!¡± He shouted and broke cover, charging a wolf with the tip of his bamboo spear.

 46. Teamwork (I)

    The first wolf that caught sight of Zachary and Katherine didn''t immediately attack them. It looked around in confusion as if not expecting other creatures to dare sneak up to them. They were the hegemon of the ruins and even adept rank Ensouled wouldn''t bother with them.

    As a result, it suffered the sharp point of the bamboo spear around the shoulder area. It yelped in pain as it was pushed to the ground, its body thrashing about wildly. Other wolves noticed the commotion but before they could react, Hammer followed up from behind Zachary and crushed the smaller creature''s head with its claw.

    "Woo!"

    "Woo!"

    Several wolves howled and came in their direction.

    Zachary and Katherine were moving quickly, not at a dead sprint but at a steady jog. Onkie could keep up with them but Hammer and Oakley were rather slow. The heavy mist made the ground muddy and slippery. They were close to the edge of the chasm that separated the ruins from the central monolith and they didn''t want to accidentally fall in.

    Four wolves faced them in a small arc, blocking their way. The majority of the wolves were still occupied with Aaron White''s group. Zachary swung his spear at the first beast. It snapped its jaw at the spear tip which glanced across its face. Another lunged at his side but Hammer was already in position and intercepted it. Sharp teeth clanged off the crab''s tough shell and the wolf bounced off, furiously shaking its head from the shock of the impact. During this time, a third wolf rushed up and leaped over Onkie.

    "Oakley, catch it!" Zachary shouted as he ducked.

    A whimper sounded above his head and he knew his treant had done a good job.

    "Throw it over!" He commanded.

    The tall treant creaked as it moved. With both hands, it swung the wolf around once before letting go. The wolf let out a wild cry as it soared in the air, over the edge, and plunged to its death.

    "Go, go, go!" Zachary shouted again.

    They were halfway to the land bridge but the pack had fully noticed them now. A group of more than ten turned and started in their direction. If they could reach the bridge before the wolves, it would be their win. If they were too slow and surrounded before they could do so, then it would be certain death.

    The wolves were not sitting still either. Already, two of the wolves had drifted over to the narrow patch of grass and stone that was Zachary''s target. It was as if they had sensed something from his actions. It was what made wild Ensouled so formidable, the fact that as they cultivated the soul to get stronger and faster, they also got smarter.

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    Zachary knew the situation wasn''t good and it spurred him into action, "Onkie, charge ahead! Arrow, spit at anything that comes in our way!"

    With that, he broke into a sprint, leaving the cover of his two larger summons. Katherine was right behind him. He didn''t need to tell her to act, she already knew what to do.

    A snarling wolf blocked their path. Onkie tackled it head-on and the two tangled together. Although Onkie was shorter, its body was much thicker and probably twice as heavy. Its fur was dense and a few bites here and there wasn''t enough to even draw blood.

    Another wolf leaped over the pair and at Zachary. Without slowing, he stabbed it in the mouth, causing blood and saliva to land on his face. He blinked as his eyes stung, momentarily losing concentration just as more wolves approached.

    Pu! Pu! Pu!

    Arrow let loose with rapid spitballs. It didn''t need his command as it already understood what it had to do. When the poison splattered on a wolf''s head, the beast immediately fell to the ground, whining and panting as it tried to rub its face with its paws or against the ground in a futile attempt at getting rid of the potent sludge. Even if the poison landed on fur, it quickly seeped into the skin and caused painful stinging sensations that distracted them enough to break formation.

    "Thanks, Arrow. You''re the best." Zachary praised as he regained his composure.

    The little frog croaked several times, showing that it was pleased with the compliment. Afterward, it doubled its efforts, spitting out poison without pause.

    Zachary and Katherine kept going. The land bridge was only a short distance away. Four wolves stood in their way. Behind them, Onkie was tangled with two wolves, furiously wrestling and biting one or the other. Hammer was surrounded on all sides but its hard shell protected it from any harm. Oakley was also surrounded and was starting to suffer wounds as the wolves chomped down on its body, tearing bits of bark and chipping into the hardwood. It groaned, not quite feeling pain but rather alarm at its situation as if it could sense impending demise. It was too slow to catch up to its summoner and too weak to deal with so many opponents. Treants were not well known for their emotions but when faced with death, its expression was still one of helpless dejection.

    Through their soul bond, Zachary sensed Oakley''s dangerous situation. He wasn''t about to let his summon die just like this.

    "Kate, cover me!" He yelled as he turned around.

    "I got it! Marble, go!"

    The little black cat leaped out of her embrace and disappeared into a wisp of black smoke. It reappeared on top of a wolf''s head and sank its claws into the wolf''s eyes. At the same time, Katherine skewered another wolf through its sides, pushing it and the spear over the slippery edge in the process. She then brandished her knife and waved it around, keeping the last two at bay. She was surprisingly fast and nimble, easily dodging snapping jaws and sharp teeth with movements that showcased her experience.

    All of this happened within the span of three breaths. But it was enough for Zachary. He had successfully performed a long-distance recall on Oakley and immediately proceeded with a rapid resummon.

    Eternum surged out of his brow, flowing into and through the summoning card that he was holding up. Suddenly, as he was about to finish the resummon, a sharp pain arced through his skull as the old wound within his soul acted up once more. He almost threw up from the agony which came in unrelenting waves. He had almost forgotten how much it hurt, almost.

    He let out a miserable shout and doubled over. He gave up on the resummon as he heard Katherine shout his name in alarm. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself back up with his spear shaft. Damn these wolves. Damn the New World. He wished eternal ruin upon the Republic Adorin as he threw himself forward. He was an adept rank summoner. Even without summons, he could beat a few mangy beasts!

 47. Teamwork (II)

    Zachary swung his spear left and right in wide arcs, holding several beasts back. When one still dared to attack, he smacked it across the snout, making it whimper. Still, they were facing a sea of black fur that had no end.

    He briefly wondered if this was what human ancestors had to go through eons ago. Without summoning, the only advantage of humans was their greater intellect and the ability to wield tools. With just that, how far could they have gone? The novice and adept ranks were probably okay. But, the expert rank was probably impossible.

    In the seconds it took to contemplate the struggles of their species, Zachary and Katherine finally fought their way to the land bridge. He tried to summon Oakley again and this time he was successful. With the tall treant blocking half of the width of the narrow patch of stone, it became much easier to defend.

    He turned and quickly recalled Onkie and Hammer in succession. It was just in time as Onkie was bleeding all over, having suffered several gashes and bites that went through its fur. Hammer was still fine as it had only lost three out of its eight legs. It could still stand up and walk.

    ¡°Let me recover a little!¡± Zachary said, ¡°So I can resummon.¡±

    ¡°No need, Aaron is here!¡± She said

    True to her words, Aaron¡¯s group had successfully fought their way through the beast encirclement. They were quicker than he expected but it wasn¡¯t surprising to see why. With Zachary and Katherine creating a distraction, the two of them became a ray of hope that galvanized the survivors to put everything on the line.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    ¡°Keep going, we¡¯re almost there!¡±

    ¡°Open a path!¡±

    After a few more moments of barely controlled chaos, the survivor group arrived at the land bridge. Katherine stepped aside, letting the first bunch through. They were the ones without any summons and were already exhausted from fighting. The rest brought up the rear with a rag-tag force of about a dozen summons.

    Aaron White was the last person. He was tall and well-built. His summons included the powerful mantis and furry pig akin to Onkie, only it was about twice as big. It even had a pair of curled tusks that seemed quite deadly. Even after being in a life-or-death situation and fighting so many wolves, his expression was calm, as if he was far from being pushed to the limit.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Aaron,¡± He extended a hand.

    Zachary expected Katherine to take it first since she had come up with the plan. However, she had somehow appeared behind him so he had to take the handshake.

    ¡°Zachary, this is Katherine.¡± He replied simply.

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    Zachary wasn¡¯t a short man by any means but this Aaron was still taller. Standing in front of each other, he had to tilt up to meet the other¡¯s eyes which shined with appreciation and relief.

    Aaron shook his hand vigorously. The grip was strong but Zachary didn¡¯t mind and returned the greeting. There was a refreshing air about the man, one would not expect from a death row prisoner.

    ¡°Good man, thanks for the help,¡± Aaron said.

    ¡°We¡¯re not out of the woods yet,¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Not out of the woods¡­ Hahaha, I like it! Don¡¯t worry.¡± Aaron broke the handshake and turned to the crowd of faces around and them on the land bridge. ¡°Finn, Henry, Chloe, Bella, James; heavies in front, ranged in the back, maintain the defensive line! Adrian, Jensine, Georgi, Mia; you guys don¡¯t have any summons, go back and bring back some ripe soul orbs. We need to replenish our forces!¡±

    Zachary and Katherine stood by and watched. With only a small patch of dirt to defend, the superior strength of the summons shone through. The wolves suffered many casualties while not being able to cause any damage.

    Aaron continued to shout orders, ¡°Keep fighting! Pull the wounded wolves in, don¡¯t let them run! Grab the dead wolves too! We¡¯ll need them for food! Where are the soul orbs?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡±

    One of the female survivors, either Jensine or Mia, came back holding several soul orbs with the front of her shirt. They were perfectly round and clear as crystal. Even in the mist, they sparkled with mysterious light.

    ¡°The others are still sorting through the orbs on the ground. Many are already broken.¡± She explained.

    Aaron reached over to grab a soul orb and presented it to Zachary, ¡°Zachary, here. You saved us so you should get the first wolf. Meatball, drag one over.¡±

    The large furry pig grunted and snorted as it dragged a wounded wolf by the legs. The beast had suffered a spear through the chest and was bleeding heavily. It had no strength to fight back.

    ¡°I got it,¡± Zachary said as he pulled out a summoning card, ¡°Onkie, come out.¡±

    His furry appeared next to the larger one. The two stared at each other in surprise before they started snorting loudly and sniffing each other.

    Aaron laughed, ¡°Hey, you have one too.¡±

    Zachary laughed as well, ¡°You¡¯re lucky, you got the male one. It¡¯s pretty big.¡±

    He wanted to ask how strong it was but he held back. It was bad manners to ask for the soul cultivation of another¡¯s summons. One could still ask but the other wasn¡¯t obligated to tell the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Yours is pretty tough. It isn¡¯t backing down from Meatball even with so many wounds.¡± Aaron said.

    ¡°Yeah. Anyway, I¡¯ll take the wolf. I need some time to recover my soul energy.¡± Zachary said and looked at his summon, ¡°Onkie, bite its forelegs.¡±

    It did as he asked and he grabbed the wolf¡¯s hind legs. With his summon¡¯s help, he dragged the wounded beast away. As he left, Aaron distributed the few soul orbs to the rest of his people.

    Katherin followed Zachary. Crossing the narrow bridge, they found a patch of bare stone a few steps away from pinecitta tree. A few of the survivors were taking a breather nearby. The battle was still ongoing but it had decreased in intensity. They only needed three or so people to defend at a time.

    ¡°See, it worked out.¡± She said with a grin, ¡°The power of teamwork!¡±

    He shook his head. He wasn¡¯t convinced yet. The situation had progressed exactly as she predicted but what happened from here was still uncertain. Would the wolves continue to attack or would they give up? What would they do if they were trapped on this small patch of ground for a long time?

    He glanced at Aaron who towered above the others. There was now an imbalance of power and numbers. Zachary had always disliked large groups. He was never the type to trust others easily. After the betrayal that caused him to end up here, he was even more reluctant.

    He signed and looked at the soul orb in his hand, ¡°All for this? Yeah¡­ I guess it¡¯s worth it.¡±

 48. Orb Summoning (I)

    Soul orbs, also known as summoning orbs, opened the doors to another form of summoning known as orb summoning. Whereas summoning cards were relatively cheap depending on the quality, every soul orb was expensive. They were the privilege of the rich or those at the higher ranks. Zachary had only studied the theory of it in school and never actually used one before.

    He looked at the orb and then at the wolf. It was about the size of a large dog. With Onkie sitting on its wounded chest, it could only let out painful pants. A wolf with no special attributes wasn¡¯t his preference for a summon but he didn¡¯t have any other choice. One more summon was one more way to protect himself. He also didn''t want to fall behind Aaron and his group.

    He took out his knife and made a cut on his arm. He let the blood drip onto the crystal fruit. A small hole appeared on the clear surface where the first drop hit it. This allowed the subsequent drops to mix with the nectar inside.

    He didn''t ask Katherine to do this for him. He wasn¡¯t sure if his soul wound would cause the same problem with summoning orbs as summoning cards. However, he had to do this because it would take too long otherwise. Soul bonds formed by soul orbs were far stronger. The texts mentioned that it could take from anywhere several hours to several days to wipe away another person''s soul imprint. With the wolf pack besieging the land bridge, they didn''t have that kind of time.

    Once enough blood entered the soul orb, a change occurred. The liquid within the orb was still as clear as ever. However, the amount of Eternum it contained was far greater, with far more intensity. Holding it in his hand, it was as if the orb was humming with power.

    ¡°Onkie, hold it still.¡± He said.

    "Onk!"

    Zachary also went over and placed his knee on the wolf''s neck, so that it couldn''t rear up suddenly and take a bite out of his hand.

    With the beast immobilized, he tilted the orb above its open mouth, letting the liquid slowly pour out like water. The beast didn¡¯t move, merely gazing up at him with eyes that still contained a trace of ferocity.

    Once he had poured all the liquid out of the orb, he stood up and patiently waited. It didn¡¯t take long for the mysterious effects to take hold. Even the foremost experts of the summoning world couldn''t explain it. This was the power of the pinecitta tree.

    The wolf¡¯s body trembled as if it was struggling against an invisible foe. It kicked its legs and snapped at the empty air. It was even able to shake off Onkie, sending the pig rolling away.

    ¡°Wooo!¡±

    As it howled, Eternum surged from where it stood. When the energy ebbed away, its blue eyes bored into Zachary¡¯s for a moment. It then turned into a streak of light and entered the orb, depositing a white crystal inside.

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    Zachary let out a long breath. Thankfully, it was a successful capture, on the first attempt no less. Thinking about it, this was one of the benefits of summoning orbs over summoning cards. Although these orbs could not be reused, they provided a much greater chance of capture. The nectar of each orb, when combined with blood, was like a drug that dulled the senses and caused confusion. It was described as similar making the Ensouled drunk enough so that it would accept the soul bond without too much struggle. In this way, it was even possible to capture an Ensouled that was stronger and had more soul paths than the summoner.

    The advantages didn¡¯t end there. A summon that resided in an orb had a much stronger bond with its summoner. The most prominent effect of this was that it was much easier to nurture a summon inside an orb. The transfer of Eternum and utilization of anima crystals were far more efficient, at least twice as much. Due to this increase in efficiency, it also took less time to heal from injuries.

    Additionally, because of the stronger bond, the summons could exist outside their orbs for a far longer period. And it wasn¡¯t even close. Where a card summon could last only one or two fights before it had to rest, an orb summon could accompany their summoner for an entire morning without too much effort. If pushed to the limit, they could last half a day.

    ¡°How is it?¡± Katherine asked, peering excitedly at the orb in his hand.

    ¡°Good,¡± Zachary replied simply.

    ¡°Well? Don¡¯t be stingy, take it out and show me!¡±

    He raised the orb and looked into it. An anima crystal was suspended in the middle. Even when he swung the orb vigorously, the crystal wouldn¡¯t budge, not even by a hair. The hole he had caused with his blood had been sealed and the surface was perfectly smooth as if the anima crystal had always existed within.

    He extended his soul sense and connected with the wolf. The beast was calm but it was very weak. He realized only now that the spear had pierced a lung. It would take a little while longer before it could fight again.

    However¡­

    His serious face turned slowly into a smile as he discovered something else about the beast, something he should have already considered. This was an Ensouled of the New World. Even an ordinary looking one was special in some way.

    ¡°Very good, I¡¯ll name you Sable.¡± He spoke softly to the orb.

    ¡°Sable? Is it a boy or a girl?¡± Katherine asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s injured. I can¡¯t bring it out yet. However, I can do something else.¡±

    Zachary shifted the orb to his left hand and brought out a summoning card with his right. A flash of light later and Hammer appeared before him. It clacked its claws loudly, still missing three legs but eager for a fight. He pointed his left hand and the orb in the direction of Hammer and Onkie, concentrating on the wolf and the connection he had with it.

    His soul sea swirled as the bond materialized. With great concentration and patience, he guided the flow of Eternum from his soul sea, through his arm, and into the soul orb.

    ¡°Sable, I know you are hurt. I just need to borrow a little of your power.¡±

    The orb glowed white, becoming brighter and brighter. There was a sense of eagerness but also reluctance. After all, Sable had been a wild beast only recently. It didn¡¯t want to listen. It still wasn¡¯t able to adjust to its new situation.

    Zachary sensed all of this. He eased his own strength and spoke through their bond, ¡°You can do it. I will support you every step of the way.¡±

    He sensed more than heard a soft bark.

    The soul orb glowed again and this time it didn¡¯t dim.

    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s do it. Ability summon¡­ pack bond!¡±

    ¡°Aaah-ooooh!¡±

 49. Orb Summoning (II)

    Eternum surged around them, emanating from the summoning orb. It was an invisible wave that rose and crashed down, rushing his two summons, gifting them energy as well as a new and unique strength. Feeling something strange, Onkie squirmed around uncomfortably and jumped a few times. Hammer let out a stream of bubbles in confusion. Then, before his very eyes, the two seemed to grow noticeably in size. Or perhaps, it was their soul aura that grew.

    "Onk, onk?" Onkie snorted and dug its face in the dirt.

    "Ka!" Hammer swung its claws around, hoping to catch something and tear it apart.

    Zachary could feel their rising emotions through their bonds. They were stronger and more aggressive, their prior fatigue seemingly forgotten. Even though both were injured, they appeared ready for another fight.

    All of this was due to the black wolf''s ability. It was a commonly known ability of canine species called pack bond. In the wild, pack bond increased the strength of canine Ensouled when they were in a pack. As a summon, Sable''s ability treated his other summons as members of its pack and increased their fighting strength as well as fighting spirit. It was a very effective support ability and one often utilized by summoners which increased the power of their entire lineup by a significant margin.

    As for ability summoning, it was the biggest reason why orb summoning was so prized over card summoning and one of the fundamental methods humans used to gain an advantage over wild Ensouled and establish a foothold in the world. Due to the much stronger soul bond, it allowed a summoner to use certain abilities of their summon. There were limitations such as the effects being weaker and not being able to replicate passive abilities or physical traits. He wouldn''t be able to gain a hard shell like Hammer or grow fur like Onkie. But he probably would be able to shoot poison with Arrow or throw out some water droplets using Blue. It provided a tremendous amount of flexibility for human summoners to overcome countless challenges.

    "Wow, ability summoning with a freshly bonded Ensouled..." Katherine said.

    "Nothing special, I just have a lot of practice with ability summoning." He replied.

    She laughed softly, "You sure know how to impress a woman."

    "All thanks to Yaoyao."

    That statement was the truth, sort of. Zachary did have a lot of practice but he had never held a soul orb until today. He had bonded with Yaoyao through another method known as soul summoning. However, both soul summoning and orb summoning allowed a summoner to utilize ability summoning, albeit with some differences such as effectiveness and power.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean thanks to the Ice Saint?¡± She asked teasingly.

    He ignored her and turned to his summons, "Onkie, Hammer, let''s go fight some wolves."

    The two beasts eagerly followed him to the land bridge where the battle was still raging. Aaron was still holding the line with three others. One of them even had a black wolf as a summon already.

    "Aaron, let me help for a while," Zachary called out as he approached.

    "Oh, it''s you. Yeah, come on, we need you. James, switch out with Zachary!" Aaron shouted.

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    One of the summoners who had been fighting without rest until now retreated with an expression of relief. Zachary commanded Hammer to move up and fill the gap as James recalled his two summons, an armored beetle and a black crow. Although both beasts were rather weak individually, together, they took care of defense and offense.

    However, such a combo was far inferior to Hammer, especially this current Hammer that was strengthened with pack bond. It immediately caught a feisty wolf that tried to jump the new arrival. It crushed the beast¡¯s torso, causing it to yelp painfully and struggle to get free. The wolf bit and clawed at Hammer to no avail. Hammer''s shell was impervious to this level of attack. It was like a brick wall, a brick wall with two deadly claws.

    "Hammer, that''s enough. Throw it over!" Zachary commanded, "Onkie, your turn, subdue it."

    Hammer swung its claw, easily tossing the injured wolf overhead. Onkie immediately charged over and slammed its body into the other beast over and over. Its strength was so great that it directly knocked the wolf unconscious, even surpassing Zachary''s expectations.

    "Damn, that''s one scary pig," Aaron commented.

    "Onkie is not bad. Your Meatball is quite strong too."

    The other pig in question was holding a spot in the defensive line by itself, its tusks helping to ward off several wolves. Every once in a while, it would pick out an injured wolf and drag it back to be captured.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ I didn¡¯t think your pig was that strong, at least it wasn¡¯t before. Did it have a breakthrough?¡± Aaron asked.

    Zachary hid a frown. This person beside him was very perceptive, a sign of a talented summoner.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just the pack bond ability from the black wolf I just caught,¡± He replied and held up the soul orb.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Aaron fell silent for a moment before he turned and shouted, ¡°Mia, give me a soul orb!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± A slender woman ran up and handed him one.

    She gave him a warm smile before going back.

    Aaron¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change as he headed to one of the captured wolves that was currently unconscious. He roughly lifted its body by the neck until its mouth hung open. He used the sharp fangs to draw some blood into the orb and then dumped the contents into the beast¡¯s mouth.

    It was a rough and unsympathetic style of capture. Aaron was probably one of those summoners who sought to dominate their summons. To them, summons were the means to an end, tools that provided them with strength.

    It wasn¡¯t Zachary¡¯s style but he wasn¡¯t one to judge others.

    ¡°Ha, I¡¯m in luck. This mutt also has the pack bond ability.¡± Aaron said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll name you Blackfang. Come on, Blackfang, show me your ability!¡±

    He clutched the soul orb and thrust it out in front of him. Eternum surged around him and the orb, bending to his will. The orb started to glow white. It increased in intensity for a few moments before it eventually wavered. After several strong fluctuations, the light dimmed and the gathered energy dissipated.

    ¡°Eh?¡± Aaron stared at his hand and the summoning orb in confusion.

    ¡°Boss, your Blackfang is still injured.¡± Someone chimed in, ¡°Let it heal and you¡¯ll easily be able to use ability summoning.¡±

    ¡°I know that!¡± Aaron said and turned to Zachary, ¡°But¡­ how did you do it?¡±

    Zachary shrugged. It wasn¡¯t some big secret so he decided to show them. He summoned Oakley and Arrow to take over from Hammer and Onkie. The treant filled the gap and used its spindly arms to keep the wolves away. Arrow found a perch on top of its head and started launching poison spit with careful aim.

    He then lifted Sable¡¯s orb again and channeled Eternum into it.

    ¡°Sable? It¡¯s me again.¡± He whispered, ¡°Can you use your ability again? It will be the last time. I¡¯ll let you have a good rest afterward. I promise.¡±

    The tired wolf let out soft murmurs of complaint. It was very tired. Another ability would completely drain it of its remaining energy. However, after Zachary¡¯s coaxing, it still obeyed for the sake of its new master.

    ¡°Ahhwwooo!¡±

    Pack bond was activated once more and its effects immediately took hold.

    ¡°Arrrrrhh!¡± Oakley let out a cry.

    Its movements sped up and it swung its arms with extra force, sending a hapless wolf flying into the air.

    Arrow croaked loudly and started spewing poison rapidly. It took potshots at everything that moved without regard for conserving its energy.

    Oakley and Arrow were already quite strong after Zachary¡¯s diligent training. Now, they became even more so thanks to pack bond. They combined flexible defense and flexible offense. It was the most fearsome pairing among the summons currently active on the battlefield.

 50. Mysterious Monolith (I)

    "Damn impressive," Aaron muttered, staring at his own soul orb once more with more than a hint of disdain, "Anyway... Zachary, do you want to join my crew?"

    "Huh¡­ I don¡¯t know. Why do you ask?" Zachary replied.

    Aaron shrugged, "You''re strong and you know what you''re doing. I''ll make you my second-in-command."

    "Thanks..." Zachary said, "Maybe, I''ll think about it."

    He wasn''t going to think about it. He had no intention of being ordered around by others. But it was better to be diplomatic since they were all stuck here together.

    After that, the conversation turned to more pressing matters. The wolves remained unrelenting in their attacks. By now, these were largely ineffective due to a difference in strength and strategy but the beasts still persisted. There were still hundreds and hundreds of black wolves within the pack and they all wanted the pinecitta tree. They threw themselves at the defensive array of horns, claws, and pincers without any regard for losses.

    To resist the wolves, Aaron came up with a shift system. There were twelve people left counting Zachary and Katherine. The land bridge was wide enough to safely fit four people. Any more and just a slight push could cause a person to lose their balance and fall into the misty abyss. Therefore, four people would defend the narrow passage at any one time. The others would rest, eat, and help their summons recover.

    Just as Katherine had pointed out initially, everything they needed to survive was at their fingertips. Meat from the wolves served as a never-ending supply of food. Their anima crystals could be used for soul cultivation and healing summons. There was water everywhere due to the thundering waterfalls all around them so they wouldn''t go thirsty either.

    It was a battle of attrition and a test of patience. With each wolf defeated and captured, the number of summons on their side grew. The result of this battle would depend on how long each side could keep fighting and how many reinforcements each could get.

    Aside from this, the only matter that remained was the pinecitta tree and its precious fruits. It was the target of desire for all parties involved, humans and wolves alike. Although there were many soul orbs, it was still a finite number.

    Only the ripe fruits that had dropped down were viable. There had been an initial scramble for the soul orbs on the ground. Since Katherine had come prepared with leaf carrying bag, she was able to pilfer away a far bigger share. Once other realized this, it caused a serious argument.

    "You can''t just keep half the orbs to yourself!"

    "There''s ten of us and only two of you!"

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    "Everyone had a chance to snatch soul orbs, you were just too slow!" Katherine retorted.

    "You bitch!"

    ¡°Hand the bag over or else!¡±

    "Everyone, calm down!" Aaron said and rushed over to separate the two groups.

    Zachary followed, going to Katherine and making sure she was alright. After they stopped shouting at each other, Aaron and Zachary met for a series of uneasy negotiations.

    Aaron White was tall and imposing. He loomed over Zachary by at least half a head. His short hair and muscular build made him look like a professional gangster or a seasoned military man. Compared to him, Zachary had a slim but solid figure. With a sharp chin and long back hair, he would have been considered rakishly handsome in the Old World. Neither felt inferior standing in front of the other so nobody backed down.

    Aaron contended that Katherine shouldn''t have taken almost half of the soul orbs without telling anyone and that this was unfair to the rest. Zachary''s counterpoint was that even among Aaron''s group, the distribution of orbs was uneven. Those who got to the tree first were hoarding far more orbs, causing others to find trouble with Katherine.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just be fair. We have twelve people. Split all the soul orbs twelve ways and you guys get two shares.¡± Aaron said.

    ¡°You have ten people,¡± Zachary countered, ¡°What we have is two groups so fifty-fifty is fair.¡±

    ¡°No way, that¡¯s too much. The others won¡¯t accept it.¡±

    Zachary knew that was the truth. The unsatisfied expressions on their faces told him as much. He looked back at Katherine who shrugged helplessly.

    ¡°Forty-sixty.¡± He countered.

    Aaron shook his head, ¡°Two shares out of twelve is one-sixth. How about one-fifth or twenty-eighty.¡±

    ¡°Thirty-seventy.¡±

    ¡°Twenty-five-seventy-five, one-fourth.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Zachary said and stuck out his hand.

    ¡°Good man.¡± Aaron shook it.

    The deal was done. Aaron seemed satisfied but another person was not.

    ¡°You¡¯re not very good at bargaining,¡± Katherine said after she had given away half of her stash.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe.¡± Zachary admitted, ¡°But Aaron isn¡¯t much better off, he has to deal with way more people than us. It¡¯s better to get past this than get stuck and start fighting or something. And it was all your fault, who told you to take all the orbs?¡±

    "It wasn''t my fault," She pouted, "They were too slow!"

    "We have to be careful. We don''t know these people. And we''re stuck with them for the long term." He muttered.

    He was quickly starting to regret ever jumping into this mess. But then again, when he stared at the pile of soul orbs that remained in their possession, he couldn¡¯t think of much else. Between the leaf bag and her survivor bag, they had around eighty in all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zach,¡± Katherine whispered, ¡°They¡¯re all yours.¡±

    He looked at her and discovered that she was serious, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    He quickly looked around. Noticing that nobody was paying them any attention, he hugged her and gave her a rough kiss.

    She melted into him. Her lips were soft like butter and he momentarily lost himself in them, but only for a moment before the reality of their situation came crashing back.

    ¡°If only this place wasn¡¯t so crowded¡­¡± He muttered after they broke apart.

    She laughed softly and rubbed his chest, ¡°Me too.¡±

    That only made him more frustrated. The small patch of ground surrounding the monolith provided almost no cover or privacy. Aaron had already designated the opposite side of the octagonal construct as the bathroom area so they couldn¡¯t go there either.

    ¡°Actually, I do need your help with something. Later, after things have calmed down a little.¡± She said.

    ¡°What for?¡±

    She gave him a mysterious smile, ¡°Potentially a way to get out of this place without fighting those wolves to the death.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

 51. Mysterious Monolith (II)

    The day slowly passed as the struggle of humans against wolves continued. Aaron White, as the leader of his group, led the first shift defending the land bridge which lasted until late afternoon. By then, the other survivors had started a fire after gathering dried sticks and dead wood from the nearby ruins using flying summons. Zachary had joined in the effort even though the most Blue could carry were twigs. Albeit they were large twigs since the bird was at the Three Paths Novice Rank, but they were still twigs. With the fire, the survivors roasted several wolves so that everyone could eat their fill.

    Zachary and Katherine took charge of the next shift which started in the late afternoon and went on deep into the evening. His summons had recovered from their previous injuries by then and were ready for another round. He had also transferred Onkie, Hammer, Oakley, and Arrow into soul orbs.

    The procedure was simple. He only had to let a summon drink from a soul orb mixed with his blood. The summon¡¯s anima crystal would move from the summoning card to the orb. This way, they would be able to fight for much longer without needing to be switched out.

    As night fell, the wolves surprised the humans by also resting. The entire pack laid down where they stood and went to sleep, content to resume the battle tomorrow. Zachary still had to stay awake and stay at his post in case of a sneak attack. But he took advantage of the lull in action to heal Sable.

    When that was done, he followed with soul cultivation for his summons. He was delighted by the results as both Onkie and Arrow were able to reach the Four Paths Novice Rank in a single night. Onkie had already been very close but he had expected Arrow to take a few more days. In addition, he only needed to use a quarter of the anima crystals he had prepared. The efficiency of summoning orbs was simply incomparable to summoning cards.

    Zachary and Katherine''s shift was over before predawn. Bored and exhausted, the two of them snuggled together on a patch of grass. They were only able get a little bit sleep before everyone was woken up at dawn by wolf howls.

    "This sucks," Zachary grumbled.

    They had given up on sleep for a breakfast of cold wolf ribs. He threw the bone and watched it disappear into the chasm. He was tired and very wet. The endless mist from the surrounding waterfalls did them no favors. At least it wasn''t cold or else it would have been unbearable.

    Katherine rubbed his arm, "It will be okay."

    "What should we do today?" He asked her.

    She leaned in and whispered in his ear, "About the thing I mentioned yesterday, I need your help with the monolith."

    He glanced at the imposing structure. It loomed over the ruins, immovable and mysterious. He had never been too interested in history. But being in the presence of this mysterious monolith, he felt that he probably should have paid a little more attention.

    "What about it?"

    "There might be a way inside."

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    "How... do you know that?" He asked as a prickling thought of suspicion entered his thoughts.

    "It''s something known to the Bomoi Civilization, that their cities were relatively unimpressive on the surface. However, there is usually a much bigger city hiding beneath and it is said that the way inside is through the central monolith. If we can get inside the underground city, we can easily escape these wolves. There might even be more interesting things down there."

    "Okay," He said slowly, "But how I am supposed to help?"

    "Well, it will look suspicious I am the only one looking around the monolith. But if it was the two of us." She laughed and got to her feet, pulling him up with her, "Then it will be two lovers on a casual stroll."

    "Fine." He acquiesced with a sigh. It wasn''t like he had anything better to do.

    The pair strolled along the edge of the area until they reached the rear, directly opposite the land bridge. Here, the spray from the waterfalls was even more intense and there were puddles of water everywhere. Katherine pulled him to the base of the construct to begin her examination. She ran her fingers along each crack and rubbed the surface of the dark gray stone. According to her, of the eight sides of the monolith, only one held the doorway. That doorway also could only be activated using special methods. What special methods, he had no idea. And he wasn''t sure if he would get a straight answer if he asked.

    Zachary stood there for a long time, not sure what he was supposed to do and not sure what she was doing. Eventually, Katherine gave up and led him to the next side. The same process repeated itself as she felt her way across the stone face. Again, there was nothing. They continued with the next side, then another, eventually drawing some attention from the other survivors.

    "What are you two doing?" Someone asked.

    He ignored the question and continued walking hand-in-hand with his companion.

    "Hey, I''m talking to you!"

    "Shut up!" Another person interjected, "I''m trying to sleep!"

    Zachary suppressed a laugh and so did Katherine.

    After a short while, the two returned to their original positions, having circled the monolith entirely with no success.

    "Eight sides... eight sides..." Katherine muttered to herself, "They should correspond to the eight paths of the soul. In that case..."

    She looked up at the sky, trying to find where the sun was and the direction of the shadow. He followed her gaze, staring up at the pillar that pierced the sky. It seemed entirely featureless to him. Each block of stone seemed the same as any other.

    "Hey, maybe the hidden doorway is higher up." He said.

    "Are you calling me short?"

    "What? No, I just meant... it was an idea."

    She snorted, "I am not just using my hands. Marble is also helping me. She says there is definitely an open space inside the monolith, meaning it''s hollow inside. However, the stones are too thick and she can''t get through. There is also some kind of barrier of Eternum that is dulling her senses. The last thing I want her to do is void shift into solid rock and lose her life."

    Katherine proceeded to go around the monolith a second time, in the opposite direction. When that produced nothing, she went around it halfway, doubled back, and completed the circle going the other way. That still didn''t work.

    By now, they had attracted far more attention. Although nobody was shouting like the first idiot, many pairs of eyes were following their actions. One person even copied their actions and began studying the monolith as well.

    "It''s useless. I''m useless." Katherine said. She leaned her head against the cold stone and muttered, "Blessed Ice Saint, please forgive your servant''s incompetence. Please, have mercy on your servant''s weak soul."

    A look of panic flashed across her face as if she had said something she shouldn''t have. She glanced sharply at Zachary but he took no notice. He hadn''t been listening to her for a long time. Instead, there was a strange expression on his face. His head was tilted to one side as if he was listening to something.

    "What are you doing?" She asked.

    "Shh." He held up a finger to his lips, "I think I found something."

 52. Mysterious Monolith (III)

    Zachary hadn''t sensed anything out of the ordinary at first. He had simply followed Katherine while letting his mind wander, thinking about how he could heal his wounded soul and how the two of them couldn''t get any privacy in this current situation. The first time, he had merely assumed it to be due to stray conversation from the other survivors or a stray gust of wind. The second time, he knew it wasn''t a coincidence as he was able to sense it in the exact same place, when he had stood in front of a particular section of the stone face.

    The third time around, he had ignored Katherine''s ramblings completely and focused on his soul sense. He ignored the noises around him, the smells of water and stone, and the various presences of Ensouled around him. He felt the movement of Eternum in the air as well as the massive amounts that surged up and down the towering monolith.

    Through this, he was able to identify a faint feeling, one of loneliness and perhaps gloominess. It was a singular presence, not overwhelmingly strong but exceedingly persistent. It was something that had existed for ages, refusing to die, refusing to give up.

    "What? Where? What did you find?" Katherine asked.

    The urgency in her voice surprised him but he put it aside and replied, "It''s just a guess, but I can point out a place on the monolith that you should examine again."

    "Really? Show me!" She exclaimed and tugged on his arm, "Come on!"

    He felt something wasn''t quite right but he didn''t know what. Katherine''s excitement was contagious and soon, he was also looking forward to opening this mysterious doorway.

    Ignoring looks from the others, he led her to one of the eight faces, the one that was in the western direction. It was easy to make the connection between the octagon and the eight paths of the soul. It also just so happened that the sides were aligned with the eight cardinal directions.

    "Earth, why is it earth?" Katherine asked herself, "The Bomoi Civilization was known for healing and nature and the power of life energy. Even the pinecitta tree grew in front of the life face."

    The face they were at corresponded with the earth attribute.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Zachary said as he pointed to a spot that was slightly above his head and several arm lengths from one edge of the stone face.

    "Here? But there is nothing here." She said as she reached up and touched the stone, slightly standing on her toes. "Wait...¡±

    She examined the general area several times just to be certain.

    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±

    She started making slight movements with her hand on the stone with her other hand pressed against her heart.

    "Almighty Ice Saint, deliverer of our salvation, lend this servant your strength so that I may fulfill your mission. Water to ice, rain to snow, this world is yours eternal. Water to ice, rain to snow..."

    A faint blue glow appeared around her heart. As she continued to chant, the Eternum traveled through her arm, making her veins glow blue as well. Finally, the energy reached her fingertips, lighting up areas she touched on the dark grey stone. It was then that Zachary noticed that her hand was making different patterns. One after another, he couldn¡¯t understand any of them.

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    At first, nothing happened. The stone monolith remained still and unchanging. He started to get worried for her sake because she was making a lot of noise. Two people took notice and were heading in their direction.

    "Hey!"

    "What is wrong with her?"

    "Nothing''s wrong," Zachary said, blocking the way.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not doing anything.¡± He said.

    The man was about to argue some more when his mouth fell open. Zachary turned and was stunned as well. Where there had used to be plain, featureless stone, a thin outline appeared in the shape of a square, glowing brightly. The light was reddish-brown, the color of earth.

    ¡°What did she do?¡±

    ¡°Stop her!¡±

    Before anyone could react, a great wave of Eternum swept out of the monolith in a circle. It rapidly spread out in all directions, sweeping over the survivors, the unrelenting pack of wolves, through the whole ruins, and finally disappearing into the jungle.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Aaron shouted as he leaped to his feet.

    He charged over like an enraged beast, leading the other resting survivors over.

    The situation was quickly turning for the worse. Zachary felt danger and palmed the first summoning orb on his belt. Hammer appeared in front of him, waving his claws at Aaron¡¯s people.

    ¡°Zachary, have you gone crazy?¡± Aaron asked as he reached for his own summoning orbs.

    As they glared at each other, the ground beneath their feet started to tremble. The glowing square on the face of the monolith started to slowly recede and everybody could understand what was happening.

    ¡°It¡¯s opening?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a door!¡±

    ¡°Look at that girl! It¡¯s her doing!¡±

    Amidst the chaotic shouts, one person pointed at Katherine. She was touching the stone with her glowing hands. Watching her, many people seemed to reach the same conclusion, that she was the person responsible.

    ¡°Stop her!¡±

    ¡°Stay away!¡± Katherine shouted.

    At the same time, Marble landed on the ground in front of her and hissed at the approaching people.

    "Stay back!" Katherine said, "I have to finish opening this doorway. If I don''t, we''re all going to die. This is our only chance."

    Zachary gave her a sharp look. Something in her voice told him that she wasn''t exaggerating. But he couldn''t understand how she was so sure about it. Her words had a strong effect on him but not the others.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡± Aaron asked in a serious voice.

    He had not brought out a summon yet, but his hand rested on his summoner belt. He had several soul orbs and could bring out his summons could come out at any moment.

    As the square doorway continued to slowly open, the tension between the two groups rose to a perilous level. Katherine was still focused on her task, leaving Zachary to deal with the situation. He felt a flash of anger towards her as well as frustration towards Aaron and the rest. It was just a stupid doorway; it wasn¡¯t a big deal. It was better to explain everything.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hidden doorway,¡± He said in an even voice, ¡°Katherine knows a little about the civilization that built this place. She¡¯s opening the doorway that leads to a far bigger city underground. We can lose the wolves down there and maybe find more interesting treasures like the pinecitta tree. It¡¯s better than being stuck on this little patch of grass for weeks on end.¡±

    Aaron didn¡¯t reply but looked between Zachary and Katherine. His eyes narrowed, followed by a surge of Eternum as he summoned his mantis. Everyone sucked in a breath.

    ¡°Is that so? Tell me, why should I listen to the words of a beast cult member?¡± He asked, his voice low and dangerous.

    ¡°What?¡± Zachary uttered, shocked.

    ¡°Ice Saint Beast Cult, am I right? I can recognize that icy Eternum aura anywhere.¡±

    Zachary was completely stumped.

    ¡°Everyone!¡± Aaron shouted at his group, ¡°Capture these two evil summoners first. We can slowly get the truth from them later!¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±

    The rest shouted and reached for their summoning orbs and summoning cards.

    ¡°Aaahhwooooooo!!¡±

    Before anybody could do anything, an ear-splitting howl arrived, shaking the air around them and echoing through the ruins.

    ¡°Woooo!¡±

    ¡°Awoooo!¡±

    Many wolves joined in and soon, the entire pack on the other side of the land bridge was howling at the sky.

 53. Mysterious Monolith (IV)

    A large beast appeared on top of a ruined building overlooking the land bridge. It stood on four legs and was covered in long, black fur. It was a magnificent black wolf, one which was at least two or three times larger than any other wolf in the pack.

    Even from a distance, its sharp eyes gleamed with intelligence and viciousness. There was a calmness about the creature as if everything it had just seen was insignificant. It was as if the humans and their summons were nothing but ants. Such composure was surely a sign of strength.

    "Awoo! Awoo!" The large wolf gave off two howls.

    Following their leader¡¯s command, the wolf pack immediately resumed their attack with a ferocity that the survivors had never seen before. It was as if they had gone crazy. Instead of attacking in small groups, the whole pack advanced like a roiling black wave.

    "Boss! Boss!"

    "Help! Ahhhh!"

    In a flash, two summons, a spider and a furry pig, were buried beneath this surge. One of the four people defending the land bridge was also overwhelmed. He could only scream in agony as his flesh was torn to pieces.

    "James! Damn it! Damn it!" Aaron shouted, "Bella, Adrian! Defend the bridge! Hurry! Georgi, you go too!"

    Three people dashed towards the land bridge, leaving Aaron and two others with Zachary and Katherine. Aaron grabbed his summoning orbs and brought out another four summons in quick succession, they included Meatball the furry pig, a blue and red snake, a yellow parrot the size of a turkey, and a wolf.

    Zachary responded in kind, calling out Oakley, Arrow, Onkie, and his newest summon Sable. The rest of the survivors also brought out their summons.

    ¡°Damn it, you two caused this. James¡¯ blood is on your hands.¡± Aaron said.

    Zachary scoffed, ¡°The wolves were never going to let us off, not with that big one as the pack leader. Our only chance is the doorway. Katherine! How much longer?¡±

    The square doorway on the face of the monolith was still slowly opening. It had receded over a meter by now.

    ¡°I need more time!¡± Katherine shouted over the howls and screams, "Opening this doorway is our only chance to survive. Don''t distract me!"

    "You bitch¡­¡± One of the women behind Aaron started to say but she was cut off.

    "Shut up! Jensine, Mia, go defend the bridge!¡± Aaron commanded.

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    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Go!¡±

    The two women shot Katherine dirty looks before rushing to the land bridge. With their addition, the situation there was temporarily stabilized. Eight summoners and their summons which numbered close to thirty formed a wall of bodies to block the way.

    Insect claws clashed against sharp teeth. Burly bodies crashed into each other. Blood and guts splashed on the ground. Severed limbs and even a few wolf heads flew in all directions. In such a melee, it was hard to tell friend from foe. Some of the summons even started fighting each other.

    ¡°Hold them!¡±

    ¡°Adrian, help me!¡±

    The shouts of the humans mixed with cries of various Ensouled. It was chaos.

    ¡°Yellow, no!¡± Someone shouted.

    Two wolves had just pushed an armored beetle off the edge. Their teeth and claws could do nothing against the beetle¡¯s defense so they chose to fall to their deaths together with their foe.

    Soon, similar actions happened across the land bridge. The wolves used their strength in numbers to force more and more summons over either side. Several powerful summons were taken out in this manner.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± Aaron bellowed, ¡°Get off the bridge!¡±

    He wanted to join the defense and even took several steps toward them. However, he stopped and once again glared at Zachary as if all of this was his fault.

    Zachary mostly ignored him and kept watching Katherine intently. Eternum still flowed through her body and into the control stone. Sweat was pouring down her face and she was panting from exhaustion.

    The doorway had receded over three meters. It was now truly their only hope. Even if they could defend against all of the smaller wolves, Zachary had no confidence that they could defeat the pack leader. That howl, that burst of power, it was not something that Ensouled at the novice rank were capable of.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost open!¡± Katherine said.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Zachary asked.

    She nodded while panting, ¡°Yeah, a few more seconds. Look.¡±

    She had removed her hand from the stone but the doorway was still receding on its own. Within the shadow of the recession, Zachary saw a dark gap that was slowly widening. It was really open!

    However, just as he started to feel excited at the prospect of surviving this ordeal, a thunderous howl immediately shattered his budding hopes.

    ¡°Aaawwwooooo!!¡±

    The huge black wolf leaped off the ruined building and sprinted towards the monolith. Ignoring the land bridge and the ongoing battle there, it directly charged at the wide chasm.

    Then, it leaped.

    ¡°No¡­¡± Zachary muttered as he watched the magnificent and deadly creature soar over the gap.

    Its figure formed a perfect black rainbow, covering the vast distance with supreme ease. It landed in front of the pinecitta tree, its four paws barely making a sound. The beast was huge. Its chest was as broad as a bull. It stood as tall as Aaron. Its whole figure emitted an aura of wildness and power that was waiting to be unleashed. It sniffed the air and then licked one of the unripe fruits as if to make sure that its precious possession was unharmed.

    ¡°Grrr.¡±

    The beast growled, revealing long yellow fangs, as it looked between Katherine, Aaron, and Zachary. It didn¡¯t even bother with their summons. Its blue eyes were now bloodshot and filled with killing intent. These little apes had killed so many of its pack so now it wanted revenge.

    Zachary tensed. Cold sweat poured down his back. He didn¡¯t dare to breathe. For the first time since stepping off the ship and into the New World, he felt true fear. It far surpassed what he had felt facing the blue tiger sharks, the forest elephants, the flower monster, or even the crazy seagulls.

    He was going to die. They were all going to die. Even with his strong lineup of summons, even with Aaron who was no pushover, he somehow knew instinctively that they had no chance.

 54. Mysterious Monolith (V)

    Aaron was the first to make a move. Standing between Katherine and Zachary, he was the closest one to the pinecitta tree and the giant wolf.

    "Ripper, go, triple slash!"

    "Meatball, tackle!"

    Aaron''s powerful mantis raised its two forelimbs which were like sharp blades. It charged at the giant wolf, half running and half flying. It struck downward once with one limb, then again with the other. With its momentum carrying it forward, it struck one more time with both at the same time. It was a powerful attack and a well-practiced ability routine. It could certainly draw blood, even against an adept rank Ensouled as long as it wasn''t one that specialized in defense.

    However, the attack landed on nothing but thin air. The giant wolf had jumped over the slashes at the last moment, showing uncanny agility. As it came down, it landed straight on the mantis, letting its heavy body crush the slender insect, crushing its shell and breaking its limbs. With just a casual stomp of one paw, the mantis was broken in half. It died in the blink of an eye.

    In the next instant, Meatball arrived. Ignoring the fate of its compatriot, it threw itself toward the wolf, hoping its sharp tusks would be able to do some damage. The wolf again moved like the wind. One of its hindlegs shot out, landing squarely across the furry pig¡¯s face which had been lunging towards it. Meatball was sent flying by this kick, directly into the nearby chasm from which there was no escape and only certain death.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Aaron fell to his knees, clutching his forehead, ¡°Damn it! Spike, attack! Joker, Blackfang, attack!"

    Aaron''s remaining three summons charged forward. Spurred by their master, they held no regard for their own safety, only the desire to fulfill his command even at the cost of their lives. As they threw themselves to their doom, he turned and sprinted towards the monolith, not bothering to watch.

    It happened so quickly that Zachary barely saw what happened. One moment, three summons surrounded the giant wolf. The next, all three had been knocked away by a tremendous gust of wind. Even Aaron, with his large and heavy figure, almost fell over as he was running. Against Zachary''s expectations, this beast not only had tremendous strength and speed but also affinity with the sky element. Such a wind blast ability was a blatant and proud display of its innate talent.

    The giant black wolf followed up that wind blast attack with an elegant leap. Its paws moved purposely as if stepping on solid air. It landed next to the monolith and in front of the open doorway, directly between Katherine and Aaron. Without pause, it whirled around like a tornado as it came down, catching Aaron across the chest with its heavy tail. Aaron flew several meters and then hit rough stone ground in a heap. In the same breath, the wolf faced Katherine and lunged at her, its mouth wide open.

    "Ahhh!" Katherine screamed.

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    "Noo!" Zachary shouted.

    Marble appeared at the last moment, its tiny claws slashing against the wolf''s exposed mouth.

    Ka!

    The might of Marble''s supernatural ability exploded in that instant. Its claw struck one of the wolf¡¯s massive fangs and managed to slice it in half. The wolf even reared back in shock and obvious pain. However, the difference in size between the two beasts was simply too large. The clash between the two sent Marble flying backward and into Katherine''s chest. The impact made her stumble and she fell against the inside of the doorway which still had not opened wide enough to fit a grown man through.

    "Kate! Watch out!" Zachary shouted.

    But the wolf had already recovered. It let out a snarl and lunged at her. It snapped and barked, pushing its face against the hard stone. It even scratched and swiped with its paws after its mouth found no prey.

    "Kate! Kate!" Zachary shouted helplessly.

    He didn''t know what he could do or what he should do. He could only shout her name.

    Yet by some miracle, there were no signs of blood or Katherine¡¯s screams. When the wolf finally pulled away, she was nowhere to be seen. She had managed to slip through the crack and inside the monolith, perhaps due to her small stature. There was no way for the wolf¡¯s huge body to follow.

    Realizing this, the ferocious beast whirled around toward Aaron and Zachary. One man still had summons while the other did not so the beast chose the easier target. Facing the fearsome king of the ruins, Aaron became surprisingly calm. He sneaked a glance at the land bridge and sighed gloomily. Several more survivors had fallen in a short period. There were only six people left who were barely holding on. Aaron shook his head in resignation. He then glanced at Zachary. His expression contained no anger, only a sense of pity which Zachary couldn''t understand.

    "I''ll remember you all as great summoners." Aaron said solemnly, "Your sacrifices for the republic will live on through me."

    "Little wolf," He said to the approaching beast, "Just you wait. I will defeat you and make you my summon one day."

    The wolf snarled.

    Aaron uncaringly took out a summoning card, one that was embedded with a sizable green crystal. He raised it to his forehead as he said, "Come out, Fern."

    With a flash of green light, a familiar shape appeared. Zachary instantly recognized the creature for he had seen it many times in the past weeks. It was a jungle elephant. It was huge. It was fully grown and the size of a steam carriage. It was so big that even the wolf king dared not approach.

    Aaron deftly climbed on top of the elephant¡¯s back and shouted, "Go Fern, charge through that bridge!"

    "Bwaaa!" The summon let out a trumpet-like call.

    The ground shook as it started to move. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch, their mouths agape.

    "Aaron!" One of the survivors shouted but Aaron didn''t reply.

    "Where did you get that?"

    "Wait! Let us climb on!"

    "Wait!"

    There was no response. Aaron didn''t spare them a single look. Humans, summons, and the wolf pack were all forced to make way or be trampled to death. The enormous beast charged through the crowd, across the land bridge, and into the ruins without a hitch in its heavy steps. Only after Aaron and his summon had disappeared did the remaining souls remember their previous situation, the bloody struggle they had been in.

    "Awoo!" The wolf king howled.

    Its pack responded immediately, surging forward as one, like a black wave.

    "Ahhh!"

    "Nooo!"

    "Help!"

    "Aaron! You asshole!¡±

    ¡°Gahh¡­ Aaron White¡­ I curse your White Clan for all eternity!¡±

    Their screams were filled with misery and disbelief. Aaron, their leader, had abandoned them, destroying their defensive line in with his retreat. They were left scattered and easy prey. They were beset by sharp claws and hungry fangs from all directions. Some fought to the death while others were eaten alive as they begged and cried.

 55. Mysterious Monolith (VI)

    "Shit." Zachary muttered.

    He backed away from the carnage at the land bridge as well as the giant black wolf that was stalking him. The smell of blood filled the air. There was death everywhere he turned. The sounds of merciless slaughter filled his ears and fear gripped his heart, making it pound like war drums.

    "Sable, pack bond! Arrow, fire at will!"

    His voice seemed far away even as he commanded his summons in a last-ditch effort.

    ¡°Awoo!¡± Sable howled, providing its pack with its power.

    Pu! Pu! Pu!

    Arrow let out a furious barrage of poison.

    ¡°Woo!¡± The giant wolf let out a sharp exhale even as it dodged the attack.

    A burst of air shot out like a cannonball, slamming into Arrow as well as its perch which happened to be Oakley''s head. The little frog flew off and landed on the ground with a wet plop. Oakley''s head bent backward along with its torso from the force of the blow until there was a loud crack as something broke. The treant collapsed where it stood, its limbs twitching, a mask of confusion and pain on its normally expressionless face.

    Zachary¡¯s vision blurred as pain struck him. His head felt like it was going to split apart. In a few breaths, he had lost two summons.

    ¡°Hammer, Onkie, retreat! Come back to me.¡±

    He knew it was useless to fight on. This alpha wolf was so strong it was abnormal. It knew so many powerful abilities; wind blast, sky steps, air cannon... He couldn''t fight against that.

    Truth be told, he always knew he would die in this treacherous land. He had been a dead man walking since the trial and conviction. He didn''t have high hopes to begin with, even with the mention of presidential pardons.

    ¡°Woo!¡± The giant wolf attacked again.

    Its air cannon attack was aimed at Zachary but Hammer rose into its path. The burst of air slammed into the crab, causing it to whine in pain as it struggled to stay upright. Just one hit had caused several cracks on its tough shell.

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    ¡°Woo!¡±

    Another attack came.

    Pa!

    The cracks grew alarmingly in size.

    ¡°Kaki¡­¡± Hammer groaned.

    It was barely holding on. Its protective shell was ruined and it blew out bubbles that were stained with blue blood. Another hit soon arrived and this time, it fell and didn¡¯t get back up.

    Zachary bore the pain, stumbling backward several steps. Hammer was dead. But he didn''t have time to mourn.

    His journey until now still felt like a sick joke. Meeting Katherine, Jean-Pierre, and now Aaron, these people gave him different hints of hope which were all ruthlessly crushed in the end. Jean-Pierre left them far too soon. That guy was a killer at heart but a good friend in the end.

    Katherine, he had grown to trust her and rely on her. Yet she was the one who wanted to explore these ruins. Although he was attracted by the pinecitta tree, she was the one who came up with the plan. She was the one who convinced him to stay and fight here. Even now, he still didn''t know what to make of her.

    Then there was Aaron, that lying bastard. He always had a way to save everyone but he only used it in the end to save himself. How did he catch a mature jungle elephant and how did he hide it from his group? Was he really a member of the White Clan? Zachary had heard of them before, a prominent family that produced many powerful summoners. The republic''s president before the previous one was named Eric Lawrence White...

    ¡°Awo!¡± Sable howled and rushed forward.

    It attacked bravely and without orders, spurred by his wavering emotions and driven by the soul bond to protect its summoner. It lunged at its former pack leader even though it was so much smaller and weaker.

    Tears welled in Zachary¡¯s eyes. Sable was a good wolf. He wished they could have had more time together.

    Another burst of pain struck him like lightning, forcing him a few more steps backward. The back of his heel landed on empty air. He glanced down and found that had reached the edge. Behind him was a dark chasm filled with mist.

    Only Onkie remained by his side. They were now surrounded, by the giant black wolf and its pack. There were no more survivors, only him.

    "Onk! Onk!" Onkie snorted loudly, displaying its bravery even now, its desire to fight it out until the end.

    It reminded him of Yaoyao, plucky and adventurous. He didn''t have Yaoyao anymore but he still had Onkie, his first summon of the New World.

    ¡°Onkie¡­¡±

    ¡°Zach! Zach!¡± A faraway voice called out to him, Katherine''s voice.

    He raised his head weakly but his eyes were wet and unfocused. He could hardly see anything, even the wolves stalking towards him. The monolith was a dark blur that overshadowed everything.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. Zach, I never meant for this to happen. Zach¡­¡±

    He had heard these words before. He laughed, mostly at himself. All paths led to death in the end. There was no way to change that. However, his soul was still free and he could choose to die the way he wanted. With this thought, he suddenly felt refreshed. There was no more sadness or pain in that moment, only clarity.

    He picked up Onkie and held the squirming pig in his arms, "Onkie, how can I be afraid when you''re not afraid?"

    "Onk?"

    He turned to face the bottomless abyss, laughing as he cried. He sensed the wolves lunge towards him but he didn¡¯t care. He jumped without hesitation, into the mists and the unknown.

 56. Memories of the Soul (I)

    Zachary felt his soul returning to consciousness. The bed was soft and warm. Sunlight peeked through the heavy drapes but the room was still dark. He was lying on his back with a bundle of warmth snuggled against his side.

    He smiled at the familiar presence. He didn¡¯t know when she had come back or when she had sneaked into bed without his knowing. He pulled her to him and kissed her cheeks. Her eyelashes fluttered at his touch. Her lips twitched as if she was reluctant to return to the world of the living. So, he kissed her properly as a morning greeting.

    She let out a soft squeal of complaint like a kitten. It only made her more endearing. He held her tight and kissed her until she was fully awake.

    ¡°Zach.¡± She said in a low, breathy voice.

    ¡°Minah.¡± He greeted his beautiful companion.

    They tumbled in bed until she ended up on top. She straddled his waist and he was sure she could feel his arousal. He could feel hers too, a sweltering heat between her legs. Nothing else needed to be said.

    Sounds of passion soon filled the room. Her moans turned into desperate cries. His groans grew louder as his breaths turned ragged. The bed squeaked rhythmically underneath their writhing bodies.

    He lost himself inside her. Their bodies were connected and he could feel that their souls were as well. Minah Yoon, he loved her so much and he professed it to her over and over, until they were both utterly spent.

    Minah was the first one to finally get up from the bed. She took a shower and got dressed. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the meeting with my father today,¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I won¡¯t. I will head there after my last class.¡± Zachary replied.

    They were both first-year students at James Calum University in the city of New Calum. It was one of the best universities in the Republic of Adorin. Many graduates went on to become famous summoners who could shake the world and leave their names behind in the history books.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going,¡± Minah said.

    They shared a quick kiss and she was gone, off to her first class for the day. When he heard the door shut, he let out a long sigh. He lay back on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

    They had known each other for close to ten years and they had been friends for almost as long. Both of their mothers always said that they would end up together and they were right. It became an even more perfect match when they were accepted to James Calum University together. However, he never expected that he would find out the truth about her after arriving at New Calum.

    Minah Yoon... she was actually a member of the Yoon Family, the same Yoon Clan that controlled half of the Yoon-Cromwell Corporation. It was a powerful business conglomerate that held a substantial market share in the sale of summons. Their specialty was rare and unique summons captured in the New World or developed through research.

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    A large furball landed on the bed with a gust of wind and pounced on his stomach.

    ¡°Ey! Stop, haha!¡±

    ¡°Yao, yao, yao!¡±

    The ferocious beast made happy noises while nibbling on him as if he was a tasty treat.

    ¡°Yaoyao, are you hungry?¡± Zachary said eventually, lifting the overgrown cat to look at it.

    Her white and black patterned face glared at him. He laughed and got up to make her breakfast. Yaoyao flapped her furry wings and followed behind him.

    Her meal was a whole piece of tri-horn ox steak, fresh from the butcher yesterday. It was many times the price of his own modest meal of tea and a piece of buttered toast. He didn¡¯t mind it as he would never be where he was today without Yaoyao. Therefore, she deserved the best he could provide.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m thinking of asking Minah to marry me. What do you think?¡±

    Yaoyao looked up from her steak and meowed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not moving too fast,¡± He complained, ¡°We¡¯re both almost twenty, a lot of people get married at our age.¡±

    She responded with a few more cries before stuffing her face with steak once more.

    ¡°Fine, you were right. She was hiding her background and connection to the Yoon Clan. But that¡¯s exactly why I want to ask her, if she¡¯s willing to marry me, then it means that it wasn¡¯t intentional.¡±

    Yaoyao ignored him until she finished. She licked the plate clean and cleaned herself. She then turned into a streak of light and returned to his soul space for a nap as she usually did.

    Zachary washed the dishes and tidied up his small apartment. He made sure all the books and notes he needed for the day were in his bag. He then rushed downstairs to head to school.

    The morning rush had abated but it was still quite crowded. A variety of large Ensouled stomped by, pulling private carriages or trollies that could dozens of people. Others rode their summons, displaying their wealth as well as whatever fancy Ensouled they owned.

    Zachary waited at a trolly stop until one finally came around. It was pulled by a ferocious four-legged beast known as a dust-scaled saurian. It was almost as big as the trolly itself. Its yellow hide was crusted like a dried lake, giving it an earthy appearance.

    He paid his fare of a few coins and boarded the trolly. He stood by the window and watched as the city slowly passed by. His apartment building was on the outskirts. It was only three stories tall and he had gotten a good deal on the rent due to his status as a student at James Calum University.

    The university was located close to the center. As he got closer, the buildings rose dramatically in height, with many reaching over thirty or forty stories tall. Occasionally, he could see flying Ensouled soar between the structures while a few man-made airships floated even higher above.

    This was New Calum, a jewel of the Republic of Adorin on the eastern coast. It was so different from his hometown. It was bustling, full of wealth and industry. There were so many powerful summoners that the adept rank wasn¡¯t worth a fart. And one of the existences that stood above it all was the Yoon Clan.

    He knew almost nothing about them and he knew even less about Minah¡¯s father who he had never met. Back in Warton, she was raised by a single mother. He didn¡¯t even know that she had a father until a few months ago.

    ¡°Why do you care about her father? Minah is already your mate.¡± Yaoyao spoke from within his soul.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you! It¡¯s different for humans! Mating is one thing but marriage is way more important!¡± He replied to her with his thoughts.

    She made a sound like a laugh, ¡°Humans are so strange. So many rules. Why are you so worried? She obviously enjoys it when she mates with you. Isn¡¯t that what matters?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    She laughed, ¡°Whatever, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out. I¡¯m going back to sleep. Wake me up when class starts.¡±

 57. Memories of the Soul (II)

    ¡°Zach, class is over!¡± Yaoyao¡¯s high-pitched voice brought him back from a pleasant dream.

    Zachary looked around with bleary eyes. The lecture hall was almost empty. Many people were looking at him strangely as they passed by. He knew nobody at school except Minah and he had yet to make any friends. The class was about the classification of species of Ensouled. He already knew much of the subject matter from books at home. It wouldn''t get interesting until later in the school year.

    ¡°Well, time to meet this father of hers that popped out of nowhere.¡± He muttered.

    He left the lecture hall and met up with Minah at the campus gates. Together, they walked several blocks to an up-scale restaurant in a high-rise building. They were led into a private room and there was only one person inside.

    ¡°Father,¡± Minah greeted and walked over to his side.

    ¡°Mr. Yoon,¡± Zachary performed the customary summoner¡¯s salute, raising his hand, palm inward, to his forehead.

    Dohwan Yoon peered at Zachary with sharp eyes. The older man was short and had a slender build. However, he emitted a suffocating aura akin to a giant. It was the suppression of one¡¯s soul when faced with a much more powerful existence. Zachary felt like he had regressed to a toddler or even a baby who could only blabber nonsense and drool over himself.

    ¡°What a rude man!¡± Yaoyao snorted, rising from her resting spot within his soul sea.

    Her soul power surged through him, supporting him in this moment of weakness. It only took a split second for him to regain his wits. Her soul power swept away all traces of external influence like an icy wind.

    ¡°Interesting, very interesting. Minah, your friend is quite strong.¡± Dohwan Yoon¡¯s expression changed and a warm smile appeared. ¡°Come, sit. I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you for a very long time¡­¡±

    The meal was a slow, awkward affair. The dining table was round but very large. Zachary sat on one end while the elder Yoon sat opposite him. Minah chose to sit somewhere in the middle although her position was much closer to her father than Zachary. Multiple courses were served with long gaps in between.

    Her father asked about school and how the two youngsters were settling in. Zachary replied that it was going well. He didn¡¯t mention that Minah often slept over at his apartment and thankfully, she also didn¡¯t feel like revealing that tidbit.

    The topic of conversation moved to the two¡¯s shared past. Zachary asked a few pointed questions and Dohwan revealed that Minah¡¯s mother was one of his mistresses. That was why she was sent away to live in the seaside town of Warton. Only after Minah came to New Calum did she meet her father for the first time.

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    ¡°So, Zachary,¡± Dohwan Yoon said, swirling a glass of blue wine in his hand, ¡°You have quite a strange resume. You won the novice competition in Plymouth County at the age of twelve, breaking the record as the youngest champion by four years. Then you disappeared for seven years before reappearing to ace the admission exam to James Calum University.¡±

    ¡°Impressive but also strange¡­ Tell me, for a person such as yourself, do you have the confidence to court a daughter of the Yoon Clan? Do you have the ambition to stand above the rest? Or the strength to overcome future challenges? Or¡­ are you just an ordinary summoner?¡±

    Zachary frowned. Considering these questions truthfully, if he didn¡¯t have Yaoyao, he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer any of them. He glanced at Minah but her face was lowered and difficult to read. He wasn¡¯t sure what was going on.

    ¡°Mr. Yoon¡­¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Dohwan Yoon¡¯s laugh cut Zachary off, ¡°Please don¡¯t mind my rude questions. Minah has told me a lot about you. If she believes in you, then I can only acquiesce. However, I have a small request. I have heard about your unique summon named Yaoyao, can you bring her out for me to take a look? It will satisfy this old man¡¯s ceaseless curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Sure, Mr. Yoon. Yaoyao, come!¡±

    A surge of light landed on the ground beside Zachary, revealing a white tiger with fluffy wings. Yaoyao sat on her haunches, looking around curiously with wide eyes. Every breath she took was filled with sparkling ice crystals. Her long fur was thick and glossy. She had grown a lot over the years and now was as big as a person.

    ¡°Oh my eternal, what a wonderful Ensouled.¡± Dohwan Yoon¡¯s expression brightened as if he had seen a treasure, ¡°Amazing¡­ beautiful¡­ how in the world¡­¡±

    He continued to stare fiercely at Yaoyao, muttering under his breath.

    ¡°Zach, this guy is weird. He looks at me like I look at my steaks. Creepy.¡± Yaoyao complained through their soul bond.

    ¡°Mr. Yoon,¡± Zachary spoke up loudly, ¡°Is this good enough? Yaoyao is very shy, she is not used to strangers.¡±

    Before Dohwan Yoon could reply, Zachary directly recalled Yaoyao into his soul sea. The older man¡¯s expression darkened. Minah also frowned slightly.

    A moment later, Dohwan Yoon laughed and was all smiles again. He exchanged some casual pleasantries with Zachary before finally rising from his chair, casually throwing his napkin on the plate.

    ¡°Well, Zachary. It was very nice meeting you.¡±

    He held out a hand and Zachary shook it.

    ¡°It was nice to see you too,¡± Zachary replied politely.

    ¡°Minah, take care of Zachary. You two, work hard in your classes.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight, father.¡±

    ¡°Goodnight, Mr. Yoon.¡±

    Dohwan Yoon left the room and Zachary finally let out a sigh. He glanced at Minah, hoping she would give him a grade on his performance or offer some consolation if he failed. However, there was a deep frown marring her perfect features and no words came out of her mouth.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s getting late, I¡¯ll walk you back to your house.¡± He said.

    ¡°Mmm.¡± She nodded.

    The two of them walked out of the restaurant and onto the quiet streets of the city. The sun had set not long before so the sky was still tinged with an orange. They headed to back campus in silence, strolling side by side. Minah seemed lost in thought so he didn¡¯t bother her. Instead, he argued with Yaoyao inside his soul, trying to convince her that cooked steak was far superior to raw steak. She vehemently resisted his every argument and refused to hear reason. She was stubborn like a pig and he loved her for it.

    ¡°Hey!¡± A sudden shout interrupted their steps.

    Three dirty men appeared out of a dingy alley directly beside them. They leered at Minah before glaring at Zachary. One of them revealed a shiny blade while the other two showed off their summons, a mangy wolf with abnormally long fangs and a bear-like creature that stood on two legs.

    ¡°Hand over your summoning cards. Quickly, unless you want to die!¡±

 58. Memories of the Soul (III)

    Zachary almost laughed. New Calum was not a city without crime but random attacks such as robberies were rare. Everyone was a summoner and it was impossible to figure out how strong someone was unless they knew the person beforehand. Looking at the disheveled appearance of these men and their weak summons, this seemed almost like a joke.

    However, it all changed in an instant, before Zachary could even react.

    An enormous phantasmal hand shot out of the alley and wrapped around Minah.

    "Ahhh!" She screamed as she was pulled into the darkness, her arms trapped tightly against her sides so that she couldn''t summon anything.

    "Minah!" Zachary shouted.

    At the same time, Yaoyao appeared with a loud roar.

    "Hehe, we got the girl, hold him off!" A cruel voice shouted from the darkness.

    "Yes, boss!"

    Zachary had no idea who these people were or what they wanted with Minah. He only wanted to get her back and he would destroy anyone that stood in his way. His will transferred to Yaoyao who emitted a sharp and icy killing intent. Her Eternum surged as she flapped her wings and sprinted through the air. He didn''t need to shout out commands, she already knew what to do.

    Her claws lengthened into deadly curved blades of ice. She swiped at the wolf, causing four long, bloody gashes on its head that quickly froze over. The beast only let a whimper before it fell.

    "Furbear, iron slash!" The other summoner cried out.

    "Rrraaah!" The man-size bear attacked wildly.

    But Yaoyao was too strong and too fast. Her ice claws cut through the bear''s claws and then its forelimbs, turning them into minced meat. She then kicked the bear into its summoner, sending both tumbling, while she focused on the third evildoer. She sent out another flurry of ice claws but the man was able to deftly block her first attack and dodge away from the rest.

    Zachary noticed the summoning orb in his left hand and realized that the man was using some kind of ability summon to strengthen his combat prowess. He cursed under his breath and brought a summoning card to his forehead. A red light dimly illuminated the dark street as another feline appeared, this one sporting orange fur with black patterns.

    "Flare, go all out, take care of these guys!"

    "Meow!" The ember cat turned into a ball of flames and began harassing the three men.

    "Yaoyao, come on! Follow Minah!" He shouted.

    "Yao yao!" She replied and zoomed into the alley.

    Zachary sprinted after Yaoyao as they charged through one alley and into another. Yaoyao emitted an aura of icy anger as she went, leaving a trail of frost behind her. Worry filled his heart. Why did they kidnap Minah? Did they want ransom from the Yoon-Cromwell Corporation? They eventually arrived in front of a garage door to a nondescript warehouse. They could hear Minah''s screams from inside as well as the laughter of many voices.

    Yaoyao''s ice claws appeared again and tore the thin metal of the garage doors to shreds. She charged through the opening while Zachary kicked his way in.

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    "Minah!" Zachary bellowed furiously when he saw her.

    Minah was strung up to a ceiling joist by her hands with rough rope. She was naked from head to toe. A group of ten or so men and women along with their summons surrounded Minah. there were several red marks on her body already.

    Yaoyao roared, feeling the hate and anguish in her summoner''s soul. Her powerful voice reverberated through the small warehouse, drawing the attention of the kidnappers and their Ensouled. Before they could react, Zachary had already given the order.

    "Kill them all!"

    Yaoyao''s eyes glowed blue, and then her whole body. The temperature in the building dropped rapidly as frost covered the walls, the windows, and the floors. A swirling cloud of snow and ice surrounded her and spread out until she was impossible to find for her enemies. She turned into a raging monster of death as wretched screams of humans and beasts alike erupted.

    ---

    Zachary awoke to unbearable pain within his soul. It felt like his head was being torn apart over and over like his entire existence was nothing but endless agony. There was no Yaoyao, no Minah, only a damp stone floor in a pitch-black place.

    "Gahhh!" He let out a ragged cry through gritted teeth. The pain left him almost paralyzed. "Yaoyao... Minah... where... ahhhh!"

    His soul sea was a bloody mess. His sky path was empty, Yaoyao was no longer there. What was left was a river of blood and torn flesh as if he had been sent through a meat grinder. He yelled, he howled, not understanding what had happened. He had killed those people for hurting Minah. He had let Yaoyao loose, unleashed her full power on those evil people, and watched in satisfaction as they died. But he didn''t remember anything after that.

    Time passed slowly. Every second was torture. He threw up more than a few times from the unbearable pain of his mangled soul. Then came thirst and hunger. His body and mind suffered along with his soul. He almost wanted to die. But he couldn''t die without knowing. He wouldn''t give up without Yaoyao.

    People eventually came. A guard told him he was now a prisoner of the city due to four counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder. Another person came, an attorney for the government, to inform him of his trial date. He didn''t reply to any of them, only shouting and spitting at them like a lunatic. He wanted to know where Yaoyao was, what they had done to him, and what happened to Minah.

    There were no answers until one day, a familiar face appeared in front of his cell. Her voice was soft, perhaps a little sad.

    "Zach."

    He sat up and his eyes widened. He crawled to the bars like a beast and stuck out his arm, trying to touch her to make sure she was real. She recoiled as if she had seen a ghost.

    "Minah... you..." He spoke hoarsely, his voice shattered from too much screaming. "Are you hurt? Are you okay?"

    She looked just like he remembered her. Long black hair framing a perfect oval face. Her features were flawless if a little cold and aloof.

    "I''m fine. I wasn''t hurt." She paused and studied him. Her gaze contained a hint of warmth but there was a deep feeling of unfamiliarity, like he didn''t know her at all.

    Her slim lips quivered slightly and then she spoke at length, "I''m sorry. I''m sorry, Zach. I never meant for this to happen. I came to see you because of our past and I want you to know that I cherished our time together. I appreciate everything you''ve done for me and I won''t forget it."

    "What..." He said weakly, not understanding at all.

    Minah continued, "That night, those people were hired by my father. They did not hurt me. What you saw was an illusion cast by my father''s summon. It is a very special summon with the supernatural abilities of illusion field and mind control. It used illusion field to trick you into killing those people. It later used mind control in your weakened state and made you forcibly break your soul bond with Yaoyao."

    He was stunned momentarily by her words only to be stricken by pain once again. The full weight of the implications crashed down on his soul and he could no longer think straight.

    "Why? Why did you do that? Why!"

    Minah stared at his sorry figure, conflicting emotions flickering in her eyes, "I''m sorry. I had to do it, for my mother. You know the difficulties I had growing up; how poor my mother and I were. My father promised that if I did this, he would accept me as his legitimate child. My mother and I would be formally accepted into the Yoon Clan. I had to do it. I just didn''t think it would happen this way. I''m sorry."

    "You..."

    "I never meant to hurt you. I''m sorry."

    "You..."

    He was so angry. He was so hurt. There was never a girl named Minah Yoon in his life, only a lie. Now, there was no more Yaoyao and no future for him. A fresh wave of pain struck his soul. He coughed up a mouthful of blood. His vision turned hazy and he fell into darkness.

 59. Still Alive (I)

    Zachary awoke from a long dream to find himself floating. He felt heavy but somehow weightless. Darkness surrounded him. His body was cold and numb.

    Was he dead? Or was he alive?

    His soul was still here. He could feel it. He could sense it. Two paths within his soul sea were active, the water path and the earth path. One was Onkie and the other was Whiskers. He had summoned the catfish as he fell, thinking the bottom of the chasm might be a pool of water. But everything turned black afterward.

    There was Eternum all around him. It surged like the tide and flickered like fire. Sometimes it would twinkle like the stars at night. Or else it would remain steady and always, eternal like the world. And amidst it all, he felt that presence again, that familiar emotion, the desire to live, the thirst for life. It seemed closer than ever before, still faint yet with a vigor that would surely persist through the ages.

    It gave him hope. If something in this desolate place could carry such desire, he didn''t have to despair. It would at least keep him company.

    After what seemed like an eternity, there was finally light. Blue sky appeared and sunlight poured in through the fog, revealing a stunning sight. He was floating on a calm lake, having emerged from a subterranean river. The sky above was surrounded by a vast circular wall of earth, forming sheer cliffs of unfathomable heights, like a giant well that had been dug by saint beasts of immeasurable strength.

    That wasn''t all. The stone walls around him were not natural formations but carved into the shape of giant beings. They were similar to humans but their arms seemed too long. Their faces were round and had extremely long earlobes. There was a prominent round pearl adorning the space between their eyebrows. Many of these statues had collapsed, either missing arms, legs, or even their heads. But even more were intact, holding up the weight of the earth above them, standing there in silence for thousands and thousands of years.

    He passed by a waterfall. It was formed by another subterranean river emptying into the lake. The spray of mist felt cool but refreshing, reminding him that he was alive. Somehow, he was still alive.

    As he floated, he contemplated. Were these statues the work of the Bomoi Civilization? Was this what Katherine had meant when she said that there was an even bigger underground city?

    Thinking about her, he didn''t blame her for what happened. He ignored the dangers because of his greed; because he didn''t consider all the possible dangers. He suffered those losses because he wasn''t strong enough.

    Still, the turn of events couldn''t help but remind him of Minah and her betrayal. He had been too ignorant and too naive back then. A daughter of the Yoon Clan was never going to marry him. He thought she would be different because they had known each other since childhood. But he was a nobody, an adept rank weakling with no background. If Dohwan Yoon didn''t rob him of Yaoyao, it would have been someone else. It was inevitable.

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    Eventually, Zachary''s head hit something soft and furry.

    "Onk. Onk."

    There was a splash and something moved beneath him. His body felt suddenly heavy and began to sink. But before he could drown, his butt hit the bottom and he sat up.

    Onkie snorted as she nudged him gently.

    He could sense her worry so he rubbed her furry head, reassuring her that he was at least alive. The water next to him splashed, revealing the wide face of Whiskers. It didn''t make a sound but looked up at him with a pair of expressive black eyes. He realized that it had been carrying him all this time. Otherwise, he might have drowned already.

    "Thanks, Whiskers," He patted the catfish''s head in appreciation.

    Whiskers and Onkie probably hit the waters of the subterranean river before him, creating splashes that softened his impact slightly. Their tough bodies were far more capable of enduring physical blows than his. They saved his life and he was more thankful than ever to have found them in the New World.

    Zachary tried to get up but gasped from pains all over his body. The lower half of one leg was twisted in a weird direction and obviously broken. He couldn''t move his left arm. There were also more than a few broken ribs.

    His summoner''s belt was still fastened securely around his waist. Aside from the missing gaps for Arrow, Oakley, Sable, and Hammer; the remaining four were still there; Onkie, Whiskers, Blue, and Boba. Other than his belt, his clothes were nothing more than rags. More importantly, his supply bag was nowhere to be found. All the soul orbs he had worked so hard and sacrificed so much for... were gone.

    "Onk?" Onkie nudged his good arm.

    His eyes widened as he saw the familiar leather bag held in her mouth. He laughed through the pain. He cried a little as well. He felt the contents inside and knew that everything was still there.

    "Onkie, you beautiful pig, wonderful, wonderful, I would kiss you if I could. I owe you one. You''re the best."

    Onkie squealed happily and even trembled from the excessive praise. She deposited the bag onto his lap and proceeded to swim circles around him and a perplexed Whiskers which made him laugh some more. It was true what his dad liked to say, good things did indeed come in pairs. He was able to escape from the giant black wolf and now, he had what he needed to live on.

    After calming down from this unexpected high, Zachary opened the supply bag and double-checked everything. Dream and Sugo were there as well as his spare summoning cards and summoning orbs. He slid Dream and Sugo''s cards into spare slots on his belt and filled the remaining two with summoning orbs. In total, he had seventeen cards and seventy-six orbs remaining.

    The small knife and flint rod were there as well. The knife wasn''t too useful but being able to start a fire was a lifesaver. His provisions were a mixed bag. The dried meat and fish were now soggy but probably still edible over a fire. The wild berries wrapped in leaf packets all survived the fall although many had burst from being squashed. Ironically, his dry rations were perfectly fine. Wrapped tightly in wax paper, they survived an ocean swim, a river crossing, as well as the latest dive from dizzying heights.

    "Well, that''s that," Zachary said to himself as he closed the drawstrings of the supply bag. He sighed heavily and looked around, "So, I''m still alive. What do I do now?"

 60. Still Alive (II)

    It took him a few days to get used to his new reality. He was not dead but it was far from paradise. He was severely injured from the fall. The broken ribs weren''t too bad but that couldn''t be said for his left leg and left arm. The leg would heal but he would probably end up with a bad limp. It was still bent at an odd angle and he didn''t know what to do about it. His arm was a lost cause. He couldn''t move it at all and he couldn''t feel anything either.

    His current home was a lonely island in the middle of the lake. There was nowhere else to go. All the underground rivers flowed into the lake. Even if there was one that flowed out, he wouldn''t dare take it in his current state. There was also no way to climb out of here. The sheer walls encompassed the circular chasm from top to bottom. It was an impossible challenge to scale the walls even if he was fully fit.

    There was also the issue of his wounded soul, caused by forcibly dispelling the soul bond with Yaoyao while under a mind-controlling illusion. If he was back in the republic, he could find a soul healer or buy some precious medicament for his wound. In his current state, there was no way to fix it. Even if he was able to get out here, there was little chance he would fare any better in the jungle above. Day by day, as the months passed, the surviving prisoners and their summons would grow stronger and stronger. They would eventually be able to fight and capture adept rank Ensouled. And as for people like Aaron White, they were several steps ahead of everyone else, they were far ahead of him already.

    On the bright side, aside from these very serious problems, Zachary''s life wasn''t too bad. He had water, food, and shelter. Water was easy since he was surrounded by it. The lake was fed by underground rivers so the water was clean and refreshing. Food was also all around him. Fish and other aquatic Ensouled were plentiful. The island was big enough that there were plenty of trees and dead branches for firewood. As for shelter, he chose to camp out beneath a fallen statue head that was leaning at an angle. This created a sizable overhang that blocked the frequent rain storms.

    He also had companionship so he didn''t feel lonely. Onkie was always a joy to have around. She liked to swim around the lake when she was bored, paddling along with her short legs. She was a surprisingly good swimmer. Blue was still excitable as always. It liked to soar across the open air of the chasm, going from the trees on the island to the ones growing out of the vertical walls, searching for tiny bugs to snack on. Boba was boring, even when he tried to play with it. The little snake didn''t do much except sleep and eat, which sounded about right for a snake.

    As for his aquatic summons, Whiskers didn''t do much except laze around in the water but it was a reliable fighter when he needed it. Sugo was useless. It was weak beyond measure, more like an aquatic plant than a slug. The most surprising was Dream. Originally, he had kept the little rainbow fish because it was pretty. He could have never expected that its special ability was being the most irresistible bait. As long as it swam a lap around the lake, it would attract all kinds of Ensouled without fail, from weird-looking fish with armored heads to salamanders with dark-purple scales that glowed at night. Everything wanted to take a bite out of Dream.

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    Due to this stroke of luck, he quickly developed a tag-team strategy to catch prey. Dream was the bait and would lure creatures toward the island. Whiskers would wait in the shallows with its mouth wide open. Dream would swim towards Whiskers and then change direction at the last moment. That was the signal for Whiskers to attack, lunging forward and chomping on the unfortunate creature until it was dead.

    In this way, the days slowly turned into months. Across the Old World, the convention was forty days for each month. There were eight months to a year, and five weeks in a month, with eight days in each week. On the cheek of the giant stone face, Zachary would leave the marking of a compass for each week, eight points for the cardinal directions, one for each day. He would carve five compasses in a row before moving on to the next row, the next month.

    After the first month, Zachary¡¯s rib injuries had mostly healed. His leg was still messed up and he couldn¡¯t put any weight on it. During this time, he raised Whiskers¡¯ soul cultivation steadily until it reached the Seven Paths Novice Rank. With this increase in cultivation, the beast had also grown in size from one meter to almost two meters. Nothing in the lake could contend with it.

    Another month later, Zachary¡¯s leg had improved only slightly. He could walk around slightly before the pain overwhelmed him. Still, it was better than crawling around. As for his summons, he had given up on trying to improve Whiskers. His mangled sky path meant that his limit was the Seven Paths Novice Rank, he could not go any further. Instead, he raised both Onkie and Blue to the Six Paths Novice Rank.

    Onkie grew slightly bigger but not as much as Whiskers. However, its strength and toughness were unmatched and even Whiskers couldn¡¯t beat it in the water. Blue, on the other hand, did not grow larger or get any stronger. It was still the same as before, frightened of shadows, with a rain ability that resulted in not much than a drizzle. If it wasn¡¯t so cute, he might have plucked its feathers and roasted it over the fire.

    During the third month, Zachary focused on Dream and Sugo, raising them both to the Six Paths Novice Rank. Like Rain, there was no change in Dream. Its rainbow-colored scales sparked as always and it was still the reliable bait that supplied their meals and anima crystals. Sugo, the slug, grew slightly but the biggest change was its seaweed which became longer and much more abundant. Now, it was difficult to tell the creature apart from a clump of actual seaweed.

    Aside from his summons keeping him company, there was also something else. He didn¡¯t know what it was but he had felt it before. He had felt it at the monolith, allowing him to find the hidden doorway. He had felt it again when he came to this underground lake, stimulating his will to live.

    There was loneliness, there was melancholy. There was also boredom and a wish for excitement. Amidst these strange emotions, it gave off a strong desire to persist, a vigorous soul with an unquenchable thirst for life and the will to weather through the eras and eons even if it was stuck in perpetual limbo.

    Since then, the thing would come and go as it pleased; once a week or perhaps a few times a month. He was only aware of it due to his special soul sense yet he couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of it. Whenever he sent out Whiskers to investigate, it would quickly run away. It also paid no attention to Dream and felt no need to approach the island.

    With no other way, Zachary could only greet this mysterious creature with his own thoughts and emotions, conveyed through his soul across the distance. Still, its presence gave him comfort. He was still alive and he would live on.

 61. Mysterious Creature (I)

    The day started like any other. Zachary woke up with the sun and ate what remained of a roasted red salamander from last night. It was a large creature, about as long head to tail as he was tall. But he had many mouths to feed, with big appetites, so he only had a little bit left over.

    After breakfast, he sat and meditated on the flat, exposed part of a statue that had fallen into the lake. His summons were out and about, each doing their own thing. He had transferred all of them into soul orbs so that they could remain outside during the day, allowing them to enjoy life in the real world instead of being confined all of the time.

    Onkie lay beside him, sleeping without a care; snoring and wiggling its short legs as it dreamed of food. Whiskers lounged in the shallows while Dream swam around, sometimes darting in and out of Whiskers'' gaping mouth as if to tempt it. Sugo was also in the water, crawling around and being useless as always. Its long strands of dark green seaweed gently moved with the soft waves. Boba was sunbathing on a nearby beach made of crushed stone while Blue was perched on the branch of the closest tree, watching everything with great interest.

    Five months had passed since he arrived in the New World. He was still stuck in this giant sinkhole, in the middle of this subterranean lake. Some days passed slowly while others seemed to hurry by him. Today was one of those slow ones. It was difficult to concentrate on meditation and his mind started to wander.

    He thought about Jean-Pierre. Even though they had known each other for a short few days, the guy had left a strong impression. If his other acquaintances were anything to go by, Jean-Pierre''s background was probably not simple. Aaron White of the powerful and politically-connected White Clan, Katherine Holt from the Ice Saint Beast Cult, and himself, the former owner of a saint beast''s offspring; they were all supposed to be the simple criminals serving a death sentence but somehow, it felt much more than that. He couldn''t grasp exactly why but he was pretty sure.

    He also wondered how the other prisoners were doing. By now, those still alive would have obtained their first adept rank Ensouled. With an adept rank Ensouled in hand, they would focus on establishing a coherent summoning lineup based on their individual styles. One could go for a team that focused on offense or defense, bursts of power or endurance. They could also consider adding supporting abilities such as pack bond or something that affected the battlefield in their favor.

    A good lineup with good strategy was important. But most important was still soul cultivation. A person at the One Path Adept Rank could only summon one adept rank Ensouled at a time. A person at the Two Paths Adept Rank could summon two. With three paths, one could summon three at a time, and so on. The difference in power between an adept rank Ensouled and a novice rank Ensouled wasn''t something that could simply be overcome with strategy and tricks.

    Because of this, each survivor would most likely have one primary summon. That beast would have the highest soul cultivation as it was directly tied to their own soul cultivation. They would focus on cultivating the primary summon and when it reached a higher rank, the summoner would be able to take advantage of it to improve their rank at the same time. This was the easiest and most straightforward way people improved their soul cultivation across the world.

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    As for Zachary, he could do nothing about his own soul cultivation. With his wounded sky path, he was effectively stuck at the Seven Paths Novice Rank. When Whiskers had broken through to the Eight Paths Novice Rank, it had done nothing for his wounded soul except leave him in debilitating pain for several days from the backlash. Not wanting to experience that again, he only raised his summons to the Seven Paths Novice Rank in the past month and left them at that. Onkie, Blue, and Dream were currently at that level. Sugo was still at six paths while Boba had reached four paths.

    He was still interested in catching wild Ensouled but he had yet to find one that utilized the life attribute. He had encountered many different species in the past months from frogs and salamanders to lizards and snakes. There were fish of many different shapes and sizes as well as strange crustaceans with long spiny legs like underwater spiders.

    There was one wild Ensouled in particular that he was especially interested in but he hadn''t been able to catch it. It was the mysterious creature with the vibrant soul that came and went as it pleased. Unlike every other Ensouled, wasn''t attracted by Dream at all. Until now, he didn''t even know what it looked like.

    "Wait... huh?" Zachary raised his head as he sensed a familiar presence. Then he chuckled, "Speak of the beast and it appears."

    It was that unknown Ensouled. It had been over two weeks since the last visit.

    "Dream, go and lure it!" He quickly said, pointing his finger.

    The little rainbow fish wagged its tail in acknowledgment. It shot off and disappeared from view. He watched the calm surface of the lake for a while before Dream came back. It popped its head out of the water and shook it in disappointment. Another failure, Dream could lure everything in this lake except for that thing.

    Zachary briefly considered sending out Whiskers but he had done that the last time and it didn''t work either. The creature sensed the large, powerful catfish from far away and would always flee, disappearing into one of the many underground rivers. As for his remaining summons, Onkie would also scare it off while the Blue and Boba couldn''t swim. As for Sugo, he hadn''t considered it before but... why not? Maybe it was worth a try. It couldn''t hurt.

    "Sugo, swim over there." He pointed to a distant area of the lake.

    Sugo, which now looked more like a bundle of seaweed than a slug, detached from the bottom and floated towards the empty section of the lake he was pointing to. It was directly opposite of where the creature currently was. Sugo was very slow but the creature would usually circle the lake a few times. Their paths would cross eventually.

    Zachary followed the progress of the mysterious Ensouled, walking along the edge of the water around the island. It wasn''t a big island so most of his summons didn''t bother to follow. Only Whiskers swam beside him. They came to a stop facing Sugo. The unknown creature was slowly swimming towards it. He held his breath, waiting for something to happen, anything.

    Then all of a sudden, he felt a sharp pang of terror within his soul, carried over his soul bond from Sugo''s thoughts and emotions. It was in a full panic. Something was eating it!

 62. Mysterious Creature (II)

    ¡°Damn it¡­ Whiskers!¡± Zachary shouted.

    This was why he hadn¡¯t tried to use Sugo for anything before. The slug was slow and not good for anything. Right now, it was even too far away and out of sight that he wasn¡¯t able to cast a recall summon.

    Whiskers, hearing his command, made a big splash and quickly came to him. Onkie also woke up and hurried over along with Dream. Zachary got on Whiskers¡¯ back and held onto its dorsal fin as they took off. Dream swam beside them while Onkie paddled furiously to catch up.

    Zachary nervously examined his soul bond with Sugo again. It was crying out to him, begging to be saved. He tried to ask what was eating it but got no sensible response. It was almost catatonic due to terror.

    Strangely, he didn¡¯t sense any pain. If it was being torn apart and eaten, Sugo should have been in terrible agony. Even for slugs and worms, they were capable of feeling pain. Even if it was not physical pain, it would be a pain within their soul as they were dying.

    He could only urge Whiskers to swim faster. The giant catfish¡¯s skin was smooth and slippery. He had no time to put on a rope harness so he could only hold on to its large fin.

    They soon arrived above the area where Sugo and the other creature were. Zachary was still receiving mixed signals from Sugo. The water was clear but sunlight didn¡¯t reach here so it was hard to see from the surface.

    ¡°Whiskers, dive!¡±

    Splash!

    He fought to keep his eyes open against the rushing water as they descended quickly. A large blob of seaweed appeared and Whiskers raced toward it. When they got closer, he could finally see what was happening.

    Sugo¡¯s voluminous mane of seaweed was entangled around a reptilian creature. It was about the size of Onkie, close to a meter long from nose to tail. It had four limbs with green, leathery skin marked with black dots. There was a large oval shell with square patterns of mossy growths that covered most of its body. A pair of lively black eyes, a triangular snout, and a wide, beaked mouth made up its head. It was a turtle and it was currently munching on Sugo¡¯s seaweed with what could only be a happy expression.

    With just a glance, Zachary understood the situation. Sugo, the silly slug, couldn¡¯t tell the difference between its main body being attacked versus its seaweed. The countless stalks of seaweed grew out of its body like a person¡¯s hair. Losing a few or even all of it wouldn¡¯t hurt it all.

    The turtle had been attracted by this. This wasn¡¯t a bloodthirsty species that ate living prey. Seaweed and other aquatic plants were probably its favorite meals.

    Whiskers was about to charge forward and attack but Zachary held it back. Sugo was in no danger at the moment. There was more than enough seaweed. He also realized something else that was much more important.

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    As it munched away, the green turtle gave off a feeling of warmth and vitality. Eternum rippled around the turtle and Sugo. That energy was soft and comforting, filled with the aura of life. It exuded strength and gentleness at the same time. It was so familiar it was as if he had met an old friend.

    No way¡­ it was the mysterious creature!

    Zachary¡¯s mind spun as he tried to figure out what to do. He had to capture this turtle. He knew that if he didn¡¯t, he would regret it for the rest of his life.

    He poked Whisker¡¯s side two times and they went up to the surface. After taking several deep breaths, he gathered his summons.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. Onkie, you will swim down and bite one of Sugo¡¯s seaweed tendrils. Then, drag it to the surface and swim toward the island.¡±

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    ¡°Dream, keep an eye out. Lure away any wild Ensouled that tries to interfere. Whiskers, we¡¯ll follow closely behind Sugo. If the turtle suddenly decides to give up and run, leave me and rush up to capture it inside your mouth. Make sure not to bite too hard or swallow it.¡±

    The two fishes nodded.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Zachary patted Whiskers, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    The party descended. Onkie carried out her task perfectly, biting onto a stray strand of seaweed. Its four legs turned into paddles as it wiggled and squirmed through the water in an inelegant manner. But it was effective and that was all that mattered.

    Sugo was still crying at him through their soul bond. It wanted him to save it, to recall it back to its home within the summoning orb. There was no way he could do that; Sugo¡¯s seaweed was the only thing keeping the turtle here. After this was over, he swore to properly train the slug so that it wouldn¡¯t act so embarrassingly in the future.

    Onkie broke the surface and swam towards the island, dragging Sugo and the turtle along. The turtle didn¡¯t care and continued to eat. When it was done with one piece of seaweed, it didn¡¯t bother with Sugo¡¯s main body, merely starting on another piece.

    Whiskers and Zachary followed close behind. They were steadily approaching the island. Once on land, he would find a way to trap the turtle there. He would string it from a tree if he had to and beat it into submission.

    However, just as things were seemingly going well, Dream¡¯s urgent thoughts arrived through their soul bond. Wild Ensouled were approaching, many of them. Dream wasn¡¯t able to lure all of them away without putting itself in danger.

    Zachary looked behind and noticed several shapes swimming through the water, just beneath the surface. Four faint ripples were visible, approaching rapidly. He immediately felt great danger. If he was on dry land, he would be confident no matter how many came. Few wild Ensouled would dare to go anywhere near Whiskers due to its size and strength. Since the three creatures didn¡¯t even slow down; they were not weak, not afraid, or perhaps both.

    ¡°Whiskers, get ready. It¡¯s up to you.¡± Zachary said.

    When the battle began, he would have let go and swim to shore by himself. Whiskers wouldn¡¯t be able to fight a full strength if it had to drag him along.

    ¡°Fight them off but make sure to retreat to the island as well.¡±

    Whiskers acknowledged and faced the incoming threats. The four ripples finally got close enough. Zachary briefly submerged and saw them clearly. They were stone skin lizards. They had tough defense along with stubborn temperaments. Their claws were sharp and their bite was vicious. Still, they were no match for Whiskers one on one. It had killed many stone skin lizards in the past month.

    The problem was that there were four of them this time. And all of them emitted sharp feelings of anger and hatred. After suffering for months, it seemed like they were determined to take revenge for their brethren.

 63. The Curious Turtle (I)

    Whiskers lunged at the first stone skin lizard that got too close. It was even longer than Whiskers but its body was skinny. With just one bite, the catfish¡¯s large mouth engulfed a third of the other beast. The remaining part of the lizard¡¯s body thrashed about, its sharp claws leaving several bloody scratches on the catfish''s face.

    The other three lizards circled Whiskers. They bit and scratched, aiming at anything in front of them including the fins as well as the soft belly region. Whiskers thrashed about in response, batting the enemies away. As it did so, its mouth loosened and the first lizard was able to break free.

    Clouds of blood turned the clear lake murky. Although the surface remained calm, a furious battle erupted within the water. Whiskers swam here and there, using its powerful body to smash its opponents. The lizards were resilient. They withstood the collisions with their stony skin and retaliated by taking bites out of their enemy.

    Zachary didn¡¯t look back as he swam. He could feel Whiskers'' pain through their soul bond. It wasn¡¯t yet enough to threaten its life but the wounds were terrible. His summon was strong but it lacked a killing move. Against multiple opponents, it was a critical weakness as it couldn¡¯t end the battle quickly.

    In such a situation, he couldn¡¯t help but think of Hammer. If only he still had Hammer, this fight would have been too easy. He still had yet to get another crustacean-type summon. There were plenty of those Ensouled residing here but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. He felt that it would be a disservice to Hammer¡¯s memory. He knew he was being stupid and it clearly showed today.

    ¡°Whiskers, retreat. You¡¯re faster than them in the water!¡±

    Zachary conveyed this thought through their bond. He couldn¡¯t exactly use words and Whiskers couldn¡¯t understand them anyway. That wasn¡¯t possible until the adept rank. But simple thoughts and ideas were okay. The idea of fleeing was innate to every sensible Ensouled and didn¡¯t need elaboration.

    Whiskers flicked its tail fin to knock aside a stone skin lizard and fled in a random direction, leaving behind many trails of red blood as it swam. The four lizards chased after it for a little while until they realized they had been tricked. They turned as one and raced toward Zachary, their second most hated enemy, the hairless ape that had eaten so many of their kin.

    Zachary was still some distance from the island. With a limp left arm and a crooked leg, he could only crawl through the water at a slug¡¯s pace. He was a sitting duck.

    ¡°Whiskers!¡± He urgently sent another message, ¡°Charge them!¡±

    Whiskers acknowledged. It swung around and built up speed. It then charged into the midst of the lizards from their flank, causing them to scatter in panic. In the process, it tried to bite one of them but the beast contorted its skinny body at the moment to dodge away.

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    Whiskers didn¡¯t stick around. It understood its summoner¡¯s intentions and circled for another pass. It harassed the lizards again and again, buying enough time for Zachary to finally scramble onto dry land.

    After coughing up some water and heaving to catch his breath, he looked up at a curious sight. Onkie had dragged Sugo out of the water and the turtle had followed. Sugo lay on the rocky beach in surrender. Its body was flat like a pancake. Its two eye stalks drooped downward in sadness. If it could cry, there would have been a puddle of tears already.

    The turtle kept on munching on Sugo''s seaweed as if it had found the most delicious thing in the world. Onkie tried time and time again to push the turtle away but it ignored the furry pig. When Onkie tried to bite its limbs, it pulled them into its shell and continued to eat.

    Zachary could do nothing about them at the moment. Sugo still had about half of its seaweed left so he turned to the more pressing issue in the water. Whiskers had already fought for a long time. It was covered in wounds. Its speed and agility had dropped steeply. Even as a summon that resided in a soul orb, it had reached its physical limits.

    ¡°Whiskers, come back!¡± He ordered.

    Whiskers let out a tired and relieved response. It rushed towards the beach with what little energy it still had. Once it reached the shallows, he patted one of the orbs on his summoning belt. A light shot out of his brow and connected with it, pulling it back to safety.

    The four lizards were not far behind. They glared at Zachary and headed straight for him.

    ¡°Blue, Boba,¡± He called out. ¡°Come here!¡±

    Blue flew over and landed on his head, its usual perch. It was getting a little heavy but still manageable. It chirped as if wanting praise for following instructions.

    Boba slithered across the rocks and arrived at his feet, also awaiting orders. It had grown much bigger after a few breakthroughs. Its thickest section was about as wide as his upper arm and it was well over a meter in length.

    ¡°Gurr!¡±

    ¡°Gurrraa!¡±

    The lizards reached the beach. They let out loud growls as they rushed out of the water.

    ¡°Onkie, go!¡±

    ¡°Ooonnn!¡± She cried out and charged.

    Her heavy figure collided head-on with the leading lizard. They tumbled together, scratching and biting. That was one down. He had complete faith that Onkie would come out on top.

    ¡°Blue, rain daggers!¡±

    ¡°Chrr!¡±

    Blue flapped its wings and shot out. It paused midway and created a drizzle in midair. The other three lizards were taken aback and dodged in several directions. The blue bird was something they had never seen before so they didn¡¯t know what kind of dangers it possessed.

    ¡°Boba, your turn. Take that one!¡± He pointed to the smallest lizard.

    Boba hissed and slithered towards its opponent. The lizard growled and showed its large mouth filled with sharp teeth. It lunged at Boba, intent on chomping into snake flesh. However, Boba struck like lightning. In a flash, its body wrapped around the lizard. The lizard growled and struggled but very quickly, it couldn¡¯t even breathe.

    Boba had no other offensive abilities except this one innate to all pythons. It could even kill a stronger beast like this. As of now, there was no chance for the lizard to survive unless it received help.

    Zachary waved his walking stick in one hand like a sword and joined the battle. Blue continued to fly overhead, causing confusion. Together they kept the two remaining lizards at bay.

    As they fought, the green turtle silently watched them. Its eyes shined in excitement. The Eternum around its body quivered with powerful feelings of yearning and curiosity.

    It took a step towards the beach as if it wanted to go over and have some fun. However, it paused when Onkie let out a loud cry, standing over the mangled body of a lizard in victory. The furry pig then charged at another lizard, quickly turning the tide.

    The turtle let out a snort and turned back to its meal.

 64. The Curious Turtle (II)

    Onkie¡¯s strength turned the battle and quickly brought it to a close. She was a small mountain of muscle, a ball of furious fur. Against such a force, the rock skin lizards had no way to attack and also no way to defend.

    Three lizards were slain while one escaped. Onkie took care of two while Boba counted for one. The brown boa had terrible combat ability in the past but that was no longer the case. As long as it could get its sinewy body around a target, victory would be slow but certain.

    Blue didn¡¯t achieve any kills but its performance was not too bad. Its control of water was much better and it could produce more rain than before. This meant it had potential, that its soul sense and ability to control Eternum were both adequate. All it needed was more training and a higher soul cultivation.

    Being able to control and emit Eternum outside of their bodies was the hallmark of the adept rank. Ensouled that could do so at the novice rank were considered especially talented. The price for them was sky high as there was only demand and no supply. Companies and organizations that bred Ensouled would often keep the best for themselves or their friends. Even if one was sold, one had to have the connections to buy it.

    Zachary¡¯s ember cat had been such an Ensouled. With Yaoyao as his only adept rank summon, Flare was still stuck at the peak of the novice rank. Even so, it could use all the abilities of an adept rank ember cat and more. He missed Flare and others too. All of his summons were taken away and he had no idea where they went. Some of them probably had new owners by now. It was a terrible thought and he tried not to dwell on it.

    Right now, he still had to deal with the strange turtle.

    ¡°Sugo, come back,¡± Zachary said and palmed the corresponding soul orb on his summoner¡¯s belt.

    Sugo turned into a ray of light and returned to its home where it was safe. Only a piece of half-eaten seaweed remained, lodged in the turtle¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Waa?¡± The turtle opened its mouth in surprise, the piece of seaweed falling out.

    Its face was surprisingly expressive.

    It then extended its neck to look around for more food before turning toward Zachary with an accusing glare, its eyes narrowing as if it didn¡¯t appreciate his action at all.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± It let out a series of guttural sounds.

    Zachary¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°Are you a turtle or a dog?¡±

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡±

    ¡°Whatever. Onkie, see you can fight it.¡±

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    Onkie stomped the ground and charged. Understanding the intention of her summoner and also eager to avenge her friend Sugo, Onkie aimed for the turtle¡¯s head.

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    ¡°Waah.¡± The turtle let out a sharp cry and pulled its head into its shell.

    Even its four legs were pulled in, leaving behind an oblong shell with edges that formed a roughly octagonal shape. Each scute on the shell was covered in green moss that formed strange spiral patterns. It was the most curious turtle shell he had ever seen.

    He was reminded of a species called the mossy diamondback. It was the only one he knew of that also grew moss on its back but it was one uniform patch that covered the entire shell instead of individual patterns. The mossy diamondback also could never grow so big, even if it increased in rank. However, the biggest issue wasn¡¯t whether this turtle was related to a mossy diamondback or some other species. The issue was that it was a turtle and he didn¡¯t think his summons could defeat its shell.

    ¡°Onkie, try to attack it. But be careful, don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±

    Onkie acknowledged and stalked toward the unmoving shell. She circled it several times without finding an opening. She ultimately decided to jump on top where she proceeded to bite and scratch at the mossy layer.

    After a long while, Onkie laid down on the moss, exhausted and panting heavily. She hadn¡¯t managed to deal any damage at all. Instead, she found the shell quite comfortable and almost fell asleep.

    ¡°Onkie!¡±

    ¡°Urr?¡± Onkie scrambled to her feet, remembering where she was.

    She glanced at Zachary in embarrassment.

    Zachary was also at a loss. He patted his head and tried to think of what to do. He wanted to capture this beast. He knew that if he let it go, he would regret it for the rest of his life. The problem was that he had no way to wound it.

    Outside of the rocky beach, they were surrounded by fallen stone statues that had slowly crumbled with the passage of time. Some pieces of stone were massive and impossible to move. Others were smaller so maybe he could use them. It was an idea and better than nothing.

    He first gathered vines and tied the turtle to the trunk of a tree that was below a particularly large slab of stone. The beast briefly stuck out its head but pulled it back just as quickly. Still, it didn¡¯t struggle or try to run which made things easier.

    He then found the biggest piece of loose stone that he could move. He made a sling for Onkie and let her pull it up to the higher vantage point. Looking down at the turtle shell, they were at least one story above the ground. At this height, such a heavy piece of stone could do a lot of damage. Even Onkie and Whiskers couldn¡¯t bear such a strike.

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    Zachary rubbed his right hand with dust so that he could get a good grip. He made sure he had a spare summoning orb in his belt so he could capture the turtle before it suffered too much. With everything ready, he summoned all of his strength and hugged the stone block with one arm. Slowly and straining his muscles to the limit, he managed to lift it. Then, he leaned over the edge, took rough aim, and let go, giving it a solid push as he did so.

    There was a moment of silence. The stone made no sound as it gently tumbled through the air. It almost seemed to move in slow motion as his eyes followed its trajectory, as it fell right on top of the turtle shell.

    Kang!

    It was like an explosion. The noise echoed around the stone chasm that surrounded the lake, making it seem far louder than it actually was. The heavy stone split into multiple fragments, producing a loud cloud of fine dust. The target was obscured and it was impossible to tell if it was wounded or how badly.

    Then came a gust of cool wind, carried from the jungle far above. It swept across the underground lake and the lonely island, causing the dust to drift apart and reveal a strange scene. The turtle was looking up at him with a curious expression. It was completely unharmed beneath a semi-transparent dome of pure Eternum. This shield glowed with a light green color akin to new sprouts in springtime and emitted a deep aura of strength and vitality, as if nothing in the world could hurt this ancient existence.

 65. Same Old Tricks (I)

    Throughout the world, the most common way of capturing a wild Ensouled was to fight it and beat it into submission. Each creature was an independent soul, with its own thoughts, dreams, and will to live. Nothing was born with an innate desire to be enslaved by another. It was only when they had no other choice would they finally submit to a person. Both summoning cards and summoning orbs largely depended on this principle. Only then would cards and orbs be effective.

    The mysterious turtle¡¯s soul cultivation was only at the peak of the novice rank. It wasn¡¯t high by any means. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have felt threatened by that falling stone and wouldn¡¯t have reacted with that ethereal shield. Even so, Zachary felt that he had no chance and no methods to beat it. Its defensive ability was too abnormal. He had never seen something like that before so he had to think of something else.

    Of the other methods to capture summons, one way was to raise an Ensouled from infancy so that the only thing it knew from the beginning was companionship with humans. This worked for summoning cards, summoning orbs, and even direct soul bonds. In the Old World, and especially in the Republic of Adorin, people had perfected the industry of raising a variety of Ensouled and producing ready-to-use summoning cards for the masses. Powerful and unique newborn Ensouled could also be bought for a hefty price from specialized breeders.

    This turtle was obviously not a baby. From its size and also its behavior, that much was clear. Zachary could sense that it had already endured in this world for countless years. With so much experience, it wouldn¡¯t fall for childish tricks.

    The last way was to try a befriend the wild Ensouled, to try to gain common ground and understanding between two souls so that they could ultimately join together. It was an unreliable method that largely depended on the competence of the summoner as well as the innate characteristics of the creature. The Ensouled might take a long time to come around or maybe it was never possible in the first place. It was a pure gamble.

    His initial impression of the turtle was based on his special soul sense. It painted a picture of an indomitable beast that resisted the weight of the ages while wearing the shackles of solitude. Even so, it was able to maintain a healthy spirit filled with liveliness and curiosity.

    Now that it was tied up before him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that it was a helpless glutton and quite silly. Just for a bit of seaweed, it allowed itself to be pulled ashore and strung to a tree. It could have tried to escape at any time but it made no struggle or even an attempt.

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    Zachary let out a long sigh. He could only give it a try. He had no other choice and nothing better to do. He could only hope that it would fall for the same old tricks.

    With a flash of light, Sugo appeared in his hand. He smiled. There was still hope and it lay in this sad little slug.

    ¡°Sugo, it¡¯s all up to you.¡±

    ¡°Gu¡­ gu¡­¡±

    The slug squirmed as if to protest. Its mane of seaweed drooped down to display its melancholy and its body flattened into a pancake.

    ¡°Sugo, don¡¯t worry. As many anima crystals as it takes to regrow your hair. Now, I just need a little bit more for today.¡±

    ¡°Gu¡­¡±

    Sugo had nowhere to run. Trapped in the hands of its heartless summoner, it could only cry as it lost several more stalks of seaweed. It could only softly complain at the unfairness of life and existence.

    Zachary shook his head at the ridiculous creature and recalled it into its summoning orb. He then climbed down and slowly walked up to the turtle with three pieces of seaweed in his hands. He offered one as a test, slowly and gently pushing his hand forward. He was delighted when the beast finally emerged from its shell.

    It sniffed the air and turned to him. It stared at him with deep black eyes before turning its head away in an obvious show of discontent. From his soul sense, he felt tinges of anger and indignance. It was understandable as he had attacked it without reason.

    For some wild Ensouled, this mistake would already have made friendship and bonding impossible. Even if they didn¡¯t suffer any injuries, it would hurt their pride or trigger their survival instincts. It would mark the summoner as their enemy for life. The turtle didn¡¯t display such negative emotions so he knew he still had a chance.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said seriously, ¡°It was my fault. I thought you were attacking my friend. I didn¡¯t know you were a peaceful turtle. I hope you can forgive me and my summons.¡±

    It couldn¡¯t comprehend human words but he could convey his intent through his tone and his soul aura. Beasts were more sensitive than humans in these aspects. Even if it did not have the same ability to sense emotions as him, he hoped that it could understand him.

    After a while, the turtle turned back toward him. A bit of softness had returned to its eyes.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± It tilted its head toward the seaweed in his hand.

    It opened its mouth and closed it several times in expectation.

    Zachary smiled and tried not to laugh. It really sounded like a dog. He had never met a turtle like this. But thankfully, he had grasped its weakness, Sugo¡¯s seaweed that was irresistible to it.

    This was the same old trick he had used to bond with Yaoyao. She was a newborn when he found her. Despite this, she was rebellious and spirited from the beginning. It was only because he could sense her mood and gauge her reaction toward certain foods that he was able to grasp her favorite which was tri-horn ox steak.

    Whenever Yaoyao was in a mood, he would feed her tri-horn ox steak to make her feel better. If she threw too many tantrums or was too naughty, he would not give her steak. He would also reward her with steak if she deserved it and he was never stingy. This was how he tamed her, how she became his first as well as his only soul bond, inseparable partners for life.

 66. Same Old Tricks (II)

    ¡°Here you go,¡± Zachary said and placed a piece of seaweed on the ground.

    The turtle¡¯s head extended quickly and snapped it up, chopping the slippery green plant into pieces. In a few breaths, it swallowed the morsel and even licked its beak as if to ask for more.

    ¡°Brother turtle, have another. A token of my apology.¡±

    Another stalk of seaweed disappeared into its bottomless stomach. He wasn¡¯t sure if the beast was male or female but he felt that calling it brother turtle was more friendly.

    ¡°This is the last one. There will be more tomorrow.¡±

    The turtle finished that piece as well and then looked all over, expecting more. It turned back to him and barked to express its dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡±

    The turtle was quite a glutton. It reminded him of the sea dogs of Warton. Although they had owners and were cared for, they would always fight each other for scraps of fish, whether it was in the ocean or the streets.

    Zachary showed his empty palms and said helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any more at the moment. This seaweed comes from my friend Sugo. But you have already eaten a lot. You just have to be patient.¡±

    The beast seemed to understand his intention and bobbed its head. It then examined the vine ropes wrapped tightly around its shell before looking back at him with expressive eyes and a silent plea.

    Zachary debated the issue with himself. If he freed the turtle, he was most afraid of it running away and never appearing again. But if he didn¡¯t free it and this led to resentment, he might never be able to befriend it. He didn¡¯t want either to happen so it was a difficult decision.

    He squatted down so that they were closer to eye level so that he wasn¡¯t talking down to it, so that they would have a closer connection.

    ¡°You won¡¯t run away, will you?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you if you leave.¡±

    The turtle tilted its head.

    He sighed and gestured around them, ¡°I am stuck on this island. I want to get back to the surface but¡­¡±

    He offered his limp left arm and continued, ¡°I can¡¯t exactly climb out of here. I can¡¯t swim very well either and I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get lost in the underground rivers. What would you do in my situation?¡±

    The turtle tilted its head in the other direction.

    He chuckled to himself, ¡°Alright, alright. I am not a heartless person. I want to be your friend so I have to first show my sincerity.¡±

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    Zachary rubbed an orb on his belt and brought out Onkie. The turtle shrank away at the sight of the ball of brown fur, no doubt remembering its ferocious actions before. It retreated into its shell and only a part of its head was visible.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Onkie won¡¯t hurt you. She is really nice, I promise. Onkie, go chew through those vines.¡±

    At his direction, Onkie went and freed the turtle from its shackles. She then snorted a few times and stomped on the ground in an attempt at a warm gesture before she returned to his side.

    ¡°See? Totally harmless.¡± He said with a smile, ¡°So, back to the matter of seaweed. If you wait until tomorrow, I promise that I will have some more for you.¡±

    ¡°Waa?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, tomorrow.¡±

    Zachary got up and left the turtle there. He went to the beach and sat down on a rock that overlooked the lake. He knew that too much attention too quickly wouldn¡¯t make the turtle like him faster, it would instead make it more suspicious of his intentions. He had learned this from dealing with Yaoyao and it had been a mistake that cost him an extra month of effort.

    ¡°Onkie, I have to help Whiskers and Sugo heal. Keep an eye on our guest for me. Let me know if it tries to leave.¡±

    ¡°On!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    For the rest of the day, Zachary focused on healing Whiskers and Sugo. He used all three anima crystals he got from the stone skin lizards and even a few more he had saved up. Whiskers was at the Eight Paths Novice Rank so it required a lot of soul energy. It was also heavily wounded and it was not just a matter of resources but also time. Even if he had all the anima crystals in the world, Whiskers would still take a few days to recover.

    Sugo wasn¡¯t hurt at all but it was in a similar situation. The additional Eternum from the crystals helped it stimulate new growths of seaweed. But, by the next morning, they were only short little nubs the length of a finger. It would take a few more days for the new stalks of seaweed to grow to their original lengths.

    The turtle never left the island. It strolled around occasionally and even took a bath in the shallows. But it always came back and spent most of the time sleeping. By all means, it was content to stick around for the next delicious meal.

    The next day, Zachary gave it one stalk of seaweed in the morning as a reward. It was unhappy at the amount but still gobbled up the treat. Around midday, he gave it another piece of seaweed which was also well received. When it was dinner and he was feeding his summons, the turtle even approached him of its own accord, its short tail wagging from side to side to display its cheerful mood.

    The day after was the same. He fed it three times a day, never giving in to its pleading looks. The following few days also followed the same routine. The only change was that he would let Onkie, Boba, and Blue play around the turtle, letting the beast know that his summons were harmless and sociable. A week later, they were familiar enough with each other that the turtle would not retreat into its shell anymore. Two weeks and it was playing with them as if they were long-lost friends.

    Onkie was the most mischievous. She would often tease Boba and the turtle by butting their heads. They were too slow to catch her but she would always pretend to give them a chance before running circles around them.

    Blue also helped to tease the turtle. It had a habit of perching on Zachary¡¯s head and learned to do the same on the turtle¡¯s shell. It even liked to peck the mossy growths on the shell, much to the turtle¡¯s annoyance. However, this incidentally allowed Onkie to come to the rescue and chase the flying pest away, building an even better relationship between former opponents.

    Despite all this progress, Zachary did not pressure the turtle or try to form a soul bond with it. Again, he was using the lessons learned from Yaoyao. Just because a wild Ensouled became friendly didn¡¯t mean it had been tamed. It didn¡¯t mean that it would accept a human or lose its independence. For that to happen, it would depend on his sincerity and conviction. It would depend on his ability to convince a free soul that joining together was the best choice for both of them.

 67. A Connection Between Souls (I)

    ¡°Are you awake? I can¡¯t sleep either.¡±

    Zachary took a seat next to his animal companion, the mysterious turtle that couldn¡¯t resist Sugo¡¯s seaweed. Three weeks had passed since they first met. The turtle stayed on the island all this time, showing no sign of wanting to leave. After so long, Zachary felt that it was the right moment for a heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul talk. He hoped that it would be able to understand his feelings.

    He laid down on the stone slab and looked up at the warm night sky. It was covered in stars so numerous that they formed rivers and streams. Every once in a while, a star would fall down and disappear in a flash of light.

    ¡°How long have you wandered these underground ruins? Do you want to go outside? I can take you.¡±

    The turtle looked up as well. The myriad stars were reflected in its wide dark orbs, shining with unhidden yearning.

    ¡°Have you thought about what¡¯s outside? We are like two frogs in a well, our current existence is here and nothing more. But out there is a vast world filled with endless mysteries, sights and experiences that border on fantasy¡­¡±

    Zachary trailed off, trying to find the right words. He wasn¡¯t an eloquent storyteller. But he liked to think that he was a straightforward person with earnest intentions. He wasn¡¯t trying to swindle the turtle. He meant everything he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an expert by any means. I am only an adept rank summoner. But I like to read and I have read a fair amount. Famous human explorers and powerful summoners have left behind diaries and records of their travels and discoveries.¡±

    ¡°Did you know that there is an ocean in the south so vast that its area exceeds the entirety of the Old World, where there isn¡¯t a single island or even a coral reef? They say that if you get lost there, you¡¯ll never be able to get out and no one will ever find you¡­¡±

    ¡°Many people have attested to huge storms that can sweep over the land and the sea, ones that persist for centuries, perhaps even a whole millennium. The winds are so strong that they can tear apart mountains. Even noble and royal rank summoners can lose their lives if they get caught¡­¡±

    ¡°Others have found rivers of clouds in the sky that flow like water, colorful deserts where each grain of sand is an anima crystal, and caves so deep and vast that they have formed an entire underworld. There are living forests that migrate across vast continents, consuming everything in its path. There are mountains where fire falls from the sky to form ghosts and strange beings. There are regions of endless ice and snow that give birth to demons and other terrifying creatures¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you interested? Are you excited?¡±

    At his question, the turtle opened its mouth in surprise. Although no sound came out, its soul aura surged to showcase its emotions. It was enchanted by his words. It wanted to go outside. It had been trapped here for what seemed like an eternity. It already knew of every rock, every plant, and every beast in this place. It wanted to leave this prison and live a life full of excitement and adventure.

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    Zachary smiled and patted its mossy shell. It flinched slightly before bobbing its head up and down, its sign of approval.

    ¡°Wan. Wan.¡±

    Its barks were asking for more stories so he obliged. He recounted the children¡¯s tales that he could remember. There was Duke Wu of the Western Sea who established the first human kingdom and gave birth to the current Summoner Era. There was Barbosa the Black who was the first one to sail around all three continents and map the entirety of the Old World. There was Saint Agnes, the first human to reach the saint rank, who singlehandedly conquered an entire continent. There were many other stories, ones he had forgotten about or he had fallen asleep as his mother was telling them. Even though the Old World, with its three continents and five seas, took up a small portion of the entire world, there were already so many stories. Compared to the New World, it was also a place of many wonders.

    Zachary trailed off. His throat was a little dry from talking so much. His companion was wild Ensouled so it was like he was talking to a rock. However, he felt that his efforts hadn¡¯t been entirely wasted.

    He signed and looked up. A fog was setting in and the stars were getting dim. The beast beside him did so as well. Two souls who used to be strangers, the distance between them was far shorter than before.

    After a long time, Zachary spoke again, ¡°Have you always been by yourself? It must have been lonely, all this time¡­ You know, I can be your friend. Together, we can escape from this hellhole.¡±

    The turtle let out a snort and snapped its beak, annoyed at his words.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry. That was too presumptive of me. How can we be friends if you don¡¯t know anything about me? Let¡¯s start from the beginning. My name is Zachary Zhang. Some people call me Zach, you can too. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Wan!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, how about I give you a name? What about Wander? Together, we can wander the world and visit the places told in stories. Nothing can take away our freedom.¡±

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± The turtle called out, bobbing its head.

    ¡°Well, Wander, this place is your home. You grew up here and all you know is here. As for me, I came from the Old World, a land of humans and summoners. I was born in the Republic of Adorin which is located on a large island off the coast of the Hanu Continent, the northmost of the three continents. I grew up in the seaside town of Warton, in a small family. There was only my mother and father. I was the only child and I had no other relatives.¡±

    ¡°Father was easygoing. He was often not around due to work. My mother was always around though. She was the kindest and the smartest person I have ever known. She managed a small bookstore that specialized in books about Ensouled. But there were a few books about history and the New World too.¡±

    ¡°I read a lot. Those history books were pretty boring and I couldn¡¯t get past the first few pages. Others, like ones about wild Ensouled, I could read through the whole thing in one sitting and would often reread them when I had nothing else to do. If you asked me, what my goals in life are, what my purpose as a summoner is. I would think back to those days and what I felt reading those books.¡±

    ¡°Wander, I think we¡¯re quite alike. I want to see the world. I want to meet all kinds of Ensouled. I may have an unremarkable background. I may have a wounded soul. I may be a dead person in other people¡¯s eyes¡­¡±

    His heart quivered and he couldn¡¯t help but think of Yaoyao, Minah, and those painful memories. His eyes became misty and he rubbed his face.

    ¡°To tell you the truth, I want to live on. I don¡¯t want to die here. I have so many things I want to do. I can¡¯t forget what happened and I can¡¯t forgive her. I have to find Yaoyao, no matter what. Yeah¡­¡±

    He laughed in self-mockery, ¡°That¡¯s all. I can¡¯t think of anything else to say. Thanks for listening to my ramblings, the ramblings of a cripple lost in the jungles of the New World. So, Wander, do you want to be my friend?¡±

 68. A Connection Between Souls (II)

    ¡°Wa?¡± The turtle¡¯ turned to him and tilted its head to one side.

    Zachary took the chance and reached out. Slowly, as gently as he could, he placed his hand on the beast¡¯s head. There was no sudden movement and it did not try to run away. The moment felt right and he closed his eyes to look inside his soul.

    Life path¡­ open!

    The soul path that pointed toward the southwest glowed as soul energy surged outward through it. It started with a small trickle that turned into a strong flowing river. Very quickly it became a flood. He didn¡¯t want to fail so he brought out all the Eternum he could muster.

    This was a soul bond. This was the mysterious method that the first humans used to become summoners, when they knew nothing about summoning cards and soul orbs. It was a connection between two souls. Once bonded, they would share every happiness and achievement. They would grow together and challenge the world together.

    Zachary focused the life-attribute Eternum from his soul toward his hand. With his touch, that energy was smoothly transferred to the turtle. Although it was a wild beast, it remained calm as it accepted his offering. He also waited patiently for it to reciprocate so that they could start to form a bond.

    He had only done this once before with Yaoyao. It was very difficult to break a soul bond once established. It came with heavy penalties for both sides. If one bonded with a weak Ensouled with low potential, it was equivalent to cutting off their future. This was why most summoners did not have a soul bond as they would have to wait until they were stronger to find a suitable candidate.

    For Zachary, there was no hesitation to do so with Yaoyao. She was special, the offspring of a saint beast. There was no better choice. And now, he felt the same with this mysterious turtle. His instincts told him so. But he also had no other choice. The beast¡¯s defense was too strong. There was no way to use summoning cards or summoning orbs. This had to work or else he would die in this underground lake.

    ¡°Wan?¡± The turtle shifted, its first reaction in a long time.

    It stared up at him, its black eyes shining and reflecting the stars above. They were deep and profound. Curiosity, desire, wonder; a variety of feelings were returned. He could feel them all. It was encouraging but there was still no feedback of Eternum. It was as if he was sending energy into a bottomless pit.

    Zachary felt the first stab of fear. What if this didn¡¯t work? What if this wild beast chose to remain wild? It was difficult to sacrifice one¡¯s freedom and be bonded with another. If it was his choice, it would also be a difficult decision.

    His life path remained wide open. Soul energy poured out ceaselessly. He was still able to maintain some semblance of optimism because he had the capacity of an adept rank summoner. Even if his sky path was in ruins, his soul sea was still at the adept rank and he could keep this up for a while. If the turtle was uncertain, he would slowly convince it.

    Time passed slowly. The cool night breeze rustled the tree leaves. The gentle waves of the crystalline lake gently splashed against the rocky beach. Everywhere else was silent. There were only two souls, trying to come together. Their breaths were slow and steady, their hearts beating in almost synchrony. But there was still something lacking and so, nothing happened.

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    ¡°Wan!¡± The turtle was the first to act.

    It shook its head, dislodging the hand on it.

    Zachary¡¯s face fell. He couldn¡¯t believe that it was over just like this. The beast suddenly got up and headed for the beach. One step after another, it didn¡¯t pause and there was no reluctance.

    ¡°Hey! Wait, Wander!¡± He scrambled to his feet and followed, ¡°Are you leaving? Just like that? What did I do wrong? Wait!¡±

    Splash!

    The turtle entered the water. He stood on the beach, watching it helplessly. It wasn¡¯t like he could stop it. Just when he was truly starting to despair, the beast turned around and looked at him.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± It jerked its head towards the lake, looked back at him, and then jerked its head ahead again.

    The gesture was so obvious.

    ¡°You¡­ you want me to follow?¡±

    ¡°Wan!¡±

    ¡°Alright, wait one second!¡±

    Zachary quickly recalled his summons which had been sleeping outside. He then summoned Whiskers and Dream. He also took out a rope harness for Whiskers so it could carry him along. With everything ready, he jumped into the water.

    The turtle swam off at a leisurely pace. Whiskers was able to easily keep up as well as allowing Zachary to keep his head above the surface. Dream provided scouting as the party headed for a nondescript stone cliff on the lake¡¯s opposite shore.

    He had no idea where they were going or what the turtle wanted. However, since it hadn¡¯t abandoned him, he held onto a tiny bit of hope, hope that his stories had the intended effect.

    They arrived at the wall of stone without issue. There were no other wild Ensouled around here at the moment. It was quiet except for the splashing of water as they swam.

    The turtle found an unremarkable crack in the wall. From a distance and even from up close, it didn¡¯t seem like much. It dived and Whiskers followed. Under the water, it revealed a large opening and an underground river.

    The current wasn¡¯t strong but the water was cold. Zachary held his breath and fought to keep his eyes open. There was no other choice except to go forward.

    They followed the river for several minutes, taking several forks in the path that he struggled to remember. It wasn¡¯t until his lungs were screaming for air that they finally surfaced. There was a small pocket of air and a small cave. Strangely, there was a multicolored light that illuminated the place in a mesmerizing glow.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± The turtle had gotten out of the water.

    ¡°Wander, what is this place?¡± Zachary asked.

    It replied by walking towards a ring of stones with a plinth in the middle. Atop the plinth was the crystal-like object. It was multicolored, slightly opaque, and in the shape of an octahedron. It was the source of the light in the cave and it was even floating in the air.

    ¡°Wow¡­ what is this¡­¡±

    The beast stared up at the floating crystal with longing. It then gave him a look filled with meaning. It had led him here for this. This was its answer to his request. It wanted him to take it.

    Zachary slowly approached the plinth. There was an abundance of Eternum in the air but it was strange. There were all kinds of attributes; sky, fire, earth, water, day, life, night, and death. All attributes were present and could be distinctly felt. As he got closer and got a better look, he realized that the octahedron was made of a material similar to summoning cards. When he touched it, even the texture was the same. It seemed more than a coincidence.

    However, in the next moment, his mind went blank and all he saw was darkness. He didn¡¯t know if he was standing or falling. Then, a strange voice rang out within his soul.

    ¡°The battle for eternity approaches. Countless souls shall cry and perish. The Bomon Empire shall not survive this calamity.¡±

    Fearful scenes flashed in his mind. Entire mountain ranges were flattened. The earth split apart, destroying whole continents. Mighty tidal waves turned the oceans into chaos. The skies erupted in lighting and fire. Shadows of monsters loomed across the world.

    ¡°This is the end for us but not our dream. This universal quintessence contains our greatest achievement, our last legacy. Now it¡¯s yours.¡±

    A series of words appeared. Although it was an ancient text that he didn¡¯t recognize, his soul did and he understood.

    ¡°Two souls connect, life and death and fate intertwine, you shall walk the path together until the end. The world will tremble, heavens will be jealous. Summon the eternal and challenge the inevitable cycle of destruction.¡±

 69. Summon the Eternal (I)

    Zachary blinked and he could see again. He had returned to the realm of the living. The light around him was gradually dissipating and what used to be a warm cave was getting colder with each breath. He looked down and realized that the eight-sided crystal in his hand had crumbled to dust and sand. He wasn¡¯t able to catch even a single grain.

    Summon the eternal.

    He understood what it meant. The crystal had taught him. It was a method to reach a rank no other soul had ever reached in the history of the world. Novice, adept, expert, master, noble, royal, and saint; humankind knew of seven ranks of the soul. It was the same for wild Ensouled as their limit was also the saint rank.

    However, that was only seven ranks. It didn¡¯t make sense when the number eight was so important to natural laws. Each individual had eight paths within their soul. There were eight distinct elemental attributes to Eternum. There were also eight days in a week and eight months in a year.

    Now he knew. Eternal, that was the final rank, the eighth rank of the soul.

    He remembered Katherine¡¯s offer. If he joined the Ice Saint Beast Cult, he would be able to discover the truth of the word eternal. Was this what she had meant? Did the Ice Saint also know the secret to the eternal rank? It was possible!

    If one saint knew about it, what about others, the Eight Saints of the New World? And if so many existences knew about it, what about humans? Have humans also started to investigate the secrets to eternity?

    Zachary clenched his fist. He suddenly felt that he wasn¡¯t too far from the truth, that he touched upon the greatest secret in the entire world.

    As for the battle for eternity, he wasn¡¯t sure. The soul message contained in the crystal didn¡¯t elaborate. The cycle of destruction, he didn¡¯t know either. It all sounded very ominous. Was it a reference to a historical event or was it a prophecy of the future?

    More importantly, he was still too weak and too insignificant. Even if the heavens were to fall down, it wouldn¡¯t be up to him to shoulder the burdens of the world. It would be up to the human saint rank summoners. If they couldn¡¯t do it, it wouldn¡¯t be up to him to worry about it.

    Right now, his matter wasn¡¯t anything regarding the eternal rank but the second half of the soul message. It was the Bomon Empire''s final legacy, perhaps the last of the entire Bomoi Civilization. It was a whole new method of summoning he had never heard of before. It did not use cards or orbs. It wasn''t soul summoning or pet summoning.

    It was eternal summoning or summon the eternal in their language. It was somewhat similar to soul summoning except that it was permanent or eternal. Two souls connected; letting their life, death, and fate intertwine. The bond could never be broken. If one soul died, it would mean the end for the other.

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    Zachary looked down at the turtle beside him. It was staring back at him, an excited and expectant expression on its face. He couldn¡¯t help but frown as he was hit with a great sense of uncertainty. Considering the established paradigm for human summoners, the consequence that came with this summoning method was a huge headache.

    Summons were meant to fight on behalf of their summoners. They bore the brunt of battle and sacrificed themselves for their masters. They were the soldiers while the summoner was the general in command.

    Casualty rates were high but humans could always replace the losses; catch new Ensouled and train them to fight. If the summoner died along with their summon, it would remove the primary advantage humans had over other Ensouled. Even in friendly duels, it was always possible for a summon to suffer debilitating injuries. A summoner might keep that beast around for sentimental reasons but only in a card or orb.

    Ignoring death for a moment, if his eternal summon was wounded so badly that it couldn¡¯t be healed. It would mean that one of his soul paths would be crippled forever. He was already experiencing the torture of his crippled sky path. He didn¡¯t want to go through that again with a second soul path.

    Another matter to consider was an Ensouled¡¯s talent and growth rate. It measured how strong an Ensouled could become and how quickly. Like ranks, there were seven grades known to the Old World.

    The first was ordinary grade, Ensouled that would most likely remain at novice rank the rest of their lives. Any breakthrough to the adept rank would depend on luck, a lot of hard work, or both. Uncommon grade Ensouled could easily reach the adept rank with little effort but the expert rank would be a challenge. Rare grade Ensouled could reach the expert rank and special grade Ensouled could reach the master rank. For higher ranks; there were the fabled, legendary, and mythical grades.

    Beginner summoners started with lower grade Ensouled. Once they grew stronger, they would get higher grade Ensouled so that they could improve further. This was the way for normal human summoners. Even soul summons could be changed out if the benefit was greater than the temporary penalty.

    With an eternal summon, he would never be able to get rid of it. They were stuck together, for better or for worse. Like the legacy stated, their fates were connected.

    So, were there any advantages to an eternal summon? He wasn¡¯t sure and the soul message wasn¡¯t clear. It only said that eternal summoning would unlock the potential of both souls to the limit and that this was a potential way to reach eternity.

    ¡°Wander,¡± Zachary said cautiously, ¡°Do you really want to be my eternal summon?¡±

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡±

    The turtle bumped its head into the side of his good leg. It barked a few more times and waddled around his legs over and over as a show of affection, wagging its short tail vigorously. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. It truly was more like a dog than a turtle. He always wanted a dog but his parents insisted on cats.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do with you¡­ Are you a rare grade Ensouled? Or a special grade? What do I do¡­¡±

    This decision would affect him for an eternity. He couldn¡¯t make up his mind. So many thoughts raced through his mind; about Yaoyao, Minah, his parents, and even Katherine, Jean-Pierre, and Aaron. There were so many regrets, so much pain. There was also a desire for revenge, a desire to fight back against the world and prove everyone wrong.

 70. Summon the Eternal (II)

    The turtle, sensing his hesitancy, was the first to act. It sucked in a deep breath. As it did so, the mossy spiral patterns on its shell started to glow. Leafy green light filled the small cave as Eternum surged around its body. The beast finally opened its mouth and let out a gentle exhale, aimed at his crooked left leg. He had a mangled knee and a broken ankle. He wasn¡¯t able to heal properly after the fall and could only walk with a painful limp these days.

    When the breath reached him, his leg suddenly went numb, providing instant relief from the nagging pain. At first, he didn¡¯t realize what was happening. His felt good; comfortably warm and a little weird. Then, he sensed a tremendous amount of life-attribute Eternum flowing into him, passing through skin and penetrating deep into his knee and ankle.

    Miraculously, his foot slowly twisted on its own until it was pointing in the right direction. His left leg straightened out until it was the same length as the other. The ligaments in his knee and his ankle regrew out of nothing. Mangled bones returned to their original shapes. He couldn¡¯t believe it, even when he opened his eyes wide to witness the changes taking place.

    It was a healing ability! And it was so powerful!

    Zachary tested his leg. There was no pain even when he put his full weight on it. "Wander, you are amazing!"

    "Wan." The turtle replied smugly, its eyes squinting into slits.

    He rubbed its smooth leathery head and laughed, "Amazing, so amazing. Haha, I can walk and run again, all thanks to you."

    "Wan!"

    "Would you heal my arm too?" He asked excitedly, "You can do it, right? It might take less effort than my leg. I think it''s just nerve damage."

    The turtle froze. It slowly blinked and even pulled its head back.

    "Please?"

    Its head retreated even more until it was almost hidden by its shell. An awkward silence passed between them. He realized he had done something wrong. It was unhappy and it had every right to be. It had already shown him its sincerity, now it was his turn to do the same.

    "I''m sorry, Wander. Let''s first perform the eternal summoning. It''s what you want and it''s also what I want too. Are you ready?"

    "Nnn."

    "Let''s begin."

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    Zachary closed his eyes and focused within himself. He arrived within his soul sea and commanded the life path to open up to its limit. Eternum started to pour out, causing the point between his eyebrows to glow with a pale green light. Across from him, the turtle had done the same. The gateway to its soul was located on top of its head and it was also glowing, with a much more vibrant green light.

    This was one of the differences between eternal summoning and soul summoning. For eternal summoning, both souls had to understand what to do. Both had to contribute. It wasn''t one soul seeking mastery over the other but a merging of equals.

    Zachary knelt on the ground and supported his body weight with one elbow. He leaned his head down while the turtle raised its head toward him. Slowly, they finally touched, letting their gateways connect with nothing else in between. With this, Eternum freely flowed between the two souls. This was the first step.

    Next, they had to find equilibrium, a balance between souls. This was easier said than done. He was at the One Path Adept Rank while the turtle was at the Eight Paths Novice Rank. The powers contained in their soul energies were far from each other. They also had to consider the quality and quantity of life energy coming from each side. His side was naturally inferior as his first path was the sky path. The turtle''s innate talent was life-attribute energy so there was a large disparity between them.

    A long time passed. Eternum flowed between them, sometimes in great volume, sometimes in minuscule amounts. It was an intricate balancing act. It required patience as well as trust. Both of their souls were wide open to each other. If one side had bad intentions, the other would not be able to defend in time.

    Their struggle was not too different from the struggle between humanity and the world around them. In essence, summoning was a way for humans to dominate nature and master the world. Summoners fought wild Ensouled and beat them into submission before trapping them in cards, orbs, or even their soul sea. Step by step, rank by rank, one could rise to the top and become a saint and be unchallenged within their domain.

    Most people, however, would fail along this journey. Nature was too powerful to overcome, even after thousands of years of effort. The Old World being just a small portion of the whole world was proof of that. Faced with this reality, people such as Katherine and other members of the beast cults were pragmatic people who accepted their weakness and their fates. They were unable to defeat nature so they chose to serve it instead.

    Mastery over nature or subservience to nature, Zachary was not trying to achieve either but something new, a perfect balance and equal union. In the back of his mind, he had always held this notion since he was young. He never treated his summons as expendable tools. They were all important to him, even the ones that seemed weak and useless. After meeting Wander and learning the secrets of the world, he truly believed that this was the right way, that this was the true way to summon the eternal.

    Oommm!

    A deep sound echoed around the two still figures. A great pulse of Eternum erupted from them, causing the cave walls to tremble. A flash of bright green light passed between them before dispersing. It was impossible to tell which part of the energy emitted came from Zachary or the turtle. Every particle was in harmony.

    They had completed the eternal summoning. A glowing, ethereal image of the turtle was formed with Zachary''s soul sea, residing in front of the life path, while a similar visage of himself was left within the turtle''s soul sea. This phenomenon was the proof of their achievement.

 71. Recovery (I)

    ¡°Sugo. Oh, Sugo. What are you going to do? Run away? All your seaweed belongs to me!¡±

    ¡°Gu¡­ gu¡­¡±

    ¡°Wahahaha!¡± An excited, barking laughter rang out. ¡°Come back!¡±

    A light-green-colored slug crawled along the beach. There was a distinct level of desperation in its slug-like movements as it slid its bone-less body over the stones. As it fled, the seaweed that grew abundantly from its round body was dragged along.

    Right behind the slug followed a large turtle. Its shell was about a meter across and shaped like an elongated octagon. The exposed skin of its head and limbs was leathery with a dark green hue. The beast¡¯s round black eyes were full of mirth while its wide, beaked mouth was busy spewing nonsense.

    Zachary sighed and got up from his fishing spot, ¡°Wander, you just ate. Don¡¯t bully Sugo again!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not bullying! We were just playing around, right Sugo?¡±

    ¡°Gu¡­¡± Sugo sounded very unwilling.

    ¡°Let him be. Wander, come here.¡±

    ¡°Wan!¡± Wander waddled over cheerfully. He stopped beside Zachary and barked again, ¡°Big Brother Zach, do you want to heal again?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zachary rubbed the turtle¡¯s head and smiled wryly.

    It had been a few days since they had formed the eternal bond. Being able to fully understand Wander¡¯s speech still amazed him. Such a feat was normally reserved for adept rank summoners and their adept rank Ensouled. Even with Yaoyao, he had to wait until the adept rank to talk to her like this.

    At the novice rank, a summoner¡¯s bond with their summon was at its weakest. It was already good enough to understand a summon¡¯s feelings while feeding it simple commands. With Wander, they could fully understand each other as if they spoke the same language. They could hold entire conversations through their souls.

    ¡°Alright, Big Brother Zach, you can rely on me!¡±

    With a laugh, Wander transformed into a beam of green light and entered Zachary¡¯s soul through his brow. Zachary hadn¡¯t commanded Wander to return. The turtle had done so of its own accord.

    This was another strange feature of the eternal summon. They established the bond as equals. Therefore, Zachary¡¯s soul sea was not a prison. Wander could instead come and go as he pleased.

    Wander arrived within Zachary¡¯s soul sea and replaced the visage of himself that resided at the life path, forming the physical body of a turtle. He then started to swim, zooming around this space filled with swirling soul energy like a fish in water.

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    ¡°Wow! Very cool!¡±

    He did a summersault, several spins, and then another summersault.

    ¡°Look at meeee! I¡¯m flying!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a turtle, you can¡¯t fly.¡±

    ¡°Meanie, why do you have to crush my dreams?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Zachary felt helpless. Wander was more than a little strange. He was probably as old as ruins but liked to act like a child. He also insisted on calling Zachary big brother, even after Zachary had clarified that he was only twenty years old. It made no sense.

    ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m just teasing you. Don¡¯t be so serious.¡± Wander said and arrived in front of the sky path. ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°Ready,¡± Zachary said.

    The spiral patterns on Wander¡¯s shell started to glow. After a period of collecting energy, he opened his mouth and let out a continuous breath filled with healing energy. This surge of Eternum rich with the life attribute swept over Zachary¡¯s broken sky path. Wherever the breath touched, that patch of the sky path would quiver slightly before transforming at visible speed. Twisted and mangled flesh knitted back together the correct way until it was smooth and spotless. What had been completely blocked off like a wall slowly opened like a doorway.

    Sometimes it was a little painful. Other times, it was itchy. It was the strangest feeling in the world. Most of all, Zachary felt sheer joy.

    At first, he didn¡¯t know if Wander¡¯s healing ability would work on his soul wound. Now, after several sessions, there was not a trace of doubt left. He was going to make a full recovery. It was only a matter of time and effort.

    After a long time, Wander¡¯s breath ended. A large portion of the sky path had healed but it wasn¡¯t open yet. There was far more work to do.

    Wander panted tiredly, ¡°Big Brother Zach, your soul wound is so terrible. It¡¯s so difficult to heal. How did you have such a powerful soul bond? It must have been painful after it broke.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ it was painful. I almost wanted to die¡­ But I guess it was partly my fault. My previous summon, Yaoyao, I¡¯ve told you about her, she grew too fast. She was too strong. I had to hide her but the result was this wound.¡±

    In truth, Yaoyao was too much for him to handle. As the offspring of a saint rank Ensouled, her talent was frightening. She broke through to the adept rank when he was thirteen years old, meaning that he was an adept rank summoner at such a young age, a feat that would have earned him fame across the republic.

    However, his parents had convinced him that this wasn¡¯t a good thing. He was forced to hide until he grew up. But as the years passed, Yaoyao never stopped growing either. She had already reached the Eight Paths Adept Rank by the time he entered university.

    He should have also been at the Eight Paths Adept Rank but that was still too eye-catching. His mother was still worried and taught him a method to resist each one of Yaoyao¡¯s advancements in the adept rank. As a result, he was still a One Path Adept Rank summoner while having an Eight Paths Adept Rank summon in a soul bond. The consequence of breaking such a soul bond was naturally disastrous.

    Wander sighed, ¡°You¡¯ve suffered a lot. I could sense it when I was swimming around the lake before. So much sorrow, so much misery, but you kept on living. You chose to do that, just like me. We were meant to be brothers.¡±

    Zachary chuckled, ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    He neglected to explain just how he ended up in this underground lake.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m out of energy,¡± Wander said, ¡°Zach, lend me your soul strength and I can keep going!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±

    ¡°Just do it! Direct your soul energy to me.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ okay.¡±

 72. Recovery (II)

    Zachary summoned his strength and his soul sea surged. Like a high tide, soul energy rose as one toward Wander, crashing against his shell in great waves.

    ¡°Waa! That¡¯s great!¡± Wander shouted excitedly and once again activated his healing ability.

    The soul energy that touched his turtle body was a pure form of Eternum with no attribute, only raw power. But as it traveled through him, it was quickly converted into his own soul energy with rich elements of life and earth. The spiral patterns on his shell glowed with renewed vigor. It was even brighter than before.

    His healing breath swept over Zachary¡¯s broken sky path. Everywhere it touched, the old wounds retreated. The dead flesh and withered areas were returned to their original form, a wide channel that led from the soul to the outside world.

    This session lasted three times as long as the first one. Zachary finally ran out of energy. They were both exhausted. It was also lunchtime and they were hungry, for utilizing Eternum required both the mind and the body.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ what¡¯s on the menu?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Sugo!¡± Wander exclaimed.

    Zachary snorted and shook his head. ¡°It''s too early. Sugo needs time to recover. Eating its seaweed twice a day is already the limit. How about a roasted salamander?¡±

    ¡°Bleh¡­ I¡¯ll just eat some grass.¡±

    Wander wandered over to a patch of blue grass in the shallow water and started munching.

    Zachary started a fire on the beach and reheated the carcass over the flames. He was getting good at cooking wild animals for food. It also helped that he had Onkie. The pig had an innate sense of what was edible. The New World had surpassed his knowledge of Ensouled and he could no longer rely on it anymore. Things he had thought were safe to eat, Onkie wouldn¡¯t dare to touch them. Other things he thought would be wildly poisonous like this salamander with bright yellow flesh were surprisingly tasty.

    ¡°So, why do you like Sugo¡¯s seaweed so much?¡± He asked after filling his stomach. ¡°What did you eat before?¡±

    ¡°Hmm? I can eat lots of things. Mostly mosses and plants, underwater or otherwise. But Sugo¡¯s seaweed tastes the best because it contains the attribute of life. There is nothing like that growing in these caves.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Zachary silently thanked his penchant for keeping useless summons around. He might not have been able to meet Wander if he had thrown Sugo away. ¡°Anyway, how did you know that it would work? That you could utilize my soul energy?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Wander tilted his head, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it work?¡±

    Zachary spluttered for a few moments, unable to find the words, ¡°This¡­ you¡­ argh! What I meant was that shouldn¡¯t have been possible. I¡¯m only an adept rank summoner. And you¡¯re still at the novice rank.¡±

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    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Zachary was incredulous. ¡°So¡­ this ability to transfer Eternum between souls that we just performed, it should only be possible for expert rank summoners and their expert rank summons. People call it borrowed power, an ability unique to humans and only available at the expert rank or above!¡±

    ¡°Oh, like this?¡±

    Wander let out a tiny pulse of soul energy. It shot through the air and entered the spot between Zachary¡¯s eyebrows without resistance. It reached his soul sea like a droplet of water, disappearing into the swirling mass.

    Zachary¡¯s eyes widened. It had just happened again. Only this time, it had been Wander supplying him with a tiny bit of Eternum, just to prove a point. This shouldn¡¯t have been possible. This defied his understanding of summoning and broke all the rules.

    ¡°Is it because of the eternal summoning?¡± He wondered out loud.

    It seemed like the only possibility. He was able to talk to Wander even though the turtle was still at the novice rank. Now, they could even use borrowed power on each other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shocked.¡± Wander said casually, ¡°Didn¡¯t the ancestors say that the heavens will be jealous? Haha!¡±

    ¡°The heavens will be jealous¡­ is this what that meant?¡±

    Zachary continued to think about the issue. The half-eaten salamander was forgotten. This opened up whole new possibilities. It wasn¡¯t just about recovering his soul path. He might have a great advantage against the other survivors.

    Borrowed power was an incredibly useful ability. It allowed a summon to stay in battle far beyond their limits. As long as the summoner had enough soul energy, their summons could keep fighting. If a person had a particularly vast soul sea and great endurance as their natural talent, they would be even tougher opponents.

    This was why, in the human world, the expert rank marked the first watershed for summoners. Adepts were common soldiers while experts could become commanders and leaders. Even in the civilian world, only experts could become government officials or gain upper positions in corporations.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Zachary picked up the stick with the roasted salamander and took a big bite, ¡°First, food. Then, rest. We can fit another healing session in before dinner!¡±

    ¡°I better get some seaweed!¡±

    ¡°No problem!¡±

    ---

    Five days later, which just happened to be a full week after Zachary and Wander formed their eternal bond, Zachary sat atop a falling statue¡¯s head, deep in meditation. He sat cross-legged, his back straight, his head slightly lowered. His long black hair hung down around his face, soaked wet by the rolling fog. His eyes were closed and his breathing was faint. He was solely concentrated within his soul sea, drawing upon all of his strength and energy.

    Like a fish in the ocean, Wander swam around with Zachary¡¯s soul sea, gathering every last strand of Eternum. His entire body glowed bright green as he charged toward the sky path and let out a deep healing breath.

    Zachary¡¯s sky path looked completely different from before. Where there used to be mangled flesh and withered wounds, there was a wide and powerful river, ready to connect to the outside world. There was only a small blockage left at the very end that stopped the flow of Eternum.

    Wander swam through the sky path, letting his breath spread in all directions as he passed. He took aim at the final obstruction and gave it everything he had. Supported by Zachary¡¯s strength with borrowed power, Wander¡¯s breath crashed ahead. It carried Zachary¡¯s past pain and regrets as well as his desire to fight back. It also carried Wander¡¯s desire to escape this prison and explore the world so that he could live his life to the fullest.

    Woosh!

    With a great surge of Eternum, the sky path was finally opened. Soul energy from within poured out while at the same time, fresh Eternum from the outside gushed in.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Zachary leaped to his feet.

    ¡°Yeah!!! We did it!¡± He shouted at the underground lake, at the sky, and at the world, ¡°I¡¯ve recovered. I¡¯ve fully recovered. Hahaha! I¡¯m back!¡±

 73. Training (I)

    Zachary¡¯s summons gathered around him to celebrate the moment. Only Wander could fully understand what had happened. However, they could all feel Zachary¡¯s joy through their soul bond and couldn¡¯t help but feel the same.

    Onkie snorted loudly and spun around in circles until she was covered in dirt. Whiskers splashed the water in the shallows as if it wanted to crawl onto dry land. Blue flew from one tree to the next, bellowing what it assumed was a beautiful song. Boba stuck out its tongue like it always did and bobbed its head up and down as it watched the other beasts make a fool of themselves.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Zachary laughed at their antics. ¡°It feels good. It feels really good!¡±

    His sky path was wide open. It was no worse than before it was broken, perhaps even a little wider. Eternum surged in and out, in greater amounts than all seven other soul paths at the novice rank combined.

    It was like he had been reborn. The cool air of the underground lake was as fresh as a spring breeze. The light rain falling around him was washing away his past life. Failures and regrets of old melted away as he reveled in the moment. His fate when he was imprisoned had been death. Now, after meeting Wander, it seemed limitless.

    ¡°It¡¯s true what they say.¡± He mused, ¡°The New World is filled with dangers but also unimaginable wonders. Those who are brave enough and lucky enough will emerge as a brand-new person!¡±

    He looked at the markings on the stone slab. There were enough compasses for twenty-five weeks or five months. This meant that around six months had passed since he came to this land and only two more until the final competition for the four presidential pardons.

    ¡°Two months¡­ there¡¯s still time.¡±

    ¡°Well? What are we waiting for?¡± Wander¡¯s barking interrupted his thoughts, ¡°I want to see the jungle! And mountains! The ocean too! Big Brother Zach, let¡¯s go!¡±

    He bumped the back of Zachary¡¯s leg as if to push him forward.

    ¡°Wander, do you even know the way out?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ might?¡±

    Zachary snorted, ¡°Even if you do, we can¡¯t just rush out there. We need to properly prepare. We need food. We also need to train.¡±

    ¡°Train?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, train and get stronger. Work on our coordination in team battles, improve our soul cultivation. The jungle above is filled with adept rank Ensouled and perhaps even expert rank Ensouled. If we go out like this, we¡¯ll die.¡±

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    ¡°Oh, how do you train?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    This matter became their highest priority. There was still so much Zachary didn¡¯t know about Wander. He had to find out their limits before they encountered another tough opponent like the black wolf pack leader.

    ¡°First things first. Apart from your shield and healing breath, do you have any other abilities?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­ then your shield will be the most important ability for us in the heat of battle. Being able to block powerful incoming attacks is just as good as having a powerful attack of your own. I know you can cast it around yourself. Are you able to do anything else like cast it around another object?¡±

    Wander tilted his head and thought about it, ¡°Huh, I never thought about it that way, I suppose so?¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s test it out. Wander, stand about a meter from that piece of driftwood and try to cast a shield around it.¡± Zachary pointed to a bare tree trunk that had washed ashore a long time ago.

    Wander waddled over to the right position and then sucked in a deep breath. After a moment of concentration, the markings on his shell glowed green. Eternum surged forth and gathered in front of the driftwood, forming a curved, octagonal shield that was semi-transparent and hovering in mid-air.

    ¡°Good! Really good!¡± Zachary said. ¡°Wander, you¡¯re full of surprises!¡±

    ¡°Haha, of course.¡±

    Zachary shook his head. Wander had surpassed his expectations once again. This feat of casting an ability a short distance away was already the mark of an adept rank ability.

    Normally, novice rank Ensouled had limited understanding of the world and of Eternum. Their control of soul energy was crude. They could only utilize Eternum within their bodies or expel it outward in an uncontrolled manner. They could choose the initial direction and intensity but that was it. This kind of ability control was evident in how Blue used its rain ability or how Arrow used poison. It was also how the baby forest elephant used its leaf blade attack and how the black wolves cast pack bond.

    The way Wander used its shield just now was fundamentally different and on another level. It wasn¡¯t just creating a shield around his body. He moved Eternum across a certain distance and then formed it into the proper shape with his will, with every step following his exact intentions. This was the exact definition of an ability that had reached the adept rank!

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s test its effectiveness. Wander, hold the shield there. Onkie, tackle it at full speed!¡±

    ¡°Onk!¡± Onkie grunted loudly, excited at finally having something to do.

    She trotted a short distance away and turned toward the driftwood that was covered by the glowing green shield. She gave a shout and began her charge. She quickly built up speed until she was a rolling ball of fur, a furious mound of muscle and toughness.

    Bang!

    Onkie collided with the shield and bounced off, rolling a short distance. She scrambled to her feet and shook her head. The shield, on the other hand, was unharmed and so was the driftwood behind it.

    ¡°Good! Wander, now move another meter away from the log.¡± Zachary instructed. ¡°Onkie, attack it again.¡±

    ¡°Onk, onk!¡±

    The same process repeated. Onkie¡¯s charging attack was once again deflected. The glowing shield dimmed significantly but it still held and the log was still unperturbed.

    ¡°One more. Wander, move another meter. Make sure the shield is as strong as you can make it. Onkie, go!¡±

    Bang! Crash!

    This time, the shield was unable to resist the heavy impact and shattered into fragments of light. Onkie¡¯s momentum carried her into the driftwood, smashing it into splinters.

    Zachary clapped his hands, ¡°Well done! Wander, your limit should be somewhere between two to three meters for Eternum control. But this is only your first try. It will only get better with practice!¡±

 74. Training (II)

    The new few days were spent training, not just for Wander but for the rest of Zachary¡¯s summons. He had a lot of anima crystals saved up after he gave up on advancing his summons from the Seven Paths Novice Rank to eight paths. Now that his sky path was fully healed, there was no more reason to avoid that.

    Onkie, Blue, and Dream soon joined Whiskers and advanced to the Eight Paths Novice Rank. Onkie grew a little stronger but there were no other changes. He would have to wait until the adept rank to see if she would gain a new ability. Some Ensouled did but it depended on their innate talent.

    Blue, however, gave him a pleasant surprise. The bird managed to learn a new ability. It was now able to produce a misty haze instead of just a harmless drizzle. This was far more useful as it could instantly create a wall of fog to confuse opponents and block off their vision. It also wasn¡¯t just a further advancement of its natural water-controlling ability because this incorporated control of the sky attribute to disperse water into the air.

    Blue had talent in both the water attribute as well as the sky attribute. It''s future was bright. It also meant that Blue would play a critical role in future battles. Although the misty haze ability was still harmless, it could tactically affect the field in their favor.

    Dream wasn¡¯t so fortunate but it also gained some benefits. Its speed increased measurably and it was even better at luring wild Ensouled. With it at the eighth path, there was a never-ending supply of meat and anima crystals.

    Despite this boon, Zachary still had yet to catch a new summon. He knew that his lineup was severely lacking in attack power, particularly long-range attacks. The Ensouled in these underground ruins were somewhat weak. Perhaps it was due to being isolated from the outside world for so long, he wasn¡¯t sure. Even Wander didn¡¯t know of a species that fit his needs and the turtle pretty much knew of everything that moved in these caves.

    After his strongest summons reached the Eight Paths Novice Rank, he encountered a problem. Further advancing to the adept rank was very difficult, at least with novice rank anima crystals. It would take a very long time in addition to a mountain of crystals to just let one of his summons break through. He didn¡¯t have enough time, not if he wanted to get back to the surface and compete for a pardon spot.

    The fastest way known to ordinary people was to use adept rank anima crystals. It only needed a few adept rank crystals, maybe even just a single one, to break the limitations of the soul and reach the adept rank.

    To obtain adept rank anima crystals, he had to hunt and slay adept rank Ensouled. With only novice rank summons, even if they were all at the peak of the rank, this was a difficult endeavor. In the Old World, people liked to call this poking a tiger¡¯s ass or flirting with a dragon. It was challenging one¡¯s limits as a summoner to conquer beasts of a higher rank. It was something that human ancestors had to accomplish to get stronger step by step. He had attempted it with Katherine and Jean-Pierre against the flower demon. They had been woefully unprepared and were nowhere close to defeating the creature. He was something he would have to do, this time with Wander, Onkie, and rest.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­. Mmm, it¡¯s just an adept rank beast¡­ No problem! Mmm, this is so tasty!¡± Wander said as he munched on a mouthful of seaweed, ¡°Sugo, my Sugo, I didn¡¯t know your seaweed could taste so much better after advancing. How great would it taste at the adept rank? Mmmm!¡±

    ¡°Guuu!¡± Sugo glared fiercely at the hungry turtle.

    There wasn¡¯t anything it could do even though it had advanced to the Seven Paths Novice Rank. It turned to Zachary with sad eyes, begging for help. Zachary rubbed its head affectionately. He poked the spot between its eyes, making it gurgle happily and forget about Wander.

    ¡°Chu! Chu!¡± Blue chirped.

    It hopped down from a tree branch above them and landed next to him. It rubbed its head against his arm as if begging for the same. Zachary laughed. He put down a stick of roast fish and stroked its feathers. The happy calls that resulted calmed his thoughts and restless soul.

    He was eager to get back to the surface. He had pushed his summons hard during the past few days. They hadn¡¯t let him down. In addition to Blue, Wander had also improved his shield ability to a distance of five meters. If they met an adept rank Ensouled like the flower demon again, he was confident they could fight it to a draw.

    But sitting there, surrounded by his summons and sharing a meal, he had to appreciate the moment. The relationship between a summoner and their summon was something mysterious, that few people could explain. He saw it as a blessing; souls that were loyal, souls that would always be at his side. He had once given his heart to another person but had been hurt terribly in return. Now, he didn¡¯t know if he could do such a thing again. Only his summons would never betray him. He could only rely on them.

    ¡°Wander, you said you knew the way out. Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure, Big Brother Zach!¡±

    Since Wander had said so, Zachary trusted him. Zachary picked up his abandoned fish skewer and took a bite.

    ¡°Mmm, we need a few more days to catch a few more Ensouled and dry their meat.¡± He swallowed and threw away the stick, ¡°Then we will have enough food for two weeks at least. During that time, we can finish the last of our training. Wander, your shield ability is very strong. You can protect yourself as well Onkie while you two fight opponents. However, since we don¡¯t have a long-range attacker, I will be vulnerable if our opponents have long-range Ensouled and they target me. Wander, we¡¯ll have to work out a routine where I will have to recall you so that you can shield me.¡±

    Wander looked over curiously, ¡°Why? What about that thing you mentioned a few days ago, ability summoning? Just use my shield yourself.¡±

    Zachary remained patient and replied, ¡°That¡¯s what I meant. But in order to perform ability summoning, I would need you to be in my soul sea. Since I can¡¯t recall you into a summoning card or a summoning orb¡­ anyway, that¡¯s how it worked for me and Yaoyao.¡±

    Wander shook his head and barked with laughter, ¡°Big bro, you¡¯re forgetting something important. Our bond is different from a normal soul bond. I don¡¯t need to be in your soul sea for you to use ability summoning.¡±

    ¡°What? Wait¡­ what?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Wander blinked and spoke matter-of-factly, ¡°Look inside your soul sea, focus on my imprint, and apply your will.¡±

    It took a few breaths for Zachary to process those words. It took even longer to finally believe. Holding his breath, he sank inward, letting his mind¡¯s eye enter his swirling soul sea. He focused on the ethereal image of Wander residing in front of his life path. He forced his soul force into it and immediately felt a reaction. He quickly added his soul force and a large amount of Eternum, pushing it out of his life path and toward his right hand.

    With a shimmer of light green energy, a familiar shield appeared, floating in the air above his palm.

    Zachary finally let out the breath he had been holding, ¡°No way¡­ no way!¡±

 75. Back to the Jungle (I)

    Zachary walked up to the boulder where he tracked the days. He added the final mark, completing the last eight-sided compass which signified a week. He stared at the boulder which was the proof of his experiences here as well as his transformation. He had spent a total of five months with this underground realm. It was time to leave.

    He walked back to the rocky beach and took stock of his belongings. He had seventeen summoning cards, seventy-six summoning orbs, and several octets of anima crystals. He had thought of capturing a random creature from the lake but Wander had been against the idea, seemingly offended at the idea.

    His summoning supplies were inside the same leather bag that had accompanied him from the ship. The clothes he wore back then didn¡¯t fare so well. He now wore a simple shirt and a pair of pants made of lizard skin. They weren¡¯t very comfortable but provided some form of protection from bites and scratches. He also wasn¡¯t an exhibitionist and didn¡¯t want to walk around naked.

    His other supplies were mostly food related. Smoked meats of all sorts including snake, frog, lizard, and fish made up two sizable leather sacks. It was the most he could carry while still being able to run and jump.

    Across his waist was his summoner¡¯s belt. The eight slots were all occupied. They included orbs for Onkie, Blue, Boba, Whiskers, Dream, and Sugo as well as a spare summoning card and a spare soul orb.

    Everything was ready.

    He looked across the calm, foggy lake, at the massive statues of ancient humans around him, and then downward at the still reflection. His hair was a little too long and fell in a shaggy mess to his shoulders. He touched his chin; he had just shaved so his face was smooth and clean.

    ¡°Yes, yes. You are very ugly.¡± Wander said, giving Zachary an exasperated look. ¡°Too late to change that now so let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Onk, onk.¡± Onkie laughed, rolling on the ground in the process.

    Whiskers joined in, splashing water in his direction.

    Zachary scoffed, ¡°What do you guys know? For your information, I am pretty handsome for a human male.¡±

    ¡°Alright, handsome big bro, can we go?¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine.¡±

    Zachary waded into the water and secured the rope harness around himself and Whiskers. He patted the catfish and they set off, swimming away from the island at a leisurely pace. As they went, he looked behind him and all around, a peculiar feeling welling up inside him. He was excited to leave but also a little sad. He would probably never come here again, this underground realm that gave him a new life, a fresh start.

    The party cruised across the lake, beneath the silent gazes of massive statues, a silent goodbye. After being alone for innumerable years, Wander was finally leaving. He was the last living remnant of the Bomon Empire. Zachary and Wander, together, carried the secrets to summon the eternal and the hopes of these ancient people to survive the calamity that wiped out their civilization.

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    They soon reached the other side and a cave opening that was the source of a strong current. Wander led the way. Whiskers followed with Zachary in tow. Onkie brought up the rear. They entered the underground river and were soon plunged into darkness.

    They followed this river for a while then took an underwater passage into another swift-moving river. After that, they went on dry land to bypass a series of waterfalls. Zachary soon lost track of the twists and turns. If he didn¡¯t have Wander, he would have gotten hopelessly lost.

    They occasionally encountered strange Ensouled along the way but the creatures all fled at their presence. He was curious about them but there was no time. Perhaps in the future, he would find another underground realm to explore.

    After an eternity in darkness, Zachary finally saw light. It started a pinprick of light which gradually illuminated the way ahead. Eventually, they reached a wide cave entrance and swam across it into a breathtaking sight.

    The river they were in flowed along a wide avenue flanked by dizzyingly tall stone buildings. These were less like ordinary buildings and more like giant pillars that supported the ground above, creating a cavernous space that housed an entire city beneath the surface.

    Some of the buildings had collapsed, tearing open gaps and revealing the blue sky above. In some of these gaps, water poured in, creating towering waterfalls that covered parts of the city in mist. What used to be parks became lakes and what used to be streets turned into rivers.

    And the most eye-catching amidst it all was an eight-sided monolith made of gray stone.

    ¡°Wow! Katherine was right. There really was a city hiding beneath.¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Wah, that cat girl?¡± Wander said, ¡°Yeah, I suppose. This is the Eye of Agula, the capital of the Bomon Empire. The lake where we were at, with all the statues, that used to be the Eternal Grounds, where we held battles between summoners and their summons. Those statues were each of champion summoners of their generation.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Zachary continued to look all around, amazed at everything. Aside from the central monolith, the other towering buildings were equally impressive. Each one was the size of a city block and extended all the way to the top, a distance of had to be a hundred stories.

    In the Old World, the height of buildings was often taken as a sign of a city¡¯s power and prosperity. Even in New Calum, the second richest city in the Republic of Adorin, the highest buildings were barely forty stories tall. And yet, the Eye of Agula contained countless buildings that doubled that height. The fact that all of this was built underground was even more impressive, proof that the Bomon Empire was once a powerful existence among humankind.

    ¡°I sense something has been here.¡± Wander said as he sniffed the air, ¡°It must be that cat girl you mentioned and her dirty cat.¡±

    ¡°Stop calling her that. And her cat isn¡¯t dirty.¡±

    Wander scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t like cats.¡±

    Zachary shook his head helplessly but he also looked around for her traces. The whole city seemed deserted and there were no signs of living Ensouled anywhere. He wondered if she had returned to the surface empty-handed.

    She wasn¡¯t exactly his favorite person in the world but he didn¡¯t hate her. She had her own secrets but so did he. At the end of the day, she was someone connected to the Ice Saint and Yaoyao so he still needed her.

    They slowly approached the central monolith along a wide, slow-moving river. There was a lot more light here due to the large gaps in the ceiling. This was about where he landed when he had jumped down. It was still a wonder that he managed to survive the fall.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Wander said as he got out of the water.

    They were right in front of the monolith which stood on a small patch of dry land.

    ¡°This is the way out; you just need to open the door,¡± Wander said.

    Zachary paused, not believing that it was so simple. ¡°Just open the door and go up the monolith?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡±

    ¡°I thought we would have to cross dangerous obstacles and fight our way through powerful Ensouled.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why couldn¡¯t you open the door yourself and go out?¡±

    Wander stomped his feet and said angrily, ¡°Because, only summoners can open the door¡­ Don¡¯t you dare laugh!¡±

 76. Back to the Jungle (II)

    Zachary choked as he tried to hide his laughter. He quickly covered his mouth as Wander continued to complain.

    ¡°Hahaha¡­ not funny! Those idiots that built this monolith, those stupid hairless monkeys, I have already cursed their souls to eternal torment and peed on their graves!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Zachary interjected, ¡°That was in the past. It''s not good to think about those things. Let¡¯s think about opening the doorway and what we¡¯ll find on the surface. Remember the wolves I told you about and pinecitta tree. We¡¯ll have to make a run for it once we reach the surface.¡±

    ¡°No problem! A mangy wolf like that won¡¯t be able to hurt you, not with me around.¡±

    Zachary hoped that was the case. He couldn¡¯t be sure as Wander was only at the Eight Paths Novice Rank while the wolf king was strong adept rank Ensouled. He didn¡¯t expect Wander¡¯s super-secret path to the surface to be the monolith. Perhaps, he should have given second thought to the idea of climbing instead. Then again, this was probably the easier way even if it was somewhat dangerous.

    ¡°So, how do I open it?¡± He asked.

    Wander didn¡¯t reply. The turtle was still upset from the prior matter. Zachary rolled his eyes and dug into his food sack for some emergency rations, three pieces of seaweed he had pilfered from Sugo the other day.

    ¡°Wah?¡± Wander blinked and sniffed the air, ¡°Big bro Zach, I knew you were hiding snacks!¡±

    He waddled over and stuck out his tongue in expectation, his tail wagging side to side. Zachary chuckled and quickly handed over the goodies, watching as the turtle gobbled up seaweed in a few bites. He would have to quickly raise Sugo¡¯s soul cultivation so that he could continue to provide food for this hungry turtle.

    Wander smacked his lips in satisfaction and licked his beak, ¡°Ahhh, that hits the spot. I was hungry from all that swimming and walking. Anyway, the door is located on the earth side.¡±

    Zachary understood and they headed to the western side of the octagonal monolith that corresponded to the earth path. There, Wander shuffled around he the right position and then looked up at the flat, featureless stone surface.

    ¡°Up there, the height of about two turtle shells, place your hand there and use your soul force like you are trying to capture an Ensouled with a summoning card.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

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    Zachary reached up slightly above his head. He immediately knew that it was the right spot as he felt faint feedback of Eternum as soon as he ingested his own.

    ¡°Slide your hand right a hand width¡­ move it up a hand¡­ now back to the original position¡­ left two hands¡­ back to the beginning and¡­ that should be it!¡±

    Hong!

    A familiar square doorway appeared, outlined by reddish-brown light. At the same time, a wave of Eternum swept out the monolith in all directions and into the ruined city.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. The doorway used to close at sundown and open at sunrise. It was used to let everyone know the start and end of a new day.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡±

    Zachary stood with Wander and his other summons and waited patiently as the doorway slowly opened. Once it was wide enough, he peered inside. There wasn¡¯t much except a stone staircase that led upward. Some carvings dotted the walls but that was about it. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t pitch black. There was a strange pale ambiance even though there were no light sources.

    Wander went in and sniffed around, ¡°Yeah, your cat lady was definitely here. I can still smell her stink. It''s several months old so she left a long time ago. In case you were curious, no, I didn¡¯t see her.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°You were curious.¡±

    Zachary snorted and didn¡¯t respond. He recalled all of his summons except for Onkie. Using some spare vine rope, he fastened the heaviest leather sack onto her back and they set off. Naturally, Wander didn¡¯t want to climb a hundred stories of stairs so he retreated into Zachary¡¯s soul space.

    ¡°Onkie, you¡¯re still the best.¡± He said and rubbed her furry head.

    ¡°Onk, onk,¡± Onkie replied and enthusiastically started to climb.

    ¡°Hey! What about me?¡± Wander complained from within his soul.

    He ignored the lazy turtle, or was it lazy dog? Sometimes, it was hard to tell.

    The climb up the monolith was long, boring, and exhausting. Step by step, they went around in endless circles as they slowly spiraled upward. It was difficult to tell how far they had gone or how far was left.

    The ordeal was made slightly better by Wander chattering non-stop about what he was going to do once he was outside. He wanted to smell the flowers and the trees. He wanted to fight some wild Ensouled. Finally, he wanted Zachary to catch a whole farm of seaweed slugs so that he could have an endless supply of food.

    Eventually, they reached the top where both Zachary and Onkie collapsed in a heap. They leaned against each other, panting heavily from the exertion.

    Wander took the opportunity to reappear, ¡°Yay, we made it!¡±

    Onkie glared at the turtle but was too tired to retort.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the door stay open?¡± Zachary asked after finally catching his breath.

    ¡°It''s designed to close up if no human summoner is controlling it. Again, those imbeciles¡­¡±

    Zachary waved his hand to stop another rant, ¡°Okay, okay. Moving on.¡±

    He patted his summoner¡¯s belt and brought out Blue and Boba. He let the boa curl around his left arm while Blue perched atop his head.

    ¡°Boba, stay sharp when we head out. One squeeze for enemies on my right and two squeezes for enemies on my left. Blue, you¡¯ll fly out first and provide as much distraction as you can.¡±

    ¡°Chirr!¡±

    ¡°Good, Onkie will lead. I will be right behind. Wander will cover my back with his shield. We¡¯ll charge for the land bridge in one go. Don¡¯t stop for anything. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    ¡°Chirr!¡±

    Boba gave his arm a squeeze.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Wander shouted in his head, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

 77. Building a Squad (I)

    "Chirr! Chirr! Chirrr!!"

    A bird with bright blue feathers shot out of the base of the monolith. It sang loudly as it flew over the island amidst the mist, across the deep chasms that separated it from the rest of the ruins. The bird''s incessant cries echoed off the tower of grey stone and across the ancient city.

    Soon after, a furball the size of a pig rolled out of the monolith. A person followed close behind. The pair dashed madly towards the narrow land bridge that separated the monolith from the rest of the ruins. Laden with leather sacks, their heavy footsteps joined in harmony with the steady rumble of waterfalls all around them.

    Zachary first realized something wasn''t quite right when he reached the start of the land bridge. Boba was supposed to alert him of incoming dangers with its sharp senses. But it didn''t do anything as if it had decided to take a nap. He glanced to either side but saw no wolves. The path ahead was also clear.

    The next thing he noticed came after they crossed the bridge unscathed. Wander''s shield was intact and at full strength, having suffered no damage. In fact, nothing had attacked them at all.

    "Wait... hold on a minute."

    His footsteps slowed and eventually stopped. Fighting the instinct to run to safety with sheer curiosity, he broke formation and turned around. They were alone. There were no wolves or any other Ensouled anywhere in the vicinity.

    Even more shocking, the pinecitta tree that grew in front of the monolith was gone. What remained of the magnificent tree that had withstood the test of time was just a short stump. Littered around the stump were countless piles of bones. Nearby boulders and stone blocks wore deep cuts and old bloodstains. These were all marks of battle, a terrible battle that far surpassed his last stand with Aaron''s small group of survivors.

    "Wan! What happened?" Wander asked as he took physical form.

    "I don''t know. They look like wolf bones." Zachary pointed to a nearby carcass.

    Wander went over and sniffed the remains, "Yeah, smells like it. Do you think it was that bastard Aaron who came back for revenge?"

    "It''s possible. Or maybe the act of opening the doorway and releasing the wave of Eternum attracted a group of stronger Ensouled over."

    He looked around nervously as if expecting to be ambushed by something. The ruins were quiet except for them. Not another soul could be seen or sensed. Yet it was almost eerily quiet as if they were being watched.

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    Wander felt it too and quickly came back to Zachary''s side, "Well, let''s not stick around. In case that happens again."

    "Yeah. Let''s go, stay sharp everyone!"

    Only when they left the outer borders of the ruins did Zachary breathe a sigh of relief. He could finally put this place behind him. Ahead lay a thick jungle in all directions, hiding even more unknowns and strange creatures.

    They set off towards the south. When Zachary and Katherine had first arrived at these ruins, they had come from the west. He didn''t want to go back the way he came. But further east would take them deeper into the New World with the potential of encountering much stronger Ensouled. That was a danger he didn''t want to deal with at the moment. There were less than two months until the return of the republic navy. It wasn''t a lot of time but he didn''t have to rush and take unnecessary risks.

    His current priority was to find a new hunting ground. He urgently needed to expand his summoning lineup and build a proper squad capable of battling both wild Ensouled and human survivors. He was now alone and could only rely on himself and his summons. Offense, defense, and support; he had to consider everything. Whatever he caught also couldn''t be too weak. There wasn''t enough time to improve their soul cultivation from the bottom of the novice rank to the limit and also seek breakthroughs to the adept rank.

    The first slot to fill in his lineup was another scout. He currently had Boba, Blue, and himself to a limited extent. Boba had sharp senses for short-range scouting while Blue could fly long-range. They were good but he still wanted another scout in case one was injured.

    "Smart, always good to have a backup plan," Wander praised.

    Next, he needed a plethora of summons with strong attack power. He needed melee brawlers like what he used to have with Hammer and Oakley. He also required long-range attackers like Arrow. If he wanted to slap a tiger''s ass, so to speak, he had to have enough strength to bring it down and capture it. Otherwise, it was a waste of time.

    "Mm, mmm. The more we have, the better," Wander said, "If some get injured, we can throw in reinforcements."

    Lastly, he needed a few summons with strong defenses for personal protection. The summoner was the most important member of the team and the most vulnerable. It was a popular strategy to target the summoner with sneak attacks. He didn''t want to rely solely on Wander''s shield for survival.

    "Wah¡­ are you already unhappy with me? I just bully Sugo a little bit here and there. It''s not a big deal. Why do you have to hold a grudge?" Wander asked in protest.

    Zachary shook his head and laughed, "Wander, it''s not like that. You are equally important to me as my own life. We have an eternal soul bond, remember? If I die, you die. If you die, I will too. We need extra muscle to protect both of us. Plus, you are my secret weapon, my trump card. It is customary for summoners to hold their strongest and most important summon as a last resort. I can''t easily reveal your existence, especially when fighting other people. You''re my greatest advantage."

    "Ah, I understand. Wahaha, humans are always so sneaky. No wonder, no wonder..."

    Wander fell silent with a strange expression, as if he had thought of something unpleasant from his past.

    Zachary wanted to ask but held himself back. There was no need to nosy right now. They had all the time in the world, in fact, an eternity.

 78. Building a Squad (II)

    Onkie dashed along the river bank, snorting loudly as she chased a strange Ensouled from a distance. The creature looked like a spider and it had eight legs like one. However, there were a variety of plants growing out of its exoskeleton that ranged from large arrow-like leaves to blooming flowers. It was so dense that it hid the creature¡¯s body from view. More like a walking plant than an insect, the leaves rustled and flowers swayed as it ran.

    The spider reached a ravine that led to the river. With great agility, it leaped over the gap and into a small clearing. It paused to look left, then right.

    ¡°Shee!¡± It let out a high-pitched squeal filled with frustration.

    It could not retreat into the jungle to its left. The reason why became apparent as Wander appeared out of the underbrush, his eyes squinting into a predatory smile. The spider also could not keep running forward as Zachary blocked its way, waving a long bamboo spear from side to side.

    ¡°Shee!¡±

    The leaves covering the spider¡¯s forelimbs started to shake violently. A moment later, a large number of leaves detached from their stems, becoming arrowheads that shot wildly forward.

    Zachary thrust out his palm, already ready for this attack. Eternum surged out of his soul sea, glowing bright green, as it quickly formed an octagonal shield.

    Ping! Pang!

    The shield blocked a few arrows while the others flew all over the place. The aim was bad but each leaf was razor sharp.

    A wayward leaf arrow even hit his shin, cutting through his lizard skin pants and burying deep into his skin.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Zachary shouted and hissed in pain, ¡°Onkie, Wander, go!¡±

    His two summons advanced, drawing the spider¡¯s attention away. It spun around and launched similar barrages at the two other opponents. Wander simply retreated into his shell and suffered no damage. Onkie could only bear the attack, relying on its thick brown mane.

    "Shee! Shee!" The beast hissed at the three enemies which had invaded its territory. There was anger as well as fear contained in that declaration.

    It turned towards the river, the only way that wasn''t blocked. It wouldn''t be able to make it in one jump and the current was swift. But the current danger outweighed the risks so it went for it. Its eight limbs contracted in an instant and exploded into action.

    The spider flew through the air in a perfect arc, its leaves and flowers fluttering against the wind. It landed in the water with a splash, about two-thirds of the way across. It started to madly swim in an attempt to get to the other side. However, it could have never foreseen the craftiness of its pursuers.

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    "Whiskers, attack!"

    Zachary''s shout was like a strike of lightning that changed the spider''s fate in an instant. The river beneath erupted as the beast lurking within appeared. Whiskers, with its massive body that was two meters long and about half as wide, rammed headfirst into the spider''s body from beneath. There was a series of sharp cracking sounds as its limbs were crushed.

    Whiskers quickly followed with a powerful swipe of its tail, sending the spider flying back out of the water. It landed with a dull thud on the riverbank, once again surrounded by its enemies.

    "Shee!" It let out a cry.

    The spider managed to get up but before it could run, Onkie sent it tumbling with a heavy tackle.

    "Heee..." It moaned in pain.

    Its limbs twitched weakly, most of them broken. It no longer had the strength to stand or fight back.

    "Good, keep it pinned," Zachary said.

    Onkie did so, taking a seat atop the helpless creature.

    Zachary sighed in relief. After catching his breath, he walked over, limping slightly. He took out a fresh soul orb, not a summoning card. This spider was strong and had great potential. He had already decided to make it a core member of his squad.

    He pulled the sharp leaf from his shin and let some of the blood drip onto the crystalline orb. A small hole appeared, letting the blood in to mix with the nectar inside. Eternum surged as the soul orb was activated, as the mysterious energies within combined with his blood and gained the attributes of his soul.

    Once ready, he held out the orb and poured the clear elixir into the spider¡¯s mouth. The beast tried to struggle and did so for a while afterward. Its will was strong. But it couldn¡¯t resist this potent concoction that was capable of subduing souls.

    "These flowers smell nice," Wander said.

    He shuffled over and sniffed the large, bright red flowers that grew out of the spider''s body, the ones that were sadly being crushed by Onkie¡¯s bottom.

    "Wander don''t eat that. It could be poisonous."

    "They''re not. I can tell. But I''ll wait until you''ve captured our new friend before I have a snack."

    Zachary shook his head and looked toward Onkie. There was a large amount of arrow-shaped green leaves stuck in her fur. Upon closer inspection, there were a few places where the leaves had gone in deep enough to draw blood.

    "Wander, go help Onkie. She''s injured."

    "Oh, alright!"

    Zachary looked at his own wound which was bleeding steadily. He leaned over and rolled up his pant leg. He once again called upon ability summoning. A spring green light filled his palm as it emitted a soft breeze. He directed Wander¡¯s healing ability towards his shin and watched as the wound closed up rapidly. After a short while, what remained was only dried blood.

    By the time everyone was healed, the spider had stopped struggling. But the soul bond had not completely formed yet due to its stubbornness. Zachary knelt in front of it and raised the empty soul orb to his forehead. He sent his soul force into the orb which was then transferred to the beast.

    The response was one of ferocity and aggression. As a wild Ensouled, it was the tyrant of its little patch of the jungle. It had lived its whole life alone, killing and surviving alone. It didn''t want to bow down to another.

    However, it was still a soul at the novice rank. Against the steady suggestion of a much greater force, as well as the intoxicating effects of the soul orb, it could not resist forever.

    Zachary waited patiently until the beast finally gave in, seeing no other way to live. As its soul surrendered, its body turned into a streak of light and entered the soul orb.

    "Welcome to the team," He said softly, "I promise that you won''t regret your choice."

 79. Watching a Stump (I)

    Nighttime in the jungle was far livelier than during the day. The buzz of insects seemed louder. The strange cries of unseen beasts echoed all around and seemed far closer than they actually were. Creatures that hunted at night were also tended to be more vicious.

    Zachary sat silently on a small platform he had built for himself. It was situated halfway up a tall tree. series of dead branches were tied together by vines into a seat, allowing him to rest against the near vertical trunk. Similar trees surrounded him, forming a towering grove. From his vantage point, he was separated from the dense foliage on the ground and whatever dangers lurked below.

    A week had passed since he had left the ruins of the underground city. He had caught a few summons during his travels. But since two days ago, he had not moved from this position.

    It was an excellent hunting ground. This grove of trees attracted many wild Ensouled, especially during the night. It was the perfect place to hunt for powerful Ensouled summons and gather anima crystals.

    A few trees away from Zachary''s hiding spot was a small bush that grew out of an old, rotted stump. Apart from small leaves with pointy edges, it seemed unremarkable. However, his attention was completely focused on the stump, the bush, and the singular flower bud poking out of the leaves.

    This flower bud had been growing throughout the day, at a visible pace. In the morning, it had been the size of a cherry. By midday, it was as big as a plum. But now, it was larger than his fist. As it grew, it let out a faint fragrance. He wouldn¡¯t have noticed it if not for Wander¡¯s sensitive nose.

    Without warning, the flower bud opened. With a burst of fine pollen, it bloomed into a beautiful white flower with five petals. A waft of sweet aroma filled the air like a freshly baked berry pie. A gentle wave of Eternum followed, spreading out in all directions.

    Soon, the dark jungle stirred to life.

    Insects, rodents, frogs, and snakes; small creatures of various shapes and species made their move. They appeared from all directions; their goals were the same flower that gently swayed in the evening breeze.

    Kacha!

    Shu!

    A deadfall trap was triggered, causing a heavy rock to crush an unlucky Ensouled. A sapling creaked in the distance as something was caught by a snare trap. All around Zachary¡¯s position, the traps he had laid out during the day harvested unwitting souls.

    He waited until no more traps were triggered. Then, he sent a silent command through his soul to Wander who had been hiding right by the bush.

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    ¡°Dinner time!¡± Wander barked. He reared up on his hind legs and swallowed the flower whole in one bite. ¡°Yum!¡±

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Zachary warned.

    Wander burped and quickly retreated into his shell. It was just in time as the first of the wild Ensouled arrived to an empty bush. Furious at its prize being stolen, a brown mantis tried to slash Wander¡¯s shell. Its twin blade-like limbs clanked away, only coming away with a bit of moss each time.

    Another beast arrived, a multicolored frog which landed on Wander¡¯s shell only to be accidentally sliced in two. However, as it died, it spat out of mouthful of poison which landed squarely across the mantis¡¯ face. Soon after, both were dead, only to be replaced by more beasts of all kinds.

    A chaotic melee erupted in the dark forest. Killers against killers, wild Ensouled that were lured here by the fragrance were driven mad. The sweet smell that lingered in the air was like a death trap.

    Zachary watched intently. When the sounds of fighting started to die down and the cries of beasts waned, he reached for his belt and touched the first orb which belonged to Onkie.

    ¡°Onkie, go! Attack anything that moves!¡±

    ¡°Onn!¡± Onkie let out a sharp cry as she charged at several wild Ensouled that were still fighting like a runaway train.

    Zachary felt for the next orb. A ray of light shot out of his brow and took a bipedal shape on the ground below. It let out a long groan like a tree creaking in the wind.

    It was another treant. He wasn¡¯t planning on it but he just happened to run into a group of them south of the ruins. Remembering Oakley¡¯s strengths, he couldn¡¯t help himself and caught one that was thicker around the trunk and seemed more resilient. After a few days of soul cultivation, it had already reached the Seven Paths Novice Rank.

    ¡°Elmont, clean up the wounded ones!¡±

    ¡°Aaah.¡± It groaned as it waded into the fray.

    Its tree-like body creaked as it stomped on struggling beasts. It also swung its long, vine-covered arms like a bat, sending small creatures crashing into nearby tree trunks.

    Zachary wasn¡¯t done yet. He didn¡¯t want to let go of the smallest morsel of this big feast. He grabbed the third orb and summoned a large spider with green leaves covering its body and limbs. It was the same one he had caught recently. Unfortunately, its flowers had been eaten by Wander and new ones hadn¡¯t grown yet.

    ¡°Archer, pick off the ones trying to flee. Don¡¯t hold back!¡±

    The air soon filled with flying leaves. Each one was an arrowhead without its shaft, flying haphazardly in all directions. In the darkness, the aim was even worse. However, Archer shot so many leaves that it was bound to hit a few.

    "Don''t forget about me!" Wander barked and joined in, biting anything he could reach.

    By dawn, the grove was silent. The battle had reached its inevitable conclusion. The wild Ensouled that had been attracted by the flower were relatively weak, all at the first few soul paths of the novice rank. While they were busy slaughtering each other, there were four powerful summons causing even more destruction. Those that could flee fled. Those that couldn''t died.

    The final tally was twenty-eight anima crystals and three captured with summoning cards. These three were the strongest and had put up a respectable fight against his summons. He would figure out their abilities later and how they would fit in his lineup.

    Zachary cleaned up the area and buried the carcasses. Another flower would grow during the day and blossom at night, leading to a repeat performance. All he had to do was wait and watch over the stump.

 80. Watching a Stump (II)

    Another day passed and night came again. Zachary was once again watching over the curious flower and the stump it grew out of.

    ¡°What do you think about it?¡± He asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Wander responded.

    The turtle was on the ground, hiding next to the stump as usual. Despite the distance, they could still converse through their souls. This was another strange benefit of the eternal soul bond. He wasn¡¯t able to do this with Yaoyao as if she was summoned, they could only converse with their voices.

    ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve eaten three flowers, one for each night. Does it have any special effects? Do you feel different?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Nothing? Do you feel stronger? More alert? Or maybe a change in your soul cultivation?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then don¡¯t eat the flower tonight. We¡¯ll let someone else eat it and see what happens.¡±

    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s no fair¡­ Big bro, let¡¯s talk about this¡­¡±

    Wander complained loudly for a long time. Zachary mostly ignored him and kept watch over their surroundings. It was quiet. The flower had not bloomed yet.

    At first, he thought this flower might be an Ensouled. But upon closer examination, it wasn¡¯t the case. It was just a plant without a soul. Plant types were far more difficult to understand than beast-type Ensouled. All beasts would have a soul as long they reached a certain size. This wasn¡¯t the case for plants and fungi.

    For example, this area was filled with giant trees, strange vines, and countless species of plants and fungi. Most of them weren¡¯t Ensouled. But creatures like flower demons and treants did exist elsewhere. Oakley and Elmont were relatively young but they were able to form individual souls. Zachary didn¡¯t know why.

    ¡°Watch out, the flower is blooming,¡± Wander warned through their soul bond.

    A few breaths later, the gorgeous white flower with five petals once again appeared. He once again felt the wave of Eternum and smelled its sweet fragrance.

    The dark jungle soon came alive in response.

    "Rahh!" A low growl came from one side of the grove.

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    The underbrush rustled and the ground slightly trembled. A black shadow came into view, a heavy-set beast of unknown origin or species. Its raw power was evident in its heavy footsteps. It crashed towards the white flower like nothing else mattered.

    "Aw! Aw!" A different set of cries came from another direction.

    It was too dark to see very far but there had to be at least three.

    "Rahhh!"

    "Aw! Aw!"

    The noises grew to a crescendo as the two sides headed for a collision, both drawn by the blooming flower.

    Suddenly, a flash illuminated the grove. Three beasts that were like short, slender horses appeared amidst the darkness. They had coats of ebony black hair, interrupted only by a singular curved horn on their forehead that gleamed with white light.

    There was another burst of light. This time, Zachary was able to follow the trajectory of the ray of energy as it slammed into a wall of dirt and moss. He sucked in a breath. This was a golem, a being born out of the earth and nature. This was not a beast type or plant type but an elemental type. They were rare and incredibly valuable.

    "Rah! Rahhh!"

    The golem made of earth bellowed in anger and perhaps pain. It slowly raised a pair of thick arms to try and protect its head. It then kept walking toward the flower.

    The trio of horses continued their barrage. Their horns glowed like crescent moons, brightening the night over and over. But they failed to slow the golem whose movements were slow but filled with a steady strength that didn¡¯t wane.

    Zachary eyed the horses with even more fervor than the golem. Horses were among the first species of Ensouled tamed by human summoners. They had always been popular across the Old World. Even if they had no offensive prowess, they could be used as mounts, something that he currently lacked.

    ¡°Aw! Aw!¡±

    The three horses circled their larger foe. Their attacks seemed to cause it pain but failed to bring it down. Their own bodies were far more fragile so they dared not get close. They could only look on in anguish as the golem reached for the flower.

    Hong!

    Its thick, three-fingered hand collided with a green, semi-transparent shield that appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°Rahhh!¡± The golem roared furiously.

    It drew its arm back and swung down with heavy force, bashing the glowing barrier with all of its strength.

    Hong!

    Aside from strong ripples of Eternum, Wander¡¯s shield held firm. Both sides were at the novice rank. Although the golem was a rare Ensouled, Wander was even better.

    ¡°Time to act,¡± Zachary muttered.

    He brought out Onkie, Elmont, and Archer in quick succession.

    ¡°Archer, target the closest horse. Fire away!¡±

    ¡°Shee!¡±

    A flurry of leaves flew out wildly, spraying a wide area. The horse in question leaped away in fright, suffering no more than some small cuts.

    ¡°Onkie, tackle it! Elmont, go help Wander!¡±

    The battle devolved into chaos. It was difficult to see clearly. Wander dutifully protected the flower while Elmont wrestled with the golem. Both of them fell to the ground but neither could get the upper hand. Elmont was quicker and nimbler but the golem, with its body made of dirt and moss, was almost impervious to injury.

    On the other hand, Onkie and Archer¡¯s fight was over before it began. The trio of horses turned tail and ran as soon as Onkie charged towards them. Onkie couldn¡¯t do anything as she was far too slow to catch up. Instead, she suffered from friendly fire after straying into the path of Archer¡¯s leaves.

    ¡°Onn! Onn!¡± Onkie complained loudly.

    ¡°Archer, stop attacking! Guard this spot!¡± Zachary instructed. He then hopped down from his hiding spot and rushed towards the flower. ¡°Come, Onkie. I know you¡¯re angry. Go beat up that golem!¡±

 81. Reaching the Adept Rank (I)

    In the end, the golem was overwhelmed by the combined assault of Onkie, Elmont, and Wander. These were three sturdy and strong Ensouled that wouldn¡¯t lose to the golem in a one-on-one fight. After wrestling in the dirt for a while, the elemental was finally subdued.

    Zachary held up the newly occupied soul orb with a wide grin. He finally had a proper defender in his squad, one that he could freely reveal to others without worry. It was also an elemental type, known for their versatility and high levels of talent. Their bodies could suffer damage beyond beast or plant types and still be fine. Because they were born from the elements, they could learn new abilities and master their element far easier.

    Such Ensouled were priceless in the Old World. There was only demand but no supply. They were almost impossible to produce through known means. A mountain rich in Eternum might not produce a single earth elemental in a hundred years. A vast ocean teeming with life might never give birth to a water elemental. To humans, it seemed like pure chance.

    ¡°Wander, why does it feel like we¡¯ve been quite lucky after leaving the ruins?¡± Zachary wondered out loud.

    ¡°Wahaha, that¡¯s because you found me. I am a very lucky turtle.¡±

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡± Onkie snorted and shook her head.

    She could understand Wander but she could infer many things from his tone and smug expression. Naturally, she was unsatisfied.

    Zachary laughed, ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s all thanks to your luck. But Elmont also did well, great job.¡±

    He patted the treant. It creaked slightly as it swayed from side to side. Its leaves and branches rustled, content in the knowledge that it had served its summoner well.

    Elmont was different from Oakley. Although they were both treants, Elmont had a thicker trunk and sturdy limbs. It was also much shorter than Oakley and only slightly taller than Zachary. Regardless, he was happy to have another treant in his lineup.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget Archer. It also did well.¡± Wander said, ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°Shee¡­¡±

    The spider quickly climbed up a tree and away from the turtle. No doubt it was still unhappy about its flowers being eaten.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run, Archer. I won¡¯t bite!¡± Wander said and then laughed.

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    ¡°Shee!¡± Archer hissed angrily but didn¡¯t come down.

    Zachary shook his head, helpless at Wander¡¯s antics. Instead, he focused his attention on the white flower. He wanted to try something he hadn¡¯t been able to the prior nights. Before Wander realized what was happening, Zachary sliced the stem of the flower with his knife and took it away.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Wander barked, ¡°That was mine!¡±

    Wander tried to climb up Zachary¡¯s legs but he was a turtle and not a monkey so he was unsuccessful. Zachary held the flower out of reach. He walked over to the tree where Archer was with Wander biting at his heels.

    ¡°Archer, do you want to eat this?¡±

    Its eight black eyes shined with excitement and it nodded vigorously.

    ¡°Go ahead, take it.¡±

    He offered the flower and it was quickly taken away. He wanted to see what effect consuming this special flower would have on Ensouled. Obviously, it had no effect on Wander but Wander was already at the limit of the novice rank whereas Archer was still at the Six Paths Novice Rank.

    Archer hung upside-down from the tree trunk and ate the white flower. Its mandibles tore the petals off one by one. It chewed slowly, keeping eye contact with Wander all the while as if to make a point.

    ¡°Jerk.¡± Wander muttered and turned his head away.

    Zachary paid no heed and kept his attention on Archer. At first, there was no reaction. The spider seemed pleased with itself. It cleaned its face after a good meal. It then groomed its body after losing many leaves due to the battle. Now, instead of covering its whole body in thick foliage, there were bare patches where the carapace underneath could be seen. These would take a day or two to grow back in.

    After a long pause, just when Zachary was getting bored, Archer stirred and let out a cry.

    ¡°Shee¡­ Shee!¡±

    Zachary sensed it as well from their shared bond. Its body was surging with Eternum which came from the flower within its stomach.

    ¡°Shee!¡± Archer shouted energetically and landed on the ground.

    It spun around several times as its whole body quivered. Soon, new leaves started to sprout from its body and limbs. The bare spots were all covered up and then some. On top of that, several flower buds grew out and blossomed before everyone¡¯s eyes.

    That wasn¡¯t all. Archer¡¯s soul cultivation surged. Eternum poured in through its six open pathways and toward the seventh one which had yet to be unlocked. After only a brief show of resistance, the seventh soul path opened to the world. It was almost effortless.

    ¡°Awesome!¡± Zachary praised, ¡°So the flower had this kind of effect. It can improve one¡¯s physical condition as well as advance their soul cultivation. Wander, why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±

    ¡°What! How is that my fault?¡±

    Zachary sighed, ¡°Fine, fine. But no more eating that white flower. It will help the rest of the squad reach the peak of the novice rank in no time at all. It will save us a lot of time.¡±

    Wander still didn¡¯t seem happy so Zachary patted his head, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to reach the adept rank and see what the next rank holds for our eternal summon?¡±

    ¡°¡­ yeah?¡±

    ¡°Then we will have to poke a tiger¡¯s ass. There is a lot of danger and uncertainty involved. Blue has already identified several potential targets. If everyone is at the Eight Paths Novice Rank, it will give us the best possible chance at taking down an adept rank beast.¡±

    Wander nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. Big bro is right. Nothing else matters besides reaching the adept rank. That¡¯s when the real battles will begin.¡±

    ¡°Well said!¡±

 82. Reaching the Adept Rank (II)

    Reaching the adept rank was their most important task. A new rank meant a fundamental change, a profound evolution of one¡¯s soul. At its core was a greater understanding of the world and a closer connection to Eternum, the mysterious energy that permeated everything. There was a chance to improve old abilities and learn new ones. Some Ensouled would experience changes in their physical attributes or even gain additional lifespan. It was something all souls desired.

    Zachary had to face this challenge. Poking a tiger¡¯s ass was not an easy task. He would have preferred to not do it if he didn¡¯t have to. He was already an adept so in theory, he could have helped Wander reach the adept rank. It would require a small fortune of novice rank anima crystals and several months of diligent soul cultivation. It would take a long time and there was no guarantee of success at the end of the road. A breakthrough still depended on the innate talent of the summon.

    He didn¡¯t have much time to spare, however. There was now one month and two weeks left until the end of the year. He had to increase his pace and face the dangers of that choice.

    ---

    Two days later, Zachary found himself in another part of the jungle. Here, the foliage was thin and plenty of sunlight poured in through the wide gaps. The underbrush was thick and filled with thorns and vines. It had taken a full day to clear out a small area until there was nothing on the ground but bare earth. It was the perfect place for a difficult fight.

    Zachary stood to one side of the clearing. The only other soul visible was Wander who was wandering around the edge, nibbling on random leaves.

    ¡°Wah, this one tastes good¡­ peh, that was nasty¡­¡±

    It was a hit-or-miss process. Wander was rather picky about his food but he still liked to try everything at least.

    ¡°Stop that, you¡¯ll just get a stomach ache,¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just heal myself.¡±

    ¡°What if it''s poisonous?¡±

    ¡°Haha, I have yet to find a poison I can¡¯t heal.¡±

    Zachary shook his head and focused his attention straight ahead. Blue was in that direction, currently carrying out its task. He could feel the bird¡¯s stress levels steadily rise through their bond. He couldn¡¯t see anything but he could imagine what was happening. It was a scene not too unsimilar from one before.

    The underbrush started to rustle and then sway. It was as if an unseen creature was slowly heading their way. The snapping of dead branches added to the suspense.

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    ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Zachary said.

    A moment later, Blue appeared, chirping madly as if its tail feathers were on fire.

    ¡°Chee! Chee!¡±

    If he could fully understand it, it was probably saying something like ¡®save me¡¯ and ¡®help¡¯.

    Zachary made a face. Blue was still so easily frightened, even after rising from the One Path Novice Rank to the Eight Paths Novice Rank. Old habits were difficult to change. It was something he would have to work on with Blue in the future.

    Blue flew straight toward Zachary. It tried to land on his head but he waved it off.

    ¡°Your job is not done yet,¡± He admonished, ¡°Go lay down a misty haze around the clearing.¡±

    ¡°Chu¡­¡±

    ¡°Go!¡±

    Blue complained loudly but did as he instructed. It flew behind him and started flapping its wings wildly. Eternum surged, transforming the water that Blue¡¯s wings produced into a fine mist and then into a thick fog. It was not a quick process. Once one section was fogged up, it had to switch to another position and do it again.

    Zachary turned back to the direction that Blue came from. The sound of snapping branches and rustling leaves was much louder now. Whatever was coming, it was large.

    Finally, after a few tense breaths, it appeared. A large yellow flower sitting atop a body made up of twisted vines. Countless tendrils spread out where it touched the ground in all directions, acting as its feet as well as fingers. The flower on top was fully opened and turned in his direction. The red pistil in the center quivered. It made no sound but its strange mannerisms were one of a hunter finding some tasty prey.

    It was another flower demon, the same species he had fought with Kathrine and Jean-Pierre. This one was slightly stronger, based on the intensity of its soul aura and the amount of hunger and killing intent it gave off.

    Blue had scouted this adept rank creature several days prior. It was solitary and liked to remain in one spot for long periods. It was the easiest target to challenge.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m right here,¡± Zachary said to it, not a shred of fear or uncertainty in his voice.

    The flower quivered as if angered. It continued towards him, at an even quicker pace, vines snaked on the ground in his direction.

    Zachary glanced behind him. Blue was still laying down the wall of mist. He was almost done.

    ¡°Good job, keep going, Blue!¡±

    ¡°Chur!¡±

    The flower demon glanced at the blue bird. Birds were among its favorite prey. But the big bag of flesh in front that gave off a rich aura of Eternum was a far more enticing meal. It kept stalking toward Zachary until it reached the center of the clearing.

    ¡°Now, Doro!¡± Zachary shouted.

    The ground shook. A patch of dirt behind the flower demon split apart and rose into the air. It formed into a humanoid shape with thick arms and stubby legs. Two sunken holes were its eyes. A horizontal crack below was its mouth.

    ¡°Rahh!¡± The earth golem bellowed its intent to fight, spraying dirt and loose rocks everywhere from its wide-open mouth.

    The flower demon stopped. Its flower turned around at this foe. Its whole body made of countless vines quivered. It was not fear but anger. It was one supposed to be the hunter.

    ¡°Doro, stay there. Attack if it tries to run. Don¡¯t let it escape!¡±

    ¡°Rah!¡±

    Zachary grinned. He was eager to see his new elemental in action. He had high hopes. Elementals were core members of many summoner lineups. It just so happened that earth matched well with his most important summon, Wander, who was attuned to both life and earth elements.

    ¡°Onkie! Elmont! Come out!¡± He shouted.

    Following his voice, Onkie charged out of the fog from one direction while Elmont stomped over from the other. With this, the flower demon was surrounded on all four sides, by Doro, Onkie, Elmont, and Wander. It had to fight in this location he had chosen and prepared.

 83. Reaching the Adept Rank (III)

    These were his strongest summons. He only had Archer left which he held in reserve. Four could be considered low, if not the bare minimum to challenge an adept rank. Other summoners might try for a bigger lineup in case a few were killed or injured during the fight. He didn¡¯t have that problem with Wander¡¯s shield and healing abilities. As long as his summons didn¡¯t lose their lives instantly, he would be able to save them.

    The flower demon did not appear alarmed nor did it try to run. It looked around and still focused on him, the strongest opponent. Naturally, it did not know that he was the least threatening part of the encirclement. The yellow flower petals quivered as it started to move, once again heading in his direction.

    By now, Blue¡¯s wall of mist was complete. The surrounding jungle was obscured from view, decreasing the chance of anything else interfering with this fight. And with the foliage above head, there would be no stray seagull dropping out of the sky, hopefully.

    ¡°Elmont, Doro, approach it slowly. Onkie, Wander, you two do the same. Careful, watch out for any strange abilities.¡±

    ¡°Gurr!¡± Doro let out a low roar.

    ¡°Aahh.¡± Elmont groaned.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡± Onkie snorted, eager for a fight.

    ¡°Wahaha! Let¡¯s go!¡± Wander laughed loudly, his barks echoing against the thick fog around them.

    Doro was the slowest. With each step it took, its feet never left the ground, making it seem like he was more gliding than walking. Elmont wasn¡¯t much faster. Its steps were cumbersome as if it wanted to take root and never move again. Wander wasn¡¯t slow but he was a turtle so he wasn¡¯t exactly good at running. He also wasn¡¯t tasked with the first clash.

    That privilege went to Onkie. She was the only one among them that had fought a flower demon. That had been a tough defeat. She still remembered it clearly. This time, she was eager to redeem herself. Although she could not verbalize these feelings, Zachary felt them and he understood.

    ¡°Onkie,¡± He called out when his summons had closed the distance by half, ¡°Go, charge!¡±

    ¡°Onnn!¡± Onkie let out a mighty snort and broke into a mad dash.

    Her stubby feet pounded against the ground, kicking up dirt and a trail of dust. She built up speed like a boulder rolling downhill. Eternum flowed out of her soul and into her body, strengthening her muscles and toughening her skin and fur.

    The flower demon saw the incoming attack. It turned and raised a mass of vines. These twisted and intersected, forming a net-like barrier.

    Onkie didn¡¯t slow down and charged directly into the vines. Several smaller ones snapped immediately. Other ones that were thicker strained and stretched to contain Onkie¡¯s heavy mass before also snapping in the end. Only a handful of the thickest vines remained intact and managed to bring her to a standstill.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡± Onkie snorted.

    She thrashed about, preventing the remaining vines from getting a solid hold on her. A wriggling ball of muscle and energy, even the thickest vines were in danger of snapping. Not to be outdone, the flower demon sent more vines her way. They moved quickly; each tendril more dexterous than a human finger. And soon, she was struggling to move, having been wrapped up like a present.

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    An adept rank was still too much for a single novice, even at the Eight Paths Novice Rank. The flower demon¡¯s vines were a dangerous ability. It could produce countless vines of varying sizes. Each one could be finely controlled. If it was a one-on-one fight, the only fate for Onkie was to be eaten. However, she was not alone.

    Wander soon arrived. With a few snaps, he bit through the tough vines imprisoning Onkie. After being freed, she turned around and chewed on a few wriggling vines herself.

    ¡°Wander, Onkie, watch out!¡± Zachary shouted.

    At that moment, the demon flower had pointed its red pistil at Onkie from above. The organ glowed with energy and emitted a sharp, dangerous aura. An instant later, a burst of Eternum erupted from the tip. Like a flying spear, it shot down at Onkie.

    Ka!

    A green shield materialized above Onkie like an umbrella. Eternum struck against Eternum, resulting in a shockwave that reverberated against the surrounding souls. A small hole appeared on the shield¡¯s surface but it ultimately held.

    ¡°Ooh, that was scary!¡± Wander said and then laughed, ¡°Come on, try it again! I dare you!¡±

    The flower demon quivered all over as if from anger. It quickly turned toward Zachary. With no eyes or a discernable face, it was a creepy feeling being stared down like this.

    Its pistil glowed red once again. However, before it could attack, another green shield appeared in front of the flower, completely blocking its line of sight.

    ¡°Hahaha, what are going to do now? Go on, fire that thing, go on!¡± Wander mocked.

    Zachary couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh. Although there was a difference in soul cultivation, Wander¡¯s control and usage of Eternum was equal to an Ensouled one rank higher. It was a testament to his talent.

    ¡°Elmont, Doro, grab the flower! Don¡¯t let it attack randomly!¡±

    During the prior exchange, Elmont and Doro had finally closed the distance. Elmont extended its arms, also covered in vines, and clashed with the flower demon. Next, Doro collided with the flower demon, almost knocking it over. Doro¡¯s body was also attacked by vines but since it was made of dirt and moss, it didn¡¯t care at all. Onkie and Wander didn¡¯t remain still either. They continued biting and chewing.

    The battle reached a critical stage. The flower demon was beset from all sides. Its vines either had no effect or were being chomped into pieces. Soon, Elmont and Doro were striking its main body while Onkie and Wander were biting at its bottom parts.

    The creature trembled and then let out a huge burst of Eternum. This was not a specific ability but a move of desperation. As long as a soul had enough Eternum and enough control over it, one could expel a large amount of it at once in an act of desperation. It was considered a move of last resort.

    The burst of Eternum formed a cocoon of pressure that pushed outward. Onkie was sent flying as if she had been kicked, rolling away head over tail. Wander reacted quickly by hiding in his shell. The force pushed him away several meters but that was about it.

    As for Elmont, the treant was completely entangled with the flower demon. The impact slammed into it like a wall of bricks, smashing its limbs and flattening its face and body. It groaned in pain and staggered backward.

    ¡°Shit, Elmont! Hold on!¡± Zachary touched his brow and tried to recall his summon.

    A short while later, the treant returned to its summoning orb. It was heavily injured but its life was not in danger.

    ¡°Rahhh!¡±

    While he was caring for Elmont, he had forgotten about Doro. But when he checked on the elemental, he found that it was completely fine. It had born the brunt of the Eternum burst completely and stood its ground. There was no sign of injury at all!

    ¡°Good! Doro, hold it still!¡± Zachary shouted and moved his hand over to another summoning orb, ¡°Archer, your turn!¡±

    As Doro moved to hug the flower demon in an earthly embrace, a ray of light deposited a giant leaf-covered spider in front of Zachary.

    ¡°Shee!¡± It let out a sharp hiss as it prepared to fight.

    ¡°Let¡¯s end this! Archer, target that flower, fire every leaf you have!¡±

    ¡°Shee!¡±

 84. Reaching the Adept Rank (IV)

    The air filled with flying leaves. Each one was triangular like an arrowhead and sharp as a razor. They spun and swerved every which way but most of it went towards the right direction.

    In a flash, the flower demon was covered in leaves. They were embedded deeply into its main stalk and vine tendrils. Some of the thinner vines were directly chopped into pieces. Its flower head fared even worse. The bright yellow petals were shredded all over, leaving countless holes and ragged edges. One of its large petals even fell to the ground after being completely severed.

    Doro was also covered in leaves. However, it was negligible damage as Archer¡¯s leaves were powerless against a solid defense.

    ¡°Keep firing! Archer, keep firing!¡± Zachary urged.

    Victory was in sight. With Doro holding firmly onto the flower demon, it had nowhere to run.

    ¡°Shee!¡±

    Archer bristled as it launched the rest of its leaves. They flew towards the target, intent on shredding everything in its path.

    The flower demon quivered and let loose with another burst of Eternum. In its last move of desperation, it managed to knock most of the leaves aside, saving itself from death. But it was still its last act. After expelling this much Eternum, it had no more energy left in its soul. Its aura dipped sharply and it could no longer struggle against Doro.

    An adept rank Ensouled could almost never be beaten by a lower rank one-on-one. However, this was an unfair fight from the beginning, in a location where it held no advantages. Its fate was sealed from the beginning.

    ¡°Doro! Bring it down!¡±

    ¡°Rah!¡±

    Doro fell forward. Using its weight, it crushed the limp body of the flower demon beneath it so that only its flower was left exposed.

    ¡°Onkie, it''s yours. Finish it.¡±

    ¡°Onk. Onk.¡±

    Onkie went up to the flower and started chewing on its vulnerable parts. Wander looked on unhappily, his mouth overflowing with drool.

    ¡°Wander, come on, you¡¯re getting its anima crystal. It¡¯s only fair.¡± He chided.

    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯m eating the next flower demon though!¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    A short while later, the flower demon was dead. Even till the end, it tried to struggle and fight back even though it was futile. If he wanted to capture it, a summoning card probably wouldn¡¯t have been adequate.

    ¡°Onk!¡± Onkie snorted, raising her head to look in his direction.

    Below, she had dug out the anima crystal. It was mostly clear with slight tinges of green and red. These details weren¡¯t too important. It meant that the flower demon was a normal attribute Ensouled with slight inclinations towards the attributes of life and fire. But it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that it would ever reach that point.

    More important was the anima crystal¡¯s size. It was the size of a pea. Although it was still tiny, it was much bigger than the anima crystals of novice ranks. It proved that this was indeed an adept rank.

    Zachary took the anima crystal and held it in his hand. It was so small but it carried so much power. It was the key to Wander¡¯s breakthrough. It was the key to him escaping from this jungle wilderness.

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    ¡°We did it!¡±

    ¡°Onk, onk!¡±

    ¡°Raah!¡±

    ¡°Shee!¡±

    ¡°Chur, chur!¡±

    His summons gathered around and celebrated. It was not an easy fight. Everyone contributed and performed excellently.

    This was especially the case for Onkie who had fought a flower demon before. They were beaten so badly that they had to flee. There was no chance of victory back then. Now, she was almost able to hold her own.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Onkie,¡± Zachary said, patting her head, ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance soon. When you reach the adept rank, you can find a wild adept rank to brawl with on your own.¡±

    ¡°On!¡± She nodded eagerly.

    ¡°Same for you guys, this is only the beginning. All of you will become adept rank very soon. For now, let¡¯s prepare for Wander¡¯s advancement. Blue, go, scout the way back.¡±

    ¡°Churr!¡±

    Zachary led his summons and returned to their hideout which was a hole in the ground beneath some large boulders. With Doro¡¯s presence, he could now easily move large amounts of dirt. He could also use Doro to camouflage the entrance so that they would be completely hidden. It was far better than sleeping up in a tree.

    Once back, he first healed Elmont and made sure his other summons returned to their peak condition. There needed to be no interruptions. With only one adept rank anima crystal, they only had one chance.

    When night fell, Zachary and Wander were both ready. Wander was swimming around inside his soul sea while he sat cross-legged in meditation. He only knew the basic soul refining technique taught to all youths of the Republic of Adorin. But that was enough for what he needed to do. He was already at the adept rank so he only needed to focus on Wander.

    ¡°Wander, we¡¯re starting.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Wander stopped playing around and swam to his sky path.

    Zachary held the hard-earned anima crystal between his palms. It felt so tiny and insignificant. But as soon as he started to draw upon the crystal, he felt the vast amount of energy hidden within.

    Eternum surged into his palms, through his body, and toward his soul. Whereas a novice rank anima crystal could provide Eternum like a steady stream, this adept rank crystal was like a raging river. He trembled as he tried to control the flow. Beads of sweat flowed down his back. He didn¡¯t want to waste any of this precious energy.

    His sky path opened wide and accepted the incoming Eternum. There was no blockage and everything flowed smoothly. His sky path had been inhabited by Yaoyao for so long so it couldn¡¯t compare to ordinary summoners.

    ¡°Wow! Great!¡± Wander barked as he was baptized by this greater power.

    He was alone amidst the swirling lights and revolving strands of energy. His soul sea was completely open, all eight paths letting Eternum flow in unrestricted. Within his soul sea, all the energy he took in combined with the energy that was already there. Novice rank melded with adept rank, driving him towards a fundamental change and a new soul rank.

    Some of that energy was also directed at his life path. Once his life path absorbed enough high-quality Eternum, it would be greatly strengthened. It would also have to be promoted to the adept rank for the breakthrough to succeed.

    It was now a matter of patience, talent, and luck. If Zachary had a better soul refining technique, he would have been able to provide more help to Wander. As it was, he couldn¡¯t do much except regulate the flow of Eternum.

    Time passed slowly. Energy continued to flow. Wander was silent and fully concentrated on the task at hand. Zachary felt nervous. It was taking too long. Since they shared an eternal soul bond, he could sense what was going on with Wander¡¯s soul sea. Wander¡¯s soul sea had almost reached the adept rank but his life path was still a few steps behind. However, the anima crystal was quickly running out of energy, threatening to end the cultivation session before the breakthrough could be completed.

    Zachary tried to think of something. He eventually remembered that within Wander¡¯s soul sea, there was also a tiny visage of himself that resided in Wander¡¯s life path. It was a strange artifact of eternal summoning.

    Focusing on that visage, he sent his own soul energy into it and through to Wander. He wasn¡¯t sure if it would but he felt that it was the right thing to do.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Wander yelped in surprise.

    However, he calmed down after understanding what was happening. He quickly incorporated Zachary''s soul energy together with his own as well as the energy from the anima crystal and directed this powerful flow toward his life path. This was exactly what he needed, that last push to get him over the line.

    Oom!

    The underground hideout reverberated from the pulse of Eternum. Within Zachary¡¯s soul sea, Wander¡¯s visage glowed bright, his color was leaf-green like the jungle. His soul energy was deep and profound as if it contained the mysteries of life itself. It was entirely uniform, without a single strand flawed or out of place.

    It was perfect.

    It was a success, a breakthrough to a brand-new soul rank!

 85. Two For One Deal (I)

    An unoccupied patch of the jungle floor moved. Something emerged like a bamboo shoot emerging in spring, something large. There was nothing to witness this otherwise they would have thought it was a miracle.

    Doro came out from its hiding place. It growled and shook its body of loose rocks and chunks of earth. It expanded its arms, depositing a slightly dirty Zachary on the ground. Zachary looked around, shielding his eyes from the bright sunlight. At the same time, a streak of light emerged from his brow and took the shape of a large turtle.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± It barked, sounding more like a dog than its supposed species.

    ¡°Hey! Big Bro Zach! Look at me! Did I grow bigger? How do I look? Much more handsome, right?¡± Wander asked eagerly, his loud barks echoing around them.

    Zachary studied his eternal companion and smiled. He rubbed Wander¡¯s head and also patted his moss-covered shell. Wander did indeed grow bigger. He used to be around a meter in length from head to tail. Now, he reached a meter than a half.

    He still looked the same. His head and limbs were leathery and dark green. His shell was perhaps a little thicker. The layer of moss that grew on it was also thicker and would probably be comfortable to sit on.

    ¡°Hey, Wander. What about your abilities? Do you feel any changes?¡±

    ¡°Wan! Wan¡­ eh?¡± Wander paused and thought about it, ¡°Well, let¡¯s see.¡±

    He sucked in a deep breath and then slowly let it out, summoning his soul force and healing energies.

    Zachary put a hand in the path of the healing breath. He felt an immediate difference from before. It was so warm and comfortable. The breath was still mostly transparent but there were faint sparkles of green Eternum.

    He pulled his hand back and opened and closed it several times. His skin was as smooth as a baby¡¯s. Serval minor cuts he had suffered in the last few days were completely healed. Even the scabs had fallen off.

    ¡°Yup, definitely stronger. Perhaps not transformatively so. But that could be because your healing ability is already so good. One that can heal soul wounds is hard to find, even among healing abilities.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, Big Bro always praised me. What about my shield?¡± Wander said and let out a surge of Eternum.

    It coalesced into a glowing green shield that hung in front of Zachary. It was also much stronger than before. Zachary felt strangely confident standing behind it, as if he wouldn¡¯t be afraid even if a forest elephant was charging at him.

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    ¡°Mmm, your shield has improved greatly, much more than your healing breath. We¡¯ll have to do some experiments to find out its new strength and if it can stand up to a true adept rank attack.¡±

    Zachary rubbed his stubbled chin and thought about what they needed to do next. Wander¡¯s breakthrough to the adept rank was only the first step. There were more things they had to do before they were able to fight for the four pardon spots. He spent several months out of commission inside the underground lake. During that time, the other survivors had no doubt made a lot of progress. He had an eternal summon but he was still behind.

    One adept rank Ensouled definitely wasn¡¯t enough. It didn¡¯t help that Wander was his eternal summon. If Wander died, he would also die. He would only send Wander into danger as a last resort. So, right now, his overall combat power was still unchanged. He still had to rely on his other summons.

    He needed at least four adept rank summons to feel ready and comfortable. More was always better but it depended on another factor and that was his own soul cultivation. He was at the One Path Adept Rank, meaning that he could summon only one adept rank through his one path and novice ranks through his other seven paths.

    As he thought about it, he realized another problem with Wander and their eternal soul bond. Other summoners that were at the One Path Adept Rank could still work with multiple adept rank summons on hand. Sure, they could only summon one of them at a time. But they could still summon another one when one was wounded or not suitable. With Wander, since he fully occupied the only adept rank soul path, Zachary couldn¡¯t summon another adept rank Ensouled even if he had one.

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to do that.¡± He muttered to himself.

    ¡°What are we doing, hunting another wild adept?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°Not that. We need to do that too but I was thinking of something else.¡± Zachary shook his head and sighed, ¡°I thought we could catch the next adept rank or use it to let Onkie breakthrough. But I will have to use it on you again so that we can reach the Two Paths Adept Rank. Otherwise, I can¡¯t summon another adept rank.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that makes sense¡­ wait! Two Paths Adept Rank?¡± Wander rushed over, looking excited. ¡°Two Paths Adept Rank?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Zachary replied uncertainly.

    ¡°Big Bro, look at your soul sea!¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why¡­¡±

    Zachary still looked inward, urged by Wander¡¯s eagerness. His consciousness sank into his soul sea and he was met with an astonishing sight. To the east lay his sky path. It was surging with Eternum with each breath he took. It was at the adept rank. That wasn¡¯t the surprising part.

    Instead, he looked towards the southwest.

    ¡°¡­ What the¡­ Gah!¡± He let out a weak shout, too shocked to do anything else.

    He nearly fell over. At the same time, he wanted to jump up and down to celebrate.

    His life path¡­ was also at the adept rank. It was wide open, letting life-attribute Eternum flow freely. It was the same as his sky path, meaning he was now at the Two Paths Adept Rank.

    ¡°How¡­ wait, how¡­¡± Zachary couldn¡¯t think clearly.

    He was so excited but he had no idea what was going on.

    Wander appeared beside him and laughed, ¡°What, you¡¯re surprised?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Of course, I¡¯m surprised!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! Did you forget what happened when I broke through? Your life path is bonded to me. Naturally, it broke through as well.¡±

    Zachary stared at Wander dumbly for a long time before blurting, ¡°Damn the saints, is this for real? A two for one deal?¡±

 86. Two For One Deal (II)

    It took a while for Zachary to calm down. After Minah¡¯s betrayal, he thought his life was over. Even after jumping off the prison ship and landing in the New World, he held little hope that he would be able to survive. But after meeting Wander, he felt as if he had been reborn. Every day was a surprise. It felt like he could conquer every challenge and reap rich rewards, rewards that he deserved.

    He thought about the two for one surprise and realized that he should have expected it. Wander occupied his life path. Although their bond was eternal, it was largely similar to a normal soul bond. In those cases, if the Ensouled achieved a rank breakthrough in their primary soul path, their summoners would receive the same benefit through feedback.

    He had forgotten about it because Yaoyao had been his only soul summon. They had broken through to the adept rank together through their shared sky path. Yaoyao¡¯s subsequent advancements within the adept rank did not benefit him too much. If he had a second soul summon, this exact scenario with Wander would have also happened.

    ¡°Alright!¡± He slapped his thigh, ¡°Our battles continue. We¡¯ll have to hunt another wild adept Ensouled and help Onkie breakthrough!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    Zachary and his squad gathered to celebrate their achievement with a big breakfast. Blue normally ate berries and flowers so he gave it a whole petal from the flower demon. Boba was exclusively a meat eater. He let it swallow a large rodent whole and turn itself into a small balloon. Onkie and Wander split the remaining petals with each getting two apiece. He also gave Wander four pieces of seaweed from Sugo as a bonus.

    Elmont and Doro didn¡¯t need to eat like the others. They stood around silently, one absorbing sunlight with its leaves and nutrients with its roots while the other simply took in earth-attribute Eternum from the ground. Archer was the only odd one out. It ate meat but also liked to bask in sunlight. It acted like a beast but also a plant.

    Zachary munched on a piece of dried meat while he studied a rough map drawn on a piece of animal skin. It depicted a circle where their stump hunting ground had been. Surrounding the circle were several octets of smaller dots, each representing the potential location of a wild adept rank Ensouled. One of the dots had been crossed out, which was their current location.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Wander perked up after finishing the seaweed. He still had half a flower petal stuck to his mouth as he sauntered over, ¡°Which one are we fighting next?¡±

    ¡°There are no easy targets. All adept ranks are powerful. We can¡¯t take them lightly. That said...¡± He paused and pointed a dot to the east, ¡°There is a small stream and a pond here. It should be a watering hole for the local wildlife. A single adept has made this place its hunting ground. Since there is water, we might be able to use Whiskers and increase our combat power by a lot.¡±

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    ¡°Smart, smart.¡± Wander said as he swallowed pieces of the flower petal, ¡°So what kind of Ensouled is it?¡±

    Zachary shrugged, ¡°Don¡¯t know. Too bad I can¡¯t fully understand Blue¡¯s chirps yet. We just have to find out when we get there.¡±

    After breakfast, Zachary checked the condition of each of his summons. Once everyone was ready, they set off toward the east. Onkie led the charge, clearing a way through the underbrush with her tough body. Blue flew overhead, observing their surroundings for potential dangers. Boba was wrapped around Zachary¡¯s arm, providing close-range scouting. This was their usual formation for traveling fast and light. The slow-pokes were kept in their summoning orbs while Wander stayed inside Zachary¡¯s soul sea. The only change was the addition of Archer who followed behind Zachary, protecting the rear.

    The squad moved quickly through the jungle. Weaker Ensouled and small critters fled or hid in their presence. A stronger Ensouled might try to attack them but it would be noticed long before it could launch a sneak attack. Unlike before, he was no longer scared for his life with every step.

    The air was warm. It wasn¡¯t as humid as usual. It felt comfortable, as comfortable as walking through a wild jungle could feel. He even started to hum a catchy tune. It was almost like a casual stroll in a park. Back in the Old World, many areas had been subjugated by humans. There were few dangers in populated areas. Even children could go out and explore without too much worry.

    When the sun had risen halfway to its peak, Zachary and his group slowly approached the vicinity of the pond. They were still some distance away. They shouldn¡¯t have been able to hear anything yet. Instead¡­

    ¡°Skraa!¡±

    ¡°Guuurr!¡±

    Several beast cries drifted over from the distance. These were not ordinary cries but ones filled with fury and viciousness. These were soon joined by distinctly human shouts although it was impossible to make out what was being said. More shouts followed, from more than one voice. There was also a huge crashing sound as if a tree had split apart and fallen.

    ¡°Skraa!¡±

    Zachary stopped and hid behind a large tree. He frowned as he peeked over the edge. He couldn¡¯t see anything but he could still hear the chaos from ahead. At least a few people were fighting with something or someone. From the reverberations in the surrounding Eternum, they were not weak.

    He sent Blue ahead to scout. The bird quickly came back chirping a bunch of nonsense. It was freaking out and he couldn¡¯t get anything useful from it except that there were definitely humans.

    ¡°Humans!¡± Wander shouted excitedly, ¡°We finally ran into more humans!¡±

    Zachary grunted in dissatisfaction, ¡°Bad luck¡­ I just wanted a wild Ensouled. Why did I have to find other prisoners? Should we turn back?¡±

    ¡°Why? Let¡¯s go and see if there is anything interesting.¡± Wander said. ¡°Maybe we can catch a wild Ensouled and beat up a human in the process. Another two for one deal!¡±

    Zachary scoffed but he had to agree. He hadn¡¯t talked to another person in half a year. He had no information on his competitors or how strong he was in comparison. He couldn¡¯t hide like turtle forever. He had fight other people sooner or later.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go take a look.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡± Wander did a flip in his soul and came out, landing beside Zachary.

    Zachary also summoned Doro and Elmont. Together, the party advanced slowly, ready for a fight.

 87. Familiar Faces (I)

    Zachary reached the pond amidst continuing shouts and cries of beasts. The pond wasn¡¯t very big, about the size of a small pool. Tall trees grew all around it, protecting this watering hole from the dangerous seagulls in the skies above.

    A large beast squatted in the middle of the shallow pond. It was an alligator, covered from head to tail in shiny blue scales. It was over three meters long, full of tough muscle and sinew, with a mouthful of sharp white teeth. It had suffered some wounds and its blood stained the water red.

    It hissed loudly as it faced two other beasts. One was a large green mantis the size of a person. It was unremarkable except for a pair of blade-like forearms. Even the alligator¡¯s tough scales couldn¡¯t stand up to those dangerous weapons. The other was a yellow flower demon. The ground before it was covered in living vines, making the alligator wary of its possible tricks.

    All three gave off powerful auras at the adept rank but they weren¡¯t the only ones. On the other side of the pond, two adept ranks faced off against two more. There was a treant with a thick trunk, a gray-haired bear with pieces of stone stuck to its fur like armor. They were matched against a black raven with glowing purple eyes and something that looked like a giant pill bug.

    ¡°Raaa! Raa!¡± The gray-haired bear roared in anger as the black raven fluttered around its head, poking left and right with its sharp beak.

    ¡°Hee! Hee!¡± The giant pill bug hissed as it rolled into the treant, nearly knocking it over.

    ¡°Block them, they want to steal our stuff!¡±

    ¡°Bastards!¡±

    ¡°Heize, kill them!¡±

    Two groups of people had gathered on either side of the pond. They shouted orders to their summons and hurled insults toward each other. Closer to Zachary, there was a middle-aged man and three women. The other side had three people who were hiding behind trees and hard to discern.

    ¡°Hurry up and kill the lizard!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    Another few chaotic moments passed as the Ensouled fought each other. The alligator suffered a few more wounds from the mantis but it also managed to land a heavy bite on the flower demon. On the other side, the treant and the pill bug fought to a standstill while the gray-haired bear managed to catch the black raven in its claws. It almost tore the bird in two before the raven¡¯s summoner saved it with a long-range recall. However, the bear had also suffered greatly. Its head was covered in fresh blood from several deep punctures.

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    ¡°Stop it! Stop it! Let¡¯s talk about this!¡± A deep, powerful voice shouted over the noise of battle.

    A skinny, old man stepped forward, exuding a surprisingly domineering aura. He was covered in colorful tattoos all over his body. His face was ugly with countless scars large and small.

    ¡°Everyone, stop! Let¡¯s stop for a moment and talk before we end up killing each other!¡±

    Zachary frowned. He recognized this man. It was the same old man, the leader of a gang, that forced Zachary out of his first hunting ground.

    The old gangster¡¯s words carried a great deal of weight and the fighting stopped. The alligator continued to hiss but had nowhere to retreat because behind it was a small waterfall.

    ¡°What do you want, Casimir? And don¡¯t you dare say this wild Ensouled. It¡¯s ours!¡± A sharp voice retorted.

    A woman with dirty blonde hair stepped out of the other group. She wore a small top and shorts, both made of beast skins. Her bare skin complexion had a healthy tan. Her face was bright with strikingly beautiful features. She looked both wild and refined at the same time.

    Zachary¡¯s frown deepened. He recognized this person too. She was Heather Glenn-Bower. She had murdered two of her husbands and had been in the cell next to his on the ship.

    ¡°Heather, don¡¯t be like this.¡± The old man named Casimir said. He spread his arms out in a disarming manner and smiled, making his scars stretch disturbingly, ¡°You know this area is the territory of our Dark Star Gang. We originally wanted to wait a little while before capturing it. I didn¡¯t think you would try to sneak it away from us.¡±

    Heather scoffed and crossed her arms, ¡°Your territory? Who says this is your territory? I don¡¯t see a line. Does anyone see a line anywhere?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡±

    Her people answered emphatically.

    ¡°We were here first so this crocodile is ours. If you don¡¯t leave, then you will have to pay with your blood.¡± Heather finished speaking with a serious expression, daring the other side to make a move.

    Casimir clicked his tongue and shook his head, ¡°Heather, Heather, there are better ways to solve problems than killing each other. How about this? If you give us this beast, I can give you three summons at the peak of the novice rank.¡±

    Heather laughed mockingly, ¡°Three? Do you take me for an idiot?¡±

    ¡°How about six then? And I¡¯ll also throw in six anima crystals at the peak of the novice rank.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re done talking! Suhua, Nellie, get ready to capture the crocodile!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­ haha.¡± Casimir laughed weirdly, ¡°Haha¡­ hahaha!¡±

    His voice reverberated eerily. It was an uncomfortable laugh that would not be out of place in a scarehouse. It attracted everyone¡¯s attention. And when all eyes were on him, he raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

    At first, nobody understood what he was doing or what was going to happen. Then, a split second later, a barrage of black spikes shot out from a corner of the forest on the other side of the pond, directly opposite of Zachary¡¯s position. They were not aimed at him but at Heather.

 88. Familiar Faces (II)

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    ¡°Heather!¡±

    Several people on that side shouted but their reactions were too slow. With a series of dull thuds, black spikes the length of daggers landed where Heather stood. The first one struck her left arm, piercing through it halfway. The second one buried deeply into her side. Another left a long gash along her back as she fell. The rest of the spikes missed their mark, hitting the tree trunk she was standing beside.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Heather cried out as she curled up in pain.

    ¡°Casimir, mother fucker!¡± The man in Heather¡¯s group shouted but he was met with a second barrage of black spikes.

    This time, it came from a porcupine-looking creature that had appeared at Casimir¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Casimir laughed mockingly, ¡°Everyone, attack! Kill them first! Then we¡¯ll worry about the crocodile.¡±

    ¡°Attack!¡±

    Two more rays of light shot out from his side, turning into waddling black balls covered in spikes. They soon started shooting, sometimes at Heather and her people, sometimes at their summons, particularly the ones trying to pressure the wild alligator.

    ¡°Attack!¡±

    ¡°Spike rain!¡±

    The flower demon and the mantis immediately suffered. The flower demon was turned into a pin cushion within a few breaths. The mantis quickly dodged after being hit by the initial barrage. Its movements were still quick but it was in obvious pain. Blue blood flowed from many places where it was wounded.

    ¡°Damn it! My Rosie can¡¯t hold on anymore!¡± One of the women on Heather¡¯s side shouted.

    She forcibly cast a long-range recall and then hid behind a thick tree trunk. A handful of black spikes landed where her head had been just a few moments before.

    On the other side of the stream, Casimir had summoned another strong Ensouled. It was a familiar creature, a gorilla with shiny grey-metallic fur. It pounded its chest and roared before charging into the melee between the treant, brown bear, and the giant pill bug.

    Zachary sucked in a cold breath. It was actually an iron fur gorilla, a specialty of the republic military. He had no idea how Casimir and Dark Star Gang could have gotten one. It certainly wasn¡¯t native to this jungle environment.

    Aside from that, both sides brought out more summons. Casimir seemed to be controlling at least four while his lackeys each controlled two or three. Heather¡¯s gang also brought out a motley squad of beasts of all shapes and sizes.

    ¡°Attack!¡±

    Like a multi-colored tide, the two sides clashed. Instantly, the chaotic battle resumed. Strange creatures of varying types crashed into each other. Beasts fought their sharp claws and fangs. Humanoid and demonic types used their dexterity and flexibility to fight multiple foes at the same time. Long-range attacks filled the air, flying in all directions.

    ¡°Poison arrow!¡±

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    ¡°Horn charge!¡±

    ¡°Bite them to death!¡±

    A flurry of commands added to the cacophony of barks, snorts, squawks, and other strange cries.

    Zachary tried to follow the action but there was too much going on. However, there was a definite gap in strength between the sides due to Casimir¡¯s sneak attack. Also, a few summons from Heather¡¯s gang were still occupied with the wild alligator which sapped their fighting strength.

    ¡°Heather! We can¡¯t hold on like this! We have to retreat!¡± The man in her team shouted.

    ¡°No way! We can do it, as long as we capture that crocodile!¡± Someone else shouted.

    ¡°And lose most of our summons in the process? Don¡¯t be stupid!¡±

    With Heather still struggling with her injuries, her team was pushed to the brink. Even their summons had been pushed across the stream. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of retreating. If this went on, they would be completely wiped out.

    ¡°Zach!¡± Wander finally spoke up, ¡°What should we do? Things aren¡¯t looking good. Should we help? That ugly old man is so despicable. He is almost as good at sneak attacks as you.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Zachary complained.

    Wander ignored him and continued, ¡°What about the woman? You were eyeing her for a long time. Is she considered attractive for you humans?¡±

    ¡°Hey, come on¡­¡± Zachary protested.

    Wander laughed.

    Zachary shook his head. Jokes aside, he would have to make a decision soon whether to jump into the fray or not. He did not want to see the Dark Star Gang win in such a way. He still held a grudge against them due to losing his first hunting ground. He didn¡¯t know much about Heather from their brief interactions in the past. But at least she seemed better than the old gang leader given how her people were trying their best to protect her.

    It was also a problem for him that the prisoners had their own factions. He was confident in Wander¡¯s strength against one or two summoners. But against a group of them, he would be lucky if he could run away.

    By himself, he had limited information about the surrounding jungle. He didn¡¯t know if the republic had returned at some point to provide supplies. He didn¡¯t know how Casimir got his hands on an iron fur gorilla.

    He also had limited resources and nobody to help him except for his summons. He was reminded of the days he spent with Jean-Pierre and Katherine during the beginning. Even in a small group of three, even when it was just Katherine and him, they could watch each other¡¯s backs. They could stand watch at night so that the others could get some proper sleep. There were definite advantages.

    Zachary was also not the same person he was when he first stepped into the New World. He had been a sad sack of emotions, almost despondent, nearly overwhelmed by the approach of certain death.

    By bonding with Wander, he was given a brand-new life. Although Minah¡¯s betrayal still hurt, it wasn¡¯t something he was reminded of every day. He was fully healed. He was confident in himself once again. He wanted to grow stronger. He wanted to meet all kinds of Ensouled. He wanted to discover things he never knew about the world.

    And right now, there was an opportunity to help a familiar face and join a survivor group.

    ¡°Wander, everyone, get ready to fight! We¡¯re going to help Heather and her gang!¡±

    ¡°I knew it! Haha!¡± Wander barked.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡±

    ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. In my eyes, we have two goals. One is to help Heather¡¯s group retreat so that they don¡¯t get wiped out. The other is to make sure that Casimir doesn¡¯t get his hands on the alligator.¡±

    ¡°What? How do we do that?¡± Wander asked.

    Zachary smiled slyly, ¡°Like this¡­¡±

    He rubbed one of the soul orbs attached to his summoner¡¯s belt and brought out Dream. The little rainbow fish landed in his palm and flapped a few times, confused and slightly panicked.

    ¡°Dream, calm down.¡± He said and rubbed Dream¡¯s head a few times, ¡°This is what we need to do. Blue will carry you to the pond. If I am not wrong, that wild alligator will start to chase you. All you need to do is swim downstream and I will recall you where you get close.¡±

    He turned to Blue, ¡°Here, grab Dream with your claws. Gently, gently, good.¡±

    He made sure that Blue had a solid hold. Dream was a small fish and didn¡¯t weigh much. Blue, who was also not large, could still manage it.

    ¡°Alright. Blue, on my signal, fly over to the pond and drop Dream. Then, fly to there and lay down a layer of heavy fog.¡± He pointed to an area between Heather and the porcupine that had launched the sneak attack. It was on the far side of the pond, directly opposite of their current position. ¡°Afterward, immediately come back. Don¡¯t get distracted by anything.¡±

    ¡°What about us?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait and see how they react to our opening move. Okay, Blue, go!¡±

    ¡°Churr!¡±

 89. Familiar Faces (III)

    Blue charged out, just like the time they came out of the monolith. This time, Blue carried a wriggling rainbow fish in its claws. They flew swiftly and reached the pond in a few moments.

    Blue let go and Dream dropped into the water with a plop. It circled a few times, glad to have returned to its natural environment. But soon, it felt a surge of Eternum as it attracted a fearsome predator.

    The wild alligator went crazy as soon as it sensed Dream. It directly broke through the blockade of the mantis, suffering two additional slashes in the process. It didn¡¯t care and charged at Dream.

    Dream took off like a dart. Its survival instincts were excellent. Its speed in the water was unmatched. The stream flashed with all the colors of the rainbow as it fled.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°The crocodile went crazy?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let it escape!¡± Casimir shouted, ¡°Brutus, chase after it!¡±

    The iron fur gorilla let out a howl and disengaged from the fray. It broke into a sprint and chased after the alligator which was chasing Dream. All three were heading in Zachary¡¯s general direction.

    ¡°Everyone, stay quiet!¡± Zachary said as he watched.

    The stream flowed away from the pond and into the jungle forest. Dream drew a large distance from the pursuing beasts and disappeared from view. Zachary focused his senses on the swift water and found Dream approaching. Dream also sensed his proximity and slowed down. A ray of light later and Dream returned to its soul orb.

    Zachary retreated into the underbrush with Onkie and Archer beside him. Soon, the ground rumbled as a large alligator rushed past, half swimming and half running. The ground rumbled again as an iron fur gorilla chased after it. A few moments later, Casimir rushed by riding a tall stag with magnificent antlers.

    Zachary watched him go with narrowed eyes. He felt a sharp pang of jealousy. This Casimir had had really strong lineup. It was good to be the leader of a gang.

    By now, the situation was just right for Zachary to intervene. Blue had returned safely. The danger to Heather had lessened greatly due to its fog screen. Also, the battle had entered a lull due to Casimir pursuing the alligator.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He patted Onkie on the butt.

    The furry pig let out a snort and charged out. Zachary was close behind, followed by Archer.

    After exiting from cover, a few people noticed and looked in their direction in surprise. Both sides didn¡¯t know if he was with the other group. Zachary made that clear quickly.

    ¡°Archer, target the closest porcupine. Don¡¯t hold back, fire!¡±

    ¡°Shee hee!¡±

    Archer fired its leaf arrows wildly. Its aim was bad, as expected. But the target wasn¡¯t too far away. It was soon covered by sharp leaves.

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    ¡°Fuck! You¡¯ll pay for that,¡± One of the Dark Star Gang members shouted, ¡°Strela, kill them!¡±

    The wounded porcupine squeaked and its spikes bristled toward Zachary. A barrage of black spikes shot out, forming a slight arc in the air as they rapidly approached.

    Ding! Ding!

    Ding!

    A wide green shield materialized in front of Zachary, completely covering him, Onkie, and Arrow. The black spikes bounced harmlessly off this glowing barrier without a single dent. Wander¡¯s ability was far stronger than such an attack, even from a beast at the adept rank.

    ¡°Archer, return fire, aim at that summoner behind the porcupine too!¡±

    ¡°Shee!¡±

    Zachary moved the shield away and Archer launched another barrage of sharp leaves. Half of the leaves that covered its body were spent but the effect was also good. That gang member suffered several cuts before ducking behind a tree.

    ¡°Keep going!¡± Zachary commanded.

    He looked in front and approached the messy melee of summons. Some were fighting one versus one while others were trying to gang up on weakened opponents. He noticed a rhinoceros beetle from Heather¡¯s gang wrestling with a giant red crab from the Dark Star Gang. The crab¡¯s claws were firmly clamped on the beetle¡¯s large horn as the two pushed against each other. Another summon from the Dark Star Gang, a gray wolf, was trying to bite at the beetle¡¯s less-protected legs.

    ¡°Elmont, Doro, your turn!¡± Zachary shouted as he jogged past the battling beasts.

    Two rays of light landed on the ground next to the beetle and its two opponents. Elmone groaned as it appeared. It shook the leaves on its head and looked around. Doro roared and swung its heavy arms.

    ¡°Elmont, grab that wolf! Doro, beat it up!"

    Elmont moved, reaching out its branching arms and dexterous vines. It caught the wolf as it was coming around for another attack and wrapped several vines around its hind legs.

    ¡°Awoo! Awoo!¡± The wolf yelped and thrashed about trying to escape.

    It was strong and it quickly broke several of Elmont¡¯s vines. But just as quickly, Elmont produced more and held on firmly.

    The wolf wanted to turn around and bite Elmont¡¯s branches. But before it could do so, Doro¡¯s fist arrived and collided with its jaw, sending the beast sprawling with a pained whimper.

    ¡°Bandit, noo! Get up!¡± Someone from the Dark Star Gang shouted.

    Zachary felt that person¡¯s furious gaze but ignored it. The gray wolf wasn¡¯t that strong without its pack. It also might have recently advanced to the adept rank. He was confident Elmont and Doro could handle it.

    The situation had improved but he had yet to meet the critical juncture. He looked ahead, at the row of trees that protected Heather and her group.

    ¡°Stop! Who are you?¡± A stocky man with balding brown hair shouted at him, ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡±

    The two other women in their group also peeked at him. Their expressions were not as unfriendly as the man¡¯s but they were still wary.

    Seeing that there was a chance, Zachary waved to them, ¡°I¡¯m Zachary Zhang, I know Heather. I want to help you guys.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ want to help?¡±

    ¡°You know Heather?¡±

    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t have a lot of time. It will be troublesome when Casimir gets back. We should retreat. The alligator is gone so there is no point sticking around.¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± One of the women shouted.

    Zachary saw out of the corner of his eye that another barrage of black spikes was aimed in his direction. He casually extended a hand, forming a green shield. He stood there calmly like carrying an umbrella under a spring drizzle.

    ¡°Archer, return fire.¡±

    ¡°Shee!¡±

    Archer fired wildly. They were further away from their opponents but at least it made them duck for cover.

    ¡°Suhua¡­ help me up¡­¡± A weak voice spoke from behind them.

    It was Heather.

    The one named Suhua, a younger woman with long black hair, helped Heather sit up so that she could look at Zachary.

    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± She said as she recognized his familiar face.

    ¡°Long time.¡± He replied. ¡°I saw you were in a bit of trouble.¡±

    She studied him for a moment and then glanced at the battle. Their side was still being pushed back but with the addition of Zachary¡¯s summons, they were holding on.

    She turned back to him and nodded. ¡°He¡¯s good. We¡¯ll retreat together!¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±

 90. I Have a Way (I)

    Heather¡¯s gang reacted quickly. After shouting a few commands, their summons disengaged from their various battles and rushed back. Those that couldn¡¯t get away were saved using long-range recalls. Suhua and the other woman named Nellie lifted Heather between them and carried her away. Zachary and the other man brought up the rear.

    Elmont and Doro were too slow so Zachary recalled them. Only Onkie and Archer were out fighting skirmishes with the enemy summons that dared to give chase. But they were enough as the Dark Star Gang gave up after a short, half-hearted effort. Their leader and strongest summoner, Casimir, was still chasing the alligator so they dared not take risks.

    After fleeing for a while, they finally left the enemies far behind. The chaotic surges of Eternum that occurred during the battle were gone, replaced by eerie calmness. The jungle was quiet except for the hum of insects and occasional bird calls.

    Zachary let out a sigh and finally deactivated Wander¡¯s shield ability.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in the clear.¡± He said, looking around at the man beside him, ¡°I¡¯m Zachary, what¡¯s your name.¡±

    The older man nodded toward Zachary in acknowledgment.

    ¡°Oliver Jones. That¡¯s Suhua and the other is Nellie.¡± He said, pointing to the black-haired woman first and then a brunette.

    Zachary couldn¡¯t see their faces as they were ahead of them and dragging Heather along.

    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± He said pleasantly.

    ¡°Likewise,¡± Oliver replied, ¡°That shield with your ability summoning helped us a lot. Thanks. We wouldn¡¯t have been able to make such a smooth getaway without it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±

    Oliver sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a pity we couldn¡¯t nab the crocodile. I hope it was able to get away.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. There is a swamp downstream from the pond. It should be able to get away if it reached it.¡±

    ¡°We tracked that crocodile for a whole week. A whole week wasted!¡± Oliver shook his spear at the sky as if it had also offended him.

    Zachary smiled, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s an alligator. Their mouths are shaped differently. A crocodile has a long, narrow snout while the alligator¡¯s is wide and rounded at the tip.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Suhua stopped and shouted at them, ¡°Why are you two so noisy? Crocodile, alligator, who fucking cares? This isn¡¯t a stroll in the park!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Oliver quickly replied.

    Zachary also stopped talking.

    Suhua glared at him in particular before turning away with a huff.

    ¡°Hoh! She is feisty!¡± Wander said inside Zachary¡¯s soul, ¡°Do you like this kind of woman? How does she compare to that cat lady?¡±

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    Zachary suppressed a laugh, ¡°Not my type. Cats aren¡¯t my type either.¡±

    ¡°Then what type do you like?¡±

    ¡°The type that isn¡¯t hiding all kinds of secrets and ulterior motives.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡±

    After that, the party fell into silence as they continued to flee. They were not completely out of danger yet. Zachary and Oliver watched the rear while the women led the way. Zachary used Blue to scout in a wide area while Boba stayed alert for immediate dangers.

    Oliver¡¯s summons included the adept rank rhinoceros beetle, a bear cub that looked like the smaller version of the adept rank brown bear that was covered in tree bark, and a small red-haired monkey that quickly climbed up a nearby tree to help scout.

    They moved swiftly through the jungle, following an established path. There were no large obstacles and even the underbrush had been mostly cleared away. It wasn¡¯t one made by the elephant herds by but human design.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Back to our base,¡± Oliver replied simply, still wary of Suhua.

    Zachary nodded and the two returned to their own thoughts.

    They traveled for a long time again before finally stopping beside a stream. Oliver went to get some water while Suhua and Nellie tended to Heather.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Oliver asked when he returned with a gourd filled with fresh water.

    ¡°Not good,¡± Suhua said.

    She took and poured it on Heather¡¯s wound, washing away the dried blood and grime around the black spike which was buried deep into her side. Nobody dared to pull it out. They didn¡¯t know what damage it had already done and what further damage it would cause. Also, the area around the wound had turned a disturbing shade of purple mixed with green.

    Nellie touched Heather¡¯s neck to feel her pulse and then checked the discolored wound, ¡°Really not good. It might be poison.¡±

    Suhua looked murderous, ¡°That bastard Casimir, I hope that alligator bites off his dick. Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill him and feed him to Rosie!¡±

    ¡°What do we do? Heather might not make it.¡± Nellie said.

    ¡°How far are we from base?¡± Suhua asked.

    ¡°Too far. We¡¯re only about halfway there.¡± Oliver said.

    ¡°Shit. Shit. Shit.¡± Suhua muttered.

    She fell silent. It appeared as if she was thinking, agonizing over something that was equally as painful as Heather¡¯s condition. She finally let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle and dug her hand into a small leather bag.

    She produced a small object wrapped in leaves. After undoing the vine knot and wrappings, she took out a small fruit. It was bright red and round like a cherry. It gave off a sweet fragrance and a wave of Eternum. Onkie and Archer both reacted, turning toward the fruit with clear desire.

    ¡°Wow¡­ that looks delicious,¡± Wander said.

    Zachary had to agree. That small fruit was by no means ordinary. Its allure reminded him of the strange white flower that attracted so many wild Ensouled. In this case, Zachary had a strong suspicion of what the red fruit was. Its effect was even stronger than the white flower.

    Suhua raised the fruit toward Heather¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Nellie almost shouted, grabbing Suhua¡¯s hand, ¡°That¡¯s your Soul Ruby Fruit! It¡¯s too precious!¡±

    ¡°Of course it is! But Heather¡¯s life is even more precious!¡± Suhua retorted.

    ¡°But you were going to use it on your Sunflower¡­¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡±

    Zachary stirred, ¡°It really was the Soul Ruby Fruit.¡±

    He walked slowly towards the two arguing women.

    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s a Soul Ruby Fruit?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°It is a rare fruit used to let summons breakthrough in rank. Its efficacy is extremely good. A breakthrough is almost guaranteed, even for those with low talent. This one is small so it is only useful for going from the novice rank to the adept rank. Even so, it can buy a house in the city or a whole farm in the country.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Wander replied and licked his lips, ¡°How do they taste?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Never tried one. Hold on¡­¡±

    Zachary stopped behind Suhua and Nellie and cleared his throat, ¡°Ladies, I have another way of helping Heather.¡±

    ¡°What? Go away, this doesn¡¯t concern you!¡± Suhua spat.

    Nellie held Suhua to calm her down and looked at Zachary warily, ¡°What way?¡±

    ¡°You see, I have a summon with a healing ability.¡±

 91. I Have a Way (II)

    The trio of Suhua, Nellie, and Oliver looked at each other. Their expressions ranged from disbelief, wariness, and joy.

    ¡°You, you aren¡¯t spouting nonsense?¡± Suhua asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Zachary replied.

    ¡°Then hurry up, go heal her!¡± Suhua said matter-of-factly.

    Zachary didn¡¯t move and instead frowned.

    ¡°Hey, what are you waiting for?¡± Suhua asked.

    Nellie nudged Suhua to make her be quiet and then turned to Zachary with a serious expression, ¡°There must be a reason you didn¡¯t offer to help before this. Say it, what do you want?¡±

    Zachary smiled lightly, ¡°I would like that Soul Ruby Fruit in exchange for saving Heather¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Suhua shouted, ¡°What is your problem? If you have a healing ability, then be a good boy and heal Heather. What is this bullshit about my Soul Ruby Fruit?¡±

    Zachary narrowed his eyes. He wanted to say something but the other person continued ranting.

    ¡°What? No willing? How about I tie you up and beat some sense into your empty skull? Maybe you won¡¯t be so stingy then! I can be very convincing!¡±

    Zachary took a step back and his hand instinctively reached for his summoning belt. If these people wanted to be unreasonable, he would give up on them and simply run. He had never been a pushover. In the past, he had Yaoyao. Now he had Wander. He could still survive in the New World alone.

    ¡°Suhua!¡± Nellie shouted, interrupting Suhua.

    ¡°What!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Suhua still wanted to argue but reluctantly shut her mouth for the moment. She still glared at Zachary as if he were a stinky pile of dirt.

    ¡°Zachary,¡± Nellie said calmly as she could, ¡°You helped us escape from the Dark Star Gang. We still owe you for that. Now, I beg you to heal Heather. Please. We will just have to owe you double. But don¡¯t worry, Heather won¡¯t be stingy with your reward. She isn¡¯t that type of person. Forget about the Soul Ruby Fruit, as long as Heather is willing, we can give you much more precious treasures.¡±

    She finished and looked up at him intently. Her eyes were imploring and he couldn¡¯t find anything except sincerity in her words or expression.

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    ¡°Fine. Fine. I accept your promise. Give me some space, I will heal her. It should be enough to counteract the poison so that she can survive the remaining journey to your base.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nellie said.

    She pushed the still reluctant Suhua away and stood with Oliver.

    Zachary took a few steps forward and a ray of green light emerged from between his eyebrows. It landed by Heather¡¯s feet and took the shape of a giant turtle with scaley green skin and a long, octagonal shell that was overgrown with moss.

    ¡°Wan! Wan!¡± Wander barked happily, glad to finally get some fresh air.

    He looked up and studied the surprised faces of the three humans nearby. Human faces were so unique, they had so many expressions and characteristics. He was fascinated for a moment.

    ¡°Eh? This one has a healing ability? Isn¡¯t this just a mossy terrapin? It¡¯s pretty big but still¡­¡± Suhua said uncertainly.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Oliver''s face brightened, ¡°This big guy should be the source of Zachary¡¯s shield ability. The mossy terrapins we caught didn¡¯t have such an ability either. So, this turtle should be very special.¡±

    ¡°Wander, go. Heal that woman¡¯s wound.¡± Zachary said the first part out loud but continued to speak within his soul so that only Wander could hear, ¡°Use your weakest heal. Try to deal with the poison but don¡¯t need to expend all of your energy.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Wander replied with a laugh.

    To the others, it sounded like he was barking.

    Wander wandered to Heather¡¯s side and opened his mouth. He collected Eternum and gently exhaled, producing a soft breath that glittered with the power of life. That energy entered Heather¡¯s body without resistance. It directly attacked the areas affected by the poison. One was the attribute of death while the other was of life. They directly counteracted each other, clashing forcefully.

    ¡°Ugh.¡± A soft groan escaped Heather¡¯s lips, her first sign of life in a long time.

    ¡°Heather!¡± Suhua shouted but Nellie quickly covered her mouth.

    Wander paused to suck in a deep breath before exhaling once more. Everyone watched with bated breath, hoping for a miracle. Among all Ensouled, those with healing abilities were always respected and prized. They were uncommon to begin with. Their abilities could give life and pull a soul from the brink of death. Everybody wanted one but few could be so fortunate.

    After two more breaths, Heather¡¯s pale complexion regained some color. The flesh around the black spike was no longer green or purple. It was still red and inflamed but much better than before. Aside from the spike still sticking out of her side, she looked almost normal.

    Wander stopped and panted a bit, pretending to be tired. In reality, he had used less than a tenth of his true ability. How else could he have healed Zachary¡¯s grievous soul wound? Heather¡¯s physical injuries were simple matters to him.

    Heather finally stirred, still groaning in pain.

    ¡°Heather, we¡¯re here. Don¡¯t move.¡± Suhua rushed up and held the other¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°What¡­ where are we¡­¡± Heather opened her eyes after a great struggle and looked around blearily.

    Nellie also joined Suhua in supporting Heather. She let Heather drink some water. She then explained the situation to her including how Zachary had helped them once again using a healing summon. She also explained the argument about the Soul Ruby Fruit and about how they owed him twice now.

    ¡°We had to ask for his help again. We had no choice. The poison¡­ you would have died.¡± Nellie said, her eyes tearing up.

    ¡°You guys¡­¡± Heather mumbled, her eyes shifting from Nellie to Suhua, ¡°Silly girl, the Soul Ruby Fruit would have been a waste. Next time, think with your head.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Suhua replied with a blush.

    Heather shook her head and turned to Zachary, ¡°So¡­ Zachary Zhang, it seems like I owe you my life. What do you want? If your terms are acceptable, I will do my utmost to fulfill them. I am the leader of Rowan Oak Village. My word is my soul.¡±

 92. A Settlement in the New World (I)

    The two sides studied each other. Heather looked him up and down, searching for anything unpleasant. Finding none, she gave him an encouraging smile. Zachary¡¯s eyes remained on her face. Now that it had regained some color, he was struck by her beauty.

    He had only paid slight attention to it on the navy ship. Back then, they weren¡¯t able to shower or clean themselves for a whole month. It was difficult to appear attractive under those conditions but she still managed to do it. Now, bereft of dirt and grime, her oval face was smooth and flawless.

    Heart shaped lips, a sharp nose, a pair of narrow eyebrows; her features were balanced and perfect. Thick lashes framed a pair of gray orbs filled with charm and intrigue. She was a heartbreaker; she was a soul-stealer. Everywhere she went, she would be the center of attention. She was like someone who had stepped out of a painting just to drive men mad.

    ¡°Wow! Zach bro, you really have good taste!¡± Wander barked, ¡°She is really something. If I was human, I would want her too! Hahaha!¡±

    Wander¡¯s laughter broke the spell. Zachary pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. After clearing away the fog around his thoughts, he grimaced and looked back Heather. This time, she didn¡¯t appear so enthralling. Still a top-tier beauty but not so much so that she appeared supernatural.

    He cleared his throat and spoke carefully, ¡°What I want is pretty straightforward. I was stuck somewhere for many months and only managed escape recently. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, I haven¡¯t interacted with other people for a long time. I don¡¯t know which survivors are strong, how many have formed groups like yours, and what the overall situation is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy. We can a long chat after we get back. I¡¯ll explain everything.¡± Heather said, ¡°But that can¡¯t be everything. You could get information from anyone by trading a few days¡¯ worth of food.¡±

    ¡°Of course. What I want is to get stronger. I want information on where adept rank wild Ensouled reside, what elemental attributes they have, their habits, and their weaknesses. Hunting wild Ensouled is also easier with more people so I hope that we can work together. If things go well, it can even be a long term partnership.¡±

    She nodded along as he spoke and smiled when he finished, ¡°We can do all of that. Don¡¯t worry. Our gang isn¡¯t like those Dark Star bastards. Since you have saved us twice already, we have to show our sincerity as well. Suhua, he wanted the Soul Ruby Fruit, give it to him.¡±

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    ¡°Heather! Why!¡± Suhua whined and tugged on Heather¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Suhua, stop it. I¡¯ll compensate you later.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, fine!¡± The younger woman huffed and puffed.

    She glared at Zachary before finally handing the tiny red fruit over.

    ¡°Many thanks,¡± He said.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Heather said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. I¡¯m still dying here.¡±

    She laughed at her own joke and waved to her people. Suhua and Nellie put her on a makeshift stretcher and picked her up. Zachary and Oliver once again took charge of scouting and protecting the rear.

    The group set off, crossing the stream. Everyone was alert, even Heather who remained conscious. Although this was a path they had taken many times before, nothing was for certain. The jungle was ever-changing, almost like a giant living creature.

    The sun slowly drifted from its peak towards the west. Step by step, the party of five slogged through this wild new land. It rained sporadically, turning the ground to mud and their progress sometimes slowed to a crawl. They also had to fight off a few wild Ensouled. They were only at the novice rank and not a challenge but it only served to delay them even further.

    Finally, after what seemed like a whole afternoon of walking, they encountered something that made the four people aside from Zachary smile and laugh. It was a large rodent that had popped out of the underbrush. It stood in the middle of the path, blocking their way.

    ¡°Ey, is that Peanut, or is that Acorn?¡± Suhua asked.

    ¡°I think it''s actually Pecan.¡± Oliver said while chuckling.

    ¡°What?¡± Zachary muttered in confusion.

    ¡°These are giant swamp rats, our scouts. They aren¡¯t useful for much else but they have excellent senses.¡± Heather explained, ¡°We like to name them after nuts, obviously. I have one named Hazel. Seeing them means we¡¯re home.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re home! Thank the saints!¡± Suhua cried out, raising her hands to the sky as if in prayer.

    Oliver laughed, ¡°We made it!¡±

    Soon, a wooden palisade wall appeared amidst the tall trees. It was about three meters high with sharp tips on top. There were two square watchtowers on two sides, acting as the anchors. It was an impressive construction, a human settlement in the New World. It was made with care and foresight. Anyone could tell at a glance that this was intended for long-term habitation.

    ¡°What do you think of my Rowan Oak Village?¡± Heather asked.

    Her face was full of pride even if it still carried a hint of paleness from her injury.

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Zachary replied. ¡°It''s far more than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Heh, we tried our best.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Suhua shouted at the walls, ¡°Heather is back! Open the gate, hurry! She¡¯s injured!¡±

    ¡°Alright, wait a second!¡± Someone shouted.

    The heavy wooden gate slowly swung inward, revealing two people, one middle-aged woman with graying hair and a young man who was taller than Zachary. Upon seeing Heather on a stretcher, they rushed out.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Is she alright?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll live but she needs immediate treatment.¡± Nellie said, ¡°Olga, get the medicine bags and boil some water.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± The middle-aged woman named Olga rushed back into the village.

    Nellie and Suhua went as well, carrying Heather. Zachary made to follow but the young man stepped in his way with an unfriendly expression.

 93. A Settlement in the New World (II)

    ¡°And who are you?¡± The young man asked.

    He was taller than Zachary by about half a head but had a slender build. He looked like he hadn¡¯t eaten a good meal in weeks.

    Oliver stepped in with a smile, ¡°Carlos, this is Zachary Zhang. A new member of our gang. He saved our lives and he even saved Heather twice.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Carlos¡¯ face brightened and he also smiled. It was a bit unnerving how quickly he changed his expression, ¡°Then I have to thank you. Welcome to our home.¡±

    Zachary also smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. I just did what I had to do.¡±

    They shook hands. Oliver patted Carlos¡¯ shoulder and then led Zachary through the gate. Behind them, Carlos stared at Zachary¡¯s back for a moment before going back onto the walls to stand guard with his summons.

    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t mind him,¡± Oliver said, ¡°Carlos is harmless. He is the youngest so he gets a lot of shit from us. But now that you¡¯re here, he will have some competition. Haha!¡±

    Zachary smiled wryly and looked around. The inside of the walls was simple. There were eight wooden huts arranged in two rows. Tall trees grew amidst them, casting everything in shade. There was a small area in the center with a firepit surrounded by benches and tables. All in all, it looked quite comfortable.

    He looked up at the trees that hid the blue sky, ¡°I assume that the seagulls are still a problem here?¡±

    Oliver also looked up, ¡°Yeah, they are a menace. They rule the skies. Anywhere without trees is their hunting ground. But they don¡¯t dare mess with the trees. There are plenty of treants and living plants that would love to use seagull corpses as nourishment.¡±

    ¡°Mmm,¡± Zachary nodded in agreement.

    Oliver took him along on a short tour around the settlement, ¡°We have a lot of treant summons. They are good at construction with the proper instructions. They are strong and sturdy and have a lot of stamina. You have a treant too so you¡¯ll fit right in.¡±

    ¡°This is our territory so other gangs and survivor groups usually won¡¯t bother us. The walls protect us against the roving herds of forest elephants. They now know to avoid this place. But this is still the New World. Wild Ensouled will occasionally try to attack us. Someone always has to be on watch duty. With you here, it will be easier on the rest of us.¡±

    By now, the two had finished the tour. They were standing beside the firepit and chatting.

    ¡°So, how many people do you guys have?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Oh that... the group started with Heather and three other women.¡± Oliver said and started counting with his fingers, ¡°Suhua and Nellie. They were among the original members. I was the fifth. Then Carlos, Olga, and a few others joined. The most we had was nine but two people died¡­ of various reasons. Anyway, we currently have seven, eight if including you.¡±

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    ¡°Eight is a lucky number,¡± Zachary said lightly.

    ¡°Haha, yes it. Maybe you are our lucky charm. Let¡¯s go, looks like they want us.¡± Oliver said.

    Nellie was waving to them in front of the largest hut which belonged to Heather.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to try and pull out the spike. Is your turtle able to use its heal again?¡± She asked, slightly breathless.

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    ¡°Okay, come on,¡± Nellie and went inside.

    Zachary followed with Oliver.

    The inside was dark. There were no windows, only a few gaps to provide airflow. Light was provided by a few candles. Zachary was surprised by this and also impressed. These survivors were far more industrious than he expected.

    The first room was like a living room. There were a couple of wooden chairs of rough craftsmanship. There were several wooden chests for storage. Some dried meat hung from the ceiling along with strings of wild onion bulbs, various roots, and other edible plants. Compared to Zachary who could only eat roast meat, fish, and reptiles every day, this was utter luxury.

    The second room was the bedroom. Heather lay on a wide bed that was covered in animal furs. Suhua was looking over her worriedly. By the nightstand, Olga was busy fussing over packs of herbal medicine. He didn¡¯t recognize most of them as botany and medicine wasn¡¯t something he ever paid attention to. If he had to guess, some of these were used to replenish blood, fight off infection, and dull pain.

    None of these could compare to having a healing summon that was akin to a panacea. But he still respected the craft. This woman certainly had a lot of experience and knowledge. She would be able to save a life without relying on the power of a rare Ensouled.

    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Heather said when she saw Zachary, ¡°Olga, stop messing with that stuff. I told you I don¡¯t need them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I¡¯ve tested all of these herbs myself.¡± Olga huffed and tried to argue. ¡°Even his summon has a healing ability, these will still help.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright. Just pull the damn thing out.¡±

    ¡°Okay, hold her down,¡± Olga said.

    Suhua pushed down on Heather¡¯s shoulders while Nellie held her legs. Heather also bit down on a piece of leather to bear the pain. Olga, with a grim expression, pinched the black spike tightly with three fingers.

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Heather nodded.

    ¡°On three. One¡­ two¡­ three!¡±

    Olga yanked hard.

    Heather screamed and bit down hard.

    The black spike came out and tore a wide hole in the process. Bits of flesh and gore were stuck to the tiny barbs on the tip of the spike. Heather threw out muffled curses and screamed some more. Her eyes flashed with anger and defiance, fighting against the pain as discolored blood and pus spurted out. At first, it was black and purple. But after a little while, fresh blood flowed freely.

    ¡°My turn,¡± Zachary said.

    With a surge of Eternum, Wander appeared. He barked twice in greeting and climbed onto the bed with his front legs. He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, directing his healing energy towards the gaping wound.

    The dimly lit room glowed with bright green light. Once, then twice, and a few more times; Heather¡¯s wound clotted and stopped bleeding. It had even formed a scab.

    Aside from Zachary, the other people were left in shock, amazement, and joy. Oliver was grinning uncontrollably, about to burst into laughter. Olga was stunned, her mouth wide open. Suhua¡¯s face was covered in tears and she was trying not to sob. Nellie was staring at Wander as if she had found the most precious treasure. Even Heather was smiling, her teary eyes never leaving Zachary.

    The room which had been full of gloom was now filled the aura of life.

 94. A Settlement in the New World (III)

    Zachary and Oliver left the hut and let the women tend to Heather. She was still exhausted from the ordeal and needed time to recover. Olga insisted on giving Heather all kinds of herbal medicine. Zachary didn¡¯t say anything but he wasn¡¯t worried. Wander¡¯s healing ability was a perfect heal with no possibility of infection or complications.

    At this time, the sun had just set. The sky still had an orange glow. The front gates opened and another man strolled in. He had an average build, with short brown hair and intelligent blue eyes that seemed out of place in this wilderness. He was followed by three towering treants of different types. One was tall and willowy and reminded him of Oakley. Another was short with a thick trunk, not dissimilar to Elmont. The third was somewhere in between.

    ¡°Hey, professor!¡± Oliver waved and the three people greeted each other, ¡°This is Zachary Zhang, our new recruit. We got ambushed by the Dark Star Gang and he helped us get away. He even saved Heather twice! Zachary, this is Pedro de Soto. We call him professor because he used to be a lecturer at the University of the Republic in the capital.¡±

    ¡°Zachary, welcome!¡± Pedro said and extended a hand.

    Zachary shook it, ¡°Professor.¡±

    ¡°Oliver, how is Heather?¡± Pedro asked, his face turning serious, ¡°Carlos told me something happened and I rushed back.¡±

    Oliver patted Pedro¡¯s shoulder, ¡°She¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry. She was injured during the ambush but thanks to Zachary, everything is fine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s good. In that case, please take this as a token of my thanks,¡± Pedro said and offered a heavy sack to Zachary.

    He opened it to reveal some freshly harvested ears of corn.

    Seeing Zachary¡¯s expression, Oliver laughed, ¡°Professor is an expert in agriculture. He manages our fields where we grow corn and a variety of wild vegetables that he has gathered from all over the jungle.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Zachary said and accepted the sack.

    After some more pleasantries, Pedro left to check on Heather. Oliver led Zachary to one end of the village and pointed to two simple huts made from wood and mud.

    ¡°These two are unoccupied. Pick whichever one you want.¡±

    ¡°Why are there two empty huts when there are seven people?¡± Zachary asked.

    Oliver grinned slyly, ¡°That¡¯s because I share a hut with Olga.¡±

    Zachary chuckled, ¡°Lucky dog.¡±

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    Oliver laughed as well and patted Zachary¡¯s back, ¡°Who knows, you might find yourself a lucky lady too.¡±

    He laughed some more and walked off with a wave.

    Zachary watched him go and shook his head. The trio of Heather, Suhua, and Nellie were all considerably attractive for someone like him who hadn¡¯t had a companion in months. And Heather was head and shoulders above the other two. In fact, she was stunning and only paled in comparison to Minah...

    He frowned deeply and threw all thoughts of the opposite sex from his mind. He had more important matters to focus on, including quickly getting stronger. Now that he had the Soul Ruby Fruit, it was time to gain another adept rank summon.

    He went inside the hut. It had a single spacious room. Aside from the clean, dirt floor, there was a fire pit in the middle and a hole in the roof for the smoke to escape. Against one wall, there was a pile of firewood and some kindling prepared.

    ¡°But first, dinner.¡±

    ¡°Dinner!¡± Wander shouted as he came out.

    He spun around a few times and then barked at Zachary in displeasure because he had to stay in the soul realm for so long. Zachary ignored him and started a fire. He shucked four ears of corn, stuck them on sticks, and placed them near the fire. He then summoned Onkie and took out one of the puffballs.

    ¡°Hey, Onkie. What do you think of this? Is it edible?¡±

    Onkie sniffed the white fungus once and started to drool. She immediately took a bite and started chewing happily.

    ¡°Mm¡­ mmmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it good?¡± Zachary asked.

    Onkie replied simply by taking another bite.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    Wander waddled over and also took a large bite.

    ¡°Hmm, it''s pretty bland.¡± He commented as he chewed.

    As he spoke, Onkie took another bite. Not to be outdone, Wander quickly swallowed and went in for another bite as well.

    Zachary broke the puffball in two and let each of them have half. He also left a small piece for himself which he started roasting on the fire.

    A comfortable silence fell inside the hut as a man and his summons ate their meals. For Zachary, he had never experienced such luxury since stepping foot in the New World. He had a roof above his head. It was dry. There were only a few bugs. And he could eat something besides meat and berries for once.

    Heather had gathered capable people. Olga was knowledgeable about herbal medicine. Pedro was a professor of agriculture. With just these two people, Heather¡¯s group would be able to establish roots and live here for a long time. They had even started farming. This wasn¡¯t just mere survival; this was the beginning of colonization.

    There were many such colonies in the New World, where humans had established a permanent foothold in the land of wild Ensouled. It was the dream of many nations to conquer the vast untamed lands and take all of the untold wealth that was hidden within.

    Many colonies would fall to disaster and disappear without a trace. Others grew into large cities. Sometimes, nations would send out large armies of summoners to defend their holdings in the New World and battle hordes of wild Ensouled. On rare occasions, human saints and beast saints would clash directly, causing devastation in all directions. It was all very exciting. It was what he yearned for as he was turning twenty, when he had his whole life ahead of him.

    Now, he wasn¡¯t so sure.

    The most pressing matter on his soul was still Yaoyao. He had to find her whereabouts. He had to save her. She was his first and he had to do this. Wander was his eternal summon. But Yaoyao had been with him for over ten years. They grew up together. They shared all of their joys and achievements. Even though his soul had been healed, thinking about her was still jarringly painful.

    At the very least, he wanted to find out the truth. He wanted to know why Minah betrayed him. He wanted to know why he was convicted with a sham trial. He wanted to know.

    Once he knew¡­ he would decide what to do.

 95. New Team (I)

    Zachary took out the Soul Ruby Fruit and studied it. It was bright red and had a glossy surface. It reflected light from the fire, making it seem like the fruit contained a tiny inner flame that hid its hidden powers.

    He looked from the fruit to Onkie. He had already decided to give this fruit to her. She had been with him the longest. She also wasn¡¯t weak. She had toughness and a strong fighting spirit. She was just lacking a strong offensive ability right now.

    ¡°Onkie.¡± He called.

    ¡°On?¡± Onkie, who had been sniffing the ground for more food, looked up.

    ¡°Here!¡± He held out his palm and offered the Soul Ruby Fruit.

    ¡°Onk, onk!¡±

    She nearly swallowed his whole hand in her rush to get at the fruit. Zachary laughed at the saliva covering his fingers and rubbed her head.

    Onkie ate the Soul Ruby Fruit and then became still. It only took a few breaths for him to feel waves of Eternum emanate from her body. It was as if a bonfire was burning bright within her.

    Suddenly, the amount of Eternum that Onkie released rose sharply. It also changed in quality, becoming more far profound. The novice rank and the adept rank marked a transformation of one¡¯s soul power. Creatures in the novice rank could only control Eternum within their bodies and appendages. Those in the adept rank could expel Eternum to affect the outside world.

    The ground beneath Onkie trembled. Her body sank into the dirt as if it had turned to liquid. It was a good sign. She has a natural alignment with the earth element. Perhaps this was the sign of a new ability.

    Time passed quickly and Onkie¡¯s aura continued to rise. Zachary could sense through their soul bond that everything was going smoothly. Onkie wasn¡¯t in any discomfort. Instead, there was nothing but happiness.

    Through their bond, he also gained soul energy as a feedback effect. The benefits weren¡¯t that great because he was already at the Two Paths Adept Rank. If he was still at the novice rank, then he would also have a chance to break through alongside his summon. That was the main reason why the Soul Ruby Fruit was so precious.

    But there wouldn¡¯t be another two-for-one deal like with Wander. That was a special effect of eternal summoning, because Wander bonded with him through his life path. Onkie¡¯s bond was through a soul orb, it was impermanent. The soul energy she provided through feedback thus flowed through his two adept rank soul paths without resistance, without affecting other paths.

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    It was deep into the night when Onkie finally broke through. Eternum surged, filling the small hut with the color of earth. A flash of warm light swept over her body, which had sunk halfway into the ground. Then it was over, just like that.

    ¡°Onkie, how do you feel?¡± Zachary asked.

    Onkie had reached the One Path Adept Rank but her body hadn¡¯t gotten any bigger. He wasn¡¯t too worried but he was still curious.

    Onkie snorted softly, ¡°Onk¡­ what happened?¡±

    Zachary was delighted. He could understand her now. Within his soul, her voice was high-pitched and a little childish, completely unlike her physical image as a furry pig. He found it very cute.

    ¡°Onkie, can you hear me? You broke through. You¡¯re now at the adept rank.¡± He said softly.

    ¡°On... Onnn¡­¡± Onkie shook her head and got up, unburying herself from the ground.

    She looked around and then cried out, ¡°I have tusks now? Cool!¡±

    Indeed, she had a pair of short white tusks that poked out of the bottom of the drooping fur in front of her head. They were about the length of a human hand and curved upward to a sharp point.

    ¡°Haha, very cool!¡± Zachary replied in agreement.

    Now that he could understand her, he felt an even greater sense of familiarity. Her voice matched her personality very well. It was like meeting an old friend after a long time apart.

    He grabbed a bundle of corn and squatted next to her. He fed her an ear of corn and patted her head as she munched happily.

    ¡°Yum¡­ mmm¡­¡± She quickly finished and looked up at him, ¡°More¡­ want more!¡±

    He chuckled. He fed her another piece and continued to stroke her fur. It was much thicker than before, providing even greater protection. He could also feel the strength hidden in her body beneath all that fur. Although she didn¡¯t get bigger, her strength had definitely increased by severalfold.

    ¡°Wan, wan. I want some corn too!¡± Wander barked as he wandered over.

    Helpless, Zachary also gave him the last ear of corn. Wander snatched it quickly and started to munch happily.

    ¡°Hey, that was mine!¡± Onkie complained. ¡°It was supposed to be mine!¡±

    Wander swallowed and laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Onkie. Zachary has more corn. He only brought over one small bag. He is being stingy as usual. You just broke through. You should ask for more as a reward.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ okay! Zacky, I want more corn!¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? Wander, you can understand Onkie now?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Wander replied, ¡°Is that strange?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Zachary threw up his hands, ¡°Normally, understanding is limited to the summoner and their summon. It shouldn¡¯t translate to other summons. I can understand you and I understand Onkie. But you two shouldn¡¯t be able to understand each other¡­ Is this another bonus of eternal summoning?¡±

    Wander laughed, ¡°What? Are you regretting? Too bad, no takebacks! You¡¯re stuck with me forever, haha!¡±

    ¡°More, Zacky, more!¡± Onkie interrupted them, whining and bumping her head against his knees.

    Zachary laughed, ¡°No, not regretting it at all.¡±

    Still chuckling, he got up to get more corn for his hungry summons.

 96. New Team (II)

    The next morning, Zachary woke up a little late, having spent most of the night helping Onkie breakthrough. He went out of the hut, stretching and yawning. The guard on the watchtower had changed from Carlos to Oliver. Zachary waved and the man waved back. Aside from him, Olga was sitting at a wooden table, weaving baskets. Beside her, there was a fire going and something cooking inside a clay pot.

    ¡°Morning,¡± Zachary walked up and greeted.

    Olga looked up at him with a kind smile, ¡°Morning. I made some breakfast. Do you want some?¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Zachary said and peered into the pot.

    It was some kind of soup with corn, mushrooms, and meat. It smelled delicious. He briefly wondered how they managed to make a pot. He understood the basic concept of molding clay and using fire to harden it. But he would have never been able to make one on his own.

    He picked up a wooden bowl and filled it with the steaming concoction. It was really good. Sweet from the corn and savory from the mushrooms and chunks of meat. It was a wonderful change from his usual fare.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, Heather wants to see you.¡± Olga said after he was done eating, ¡°She is up already.¡±

    ¡°How is she doing?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Great. She¡¯ll be back to full health soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go see her.¡±

    Zachary waved to Olga and headed for the largest hut. He knocked on the wooden door and received a faint reply.

    ¡°It¡¯s Zachary.¡±

    ¡°Come in!¡±

    He pushed the door open and stepped inside the dimly lit interior.

    ¡°In here,¡± Heather called out.

    Zachary followed her voice into the bedroom and was greeted by the most unexpected sight. Heather was standing in the middle of the room with her back to him. A piece of animal fur was wrapped around her slender waist. However, nothing else covered her and he was gifted with the fascinating sight of her bare back and the enticing curves of her chest.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± He muttered and covered his eyes with a hand.

    Heather looked over her shoulder at him, ¡°Like what you see?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    She laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Come here, I can¡¯t quite see my wound. Can you look at it for me?¡±

    Her voice was warm like a tropical breeze. It was also playful and naturally attractive.

    Accepting her invitation, Zachary uncovered his eyes and walked over. He leaned in and looked at the spot she was pointing to on her left side. He tried to not let his eyes roam upward and focused on the area intently. There was a small scar where the porcupine spike had pierced the skin. There was also a slight bruise around it but otherwise, it was nothing to be concerned about.

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    ¡°Your wound is fine. It''s healing nicely.¡±

    As he said this, he caught Heather staring at him. A brief silence passed between them. Close together in a cozy room, a sense of ambiguity arose. There was a moment of heat and intensity before it passed and she looked away.

    ¡°Thanks¡­ for everything.¡± She said softly.

    ¡°No worries.¡±

    After that, Heather finally stopped teasing him and wrapped a piece of fur around her chest. She turned around and faced him with the expression of a serious leader.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk. What do you want? What do you want to know? Since you saved my life, I won¡¯t be stingy.¡±

    ¡°Everything. I want to know what you know, about the jungle, where are the dangerous areas and where there are potential adept rank Ensouled. What has happened in the past months? How many prisoners are still alive? How many survivor groups are there, which ones are the strongest and are they dangerous or not?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy enough, come on.¡± Heather beckoned him to follow and went into the other room.

    She moved some wooden chests and retrieved a leather scroll from one of them. She unfurled it on the table, showing off a detailed, hand-drawn map. Immediately, Zachary recognized some major features such as the ocean to the left, the beach where they landed, as well as the ruins in the center. There were many other markings, some of which had been crossed out.

    Heather leaned on the table and described the map in detail, ¡°As you can tell, this place that the republic calls Outpost Emerald is located somewhere to the east of the Old World. We landed on the beach here with the black cliffs. There are mountains to the east but they are home to the monster seagulls. Some people have tried to explore that area but it¡¯s a death trap. Once you leave the cover of the trees, it¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°Shit¡­ how did we even survive the swim to the beach?¡±

    ¡°The captain¡¯s armored eagle, it probably fought off an entire nest of the beasts, just long enough for us to make it to shore.¡±

    ¡°Why did they even bother if they just wanted us to die here?¡±

    Heather shook her head, ¡°They didn¡¯t want us to die so easily. Otherwise, they didn¡¯t have to go through such trouble to ship us out here. No, our lives are better spent as explorers and settlers. If this land has enough resources and riches, the republic will try to build a colony here.¡±

    ¡°And if it doesn¡¯t?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Then the four people who win the pardons will be able to go back home while the rest of us will stay here forever.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Heather shrugged and started describing the map again, ¡°We are one of the smaller survivor groups. Roan Oak Village is located south of the ruins, about five days of travel. We are also about ten days from the ocean. Close to us, there are two other strong groups. You met one of them, the Dark Star Gang. Their base is here.¡±

    She pointed to a spot further east from them. ¡°The second group is led by a guy named Aaron White. They aren¡¯t a large group but they are all dangerous. Aaron is probably the strongest summoner among the survivors and he somehow got a hold of an adult forest elephant as a summon. Try not to fight with him if you don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Zachary barely reacted to the name but inwardly, he felt a surge of anger. He had not forgotten Aaron¡¯s selfish actions in the ruins. That person was near the top of a short list of names he wanted to settle scores with.

    ¡°Moving on,¡± Heather pointed toward the north, ¡°There are three major survivor groups around here. One is the Daybreakers gang. They are similar to the Dark Star Gang so try not to mess with them. The second is a group of psychos from the Blood Church. They kill anyone who enters their territory. I am not sure if any of them even want to compete for the pardons. As for the last group, they are relatively normal, sort of like us. They don¡¯t have any fancy name but their base is called Riverside Village. I know, really creative¡­ Oh, I almost forgot, they have a person you know.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the pretty girl who was following you the first day, Katherine right? She was among the people from Riverside Village when we met them.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound happy.¡± Heather peered at him, trying to deduce every little detail from his expression, ¡°What happened, I thought she liked you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing happened¡­¡±

    ¡°Did she dump you?¡±

    Zachary made a face.

    She patted his arm comfortingly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are plenty more birds in the jungle.¡±

    Laughing at her own joke, she continued describing the map, including the various hunting grounds nearby.

 97. New Team (III)

    Heather showed Zachary the locations she had with potential adept rank Ensouled within a day or two of travel from Rowan Oak Village. Her thinking was similar to him. She had already ruled out areas with large groups of wild Ensouled as well as ones she suspected were even stronger than the adept rank.

    He also showed her his own map. Some of the spots overlapped. However, he didn¡¯t know too much about them whereas Heather had far more detail which was exactly what he wanted.

    ¡°I am looking for a long-range type of Ensouled with a strong offensive, sort of like those porcupines that the Dark Star Gang had. Is there one like that?¡± He asked.

    He already had Archer but it wasn¡¯t enough. Arrow would have been a perfect partner. It was regrettable that he wasn¡¯t able to save it during that battle. He still thought about it often.

    ¡°There is,¡± Heather pointed to a spot about a day¡¯s distance from the village, ¡°There is a large swamp here with a lot of dangerous creatures. Among them is a giant worm that spits poison. It¡¯s very strong and can be considered the lord of that place.¡±

    ¡°Spits poison? Sounds pretty good!¡± He said excitedly.

    She looked at him with a serious face, ¡°The worm is very difficult to deal with. It can swim like a fish in water. It can also hide in the mud like a hunter. Its poison spit attack has a very long range and the poison is deadly. We even lost an adept rank summon to its poison. And when we were finally about to catch it, it spat out a thick cloud of poison and escaped.¡±

    He patted his chest, ¡°You have me now. My summons can deal with poison without problems.¡±

    ¡°Your turtle¡¯s shield is good but it can¡¯t protect you completely. If you breathe in some of that poison fog, you¡¯ll still die.¡±

    ¡°My turtle can heal poison; did you already forget?¡± He gave her a winning smile.

    She shrugged, ¡°Alright, alright. It¡¯s your call. If you want to catch that worm, then we¡¯ll go catch that worm. If it was me, I wouldn¡¯t want such a thing if it was the strongest Ensouled in the world. It¡¯s too ugly.¡±

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t like big worms that spit poison?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± She gasped in surprise, ¡°No you didn¡¯t¡­ ahahaha! You¡­ Hahaha!¡±

    She slapped his arm playfully as payback. Then she hugged it against her while leaning against him, still giggling.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were so daring, hehe!¡±

    Her voice was like crystal chimes in the wind. She reminded him of home, of Warton by the sea. He suddenly yearned to return, to see his parents again and return the happy moments of the past.

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    ¡°You know,¡± She said, looking up at him with a wide smile, ¡°I don¡¯t hate all worms. It really depends¡­ on its owner. You know what I mean?¡±

    She wagged her eyebrows at him.

    He finally couldn¡¯t help it and burst out laughing.

    ---

    Beneath the twisted roots of massive mangrove trees, four figures moved slowly through the shallow waters. Each person wore strange outfits made of tall grass and swamp reeds, making them almost blend into their surroundings. With each step, their feet sank into the mud all the way to their knees.

    The surrounding air was thick and damp. Countless insects flitted to and fro. From time to time, strange shadows would glide above their heads. Or, they might be startled by spooky cries that sounded like ghosts laughing.

    This swamp was a dangerous area. Entering it meant there was a chance to never leave. One had to be brave or foolish or¡­ full of confidence.

    Zachary stopped to adjust his hat made of reeds. He looked around at the inhospitable land with a serious expression, studying every detail. In front of him, Carlos and Nellie led the way. Behind, Heather acted as the rear guard.

    This was the team Heather and he decided on. She had wanted to bring everyone she could but he insisted they didn¡¯t need so many as it would be a waste. In the end, they compromised on a team of four. But they weren¡¯t the only ones.

    They were surrounded by a wide circle of summons. Each member of Heather¡¯s group had a giant swamp rat. They were hardy creatures and this swamp was no problem for them. Above their head, there was Blue joined by two more flying creatures, a giant mosquito and a small black bat.

    Aside from the scouts, his new teammates had varying numbers of adept rank summons. Heather was the strongest with four while both Carlos and Nellie had three each. This was somewhat surprising as he expected them to have a lot more after surviving so many months. However, recalling the battle between them and the Dark Star Gang, those numbers were probably accurate.

    Adept rank Ensouled were not easy to obtain and those that could be were weak. He was reminded of powerhouses such as the forest elephants and that wolf pack leader. If Heather¡¯s concern was anything to go by, this poison worm could also be strong enough to contend with those creatures.

    There was also the fact that battles were dangerous to both humans and their summons. If a summon suffered severe injuries, they wouldn¡¯t be able to recover, no matter how much time they spent inside the summoner¡¯s soul sea or how many anima crystals were used. Here in the New World, there were no hospitals and pharmacies. Without a summon like Wander, he would be in the same boat as everyone else.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Nellie whispered.

    Carlos and her both stopped in an area that overlooked an open area. But due to the heavy fog, the still waters around them were dim and murky. There was no danger from giant seagulls overhead but that was the least of their worries.

    Zachary caught up to them and peered into the swamp. Nothing moved and it was calm.

    ¡°We can set up here.¡± Heather said softly behind his shoulder, ¡°This is within the worm¡¯s territory. With the proper bait, it will come.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure your bait is effective?¡± Carlos asked gruffly, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t, then this will be a total waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got it,¡± Zachary replied.

    At his instance, they had skipped the usual bait of fresh meat and animal carcasses. This saved them time and effort as such things would surely attract stray beasts. However, Carlos still didn¡¯t trust him and raised a lot of objections along the way.

    ¡°It¡¯s your battle.¡± Heather said, ¡°We¡¯re here to support you.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± He gave her a thankful smile and turned to the others, ¡°Alright, here¡¯s the plan¡­¡±

 98. New Team (IV)

    A burst of rainbow colors illuminated a small patch of the swamp. Compared to the background of olive green, mossy gray, and dark shadows, it was a dazzling display that was sure to attract even dead souls. But as soon as it appeared, the light was gone in a flash.

    A few moments later, Dream emerged once more, deeper into the swamp. It leaped out of the water, forming a small rainbow arc before plunging back in. It continued to do this, moving according to its summoner¡¯s instructions, in order to lure out the poisonous worm.

    Zachary watched from afar, ready to call out a command or cast an emergency recall. He wasn¡¯t too worried, just being careful. Out of his current summons, he felt that Dream had the highest potential aside from Wander. He didn¡¯t want to lose this priceless creature.

    In no time at all, the murky waters in one area started to bubble and froth. A pair of eyes appeared, staring intently at the little rainbow fish. It blinked a few times but didn¡¯t move. It was waiting for something.

    What it was waiting for soon became apparent as a black shape appeared in the distance. Soon, it came into view through the fog, a mountain of mud that seemed to have a gaping mouth. It was huge, at least the same size as a fully-grown forest elephant. With each movement, it created small tides around it. Even the water around Zachary¡¯s lets started sloshing around.

    These two creatures were both at the adept rank but they weren¡¯t what he was looking for. He decided to silently count to ten before recalling Dream. But when he got to eight, the muddy monster suddenly stopped. It then retreated with surprising speed as if it was frightened for its life. The mysterious creature beneath the water also disappeared and the swamp returned to its original eerie calmness.

    ¡°Be careful, it¡¯s coming out.¡± Nellie hissed.

    ¡°Everyone, get ready,¡± Zachary said, more to his summons than the other three.

    Soon, it appeared, the poison worm. It wasn¡¯t too big. From a distance, it looked like a snake as it wiggled over on the surface of the swamp. Its segmented body had a deep purple hue. Its head was covered by a spade-like shell. Two hooked mandibles extended out the bottom of its mouth.

    If he had to describe it, it was incredibly ugly. Although he didn¡¯t have many preferences for summons, such an ill-looking creature was definitely at the bottom of his imagination.

    The worm headed straight for Dream. Its ferocious head moved side to side, tracking Dream¡¯s swimming pattern. Then, without warning, it opened its mouth slightly and shot out a barrage of bright purple poison spitballs.

    Du! Du! Du!

    Small columns of muddy water erupted where the poison landed.

    But Dream was already long gone from that area. It reappeared far away and flapped its rainbow-colored fins, taunting the worm to continue.

    ¡°Hsss!¡±

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    The beast let out a furious cry and gave chase, firing poison rapidly.

    Du! Du! Du!

    Dream swam from side to side, dodging the incoming attacks. As it went, it drew closer and closer to where Zachary lay in wait. The worm was completely focused on its prey, losing awareness of its surroundings. It had also been the ruler of this swamp for so long that it wasn¡¯t afraid of anything. Thus, it quickly entered the ambush area.

    ¡°Onkie!¡± He shouted.

    ¡°Onk! I got it!¡± She snorted and burst out from the shallows.

    Appearing like a ball of brown mud, she charged directly at the worm.

    ¡°Hsss!¡± The creature turned toward Onkie, a vicious glint in its shiny red eyes.

    It shot out a continuous stream of poison. Like high-pressure water out of a pump, it sprayed the general area that Onkie was charging into.

    ¡°Wander!¡± Zachary called out within his soul.

    ¡°Already on it!¡±

    A brilliant green shield shimmered into existence, covering Onkie like an umbrella. It was suspended in midair using Wander¡¯s control and it almost moved along with Onkie, proving an impenetrable shield.

    The worm stopped its attack, stunned at the turnaround. No creature had ever been able to defend against its poison like this before. It looked around in confusion, trying to understand the situation.

    ¡°Whiskers, Doro!¡±

    The blobs rose out of the murky waters and exploded into action. Whiskers was on the worm in an instant, biting down on its butt. Doro, looking like a soggy mess, body-slammed the worm, holding it down so that it couldn¡¯t escape.

    While all of this was happening, Onkie closed the distance and headbutted the worm, knocking its head backward fiercely.

    ¡°Hsss!¡±

    The wild beast thrashed around angrily, knocking Whiskers away and almost pushing Doro¡¯s heavy body off. For such a small creature, it had unordinary strength. But it was too bad, it had already fallen into a trap.

    Whiskers swam back for seconds and bit its butt again. Doro wrapped its arms around the body, trying to squeeze it to death. Meanwhile, Onkie was constantly smashing into its head like a battering ram. After reaching the adept rank, she was a force to be reckoned with.

    ¡°Hssss!¡±

    The worm fought back with desperation. Its whole body began to glow as it emitted motes of deadly purple light.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Heather shouted, ¡°It''s going to use its poison cloud move!¡±

    ¡°Wander!¡±

    Wander popped out of the mud and bit the worm below its head. At the same time, Whiskers and Doro let go and quickly retreated. Then, as a thick black cloud poured out of each segment of the worm¡¯s body, Wander summoned a green dome to cover the two of them only.

    The poison cloud was completely contained within Wander''s shield. It had nowhere to spread, rendering it ineffective. He was still exposed to it but he didn¡¯t care. He simply cast his healing ability on himself which was even easier as he didn¡¯t have to waste air breathing on somebody else.

    The worm thrashed but was unable to escape. Wander¡¯s beak dug into its flesh, drawing viscous green blood. He also found a nearby rock and smashed the worm¡¯s face into it over and over. Without its poison, the worm could do nothing. It was a completely one-sided beatdown.

    Eventually, the worm went limp, having lost all strength to resist. It appeared quite sad, trapped within Wander¡¯s mouth like a tasty snack. It was lucky that Wander was a vegetarian.

    ¡°Good! Wander, drag it over.¡± Zachary said and turned back to Heather, ¡°See, easy.¡±

    She shook her head and laughed, ¡°Your turtle was its perfect counter. Who could have thought? You did pretty well with the circumstances.¡±

    Behind her, Nellie gave Zachary a look of admiration, her eyes shining as she smiled prettily.

    Carlos offered a thumbs up, ¡°That was wild.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Zachary said and went over to Wander and the poison worm.

    When he got about two meters from them, he suddenly sensed a surge of killing intent. He quickly waved his hand in front of his body, creating a shield that blocked a big glob of poison. It impacted with a wet thud before sliding off into the water.

    ¡°Wander.¡±

    ¡°Got it, big bro!¡±

    Zachary let Wander smash the worm¡¯s large head on the rock over and over until its face was turned into mush. Only then did he take out a summoning orb to capture the vicious creature.

 99. Next Steps (I)

    Zachary and Heather¡¯s party returned to Roan Oak Village successfully. The fearsome poison worm had been caught. Being close to the village, not having this dangerous creature roaming free meant peace of mind. Without it, the swamp could also become a bountiful hunting ground.

    As daylight was still plentiful, the members of the village went off to do their own tasks. Soul cultivation, battle training, or even foraging for food; there wasn¡¯t any time to relax. It was the same for Zachary who found a deserted path of trees to greet his new summon.

    He took out the soul orb containing the poison worm. The anima crystal within glowed with vibrant purple light, the color of the attribute of death. Even within the orb, the creature emitted a sharp, vicious aura, full of killing intent.

    It was curious. Among the eight attributes, life and death directly opposed each other. Unless one side overwhelmed the other in terms of soul cultivation, battles would often into stalemates and tests of stamina. In the case of Wander and this worm, Wander had the advantage of physique while the worm relied too much on its poison. If it had tough defenses equal to a turtle, then he had no chance of capturing it.

    ¡°First things first, let¡¯s heal it.¡±

    Zachary touched the orb and connected with the soul bond. He sensed its condition through its soul. The worm was severely injured. The carapace that covered its head had been smashed into pieces. It was bleeding all over from multiple bites. If he summoned it right now, it was likely to die a quick death.

    Normally, healing a summon involved feeding it Eternum which allowed it to slowly recover. If there were any medicinal herbs, the summon could come out to eat it and then quickly go back into its card or orb. However, since he Wander, the issue was hardly a concern.

    Wander barked and activated his healing ability, ¡°This little guy better thank me later.¡±

    Glowing green Eternum surged out of Zachary¡¯s soul sea, traveled through his body, through his soul bond with the worm. The Eternum poured out of his finger and into the soul orb, bathing it with life.

    The worm soul within the orb thrashed around, as if in pain. It tried to escape, it tried to break the soul bond, anything to escape the apparent torture.

    ¡°Ooo, feisty!¡± Wander laughed, ¡°What are you going to call it?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I think Voodoo is suitable.¡±

    ¡°Voodoo. Voodoo. I like it!¡±

    The soul orb shook violently, showing the worm¡¯s discontent. Zachary and Wander both shared a laugh.

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    Soon enough, the worm was back to full strength or close enough to it. A good night¡¯s sleep and it would make a full recovery.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s meet Voodoo. Come out!¡± Zachary said and activated the soul bond.

    A ray of vivid purple light shot out of his brow, landing on the ground in front. It took the shape of the poison worm, purple body and all. It looked around in confusion for a moment before turning to Zachary with a hard glare. Its small black eyes shined with hatred. Its mandibles rubbed together rapidly as if wishing to rip into fresh meat.

    It opened its mouth, letting purple drool onto the ground. Wherever that poison landed, the vegetation around it would quickly wither and die. It started toward Zachary, its segmented body clacking as it crawled. Each movement produced small puffs of black smoke that could cause instant death to any creature that breathed it in.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Zachary ordered.

    ¡°Hsss!¡±

    Voodoo was clearly unwilling. But compelled by the soul bond, it stopped. It could only furiously stare up at its oppressor.

    ¡°Hss! Hssss!¡±

    Zachary frowned. It was difficult to understand the worm. Their soul bond was still new and there was clear resistance from the other soul. Obviously, it was cursing him in all kinds of ways. He didn¡¯t need to understand its speech to know that.

    ¡°Voodoo,¡± He called out in a friendly voice, ¡°My name is Zachary. I am now your summoner. What you feel is a soul bond between us. It¡¯s a unique ability of my species.¡±

    ¡°Hssssss!¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry. But we¡¯re a team now. We should help each other. You have great potential. I can make you stronger than you could have ever imagined.¡±

    ¡°Hsss! Liar! Hsss! Eat shit! Hsss!¡±

    Zachary tried a few more times to make peace. But it proved impossible. It was too strong-willed. It couldn¡¯t be fooled by sweet words or even food.

    This was not that uncommon among wild Ensouled, especially ones with high talent and intelligence. Such a creature would have never accepted a summoning card. It would have rather died. Even with the soul orb, if this went on for too long, it was possible that the worm could break the bond and escape.

    Zachary sighed, ¡°Wander, it¡¯s your turn.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha! About time!¡±

    Wander appeared in front of Voodoo, laughing boldly.

    Voodoo hissed and retreated. This turtle was its mortal enemy. It knew that it couldn¡¯t beat it.

    However, Wander wasn¡¯t slow. He rushed forward and caught the worm¡¯s tail. With a flick, he flung the hapless creature against a nearby tree trunk.

    Voodoo smashed into the tree with a dull thud and slid down. Before it could recover, Wander bit it again and threw it against some rocks.

    ¡°Hss! Turtle bastard! Hsss!¡±

    It spewed a string of insults but it could do nothing else. Physically, it wasn¡¯t a match at all. The worm¡¯s body was long but slender. It didn¡¯t have power like a python. It wasn¡¯t fast either. It relied completely on its poison which it knew was useless.

    ¡°Hss! I¡¯ll kill you all¡­ Ahh!¡±

    Wander simply laughed and continued to beat it up.

    Soon, Voodoo was once again reduced to a blubbery mess. Its head was smashed in and it was bleeding and bruised all over.

    ¡°Peh.¡± Wander spat out some of the poison that got into his mouth and sneered, ¡°Are you going to be obedient now?¡±

    Voodoo hissed weakly, ¡°Go die.¡±

    Wander looked back at Zachary who shrugged.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go again.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    For the rest of the afternoon, the pitiful cries of the bullied echoed through the jungle. What used to be a fearsome despot of its swampy domain turned into a sad little worm. It was beaten up, healed, and beaten up again. In the face of such an unrelenting and unreasonable turtle, the poison worm finally gave up and bowed down in surrender. Even the strongest-willed Ensouled couldn¡¯t bear it, not with such unfair torment.

 100. Next Steps (II)

    That evening, Zachary returned to the village just in time for dinner. The professor, Pedro de Soto, was on guard duty while the rest had gathered around a cooking fire. There was a pot of stew and meat roasting on a spit. The air was filled with fragrance and deliciousness.

    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Heather greeted him and handed him a wooden bowl and a spoon, ¡°How¡¯s the poison worm?¡±

    ¡°Still a little rebellious.¡± He replied.

    She laughed, ¡°I¡¯m sure. I could hear it all the way from here.¡±

    He shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m usually very nice to my summons. This little guy just needs a little more discipline.¡±

    He sat down next to her and looked around. Oliver and Olga were together as usual. On Heather¡¯s other side sat Shuhua, Nellie, and Carlos. They were chatting happily and enjoying each other¡¯s company after a long day. Carlos was bragging about one of his summons reaching the Eight Paths Novice Rank. Nellie was retelling the morning hunt to Shuhua. Oliver complimented Olga on her cooking, earning him appreciative looks from her in return.

    Zachary ate silently and listened intently. He wasn¡¯t trying to be the odd one out. He had a good impression of everyone here. They were all doing their best to survive in this new world, to build a new life from scratch.

    ¡°So, Zachary,¡± Heather said after a while, ¡°What crime did you do that landed you in this dump of a place?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I was just curious. This is one of our customs when we meet someone new. We¡¯re all here for one reason or another. If you want to keep it a secret, that¡¯s fine too. But at least for us, it''s not a big deal. Here, I¡¯ll start.¡± She put down her bowl and cleared her throat, ¡°Heather Glenn-Bower, I was married twice and I killed both husbands.¡±

    Zachary raised his eyebrows.

    She continued without caring, ¡°My first marriage was set up by my parents. I was only twenty. I was supposed to go to university but instead¡­ Anyway, he had a bad habit of beating people, mostly me. I slipped some poison into his food and that was that. No more beatings.¡±

    ¡°As for my second husband, it was a few years later. He wasn¡¯t any good either. He liked to gamble on summoner matches. He wasn¡¯t very good at it and lost all of his money. He even lost my dowry. So, he had to go. Too bad, I got caught the second time around.¡±

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    She finished and saw Zachary¡¯s expression. She laughed and patted his arm, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you¡¯re a good boy, I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    Zachary chuckled nervously which earned him a round of laughter from the others.

    Nellie went next. She was convicted of murder due to an accident during a summoner¡¯s duel. Her summon went out of control and attacked the opposing summoner which was against the rules for normal duels. Usually, such an accident wasn¡¯t a death sentence but her opponent had been the descendent of a powerful family. Thus, her fate was sealed.

    Carlos spoke after. He came from a well-off family. He was only two years older than Zachary. He fell in with some bad people while at university and was then set up by some gangsters. He was accused of several counts of rape and other serious crimes after a drunken night of partying. He tried to fight the charges but there was too much evidence against him.

    Olga worked as a pharmacist in a small town. Her medicine was blamed for the deaths of multiple people and even their summons. She insisted that it was a witch-hunt and she had merely been the scapegoat. She wasn¡¯t even responsible for making the deadly medicine.

    Oliver had a different story. He was a businessman who owned a company that sold summoning supplies such as summoning cards, soul orbs, and anima crystals. He was accused of tax evasion and fraud. He didn¡¯t deny his crimes and even bragged about how much money he managed to cheat the government until Olga shut him up by pinching his cheek.

    ¡°Ow¡­ ow¡­ actually, it was all misunderstanding, a misunderstanding,¡± Oliver said while trying to get away.

    Zachary laughed and turned to the last person, Shuhua. She turned away coldly.

    ¡°Shuhua doesn¡¯t like to talk about it,¡± Heather said, ¡°She was accused of being a spy for the western continent. Even though her family had lived in the republic for three generations. It''s a shitty situation.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Zachary nodded in understanding.

    The western continent was the largest and most populated continent. It started with Duke Wu of the Western Sea who created the first human kingdom. Several empires came and went in the following thousands of years. Currently, it was divided into four kingdoms vying for power and to unite the continent once again.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Wander commented from inside Zachary¡¯s soul, ¡°This western continent sounds like a lot of fun! We should go there sometime.¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­ maybe.¡±

    ¡°As for the professor,¡± Heather pointed to the gatehouse, ¡°It¡¯s a similar situation. He was accused of treason, of selling his research to other nations. Don¡¯t ask him about it or else he will get angry.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Wow, you have some interesting new friends!¡± Wander exclaimed.

    ¡°So, what about you?¡± Heather asked. ¡°Mister mass murderer?¡±

    The others stopped eating and turned to him with curious expressions. There were some signs of worry but most just wanted to hear his side of the story.

    ¡°Uh¡­ yeah. Heather had the cell next to me on the ship so she overheard the guards. Four counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder. It was with good intentions though¡­ They tried to kidnap my girlfriend. So, I killed them.¡±

    Oliver and several others reacted with shocked expressions.

    Heather scooted away a little and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure not to kidnap anyone around you.¡±

    Zachary smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m harmless, most of the time...¡±

 101. Next Steps (III)

    Heather laughed, her melodic voice breaking the tension in the air. Zachary¡¯s crimes were grave but, in some sense, they weren¡¯t crimes at all. Each person sitting around the fire had their own reasons for what they had done. It was difficult to judge right or wrong because they were in the New World and they were not bound by the rules of the old.

    ¡°So, where is this girlfriend now?¡± Heather asked, ¡°Do you think about her?¡±

    ¡°She broke up with me¡­ after I was locked up,¡± Zachary replied.

    Heather¡¯s smile faded, ¡°Ungrateful bitch.¡±

    He sighed, ¡°Ungrateful bitch indeed.¡±

    ¡°But you still want to compete for a pardon and return to the republic?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long answer¡­¡±

    He trailed off and looked around, studying the faces of his companions. Out of the group, Oliver and Olga seemed the most carefree and preoccupied with themselves while Nellie, Shuhua, and Carlos were listening intently to his and Heather¡¯s conversation.

    ¡°What about you?¡± He asked instead, ¡°Do you want to go back?¡±

    ¡°I do and I don¡¯t.¡± Heather said, ¡°It depends on what kind of tricks the republic will pull in the competition for the pardons. If it is too dangerous, I will just give up. I would rather struggle in the New World rather than beg for mercy at the feet of the republic.¡±

    Zachary nodded and turned to Oliver, ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Oliver glanced at Olga and laughed cheerfully, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Us old folks have already decided that staying here is pretty good. Right?¡±

    ¡°Right!¡± Olga nodded, ¡°It might be strange, but after coming here, I feel young again. There are dangers everywhere but that¡¯s what makes it exciting.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Oliver said.

    After that, Nellie and Carlos both expressed their interest in competing for the pardons. They had parents and friends waiting for them, a welcoming home to return to. They were young. They could still build a life after going back and put this nightmare behind them.

    To Zachary¡¯s surprise, Shuhua also expressed her desire to go back. He thought that being convicted of being a spy and traitor was even worse than being a mass murderer. If it was him in that situation, he would not go back. He might have even taken up Katherine¡¯s offer to join a beast cult. However, Shuhua insisted that she was innocent and that getting a pardon would prove that. He couldn¡¯t quite understand it but respected her choice.

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    As night fell, dinner ended in a somber mood. Time was short. There was one month and about one week left until the end of the year. Those who intended to compete for a pardon spot were all feeling the pressure. They had to train their summons and catch more to round out their lineup. They had to get as strong as possible.

    As Nellie and Carlos cleaned up the plates, Heather beckoned to Zachary. Curious, he followed her into her hut. He briefly wondered what she wanted with him, whether it was to chat or something else. If she wanted something else¡­ he would gladly indulge her. She was as far from unattractive as someone could be. Being around her even made him forget about Minah.

    ¡°Zachary, I want to make another deal with you.¡± She said, getting straight to the point.

    ¡°A deal?¡±

    ¡°A deal.¡± She said and sat down at the table. ¡°We¡¯ve only known each other for a short while. You helped me and I¡¯ve helped you in return. Now we¡¯re even. You are not a member of my gang or Roan Oak Village. You are free to come and go as you please. But I hope that we can continue to work together, therefore¡­ a deal.¡±

    He remained standing but nodded for her to continue.

    She rested her chin on her hand and studied him deeply, ¡°You really want to go back. I can see it in your eyes. Whatever unresolved issues you have, you don¡¯t have to explain them to me. I understand. But with your current strength, you won¡¯t be able to compete for the top four amongst the survivors.¡±

    Seeing his expression, she laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a terrible thing. I don¡¯t even think I can rank in the top four right now. Nellie, Shuhua, and the others are even worse. But that¡¯s why we should continue to work together.¡±

    ¡°Alright, what the deal?¡±

    ¡°I have a piece of information, a very precious piece of information. I can give it to you but in exchange, I want something of equal value.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Interesting. Go on.¡±

    ¡°First,¡± She said and pointed a finger at him, ¡°You have a lot of soul orbs. I want to know how many you are willing to spare.¡±

    ¡°Soul orbs?¡±

    Zachary¡¯s hand instinctively reached for his belt and the orbs fastened on it. Then he remembered the leather bag he carried with him. He always had it slung across his back. It never left him, even during meals. Nobody should have known what was inside it as he had never revealed its contents.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. It was just a guess. And it¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to rob you,¡± Heather laughed, ¡°After seven months in this jungle, we have only found one pinecitta tree at the center of the ruins. Your orbs should have come from that tree, right?¡±

    She didn¡¯t wait for a reply and continued, ¡°My gang joined with several other gangs to raid the ruins. Our goal was the tree and the soul orbs. Aaron White was one of the leaders of the cooperative operation. He mentioned that he had tried to raid the tree before with a smaller group. Some orbs were taken during that time. So, unless you discovered another pinecitta tree that wasn¡¯t guarded by a horde of wild Ensouled, you were part of the first group. Am I right?¡±

    ¡°It''s about right.¡± He admitted.

    Heather smiled, ¡°Good. You should understand why soul orbs are so important to me and Roan Oak Village. The summoning cards the republic gave us are trash. They will break after prolonged use and they are useless for adept rank captures. For those that want to stay in the New World long-term, one more soul orb means one more way of protecting their life.¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± Zachary said, ¡°But I have a question. What happened to the tree? It was gone when I checked on the ruins a few weeks ago.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ the wolf pack leader did it. It attacked the tree when it realized its pack was no match for us. I didn¡¯t think a wild beast could be so cunning and vicious. There was no way to save it.¡± Heather finished speaking and looked at Zachary intently, waiting for his decision.

    He didn¡¯t think too hard about it since he had plenty to spare, ¡°I can trade some soul orbs. But how many will depend on the value of your information.¡±

    She smiled again, much wider this time, as if she had gotten a birthday present, ¡°What do you think about this? I know the location of a quintessence spring.¡±

 102. Next Steps (IV)

    ¡°Quintessence spring?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Quintessence spring?¡± Wander asked as well, ¡°What¡¯s that? Is it fun?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zachary replied to Wander within his soul sea, ¡°It is a term for a special concentration of Eternum, usually of a single attribute. There will usually be far more Eternum in that location, so much so that it would clump together and form special materials called quintessences. These are comparable to anima crystals but are naturally occurring. They are very rare and very valuable.¡±

    ¡°Ooh! That sounds awesome! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Zachary ignored Wander¡¯s excitement and asked Heather, ¡°What type of quintessence spring?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to get too close. There was a powerful creature guarding it. But it should be an earth attribute spring.¡± She replied.

    ¡°Earth¡­¡±

    ¡°Think about it. It would be perfect for your earth elemental. If you can utilize the quintessence spring, you can turn your earth elemental into your ace. It has that potential.¡±

    Zachary had to agree. Doro could be considered the summon with the greatest potential behind Wander. It was even better than Voodoo. With earth quintessences, he could also rapidly improve Doro¡¯s soul cultivation, thus improving his own as well in the process.

    That was one of the biggest differences between the strongest survivors and the others. Take Aaron who was at least at the Six Paths Adept Rank. He could summon six adept rank creatures to fight at the same time. It was three times as many as Zachary who was still at the Two Paths Adept Rank. No matter how many adept rank summons he had on hand, if he couldn¡¯t summon them, they were useless.

    ¡°Okay, how many soul orbs do you want?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°How many do you have?¡± She asked.

    The two studied each other, trying to gauge the other¡¯s bottom line.

    Zachary had caught three summons since leaving the underground ruins with Wander, meaning he currently had seventy-three soul orbs to spare. Realistically, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use all of it in a month. Keeping so many wouldn¡¯t help improve his strength.

    ¡°Two octets, sixteen orbs.¡± He offered.

    Heather¡¯s reaction was muted. She didn¡¯t act surprised at the number at all as if she expected it. She pursed her lips in thought and then raised three fingers.

    ¡°Three, three octets.¡±

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    ¡°Twenty-four? Fine. But only after you show me where it is.¡±

    ¡°Half when we set off. Half when we reach the spring.¡± She countered.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Heather held out her hand. Zachary took it and shook it lightly. He was about to let go but she pulled him in.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be so reliable.¡± She said softly, her eyes shining in the dim light. She bit her tongue and gave him a playful smile, ¡°I knew you were my type. If you were just a few years older¡­ Hehe.¡±

    Zachary felt his face flush. But he wasn¡¯t one to act shy in front of women. He also smiled and leaned in closer. Her beautiful face filled his vision and his gaze drifted downward to her lips.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t mind older women at all.¡±

    She held him for a few more moments before bursting into giggles, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll stop teasing you. Hahaha, you¡¯re so serious!¡±

    He laughed long with her, noting with satisfaction that her face was just as red as his probably was.

    After a few more words, Zachary left and returned to his hut. As he stepped inside, Wander came out of his soul sea, spinning around a few times before giving Zachary a disapproving look.

    ¡°Ayah¡­ Big Bro Zach, you are terrible at bargaining. Twenty-four is so many. You could have at least countered with twenty. You shouldn¡¯t have been swayed by her pretty face. Sometimes, you have to have the mindset of a turtle.¡±

    Zachary laughed, ¡°The mindset of a turtle? I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±

    He ignored Wander¡¯s further nagging and summoned Onkie.

    ¡°Onk! Onk! Zacky!¡± She immediately went up to him and rubbed her furry body against his legs.

    He laughed and rubbed her head which made her even happier. She squealed and flopped over, letting him rub her big belly.

    ¡°Not fair, I want a belly rub too!¡± Wander complained.

    ¡°Hehe, if you can roll onto your belly, I¡¯m sure Zacky will rub it,¡± Onkie said.

    Wander realized she was teasing him and stomped the ground in frustration. He was a turtle, so obviously, he couldn''t easily roll onto his back.

    Zachary laughed and patted Onkie¡¯s butt, ¡°Onkie, tonight, I want you to work on a new ability.¡±

    ¡°Onk? New ability? What¡¯s that, is it edible?¡±

    ¡°No, you should already be a little familiar with it. In the past, when you search for food, you often have to dig around for roots and worms in the ground, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Onkie nodded her head vigorously, ¡°Worms are the tastiest, especially the big, fat white grubs. Mmmm, juicy!¡±

    To the side, Wander stuck out his tongue like he wanted to throw up.

    ¡°Yes, just like that. Digging should come naturally to you. I think it would be good to see if we can improve upon it. Before, you¡¯ve only dug shallow holes to look for food. This time, dig should be a proper ability that allows you to hide yourself underground as well as create tunnels to go from one place to another without enemies seeing you.¡±

    As he spoke, he touched a summoning orb on his belt and brought out Doro. The earth elemental let out a long groan in greeting and sat down nearby like a pile of dirt.

    ¡°Doro, let''s help Onkie. Dig a tunnel from here to the outside of the wooden fence. It should be at least one meter deep along the way. Onkie, follow Doro and get a feel for it.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡±

    The two summons set to work. Doro sank into the ground, becoming a part of the earth. Onkie followed, furiously moving her front feet like a pair of little shovels, sending dirt flying everywhere. Since Doro led the way, the ground was softened and was easy to excavate. Onkie did not have an instinct to dig tunnels so it was a learning experience. However, she was still a creature attuned to the element of earth. She learned everything very quickly and got the basics down in one evening.

    Zachary was satisfied. He now had even more anticipation for the earth quintessence spring. Doro would certainly benefit but Onkie would too. As his first summon in the New World, he had a special attachment to her. He wouldn¡¯t let her fall behind the others.

 103. A Long Mission (I)

    After more discussion with Heather, it was decided that they would set off for the quintessence spring in three days. It would be a long trip away from Roan Oak Village so they had to prepare. For Zachary, he wanted to make some quick progress to increase his strength before heading out.

    He currently had three adept rank Ensouled; Wander, Onkie, and Voodoo. However, he could only bring out two of them at the same time due to his soul cultivation at the Two Paths Adept Rank. One of the summons always had to be Wander as that was one of the drawbacks of eternal summoning.

    Heather had spare novice rank anima crystals and gave a lot of them to him as a bonus in exchange for the soul orbs. Zachary would use them to cultivate all of his novice rank summons to the limit of eight paths. It would be tricky to raise them to the adept rank but this was the least he could do.

    Adept rank anima crystals were hard to come by. Simply fighting a wild Ensouled was difficult enough. Killing or capturing one wasn¡¯t guaranteed as they all had excellent survival instincts. Heather¡¯s gang often had to work together and send out an overwhelming force of adept rank summons to overpower one wild adept.

    The situation changed for the better now that Zachary was here, especially with the addition of Voodoo. Seeing their potential, Heather organized hunting trips in the interim to take advantage of his powerful summons. The poisonous swamp wasn¡¯t the only area of interest on her map of targets.

    Zachary ran around nonstop the following few days, heading out with Heather and an alternating number of her group members. They first tackled a bamboo grove that contained a strange Ensouled. It wouldn¡¯t come out to harm other creatures. But if anything tried to enter its territory, it would attack ferociously. Hunting it by normal means was impossible as the creature was like a ghost within its natural environment.

    However, it was no match for Wander who simply wandered into the bamboo grove with his protective shield fully active. The creature attacked as expected but wasn¡¯t able to break his shield. It kept attacking, driven mad by his incessant barking and taunting, and was lured to the edge of the bamboo grove where it was immediately set upon by the other summons in waiting.

    In the end, the professor received a brand new treant. In fact, according to him, it was a new species which he named the bamboo treant. Its main body resided underground while spreading bamboo rhizomes in all directions. It didn¡¯t look like other treants that had a humanoid body. Instead, it was more like a giant knotted root that could walk around using countless tendrils as little feet. It was extremely ugly and Zachary was more than happy to hand the creature off to someone else.

    At the next hunting ground, the gang had to deal with a powerful brown monkey residing in a peach tree. The tree produced delicious peaches but these were all monopolized by the monkey. It attacked anything that dared to come close. If the opponent was too strong, it resorted to hurling the sharp, gnarly pits of the peaches it just ate at its enemies.

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    The monkey was strong, fast, and intelligent. It was an excellent addition to anyone¡¯s lineup. Heather¡¯s gang had tried to capture it many times but the tree was its domain. It was too smart to be beaten up and it also had a seemingly endless supply of peach pits.

    Unfortunately, its reign as the ruler of the peach tree came to a quick end at the hand of Voodoo. Its poison was simply too powerful. The monkey was quick and agile and dodged the first few barrages. But all it took was one purple spitball making contact and it quickly succumbed.

    The monkey went to Shuhua. She was the next in line to receive an adept rank Ensouled. Zachary wanted the monkey too but he couldn¡¯t be too greedy. Heather had to take care of six other people. If one person gained too many benefits, the others would become discontent. It was one of the disadvantages of being in a group. They had to share the spoils with everyone.

    With him added to the mix, they had eight people. It was already a lot. Eight adept ranks Ensouled was a full lineup for an adept rank summoner. But if they had to share, it was only one Ensouled for each person, far from enough.

    After a few whirlwind days, Zachary and Heather swept the nearby hunting grounds clean. They managed to capture a total of seven wild adepts, including the bamboo treant and the peach tree monkey. Zachary¡¯s soul orbs provided great help but it was also a solid group effort. Everybody contributed, showcasing their strength in numbers. Their efficiency far surpassed what he could do alone.

    The seven new adepts went to each person in Heather¡¯s gang. Zachary was left out because he recently got Voodoo so it was considered fair. Still, Heather didn¡¯t forget about him and gave him two adept rank anima crystals as compensation and to show her appreciation. These were all that her gang had at the moment. She gave them to him in hopes that Doro could break through before the mission to the quintessence spring.

    Zachary quickly set to work. It was the final night before they were to set off. He dug a deep hole inside his hut and went underground with Doro. He let the earth elemental sink into the dirt and sat on top of its head. With the anima crystal between his palms, he entered soul cultivation, drawing the abundant Eternum energy from within into his soul. At the same time, Doro let the energy of the surrounding earth flow into its body.

    Together, summoner and summon cultivated deep into the night. Doro¡¯s soul sea was surging, moving with unstoppable force like a landslide. But it still wasn¡¯t quite enough. The first anima crystal was expended and the second quickly took its place. Eternum flowed between their two souls, strengthening the connection.

    It was a long, tedious process. He could not feed too much to Doro at once or else its soul would be damaged. If he fed too little, there would not be enough stimulation and the energy would be wasted. He needed steadiness and control and stamina, especially because Doro was talented and its soul sea was already vast.

    Sweat poured down Zachary¡¯s brow. Sweat poured down his bare chest and formed a small puddle on the ground. By now, he was feeding his own soul energy into Doro as well. And when he was exhausted, Wander took over, using the borrowed power ability to supply Zachary with soul energy which was, in turn, sent to Doro.

    Oomm.

    A deep reverberation shook the ground beneath him.

    Ooommm.

    The moment he had been waiting for came. He quickly collected all the remaining strength he and Wander had and sent it all through to Doro. Doro then let out a mighty roar, making the underground world tremble all around them. Waves of Eternum radiated in all directions like an earthquake, like the lord of the earth awakening from a long slumber.

    Ooommmmm.

    Finally, Doro broke through.

 104. A Long Mission (II)

    The next day came and Zachary and the gang set out for the long mission bright and early. With him were Heather, Shuhua, and Carlos. They headed along a well-established path through the underbrush and headed east. The quintessence spring was located within the mountainous region. He had never gone so deep into the jungle. He didn¡¯t know what to expect and was on full alert.

    ¡°Blue, usual scouting pattern.¡± He said and let the blue bird fly off, ¡°Boba, stay sharp. We¡¯re heading into dangerous territory.¡±

    Carlos laughed from behind, ¡°Are you always this anxious? We haven¡¯t even left our territory. How did you survive so long on your own?¡±

    He was riding a large, brown pill bug. It was one of his adept rank summons that was good at strength and defense. It was a passable mount even if its crawling speed was a little slow. It also looked like an uncomfortable ride.

    Zachary laughed and retorted, ¡°Very carefully.¡±

    He was riding Doro, or more accurately, the wave of dirt it created. After the breakthrough, Doro grew bigger and learned a new ability. He aptly called it earth surfing as Doro could move the earth like waves. The sitting atop it was quite smooth, much better than the pill bug.

    ¡°How do you feel, Doro?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Rahh¡­ fine, I guess.¡±

    Its voice was deep and slow. It carried a great sense of comfort and strength, like a friendly giant dog. But when it was angered, it was a completely different beast.

    ¡°How do you¡­ feel?¡± It asked.

    ¡°Pretty good, although it would be amazing if there was a backrest.¡±

    ¡°Rah¡­ what is¡­ a backrest?¡±

    Zachary explained the basics of it. Doro understood and formed a rough mound of earth as a backrest. Aside from the little worms and bugs that scurried everywhere in a panic, it looked very comfortable.

    ¡°Ahh, now that¡¯s the stuff,¡± Zachary said, full of satisfaction, as he leaned back and put his hands behind his head.

    Heather cut them off before Carlos could retort, ¡°Stay focused, there¡¯s plenty of time to chat when we make camp.¡±

    The two ladies in front were riding a summon together, a large grey wolf. The beast surely came from the wolf pack that occupied the ruins, probably as a novice rank and cultivated to the adept rank. It wasn¡¯t the pack leader but it was still big enough to fit two people. Shuhua was holding onto Heather for dear life, looking quite miserable. Heather was unperturbed, glancing left and right as her powerful green mantis cleared the way.

    They had a long trip ahead of them which is why they were riding their summons. At the adept rank, these Ensouled were already much stronger than humans. They could easily serve as mounts with varying levels of speed and comfort without wasting too much strength. If a summon got tired or reached the limit of its summoning, it could always be switched out for another one. This way, their pace more than doubled compared to simply walking.

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    They were a strong group, so they didn¡¯t expect much trouble. Heather had five adept rank summons while Shuhua, Carlos, and Zachary had four each. Theoretically, they could even hold their own against a pack of forest elephants. Still, it was better not to get into unnecessary fights and conserve their strength before reaching the quintessence spring.

    The group stopped to rest at midday when it was most humid and the heart was unbearable. This also allowed them to swap out mounts as needed. Zachary gave Doro a rest and summoned Onkie. He almost laughed when Carlos revealed his replacement mount which was a stag beetle. It seemed that he had encountered another bug catcher after Jean-Pierre.

    ¡°How is it? Am I heavy?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Nope! Zachy is not heavy!¡± Onkie squealed.

    She bounced around with happiness, leading to him being thrown off.

    ¡°Oh, no! Is Zachy hurt?¡±

    Zachary patted the dirt off his butt and laughed, ¡°No, no. But try not to make sudden movements. I will also hold onto your hair for extra stability.¡±

    ¡°What is stability?¡±

    ¡°So, I won¡¯t fall off.¡±

    ¡°Onn.¡± She nodded her head eagerly.

    It took a few tries to get used to riding Onkie but she was a good sport about it. It was much less comfortable than earth surfing but Onkie¡¯s fur at least provided a good cushion for his butt, unlike the hard bumpy shell of a stag beetle.

    ¡°If Onkie gets tired, I can give you a ride.¡± Wander offered.

    ¡°Yeah, no way. It will be faster for me to walk.¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s offensive!¡±

    ¡°How is that offensive?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s offensive to call a turtle slow!¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The journey continued even as Zachary and Wander continued to argue over inane things. Wander was having too much fun. He saw so many new things, met all kinds of strange Ensouled. He even wanted to fight the pill bug to see whose shell was the strongest but Zachary talked him out of it.

    The afternoon passed by quickly. They left the territory of the village and entered the wilderness. They took a slightly circuitous route to avoid the territory of the Dark Star Gang. It would have saved half a day to cut through there but that would have probably started a small-scale war.

    They also didn¡¯t want to alert any of their rivals unnecessarily. Heather assured him that nobody else knew about the quintessence mine. But if people followed them, then the secret would be out.

    They fought off some stray Ensouled here and there but it was mostly quiet. The aura of so many adept ranks together made for a formidable force. The jungle seemed to part in front of them, leaving a tranquil path ahead. Of course, this was only because they were following trails established by the herds of forest elephants. If they left the trails, it would be another story.

    As the sun set, the group set up camp beneath a giant tree. The group had three treants between them, an adept rank for Shuhua and novice ranks for Heather and Zachary. They used the treants to scout the area thoroughly to make sure the jungle wouldn¡¯t come alive and eat them during the night.

    Zachary volunteered for first sentry duty and picked a spot on a large, jutting branch. As he was climbing, a sound he hadn¡¯t heard in a while made him pause.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ hoo!¡± It was an owl¡¯s call, drifting hauntingly from the darkness amidst the rustling leaves and branches.

    He frowned and tried to find the source, using his soul sense as well as his special sensitivity toward Ensouled. There was nothing. The creature was already gone or maybe it was never there.

    It was strange. He had heard an owl during the first few days in the New World. He assumed there would be many owls in this jungle. But he didn¡¯t hear any owl calls after that, all the way until now.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Heather asked from below.

    This brought him back and he quickly replied, ¡°Nothing, just remembered something from a few months ago. You guys go to sleep. I got this.¡±

    He clambered onto the branch and waved.

    Heather waved back with a smile and left.

 105. A Long Mission (III)

    The night passed by uneventfully. Zachary didn¡¯t hear the owl again. The next day, they set off early, continuing east. They followed the forest elephant trails as far as they could and then cut into the dense jungle.

    Heather¡¯s green mantis, named Toby, led the way, slashing the underbrush with ease. It was a powerful creature, well worthy of respect. Its two forelimbs were like a pair of sharp blades. Zachary had encountered this species a few times before. They were all strong, even at the novice rank. At the adept rank, they were suitable to serve as the ace of a summoner¡¯s lineup.

    The group took turns taking the lead. Shuhua didn¡¯t have a summon like the green mantis but she had something almost as good, the powerful peach-eating monkey she had caught the other day. It was bigger than the mantis and full of rippling muscles beneath its short brown hair. More importantly, it was smart.

    Heather¡¯s gang had hunted a lot of novice rank Ensouled throughout the months, many of them the same mantis species as Toby. Their forelimbs were harvested to use as weapons. Even Zachary was given one. It took Shuhua only a few moments to teach the monkey, which she named Peony, how to use the mantis blade to hack at the branches and vines.

    The monkey was highly effective at its task and the group made great progress.

    In the afternoon, it was Carlos¡¯ turn at the front. He didn¡¯t fare as well as Heather or Shuhua. His summons were mostly brute force types. Thus, he had to do much of hacking himself with a mantis forelimb while his summons pushed their way through.

    ¡°Damn it¡­ why couldn¡¯t I get that monkey.¡± He grunted as his makeshift machete got stuck on a particularly large branch.

    He strained to get it loose, making him curse a few more times.

    Heather, who was walking besides Zachary, laughed, ¡°Someone is cranky. Hey Carlos, stop whining like a bitch!¡±

    "Shut up!" Carlos retorted.

    She laughed mockingly.

    After seeing Zachary¡¯s apparent lack of a reaction, she explained, ¡°Carlos was next in line after Shuhua. He got unlucky.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ but wasn¡¯t it your decision which targets to hunt first?¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Hey!¡± She held a finger to her lips and shushed him.

    ¡°Hahaha! I see, I see.¡± Zachary replied.

    He laughed some more when he saw Carlos and Shuhua starting an argument in front of them.

    ¡°Lend me your monkey,¡± Carlos said.

    ¡°No! Peony is tired!¡±

    ¡°Why did you name him Peony?¡±

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    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Carlos grunted in anger and hacked at a defenseless bush to vent.

    Shuhua snorted, ¡°You want my Peony? It''s not impossible, I can trade him to you for Broody and Fury.¡±

    ¡°Broody and Fury? Are you insane? No way! In what world is your monkey worth two adept ranks? You''re dreaming!¡±

    ¡°Okay? And you¡¯re delusional.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡± Zachary turned to Heather, silently asking when they were going to stop.

    ¡°They¡¯re always like this. And besides, how else would we pass the time?¡±

    He shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t like to argue with people. Makes me nervous that I might say something I''ll regret.¡±

    "Hmm, maybe we have something in common." Heather said with a straight face, "Given the fact that I¡¯m stuck here for getting rid of two husbands, maybe I also don¡¯t like arguing with people.¡±

    Zachary made a face, not knowing how to respond to that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re not my husband so you¡¯re safe.¡±

    He chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± She added, ¡°You are very cute. If we weren¡¯t in the middle of a jungle, I might be tempted to ask you out.¡±

    She giggled at his expression, ¡°What? You know you¡¯re good-looking, don¡¯t pretend to be ignorant.¡±

    He shook his head and didn¡¯t bother responding to her flirting. He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t attracted to her. But his mind was focused on the mission and on quickly getting stronger. Everything could wait.

    ¡°So, how long were you and your girlfriend together?¡± She asked, changing the subject.

    Zachary sighed in response and ran a hand through his long hair. The two kids up front were still arguing, now about which way they should go to bypass a potentially dangerous area. He turned back to Heather who was still looking at him expectantly.

    ¡°Pretty long.¡± He finally admitted, ¡°Nine¡­ actually ten years.¡±

    ¡°Ten years? Wow! Childhood sweethearts? That¡¯s so cute!¡± Heather gushed.

    But seeing his sad expression, she sobered quickly, ¡°Sorry. I didn''t mean...¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re right. It was cute. She was cute.¡± He laughed, almost in self-mockery, ¡°I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off her. She was the most beautiful girl I have ever met.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Heather prodded gently, eager for a good story, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ not much at first. I lived in a small seaside town. She came from the city with her mother. Everybody liked her. But lucky for me, she lived pretty close to me. We would always walk together to and from school.¡±

    ¡°Aww.¡± She squealed, ¡°That is the cutest! You¡¯re so adorable!¡±

    He scoffed but he didn¡¯t dislike her calling him that. He was surprised. He didn¡¯t think he would ever willingly speak about Minah to others. But Heather had a strangely disarming and pleasant aura. It made him feel at ease.

    ¡°Yeah, even our parents thought so. My mom always said that she knew we would end up together. We became friends and we were pretty much inseparable from then on. We even got accepted to the same university. I can''t remember exactly when we became a couple. It sort of just happened. I was even going to ask her to marry me¡­¡±

    He trailed off, losing himself to the countless memories.

    She let him reminisce for a while before asking, ¡°Why did she break up with you? If you had known each other for so long, the least she could have done was stay true to you until the end. Even if you were given the death penalty, it was the least she could have done.¡±

    ¡°Why did she break up with me?¡± Zachary paused for a long time, searching for an answer he didn¡¯t have, ¡°I guess¡­ I guess¡­¡±

    He sighed, ¡°I guess I never really understood her. I thought I did. We knew each other for so long, I thought I knew everything about her, what she liked, what she disliked, her personality, her moods, her feelings¡­ but in the end... I didn''t even know who she was.¡±

    He cursed under his breath and looked away. That was pretty much all of it, his frustration and regret about the whole issue. The human heart was so difficult. It was hidden behind so many lies, so much uncertainty. He hated it.

    It was wholly different between him and his summons. Before, it was Yaoyao. Now it was Onkie, Blue, and especially Wander. With them, there were no lies, no tricks, only a genuine bond between souls that would last for eternity.

 106. The Mountains (I)

    Zachary and Heather¡¯s gang continued eastward. Sleep, eat, travel, rest¡­ four days straight, they cut their way through the jungle. They even crossed two large rivers while fighting off a small flock of seagulls.

    Voodoo managed to wound one of the seagulls but the giant bird flew far away before it succumbed so it couldn¡¯t be captured. Even if they did capture one, it wasn¡¯t that useful at the moment as the beast was too large to fly beneath the thick jungle foliage. Above the trees, it would simply become food for its kind.

    Similarly, they weren¡¯t able to capture any other wild Ensouled. Weaker runs ran for cover while they had to avoid the stronger packs and nests. They also didn¡¯t want to waste time setting traps or preparing a hunting ground. Their target was the quintessence mine. It would provide far more benefits than even a few adept rank Ensouled.

    On the fifth day after leaving Roan Oak Village, the terrain changed drastically. There were still plenty of trees everywhere but large, barren hills started to appear around them. One after another, they peeked above the green foliage like giant black blisters. The surface of each hill was dotted with circular pits, each one a nest for the giant seagulls.

    Flights of two to four seagulls would often pass overhead, making the group duck for cover. These overgrown chickens were either heading out to hunt or coming back with fresh prey. Zachary briefly wondered how seagull eggs would taste but he quickly gave up on the idea. Even the navy captain''s expert rank armored eagle was torn to pieces by these ferocious beasts.

    ¡°Are we there yet?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Not yet, almost. Past the first few mountains, then we¡¯ll be close.¡± Heather said.

    ¡°You know, when you said mountains, I thought it was the mountain range we saw from the ocean. These are more like hills, really strange hills.¡± He said.

    ¡°No, it''s not those mountains. Those are too far away. These ones, I suppose you can call them hills. But what if I told you they are actually mountains of seagull poop?¡±

    ¡°Eh? Bird poop?¡±

    ¡°Yup, the professor confirmed it when I brought him here once. He says these are giant mounds of bird poop created after countless generations and millenniums of giant seagulls residing in this area. Supposedly, it''s quite a precious resource in special agriculture and the growing of plant-based Ensouled. At least, that¡¯s what the professor says.¡±

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    He laughed, ¡°Wow...  actual mountains¡­ of shit.¡±

    The group shared a laugh and continued on their way. They didn¡¯t have far to go. After passing by four mountains of bird poop, they were finally there, the quintessence spring.

    ¡°We have arrived,¡± Heather said.

    At first glance, it didn¡¯t seem like much. It was just an ordinary patch of jungle. The trees looked the same. The bushes and vines were the same.

    However, things were clearly different. There was an attractive fragrance in the air. It smelled like dirt, but pristine dirt filled with the richness of pure Eternum. It was clean and fresh. It was hard to describe the smell of dirt like this but there was no other way.

    When Zachary looked down at his feet, he realized that the ground was of a different color. It was a vibrant reddish-brown, a far more intense hue than the ordinary brown elsewhere throughout the jungle. Then there was the energy all around him, there was so much of it. He felt like he was bathing in a thick ooze of earthy power. He took a deep breath and his whole body was filled with strength. The earth path of his soul sea opened wide, letting it all flow in without end. It was strange, it was wonderful, like nothing he had experienced before.

    ¡°What am I supposed to be looking at?¡± Carlos asked, stubbing his toes into the soft earth, ¡°There¡¯s nothing here.¡±

    Shuhua scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t be dense. Even a novice could tell that there¡¯s something extraordinary here. We just can¡¯t see it.¡±

    Zachary knelt on one knee and grabbed a handful. He brought it up to his nose and took a whiff. The smell was far more intense but the concentration of Eternum didn¡¯t change. He got up and patted his hands clean. He looked around for anything interesting before summoning Doro.

    ¡°Rahh!¡± Doro roared as he appeared, swinging his considerably large fists around in the air, ready for a fight, ¡°Big Brother Zach, what is your command?¡±

    Doro didn¡¯t quite understand the concept of names yet but Wander had convinced it to call him Big Brother Zach. It also called Wander big brother since the turtle had seniority.

    ¡°Go into the ground and get a sense of the area. Tell me if there is anything interesting.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± It replied in a deep voice and sank into the ground.

    After a short while, it reemerged and pointed further east, ¡°There are things over there.¡±

    ¡°What is it? Do you recognize it?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t. But lots of earth. Lots of Eternum. And energy!¡± It replied slowly.

    Heather walked up beside Zachary, her arms crossed smugly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad you accepted the trade? An untapped earth element quintessence spring. Think about how precious this is, how much untapped potential is beneath our feet.¡±

    ¡°Right, and you wouldn¡¯t have told me about it if you could mine it yourself. So, what kind of monster is guarding this place?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Come,¡± She beckoned to him and started climbing the biggest tree nearby with the help of her mantis.

    He summoned Archer and followed, grabbing one of its leafy legs for an extra boost. Together, they stood on a branch halfway up the trunk and peered eastward.

    ¡°See that?¡± She pointed to a dark spot between the trees a short distance away, ¡°It¡¯s an opening to a cave. There should be earth quintessences within. However, this is about as close as we can get because that place is the lair of a scorpion dragon.¡±

 107. The Mountains (II)

    "A scorpion dragon? Are you serious?" Carlos asked before Zachary could.

    "Yeah, I''m serious. I lost four summons to that beast. And I almost died. I''m pretty fucking sure." Heather said.

    Carlos cursed. He quickly took several large steps away from the cave entrance, as if the scorpion dragon was about to leap out of the ground and charge at them. Shuhua looked around nervously before moving to hide behind Heather. Zachary didn''t react so strongly but he was also worried even if he didn''t show it. A scorpion dragon was the last thing he expected.

    "Eh? What''s a scorpion dragon? Is it scary?" Wander asked.

    Zachary paused to gather his thoughts before explaining, "A scorpion dragon is a powerful and infamous Ensouled. It is not a true dragon like the Sky Dragon of the Eight Saint Emperors. It''s actually an insect. Its front half looks like a centipede while its back half is like a scorpion. It not only has deadly poison, it is also attuned to the attributes of earth and night. It''s an incredibly rare triple element Ensouled with an epic grade talent, meaning it has the potential of reaching the noble rank at least."

    "I see. But why is it infamous?" Wander asked.

    "According to rumors, scorpion dragons are popular summons of the blood church," Zachary said.

    "Wow! The blood church! Amazing!"

    Zachary had told Wander various tales about the Old World and that had included the beast cults, the blood church, and the nations that he knew about. The turtle was interested in all of it, often asking complex questions that he knew nothing about.

    "Ooohh! Big Bro Zach, do you think there is a secret blood church base somewhere in this jungle? Wait! What if... the republic military is working together with the church? That would be awesome!"

    Zachary rubbed his head and tried to ignore the Wander''s excited shouting. But he couldn''t completely block out his crazy theories and he even felt some of them were possible.

    The blood church was here. He had encountered a few blood church members at the start. Running into a scorpion dragon now... felt like it might not be a coincidence.

    "Are you thinking what I think you''re thinking?" Heather asked.

    He frowned, "I''m thinking... why is there such an Ensouled here? It doesn''t make sense. It''s not native to this land."

    She nodded, "Exactly."

    A silence fell over the group as each person had their thoughts but didn''t dare to voice them. How did a scorpion dragon end up here? Was it placed here intentionally to cultivate using the quintessence spring? Could the blood church have an outpost here already? There were too many questions and even scarier answers.

    Heather sighed, "It doesn''t matter. I didn''t bring you all here to fight the scorpion dragon. We''re just here for the quintessences. Zach, what do you think? Can Doro do it?"

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    This was the critical question and why they had trekked across half the jungle to this place. If there was no way to obtain the quintessences safely, then it was better to give up and look for other ways to get stronger. After surviving for so many months in the New World, each person had gone through countless hardships and cherished their life.

    Heather continued and explained her idea, "This cave is probably not a natural one but one dug by the scorpion dragon. Based on the rich aura of the surrounding soil, there are plenty of quintessences left in this spring. The beast is content protecting its nest and its riches. It doesn''t even need to come out and hunt for food. So..."

    "So," Zachary cut in, "You want to let Doro sneak over, grab a few, and hope for the best."

    She looked at him and shrugged, "Yeah, do you have a better idea?"

    He paused for a moment but then shook his head helplessly, "I don''t. But you could have told me beforehand. Damn it!"

    He felt like he had been played. He knew a treasure like a quintessence spring would be guarded by wild Ensouled. It was the case for the pinecitta tree as well, it would be the case for the spring as well. He just didn''t expect such a ferocious creature. He should have known. It was like he was falling for the same trick all over again.

    "Don''t be like that," She said imploringly, "Doro is the only one that can do it. I wouldn''t have told you about the spring if I didn''t think there was a chance and I wouldn''t have wasted everyone''s time coming here. I''m not trying to trick you."

    "Fine, fine. Just let me think about it." He replied in frustration.

    He understood the situation but he was still reluctant. It was true that Doro was probably the only Ensouled that could do this, steal quintessences for under a scorpion dragon''s big, ugly nose if it even had one. As an earth elemental, Doro could underground without the noise of digging or even disturbing the earth. It would be able to approach the cave without alerting the scorpion dragon.

    However, the question remained whether Doro could find a quintessence, grab it, and make a timely escape before the scorpion dragon realized what was happening. And it would have to do that more than once, more than a few times in order for the trip to be worthwhile. There was risk but also reward. If it worked, he could rapidly increase Doro''s soul cultivation to the Two Paths Adept Rank and then the Three Paths Adept Rank. He would then be able to improve his soul cultivation at the same time. The earth quintessences would also help Wander and Onkie, drastically improving the overall strength of his summon lineup. But if he gave up without trying, he would have to find other ways to get stronger and lose precious time. He might also lose the support of Heather and her gang which would mean additional losses in time and efficiency.

    He had to make a decision. It was a decision he had already made once before.

    "We won''t know unless we try," Zachary said finally.

    His words brought obvious relief to Heather''s face and she gave him a genuine smile.

    He ignored it and continued, "We will have to make some preparations, for Doro''s safety and our own. First of all, we should establish two clear paths of retreat. If the scorpion dragon comes out of the cave and comes charging at us, I don''t want to trip over tree roots or have to fight through thorny vines to escape. I need the paths to be cleared of all vegetation and flattened so we can flee at full speed if needed."

    "We can do that," Heather said.

    "Next, I''ll need a perimeter cleared out around the quintessence spring. I want to probe the spring from multiple directions and I need to be in a position to cast rapid recall on Doro."

    "Got it."

    "Lastly, we passed by a stream not too far away. I''ll dig a canal from it to the cave as close as possible. That way, I can use Dream in an emergency."

    Zachary couldn''t think of anything else and looked at the other three. Heather gave him a thumbs-up and a smile. Carlos was nodding his head in agreement while Shuhua still looked worried.

    "I like it," Heather said, "Carlos, Shuhua, you two deal with one escape path each, make sure they aren''t too close to each other. I will handle the perimeter. Sound good?"

    "Yes, boss!"

    "Alright!"

 108. Earth Quintessence (I)

    The gang worked through the day and into the next morning. Heather and Zachary together cleared a circular perimeter around the cave entrance. Heather utilized her mantis, named Toby, and gray wolf, named Max, to cut through the thick underbrush. A trio of treants; Zachary¡¯s Elmont, Heather¡¯s Roger, and Shuhua¡¯s adept rank Magnolia, worked hand in hand to sweep away the debris created. Then came Doro who used earth surfing to reshape the ground until it was flat.

    Zachary then worked on a canal for Dream. He had Onkie dig a small trench from an upper part of the stream to the cave entrance. Heather had assured him that the scorpion dragon wouldn¡¯t awaken unless something entered its lair. However, he didn¡¯t want to use Onkie as a test subject to her claim so he only dug to about ten meters from the cave before veering back toward the stream.

    With water flowing through the canal and preparations finished, the gang rested briefly and began the operation in the early afternoon. Zachary decided to start on the southern side of the cave since Dream¡¯s position was on the northern side. This provided the greatest chance of distracting the beast and getting away should something happen. Dream shouldn¡¯t be in too much danger due to its speed. Also, Blue was instructed to wait at the end of the canal to pick Dream up and fly to safety.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Heather asked.

    Zachary, who was still running through various possibilities in his head, looked up at her and sighed. He ran a hand nervously through his hair. There was nothing else to do except give it a try.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He said.

    Heather lifted her hand. A small green and yellow colored parrot flew off its perch above their head. It headed toward Carlos and Shuhua who were guarding the two escape paths. Now, they were truly ready.

    ¡°Doro.¡±

    ¡°Rahh¡­¡± Doro¡¯s head emerged from the ground like a lump of dirt.

    ¡°Remember what you have to do. Head for the closest source of energy. Move as quietly as you can. Once you can grab it, there is no need to rush to get back to me. Pay attention to your surroundings. If you sense danger, drop the quintessence and flee.¡±

    ¡°Understood, Big Brother Zach.¡±

    Doro sank into the ground and headed off. Zachary could sense his progress through their soul bond. So far, so good.

    He crouched down to await Doro¡¯s return, silently, nervously. His senses were on full alert, eyes darting left and right, ears perked for the slightest sound. He also activated his special soul sense, burning large amounts of soul energy in the process, to make sure he could have the earliest warning if the scorpion dragon awoke.

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    Doro continued steadily, reaching halfway to the cave entrance without issue. The quitessences were sure to be spread out. Some would be deeper than others. Hopefully, there was one located close to the surface.

    ¡°Kaw! Kaw!¡±

    A flock of giant seagulls flew overhead. Zachary jumped and cursed under his breath. He quickly refocused, sending a reassuring thought to Doro.

    Things calmed down again after that. Small insects buzzed around his head but he didn¡¯t bother to swat them away. Strange cries would occasionally echo from the distance. A gust of wind caused the trees to sway and creak and the leaves to rustle in a cryptic melody. This was the New World, where wild Ensouled ruled. He was still a tiny, insignificant existence, struggling to survive. Anything could happen. It was difficult but the only thing he could do was to expect the unexpected.

    ¡°Rah!¡± Roro grunted as he reemerged.

    ¡°Eh? Back already?¡± Zachary asked.

    He didn¡¯t expect it would go so smoothly.

    ¡°Yes, back.¡±

    ¡°Did you get it?¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Doro rose out of the ground a little higher and pushed a reddish-brown lump out of its chest. It was a rock, roughly rectangular, and with fine layers of black, red, gray, and other earthly tones. It wasn''t big, about the size of his head but it already contained countless layers compressed into solid rock.

    ¡°Earth quintessence.¡± Zachary breathed out, his eyes shining with excitement.

    This was the real deal. He could feel it, the tremendous amount of energy held inside this rock. It was vast and mighty like the earth. It wasn¡¯t a sparkly gem like anima crystals but it still gave him a sense of wonder and euphoria.

    ¡°He got it?¡± Heather asked in surprise, ¡°That looks pretty cool. I¡¯ve never seen an earth quintessence like that before.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen one in real life, but I have seen one like this in textbooks,¡± Zachary said, ¡°They come in many different shapes and sizes. They aren¡¯t as uniform as anima crystals since they are naturally occurring. It depends on the specific environment of the quintessence spring.¡±

    Quintessences were one of the most mysterious things in existence. It was deeply intwined with the worldly energy of Eternum as well as natural laws. A place rich in Eternum all around might not ever form quintessence springs but there might be one in the middle of nowhere. Many devoted their life to studying this phenomenon. Such knowledge was beyond that of a university student.

    ¡°How much do you think this piece is worth?¡± Heather asked.

    ¡°Not sure. The amount of Eternum contained inside can also vary. We¡¯ll only know once we use it to cultivate.¡± Zachary pointed to the rock and asked Doro, ¡°Is this the smallest piece or just the closest one.¡±

    ¡°Closest.¡±

    ¡°Are the other pieces close to this one?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Zachary glanced at Heather, ¡°Shall we continue?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Zachary sent Doro out once again. Like a silent hunter, his earth elemental swam through the ground and retrieved two more chunks of earth quintessence. These were smaller than the first one but not by much. After this, Zachary decided to switch positions as Doro said it would have to dig deeper to get another piece.

    The afternoon passed just like this, everyone waiting nervously while Doro did all the hard work. On the eastern side, they were able to easily obtain two pieces. On the northern side, it was again three pieces. And finally, to close out the day, they obtained a single large piece from the eastern side.

 109. Earth Quintessence (II)

    ¡°So, how do we split the rewards?¡± Carlos asked as the sun was about to set.

    It had been a productive day. They had obtained nine pieces of earth quintessence. But it had mostly been Doro¡¯s hard work. Everyone else just sat around and watched.

    Zachary frowned. This was something he had not discussed with Heather beforehand. The excitement of reaching the quintessence spring and figuring out how to deal with the scorpion dragon made him forget this important detail.

    Heather walked up to him with a cute smile, ¡°I am sure you won¡¯t be satisfied with equal shares. How about this? Since Doro did the hard part, we can count it as an additional member, meaning we divide by five and you get two shares.¡±

    Zachary considered it briefly and asked within his soul, ¡°Wander, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ two out of five sounds pretty good.¡± Wander replied lazily. ¡°Somehow, I think you are still be getting ripped off but I too hungry to worry about it.¡±

    Zachary silently chided the turtle before nodding to Heather, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    She smiled and held out an open palm.

    ¡°What?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I need the rest of my soul orbs now.¡±

    Zachary smiled wryly. It was another thing he had forgotten in the heat of the moment. He opened his supply bag and counted out twelve soul orbs. He handed them over, thus completing their initial deal.

    As for the earth quintessences, Heather¡¯s gang was quite efficient in dividing it up. They had probably done it many times before among themselves. They set up a rough weighing system with vine rope and a wooden plank chopped into shape by Heather¡¯s mantis. Zachary was impressed and had no problem with it.

    In the end, Zachary received three pieces of quintessence. The combined weight of the stones came to about two-fifths of the overall. It was only a rough measure but nobody raised a fuss. They all expected to gather more tomorrow.

    Dinner was a simple affair. Each person took care of their summons and settled in for the night. Zachary fed Sugo''s seaweed to Wander and spare novice rank anima crystals to the others. His lineup had grown large and it was a time-consuming process. It was completely dark by the time he got around to Doro.

    ¡°Doro, sorry I made you wait.¡±

    ¡°Guh¡­ it¡¯s alright.¡±

    Zachary patted the mound of dirt that was its head, ¡°How about we find out what¡¯s so special about these rocks.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Doro lifted the first piece of quintessence, the smallest, off the ground. Zachary held out both palms and pressed them against the cool surface. He then closed his eyes and opened the earth path within his soul.

    The first goal was to improve Doro¡¯s soul cultivation. If Doro was stronger, it could move through the earth easier and faster. They would be able to collect more quintessences with less risk. The next goal was his own soul cultivation. When Doro broke through to the Three Paths Adept Rank, he would also have a chance of advancing. It was a feedback effect unique to humans and their summons. It wasn¡¯t guaranteed but the higher the talent of the Ensouled, the greater the chance of a breakthrough for the summoner. If it didn¡¯t work with Doro, he still had Wander who he had complete faith in.

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    ¡°Hahh¡­¡± Doro let out a contented sigh as the Eternum started to flow.

    To Zachary, it was a new experience. He had never had the opportunity to cultivate with quintessence before, only anima crystals. They were far too expensive back in the Old World. Now, he understood why.

    The energy was so pure. It was so pure that it was flawless. It was a magical feeling. It was as if he had been plunged into a fathomless pool of earth. Like water, it surrounded him from all sides and filled his body, all the way to his soul.

    Anima crystals were never like this, even crystals from earth-attribute Ensouled. Crystals came from living souls which always had eight paths and eight attributes. Even if the Ensouled was a creature of earth like Doro, it had still absorbed other attributes of Eternum throughout its life. Such impurities would forever remain within its soul and its anima crystal.

    Quintessences, on the other hand, were immaculate materializations of a single element. There was no other element. These treasures were born out of nature and the mysterious forces of the world. They were perfect.

    The flow of Eternum was fast and strong. In the blink of an eye, the smallest piece was used up. The stone crumbled to dust in Doro¡¯s hand and Zachary quickly replaced with the biggest piece and continued cultivating.

    Earthly energy surged once again, into Doro as well as Zachary by proxy. They were both plunged into a sea of Eternum once again, a state where their souls were continuously consuming earth and being refined.

    ¡°Raaahhhh!!¡± Doro suddenly roared.

    Rising out of the ground, it raised its burly arms towards the sky. Eternum surged out of its body, overflowing. It was happy, so happy it couldn¡¯t help but shout out.

    ¡°Shh. Don¡¯t be so loud.¡± Zachary warned but it was a little too late.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Heather asked, rushing up to him from her side of the camp.

    Her mantis and gray wolf were already summoned, ready for battle.

    ¡°Sorry, Doro got a little too excited. I¡¯ll remind him to be quiet.¡±

    But as he said that, it roared again.

    ¡°Raahh!¡±

    This time, its body visibly grew in size even as Eternum continued to surge. Its soul sea was full of the purest earth energy. There was nowhere for it all to go. One soul path at the adept rank were far from enough. There was only one option, forcefully widen a second path and achieve a breakthrough!

    ¡°Rah!¡±

    Doro let out one last roar as all of the energy surged out of the multi-colored rock. Its life path, which had been at the novice rank, was pushed wide open with indomitable force. Its entire body glowed with reddish-brown light as it broke through.

    ¡°Rah¡­¡± It let out a satisfied grunt.

    In a flash, it was done. The light was gone. Doro was now a Two Paths Adept Rank summon.

    ¡°It broke through? Just like that?¡± Heather asked.

    ¡°Apparently.¡±

    ¡°Well, lucky you, I suppose. Quintessences aren¡¯t so easy to work with. The energy within is too pure for our summons so it¡¯s a much slower process.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± He said.

    Doro was a creature of pure earth so naturally, it was compatible with earth quintessences. Other, normal Ensouled didn¡¯t have such advantages. He wondered what would happen with Wander or Onkie.

    ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t be too happy right now.¡± She said, ¡°Your guy was very loud. At least, there is no movement from the cave but anything could come sniffing around during the night.¡±

    ¡°Should we move?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡±

    The two of them came to a quick agreement and acted quickly. The gang packed their tents, removed any trace of their presence as best they could, and moved to a location beside the stream. It was far away enough that it would hopefully fool any wild Ensouled that came wandering by.

    They set up camp again, along with some grumbling. Carlos went to sleep while Heather and Shuhua continued to work with their summons to absorb the quintessences.

    Zachary climbed up a large tree for an early start on sentry duty. Doro needed some time to stabilize the changes within its soul sea. It was never a good idea to rush into another breakthrough before the soul was fully healed.

    As he was settling into his spot on a large branch, he heard a familiar sound once again.

    ¡°Hoo¡­ hoo!¡±

 110. A Warning (I)

    Zachary tensed. It was the same owl call again. Hearing it before was just a coincidence. Hearing now meant something was not right. Someone was here.

    ¡°Wander, wake up!¡± He shouted within his soul, rousing the turtle from his shell, ¡°We have trouble!¡±

    ¡°Ugggh¡­¡± Wander groaned, blinking his big eyes several times in discontent, ¡°What kind of trouble? Is it edible?¡±

    Ignoring him, Zachary called back Blue and summoned Boba.

    ¡°What do you guys see? Who is out there?¡± He whispered.

    Blue shook its wings up and down. It had not found anything unusual. Boba, however, squeezed his arm once, indicating that it had. It flicked its tongue to taste the air and pointed its head towards a certain area to the west. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t on the ground but in the trees like them.

    Zachary thought quickly. He was currently only at the Two Paths Adept Rank. He could only summon two adept rank Ensouled and one of them had to be Wander. Therefore, he could only summon one more to fight for him. The choice was simple.

    ¡°Blue, go down and alert Heather, be silent!¡±

    Blue flapped its wings once and took off, emitting only a slight flutter of feathers that was drowned out by the noise of the jungle. He then touched a particular soul orb on his summoning belt, one that he had used sparingly during this trip so far.

    ¡°Voodoo,¡± He whispered as the poison worm at his feet.

    The beast looked around in confusion, hissing and spitting, ¡°Where am I? What is happening?¡±

    It realized the presence behind him and shot Zachary a sullen look. He ignored it and pointed in the general direction that Boba indicated.

    ¡°Shoot that area with your poison.¡± He ordered.

    ¡°Hiss¡­ I don¡¯t see the enemy.¡± Vodoo retorted.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, just spray that area, don¡¯t be stingy.¡±

    Voodoo grumbled something unintelligible as it opened its mandibles and then its mouth.

    Pu! Pu! Pu! Pu! Pu!

    It shot out a continuous barrage of poison spitballs, peppering the darkness with its killing move. For a few breaths afterward, he could almost hear the black poison burning holes in tree trunks or through the thick foliage as it spread death to whatever it touched.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Zachary ordered.

    Voodoo closed its mouth and the jungle became peaceful once more. There was a noticeably lower amount of ambient noise as most small critters were frightened away by the poison worm¡¯s sudden appearance and deathly aura.

    He looked around, his eyes failing to catch anything interesting in the inky night. He couldn¡¯t hear the owl anymore but he doubted it stuck around long enough to get hit. He could not discern anything with his soul sense or his special sense. It was a jumble of small emotions and minute intentions with no clarity.

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    With a light flap of wings, Heather¡¯s parrot, which she had named Jerry for some odd reason, landed on his shoulder. It let out a low, throaty chirp which probably meant Heather had roused the others.

    ¡°Hoo.¡±

    It was that damn owl again.

    Voodoo reacted immediately, even before Zachary could give out a command. It twisted its ugly head in the direction the hoot came from and fired wildly, poison spraying everywhere like a high-pressure sprinkler.

    This time, there was a faint rustle amongst the leaves before the poison barrage landed. Whatever it was, the creature had dodged in time. How it could see anything in this utter darkness was something else.

    Voodoo¡¯s little black eyes shined with excitement. Its desire to kill erupted, surging out like a baleful tide. It looked all around, scanning the jungle, trying to locate the target.

    ¡°Hoo, hoo!¡± The owl called out again.

    This time, it was not a soft spooky tone but one filled with indignation and challenge.

    Voodoo rears its head, ready to attack once more. But this time, Zachary firmly held it back with his soul force and a firm command.

    ¡°Stop, wait.¡±

    Voodoo let out a stream of silent curses through their soul bond. Zachary let it be, reminding himself to punish the little rebel later. Right now, he was focused on the mysterious entity in the woods. He already had some idea about what was happening.

    If the owl was a wild beast, it wouldn¡¯t have followed him from the outskirts of Rowan Oak Village all the way here. If the owl was simply hunting for food, it would have left after facing one round of Voodoo¡¯s poison, knowing it had no chance. Therefore, it clearly wasn¡¯t wild and it had a specific purpose. It was clear that this was a summoned beast.

    Zachary sent a silent command to Wander to be ready to protect him from a sneak attack. Then he cleared his throat and spoke clearly and loudly, ¡°Whoever is out there¡­ since you haven¡¯t fled yet, you must be confident in your strength. You also haven¡¯t attacked me or my group even though you could have a long time ago. So¡­ how about we talk things out?¡±

    This was followed by a long pause as his voice echoed through the tall trees and was lost in the thick foliage. The jungle fell back into silence and normalcy for a while before a human laugh drew his attention toward the location of the owl¡¯s first haunting call.

    ¡°Hahaha, I don¡¯t see you for a few months and you¡¯ve completely changed. Do you still remember me, Zachary Zhang?¡±

    The voice was so familiar and distinctive. Zachary only had to think about it for a few seconds before he recalled who it was.

    ¡°Jean-Pierre Beaumont? Is that you?¡±

    After a few tense breaths, the leaves of the tree directly beside them rustled as something appeared. Under the dim light of the stars, there were two distinct shapes. One was a person, slender and unassuming. The other could only be described as a fluffy pillar of black fog that was slightly taller than the person.

    ¡°Haha, my good brother, it¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    Zachary stepped out from the shadows to reveal himself, getting a better look at the other person in the process. They resembled Jean-Pierre, at least in terms of the slender male frame and short hair. But it was too dark to make out his face. They certainly sounded like Jean-Pierre. But there were ways to mimic voices.

    If it really was him, then the other party probably wouldn¡¯t start a fight. But if it wasn¡¯t, that person was probably stalling for time until the help arrived.

    Below them, Heather was on the move, no doubt worrying about the same scenario. She and the others had already summoned their strongest fighters. And scouts had surely been sent out to scour the jungle for incoming threats.

    ¡°Zach! What are we doing?¡± Heather shouted.

    ¡°Hang on!¡± Zachary replied and turned back to the shadowy person, ¡°You seem sure of my identity. But how do I know you are who you say you are?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on. When did you become so distrustful? Heh, fine¡­ I see you still have the summon I gave you. Hi Boba! Remember me?¡±

    Boba flicked its tongue and hissed.

    Zachary let out a small laugh and finally relaxed.

    ---

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 111. A Warning (II)

    "Let''s go down and have a chat," Jean-Pierre said.

    Without waiting for a reply, he took a step off the branch. To Zachary''s surprise, Jean-Pierre didn''t fall. Instead, the black cloud next to him let out a soft hoot and spread its wings, transforming into a swift shadow that carried Jean-Pierre gently to the ground. Zachary had never seen a creature like that before. He wondered how Jean-Pierre was able to obtain it.

    Zachary summoned Archer and held onto one leafy leg as the giant spider climbed down. Once on the ground, he walked up to Jean-Pierre and the two shook hands. Although Zachary wasn''t the type to befriend people easily, Jean-Pierre wasn''t exactly a stranger. They had helped each other and relied on each other. They had fought against wild beasts and the merciless jungle for the better part of a month.

    "Everyone, this is Jean-Pierre... a friend, kind of," Zachary said as Heather and her gang approached.

    "You don''t sound very sure," Heather said while giving Jean-Pierre a suspicious look.

    "Well, it''s been a few months. We separated a few weeks after arriving here."

    "Jean-Pierre Beaumont, nice to meet you," Jean-Pierre said, raising his palms inward to his forehead in a summoner''s salute.

    Heather returned it begrudgingly while Carlos and Shuhua didn''t even bother. A moment of awkward silence passed as they studied each other. Heather and her gang were not familiar with Jean-Pierre which meant he was not a member of the notable groups of survivors she was familiar with.

    Zachary broke the silence first, nodding his head toward the black cloud that stood behind Jean-Pierre, "What kind of owl is that?"

    "Oh, you don''t know?" Jean-Pierre looked very pleased at the fact, "This is a special species called the shadowless cloud. Very good at sneaking around at night and avoiding being seen.¡±

    "You''ve been following us all this time?" Heather asked without a trace of friendliness.

    "Yes and no. I go here and there, exploring and searching for interesting things. Imagine my surprise when Cirril told me he had found an old friend. So, I had to come and take a look. I wasn''t disappointed."

    ¡°You followed me just because of that?¡± Zachary asked, unconvinced.

    ¡°Not quite. I didn¡¯t want to show myself at first. You probably thought I was dead. Heck, I thought you were dead already. But seeing the situation here¡­ I wanted to give you guys a warning.¡±

    "We can''t trust anything he says," Carlos said.

    "Yeah, he could be working for the Dark Star Gang!¡± Shuhua chimed in, ¡°Or the Daybreakers..."

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    "Or one of the beast cults!" Carlos added.

    "He could be a mass murderer!" Shuhua said, almost shouting.

    Heather finally turned around and glared at them, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. If he wanted to, he could have killed both of you and gotten away clean. This shadowless cloud is an assassin!¡±

    Jean-Pierre chuckled, ¡°Brother, you sure found a smart one. I already like her more than that cat girl.¡±

    Heather¡¯s glare quickly turned to him, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I will trust anything you say.¡±

    He shrugged, "I just wanted to give you guys a warning. If you don''t believe me... I can''t help it."

    He looked at Heather''s trio and then at Zachary. He tilted his head as if thinking of an idea.

    "How about this?" He asked, "You trust Zachary, right?"

    "Yes," Heather replied without hesitation.

    "Good, then, if he trusts me, shouldn''t you also trust me?"

    "But I don''t trust you," Zachary interjected.

    Jean-Pierre held a hand to his heart as if he had been mortally wounded, "How could you not trust your good brother? I thought we were friends!"

    This didn''t earn him the laugh he expected so he quickly sobered.

    "Fine," He sighed, "I''ll get to the point. You guys found a nice earth quintessence spring. But remember, birds die for food, summoners die for wealth. The scorpion dragon sleeping in that cave... if it wakes up, you''re all going to die."

    "What do you mean?" Heather asked sharply, "I''ve seen that thing in person, we can still get away with our preparations."

    Jean-Pierre shook his head, "How many months ago was that? Things are different now. You can choose to believe me or not but the scorpion dragon is close to breaking through. And it''s not just a soul path but a whole soul rank. Think about it. An expert rank scorpion dragon, do you think it will let you go? Will you be able to escape?"

    A long silence followed his revelation. His words sank in slowly, marinading in the rising fear and simmering panic that each person felt. If it was an expert rank scorpion dragon, Zachary wouldn''t have tried to steal its quitessences. It was far too dangerous. Even Heather wouldn''t have suggested something so foolish. She cherished her life and the lives of her people.

    The difference in strength between soul ranks was something that could never be trivialized. A novice rank Ensouled had almost no chance of beating an adept rank. Even a crowd of novice ranks could only serve as punching bags for the weakest adept. It was the same case for adepts compared to expert rank Ensouled. And it wasn''t just an ordinary creature but a powerful scorpion dragon. If it woke up and discovered them stealing from its quintessence spring, it wouldn''t let them off. All of their summons put together couldn''t hope to hold it back. Wander didn''t stand a chance either.

    "Heather, you can''t possibly believe this guy!" Carlos said. "What if he wants the spring for himself and just wants to scare us away?"

    "Yeah!" Shuhua said, backing him up, "What if he''s from the Blood Church?"

    Ignoring them, Heather turned to Zachary for help, "What do you think? He''s supposedly your friend."

    Zachary pursed his lips in thought. He looked at Jean-Pierre, then at Heather and her gang, and finally toward the east and the pitch-black jungle that hid the fearsome creature. He tapped a finger against his chin, muttering to himself softly as if he were about to unravel a great mystery of the world.

    He didn''t want to give up on the quitessence spring just like this. They had spent so much time and effort. The ones Doro had gathered during the day were far from enough to offset the costs. They had barely four weeks to go until the republic navy was supposed to return. They also had to cross the entire jungle to reach the ocean to the west. There wasn''t enough time. If he gave up here, he would have no confidence competing for the pardons. If he couldn''t get a pardon, he wouldn''t be able to go back. He wouldn''t be able to find Yaoyao. Then... what was the point of all his struggles?

    Finally, Zachary faced Jean-Pierre with a firm gaze, a fire flickering in his eyes, a desire to fight, "You seem to know a lot about this creature. So, tell me, can we kill it?"

 112. Gambit (I)

    "Kill it?" Jean-Pierre asked, "Kill it with what?"

    Zachary pointed around to everyone, "Us, who else? We have seventeen adept rank summons between us. How many adepts do you have? Four? Five? So, we have over twenty adept rank summons. If we went all out, can we take the scorpion dragon down?"

    "Hold on, I''m not risking my summons!" Carlos immediately interjected.

    "Yeah! No way!" Shuhua said, "That''s a stupid idea!"

    "Wait, let''s just talk about it," Heather said, waving at the other two to be quiet, "There''s nothing wrong with considering our options. This is the New World. We have faced many dangers already, some without choice, others because of our decisions. If we choose to fight here, the potential reward is an entire quintessence spring that we can use to train powerful Ensouled and improve our soul cultivation. If we decide to leave and conserve our strength, we might still have to fight with our lives on the line at some point for no benefit... like that battle with the Dark Star Gang."

    "Heather, we don''t owe him anything. You don''t owe him anything." Shuhua said.

    "It''s not about that!" Heather insisted, "Right now, we are explorers of the New World. We can''t get complacent now. We can''t lose our fighting spirit. Every day, human explorers are constantly pushing themselves to the limit against unfathomable challenges. Expert rank, master rank, even noble and royal rank summoners are putting their lives on the line in the New World."

    "Heather, those are just stories told to entertain little kids, to swindle bright-eyed idiots like the one over here," Carlos said, pointing to Zachary, "We have to be realistic!"

    Heather shook her head, "If we leave to conserve our strength, we might still have to fight with our lives on the line at some point but there will be no benefit... like that battle with the Dark Star Gang."

    "Why do you always take his side?" Shuhua complained.

    "It''s not like that!" Heather retorted.

    "Sure looks that way!" Carlos said.

    Zachary ignored the arguing trio and asked Jean-Pierre, "What is your honest opinion? Can we kill it?"

    Jean-Pierre thought about it but eventually shook his head, "If it is a straight-up fight, twenty adept ranks is enough to wear down its strength. If we surround the scorpion dragon and it has nowhere to run, we can overwhelm it with sheer numbers. However, it is not going to let us simply beat it to death. If it gets tired or wounded, it will retreat into the cave and use the quintessences to recover. There isn''t much we can do to dislodge it from its lair. Unless we had an entire army of summons, we wouldn''t even be able to make it uncomfortable, let alone kill it."

    "..."

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    Zachary couldn''t come up with anything to refute Jean-Pierre''s point. The scorpion dragon had all the advantages. If they had twenty earth elementals like Doro, maybe they would have a chance. But with their current lineup of summons, it was a suicide mission.

    Zachary couldn''t make anybody do anything if they didn''t want to. Carlos was looking at him with suspicion. There had always been a competitive tension between them, as if Zachary was somehow treading on Carlos'' territory. Shuhua never liked him from the beginning so her gaze was far from friendly. Having to give up her Soul Ruby Fruit to him didn''t help matters. Only Heather still seemed hopeful although she was starting to realize the futility of the situation. She was the leader of her gang but she couldn''t just order them to their deaths.

    As for Jean-Pierre, Zachary had never been able to get a read on him. He was strange; a little too friendly sometimes and a surprisingly competent summoner. He fought a whole squad of Blood Church members alone and was able to come out alive. He also had the shadowless cloud owl which Zachary was sure wasn''t a native species. Jean-Pierre was full of mysteries. Meeting again after so long only increased that sentiment.

    Zachary looked past the other summoners at the blackness of the surrounding tree. They had come a long way, trekked through half the jungle. Was it all for naught?

    He was unwilling.

    Nearby, the two giant mountains of bird poop that made up the giant seagull nests weren''t visible right now but they would be whenever morning came. Thinking about those oversized, ravenous pests of the sky, he suddenly had a burst of inspiration.

    "Jean-Pierre," He said, trying to hide the excitement he felt, "How close is the scorpion dragon to breaking through?"

    Jean-Pierre shrugged, "I don''t know. It could be tonight, could be tomorrow, or even a week from now. But my best guess is a few more days. That''s why I came to warn you."

    "Okay, that''s good. Then we still have some time."

    "What?" Jean-Pierre asked in confusion.

    Zachary smiled, "Didn''t you say we need an army to fight the scorpion dragon? We already have one."

    ---

    Zachary''s gambit, in theory, was straightforward. They would let the scorpion dragon fight it out with the endless hordes of giant seagulls. It didn''t matter who won in the end. He would be able to mine earth quintessences in peace. The scorpion dragon would have no room to deal with a few thieves at the back when the front door was being kicked in by a horde of robbers.

    Actually carrying out the gambit was complicated and required everyone to contribute. They also didn''t have a lot of time to prepare. The scorpion dragon could break through at any moment.

    Convincing Jean-Pierre and Heather didn''t much effort at all. Persuading the other two required a delicate balance of sweet talk and fear-mongering. Heather did most of the work, pointing out the stark truth that as they were now, Carlos and Shuhua could not hope to compete for the four pardon spots. If they wanted to return to Adorin, this quintessence spring was their best bet. She also pointed out that their recent gains and increases in strength were due to Zachary''s arrival. If it wasn''t for him, none of them had a chance against the likes of Casimir from the Dark Star Gang, Aaron White, or the other major players.

    Finally, with everybody on board, they set to work just as dawn was peeking over the trees.

    The first part of the gambit was the easiest, keeping tabs on the sleeping scorpion dragon. Jean-Pierre''s owl was the only Ensouled that could enter the beast''s lair without waking it up. It would keep watch continuously and let them know if anything happened.

    The second part was how to get the scorpion dragon and the giant seagulls to fight each other to the death. Because the cave was surrounded by the dense jungle, those overgrown flying rats would not dare to come down. They had an instinctive fear of trees and all the deadly creatures hiding within. The solution to this challenge was the simple yet difficult task of getting rid of the trees around the cave.

 113. Gambit (II)

    Some of the trees around the cave could be chopped down. Others were too huge. It would take several days to cut down just a single ancient tree. And even if they managed it somehow, it would just alarm the sleeping scorpion dragon when the giant tree trunk came crashing down.

    For Zachary¡¯s plan, speed was critical. His only choice was to leave the large trees standing but they could still denude the branches and foliage. Hopefully, this was enough to draw in the giant seagulls.

    This task was given to Heather¡¯s green mantis Toby, Jean-Pierre¡¯s red mantis which had no name, and Shuhua¡¯s monkey Peony equipped with mantis claws. These powerful adept rank summons went straight to work, chopping and slicing furiously.

    Below these hardworking lumberjacks, a small army of treants that included Zachary¡¯s Elmont, Heather¡¯s Roger, and Shuhua¡¯s Magnolia cleared out the branches chopped down by those above while also pulling away the underbrush, leaving bare earth behind. Their auras naturally blended into the surrounding forest and wouldn¡¯t awaken the scorpion dragon underground.

    While all of this was going on, Zachary continued to command Doro to retrieve stones of earth quintessence. That was what they were here for to begin with. As long as the scorpion dragon remained at the adept rank, he could still earn a profit.

    Lastly, Carlos, who had the least number of useful summons, was given the task of getting food, fetching water, and sentry duty.

    Like this, the group worked frantically through the day. From dawn until dusk, there was no respite. They only stopped when it became too dark to see anything and too dangerous.

    After a quick dinner, Zachary divided the spoils from Doro. Conveniently, Jean-Pierre refused to take a share, for whatever reason, leaving the distribution the same as before. Taking two-fifths of the total, Zachary now had four chunks of quintessence with one being a leftover from yesterday.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Zachary called to Jean-Pierre who was staring into the darkness toward the distant cave.

    His shadowless cloud owl was still standing guard over there, keeping a close eye on the sleeping scorpion dragon.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jean-Pierre replied.

    ¡°How does it look?¡±

    ¡°Not bad, your plan is coming along, just a little slowly.¡±

    Zachary frowned, ¡°What about the scorpion dragon? Is it close to a breakthrough?¡±

    Jean-Pierre shook his head, ¡°It was already close. It just got closer today. But I estimate that we still have another day. Do you think we¡¯ll be able to finish preparations tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow? I don¡¯t know. We cleared out a small area around the cave today but I don''t think it''s enough.¡±

    ¡°We should give it a try anyway, at the end of the day tomorrow. See if we can draw them in.¡± Jean-Pierre looked at him earnestly, ¡°We cannot wait for the scorpion to break through. It will be too late and everything will be for naught. I am not saving your ass this time around.¡±

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    Zachary scoffed but he seriously considered Jean-Pierre¡¯s words, ¡°Alright, let me know. If there is no other choice, we¡¯ll give it the plan a try tomorrow.¡±

    With that, he left Jean-Pierre and headed to his camping spot. Along the way, he passed by Carlos and Shuhua who were discussing something quietly. They nodded to him but quickly turned away to continue their conversation. When he passed by Heather, she got up and came to him.

    ¡°Come here,¡± She said, tugging at his arm.

    He acquiesced and they strolled a short distance away to a secluded corner.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He asked.

    She didn¡¯t immediately reply but studied him. She finally smiled and patted his arm comfortingly.

    ¡°Zach¡­¡± She began, ¡°Do you have to go back?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°To the Old World.¡± She clarified, ¡°I think out of all of us, you have the best chance. If this plan works, then I believe you¡¯ll be able to make it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, nothing is certain.¡± He replied.

    She paused again, letting the cool night breeze sweep between them, ¡°What if you just stayed here, in the New World? You could create a new life for yourself. And you won¡¯t have to rush and take unnecessary risks. Roan Oak Village will gladly welcome you.¡±

    Zachary wasn¡¯t sure what she was saying. But he had an inkling. He didn¡¯t want to flat-out refuse her. It was certainly one possibility and the likely one if he wasn¡¯t able to win a pardon. He was glad to know that she would accept him.

    ¡°Heather¡­¡± He said with a smile, ¡°When we met on the prison ship, I didn¡¯t think we would end up like this. Remember when you called me a dangerous person with a pretty face? What happened to that?¡±

    Heather looked up at him with a grin, ¡°You¡¯re still a dangerous person with a pretty face. You¡¯re just on my side. I would hate to be one of your enemies.¡±

    Zachary snorted and shook his head, ¡°Heather, you already know why I have to go back.¡±

    ¡°I know. But you don¡¯t have to.¡± She insisted, ¡°This is the New World, where anything is possible, where you can leave the past behind. We don¡¯t even have to stay in this jungle. We can head north, south, or even east toward the mountains.¡±

    He understood what she was offering. He didn¡¯t realize when they had gotten so close or when she had started thinking like that about him. Was it after he saved her life? Was it after she saw him in action and how he captured Voodoo? Or was it the many quiet conversations they¡¯ve had during this long mission?

    They had only known each other for a few short weeks. But it felt like he had known her for far longer than that. She was reliable and earnest. She dealt with matters fairly. She was clever and could keep up with his strange ideas.

    Zachary, with a sudden burst of confidence, wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a soft hug. He heard her sigh and then felt her lean into him. Both of them seemed intent on casting their weariness away as they held each other, finding solace in this close contact between two souls, even if it was only for that moment.

    If he had never met Yaoyao, he would have taken her up on her offer. If there had never been a person named Minah in his life, maybe he could have fallen for someone like Heather Glenn-Bower. But those things had happened. He couldn¡¯t change his past or his heart. So, he had to go back¡­ by all means possible.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He muttered when they finally separated.

    Heather¡¯s expression flashed with disappointment before it was replaced with embarrassment. Her cheeks flushed and she avoided his gaze.

    ¡°Jerk.¡± She said, ¡°Whatever, you¡¯re too young for me anyway.¡±

    He laughed softly, ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair. You¡¯re the one that¡­¡±

    She gave him a playful shove, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡±

    ¡°Haha, alright, alright. I should get going. I think Doro can break through tonight with these quintessences.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. Remember not to make too much noise.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    The two of them separated. Heather returned to her gang. Zachary settled in at his chosen spot for a long night of soul cultivation.

 114. Gambit (III)

    Zachary placed the four quintessence stones on the ground in a small pyramid. He summoned Doro who appeared as a small mound of earth, most of his body hidden. Zachary sat down and patted its head.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± He asked, ¡°We¡¯ll try for a breakthrough tonight.¡±

    ¡°Grr¡­ I am ready.¡± It replied simply.

    ¡°Wander, are you ready?¡± He asked.

    Wander was his ace. Wander could provide him with borrowed power, an ability supposedly exclusive to expert rank summoners and their summons. Zachary had tried it Doro but it didn¡¯t work. It was only Wander.

    Borrow power was his backup plan. If four chunks of earth quintessence weren¡¯t enough, he could use his own soul energy first and then call upon Wander. He didn¡¯t believe that they wouldn¡¯t succeed.

    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go, Doro! Breakthrough time!¡± Wander replied excitedly.

    ¡°Remember, it¡¯s not just Doro. I¡¯ll try to use the feedback from Doro to also break through.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡±

    Zachary smiled and patted Doro¡¯s head again, ¡°Let¡¯s go, take the smallest piece of quintessence. We¡¯ll aim for a breakthrough of your life path.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Doro was currently at the Two Paths Adept Rank. The first soul path it upgraded to the adept rank was the earth path. That was natural and expected since it was a creature of earth. The second path that broke through happened to be the sky path.

    There was nothing special about Doro¡¯s sky path. It had no natural affinity with any other element besides earth. In fact, the sky path was its weakest soul path since earth and sky naturally opposed each other.

    Its second path happened to be sky because Zachary¡¯s two adept rank soul paths were sky and life. Wander occupied the life path already so previously; Doro¡¯s soul energy could only be directed to the sky path. This time, they would aim for the life path. This way, even in the worst case that the quintessences were not enough, both Zachary and Wander could provide assistance.

    ¡°Grr,¡± Doro growled as it swallowed the first piece of quintessence.

    Once again, pure earth element Eternum flowed freely, pouring out like a waterfall. Doro¡¯s soul sea was like a bottomless pool, collecting it all. Excess Eternum swirled around, creating a maelstrom that threatened to overflow. It was akin to feeling too full after gorging on food. All that energy had to have somewhere to go.

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    ¡°Direct it all to your life path.¡± Zachary reminded through their bond.

    ¡°Grah!¡±

    Waves of earthly brown energy crashed against Doro¡¯s life path. Under this powerful, unrelenting force, the small path gradually opened, allowing more energy in. The cycle repeated over and over, with Doro bearing the discomfort with stoic dispassion, like a wall of earth.

    Eternum surged, receded, then surged again.

    Time slowed. The outside world no longer mattered.

    Zachary¡¯s senses were buried under layers and layers of earth. It was heavy, warm. Strength and determination, unwavering resolve and an unbreakable soul; these were what the element of earth represented. It was what Doro was made of.

    The first quintessence stone was soon expended. As it turned to dust, another one quickly took its place. Eternum of the purest quality continued to flow. It was an abundant spring of energy.

    Doro¡¯s life path was now halfway open and the progress never stopped. If Doro¡¯s struggling, it didn¡¯t show it at all. The earth elemental remained quiet and resolute except for the occasional soft growl. It was a summon Zachary could always rely on. He had complete faith that it would be able to break through!

    ¡°Gruh.¡±

    The second quintessence crumbled and the third one was activated. This was a much bigger piece and Eternum gushed out like a geyser. Doro greedily absorbed it all, a sinkhole trying to swallow the world.

    Its third soul path was almost fully open. The process had been so smooth. But now, it was the critical moment. At the instant of breakthrough, there would be a tremendous amount of feedback for the summoner. It was up to Zachary to either forcibly block it or let it all into his soul and direct it toward a soul path.

    In the past, with Yaoyao, he had forcibly blocked her feedback effect during every breakthrough at the adept rank. This time around, he wasn¡¯t going to do something so stupid.

    ¡°Grahhhhhh!¡± Doro let out a long, forceful growl.

    Eternum surged. Like a dam breaking, all of it crashed through at once. The ground beneath Zachary shook. Doro was breaking through. Its life path was fully widened to the adept rank.

    ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go!¡± Wander shouted from within Zachary¡¯s soul.

    At the same time, pure Eternum rushed into where the turtle resided, through Zachary¡¯s two adept rank soul paths. Zachary strained his soul control to the limit, directing it all toward his earth path. His other six paths also tried to take in the excessive energy but the amount was minuscule in comparison.

    ¡°Big bro! You can do it!¡± Wander cheered.

    Zachary gritted his teeth, ignoring the noisy turtle. He felt so full he was about to burst. There was so much energy, going wild in every direction. His soul was straining hard as if he was pushing against a massive boulder, trying not to be crushed. He couldn¡¯t let up for even a moment, he could not even breathe.

    Suddenly, all of that pressure, all of that chaotic energy, it all disappeared with a surge of warmth. It happened so fast; it was over an instant. He felt so refreshed like he was breathing for the first time like a newborn. He glanced inwardly at his soul, there were now three wide soul paths where Eternum freely flowed in and out.

    Wander greeted him, the ethereal green turtle doing corkscrews as he swam around, ¡°Big bro! Big bro! Woohoo!¡±

    Zachary laughed spiritly. They succeeded. Doro and him, they had both reached the Three Paths Adept Rank!

 115. Gambit (IV)

    Doro emerged from the ground and raised its arms in triumph. It was about to open its mouth and roar but Zachary quickly stopped it with a reminder. He didn¡¯t want a repeat of the previous night¡¯s commotion.

    ¡°You did great, Doro. I knew you could do it.¡± Zachary said.

    Doro¡¯s mouth curved into a smile.

    ¡°Rahaha¡­¡± Its laugh was deep and mellow. ¡°Master¡­ can I eat?¡±

    It pointed to the two remaining pieces of earth quintessence, one being about half used. Zachary considered it briefly. He had half a mind to give them to Wander or Onkie. However, Doro was still the best choice at the moment. If they could gather more quintessence, they could possibly have another breakthrough and reach the Four Paths Adept Rank. At that point, he could summon all the adept ranks he had on hand at the same time. With such a lineup, he wouldn¡¯t be afraid of most opponents or threats in the jungle.

    Zachary patted Doro fondly, ¡°Sure, have at it.¡±

    Doro let out a low growl of appreciation and swallowed both rocks. Zachary wasn¡¯t worried and let it enjoy itself.

    ¡°Where the hell did you find an earth elemental?¡± A familiar voice asked from somewhere above.

    Jean-Pierre dropped down from a branch, slowing at the last moment as an inky black cloud cushioned his feet. After landing, his overgrown owl returned to a high perch, melting into the darkness.

    ¡°What? Are you jealous?¡± Zachary asked, ¡°Your shadowless cloud is quite special too.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Are you interested? How about a trade.¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    Zachary shook his head and laughed, ¡°First, I don¡¯t want to. Second, its soul bonded to you. It would be a waste of time.¡±

    Trading summons wasn¡¯t too common but it also wasn¡¯t strange. However, such trades usually involved summoning cards or summoning orbs. After breaking a soul bond, the Ensouled in question would be unwilling to form another one for a long time.

    Jean-Pierre shrugged, ¡°Oh well, Your loss. Though, I suppose you deserve a little luck here and there... what with all the shit you''ve been through.¡±

    Zachary frowned, not understanding what that meant. He eventually chose to ignore it and asked, ¡°How are things looking for tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow? Same as before. Don¡¯t think your breakthrough will make any difference.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    The two traded a few more pleasantries before each going back to their tasks for the night. Jean-Pierre was eventually relieved from watch duty by Carlos while Zachary tried to get some rest before it was his turn.

    However, sleep was difficult to come by. His mind was filled with excitement from Doro¡¯s recent breakthrough, thoughts of their gambit with the scorpion dragon, as well as the return of the navy ship in less than a month and the uncertainties that brought. He also thought about Yaoyao and Minah before his sleepy mind drifted to Katherine, Heather, and even Jean-Pierre.

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    The young man was strange and full of mysteries. Was he really a serial killer? How did he even get caught? With a summon like the shadowless cloud, he could roam the Old World without worry.

    More and more, Zachary felt that this guy wasn¡¯t a normal person.

    The rest of the night passed in fits and spurts, alternating between unease and weariness. Before he realized it, it was morning once again as the sky started to turn from pitch black to a deep purple and gaining indigo hues.

    Everyone quickly awoke and resumed their assigned tasks. Today was a critical day and they all knew it. Even the summons sensed the urgency of their masters.

    Toby and the other mantis flew to the top of the trees and began hacking away. Shuhua¡¯s monkey soon joined them, waving two mantis claws around like a drunken swordsman. Yesterday, they had created a clearing about fifteen to twenty meters wide. Today, they wanted to increase it by as much as they could.

    Zachary sent Elmont to join the other treants in the ground party while keeping an eye on Doro. The earth elemental had greater strength than ever before. Its speed underground had improved. It also had sharper senses and could locate the pieces of quintessence much easier. As a result, it amassed a small fortune by midday, almost as much as it had gathered all of yesterday.

    However, not everything was so wonderful. They weren¡¯t making much better progress at clearing the jungle. There were simply too many trees, too many tough vines, too many thorny plants. They didn¡¯t have enough lumberjacks or helpers.

    Jean-Pierre was also constantly reminding them of the sleeping scorpion dragon. His warnings grew more and more concerning as the sun moved away from its zenith towards the western ocean. Finally, he called a halt to everyone just as his owl fled out of the cave.

    A silence pressure fell upon the party as they understood that they could wait no longer. Even without words, there was a sense that hey were all on the precipice of life and death. So far, they had been preoccupied with carrying out the plan and hard at work. Now, it was the moment of action, to see if they could pull it off or if an enraged expert rank scorpion dragon was about to charge after them through the jungle.

    ¡°We¡¯re out of time. We have to do it now.¡± Jean-Pierre said, his expression grave.

    He looked at Heather and then at Zachary.

    Both nodded.

    ¡°Withdraw your summons. Get ready!¡±

    As Jean-Pierre spoke, he drew out a handful of summoning cards he had prepared. He raised the first card to his forehead. Amidst the flashing of light and energy as various summons were recalled all around him, a ray of white light shot out from his brow and took the shape of a giant mosquito. It was much larger than the one Zachary had seen before but it was still at the novice rank.

    ¡°Go, fly above the trees in a circular pattern,¡± Jean-Pierre ordered.

    The mosquito showed no sign of reluctance and shot off into the air. It almost disappeared from view as its spindly body was lost amidst the foliage at the edge of the clearing. Up there, it wouldn¡¯t take long for it to catch the attention of a roving seagull.

    Jean-Pierre didn¡¯t stop here. Three more summons appeared in quick succession. There was a spiky spider, a stag beetle, and a juvenile mantis. He ordered the spider to climb to the top of the barren tree on the other side of the clearing. The stag beetle joined it, taking a spot about halfway down the trunk. The juvenile mantis took a similar position on the other side, below the mosquito.

    ¡°Once a bug catcher, always a bug catcher.¡± Zachary teased.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Jean-Pierre retorted but he still smiled.

    The most difficult task, and the one that would require the most sacrifice, he had volunteered for it. They needed something to lure the giant seagulls to the clearing and into the cave. They could only do it with summons as living prey. It was most likely that those summons used as bait would be killed.

    Now, all they could do was wait. Wait and hope that their gambit would pay off and nothing would go wrong.

 116. Clash of Overlords (I)

    It didn¡¯t take long for the first giant seagull to take notice. It was returning to the nest after a fruitless hunting trip. It was hungry and cranky. As soon as its beady black eyes fell upon a wayward mosquito above the trees, it flapped its wings quickly and went into a silent dive. As it rapidly drew near, it opened its sharp yellow beak to take a big bite out of its first meal of the day.

    The mosquito sensed the incoming danger and fled. The seagull squawked angrily and gave chase. The mosquito skimmed the top of the dense foliage before heading for a tall tree with no leaves and only a few branches. It was a strange sight in a vast sea of green, a tree so barren it was as if it had encountered a sudden winter. Such winters didn¡¯t exist in this land so the seagull didn¡¯t understand. Nor did it care. It only wanted its meal that was about to fly away.

    Kacha!

    The giant seagull crashed into the upper portion of the bare tree, splintering a portion of the thick trunk with its heavy body. It ignored whatever pain it must have felt as its beak closed triumphantly around the torso of the mosquito, snapping the hapless insect in half. Two more snaps later and the mosquito disappeared into the bird¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Keew! Keeeew!¡± It cried out in satisfaction.

    After licking its beak, the giant seagull tilted its head. It heard a faint noise from below, the sound of more food. It looked around quickly, judging its surroundings. It was in a strange clearing but still a clearing. There were no green trees nearby, only a few barren tree trunks that served as excellent perches.

    The rapid buzz of insect wings caught its attention once more. A juicy green mantis flew out in an apparent escape attempt. Drool flew out of the seagull''s open mouth as it took off like an arrow, chasing after its second meal.

    The mantis was not fast. However, it didn¡¯t have to fly far. It only had to dive headfirst into the cave where the scorpion dragon resided, a distance which it covered in a single breath.

    The green mantis disappeared into the hole in the ground. This made the giant seagull furious. It landed and rammed its head into the cave, its beak snapping loudly and furiously in the blind darkness.

    A split second later, the ground around the cave exploded.

    ¡°Kachi, kachi, kachi, kachi¡­¡±

    The sound was like pieces of metal scratching against each other, over and over. A long black body appeared amidst flying debris. Each segment was square and shiny, with a pair of sharp insectoid legs that grasped at the air. It was huge. The giant seagull was already very big, its body about two meters from beak to tail, with two pairs of wings that could spread to three times that in width. Yet, this subterranean creature dwarfed it in size.

    ¡°Hsssss! Hsss!¡±

    Its head was an ugly shade of purple and black, with two long antennae and a pair of hooked yellow fangs. Its eyes glowed with a strange purple light, exuding a venomous aura. Its body was akin to a centipede, with countless long legs on each segment of its armored body. This long body eventually gave way to an even longer tail that sported a dagger-like protrusion at the tip.

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    The two beasts stared at each other for a moment that seemed to last forever. On one side was a giant seagull that had yet to fill its hungry stomach. It was the overlord of the sky. As long as there were no trees, nothing could question its dominance over this land. On the other side was the scorpion dragon. With absolute innate talent and a triple attribute affinity, it was not afraid of anything. It was the hidden overlord of the underworld.

    ¡°Keeee!¡± The giant seagull let out a defiant screech.

    ¡°Hssss!¡± The scorpion dragon¡¯s mouth foamed as it hissed angrily.

    Then, both beasts struck.

    The giant seagull stabbed its sharp beak at the head of the scorpion dragon. The scorpion dragon pulled back and whipped its long tail at the seagull.

    Pang!

    The beak glanced harmlessly off the scorpion dragon¡¯s shell as if hitting solid metal. Meanwhile, the bladed tail made contact, leaving a bloody slash across one wing, almost severing it completely.

    ¡°Keeew!¡± The giant seagull shrieked in pain.

    Now realizing something was wrong, it tried to escape. It flapped around furiously, its three remaining wings kicking up a small dust storm. However, the scorpion dragon was too fast. Its fangs sank deep into the feathery breast of the giant seagull.

    Red blood spurted out, covering the bug¡¯s ugly head. This only made it even more ferocious as it started to gnaw on the still-struggling seagull. Its body made fearful clacking sounds as it wrapped around the bird. Like a giant python, it entombed the seagull to certain death.

    The seagull struggled to no avail. It cried out miserably but it could not fly away. Its sharp talons could not penetrate the insect¡¯s hard shell. Its beak was useless.

    These seagulls were strong but not particularly talented. They didn¡¯t even have any abilities besides their physical strength and tough bodies. Against a creature like the scorpion dragon, it was a completely one-sided battle.

    The scorpion dragon ate with gusto, having been in slumbering soul cultivation for too long. It dug directly into the bird¡¯s soft guts, searching for the anima crystal. The sounds it made were disgusting. However, in its gluttony, it had made an unwitting mistake. It was too engrossed in its meal and it didn¡¯t notice to realize what was happening above it.

    ¡°Keew!¡±

    ¡°Keeew!¡±

    ¡°Keeeew!¡±

    Deafening cries filled the sky. Several nearby flocks had heard its brethren in trouble. Their nests were close by so nothing could escape their attention. Within a few breaths, more than ten had arrived and were hovering over the clearing. Seeing one of them in the clutches of a strange insect, they didn¡¯t hesitate and attacked.

    A much larger seagull smashed into the scorpion dragon¡¯s tail, using its heavy body and rapid descent to multiply the force behind this power strike.

    Ka!

    A piece of its carapace actually shattered!

    The scorpion dragon hissed in pain and anger. It whirled around to meet its new enemy, its fangs clicking, its mouth drooling with blood and poison. But before it could do anything, another heavy blow struck its head. A third seagull pummeled its midsection. Then, another came, and another.

    These overgrown birds were like boulders dropping out of the sky. What they lacked in special abilities, they made up for in raw power and vicious teamwork. Seeing they had damaged the strange insect¡¯s shell, more seagulls aimed at the same spots, pecking, clawing, and smashing with their wings.

    The tide had turned. The scorpion dragon flailed around desperately, feeling its life threatened for the first time. It slashed with its tail and spat poison with its mouth. Many seagulls fell, writing in agony from the effects of the deadly poison or bleeding out from gaping wounds. But more flew down to avenge them.

    The scorpion dragon could fight five seagulls, ten seagulls, or even fifteen. But there were simply too many. The sky was filled with white feathers and flapping wings. They blocked out the sun like a dark cloud.

    The scorpion dragon looked up angrily at its foes. It let out a defiant hiss which earned it a cacophony of angry squawks. The scorpion dragon hissed again. But this time, it spewed out a thick black cloud that quickly covered the battlefield.

 117. Clash of Overlords (II)

    The flock of seagulls reacted quickly, flapping their wings in unison to create a wind gust that swept through the clearing. The poisonous black cloud was cleared out in an instant but the scorpion dragon had already fled into its underground lair. One last flick of its long tail and it was gone.

    ¡°It ran? Just like that?¡± Carlos muttered.

    ¡°What a smart creature. It suffered only a few wounds and it already fled.¡± Heather said.

    ¡°That black cloud looks similar to the move used by the poison worm,¡± Shuhua added.

    Zachary and the others were hiding in the jungle, far enough so that they would be in danger from the battle but still close enough that they could see. Their plan had gone surprisingly smoothly. The scorpion dragon was as strong as Jean-Pierre described. It could easily handle twenty of those ferocious seagulls.

    ¡°Shhh¡± Jean-Pierre shushed them, ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. Look.¡±

    As he said that, the seagulls flew down and perched on the giant trees that had been denuded. One particularly large seagull landed next to the cave entrance and started digging with its sharp claws. Although it was not a creature of the earth, it made up for it in raw strength.

    Dirt flew everywhere as it made surprisingly quick progress. The cave entrance quickly widened under its efforts. Seeing this, another seagull landed beside the first and also started digging.

    As this was happening, some seagulls picked up the bodies of their fallen and carried them away.

    ¡°Damn the saints, I thought we could get some of those corpses. Those stingy rats.¡± Carlos said.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t dumb. They understand the importance of anima crystals.¡± Heather said, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t take advantage of the situation. Zach, send Doro to keep collecting quintessences.¡±

    ¡°Already on it!¡±

    Doro set off once more, sliding through the earth like a fish in water.

    Meanwhile, the seagulls were making steady progress. They had created a wide crater of dirt and loose rocks around the cave entrance. Three seagulls were clawing the ground together. Loud squawks and deafening screeches filled the air as the other seagulls cheered them on.

    The scorpion dragon remained hidden. Nobody was sure what it was doing. It could easily escape its predicament underground. But that meant giving up its quintessence spring. Seeing how determined the seagulls were, it was only a matter of time before they discovered these precious stones.

    ¡°Do you think it will come back out?¡± Zachary asked.

    Jean-Pierre nodded seriously, ¡°It will. It won¡¯t give up so easily.¡±

    A little while later, his words were proven true once more.

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    The ground around beneath the three digging seagulls trembled. Reddish-brown earth surged up around all three of them. Two of them were too slow. They were caught by the pincers of heavy dirt and partially buried. The one remaining seagull could only watch as its brethren were swallowed by the ground. Angry squawks filled the air. The flock had lost another two of their own but their foe had yet to appear.

    Zachary¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Expert control!¡±

    That was exactly like it sounded, an expert level of control over Eternum and soul power, allowing an Ensouled to use abilities over long distances and across multiple targets simultaneously. Compared to the adept rank where one could usually only affect a single target and at close range, it was a vast difference in power. For the scorpion dragon to exert expert control over the earth element to attack in such a creative fashion...

    ¡°Did it break through?¡± Heather asked urgently.

    ¡°Not yet!¡± Zachary replied, ¡°But it¡¯s almost there!¡±

    All expert rank Ensouled had an expert level of control. But expert control wasn''t limited to the expert rank. If this scorpion dragon could already do this at the adept rank, its talent could not be taken lightly.

    The flock of seagulls also sensed the danger and did not approach the cave entrance. However, they didn''t leave. They squawked loudly and flapped their wings in indignation. This place was their territory and this foe had to die.

    The scorpion dragon seemed to have similar thoughts. It suddenly burst out from beneath with a shower of dirt. It hissed angrily as it glared at the horde of white feathers invading its home.

    ¡°Keew!¡±

    ¡°Keeew!¡±

    Two seagulls leaped off their perches and dived toward the scorpion dragon.

    Strangely, the scorpion dragon made no effort to dodge. Instead, its eyes flashed with power. Soul power surged. Eternum carrying the color of reddish-brown earth surged out of its body.

    Just as the two seagulls were about to smash into its head, two walls of dirt rose to meet them.

    Pa! Pa!

    The heavy bodies collided with the walls, partially collapsing them. The seagulls¡¯ sharp beaks even managed to punch through the barrier but they had lost almost all of their striking power by the end.

    Taking advantage, the scorpion dragon struck like lightning, sinking its fangs into the heads of both seagulls, sending them to their deaths with deadly poison.

    ¡°Keeew!¡±

    ¡°Keeew!¡±

    ¡°Keeew!¡±

    More seagulls dived down seeking vengeance. This time, there were three of them.

    The scorpion dragon hissed. This time, instead of walls of earth, a wave of darkness surged.

    The seagulls crashed into the scorpion dragon unopposed. But instead of its carapace being smashed into pieces, its body turned into a puff of smoke and dissipated into nothingness.

    ¡°Hssss!¡±

    The scorpion dragon reappeared behind one of the seagulls in another puff of black smoke. It seemed almost impossible, that such a large creature could move so fast. It then bit the giant bird in the back of the neck.

    The other two seagulls charged at the scorpion dragon but it once again disappeared. It flashed into existence behind another seagull, giving it the same treatment as the first. The third seagull finally lost its nerve and flew away to safety.

    All of this happened in an instant.

    ¡°It knows smoke shift?" Zachary asked.

    "These blood church maggot farmers. I''ll kill them..." Jean-Pierre muttered, appearing more offended than anything else,

    Before Zachary could ask what the blood church had to do with maggot farmers, the seagulls attacked again, this time with four. Their prior losses did not dissuade them, it only made them even more determined. They approached from four different directions. Even if the scorpion dragon could block their attack or escape and get behind one of them, one of them should be able to land a solid hit.

    The scorpion dragon again responded differently to the changing battle. Instead of walls of earth or slithering away using darkness, it opened its jagged maw wide and shot out a heavy barrage of poison in all four directions.

    The giant birds dodged swiftly. With a flap of their wings, they easily avoided the trajectory of the purple-colored spitballs. However, to the shock of everyone watching, these slugs of purple poison seemingly changed direction in midair and hit the four seagulls anyway.

 118. Clash of Overlords (III)

    The four seagulls hit did not die immediately. But they lost most of their strength and all of their will to fight. They flapped their wings sluggishly and fled from the battle to look for a place to wash away the poison before it became fatal.

    The rest of the flock quieted down, tilting their heads at each other in confusion. If brute force didn''t work, the seagulls had few other ideas. They had also suffered a lot of casualties. Was it enough to make them reconsider? That was uncertain.

    "Expert control again." Zachary said, "How does it already have expert control over all three elements?"

    Carlos and Shuhua both muttered curses. Triple element affinity and triple element expert soul control, this was as close to a perfect summon as anyone could ever dream of. It was the kind of summon that only existed in history books about renowned saints and kings of the past or newspapers about the summoners who had won the national championship or other prestigious competitions. It wasn''t something ordinary people could get a hold of in their entire lives.

    "What if we attack it now? It''s still wounded." Carlos asked.

    "Don''t be stupid." Shuhua retorted. "If that huge flock of seagulls can''t do it, what chance do we have?"

    "But..."

    "Shush, something is happening," Heather warned.

    The manmade clearing had gone strangely silent. Aside from the flapping of wings, there was hardly a sound. The seagulls had lost their prior bloodlust. It was an eerie sight. It was as if they were silently plotting something, the complete opposite of their gluttonous and unrestrained nature. Countless pairs of eyes, all staring down at the lonely scorpion dragon as if it was already food.

    The scorpion dragon looked up at its foes with defiance as well as a sense of wariness. It was determined to keep fighting but there was still the issue of its stamina. At some point, the injuries would start compounding each other. At some point, it would have to flee or else it would be overwhelmed.

    Zachary was the first person to sense it. He looked up sharply at the sky above. At first, there was nothing except blue sky. There wasn''t even a cloud in sight. But he felt it, an overwhelming surge of killing intent followed by a crashing wave of vicious hunger, a sensation so powerful and primal it made him shake from fright.

    "What is that!" Wander shouted, also sensing it.

    A gray-white blur flashed over the edge of the forest. It changed direction with impossible agility and shot down towards the scorpion dragon. It was simply too fast for human eyes to see clearly.

    Wham!

    A huge, feathery beast slammed into the scorpion dragon like a giant hammer, smashing it into the ground. Several sharp cracks followed the impact as its shell was broken in several places.

    "Hsss!" The scorpion dragon retaliated immediately, stabbing its tail wildly.

    With a gust of wind, the newcomer easily dodged the scorpion tail and flew up until it hovered over the clearing.

    It was a giant seagull. Of course, it was. But this one was different. Instead of two pairs of wings, it had three. Instead of pure white feathers, its body was streaked with gray. There was also a particularly eye-catching tuft of feathers on its head that seemed like a crown. Aside from all of those details, it was simply massive. It was the size of a fully-grown forest elephant except it could fly. It was simply a monster.

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    "Expert rank," Heather said.

    "Saints help us..." Shuhua muttered.

    "It''s over, that bug is dead meat," Carlos said.

    The expert rank giant seagull surveyed the scene for a few more breaths. Then, it dived.

    "Pu! Pu! Pu!"

    The scorpion dragon spat out a barrage of poison. The seagull dodged. Like before, the balls of poison shifted direction mid-flight under its expert control. However, this time, the seagull simply dodged again, avoiding the attack completely. It was too fast; it was too agile. Seeing something so big move like that was eye-opening.

    Whack!

    The seagull once again collided with the scorpion dragon. Its heavy wing smashed the insect''s head, breaking both of its elongated fangs, and sending it flying. Before it could come down, the seagull struck with its monstrous claws. Several of the scorpion dragon''s legs were severed in the exchange. Green blood splattered as it crashed into the ground.

    The scorpion dragon buried its wounded head into the dirt and tried to flee. But it only managed to get about a third of its body underground before the giant seagull pounced. Its gleaming yellow beak snapped onto the flailing tail. Holding tight, it plucked the scorpion dragon out and started swinging it about. The helpless bug was smashed into the ground, against a nearby tree, and anything else in the vicinity.

    It was a one-sided beatdown. It was almost pitiful to watch. The gap between ranks was simply too wide. If the scorpion dragon could rely on a summoner along with a full lineup of summons, it could have fought the giant seagull overlord to a draw. However, it was alone and it was facing certain death.

    The forest filled with the loud and excited squawks of the seagulls. Victory was near. Their great foe was about to be vanquished. Their wildness and hunger rose to new heights as they watched the struggling scorpion dragon like a fresh meal that was being carefully prepared.

    Suddenly, Zachary felt something. He sucked in a cold breath from shock. It was fear, hatred, desperation, and sheer force of will, all carried by soul-shaking power that came from a single source.

    "Run!" He shouted.

    The scorpion dragon, which was still held by the giant seagull''s beak, let out a shrill hiss that sounded almost like a high-pitched roar. It was so loud it drowned out all other noises. Its eyes, which had been dim and dejected a moment before, glowed with pulsating purple light. A sharp wind swept through the clearing and swirled around the pair of battling beasts. The temperature suddenly dropped. Even the sky seemed to dim as all the Eternum in the area surged toward the middle... toward the scorpion dragon.

    "Run!" Zachary shouted again as he desperately tried to call back Doro.

    "What''s happening?" Carlos asked dumbly but Heather and Shuhua were already dragging him away.

    They each summoned their chosen mounts; Heather atop her gray wolf with Shuhua, Carlos thrown onto his pill bug, and Jean-Pierre with his shadowless cloud owl which had already wrapped its fluffy black feathers around him. Doro arrived a few moments later, carrying Zachary away. All of them fled west, away from the quintessence spring, as fast as possible.

    They escaped not a moment too soon.

    The jungle behind them exploded. Dirt and rocks flew everywhere like from a fountain. Giant trees that they chop down splintered and came crashing down. Cries of seagulls mixed in with the roar of a psuedo-dragon. Waves of Eternum swept after them like a tsunami. It was a breakthrough, a desperate breakthrough in the midst of battle that came on the edge of life and death.

    Shuhua looked behind them and screamed.

    "What? What''s happening?" Carlos shouted.

    "Nothing! Keep running!" Heather shouted back.

    Zachary couldn''t hold back his curiosity and turned around. He saw the scorpion dragon. It was huge. Somehow, it had grown twice in size. Its wounds had seemingly healed. It was now wrestling with giant seagull, viciously biting wherever it could. The seagull retaliated with equal fervor, biting and slashing with its sharp beak and fangs. Their shrieks and roars reverberated through the jungle as they fought.

    A shadow fell over them as they fled and he looked up at the sky. Hundreds... thousands of seagulls blotted out the sun. They came from the countless nests that dotted the nearby mountains of shit, a horde responding to the call of their leader.

    Zachary suddenly felt a newfound appreciation for these pests of the sky. They turned out to be good for something besides eating everything in sight. Even if the scorpion dragon had advanced to the expert rank, even if it could slay that seagull overlord, could it withstand the assault of an entire army? He didn''t think so. He hoped that those two monsters would end up killing each other. Although he wouldn''t be able to reap the benefits, it would make the jungle more peaceful, at least for a little while.

 119. Words Unsaid (I)

    Zachary, Heather, and the gang fled west until they could no longer sense the tremors of battle behind them, until they could no longer see any trace of seagulls above their heads. Only then did they feel safe enough to slow down and finally stop. Their mounts were exhausted. They were exhausted. And night was about to fall.

    ¡°Zachary¡­ everyone¡­¡± Jean-Pierre spoke up as they were about to set up camp.

    They all stopped what they were doing to listen.

    ¡°We accomplished something great today,¡± He said, ¡°If that scorpion dragon died, that¡¯s for the best. But even if it didn¡¯t, it no longer has access to the quintessence spring to get stronger. Together, we have struck a heavy blow to the Blood Church. For that, I thank you.¡±

    The reactions to his words were mixed. Carlos and Shuhua looked confused. Zachary was also trying to understand but he hid his expressions better.

    Heather was the first one to realize what was happening.

    ¡°You¡­ you are leaving?¡± She asked.

    Jean-Piere chuckled, ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you stay? I have a settlement named Roan Oak Village. We have good, reliable people.¡± She offered.

    ¡°I know about it. But no thanks. I won¡¯t stay in this region for long.¡±

    Heather looked almost offended but didn¡¯t try to convince him.

    Jean-Pierre turned to Zachary and patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Zach, you have no idea how much you helped me out here. I swear on my name and my soul, you are my good brother for life. I owe you one.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You helped us too.¡± Zachary said.

    After all that they had been through, he had no complaints. He still felt that Jean-Pierre held many secrets. But who didn¡¯t? Each person in this wild land had a unique reason for being here. He and Jean-Pierre were not different in this way. One self-admitted killer and one unwilling mass murderer, they were truly fitting to become brothers.

    The two shared a brief hug and a laugh.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again in a few weeks, at the beach. You better be there.¡± Jean-Pierre said.

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Zachary said.

    Jean-Pierre waved to the others and let his shadowless cloud owl take him into the trees. With many words unsaid and a silent gust of wind, he disappeared into the night, leaving the same way he arrived.

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    ¡°He¡¯s gone, just like that?¡± Shuhua asked.

    ¡°So what? We don¡¯t need him.¡± Carlos retorted.

    ¡°Awww. Someone just lost their crush. And someone else is jealous.¡± Heather teased.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Shuhua and Carlos protested at the same time.

    The trio devolved into their usual arguments as they set up camp and ate dinner.

    Zachary didn¡¯t chime in as he was still thinking about the prior day and the terrible battle between the scorpion dragon and the giant seagulls. It was an experience he would never forget. It was something he could never get from textbooks or secondhand stories. Such life-threatening and soul-stirring events were what it meant to live in the New World and explore its mysteries. He was scared and excited at the same time. If he didn¡¯t have to go back home, he would stay here forever.

    After dinner, the gang settled into their usual routine. Whatever Doro managed to gather during their last day at the quintessence mine was divided amongst them. Shuhua took up the first watch, leaving the others to rest.

    Zachary lay on an animal fur atop a bed of soft moss. It could almost compare his bed back home. It was quite comfortable considering where he was. He sighed and stared up at the clear night sky and the sea of stars.

    He currently had four smaller chunks of earth stone which was enough for Doro to attempt a breakthrough to the Four Paths Adept Rank. However, there was no need to rush. Doro just broke through and needed a few days to recover so that its soul would be at peak condition.

    He had enough time to reach the Four Paths Adept Rank before the end of the year. With four paths, he could bring out all of his strongest summons at the same time; Wander, Doro, Onkie, and Voodoo. It was probably enough for whatever challenges lay ahead.

    Now, he just needed to improve the battle strength of his summons and train their abilities. He also wanted to catch a few more as backups. He could also let a few more of his summons breakthrough to the adept rank but it wasn¡¯t necessary. His core roster was already in place. Wander took care of defense and support. Voodoo was a deadly long-range attacker. Onkie was fast and tough and Doro was slow but even tougher.

    As Zachary was thinking about various matters and chatting with Wander, they were interrupted by soft footsteps. Heather¡¯s face soon appeared in his field view, looking down at him with a secretive smile.

    ¡°Hey,¡± He greeted.

    ¡°Shh.¡± She said, placing a finger to her lips, ¡°Don¡¯t be too loud.¡±

    He nodded and spoke softer, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± She glanced up and down at his bed, ¡°This looks pretty comfy. Scoot over.¡±

    Before he could say no, she knelt and then laid down beside him. With two people, there wasn¡¯t quite enough space and she was partly lying on top of him. Her soft body was quite comfortable and he didn¡¯t feel the need to ask her to move.

    There was a period of awkwardness as she settled in while he calmed his fast-beating heart. All the while, the noisy sounds of the jungle at night serenaded the two. A warm, intimate atmosphere gently fell around them.

    ¡°Do you think the scorpion dragon died?¡± She asked in a whisper.

    ¡°Probably not. My guess is that the seagulls won in the end but the scorpion dragon escaped.¡±

    ¡°Pity,¡± She said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were thinking of catching it. It¡¯s a Blood Church creature.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on going back so it doesn¡¯t matter to me. It''s the perfect summon.¡± She sighed, ¡°Pity.¡±

    He chuckled and they fell into a comfortable silence. He studied the shimmering stars for a while until he felt his arm go numb. He wanted to move it which made her stir. Their eyes met and something sparked between them.

    Zachary slid his hand around her waist and pulled her closer, ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t come here just talk to me about the scorpion dragon?¡±

    Heather¡¯s cheek slightly reddened as she huffed, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    He smiled, ¡°I think¡­¡±

    He left the remaining words unsaid and leaned in to kiss her.

 120. Words Unsaid (II)

    Heather¡¯s lips were full and soft. She tasted a little sweet like the ripe berries they had for dinner and a little salty from the hardships they faced during the day. Her breath as they touched was music to his ears. Her warmth was as soothing as the serene jungle night.

    Her body draped atop his, shifting here and there to find a comfortable spot. He could feel her every curve through her thin clothes. It hinted at what was to come.

    Zachary let a sigh and smile, even as his lips continued to caress hers. He felt his worries disappear and all unnecessary thoughts flee far away. He didn¡¯t question why she had come to find him. He didn¡¯t care where they would go from here. They had just been through a life-threatening ordeal. That was enough to form an everlasting connection between their souls.

    ¡°Zach¡­¡± She gasped once they broke apart.

    She took in a few deep breaths and studied him with gray eyes that sparkled like the stars above.

    ¡°What, is there something on my face?¡± He asked.

    She giggled, ¡°No¡­ did anyone ever tell you that you have a pretty face?¡±

    He chuckled, ¡°Just pretty? What about handsome or dashing? Haha, a few people have said that this face would get me in trouble. Am I in trouble, Ms. Glenn-Bower?¡±

    ¡°You dare?¡± She said in mock anger and lightly hit his chest, ¡°I¡¯m not that old!¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re the one who said I was too young for you!¡±

    ¡°You are never allowed to bring that up ever again!¡±

    Before he could say anymore, her lips closed around his once more.

    Heather pressed him into the bed. They sank into the layer of animal fur and green moss, two people seeking comfort in each other. Her kisses were needy, hot, and full of the vigor of a skillful lover. She knew just how to use everything at her disposal to drive him crazy.

    Zachary groaned as he felt the rising tide of arousal erode whatever self-control he had left. His hands started on her smooth back, then went to her narrow waist, before landing on her butt. He pressed her against him, letting her know how much he wanted her.

    ¡°Heather¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡± She placed a finger to his lips, ¡°Let big sister take care of everything.¡±

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    As she straddled his waist, she unfastened her top. She pulled it over her head and threw it away, revealing her nude figure to the warm evening air and his eager eyes.

    What happened afterward was a blur of joy, a haze of ecstasy.

    She was a tigress that had caught her prey. She rode him with a wild passion that matched their jungle surroundings. She took him in over and over while baring her soul, letting him understand her more than ever. He returned the favor with equal fervor. With words unsaid, he let his kisses and touches convey his pent-up emotions.

    They were two lonely souls that had met by chance, two lives slated for certain death, two strangers who came to rely on each other. She was trying to escape the pains of past relationships, trying to find a new life where she could finally be happy. He was fighting his way back to the Old World to seek the truth, to fill the gap in his soul left by Yaoyao. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t know if he could ever be truly happy again.

    And when she finally threw her head back in complete bliss, he let out all of his troubles and joined her in this fleeting experience of physical pleasure and soulful harmony.

    ---

    Almost two weeks after setting out for their long mission; Zachary, Heather, and the rest finally returned to Roan Oak Village. Nellie and Oliver met them at the edge of their territory and escorted the weary party home. Hugs were exchanged and long stories of their exploits were shared.

    The others in Heather¡¯s gang were shocked by the existence of the scorpion dragon and even more amazed by the battle that took place between it and the hordes of giant seagulls. They were disappointed that they weren¡¯t able to gather too many earth quintessences but also relieved to hear that many seagulls had been killed, including possibly an expert rank one.

    These ravenous beasts were a constant danger. Having fewer of them was only a good thing, especially for the likes of Oliver, Olga, and the professor who planned to remain in the New World.

    Most importantly, they were simply happy that everyone made it back in one piece. It was a long journey filled with dangers. They also came back without losing a single adept rank summon. Even if the mission wasn¡¯t a total success, it wasn¡¯t a failure either.

    Nellie was especially happy to get Heather back. She swarmed around her friend, excited asking all kinds of questions. Some of those questions ended about being Zachary who could only look the other way. If Heather wanted to kiss and tell, he couldn¡¯t stop her. Thankfully, she kept the details to a minimum in his presence.

    ¡°Olga! Professor! Heather is back!¡± Oliver shouted once the village was within sight.

    The gate swung open, revealing a smiling Olga while the elder professor waved at them from atop the wooden walls.

    Carlos urged his giant pill bug forward, trying to race Oliver home. Nellie followed, taking Shuhua along. Zachary laughed and glanced at Heather. He was atop Onkie while she was riding Max, her grey wolf.

    ¡°Welcome home,¡± She said.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    At least for now, he could consider this place his home in the New World. He would soon have to head to the beach and meet whatever designs the republic had in store for the survivors. But for these remaining weeks and days, he could accept it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll race you.¡± She said.

    ¡°Okay, the loser has to spend the night in the winner¡¯s cabin!¡± He offered.

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    She took off with Max in a full sprint. He followed at a leisurely pace, fully intent on letting her win. After all, he didn¡¯t even have a bed in his cabin!

 121. Out of Time (I)

    ¡°One¡­ two¡­ three¡­¡±

    A voice struggled to utter each syllable as if under great strain.

    ¡°Six¡­ seven¡­ eight!¡±

    With a loud thud, a heavy weight fell onto the ground. This was followed by loud barking noises filled with momentary anger and indignation.

    ¡°Hey! How can you drop me? Hey!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too heavy. Did you gain weight again? What have you been eating these days?¡±

    Zachary stood in the middle of a small clearing. Beside him, Wander wiggled his four short legs helplessly in the air as he tried to right himself. Zachary wiped the sweat from his face and watched the turtle struggle.

    ¡°Hey, help me up!¡± Wander said.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Zachary turned to Elmont which had been silently observing to the side. He gestured and the treant held out a branch horizontally. He jumped up, grabbed it, and began doing pull-ups. He grunted with each repetition as more sweat poured down his sun-tanned back.

    Unlike any other Ensouled, humans did not gain much improvement in strength, resilience, or other physical attributes as their soul level and rank advanced. Physical exercise was the only way. A strong and healthy summoner had obvious advantages over one that was frail or sick. Faced with the unknown of what would happen when the republic ship returned, he wanted to be as prepared as possible.

    Zachary finished with the pullups and started doing jumping jacks.

    Behind him, Wander finally managed to right himself by using a green shield beneath himself. He muttered angrily and wandered around the clearing, looking curiously at the various plants and critters in the dirt.

    ¡°Are you doing all this so you won¡¯t lose to Heather anymore?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Zachary lost his balance and fell on his butt.

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Wander barked, ¡°This exercise as you call it isn¡¯t going to help. Even I have accepted that human females are the more dominant one during human mating. I don¡¯t know why you are still in denial.¡±

    ¡°I told you already! That¡¯s not true! She¡¯s just more experienced, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh¡­ is that why she¡¯s on top all the time?¡±

    ¡°Wander, I can¡¯t stop you from peeping, but can you not talk about it?¡± Zachary complained.

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    As they shared an eternal bond, they were stuck together for better or worse. This meant that Wander had a front-row experience to his most intimate moments. He couldn¡¯t even keep Wander out of his soul realm due to the nature of the bond.

    ¡°Haha, fine. I won''t if you find me a female turtle. But she has to be pretty!¡±

    Zachary snorted, ¡°How am I supposed to tell if a turtle is pretty?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy!¡± Wander insisted, ¡°A shiny beak, large eyes full of emotions¡­ oh, and smooth skin.¡±

    ¡°Go find her yourself.¡±

    Zachary sat down, too tired to do any more exercises. He looked over at Wander who had found a warm spot where the sunlight pierced the foliage. The turtle even closed his eyes and started to doze off. Zachary felt a stab of annoyance at the sight.

    ¡°Wander, time to train.¡±

    ¡°Come on! I was just about to take a nap!¡±

    Ignoring Wander¡¯s complaints, Zachary touched a summoning orb on his belt and summoned Voodoo. The poisonous worm appeared after a purple flash of light. It looked around hissing and clicking its mandibles. Its eyes fell upon its greatest foe, Wander, and a sharp aura of death filled the small clearing.

    Wander couldn¡¯t act bored anymore and turned to face the poison worm, ¡°Haha, you¡¯re not afraid of getting another beatdown?¡±

    ¡°Hisss¡­ I want to watch you slowly die¡­¡± Voodoo retorted.

    The two never got along, ever since their first fight. They were life and death, complete opposites that could not coexist. Wander always held the upper hand until now which only drove Voodoo¡¯s hatred deeper.

    ¡°Since you said that, I¡¯ll crush your skull twice today.¡± Wander retorted.

    ¡°Hiss! You dare!¡±

    Voodoo opened its mouth and shot out a dense barrage of poison.

    Wander barked mockingly and raised a wide green shield like a wall.

    The two of them were at it again. Their mutual hatred had some uses, notably battle training. They were great at pushing each other. Voodoo¡¯s abilities had improved greatly in a short time and so had Wander.

    However, Zachary was still uncomfortable having summons that couldn¡¯t get along. He felt like he couldn¡¯t completely trust Voodoo. But he couldn¡¯t be picky at the moment. Voodoo was undeniably strong and he had no alternatives. He had to make do with what he had.

    After returning from the expedition to the quintessence mine, he was able to use the remaining quintessences to raise Doro to the Four Paths Adept Rank. Thanks to that, he also reached the Four Paths Adept Rank at the same time. Afterward, he only had time to help Wander reach the Two Paths Adept Rank while his other adept rank summons remained at one path.

    It was a pity. He was almost out of time. The navy ship would arrive soon. If not, perhaps he could have advanced to the Five Paths Adept Rank along with Doro. However, that would have still been a challenging goal to reach. Soul cultivation wasn¡¯t so easy. It only seemed so because Doro was talented and due to earth quintessences that perfectly suited it.

    Within a rank, cultivating from the first path to the fourth path was considered relatively easy. From the fourth path to the fifth path, there was a large threshold. It was as difficult to break through the fifth path as it was to reach the fourth path from the first.

    However, considering real-life scenarios, a single Five Paths Adept Rank would struggle to defeat a group of five One Path Adept Ranks. Higher path Ensouled were stronger within the same rank but they were not overwhelmingly so. In such cases, it was better to have great numbers.

    Raising one summon to the limit was okay for soul cultivation purposes. But raising many summons to the limit was an inefficient and silly thing to do. Therefore, most summoners had one powerful Ensouled that their backbone, the ace of their team.

    Heather considered his ace to be Doro. If it wasn¡¯t Doro, then it was probably Voodoo. No one could guess that Wander, which the others called a mossy terrapin was his true ace.

 122. Out of Time (II)

    If Zachary had enough time, he would have liked to make sure that Wander was his strongest. Wander was the most special, even more than Doro. On the outside, Wander looked like an ordinary turtle. One could find many of them in this jungle if they looked hard enough. But other turtles couldn¡¯t freely manipulate a powerful shield. They didn¡¯t have a miraculous healing ability. They didn¡¯t know the secret to summon the eternal.

    ¡°Wander, don¡¯t beat Voodoo up too badly.¡± He said.

    ¡°No promises!¡± Wander replied cheerfully.

    Zachary shook his head and went to train with his other summons. He brought out Onkie and Doro. He let Doro practice its movements underground. The goal was to increase speed while maintaining stealth. Doro could travel through the earth like it was swimming in an ocean. It was perfect for sneak attacks despite its size.

    With Onkie, he focused on her strength and toughness. Looking around at the surroundings, he pointed to a large exposed rock.

    ¡°Onkie, use this rock to train your body.¡±

    ¡°Alright! Zachy, watch me!¡±

    Onkie dug her feet into the ground and leaped forward. A blur of brown fur flew through the air and collided with the boulder head-first.

    Pa!

    Onkie bounced off and tumbled backward a few times. She quickly got up and shook her head.

    ¡°Bad rock!¡± She shouted and slammed the side of her body against it.

    Over and over, she attacked the immovable object wildly, fully intent on flattening it. She wanted to turn it into dust despite her inability to do so. She was still at the One Path Adept Rank but she had gotten a lot stronger lately. Physical training was also effective for certain Ensouled.

    Zachary smiled wryly. If he smashed his head into a rock like that, he would lose his life at worst or turn into an idiot at best. Onkie seemed to suffer no ill effects. Human bodies were so different. They were so weak.

    While he was pondering how to improve his summons further, he heard a strange noise. It was a dull, constant sound. It was something that the jungle was incapable of producing. He looked up at the sky as the sound grew louder and louder. He finally recognized it; it was a sky ship!

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    Soon enough, an unnatural object appeared in the sky. It was gray and oblong, wide in the middle while tapering to a point on either end. It was moving slowly, more floating than flying. The source of the noise came from two whirling propellers on either side. It left a trail of white steam clouds as it meandered over the vast jungle.

    As he watched, two large bird-like creatures flew out of the sky ship on either side. They flapped their wings and picked up speed, easily outpacing the sky ship. One of the beasts soon flew overhead and Zachary noticed that it dropped countless leaflets in its wake from a bag held in its claws.

    ¡°Blue!¡± He called out and pointed at the sky, ¡°Catch one of them¡±

    ¡°Chrr!¡±

    Blue took off and quickly returned, dropping a piece of paper in his hand. The words on it were familiar. It was a simple statement.

    He read it aloud, ¡°Prisoners, in one week, it will be exactly one year since you arrived at Outpost Emerald. If you want a chance to go back to the Old World, return to the beach where you landed¡­¡±

    It was finally time.

    Zachary quickly ended the training session and recalled his summons. He returned to the village to find Heather for him. She called him into her hut and closed the door.

    ¡°You saw it?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t think they would be nice enough to warn us.¡±

    She glanced at him questioningly, ¡°They sent one previously at the half-year mark. You didn¡¯t see it?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He replied, not mentioning that he was stuck in an underground lake.

    ¡°There were a lot more seagulls half a year ago. That¡¯s too bad.¡± She looked up at the sky, seemingly wishing ill will on the summoners in the sky ship. She sighed and looked back at him, ¡°Are you going?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Nellie, Shuhua, and Carlos are going. I didn¡¯t want to go but I will to support them. The others are staying.¡±

    She took a step toward him, closing the distance so that they were face to face, ¡°Is there nothing I can do to convince you to stay?¡±

    Zachary rested his hands on her hips and pulled her closer, ¡°No, but you could try¡­¡±

    ¡°Pig.¡± She muttered.

    He leaned in and whispered, ¡°Pigs can be cute.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re a lucky one.¡± She said as her lips brushed against his.

    He hugged her to him, pressing her soft body against his. He greedily devoured her mouth, causing her to moan and gasp. The two of them were never meant to last. It was the momentary joining of like-minded souls, helping each other to survive.

    He broke away momentarily to pull her hand-made shirt off. She returned the favor with equal fervor. Soon, they were kissing again, their naked bodies pressed against each other, feeling each other¡¯s desires.

    ¡°Heather¡­¡±

    ¡°Zach¡­¡±

    He kissed her neck while she clawed his chest. With a low growl, he pushed her backward and into an empty wall. She gasped in surprise at his aggression. Smiling, he kissed her roughly even as she fought back with her tongue. She always liked to be in charge but not this time.

    He lifted one of her legs and thrust himself inside her. Her cries of pleasure filled the wooden hut, over and over. Their sweaty bodies intertwined, they went from the wall to the table and finally to the bed.

    He had to leave but she didn¡¯t want him to go. She tried to convince him but his mind was made up. They were two willful souls bonding for what could be the last time.

 123. Meeting the Competition Again (I)

    A sharp slash cut apart a thicket of impassible thorns. A green and purple mantis about a meter tall flew through the opening. It was followed by a handsome youth with long black hair tied in a ponytail.

    Zachary looked around and breathed deeply through his nose, smelling the warm salty air. They had finally reached the ocean. The journey from Roan Oak Village had taken almost a week. Thankfully, it had been uneventful and instead, quite fruitful.

    ¡°Great job, Timber.¡± He said as he patted the mantis¡¯ head.

    ¡°Ka!¡± The mantis replied happily and proceeded to clean its bladed forelimbs with its sharp mandibles.

    Behind him; Heather, Nellie, Shuhua, and Carlos pushed through the brush and joined him in the small clearing. They had left the thickest part of the jungle. Sunlight shined through the gaps in the tall trees. They couldn¡¯t see the ocean yet. But they could almost hear the sound of waves crashing against the rocky shore.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to meet other survivors. The other group only had three people but they were impossible to miss. That was because one of them was riding a massive forest elephant.

    ¡°Aaron White,¡± Zachary muttered softly.

    The giant beast approached slowly. Its limbs were as thick as tree trunks. Each step made the ground around them tremble. It was the biggest creature residing in this jungle. There was no equal.

    ¡°Hold!¡± Aaron called from atop his Ensouled.

    He stood up and examined the new arrivals.

    ¡°Heather, I didn¡¯t think you would show up,¡± He said.

    ¡°Just here to support my people,¡± Heather replied evenly.

    ¡°Mmhm, I hope they perform better than last time¡­¡± He gazed drifted to Zachary and his eyes widened, ¡°You!¡±

    ¡°Me,¡± Zachary said.

    Aaron frowned, ¡°You survived? How?¡±

    Zachary shrugged, ¡°Luck.¡±

    Aaron studied him like he was trying to uncover an important mystery. After receiving no response, he smiled without a trace of kindness, ¡°I¡¯ll be watching you.¡±

    He then patted his elephant, directing it in another direction. Behind him, his two followers, a middle-aged man and a youthful, attractive woman gave Zachary and his group curious stares before walking away.

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    ¡°What was that about?¡± Carlos asked.

    "Just meeting the competition," Nellie answered.

    Heather turned to Zachary with a questioning look, ¡°You two met before?¡±

    ¡°We did,¡± Zachary replied, ¡°I met Aaron in the ruins when he was trying to fight the gray wolf pack for the pinecitta tree. It didn¡¯t work. And because of the gray wolf king, almost everybody died.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see. You should be careful. He is a dangerous person and his background is unfathomable.¡± Heather said.

    ¡°I know. He¡¯s a member of the White Clan.¡±

    ¡°Fine, whatever. Just be careful.¡±

    He smiled, ¡°Glad to know you still care about me.¡±

    During their days traveling, Heather¡¯s attitude toward him had shifted greatly. She no longer treated him like a lover. There were no more tender nights spent together. She hardly paid attention to him aside from what was needed in terms of teamwork and fighting off wild Ensouled.

    He understood why and didn¡¯t press her. He was intent on going back. She was staying. Their paths had already started to diverge. There was no ill will between them. But they were no longer as close as before.

    ¡°Of course, I still care. I just can¡¯t afford to care as much as before.¡± She scoffed in annoyance and turned away from him.

    Smiling, Zachary continued toward the ocean. After a short walk, they finally reached the edge of the forest and the cliff that overlooked the beach. Below, waves crashed ceaselessly against the jagged black rocks.

    They were finally back where they started. A whole year had passed. So many things had changed. Yet some things stayed the same.

    A familiar steel ship lay in anchor in the clear blue ocean, a short swim from the shore. It looked like a dark gray sword floating on the calm waters. It was the Republic. They were back; the source of all his pain and suffering. He wanted answers. He wanted to understand why Minah did those things to him. Finally, he had to find Yaoyao.

    ¡°Wah! Is that a ship?¡± Wander barked excitedly.

    ¡°Yeah, one this size can be considered an ocean cruiser. It''s large enough to cross the five oceans of the Old World and visit all three continents.¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Wow¡­ something that big is not an Ensouled but something humans built?¡±

    ¡°Mmhm, humans have a few more talents besides just summoning. Many of these creations come from various ancient ruins and are relics of past human civilizations. For example, this ocean cruiser doesn¡¯t use water attribute Ensouled to push or pull it. It also doesn¡¯t have sails that can employ sky attribute Ensouled with wind abilities. Instead, it has a steam engine, a fantastic machine which can turn the flames from fire attribute Ensouled into tremendous power that moves a such a huge ship through the ocean.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I want one!¡±

    ¡°Wander, you can just swim.¡±

    ¡°Big bro, how else would Doro be able to see the ocean? If he tried to swim, he would just turn into sand and sink to the bottom. Don¡¯t forget about Elmont, Boba, and Timber too. I want a ship and I want to cruise the oceans!¡±

    Zachary rolls his eyes at Wander¡¯s unreasonable request. How would he get the money to buy such a huge vessel? Where would he find the sailors to crew it?

    For solitary summoners, they didn''t need such a ship to cross the world¡¯s oceans. They just needed a large water attribute Ensouled that could carry them. If Wander grew a little bigger, he could do it, carry Zachary on his shell for short swims atop the surf. He looked forward to that day.

    ¡°Zach, we have company,¡± Heather said softly but with urgency.

    Zachary turned away from the ocean and was greeted by a larger group of eight survivors. Among them, there were five men and three women of various ages. The one standing in front was a stocky man with a reddish-brown beard.

    ¡°He¡¯s Thomas Harrington, the leader of Riverside Village,¡± Heather whispered to him.

    However, he was hardly listening. Instead, his attention fell on a petite young woman with long brown hair that framed a familiar pair of bright green eyes.

 124. Meeting the Competition Again (II)

    It was Katherine, Katherine Holt, a member of the Ice Saint Beast Cult. She was the only connection he had in the New World to his old life, to Yaoyao. She looked just like before, perhaps a little more suntanned.

    He knew they would likely meet again. Heather had mentioned her when discussing Riverside Village. Still, he felt unprepared.

    A mixture of emotions swirled within him. There was an uncomfortable sense of longing for the past and the connections that had been severed. He wasn¡¯t interested in joining her beast cult. But if it meant being able to find Yaoyao faster, he was willing to entertain the idea.

    There was also a feeling of disappointment. When he was at his most desperate and downtrodden, he had placed his hopes in her. He shouldn¡¯t have done that. He shouldn¡¯t have trusted her as much as he should have. She kept so many secrets from him that resulted in the disaster at the monolith. Did her mission for the Ice Saint Beast Cult really have to do with him? Did she really follow him to the New World or was it a convenient excuse?

    But he also had to thank her. If it were not for her, he would not have jumped into that watery abyss. He would not have met Wander, an encounter that changed his life completely.

    ¡°This is Zach, a new member of our Roan Oak Village,¡± Heather said, gesturing to him.

    ¡°Hi, I''m Zachary.¡± He added, trying not to look at Katherine.

    The introductions between the two groups wrapping up quickly. They had met each other before. They weren¡¯t friendly but they weren¡¯t enemies. Heather and Thomas chatted about some things that Zachary didn¡¯t care about while the rest eyed each other awkwardly.

    Katherine was no longer staring at him. She had chosen to hide herself behind another member of her group. Given her small stature, she was no longer visible to him. But he could still sense her presence as well as a faint feeling that she was sneaking glances at him every so often.

    ¡°Big bro, so that¡¯s the woman you were telling me about?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°Yeah, Katherine. We were companions for a few weeks at the beginning.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not that impressive. Heather is much better. She¡¯s taller and prettier. Didn¡¯t you say you prefer bigger chests and bigger backsides? Haha, Heather¡¯s dimensions are all superior.¡±

    ¡°Wander, what do you know about human beauty?¡±

    ¡°Hmph! More than you think!¡±

    Zachary and Wander continued to argue about the finer points of human sexual attraction compared to that of turtles. Meanwhile, Heather and Thomas wrapped up their meet and greet and went their separate ways. Although they had worked together in the past, they were now competitors. There were only four tickets back to the Old World up for grabs. They had always been competitors from the start.

    ¡°Guys, listen up,¡± Heather said once they were alone. ¡°Whatever happens, whatever the Republic tries to do, remember that we are a team. Nellie¡­ Shuhua¡­ Carlos¡­ Zach¡­¡±

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    She looked at each of them in turn to make sure that they were paying attention, ¡°I will do my best to help you and you should do your best to help each other. If, by chance, one of you has to fight with anyone else here for a spot to go home, do it fairly and show mercy. Remember, we are in this together. And if all else fails, we can just brave the New World together.¡±

    With her last words, she gazed at Zachary meaningfully.

    ¡°Fine.¡± He replied.

    They already had this conversation many times. He understood why. She wanted him to stay. But he couldn¡¯t. If he couldn¡¯t go back, he didn¡¯t know what he would do.

    After that, the gang sat around under the shade, waiting for something to happen. So far, there was hardly any activity on the ship. Aside from the occasional flying summons sent out for scouting, nobody had disembarked. There was still time, perhaps more survivors would show up before sundown.

    While Zachary was chatting with Wander about whether he liked Katherine or Heather more, an unnatural shadow fell from the trees. It landed in front of him and took the shape of a man. It was Jean-Pierre.

    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± Zachary said unenthusiastically.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that? You¡¯re not happy to see me?¡± Jean-Pierre asked.

    Zachary shrugged, ¡°Should I be?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you again. How have you been?¡± Heather asked.

    ¡°Great!¡± Jean-Pierre replied cheerily.

    The two exchanged pleasantries. He also greeted the others before circling back to Zachary. He led Zachary to another tree, away from the others.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Zachary asked.

    Jean-Pierre looked around to make sure they would be undisturbed. He then waved his hand toward the ground.

    ¡°Just making sure we won¡¯t be overheard.¡±

    A steady stream of Eternum flowed out and took the form of a hazy gray shadow that covered them both. It was like a light fog that obscured their surroundings from the inside. It also faintly concealed them from the outside world.

    Zachary recognized it immediately as ability summoning. He didn¡¯t know what kind of ability but he didn¡¯t sense any danger.

    ¡°Interesting.¡± He said as he waved his hand through the gray fog, ¡°Is this another ability of your owl?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, jealous?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Jean-Pierre chuckled.

    ¡°So, what happened to the scorpion dragon? I assume you stayed around to keep track of it.¡± Zachary asked.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t die, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. It killed a lot of seagulls but in the end, it couldn¡¯t win against such overwhelming numbers. It fled underground and hasn¡¯t shown itself again. I have no idea where it went but it abandoned the quintessence spring. The seagulls now own the place but they don¡¯t have many uses for earth quintessence. They can dig it out but they can¡¯t use it to cultivate. These days, they just use the rocks as bait for prey."

    ¡°I see. What a waste.¡± Zachary replied.

    "Yeah, what a waste," Jean-Pierre waved his hand, ¡°But that¡¯s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I came to give you another warning.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Zachary tilted his head, finally interested.

    ¡°Last time, you helped me with the scorpion dragon. That favor was too great. I had to return it. So, here it is¡­ You should be careful. Some people don¡¯t want to see you return to the Old World. They will do anything to stop you.¡±

    There was a long pause as Zachary let those words sink in. He studied Jean-Pierre¡¯s expression and it was completely serious. Such a warning was unexpected but it didn¡¯t seem unreasonable. The Yoon-Cromwell Corporation played a lot of tricks to entrap him and turn him into a mass murderer. They would not be happy to see him again.

    ¡°I appreciate your warning,¡± Zachary said, ¡°But why should I trust you?¡±

    Jean-Pierre smiled, ¡°I knew you would say that. Here.¡±

    He waved his hand through the surrounding fog. The shadow of his owl flashed past, depositing a small, sealed envelope. He then handed the letter to Zachary.

    Zachary took the letter and examined it. There was nothing written on the envelope but the stamp on the wax seal was distinctive. He recognized it immediately. It belonged to his mother¡¯s bookshop.

 125. Another Warning (I)

    Zachary opened the envelope quickly, almost in a rush. A mixture of emotions surged up and down, making his heart jump painfully inside his chest. He missed them, of course, even if he didn¡¯t think of them as often as he should have.

    His mother¡¯s familiar handwriting appeared in a short letter. He read everything in a single glance. It left him speechless and full of questions.

    ¡°Son, it wasn¡¯t your fault. Some powerful and connected people wanted you to disappear. You should know who they are.¡±

    ¡°Even so, don¡¯t give up. I hired an agent from the Order of Saint Gertrude to safeguard your life. They should be the one to deliver this letter to you. Don''t lose hope, believe in yourself. Brave the New World and become a great summoner in the future.¡±

    ¡°Love, Mom.¡±

    Tears welled in his eyes. His mother¡¯s face appeared faintly in his mind. It had been a long time since the last time he saw her. He left home for university life in the city of New Calum one year and seven months ago. That was almost two whole years.

    He blinked and forced the tears away. He focused on her words, in particular, on the Order of Saint Gertrude. It was a secret order created by the saint rank summoner known as Gertrude the Just. The order was devoted to exterminating evil and upholding justice across the Old World and the New. At least, that was what the public believed.

    He remembered what his mother had told him in the past. She used to be a low-ranking member of the Order of Saint Gertrude but retired to get married. She had shown him a special tattoo that all order members had which would prove their identity.

    ¡°Jean-Pierre, show me your tattoo,¡± Zachary said.

    Jean-Pierre nodded and raised his short sleeve over his right shoulder. There was a tattoo of a simple sword, made with black ink. But a moment later, the tattoo pulsed with Eternum as it glowed white. At the same time, a white ring bearing intricate vine and leaf patterns appeared and encircled the sword. This was indeed the mark of the Order of Saint Gertrude.

    Zachary let out a long sigh, ¡°So¡­ you were hired to protect me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jean-Pierre replied, ¡°The Order knew that you would be among the death-row inmates sent to the New World. We arranged it so I would be among them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not actually a serial killer, are you?¡±

    Jean-Pierre grinned, ¡°No. Well¡­ I don¡¯t kill for fun. I only kill people that deserve it.¡±

    Zachary rolled his eyes. Things were starting to make sense. He wondered why Jean-Pierre was so friendly at the beginning and why he stuck with their small group. This also explained why he chose to fight the Blood Church members alone.

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    ¡°How did you...¡±

    ¡°How did I survive? Easy, you remember Cirril¡­¡± Jean-Pierre gestured above him and a large shadow flashed from a nearby tree to another, ¡°Prisoners had no belongings and we couldn¡¯t bring soul summons. However, I raised Cirril from an egg. Cirril was my pet long before he was my summon. He simply stayed by my side, hiding in my shadow.¡±

    Zachary frowned, ¡°You had an adept rank summon all that time? Dealing with those Blood Church members should have been as easy as slaughtering chickens. Why didn¡¯t you come to find me afterward? Weren¡¯t you supposed to protect me?¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Jean-Pierre looked embarrassed, ¡°Another mission took priority. After I took care of the Blood Church people, I discovered that they weren¡¯t here by chance. Just like me, they were here with a purpose. As you know, the biggest enemy of the order is the Blood Church, we''re supposed to uphold justice and whatever. So, I was bound by oath to investigate the matter.¡±

    ¡°And this matter¡­ was it the scorpion dragon?¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Jean-Pierre leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper, ¡°The Blood Church had explored this area long before the republic. One of the church elders placed their pet scorpion dragon inside the earth quintessence spring to cultivate. Those church members were sent over to keep an eye on things. They didn¡¯t know exactly where the scorpion dragon was or even that it was a scorpion dragon. Their task was simply to kill as many of the prisoners as they could so that they could take control of this jungle.¡±

    Jean-Pierre leaned back and smiled, ¡°Too bad, I took care of most of them before they could gain too much strength. I doubt any of them are still alive.¡±

    Zachary scoffed, ¡°Well¡­ it looks like your missions all went well. I¡¯m still alive and the scorpion dragon was chased away.¡±

    Jean-Pierre laughed and patted Zachary¡¯s shoulder, ¡°That¡¯s why I said you are my good brother. And I mean it this time. You are my good brother and my friend. On the off chance you can¡¯t get a ticket home, I have another way for you to leave this place.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Another way?¡± Zachary asked.

    He was interested, how could he not be? Counting the people he had seen today, there were almost a hundred survivors. Although it was a lot better than the two thousand or so at the beginning of the year, he still didn¡¯t like the odds.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s quite simple actually,¡± Jean-Pierre said, ¡°Join the Order of Saint Gertrude. Your mother used to be a member. I can also provide you with a recommendation letter. I¡¯m sure they will accept you.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­ so simple,¡± Zachary replied sarcastically.

    He had gotten his hopes up for nothing. The only other thing his mother had told him about the Order was that he shouldn¡¯t join it unless he had no other choice. It was a tough life that she had gladly left behind.

    ¡°And how many years would I have to serve the Order?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Not too long, the standard service commitment is twelve years.¡±

    Zachary almost laughed. Twelve years was an eternity. That would mean selling out the prime of his life to be under the control of others, be sent out for risky missions that had nothing to do with him. No way, he had so many other things he wanted to do.

    ¡°No way.¡±

    ¡°No way.¡±

    Zachary and Wander answered at the same time. The turtle shouted within his soul while Zachary rejected Jean-Pierre flat out.

    Jean-Pierre shrugged, ¡°It¡¯s just a backup plan. We¡¯ll still be friends regardless if you join or not. Come on, let¡¯s go back. Your gang is probably starting to wonder why we¡¯re taking so long.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not my gang,¡± Zachary retorted.

    ¡°Fine, fine. Who¡¯s that new gal? The brunette?¡±

    ¡°Nellie Docherty.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s cute, does she have a boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Zachary paused and remembered something, ¡°But¡­ you might have a better chance with Shuhua.¡±

    Jean-Pierre laughed, ¡°Excellent! Double the trouble!¡±

 126. Another Warning (II)

    Heather greeted Jean-Pierre cautiously but didn¡¯t object to him sticking around. They had fought together so they were no longer strangers. Carlos and Shuhua were happy to see him again while Nellie eyed him like he was a dangerous criminal.

    Zachary didn¡¯t pay too much attention to their conversations as he was distracted by his own. Wander was curious to hear more about his parents since the subject was brought up. He explained what he could about them. However, there wasn¡¯t much that he hadn¡¯t told Wander already.

    His father was often away on trips for his work. Even now, he wasn¡¯t exactly sure what he did or why he had to take so many trips. He was much closer to his mother. He adored her and her bookshop.

    If he wasn¡¯t reading books about Ensouled, he was wandering the streets, staring in wonder at sea dogs, mule steeds, tri-horn oxen, and other beasts common in the area. After meeting Yaoyao, his life was preoccupied with taking care of her and raising her. He paid little attention to anything else. Even after Minah Yoon showed up in his life, she was a firm third place in his heart behind Yaoyao and his mother.

    As for the Order of Saint Gertrude, he didn¡¯t know much about them. Most saint-rank summoners would leave behind some kind of legacy so that they could live on even in death. Some created powerful and influential clans that carried their will into future generations. Others established nations or even empires. Those like Saint Gertrude formed orders of faith with followers devoted to their beliefs and way of life.

    He suspected the Blood Church had a background similar to a saintly order. They were certainly powerful enough to be on the same level. Even the combined efforts of numerous nations could not eradicate them. And they still gained believers year after year which didn¡¯t make any sense to him. What was their appeal?

    In the meantime, the day passed uneventfully. It was rather boring, waiting around for something to happen. The orange sun finally disappeared into the western ocean and yet there was still no movement from the navy ship.

    Tomorrow, it would be tomorrow. That¡¯s what everyone thought. The survivors had nothing else to do besides rest and wait. The night was calm. Although certain groups wanted nothing more than to get rid of the competition, nobody fought or caused any trouble. They weren¡¯t sure if the Republic was already watching them. It was better to be safe. There would be plenty of time for fighting soon enough.

    Zachary sat cross-legged beneath a palm tree, silently and patiently refining his soul. He wanted to be in peak condition for whatever was to come. There were many tough opponents. He had a good chance but it was far from certain. He would have to push himself and his Ensouled to the utmost if he wanted to go back home.

    As he cultivated, he felt a faint tremor in the surrounding Eternum. It was a strange yet familiar feeling. A small creature appeared out of thin air by his feet.

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    ¡°Meow.¡±

    ¡°Marble?¡± Zachary whispered.

    The little yin-yang cat peered up at him with wide, curious eyes. It licked its lips cutely and turned its head towards the side. In an instant, it disappeared and reappeared several meters away in the direction it had pointed. It wanted him to follow.

    Zachary got up silently and looked around. Making sure nobody noticed his actions, he slipped into the darkness and followed Marble. He didn¡¯t have to go far. As expected, he found Katherine leaning against a tree, only a short walk from his camp.

    ¡°Hey,¡± She said, ¡°I wanted to talk to you, but I didn¡¯t want others to know¡­¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± He replied but didn¡¯t say anything else.

    She smiled nervously, ¡°Zach, I¡¯m sorry about what happened at the monolith. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    She closed the distance between them until they were standing face to face. She looked up at him with her green eyes shimmering with tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you survived. And since you¡¯re here, you found a way to heal your soul, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s great.¡±

    She raised her arms to give him a hug. But before she could, he took a step back and dodged her attempt.

    ¡°Zach¡­¡±

    ¡°Kate,¡± He said firmly, making her pause.

    ¡°Zach,¡± She tried again, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s me. Did you forget the things we had told each other? We''re on the same side.¡±

    Zachary wasn''t sure. Katherine Holt, a member of the Ice Saint Beast Cult, she was someone who kept too many secrets. Why was she so interested in the monolith that she risked everything to explore it? Even if he asked, he wouldn''t get a straight answer. How could he trust her?

    ¡°Kate, I am not the same person as I was before,¡± He said, ¡°And I don¡¯t think we can go back to the way things were.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I was just worried about you. But seeing you strong and healthy makes me happy.¡± She gave him a reassuring smile, ¡°There is another matter I wanted to talk to you about. It¡¯s about that guy named Aaron.¡±

    ¡°Aaron White? What about him?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I wanted to warn you, he probably wants both you and me dead.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a peculiarity of the White Clan. I heard that summoners of the younger generation who want to gain status and rise in the clan ranks have to undergo a life-or-death challenge to prove themselves. I think that Aaron White chose to come here for that purpose. If he can survive for a whole year in the New World and earn his way back home, it can be considered a great accomplishment in a twisted way. It will instantly catapult him to the top within his clan.¡±

    Katherine paused and stared up at him, letting her words sink in. There were some things unsaid but he quickly deduced them.

    ¡°He is cheating! His mature forest elephant, he started out with that in his possession somehow. There was no way he could have captured it without his group knowing.¡± Zachary said.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± She said, ¡°This is only my guess but White Clan would not look kindly on one of their descendants cheating so blatantly during their life-or-death challenge. Therefore, he will want to¡­¡±

    She made a gesture across her neck, ¡°Kill all witnesses to cover up his crime.¡±

    ¡°That rat bastard.¡± He muttered gloomily.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It''s not like he can just kill anybody he pleases. I will let you know if I find out anything else and if he tries anything.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll do the same.¡±

    She looked up at him and nodded as well. A comfortable silence passed between them. She smiled and rubbed his arm affectionately. Her touch felt so familiar.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this remind you of old times? Just us two, relying on each other?¡±

    However, he was no longer that wounded soul that fell for her charms.

    Zachary stepped away with an awkward smile, ¡°Good night, Kate.¡±

    With that, he returned to camp, leaving a frustrated Katherine behind.

 127. A Challenge (I)

    Zachary was greeted the next morning by Blue¡¯s cheerful chirps. The little blue bird had grown slightly bigger after reaching the Eight Paths Novice Rank. But it still liked to perch on top of his head whenever it could.

    "Blue, it¡¯s too early," He complained, shooing the bird away from his head.

    He stood up, stretched, and took stock of his surroundings. The sky was overcast. It looked like it might rain. Heather and her gang were getting ready for whatever the day would bring. He heard sounds of activity from elsewhere as the other survivor groups also awoke to a new day.

    Zachary walked to the edge of the jungle and peered over the cliff toward the west. The ocean was deep blue and calm. Waves periodically crashed against the black rocks of the shoreline. The navy ship was still there. From a distance, it looked like a giant gray shark ready to devour everything it encountered.

    There were signs of activity onboard. Sailors in white uniforms, marine guards in green; some were tending to the ship while others lined up on the deck in neat rows. As time passed, more and more squads of marines appeared. If any of the prisoners on shore had any ideas of storming the ship and taking it over, it was pointless to think those thoughts any longer.

    "Looks like it''s starting. They brought a lot of people," Jean-Pierre said as he appeared beside Zachary.

    Heather joined them, "The republic isn''t here to play around. They don''t want us prisoners running wild anymore."

    The trio looked on as the rows of sailors and marines parted for a single person. It was the captain, clad in a sharp white uniform that stood out brightly even beneath a cloudy sky. A ray of Eternum shot out from between that person''s brow and took the form of an armored eagle. The captain climbed onto the back of the giant bird and took to the air.

    "Get ready!" Heather said as she summoned her mantis.

    Zachary already had Blue out but he also summoned Onkie.

    All around him, Eternum surged wildly as the gathered survivors brought out their fighting strength.

    The armored eagle crossed the waves with a few flaps of its huge wings. Once above dry land, it flew up and down the coast, letting the captain examine the situation and count how many prisoners survived.

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    A powerful soul force pressed down on him from above. It was like a mountain crashing down on his soul. There was a sharp probing as if an unseen pair of eyes were trying to peer through foliage and even the tree trunks, trying to peer into his soul.

    ¡°Intruder!¡± Wander suddenly shouted within Zachary¡¯s soul sea.

    The turtle activated its powers, rapidly creating a wide shield like a net that covered the soul sea entirely.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Are we under attack?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°Wander, it''s alright,¡± Zachary chuckled, amused but appreciative of Wander¡¯s attentiveness, ¡°It was probably a summon with a powerful sensory ability. But it''s not enough to enter someone¡¯s soul. It¡¯s not uncommon for higher ranking summoners to have such an Ensouled.¡±

    ¡°I see... I see... Can I come out?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, you¡¯re my ace. I don¡¯t want to reveal you unless I have to.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Wander said and returned to his daydreams.

    Wander usually acted willfully, coming out of or going back into his soul as he pleased. However, Zachary managed to convince him of the importance of hiding. As the ace, Wander was the most important summon. It was a secret that had to be kept until the last moment. Wander agreed and had been very well-behaved for the past few days.

    Above their heads, the captain finished surveying the jungle. They then flew to a central area and hovered a short distance from the cliff and the trees. The captain stood up on the back of the armored eagle and stared coldly at the jungle, allowing Zachary to finally get a good look at that familar face. It was the same Captain Willis who had sent them to this wilderness a year ago.

    ¡°Prisoners of Outpost Emerald!¡± Her voice was even colder than her gaze, ¡°It has been one year since you set foot in the New World. You have braved the wild sea and the unforgiving jungle. Now, it is time for your final trial.¡±

    As she spoke, the various survivor groups edged closer to hear her clearly.

    ¡°All of you should have already died for your crimes. You are the lowest of the low, undeserving of redemption. But the Republic saw fit to give you a second chance. Those of you that have showed up today, at least, you haven¡¯t wasted your worthless lives.¡±

    A gust of wind swept over the trees, bringing a wave of chilly air as well as a faint drizzle. The captain¡¯s hair remained perfectly in place, just as stoic as her weathered face that showed signs of age.

    ¡°As promised, I have four pardon slips signed by President Howe. But don¡¯t get too excited just yet. You have to earn it; you have to prove that you deserve to be redeemed. I counted sixty or so survivors. That¡¯s a lot more than I expected. But more is good, it means you can still be useful to the Republic.¡±

    She paused and smiled scornfully, studying the various faces that had appeared through the trees.

    ¡°The Republic is considering building a permanent settlement here. But it is impossible to do so with the giant flocks of bloodthirsty seagulls roaming the sky. Therefore, your task is to kill as many as you can. Don¡¯t worry, you can stay right here. We¡¯ll bring them to you. Those who kill the most will get a chance to compete for the pardon spots. What do you all think about that?¡±

 128. A Challenge (II)

    "Seagulls?" Zachary muttered.

    He turned to Heather whose lips twitched from trying to suppress her amusement.

    "Seagulls. What a coincidence," She said.

    Jean-Pierre laughed, "Interesting, this should be a good show. I wonder how many of them are still left. I hope there will be enough to go around."

    Around them, the reactions to the captain''s challenge were mixed. All of the survivors were well aware of the danger of giant seagulls. Many had fallen prey to those beasts throughout the year.

    After waiting a few breaths, Captain Willis continued, "For keeping score, all novice rank seagulls are worth one point. Adept rank seagulls at the first to fourth soul paths are worth six points. Those at the upper half of the adept rank are worth eight points. Collect their anima crystals and hand them in at the end. Otherwise, your score will not be counted. If you have the capability, you can also capture them for double the points. Of course, you will also have to hand those in as well."

    She looked around at them slowly, as if daring someone to protest. Hearing none, she thinly smiled, "The top sixteen with the most points will move on to the final round. Any ties will be resolved with summoner''s duels. The rest of you useless people can just stay here forever. That is all."

    She tapped the giant eagle and gave it an inaudible command. With a flap of those massive wings, the pair turned and headed back to the ship.

    "Alright, time to fight." Heather said, sliding back into her habit as the leader, "Top sixteen is tough but enough for us to work with. Given the odds, the competition will be fierce. We should do our best but we don''t have to reveal our full strength, just enough so that you guys can make the top sixteen."

    Heather turned to Zachary and Jean-Pierre, "Let''s work together one last time."

    "Sure," Zachary replied.

    "You''re the boss!" Jean-Pierre said cheerfully.

    Following this, Heather went over some finer details, focusing on which summons would be best against the seagulls and which ones should be held in reserve to deal with other prisoners if need be. They had many enemies among the survivors. As a group, they could watch each other''s backs. They had survived for a whole year after countless struggles. It would be a pity to lose it all at the very end.

    Zachary only listened with half an ear while still watching the navy ship anchored in the distance. The captain landed on the deck but remained on her eagle. She shouted commands at the various sailors and marines, gesturing here and there. After a while, she flew up and returned to the beach, this time followed by scores of marines, each riding a smaller armored eagle. There had to be at least a hundred of them, perhaps up to two hundred.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    While the captain circled overhead, the flying troops landed along the length of the rocky beach. They summoned a number of common Ensouled from the Old World including tri-horn oxen, mules, ducks, and even a few hairless pigs. These would be the bait for the hungry seagulls. They were all at the novice rank and not worth much. Few people besides farmers bothered to keep them as summons.

    "Ohh, pigs!" Onkie squealed upon seeing new arrivals, "They are so pink and fat! So strange!"

    "Haha, yes they are," Zachary said, neglecting to mention that they were raised as food.

    Onkie probably wouldn''t appreciate that.

    Once the bait was set, half of the marines hid amidst the large rock formations that lined the coast, taking up ambush positions. The other half took to the skies again and formed up around their captain. Together, they soared eastward to lure the seagull hordes out of their nests.

    Zachary turned to Heather as he thought of an idea, "Heather, let''s set our own bait."

    "Oh? What do you have in mind?" She asked with great interest.

    "I''ll use Dream. I need to clear out some trees, enough to dig a small pond and for us to fight the seagulls."

    "Got it, Toby!" She called to her overgrown mantis, "Start chopping!"

    Jean-Pierre also joined in the action, bringing out his mantis. More summons followed including treants from Shuhua and Carlos. They had already done this many times before at the quintessence mine. Their teamwork was seamless. A small section of the sparse jungle at the edge of the cliffs was cleared out in no time at all.

    Meanwhile, Onkie finished digging a circular pond using her earth-attribute ability. Blue followed by filling the pond with water using its drizzle ability. It was a good thing the pond was shallow or else Blue would have taken a while. Once that was done, he summoned Dream into the pond which was just enough for it to swim around in circles and leap out of the water occasionally.

    Zachary also summoned Doro and Voodoo. Doro slid into the ground to hide out of sight while Voodoo remained at his side. He still only had four adept rank summons but Wander more than made up for it.

    As for the rest, Heather had Toby. The mantis was her all-purpose summon. Fast, flexible, and smart; it could fight many different types of opponents including seagulls. She also summoned her adept rank treant Roger for extra muscle as well as her gray wolf Max to act as her bodyguard.

    Nellie brought out a giant pill bug for defense and a crowned caterpillar for long-range attacks. The chubby worm didn¡¯t actually have a crown but a circular tuft of golden hair around his head, hence the name. Its special ability was shooting sticky strings capable of immobilizing its prey.

    Shuhua summoned three adept ranks; a yellow flower demon named Rosie, a bright red mushroom demon named Porcini, and a treant named Magnolia. Carlos also summoned three; a giant pill bug named Maniac, a treant named Dummy, and a muddy bullfrog named Broody that could spit mud balls that were akin to toxic glue.

    Lastly, Jean-Pierre still relied on his shadowless cloud owl Cirril and his nameless mantis. He surely owned other powerful summons but he had yet to reveal any of them.

    With their team assembled, they didn¡¯t have to wait too long. The cry of eagles and the squawks of angry seagulls started faint but grew louder and louder until the noise became deafening. Large shadows swooped overhead. The first few belonged to summoners riding their armored eagled, some wearing panicked expressions. More eagles flashed past, some battling with giant seagulls and their distinctive double pairs of wings. The rest were only giant seagulls, so many that it was all anyone could see through the gaps in the trees.

 129. Chaotic Battle (I)

    At a glance, there were hundreds and hundreds of seagulls, more than the eye could count. So many wild beasts gathered together was a formidable force that could make even the bravest summoner cower. They occupied the entire sky, their white and pale gray feathers melding into the background of an overcast sky. Even after the disastrous battle against the scorpion dragon, these seagulls were still the masters of the sky.

    The marines fleeing a moment ago turned and joined with their reinforcements on the ground. Together, they summoned an army of Ensouled. Each person had been issued the standard team of an iron fur gorilla, an ember cat, and an armored eagle. They formed a formidable wall that stopped the seagulls'' pursuit.

    The seagull horde hovered over the beach, unsure of what to do. The two sides were now comparable in terms of numbers. Though there were still more seagulls, it wasn''t like the first battle a year ago which was a one-sided slaughter. They would have to expend a lot of blood and feathers to expel these invaders from their territory.

    "Skree!"

    After a brief stalemate, one of the larger seagulls noticed the bait that had been laid out up and down the beach. Sensing much easier prey, it squawked loudly and shot towards a particularly fat pig. The helpless beast squealed in pain as the seagull''s sharp talons sank into its back. It tried to run but it had already been lifted into the air by the giant bird''s four powerful wings.

    Two more seagulls converged on the first, fighting with the first one for the meal. The pig was torn to shreds and disappeared into those hungry stomachs. The largest of the trio of seagulls cried out happily as it swallowed the anima crystal as a final treat.

    Loud squawks of excitement traveled through the seagull horde. With food on the table, they ignored the pesky humans and dived down for a feast. The bait animals, under the control of their summoners, stood there dumbly and waited to be eaten. Facing certain death, a few beasts managed to break the soul bonds within their summoning cards through sheer will and desire for self-preservation. Still, they could only run around helplessly, dodging left and right as hungry monsters hunted them from the sky.

    It was at this time that the first survivors started to act. A smaller seagull that was likely at the novice rank had just plucked a plump brown chicken off the beach when it was hit by a barrage of black quills. It cried out in pain and crashed to the ground; its wings pierced by countless sharp arrow-like quills. Before anybody could react, a pair of gray wolves dashed out. They deftly hopped down the cliffs and arrived before the stricken bird. Without pausing, one wolf bit down on the bird''s neck until it snapped while the other dug out the anima crystal from its head.

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    A few moments later, an inexperienced seagull flew too close to the trees and was peppered by countless poison spitballs. It quickly became dazed as the poison took effect. It eventually lost the strength to fly and crashed through the foliage into waiting arms below.

    In another part of the beach, a seagull that was busy feasting on a carcass was suddenly beset by vicious insects. A stag beetle flew over and caught the bird with its horns, preventing it from escaping. A pair of giant mosquitos then came and sucked out most of its blood until it was too weak to fight back. The last thing it saw as it fell was the fearsome mandibles of a large black beetle clamping down on its skull.

    Looking around at the carnage, Zachary felt the time was right for them to join the action, "Dream, let''s lure one over."

    Just as a particularly large seagull flew overhead, Dream leaped out of the shallow point. The beautiful rainbow fish left a trail of colorful water droplets behind as it flew through the air in a perfect arc. By the time it disappeared into the water, the seagull had circled around, having been attracted by Dream''s mysterious allure. The feathery monster flapped its wings and entered a slow dive toward the pond. Its small black eyes were filled with greed. Its beak was slightly open and drooling.

    The giant bird landed beside the pond with a heavy thud. It was huge. Just its body was the size of a cow. It peered into the muddy water, ready to pounce. It ignored everything else around it. It was a powerful adept rank beast. Having ruled the skies for so long, it had not feared anything in a very long time.

    "Onkie!" Zachary called, "Go!"

    Onkie charged out of the underbrush. Like a ball of fur rolling downhill, she picked up speed and slammed into the seagull''s side like a boulder.

    Sharp cracks sounded as the bones in its wing snapped from the impact.

    "Kaw!" Seagull wailed miserably and fell onto its side.

    It tried to take off but that only caused it to suffer more pain. Before it could come to its senses, Onkie slammed into it again, sending it rolling on its side several times before it was stopped by three tree trunks that appeared out of nowhere. Only, these weren''t trees but a trio of powerful treants instead. Their arms which were like branches clenched into fists and fell onto the seagull''s head, quickly pounding it into submission.

    As the seagull lost its will to fight, the largest treant raised one gnarled fist high in the air, intent on bringing it down and crushing the seagull''s skull.

    "Wait, Roger!" Heather ordered. She then turned to Zachary with a smile, "Hey, how about we catch this one?"

 130. Chaotic Battle (II)

    Zachary glanced at the nearly unconscious seagull and considered it. They were competing against the other survivor groups. A captured seagull was worth double the points. It was worth it.

    ¡°If you want it, it¡¯s yours.¡± He said.

    Heather didn¡¯t move and instead tugged on his arm, ¡°Zach¡­ we don¡¯t have any orbs left.¡±

    Her voice was a mix of playful and pleading.

    He had traded her twenty-four summoning orbs before. But she had to share that amount among her group so she did not have any to spare. In fact, he doubted if any of the others had spare orbs.

    As for him, he currently had forty-nine fresh soul orbs. He was hoping to keep them and sell them when he returned home. Each one would fetch a sizable sum. But given the situation, he decided he could part with a few.

    ¡°Fine, the first one is free. Don¡¯t say that I am stingy.¡± He said and handed her one.

    ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡± Heather said and had her treant to drag the giant bird over.

    Zachary and the rest continued their luring efforts. Dream quickly drew another seagull over. This one was a juvenile that was quickly killed. It produced a tiny, white anima crystal like a bead of glass. These seagulls only had a normal type and no special attributes. He kept the crystal while Nellie wrote down some notes on a leaf to keep track of their overall points.

    Following this, they drew two seagulls at the same time. They were both large and tough, definitely at the adept rank.

    ¡°Get ready, we¡¯ll have to go all out!¡± Zachary warned.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the bigger one!¡± Carlos shouted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the other,¡± Shuhua said.

    The two seagulls landed next to the pond. One of the beasts directly stabbed its beak into the murky water. Dream managed to avoid it but there was nowhere it could escape to. Zachary quickly reached for his summoning belt and Dream¡¯s orb, ready to cast a long-range recall.

    Before the seagull could make another attempt, it was intercepted by a barrage of mud. Carlos¡¯ bullfrog showed off its prowess, showering both birds with smelly, sticky muck that stuck to their feathers, making it difficult to fly or even flap their wings.

    Following this attack, an array of green vines that had been creeping toward the seagulls suddenly leaped up, grabbing onto the closet one. The seagull squawked angrily and tried to break free but more vines wrapped around its legs and started to snake up its body.

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    ¡°Wisteria! Don¡¯t let it go!¡±

    Shuhua¡¯s summon was a vine demon, a plant type Ensouled that was made up entirely of vines. It was the best at constricting and entrapping, far superior to even treants.

    As for the other seagull, it had suffered most of the mud attack. Before it could move, it was beset by a crustacean that looked like an overgrown crayfish. It had a spiky protective carapace and a pair of scissor-like claws.

    ¡°Nasty, don''t let it escape!¡±

    Zachary chuckled to himself as he watched the monstrous crayfish carve up the seagull until it looked more like a featherless turkey than anything else.

    ¡°Carlos, your summon names are terrible,¡± Shuhua said what was on everyone''s mind.

    ¡°Shut up! Deal with your own seagull first!¡±

    While they argued, their summons finished subduing the two seagulls and dragged them away and out of sight of the other seagulls that were still circling the sky. None of them came down to avenge their fallen brethren. There was too much happening all over the beach. Seagulls were being taken down left and right by mysterious foes hiding in the trees. There was also plenty more free food laid out as the marines would summon more livestock as bait when the numbers diminished.

    It was a chaotic battle all around. But it wasn¡¯t like the survivors could do whatever they pleased. Those that chose to engage the seagulls out in the open beach quickly suffered losses. Gray wolves, insects, or flower demons; the seagulls didn¡¯t care what they ate as long it was alive. They had insatiable appetites and attacked everything that moved.

    Zachary gave Carlos and Shuhua one summoning orb each. He then checked up on Heather.

    ¡°Did you get it?¡±

    ¡°I got it!¡± Heather showed him a summoning orb that now contained a sizable white crystal.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll catch one too,¡± He said with a smile. ¡°Nellie, do you want one?¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss!¡± She replied enthusiastically.

    ¡°I thought I was the boss,¡± Heather complained.

    The two women shared a laugh.

    ¡°Hey, only the first one is free!¡± Zachary insisted.

    They continued to lure seagulls one or two at a time. Zachary and Nellie both caught adept rank seagulls. Dream¡¯s allure was simply too strong and irresistible. Their teamwork was also efficient and effective.

    However, there were still many dangerous moments. One time, three seagulls came down together which resulted in a messy brawl. Shuhua¡¯s vine demon suffered serious injuries while other summons were also wounded. There was another time when their luring efforts drew the ire of a large flock of seagulls. At least eight or ten seagulls attacked the small clearing, even knocking down some smaller trees in the process. Zachary had to recall Dream and the whole group retreated into the jungle. They only reemerged after the seagulls got frustrated and left to join other battles.

    The morning dragged on. Zachary and his group killed many seagulls but the battle seemed endless. Captain Willis never mentioned a time limit. She intended to borrow the prisoners to destroy the seagull horde. They would continue until the threat was eliminated.

    After a while, both summoners and their summons were worn down by the constant fighting. Their stamina and soul power were drained. Accumulated wounds were starting to take a toll.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break. The seagulls aren¡¯t going anywhere,¡± Heather said.

    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Zachary said and recalled Dream.

    Around him, the others also recalled their summons and retreated to their camp. Right as they were about to get some rest and have some food, Heather let out a small cry.

    "Ah!" She clutched her forehead in pain and turned toward the dense jungle that lay to the east.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Nellie asked.

    ¡°My parrot died.¡± She bit her lip in worry, ¡°Jerry¡­ Everyone, check your scouts! Get ready to fight!¡±

 131. Costly Ambush (I)

    Right after Heather said those words, a surge of Eternum swept over them, followed by a barrage of barbed quills. She screamed and ducked for cover. Her most reliable summon, Toby the mantis, moved swiftly in front of her and blocked most of the flying missiles with its body. Its carapace was hard enough to deflect most of the quills but a few pierced its vulnerable abdomen.

    At the same time, the others were also attacked by a wide array of long-range abilities. Shuhua was briefly pelted by poison spitballs before she could take cover behind her flower demon, with one landing on her right arm. Nellie dived behind a tree but not before suffering from a shower of flying leaves. Blood sprayed everywhere and she cried out in pain.

    The remaining three, Zachary, Carlos, and Jean-Pierre, were met with more sharp quills before they could react or provide aid. Zachary ability summoned Wander''s glowing green shield and held it out in front of him with his palm. Carlos dived behind his monstrous crayfish, cursing loudly. Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre disappeared into the trees with a gust of wind. Nothing could touch his body while his trusty owl was on duty.

    "Is everyone okay?" Heather shouted even as attacks continued to rain down all around them.

    "Fine!" Carlos replied.

    "Not fine!" Nellie retorted.

    Her legs had been cut up and she was bleeding heavily. Shuhua was also struggling as her arm had turned a concerning shade of purple.

    "Damn it, I''ll kill them!" Carlos shouted.

    He summoned his muddy bullfrog in an attempt to return fire but the poor beast had to immediately duck for cover from another barrage of quills.

    "Broody, come on!" He urged but bullfrog was more concerned about self-preservation and rightly so.

    Eventually, the long-range attacks ceased momentum as those summons ran out of energy or ammunition. However, there was no rest for Zachary and his group as several powerful Ensouled charged through the underbrush toward their position. At a glance, there were furry pigs bigger than Onkie, gray wolves, overgrown bugs, strange plant creatures, and even a fearsome-looking alligator.

    "Onkie, go!" Zachary urged..

    "I got it!" Onkie squealed and charged into the fray, directly colliding head-first with an opposing furry pig.

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    "Max! Roger!" Heather shouted, sending her gray wolf and treant forward.

    Shuhua''s treant and vine demon followed as well as a pair of giant pill bugs from Nellie and Carlos.

    Meanwhile, the long-range attackers on their side started to retaliate. Heather''s poison frog, which she had named Alan, laid down a messy barrage on the approaching enemies. Nellie''s crowned caterpillar ensnared one beast after another. Even Carlos'' muddy bullfrog was finally able to hop up and get some payback.

    The battle was sheer chaos of noise and action. Beast cries mixed with human shouts and commands. Everybody was fighting everybody else at the same time. All the survivors could do was stay out of harm''s way. Every summon on the field was an adept. The summoners, as weak humans, could lose their lives in an instant if they were careless.

    Out of all the combatants, Onkie in particular thrived in this mayhem. She was strong and agile. She could pick her opponent and avoid the tricky ones with her speed. She smashed into one beast after another, sending them reeling backward. She was like a boulder rolling downhill, flatting everything in her way. Her thick fur and tough hide protected her from retaliation.

    "Hon! Hon!" A much larger furry pig snorted loudly as it stepped into Onkie''s path.

    It was a male of her species; its tusks were much more pronounced.

    "Onk! Onk!" Onkie replied indignantly, accepting the challenge.

    Although the other pig was bigger, it didn''t necessarily mean it was stronger.

    "Onkie, earth crush!" Zachary commanded.

    "Alright!" She replied eagerly.

    Eternum surged through her body, bearing the color of earth. It carried her soul''s intent and her control over the element outward and into the ground beneath her feet. Then, with a brave shout, she charged at the bigger pig which also broke into a sprint. The two sides rapidly approached each other, kicking up a dust storm behind them. There was no intention to dodge. They were going to see whose skull was thicker and who would roll over who.

    On the last step before the collision, Onkie stomped hard on the ground, causing the surrounding earth to tremble. This tremor shot forward in a wave, past the other pig''s feet, and erupted directly behind it. A pillar of loose rocks and dirt formed in the blink of an eye, just as the two furry pigs smashed into each other.

    With mixed cries, both beasts flew backward. Onkie hit the ground several meters away while the other pig smashed into the pillar she created. She had plenty of room to roll and dissipate the energy from the impact. She quickly got back on her feet and shook her head to clear any remaining discomfort.

    On the other hand, her opponent remained motionless in a heap on the ground. It had been smashed twice in rapid succession, once by her thick head and once by the mound of rocks and hard earth. Unlike Onkie who had rolled a far distance, the other pig was forced to absorb all of the damage of these impacts. One could imagine what kind of injuries it had suffered.

    Expectedly, a ray of light hit the wounded pig soon after as its summoner performed a long-range recall. The light traveled through the foliage to a spot beside a large tree a short distance away.

    Zachary smiled to himself, noting the location of that enemy. Now that they had shown themselves, he could spring the trap he had prepared. He felt in his soul for the connection with Doro which was already active. He willed the earth elemental forward and gave it the signal to attack once it was in position.

 132. Costly Ambush (II)

    Doro came to a halt directly beneath that person. It spread its limbs and sent its soul power into the earth around it, controlling the environment to move according to its will. It created a deep hole directly beneath the summoner''s feet. Then, without warning, Doro reached out of the ground and grabbed their ankle.

    That man''s terrified scream rang out over the chaos of the battle. His two summons, a stag beetle and a porcupine, looked at him in confusion. Before anyone could figure out what was happening, he disappeared into the ground, leaving a suspicious mound of soft dirt behind.

    Underground, Dodo¡¯s strong hands held onto the struggling human as if he was a slippery fish. Doro squeezed both hands together, bending the man¡¯s spine backward. He screamed pitifully, his mouth and lungs filling with dirt. A moment later, his life came to an inglorious end, out of sight of his companions, man or beast. Doro didn¡¯t make a sound, completely unimpressed by such a weak enemy.

    The two summons above ground suddenly froze as if struck dumb. They blinked their eyes rapidly like they had suddenly awoken from a long dream. The porcupine let out a joyful cry and ran off into the deep jungle. The stag beetle followed not long after, flying aimlessly, without purpose for the first time in a long while.

    Their summoner was dead. Doro had snapped the man in two as easily as breaking a dry branch. Trapped beneath the ground, his fate had been sealed.

    And when he died, the active soul bonds he had with his summons were broken. The stag beetle and the porcupine became wild beasts once more. They didn''t retain any sense of kinship and fled at the first opportunity. Such was the relationship between humans and Ensouled they had captured by force. The only thing holding their loyalty was the mysterious powers of the soul and that soul no longer existed.

    After this, the tide of battle quickly turned. The attacking summons retreated into the jungle, some in good order under the command of their summoners, some fleeing for their lives as if nothing else mattered. A short while later, there was nothing left but silence, the ambush was over.

    Heather groaned in pain as she stood up from behind her cover. She surveyed the scene, the wounded which included both summoners and their summons. It was a miserable sight. The battle was costly for both sides. It seemed so pointless.

    "Careful everyone. Make sure to reestablish our scouting perimeter," She said.

    After catching her breath, she brought two summoning cards to her brow and summoned a large rat and another parrot.

    "Hazel, Terry, keep an eye out for intruders."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Following her lead, Carlos and Nellie also summoned a few critters to replace those that had been lost.

    Zachary summoned Timber and let it fly into the trees. The mantis did not specialize in scouting but it was competent enough to serve as a sentry. He then recalled Blue which fluttered out of the canopy and onto his head.

    It looked like it had suffered a fright. Its plumage was in disarray and it was missing a few feathers. He was thankful the silly bird was still alive.

    "Zach, come here. Shuhua needs help," Heather said.

    Zachary went over and found her in terrible shape. The poison was spreading rapidly, having already reached her neck and across her chest. Without bothering to negotiate or ask for favors, he knelt beside her and activated Wander''s healing powers using ability summoning. A soft green glow covered his palm and he pressed it against her skin. She winced at first but her knotted brow gradually relaxed. As the poison receded, she let out a sigh and slumped to the side in a dead faint.

    "How is she?" Carlos asked.

    "She''ll be fine." Zachary said, "She''ll wake up after a good nap."

    "Great, can I get a little help here too?" Nellie asked.

    She was slumped beside a tree nearby. She couldn''t even get up and was sitting on the ground. Zachary went over and helped heal the deep cuts on her legs. It was a simple task. It took far less energy than neutralizing poison.

    After he was done, he turned to Heather, "What about you? Any quills this time?"

    "No.¡± She smiled wryly. She quickly sobered and let out a heavy sigh, "But our summons are wounded. Toby is in really bad shape. Shuhua¡¯s Wisteria also got torn up. The Dark Star Gang, they got us good this time."

    "Don''t be so glum, it¡¯s not like they escaped unscathed," Jean-Pierre said when he finally reappeared.

    A black cloud flew overhead and dropped him onto the ground. He was he was carrying a limp body on one shoulder, a woman.

    "She¡¯s dead. She¡¯s from the Dark Star Gang but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve guessed that already." He replied, answering their questioning gazes, "Most of her good summons ran away but there are still some decent ones. Anybody care for some giant bugs?"

    He held up three summoning cards in one hand while holding more in the other, acting like a door-to-door salesman.

    "Any takers? No?¡±

    Nellie glanced at the cards and scoffed, ¡°Lucky you. I tried to get one of them with my chameleon hunter but he had quick reflexed.¡±

    She beckoned with her fingers and a large multi-colored lizard appeared on the tree trunk beside her. It had come back without being noticed, perfectly camouflaged against the tree bark. She fed it a piece of fruit and rubbed its head. It then turned to Jean-Pierre and hissed, revealing rows of sharp teeth.

    ¡°Ooo, scary,¡± Jean-Pierre said playfully, ¡°Zach, what about you? Want some bugs?¡±

    Zachary made a face.

    Jean-Pierre chuckled, ¡°My good brother, why don''t you show us your spoils from the battle?"

    "Okay," Zachary said and beckoned to the ground by his feet.

    Doro appeared as a mountain of earth. It flung a body to the ground beside his feet, the enemy it had killed. Zachary quickly rummaged through their belongings and examined their stack of summoning cards. Most of them were creatures commonly found throughout the jungle but one of them happened to be at the adept rank, a flower demon. He kept that one and showed the rest to the others.

    Jean-Pierre clicked his tongue in disapproval, "Such poor bastards."

    ¡°Really poor,¡± Zachary agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll trade you this swamp rat for your purple butterfly.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Heather shook her head, "You two are assholes."

 133. Test of Endurance (I)

    Zachary had no real use for the purple butterfly he traded from Jean-Pierre. It was a common creature found throughout the jungle. He had seen many of them and they came in all kinds of colors. But they were unremarkable. They had very little combat power or interesting abilities. They were only useful as a scout but he already had Blue and Timber which were far better at that role. At least they could defend themselves and evade tough opponents.

    The other summoning cards were also not too special. Only the adept rank flower demon caught his interest, albeit slightly. It was rather unimpressive from his experience. Onkie could fight two of them with ease. Still, an adept was still an adept so he kept for now. He would have to spend some time to replace the original soul imprint in the summoning card with his own. Then he could use it in a pinch.

    After a short while, Nellie and Shuhua were back on their feet. They weren''t fully fit yet but Zachary''s healing got them to a point where they would recover on their own after a good night''s sleep. The battle with the seagulls was still ongoing all along the beach but nobody seemed interested in that at the moment. They had fought all morning. They were tired. They had also been ambushed. Their summons which resided in summoning cards could not be brought out again for a while. The ones in soul orbs could still fight but they also needed rest.

    "Should we hit them back?" Nellie asked. "They won''t see us coming."

    "They might," Jean-Pierre said, "They aren''t as careful as you guys but they aren''t idiots."

    "It will be safer to rest and recover. They still have a lot of people and we still have seagulls to fight." Heather said.

    "Wait, I didn''t mean we didn''t have a chance." Jean-Pierre said, "Nellie''s idea is pretty good. They won''t expect us. And I can easily take care of their scouts."

    Nellie gave him a smile and a wink which made him chuckle.

    Zachary shook his head at the flirty pair, "Let''s not get distracted. The most important thing is still the seagulls and the captain''s challenge. We should get some rest. I can''t always heal you guys if we get into one fight after another."

    His words brought the others around. Even Nellie sat back down without complaint. The only reason they considered retaliating against the Dark Star Gang was because he had healed their injuries. Without him, they had to consider their own mortality and weigh the risks. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    After a long break and filling their stomachs, the gang readied themselves for another long struggle session with the flying pests. The sky above the beach was still filled with them. However, the intensity of the battle between the various flocks and the summoners on the ground had waned greatly. With many losses and no clear victor, both sides took a more careful approach, picking their fights and retreating when things turned for the worse.

    Dream reappeared in the small pond, leaping out of the water to create rainbows that glittered under the sun. Its reappearance was like a rock that had been thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples of agitation amongst the seagulls. Straightaway, a pair of large seagulls separated from the flock and dived towards Dream. Those two were huge, fully-grown adult seagulls, each the size of a champion bull. Their four wings covered the sky as they descended into the clearing.

    Sensing the danger, Zachary touched Dream''s soul orb and quickly performed a long-range recall. A ray of light shot out from his brow and into the pond, retrieving Dream just moments before the two enormous beasts splashed down. At the same time, a forest of treants rumbled forward and crashed into the seagulls, grabbing their wings and ripping their feathers. Each person had brought out a treant, with three adepts and three novices in total. They were slow but they were strong, enough to hold the thrashing birds down momentarily.

    "Mary, go!" Heather commanded as a giant python slithered forward.

    It was huge, it made Zachary''s Boba seem like an earthworm. Its flower-patterned scales wrapped around one of the seagulls and its thick body twisted and constricted, slowly squeezing the life out of its foe. At the same time, the python''s scales excreted a toxin that stopped the seagull''s struggles. As for the other seagull, it was pelted by Voodoo''s poison and succumbed to death after a brief moment of torment.

    The two seagulls were quickly taken care of, with their anima crystals dug out and their carcasses thrown aside. Everyone had already captured an adept rank seagull with the soul orbs that Zachary handed out at the beginning. There was no need for a second one since they still had to heal the ones they had already obtained if they wanted to use it in battle. Also, nobody had thick enough skin to ask him for another soul orb for free.

    Zachary had already healed the seagull he caught using Wander. He didn''t want another one. He was unsatisfied with this species'' innate talent. The overgrown bird only had one ability which used its wings to create wind gusts which was generally useless in a fight. All he could rely on were its brute strength and its sharp beak and claws.

    "Two more down!" Carlos shouted excitedly.

    "And more to go!" Jean-Pierre added.

    "How is everyone? And your summons?" Heather asked.

    After a round of positive replies, the gang resumed their efforts. They had to share the spoils between six people so everyone had to work hard. It was a test of endurance, for the summoners and their summons. The wild seagulls patrolling the sky, the republic marines that had dug in all along the beach, and the survivors that manned the tree line; they were in a struggle that seemed to have no end.

 134. Test of Endurance (II)

    The afternoon dragged on slowly. The seagull horde maintained their siege over the beach. Some flocks flew away to rest while new flocks flew in from faraway nests, replenishing their numbers. Although individual seagulls were not very intelligent, they were quite organized as a whole.

    The republic marines also brought in reinforcements. The wounded were sent back to the ship while fresh summoners arrived to join the battle. The Republic brought a fully crewed ship of war, a formidable invasion force representing the might of humanity.

    As for the prisoners, they had to rely on themselves. No help was coming. There was nothing they could do even if they were exhausted. If they slacked off, then they would not be able enter the top sixteen. They would not be able to return to the Old World.

    ¡°Mary! Are you okay?¡± Heather shouted worriedly as she rushed to her giant python.

    Zachary¡¯s group had just dispatched another adept rank seagull. However, the giant python had suffered several deep cuts and puncture wounds from the seagull¡¯s sharp beak and talons. It was weary after several battles and had gotten careless.

    Heather patted the snake and recalled it into its soul orb. She stared hatefully at the dead seagull for a long time before pulling out another orb.

    ¡°Jen, come out.¡±

    With a flash, a golden butterfly appeared. It wasn¡¯t very big, with wings the size of dinner plates. It fluttered around Heather¡¯s head, showering her with faint golden dust. This butterfly was a little special. It was unlike all the other colored butterflies and had two useful abilities. This was why she had raised it to the adept rank.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Nellie shouted.

    A trio of seagulls dived at them to avenge their fallen brethren.

    ¡°Jen, dumbing dust!¡± Heather ordered.

    ¡°Brrr!¡± The butterfly flapped its wings and produced a much thicker cloud of golden dust.

    The three seagulls breathed in the golden dust and were struck dumb. Their ferociousness disappeared in an instant and they all looked around in confusion, trying to figure out what they had been doing and why they had landed on the ground.

    ¡°Jen! Sleepy eyes!¡±

    The golden butterfly¡¯s oversized eyes glowed brightly at a rapid, steady interval, creating a dizzying effect. One of the seagulls couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized by those eyes. It stared straight at the light for a while before its eyelids drooped and finally closed. The beast sat down, tucked its beak into its feathers, and started to snore.

    ¡°Porcini, you turn,¡± Shuhua commanded.

    A giant red mushroom with stumpy legs waddled forward. Its mushroom body was wide and flat like a table. There was no head, eyes, or any sensory organs. It was a strange creature, one that lived up to the demonic type. Just looking at it made Zachary shudder.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Porcini, spore bombs!¡±

    A small hole at the center of the mushroom opened. Its whole body trembled and squeezed inward slightly. Small red spores the size of grains of sand shot out, forming an arc in the air. The red granules landed amidst the three seagulls. With eerie speed, they grew roots all over and sprouted into small red mushrooms. Then, after reaching the limit, each new mushroom let out a pulse of Eternum as it exploded with great force as well as a flash of heat.

    ¡°Keew!¡±

    ¡°Keeeeaaa!¡±

    The seagulls cried in pain and anger. Blood and feathers splattered everywhere. The dust quickly cleared, revealing burned and mangled holes all over their bodies. They were all heavily wounded but they still had a bit of fight left in them.

    ¡°Keeee!¡±

    One of the larger seagulls saw the strange mushroom standing by the trees and charged over. Even if it could only limp along on one leg and flap its broken wings, its speed was still astonishing. It crashed into Porcini, stabbing wildly with its long beak.

    ¡°Fuu¡­¡± The mushroom demon let out a sad sound, unable to fight back.

    It was an ungainly, fragile creature. It had no hope in a physical brawl.

    ¡°No!¡± Shuhua cried out and quickly attempted a long-range recall.

    ¡°Onkie! Save Porcini!¡± Zachary shouted.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡±

    Onkie dashed over and crashed into the side of the seagull, successfully forcing it away from the mushroom, and allowing Shuhua to recall it safely. However, in the process, Onkie suffered from the seagull¡¯s retaliatory claws. Although her thick fur protected her from most of the damage, fresh blood still dripped her sides.

    Onkie circled and collided with the seagull once again. She barely avoided the sword-like beak that was aimed at her head. After rolling away, she got up and panted heavily, glaring at her opponent. Her condition right now compared to the morning was like night and day. She was exhausted. She still wanted to fight but it was getting more and more dangerous with each passing moment.

    Around Zachary, the summons of his companions were in similar states. Some were too wounded to be called out again. Others were too tired to continue. But they were still holding on. One more seagull meant a better chance of entering the top sixteen. Everyone was thinking the same thing, just one more!

    Zachary thought about the challenge and the scoring rules devised by the captain. They could earn double the points by capturing instead of killing. Using cards or orbs shouldn¡¯t matter as long as they were captured.

    ¡°Guys! Hold on! We can¡¯t go on like this.¡± Zachary shouted.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Carlos retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t we doing pretty well?¡±

    They were just about to beat the three seagulls to death and gain some more points.

    ¡°Does anyone have any spare summoning cards left?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No!¡± Nellie replied impatiently, ¡°We already ran out early in the morning. Stop shouting nonsense, we don¡¯t have time for this. Hunter, kill that seagull.¡±

    ¡°Hold on! Wait!¡± Zachary insisted, shouting over the noise of battle, ¡°We don¡¯t have spare summoning cards. But we still have summoning cards, right?¡±

    He held up the ones he had taken from the dead Dark Star Gang member, ¡°Look, these Ensouled are just novices, they are useless to us. I don¡¯t want them, does anybody want them?¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, he injected his soul force into one of the cards, forcefully breaking the bond between the anima crystal and the card and taking out the crystal. This was a much easier process than trying to assume the soul bond of the original summoner and only took a few breaths. He then held up an empty card, one that was ready to use again.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Fuck the saints!¡± Carlos blurted, his eyes widening, ¡°We can do that?¡±

    ¡°We can do that!¡± Shuhua said, full of surprise.

    ¡°Damn it! I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of that,¡± Heather said angrily.

    Zachary grinned and pointed to the weakest seagull of the three, which was a novice, ¡°Capture that one first. Even if novice rank seagulls are worth one point, with a card, they are worth double. Remember, a weaker adept rank seagull is only worth six points. That means three novice cards are equal to one dead adept. This is huge. It might be the difference between getting sixteenth place or seventeenth place!¡±

 135. Test of Endurance (III)

    ¡°Here, take it.¡± Zachary tossed the now empty summoning card to Carlos.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Carlos said and got to work on the novice rank seagull.

    They killed the other two adepts and cleaned up the clearing to reset the trap. Adept ranks were too strong for the summoning cards they had. This was already a well-known fact after spending a year in the jungle. There was no point trying when they could capture novice ranks instead.

    Zachary cleared out all the cards he had looted from the Dark Star Gang member, even the adept rank flower demon. He did not like its combat ability or lack thereof. He distributed the empty cards to Carlos, Nellie, and Shuhua. Heather didn¡¯t want any since she wasn¡¯t competing for points. Jean-Pierre followed his lead, emptying the cards he took from the other corpse. All in all, the trio of Carlos, Nellie, and Shuhua received six or seven empty summoning cards each.

    ¡°That¡¯s too much. You should leave some for yourself,¡± Heather said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got a few to spare,¡± Zachary said with a smile.

    He dug through one of his leather bags and retrieved a handful of empty cards. These were the ones he had obtained at the start of the year. He had always kept them and used them thriftly.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have to worry about him either,¡± He pointed a thumb at Jean-Pierre, ¡°He has killed quite a few people. All bad people, or so he says.¡±

    Heather rolled her eyes and walked away.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with killing people if they deserve it?¡± Jean-Pierre asked indignantly.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡± Zachary added.

    After a pause, the gang went back to fighting seagulls. It was the same as before, only now everyone focused on capturing the weaker, novice rank ones. The afternoon passed slowly. Their pace slowed down as each fight would be followed by a longer period of rest.

    Like them, other survivor groups hiding in the jungle were just as tired and worn out. Their desire to exterminate the seagull and earn points had almost disappeared. If all of their summons ended up severely wounded or worse, what would they do then? Sixteen people could pass this challenge but only four would be able to return home. They still had to save their strength for whatever the Republic had planned next.

    Zachary considered all of this as he observed the ongoing battle up and down the beach. Most survivors were resting but one group was still fighting. He could distinctly hear the howl of a wolf and the trumpeting cry of a forest elephant. If he had to guess, it had to be Aaron White. That person was so strong that it made him nervous.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Big bro, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Wander asked, sensing his mood.

    ¡°I think I was too overconfident.¡± Zachary said, ¡°Four adept ranks might not be enough. We should get another adept rank summon just to be safe.¡±

    Wander snorted, ¡°I told you that weeks ago but you didn¡¯t listen.¡±

    Zachary smiled wryly, ¡°Fine, fine. You were right.¡±

    ¡°Heh, didn¡¯t you catch an adept rank seagull already? It¡¯s pretty strong,¡± Wander said.

    ¡°Yeah, but I might have to hand it to that captain if my score isn¡¯t enough. I need another adept just to be safe. I have the anima crystal of the flower demon. It is a little weak but I can add a seagull anima crystal if it¡¯s not enough to upgrade.¡±

    Zachary thought about which one he should upgrade. Boba and Sugo were too weak. He had no confidence in their strength even at the adept rank. Blue and Ream were special summons but he also wasn¡¯t sure of their true potential or fighting ability. It was too risky right now. Whiskers and Elmont were strong but limited. Whiskers can only fight in water while Elmont is slow.

    He touched at the soul orb that contained Timber, the mantis. It was a common species in the jungle. But it was strong. It was fast and agile. It could fly in bursts. And its blade-like claws were sharp and deadly. It was the best choice.

    With that decided, Zachary set to work. Because a breakthrough to the adept rank wasn¡¯t guaranteed, he prepared two anima crystals for the effort. He also prepared another two adept rank anima crystals so that Timber could stabilize its soul cultivation and perhaps even reach the Two Paths Adept Rank.

    This required the adept rank anima crystal from the flower demon and three crystals of adept rank seagulls. This was all he had on hand. Therefore, he had to quickly make up for the loss. To catch up, he decided to not be stingy with his soul orbs. He had plenty still and ensuring he could go home was more important than the money he could get for them.

    ¡°You¡­ you still have more soul orbs?¡± Heather asked when he went to capture the latest seagull they had beaten into a pulp.

    ¡°Yeah, I have a few saved for a rainy day.¡±

    He smoothly completed the capture. With the seagull in its current sorry state, it was simply glad to not be killed. It quickly succumbed to the effects of the soul orb and accepted its fate, entering the soul orb with a ray of white light.

    As Zachary finished up and set up the clearing for the next batch of seagulls, the clouds thickened and a drizzle started. Everyone was quickly drenched, even if they tried to seek cover beneath large trees. Zachary wiped his face and pulled his long, wet hair over his head.

    Nearby, Heather stared at him with an unreadable expression, her arms crossed over her chest.

    ¡°What?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± She replied frostily, ¡°Nothing... I really don¡¯t know what to do with you. Che! You¡¯re so annoying!¡±

    She turned and stomped away.

    Zachary glanced around but nobody offered any help.

    Jean-Pierre patted his shoulder, ¡°Bro, why are you so unlucky with women?¡±

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 136. A Long Night (I)

    As to why Heather was angry at him, Zachary didn¡¯t get a chance to talk to her about it. The drizzle turned into a shower which affected the course of the battle. The giant seagull horde turned away from the beach and retreated inland, as if they had been commanded by an unseen overlord. The humans on the ground were left dumbfounded, especially the soldiers who felt like they were gaining the upper hand. Still, nobody liked to fight in bad weather, even professional soldiers.

    After the seagulls left, Captain Willis flew over from the ship atop her armored eagle. She shouted commands to her marines on the beach who proceeded to gather their things and return to the ship. She then turned to the jungle and spoke with a voice that pierced through the downpour.

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue the battle tomorrow or when the weather has cleared. Our goal is to wipe out the seagull menace. That is all!¡±

    With that, she soared into the air and disappeared.

    Zachary and the gang let out weary sighs. They could finally get some rest. It had been a long day. But nobody was happy as it was far from over. When the rain stopped and the horde returned, they would have to fight once more. Still, it was a welcome respite for now.

    Heather checked on her companions and then spoke to everyone, ¡°We did pretty good today. Focus on healing your summons tonight. We don¡¯t know what else the Republic has in store for us. Other survivor groups might also try to pull more tricks so we have to be careful.¡±

    Zachary glanced up at the sky and squinted through the rain, ¡°Looks like we have a little bit of daylight left. Heather, let¡¯s retreat deeper into the jungle. I don¡¯t like being a sitting duck and the captain didn¡¯t say that we have to stay here.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± She replied and then stomped away, grumbling unhappily under her breath.

    The trio of Nellie, Shuhua, and Carlos all glanced at him curiously before following her.

    ¡°Women,¡± Zachary muttered.

    Wander laughed, ¡°Are human females always this unruly? If it was a female turtle, I would simply bite her tail and make her behave!¡±

    ¡°No, Wander, I can¡¯t bite her.¡±

    ¡°Just saying.¡±

    The group gathered their meager belongings, they retreated deeper into the jungle. They picked a spot within a dense bamboo grove, cutting out an area for themselves in the middle. It felt much safer than the cliffs as they could retreat in all directions if needed.

    They couldn¡¯t start a fire so they all filled their stomachs of dry rations. Afterward, they each picked a spot to meditate and heal their summons. Whether they used soul power or the energy from anima crystals, it would be a long, sleepless night.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Zachary used Wander¡¯s healing breath and quickly healed Onkie within her orb. The others weren¡¯t wounded, only tired so he couldn¡¯t do anything about that. With nothing else to do, he took out the soul orb that contained Timber, the mantis, as well as the anima crystal of the flower demon.

    ¡°Oh! Wait!¡± Wander suddenly said.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. But¡­ I just remembered something. That anima crystal, it doesn¡¯t suit Timber.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit Timber?¡± Zachary asked in confusion.

    ¡°Yup, use it on Elmont. You might see something interesting.¡±

    ¡°Something interesting?¡±

    ¡°Yup!¡±

    Zachary wasn¡¯t sure what Wander was talking about but he trusted the turtle. Elmont was also a suitable summon for the adept rank, albeit a little slow. He decided to give it a try.

    He sat down with Elmont¡¯s soul orb in one hand and the anima crystal in the other. His soul paths opened, connecting to the bond with Elmont while at the same time pulling on the Eternum within the crystal. Soul energy flowed steadily, through him and into Elmont.

    As the sun set and the sky darkened, he continued to quietly cultivate. It was a process that could not be rushed.

    Treants were plant and humanoid type creatures attuned to the element of life. Flower demons were plant and demonic type creatures but they were also attuned to the life element. This made the transfer of soul energy smooth and steady. Elmont¡¯s talent was also good and it began to quickly challenge the life path in order to break through.

    After a long while, the flower demon¡¯s anima crystal was completely expended but there was still a little bit left to go. At this moment, a great surge of life-attribute soul Eternum surged out of Wander, connecting with Zachary through the mysterious effects of borrowed power. This energy then poured into Elmont and rushed into its life path.

    Brr!

    Elmont¡¯s soul orb shook in Zachary¡¯s hand and let out waves of Eternum.

    It was a successful breakthrough.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Nellie asked in surprise.

    ¡°Zach?¡± Heather asked, also sensing the disturbance.

    ¡°Nothing, nothing. One of my summons just broke through to the adept rank. I didn¡¯t expect it, sorry for not warning you,¡± Zachary replied.

    ¡°Lucky bastard,¡± Carlos muttered.

    Everyone quieted down after that, each returning to their own efforts.

    Zachary examined Elmont¡¯s soul orb, reminded of Wander¡¯s words. After a brief moment, his mouth opened in surprise.

    ¡°A new ability?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Haha, yup! As I expected,¡± Wander said, ¡°Let¡¯s check it out!¡±

    Zachary summoned Elmont.

    Crrreeek.

    The treant slowly straightened and took stock of its surroundings. As an adept rank, it was much bigger than before. It was taller by about half and its trunk was thick and sturdy. It no longer looked like it would snap in half if hit by a strong gust of wind.

    However, the most interesting change was not any of this but the green vines wrapped around its trunk and branches. These were new and unique to Elmont. Other treants, even at the adept rank, didn¡¯t have such vines.

    Zachary studied Elmont through their soul bond and could come up with one explanation, ¡°Vine growth? The flower demon¡¯s ability? Elmont learned it?¡±

    He faintly remembered reading about something like this before. But it was supposed to be quite rare. Summoners could not rely on it to teach their summons new abilities. Thus, he had forgotten about it until now.

    ¡°Elmont, try out your vines.¡±

    ¡°Arrr. Okay.¡± Elmont groaned and extended an arm.

    Vines quickly grew out, supported by its soul energy and soul control. The green growths extended quickly toward a nearby stalk of bamboo and wrapped around it. Half a breath later, the bamboo was crushed under the force of the vines.

    ¡°Great! Awesome! Elmont is a smart tree.¡± Wander laughed.

    Elmont scratched its head, ¡°Arr? I am?¡±

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 137. A Long Night (II)

    Zachary laughed, ¡°Of course!¡±

    Elmont creaked and groaned. It seemed to be laughing as well but Zachary couldn''t tell for certain. It was still a little difficult understanding the treant¡¯s speech but that would get better with practice.

    ¡°Speaking of practice¡­¡± Zachary said and summoned Onkie.

    ¡°Zachy¡­ I was sleeping,¡± She grumbled as she rolled to her feet.

    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Onkie, Elmost just became an adept. Help me test Elmont¡¯s strength.¡±

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    ¡°Elmont,¡± He gestured to the treant, ¡°Trap Onkie with your vines.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Elmont extended an arm, sending a bundle of vines that quickly wrapped around Onkie¡¯s body and limbs.

    ¡°Onkie, try to break free.¡±

    Onkie started to struggle, lightly at first before putting in more and more strength. It took great effort to finally escape, leaving her panting from exhaustion. In a real battle, Onkie wouldn¡¯t stay still and let herself wrapped up like a convict. But it proved the usefulness of the vine growth ability.

    ¡°One more test.¡± Zachary said, ¡°Elmont, wrap your vines around these two talks of bamboo, make a barrier.¡±

    Elmont obeyed and weaved its vines back and forth, creating a living net of vines.

    ¡°Onkie, see if you can charge through it.¡±

    ¡°Onk!¡±

    Onkie circled around to gain some distance and broke out into a sprint. Her stubby legs turned into blurs and she became a furry battering ram. She hit the vines at full speed, breaking a few strands on initial contact. The power of her charge stretched the remaining vines, finally breaking all of them and pushing through. However, her speed and momentum were greatly reduced, to the point that her charge was no longer threatening to anything that was hiding behind the vine barrier.

    ¡°Great! Elmont, that was great!¡± Zachary praised.

    Elmont creaked and laughed happily while Onkie stomped on the ground unhappily.

    Zachary didn¡¯t recall them immediately, trying to think of other ways to test Elmont¡¯s new ability. But before he could do so, a bestial roar drew his and everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Nellie asked.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Zachary replied.

    Another beast wailed, followed by distinctively human shouts that seemed to be on the move. This was followed by crashing noises as if something huge was charging blinding through the jungle. More cries and roars followed, moving away from their position unsteadily.

    Zachary squatted beside Onkie, taking solace in her steady breathing. It was dark all around. He could hardly see. He had no idea what was going on. The Eternum around them was too chaotic, with too many sources near and far, overwhelming his soul sense.

    The others were equally nervous. Some of them had already brought out their summons despite heavy wounds and exhaustion, prepared for anything, even a sudden battle.

    After what seemed like forever, the frightful noises subsided and the jungle returned to its former tranquility. Right on time, Jean-Pierre reappeared and waved at them.

    ¡°Stay quiet,¡± He whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t go out.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Heather asked.

    ¡°Two survivor groups are fighting. Don¡¯t know who started it, don¡¯t care. Thankfully, they didn¡¯t run into us. But they are still fighting. It¡¯s not over yet.¡±

    His words were met with mixed reactions. Shuhua looked scared. Nellie looked grim.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Carlos asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Heather said.

    They were all focused on the unseen dangers out in the jungle.

    Zachary¡¯s focus, in contrast, was on their summons.

    Heather¡¯s mantis, Toby, still sported countless wounds, from broken limbs to areas where its shell had been shattered. It was a similar story for the other beasts. Healing a summon wasn¡¯t an easy task. It depended on how much energy the summoner put forth as well as the summon¡¯s innate vitality. Some took much longer than others. At this rate, they couldn¡¯t hope to return to full fighting strength by the morning.

    ¡°Zach, don¡¯t be stingy. Let¡¯s help them.¡± Wander said.

    Zachary didn¡¯t reply. He liked Heather and her group but he didn¡¯t want to rely on them. After losing Yaoyao, he couldn¡¯t trust anyone anymore. The pain was too much, he didn¡¯t want to feel like that again.

    He now had Wander and he wanted to protect him. If he revealed too much of Wander¡¯s strength and his special abilities, Zachary was afraid the same thing that happened with Yaoyao would happen again. Only this time, he would lose his life for good.

    ¡°Big bro, it will be fine.¡± Wander said, sensing his unspoken thoughts, ¡°We still need them to fight the seagulls. So, we should help them.¡±

    Zachary sighed, ¡°Alright.¡±

    With his assent, Wander emerged in a ray of green light.

    Heather looked up questioningly as Wander waddled up to Toby.

    ¡°Let him heal your summon,¡± Zachary said.

    Wander opened his mouth and let out a deep breath. A green glow covered Toby and it trembled as the healing ability took effect. It was quick. It was miraculous. Areas of shattered carapace had knitted back together. Broken limbs were no longer broken.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Heather was stunned.

    Before she could find the words, Zachary waved to the others, ¡°Take out your most wounded summons. I¡¯ll heal them.¡±

    After getting over the initial shock, everyone brought out their summons. The process was not long but it was also not quick. Wander¡¯s healing breath was powerful but it also required a lot of soul energy. In return for his efforts, Zachary received a small pile of random anima crystals. These were what the others were going to use to heal their summons themselves. Now, there was no need for them when Wander was so much better.

    In this sense, Zachary earned a tidy sum of anima crystals for helping. The only thing he lost out on was revealing the true potential of Wander¡¯s healing ability. Regarding this, he could only trust Wander. After all, they were equals.

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 138. An Expert Summoner (I)

    The next morning, as soon as there was light, Zachary, Heather, and the rest made their way slowly back to the beach. Along the way, they passed by many signs of the previous night''s battles. Trampled undergrowth, fallen trees, bloody splatters everywhere; there were even a few bodies scattered here and there. They belonged to both beasts and humans. All the anima crystals had been taken, even the ones inside human heads.

    ¡°Who do you think did it?¡± Shuhua asked nervously.

    ¡°Shh,¡± Nellie shushed her, ¡°We¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±

    Zachary glanced at Heather who shrugged.

    "Whoever did this was very thorough," She said, ¡°It could be any of them.¡±

    The rest became quiet, thinking about the culprits that would even mutilate human corpses. They continued onward in silence, following the path created by their summons. Her mantis, Toby, was at the front. Now fully healed, it was full of vigor and ready for another day of killing seagulls and anything else that deserved death.

    When they arrived at the edge of the forest that lined the cliffs, they caught glimpses of the other prisoners who had survived the night. The group from Riverside Village was still intact. They seemed to have suffered no losses. The Dark Star Gang was still there as well as their rivals, the Daybreakers although their numbers were harder to gauge. There was also Aaron White and his crew, riding around arrogantly on his forest elephant like he owned the whole place. But aside from these larger groups, there was hardly anyone else.

    ¡°Zach,¡± Heather whispered, ¡°This doesn''t look good. The smaller groups have disappeared. That navy captain said there were sixty-some survivors. But I counted only around forty.¡±

    ¡°Only forty?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Yeah. And the people who killed others last night, they have gained a definite advantage in their seagull score. We can¡¯t slack off today if we want to catch up,¡± She turned to the others behind her, ¡°Understand? We can¡¯t slack off today.¡±

    They all nodded.

    They soon made it to the clearing from yesterday and found it unoccupied. After clearing the debris and setting the trap pond again, they settled in and waited.

    The Republic marines arrived in waves. They repaired their dugouts and defensive positions while summoning more farm animals and livestock. A small group then left on their eagles to lure the seagulls.

    "Keeww!"

    "Kew!"

    The horde returned, once again covering the entire beach in their shadow.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The same chaotic battle began once more, with packs of seagulls diving at anything they saw as food. Although the beasts had suffered plenty of losses, they had also filled their stomachs. Therefore, they were just as eager as before to fight it out with the invaders.

    Zachary and his group relied on the same trick as before. Dream¡¯s allure was irresistible as always. One seagull after another flew down and was killed or captured.

    Zachary did most of the capturing with his spare soul orbs. Since they were worth double the points, he could afford to use some anima crystals from dead seagulls to advance his mantis, Timber. He was confident in Elmont, especially with the vine growth ability. However, since the survivors had already started killing each other, he needed more strength. Wander¡¯s reminder came at the right moment. Now was not the time to be stingy. All that mattered was getting home.

    The morning passed slowly. The battle continued. It was a meatgrinder that took lives without mercy. Many summons were still wounded from yesterday. They weren¡¯t as fierce as before and fell to the sharp beaks and deadly talons of the giant seagulls. Whether it was soldiers or survivors, it didn¡¯t matter. Who could heal their summons completely in a single night? It was impossible.

    Because of this, Zachary and his gang¡¯s performance far surpassed the others. They steadily reaped seagulls and collected points. Their moods improved and their spirits rose. At this rate, getting into the top sixteen was assured.

    However, things rarely went according to plan. Today was one of those occasions. Before Zachary had gotten his fill of seagulls and points, the flock in the sky suddenly retreated.

    ¡°What happened? Why did they leave?¡± Carlos asked.

    His question was answered by an ear-splitting cry. A powerful gust of wind followed as something huge flew overhead. With each flap of its six massive wings, leaves were blown off their branches. Smaller trees even snapped in half.

    Zachary dived to the ground, covering his head as he was showered in debris.

    ¡°It¡¯s the seagull boss!¡± Heather shouted although her voice sounded tiny and distant. ¡°Get back!¡±

    As they frantically ran for the deeper jungle, the expert rank seagull started a killing spree along the beach. With a few flaps, it created a ferocious windstorm that engulfed a squad of marines. Humans, beasts, and even boulders were engulfed and torn to shreds.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±

    ¡°Help!¡±

    Miserable cries mixed with dying wails.

    The overlord of the seagull horde had finally seen enough of these pesky invaders. It had to avenge its fallen brethren.

    The powerful seagull didn¡¯t just attack the beach. It also cut down the trees that lined the cliff. Each flap of its wings created invisible blades of air. Like giant scythes reaping stalks of wheat, the attack sliced through the forest and everything hiding within.

    ¡°Duck!¡± Wander shouted.

    A glowing green shield appeared behind Zachary, barely blocking one of those wind blades. Still, the force of the impact sent him flying several meters. He tumbled to the ground and rolled a few times before being caught by Doro.

    ¡°Doro.¡± He groaned as he tried to get back up.

    Before he could say anything else, a huge tree that had been sliced in half started falling toward him, creaking and groaning and gaining speed.

    ¡°Dig!¡± He shouted.

    Doro grabbed his body and sank into the ground. It was just in time as the earth above his head shook with the force of an earthquake.

    A few moments later, Zachary reemerged, spluttering and spitting dirt out of his mouth. He looked around at the absolute wreck that surrounded him. Barely any trees remained standing. He could see the cloudy sky and the giant seagull that circled above. Only, it wasn¡¯t alone.

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 139. An Expert Summoner (II)

    There were actually two six-winged seagulls. One was slightly bigger than the other. They seemed intimately familiar with each other, like a mating pair. They circled each other, squawking loudly, and launching wind attacks at anything that moved below.

    No wonder the scorpion dragon lost in the end. Although it broke through to the expert rank, although it had expert control over three elements, it still had to flee if it was two against one. As for the adepts and novices scattered all over the beach and the cliffs, none of them stood any chance against the fury of these two beasts.

    However, it wasn¡¯t a problem that Zachary had to deal with. If the Republic wanted to colonize this new land, they had to put forth an adequate effort.

    ¡°Kreee!¡±

    With an ear-piercing screech, a giant eagle flew in from the west, Captain Willis standing atop its back.

    ¡°You finally showed yourselves,¡± She said grimly.

    "Keww!¡±

    ¡°Keww!¡±

    The two giant seagulls squawked and turned to face the new threat. They flapped their wings in unison, creating a barrage of wind blades, attacking immediately.

    ¡°Weak.¡± Captain Willis muttered, ¡°Skybreaker, defend!¡±

    The armored eagle beneath her raised its wings. Its gleaming, metallic feathers spread out, forming a living shield.

    Pang!

    Pang! Pang! Pang!

    The wind blades were all deflected. The armored eagle lost a few feathers but was otherwise unharmed.

    Captain Willis ran a hand through her wind-swept hair like a dashing heroine, ¡°My turn.¡±

    She swept her hand over her summoning belt, revealing several soul orbs. Rays of light shot out from between her eyebrows and took the shape of three distict creatures. One was a familiar ember cat. Its eyes burned with excitement as it stood on the armored eagle¡¯s head. As for the other two, it was another armored eagle as well as a strange beast that looked like a thorny toad. The toad stuck to the back of the second eagle and croaked menacingly.

    All of the summons emitted powerful auras. They were all at the expert rank. With the addition to the first eagle, it was four expert rank summons in total. This was the true strength of an expert summoner of the Republic of Adorin.

    ¡°Kreee!¡±

    ¡°Kreeee!¡±

    The two armored eagles screeched and charged. At the same time, Eternum surged around the ember cat and the spiked toad. As they closed the distance, huge plumes of crimson flames erupted out of the ember cat while a barrage of deadly black spikes shot out of the toad.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Keww!¡±

    The giant seagulls flapped their wings and retaliated with a tornado that obeyed their will.

    The sky trembled and the clouds shook as the two sides collided.

    ¡°Zach!¡±

    ¡°Zachary!¡±

    Zachary wanted to watch the battle high in the sky but he felt a tug on his arm. A disheveled Heather pulled him urgently toward some fallen trees. Amidst the smashed tree trunks, Nellie was lying motionless on the ground. Nearby was a giant pill bug which had been sliced in half.

    Heather rushed to Nellie¡¯s side, not daring to touch the gaping, wound across her chest. Blood was pouring out. It was a miracle that she was still alive even though her bones and mangled insides were visible.

    ¡°Nellie! Nellie!¡± Shuhua was crying as she hugged Jean-Pierre.

    ¡°Damn the saints! Damn the seagulls!¡± Carlos cursed furiously.

    ¡°Zach!¡± Heather shouted through her tears, ¡°Zach! Help!¡±

    Wander reacted before Zachary did. The turtle shot out from between his brow as a ray of green light and landed beside Nellie. Wander barked at Heather and Shuhua to get them away and then stuck his head toward Nellie¡¯s grievous wound.

    The mossy patterns on his shell glowed bright. Eternum surged.

    Wander let out a large breath which covered all of Nellie''s wounds. The bleeding slowed and then stopped. Bones snapped as they started to regrow. New flesh grew at visible speed. It was simply too fast. His mysterious healing powers defied common sense. It was even more miraculous than when Wander healed their summons last night. He could even bring back a soul from the brink of death.

    ¡°Amazing,¡± Jean-Pierre muttered, ¡°What a good turtle.¡±

    "Too strong," Carlos added.

    The others held their breaths, hoping against the impossible.

    ¡°Big bro, help me,¡± Wander barked at Zachary while taking a quick break, ¡°I¡¯m running out of energy.¡±

    ¡°Alright, here goes.¡±

    Zachary activated their soul bond and sent his soul energy through it. Through borrowed power, his strength was Wander¡¯s strength. And if his strength was expended, he could still use anima crystals.

    While Wander was still healing, the ferocious battle between experts was still ongoing in the sky. Suddenly, an especially powerful clash covered the area in a blinding flash. Streaks of Eternum flew wildly, crashing down and leaving large holes wherever it landed.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Zachary asked urgently.

    ¡°The seagulls are fleeing,¡± Carlos said, pointing at the sky, ¡°The captain and the marines are chasing after them.¡±

    As he said that, countless shadows flashed past, each one a summoner riding their eagle.

    Zachary took a risk to stand up and take a look around at the surrounding situation. Large swaths of the forest had been flattened. The beach was almost deserted. The marines that didn¡¯t follow the captain were retreating to the ship to get medical treatment.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here. We¡¯re sitting ducks.¡± Zachary said, ¡°Nellie should be stable enough to move. Doro, take her, gently.¡±

    Doro appeared and lifted Nellie with a bed made of earth. Heather led the way with Zachary and Doro in tow. The group silently slipped into the jungle, following the same path they had taken in the morning.

    They had no idea when the battle between the seagull overlords and the caption would conclude. Although she was an expert summoner, she faced two expert rank wild Ensouled. Although these seagulls were not the smartest species around, they were creatures with experience and instinct. They wouldn¡¯t sit around and get killed easily. The sky was vast and the world seemingly endless. If they were defeated, they could still flee.

    But this matter had nothing to do with Zachary or the others. With the seagulls gone, there were no more points to be gained. They could only hide and await the captain¡¯s return.

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 140. Sixteen (I)

    After a long, tense wait that seemed to drag on forever, the bright cry of an eagle shook the trees above Zachary¡¯s head. The captain was back. Her armored eagle was missing many feathers and now showed off several fresh battle wounds. Her weary face, however, was marked by a wide smile. In her hands, she played with two summoning cards, each containing a pale white crystal that sparkled brightly.

    ¡°Damn, she got them both?¡± Carlos muttered.

    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Shuhua said.

    The captain steered her eagle down and hovered above the cliffs. Her smile disappeared, replaced with an expression one would have when looking at garbage.

    ¡°The seagull horde will no longer be a threat to us. We will now count your contributions. If you try to fool me with anima crystals of other creatures, I will kill you¡­¡±

    She let her words hang in the air like an executioner¡¯s blade.

    ¡°I see that you have formed into several groups and hunted the seagulls together. That¡¯s fine. But you must determine your individual contributions right now. If you try to slip anima crystals to others after yours have been counted, I will kill the both of you.¡±

    ¡°Lastly, in order to avoid any more trickery and annoyances, I will count your contributions individually but I will only announce the scores at the end. Therefore¡­ you should each do your best to get into the top sixteen.¡±

    She looked up and down the cliffs with a sneer.

    ¡°Do it now. I won¡¯t wait for too long.¡±

    After she finished speaking, the survivor groups fell into heated discussions. Zachary¡¯s group wasn¡¯t exempt from it. Originally, Heather and her people intended to pool their contributions together so that everyone had an equal chance to get into the top sixteen. With the help of Zachary¡¯s soul orbs he gave them and the seagulls they captured, they had a good chance of this.

    However, given the captain¡¯s words, there was no guarantee. If it was everyone for themselves, there were bound to be accidents. Out of the forty or so survivors, only sixteen would make it through. The rest would have to stay in the New World forever. Everyone was worried about the rankings. Only those who grabbed the most contributions for themselves would have the best chance.

    ¡°Guys!¡± Jean-Pierre said suddenly, interrupting an ongoing argument between Nellie and Carlos, ¡°I will be right back. Stop fighting each other.¡±

    With that, his shadowless cloud owl wrapped him up in a gray fog and disappeared.

    "We''re not!" Carlos retorted.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Nellie asked but her words only met empty air.

    ¡°Why did he leave?¡± Carlos asked, ¡°Is he ditching us?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to share his contributions!¡± Shuhua said.

    ¡°Guys!¡± It was Zachary¡¯s turn to shout, ¡°Stop fighting. He said he will be right back so he will be back!¡±

    Heather also waved to the others to stop any more arguments, ¡°Remember what we discussed before. I was hoping to enter the top sixteen to give you guys a better chance of snatching the four pardons. Given the situation, I can only help right now. You three, take my contributions and share it amongst yourselves. That way, you will surely make it.¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡± Carlos pointed to Zachary.

    Heather snorted, ¡°He already has too many points. He was throwing out soul orbs like candy today. Just ignore him.¡±

    ¡°Heather, are you sure?¡± Shuhua asked.

    ¡°Is there no other way?¡± Nellie added.

    Heather hugged them both, ¡°I already said, I¡¯m not going back. That hasn¡¯t changed. Here, just take my points, we don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Jean-Pierre said, reappearing where he previously stood. He had a smile on his face like he had discovered a big secret.

    ¡°What? Where did you go?¡± Heather asked.

    His smile widened, ¡°Of course, I went to spy on the other groups and their laughable attempts at distributing points. There is nothing to worry about. They aren¡¯t as united or friendly with each other as us. The gang leaders are grabbing most of the points for themselves and leaving the rest to fight amongst themselves. Heather, stick with your original plan. You will all make it through.¡±

    She studied him seriously and then nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Heather, Nellie, Shuhua, and Carlos quickly pooled their anima crystals, summoning cards, and soul orbs together. A novice rank seagull¡¯s anima crystal was worth one point. An adept rank seagull at the first four soul paths was worth six points. And an adept rank at the final four soul paths was worth eight points. If they were captured alive within summoning cards or soul orbs, they were worth double the points. Considering these factors, they came to a result that was as fair and even as they could possibly come up with. Nellie and Shuhua were given fifty-five points each. Carlos had fifty-four while Heather had the least at fifty-three.

    Jean-Pierre gave them a thumbs up, ¡°Good! That will be enough. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°How many do you have?¡± Carlos asked.

    Jean-Pierre was still mostly considered an outsider so he did not involve himself with their distribution plan.

    ¡°Fifty-eight.¡± He replied.

    ¡°And you?¡± Carlos turned to Zachary.

    Zachary weighed the small animal-hide sack in his hand, feeling a little awkward. He had far more points than them. But that was only because he had used a fair number of soul orbs. The strongest seagulls netted him sixteen points and he had more than one of those. But his soul orbs were earned through blood, sweat, and tears. He had almost died for them so he didn¡¯t feel like sharing past the first batch that he had handed out for free.

    Heather waved Carlos off, ¡°He has more than us but it doesn¡¯t matter. We all did our best. Whatever happens, happens¡­¡±

    She gave Zachary a difficult smile.

    He didn¡¯t know what to say so he remained quiet.

    The awkward silence was eventually broken by another eagle cry.

    The captain once again flew up to address them with her booming voice, ¡°All of you! Come out and line up. Place your contributions on the ground in front of you. Don¡¯t you dare touch them again after you have placed them down. I¡¯ll be watching!¡±

    Zachary let out a slow breath. This was the moment of truth, the conclusion of their first trial. With this, he would be one step closer to going home.

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 141. Sixteen (II)

    The captain started at the northern end of the cliffs. She stepped off the eagle and approached the first group of survivors.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Renata,¡± A tall woman with short brown hair answered.

    Jean-Pierre leaned into Zachary and whispered, ¡°Daybreakers gang, she¡¯s the second in command of their little group.¡±

    They could hear but were too far away to see her pile of anima crystals and summoning cards.

    ¡°Next.¡± The captain said.

    ¡°Sergio,¡± A bearded man with tanned skin answered.

    ¡°Their leader,¡± Jean-Pierre whispered.

    After the Daybreakers, the next group was Riverside Village. They had the most people but only a few had good expressions. Zachary noticed that Katherine was among them, her small stature almost hidden by others. He was sure that she would make it through. He didn¡¯t know why but he just knew.

    After Riverside Village was their group, Roan Oak Village. Each person declared their name and presented their contributions. The captain quietly noted their points in a notebook. She didn¡¯t even change her expression at the large number of soul orbs. Once done, she left without a word.

    Zachary let out the breath he had been holding and glanced toward the south. Some distance away, there was the Dark Star Gang. He recognized Casimir but nobody else. Further down, there was only one group left. Aaron White stood tall at the edge of the cliff. He exuded confidence and strength, as if he owned the whole place. Even the captain¡¯s menacing aura could not suppress him.

    Zachary snorted in annoyance. That person was his biggest competition. It had been true when they first landed on this beach and it was still the case.

    The captain mounted her eagle and flew up once more. The scores were all counted. It was finally time for the results. A collective silence fell over the jungle as the survivors looked up at the person who would judge their fate. Even the soldiers scattered across the beach didn¡¯t utter a sound.

    ¡°I have sixteen people here,¡± The captain waved her notebook, ¡°Luckily, there were no ties for the sixteenth place. I have ranked you according to your scores. Listen carefully, these rankings are important.¡±

    ¡°First, Aaron, one hundred and five points!¡±

    Carlos cursed. Shuhua sucked in a cold breath. Even Zachary couldn''t help but frown. Getting over one hundred points was ridiculous.

    ¡°What a showoff,¡± Heather muttered.

    ¡°Second, Zachary, seventy-six points!¡±

    His score was less surprising but still earned him a few looks. He was now one of the frontrunners.

    ¡°Third, Casimir, sixty-eight points!¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Fourth, Sergio, sixty-seven points!¡±

    ¡°Fifth, Thomas, sixty-five points!¡±

    Heather snorted, ¡°He took most of the points for himself.¡±

    Thomas Harrington was the leader of Riverside Village and one of her biggest rivals throughout the past year. She was happy that he was so selfish, unlike her. It meant that other members of Riverside Village wouldn''t be able to compete.

    ¡°Sixth, Elke, sixty points!¡±

    ¡°Seventh, Theo, sixty points!¡±

    Zachary frowned. He didn¡¯t recognize those names. If he had to guess, they had to be the two people that followed Aaron White. They were definitely not pushovers.

    ¡°Eighth, Jan, fifty-nine points!¡±

    Zachary knew the name but not the face. According to Heather, that person was the deputy leader of the Dark Star Gang.

    ¡°Ninth, Jean-Pierre, fifty-eight points!¡±

    ¡°Ah! There I am, good!¡± Jean-Pierre said cheerfully.

    ¡°Tenth, Renata, fifty-seven points!¡±

    She was the deputy of the Daybreakers so her position was expected. As for who came after her...

    ¡°Eleventh, Nellie, fifty-five points!¡±

    ¡°Twelfth, Shuhua, fifty-five points!¡±

    ¡°Thirteenth, Carlos, fifty-four points!¡±

    ¡°Fourteenth, Heather, fifty-three points!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°We did it!¡±

    Heather hugged Nellie. Nellie hugged Shuhua. Even Carlos received a hug from Shuhua. They were all ecstatic.

    ¡°Haha!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    Jean-Pierre stood next to Zachary and grinned, watching the four of them laugh and cry.

    ¡°See?¡± He said.

    ¡°I never doubted you,¡± Zachary replied.

    Jean-Pierre slapped his back, ¡°That¡¯s my good brother, haha!¡±

    Zachary chuckled.

    While they were celebrating, the captain announced the last two places.

    ¡°Fifteenth, Seojun, fifty points.¡±

    ¡°Sixteenth, Katherine, forty-eight points.¡±

    She barely made it.

    Zachary glanced in her direction again only to find her looking at him too. Her green eyes were still so bright and clear, even from a distance. He felt an uncomfortable pang in his chest and looked away.

    It wasn¡¯t attraction. It wasn¡¯t longing. He didn¡¯t feel that way towards her. Perhaps he never had.

    Instead, she was someone who represented his past. She was connected to the Ice Saint Beast Cult. Her presence reminded him of Yaoyao, of what he had lost, of his weakest moments, the days and weeks where he had almost lost the will to live, the will to fight and survive.

    But he was a different person now.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Jean-Pierre nudged him.

    The captain had started talking again.

    ¡°¡­ Those who did not make the cut, that¡¯s too bad. You can only wait for your souls to perish in the New World. I won¡¯t kill you but let me give you a warning. You are still criminals who deserve death. The Republic will soon establish a colony here. At that time, I better not see any of you around here.¡±

    Her glare told them all that she was completely serious about her threat.

    ¡°As for the lucky few, tomorrow, you will face your final challenge. I have four pardons. There are sixteen of you. I am sure you can guess what is going to happen¡­ We will hold one-on-one summoner duels. It will be free-for-alls, no rules. Whoever remains standing in the end will be the winner. Heh¡­ You just have to win two duels to win your freedom. This is the most gracious gift the Republic can give you.¡±

    Zachary glanced behind him at Heather and the rest. They had worked together to hunt the seagulls. They were battle-hardened allies. Now, they had to fight each other?

    The captain continued, ¡°For the first round, your opponent will be determined by your ranking in the first challenge. It can be considered your seeding. The first seed will duel the sixteenth seed. The second seed will duel the fifteenth place. So on and so forth. After the first round, there will be eight of you left. For the second and final round, we won¡¯t care about seeding. Your opponent will be randomly drawn... That is all, you have until tomorrow morning to prepare.¡±

    With that, she patted her eagle and soared into the sky, leaving the beach and the survivors to their own devices. Whether they started killing each other like the previous night or if they decided to make new alliances, it didn¡¯t matter to her.

    Zachary looked up at the sky with a sigh, ¡°Two duels and we can go home. Wander, are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Haha! Bring it on!¡±

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 142. Final Night (I)

    Following the same plan as the previous night, Zachary, Heather, and the gang retreated into the deep jungle to protect themselves from ambushes. This time, they chose a different place, a thicket beside a stream that allowed their treants to blend in with the surrounding trees. After some initial discussions, each person focused on their matters, notably their matchups for the first round of duels.

    They had all made it to the top sixteen. But sharing points meant that their rankings were lower and they had to fight against tougher opponents. Zachary had the easiest matchup on paper, the fifteenth-place Seojun who earned fifty points. He was the deputy leader of Riverside Village. With such a status, he wasn''t an easy opponent. When people were fighting for their lives, nothing was easy.

    Summoner duels were just one type of summoning competition widely seen in the Republic of Adorin and across the Old World for that matter. One-on-one was the most popular format. It gauged a person¡¯s strength, their ability to train and raise their summons, and their instincts and ability during battle.

    Another type was two-on-two. Such duels focused on teamwork between two people and how their summons could work together. Two summoners could create unique combinations and strategies, which provided a more interesting battle for audiences.

    There were also other types such as large-scale team battles. This could be held with four people in a team, eight people, or even more. These tested coordination, leadership, and the ability to survive in chaotic situations. As such, they were good practice for the countless wars humans had fought with each other throughout history.

    Thinking about it, a one-on-one duel was the only one Zachary had yet to experience within the jungle. It seemed only fitting that this was what he had to do to get back home. The problem was that he knew almost nothing about his opponent. Therefore, he could only focus on himself.

    "What did the flying lady mean by no rules? And free-for-all?" Wander asked.

    "Usually, with one-on-one duels, there are additional rules and formats,¡± Zachary said, ¡°These restrict how many summons you can use in total as well as how many summons you can bring out to battle at the same time. The most common, the formal summoner duel, involves a full lineup of eight summons against eight summons. Only one summon is allowed on the field at any given time. Once a summon is defeated, it cannot participate again, even if can be healed. Another important rule is that the summons are only allowed to attack each other and not the opposing summoner. That would be a serious crime. Thus, summoner duels have become more of a sport than anything. There are even professional duelists across the Republic that earn a decent living from this alone.¡±

    Wander snorted, ¡°One at a time? Can¡¯t attack the summoner? Boooooring!¡±

    ¡°No rules. Free-for-all. These mean that there are no restrictions on how many summons one can use or how many can be summoned simultaneously. The summoners can also be attacked at will.¡±

    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s more like it!¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Zachary smiled wryly. He also preferred no rules. After a year in the jungle, he was already used to this. Every battle had been a life-or-death struggle. These duels were no different.

    For the upcoming duel, he would have to rely on Wander, Onkie, Doro, and Voodoo. Wander was his ace, taking care of defense and healing, an immovable rock. Onkie, Doro, and Voodoo were his core fighters. Onkie was tough, fast, and flexible. Doro was slow but powerful and almost impervious to ordinary abilities. Voodoo was a powerful attacker, able to take care of both long and short range opponents with ease. It was a good lineup, one that he trusted.

    The odd one out was Elmont. Since the treant had only become an adept last night, he couldn¡¯t depend on it too much. But it was better than nothing.

    ¡°Oh, right¡­ there¡¯s one more.¡± Zachary reached into his bag.

    He picked out the single soul orb that was different from all the rest. This one had been used and contained a pea-sized white crystal. It was an adept rank giant seagull; the strongest one he had captured. He had more than enough points so he had kept this one for himself. If he had to guess, it was at least at the Six Paths Adept Rank, perhaps even seven paths.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± He asked Wander, ¡°Can we use this guy?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm, we won¡¯t know unless we try,¡± Wander replied.

    As a freshly captured Ensouled, there was a big risk to using the seagull in a battle right away. The beast would try to resist the soul bond. It would disobey commands or avoid putting itself at risk for the sake its new master. Voodoo had been like this for a while. But it ultimately depended on how powerful and willful the soul in question was. Voodoo had been an especially tough case because of its innate viciousness as well as talent.

    After a quick word with Heather, Zachary found a nearby clearing and summoned Wander, Onkie, and Doro together. Then, he squeezed the soul orb containing the giant seagull and activated the soul bond.

    The beast appeared with a dull flash of white light. It was huge. With its four wings folded against its body, it was as wide as an ox cart and just as long. It was taller than him by at least two heads. Its yellow beak shined in the afternoon sun. It still bore wounds all over from when it had been beaten into submission. But its vitality had recovered somewhat on its own.

    The beast didn¡¯t squawk or attack or try to fly away. It looked at Zachary curiously with a pair of black eyes, tilting its head in confusion as it couldn¡¯t decide what to make of the strange tug within its soul that connected it to this weak two-legged creature before it.

    Zachary held up a hand slowly, ¡°Hey, buddy. Don¡¯t be nervous. These are your new friends.¡±

    He tried to convey the same feelings through their active bond in case his words could not be understood.

    ¡°This is Wander¡­ Onkie¡­ Doro¡­ Let¡¯s see, what should we call you? How about Beaky?¡±

    A flash of yellow filled Zachary¡¯s vision.

    Ka!

    A shimmering green shield blocked the sudden attack. The seagull¡¯s head went sideways from the force of the impact while Zachary landed on his butt.

    ¡°Onk! Onk!¡±

    ¡°Grrrr!¡±

    Onkie and Doro cried out, ready to beat some sense into the feathered beast.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Zachary said and scrambled to his feet. He smiled and waved his hand, ¡°Sorry, sorry. That was a terrible name. Instead¡­ how about Yellow?¡±

    Kac!

    The giant seagull struck again, once again hitting the shield that Wander created.

    ¡°Sharpy?¡±

    Crack!

    Zachary chuckled. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t get past the giant seagull¡¯s beak. He thought about it some more and finally found one he liked. If this didn¡¯t work, he would have to move on to less appealing options such as Murderbeak or Featherbrain.

    ¡°How about Flash?¡±

    The beast didn¡¯t attack. It cocked its head one way and then the other. It finally let a low, throaty chortle and dipped its beak in an obvious nod.

    ---

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 143. Final Night (II)

    With Flash now a part of the team, Zachary had six adept rank summons. He healed them all and made sure all of them were in their best condition. Then he planned for the upcoming duels with Wander chiming in here and there.

    He had originally wanted an adept rank mantis. It just so happened that Flash could do everything a mantis could but even better. A giant seagull had just as much killing power as a mantis with its sharp beak and blade-like talons. The overgrown bird was a natural flier, unlike the mantis. It was also bigger, stronger, and tougher.

    Thanks to the effects of the soul orb and perhaps the awesome name, his new summon was rather well-behaved. This improved his confidence for tomorrow. He now had two beasts as backup.

    Since his soul cultivation was still at the Four Paths Adept Rank, he could only summon four adept rank Ensouled together. Thus, his core lineup remained unchanged. Wander, Onkie, Doro, and Voodoo; they had all been with him for a long time and were used to fighting alongside each other.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about others,¡± Wander said, ¡°Boba, Blue, Dream, they can still help in the right situations.¡±

    Zachary nodded as he fiddled with two soul orbs in his hand, ¡°That¡¯s right. I won¡¯t forget.¡±

    Novice ranks with special abilities were always useful. And if the dueling field had any water, he could also consider using Whiskers. Aside from four adept rank Ensouled, he could still summon four novice rank Ensouled to aid him.

    As the sleepless night slowly passed by, Zachary clarified his strategies for tomorrow. He had to win the first duel without revealing his full strength. Otherwise, whoever he went up against in the second duel would have an advantage over him.

    He wasn¡¯t too concerned about Seojun from Riverside Village. What he was apprehensive about was the second round where anyone could be his opponent. He expected most of the frontrunners to make it through as well as Jean-Pierre and Heather. Although their scores were low, that was on purpose and in no way represented their full strength. He knew Heather was the strongest summoner in Roan Oak Village while he had no idea how strong Jean-Pierre really was. Both of them would be tough to deal with.

    However, the most troublesome opponent was still Aaron White. That guy was a monster. Just his forest elephant alone was a pain to deal with. His other summons would surely be just as strong. Nobody wanted to fight him, Zachary included.

    ¡°A crystal for your thoughts,¡± A soft voice interrupted the quiet evening.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    With a smile, Heather appeared beside the tree Zachary was sitting beneath. He scooted over on the soft patch of moss and she sat down next to him. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder.

    ¡°This might be the final night you spend in the jungle. What are you thinking about?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Duels¡­ home¡­ life¡­¡±

    She gave him a nudge, ¡°Hey! When a beautiful woman asks you what you are thinking about, you are supposed to say you are thinking about her.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right¡­ I am also thinking about her.¡±

    He neglected to mention that her, for him, was not Heather but Minah. But she didn¡¯t need to know that.

    Heather smiled and hugged him, ¡°What do you think about the second round? The others are stressing themselves out over it. Two duels don¡¯t sound like a lot. But out of sixteen people, only four get to go home. The second round will have the strongest people.¡±

    ¡°Mmm. It will be tough.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Do you know, Carlos and Shuhua are worried about you the most? They don¡¯t want to lose to you but they know they can¡¯t beat you.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    She snorted, ¡°I don¡¯t plan on going back even if they begged me so what is there to worry about? I¡¯ve already told the others. I will destroy Casimir so that he won¡¯t be able to trouble us anymore. After that, if you happen to get matched with me in the second round, I will just forfeit and send you home with a smile.¡±

    Zachary looked down at the nest of blond hair nestled against him, his heart filling with a soft warmth.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    "Thanks..."

    The two fell into a comfortable silence, listening to the murmurs of the jungle. He thought about her and this time, it was Heather.

    Whereas meeting Aaron in the second round represented an arduous challenge, a crucible of death, Heather was the gift of life, a free pass to the Old World.

    How was there someone like her in the world? How did she end up here?

    ¡°Heather,¡± He murmured and pulled her to him.

    She rolled into his embrace, now caught by his arms completely. He kissed the side of her head and then the tip of her ears, making her laugh softly.

    In another life, he could have grown to love this woman. If his heart hadn¡¯t been broken by Minah, if he had no connections left in the Republic, perhaps he would stay here with her, becoming an explorer of the New World, just like he dreamed of in his youth.

    Their lips touched. It was a slow and tender meeting. This would be their final night together. They were in no rush. She tasted of the jungle; of the wildness he had come to appreciate. He groaned, drawing her closer until nothing separated them. She moaned against him, her soft curves melting into his body.

    Her intelligent eyes, her playful smile, her fierce personality that could become so tender with her lover; he would miss all of her. He would miss these jungles. He would not be back, not for a very long time.

    ¡°Heather¡­¡±

    ¡°Zach¡­¡±

    Their bodies joined together. Their passion was gentle but full of meaning. Slowly, they said unspoken goodbyes to each other deep into the night, until the morning came.

    ---

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 144. First Duel (I)

    ¡°Morning.¡±

    ¡°Morning¡­¡±

    Zachary and Heather greeted the others as the sky started to brighten. Although they weren''t holding hands, they stood so close to each other that there were no ambiguities. However, what surprised them was that others had also seemingly paired off during the night.

    Jean-Pierre was standing close to Nellie while Carlos was with Shuhua. All of them looked at each other awkwardly. Zachary gave a questioning look to Jean-Pierre who replied with a sly smile. It was obvious what all of them had been up to.

    Heather glared at Nellie and Shuhua who gave her sheepish grins. Although her own relationship with Zachary was an open secret, the other two didn¡¯t have partners for the longest time. However, faced with the prospect of their last night in the New World, everyone had chosen to make it as memorable as possible.

    Heather sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Nellie said.

    ¡°Never,¡± Shuhua said.

    They all tried not to laugh and set about gathering their things. After a quick breakfast of dried meat and berries, they headed out for the beach and their final trials.

    The first thing Zachary noticed as they approached the beach was the four airships that hovered above their heads. They looked like misshapen black balloons. Their metal armor panels gleamed under the morning sun while the glass windows shined brightly. Now that the seagull threat had been eliminated, these flying machines could come and go without worry.

    The other thing he noticed was a large open field that had been carved out of the jungle. Situated beside the cliffs, it measured roughly one hundred meters in length and about sixty or seventy meters in width. It was the size of a standard dueling field.

    Zachary stopped at the edge of the field and stared across it. Most of the small trees and shrubs had been cleared out, leaving bare, uneven ground. Even the largest trees that survived for centuries were all cut down. However, these thick trunks were left on the ground where they fell, providing possible cover for summoners and summons alike. These were interesting features to an otherwise simple dueling field.

    On the other side of the field, someone had built a makeshift wooden stand. Some people were already sitting. He recognized Captain Willis¡¯ diminutive figure and her white uniform. She was conversing with a heavyset man in a suit that was perhaps two sizes too small.

    Zachary squinted at them. He felt he had seen that man somewhere before. But he could recall exactly where.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Aside from the stands, there were also several hundred marines and sailors standing around the edge of the field. Summoning competitions were a popular sport and pastime. Everyone wanted to see a good show.

    As the sun rose higher, all sixteen competitors arrived. Not a single person was missing. The sky was clear. Only a few white clouds floated by here and there. A warm breeze swept over them. It was a perfect day.

    Zachary looked to his left and right. The so-called frontrunners stood out from the rest with their confidence and aura. Aaron White, Casimir of the Dark Star Gang, Sergio from the Daybreakers, and Thomas Harrington¡­

    There was also himself, he was a frontrunner as well. Zachary Zhang, mass murderer, now twenty-one years old, he was going to earn his freedom today. He had to. Nothing else mattered.

    ¡°Wander, are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve been ready!¡±

    ¡°Good!¡±

    A short wait later, Captain Willis stood up and spoke. Her voice was loud, carried across the field by her soul force.

    ¡°Everyone is here so we can get started! Sixteen prisoners, four of you will get to go home. Before we begin, I will introduce our honored guest, Associate Judge Jeremy Fletcher. He will preside over the duels today as the official witness and representative of the Republic.¡±

    The large man stood up, waving and nodding. He had a portly face and a bad combover. However, his aura wasn¡¯t any weaker than the captain''s, an obvious expert rank summoner. The marines and sailors around him clapped dutifully. On the other side of the field, the sixteen competitors showed no reaction at all.

    ¡°Damn, it''s actually him?¡± Zachary muttered.

    ¡°Who?¡± Wander asked.

    ¡°That man, Jeremy Fletcher, he was the judge that presided over my trial. It was a complete sham. I didn¡¯t even know there was a trial until I was taken out of jail for sentencing. That was the only time I saw the courthouse and his ugly face. Then, I was thrown onto the prison ship.¡±

    ¡°Damn, he sounds like trouble. But big bro, remember, we can only deal with what we can control. The duels first. Then, we can worry about that judge.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The applause for Judge Fletcher ended and Captain Willis spoke again, ¡°Each duel will be one-on-one. Summoners will start on opposite sides of the field. There are no restrictions. You may choose whatever method to defeat your opponent. If you step outside the boundaries, you automatically lose. That is also the only way to forfeit. Shouting that you surrender will not guarantee your life. Don¡¯t expect honor from your opponent. After all, you¡¯re just a bunch of criminals. What would you know about the honor of summoners?¡±

    She then beckoned to someone to the side. Two sailors walked out, one bearing a large sandglass and one bearing a brass bell. They carefully placed it on a raised table for all to see.

    ¡°This is the time limit,¡± She said, pointing to the instrument which formed a perfect figure eight silhouette, ¡°It lasts exactly twenty minutes. If nobody wins by the end, both of you will lose. Understand?¡±

    Her words were met with nervous silence and a gust of wind.

    ¡°Good! Let¡¯s get on with the first duel, Aaron and Katherine!¡±

    Aaron and Katherine walked out and went to their respective ends of the field. Once in position, they faced each other. A distance of about eighty meters separated them. It was not far. A fast summon could cover the distance in a few breaths.

    Zachary caught Katherine¡¯s gaze. She gave him a small smile before she focused on her opponent. She didn''t look nervous.

    He recalled the warning she gave him. Even if she couldn¡¯t win, he hoped that she wouldn¡¯t get herself killed.

    ¡°Summoners ready?¡± The captain flipped the sandglass and struck the bell.

    Dong!

    ¡°Begin!¡±

    ---

    Merry Christmas!

 145. First Duel (II)

    Author''s note - Happy new year!

    The first draft of Summon the Eternal book 1 is pretty much ''done'' on my Patreon page at 157 chapters. My plan is to go back and edit all of book 1 and hopefully commit enough time to be able to self-publish it. I think STE has a lot of potential but also a lot of room for improvement. Editing will definitely be a challenge. I also need to consider what to do for book 2 and plan out my time commitments.

    Going forward, public chapters will slow down, perhaps only 1 chapter a week. I don''t have any more new chapters. I don''t plan on starting book 2 until book 1 is edited.

    Chapter numbers will change after editing. I wrote ''smaller'' chapters for online serialization but I always intended my chapters to be at least two smaller chapters put together. This is why most all of the chapters have (I) and (II) parts.

    I don''t know how long the editing process will take for book 1. It will take as long as it needs to... I want to put out something i am satisfied with.

    That is all for now. Stay tuned.

    ---

    At the signal, Aaron White¡¯s previously calm expression flashed with an expression of viciousness, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a long time. His hand reached for his summoner belt. There wasn¡¯t a single summoning card in sight. All of his summons were in soul orbs.

    Rays of light shot out of his brow. One by one, they took three distinct shapes in front of him. The first was a tall treant with knobby arms and legs. Aaron was already tall but the treant was even taller by three or four heads. Next was a giant stag beetle, larger than any Zachary had ever seen. Its body was as wide as a table while its sharp horns were like a pair of spears. The third summon was a strangely colored mantis. Its body was green but it was covered in bright red spots. There was something strange about them.

    On the other side, Katherine also summoned two creatures. They were a pair of green-striped tigers with what looked like leaves growing out of their fur. The two beasts easily dwarfed her small stature.

    ¡°Woah! The cat lady summoned cats! They¡¯re huge!¡± Wander laughed.

    Zachary ignored the easily amused turtle and watched the duel intently. Both sides had just summoned their initial lineup and were studying their opponent. He didn¡¯t know where Katherine managed to find those two tigers. They seemed strong and were definitely rare. This was his first time seeing this species.

    Aaron was the first to act. He pointed to Katherine and spoke inaudible commands to his summons. The stag beetle and the mantis flew up and headed towards her, hovering low to the ground.

    Katherine reacted swiftly. She hopped into the smaller of the two tigers and patted its back.

    ¡°Jade, Emerald, let¡¯s go!¡± She shouted.

    Both tigers roared and charged ahead, with the one named Jade carrying her along. They headed straight for the two flying insects, intending to collide head-on.

    From the far side, Aaron sneered at her effort. Such clashes were his bugs¡¯ specialty. They had low intelligence but did not lack in strength or defense. They could keep fighting even if they were gravely wounded.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Kill her!¡± He commanded and the two bugs picked up speed, aiming their sharp horns and claws at the charging tigers.

    ¡°Leaf wall!¡± Katherine¡¯s sharp cry rang out.

    The leaves growing on each tiger¡¯s fur came to life. They seemingly multiplied and shot out ahead of them, creating a flurry of green leaves that was difficult to see through. Such an attack and the ability to manipulate leaves reminded him of Archer, his leafy spider.

    With the wall of leaves flying at them, the two bugs were confused by the situation. They were moving too fast to dodge but they could no longer see their target. They had no time to think and they blindly charged into the fray.

    However, Katherine and the two tigers were no longer there.

    ¡°Roarrrr!¡±

    ¡°Roarrr!¡±

    Two roars echoed across the dueling field as the tigers leaped over the leaf wall and the charging insects. They landed and continued their full sprint, heading directly for where Aaron stood.

    Katherine¡¯s ruthlessness was eye-opening. She had no intention to fight the insects. From the beginning, her target was always the opposing summoner. This was only possible because she was riding her summons. If she wasn¡¯t, those insects would be free to attack her where she had stood.

    Aaron¡¯s face flashed with anger but not panic. He moved a few steps behind the treant which served as his shield and summoned another creature. It was a purple snake which landed atop the treant¡¯s head, curling around a branch securely.

    ¡°Berry, do it.¡±

    The snake faced the incoming tigers and hissed threateningly. It opened its mouth, revealing a rapidly growing ball of white energy. Soul power surged. The ball of light sizzled and snapped, threatening to escape.

    The hairs on Zachary¡¯s skin stood on end. He realized what was coming the same instant it happened.

    Ka!

    Ka!

    Two sharp cracks rang out as two bolts of electricity leaped from the snake¡¯s mouth, striking the tigers. The beasts roared in pain and stopped their charge. Katherine was also hit but she bore the shock through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Haha, how is it? Painful right?¡± Aaron taunted.

    He gestured and his insects came around, closing on Katherine from two directions, cutting off her path of retreat. In front, the snake kept its mouth open, charing its ball of electricity for another attack.

    He grinned cruelly, ¡°Time to die.¡±

    Many in the audience felt the same and there were sighs of disappointment. The first duel was over so quickly. The difference in strength between number one and number sixteen was far too great.

    In the stands, Judge Fletcher turned to converse with Captain Willis, completely disregarding the rest of the match. After all, the victor was already certain. Katherine had charged through the middle of the field in her gamble to attack Aaron directly. Now, even if she wanted to forfeit, she would be hard-pressed to escape the encirclement.

    Zachary kept his eyes on Katherine. He knew that she wasn¡¯t beaten yet. Although she hid a lot of secrets from him, she was not weak or incompetent. He had faith in that much.

    Katherine steadied herself on top of her tiger. She whispered some commands and patted the beast¡¯s head.

    ¡°Roarrrr!¡±

    ¡°Roarrr!¡±

    The tigers regained their vigor and charged at Aaron. They were met by another two bolts of electricity after taking a few steps.

    Ka!

    Ka!

    The shocking attacks struck once more. However, this time they had to go through a wall of flying leaves. And after scorching through the wall, the electricity only struck the bigger tiger which had blocked for the other one that Katherine was riding.

    That tiger soon collapsed. The smell of scorched fur and flesh filled the air. It was unclear if it was still alive or dead.

    Without pause, Katherine¡¯s mount leaped over its fallen brethren and sprinted toward Aaron. The distance between them was now less than twenty meters. They would reach him after two breaths.

    First breath¡­

    Aaron reacted and summoned another beast to serve as his meat shield. Katherine closed the distance by half. Meanwhile, the purple snake was frantically charging up for another attack.

    Second breath¡­

    Aaron¡¯s summon took physical shape. It was a huge seagull. Together with the treant, they formed a two-layered wall. Katherine and her tiger were only two or three meters away. The purple snake hissed as it prepared to launch a killing bow.

    All of a sudden, almost too quick for human eyes to follow, a black and white blur leaped from Katherine without warning. It then disappeared into thin air before reappearing above the purple snake¡¯s head. In that same instant, the purple snake was torn apart by impossibly rapid and sharp attacks, as if it had been sliced by a hundred blades.

    Aaron was stunned. Everyone was stunned, stupefied.

    What happened?

    What in the saints happened?

 146. The Same Tactic (I)

    Zachary knew what happened. It was Marble, of course it was. The little yin-yang cat was Katherin¡¯s ace. She had picked the perfect opportunity to reveal her strongest summon. And she wasn¡¯t done yet.

    The black and white blur that was Marble turned to look at Aaron. The man had an expression full of shock as he stared at the carnage. His was mostly hidden behind the giant seagull but his head was exposed.

    Marble disappeared once more and reappeared in front of Aaron¡¯s face with claws raised.

    Blood splattered on the ground.

    ¡°Kill that cat!¡± Aaron''s furious shout rang out.

    The giant seagull reacted, swiping its large wings out in all directions. It stabbed its beak in the air randomly in a futile attempt at retaliation. But Marble was already gone. It had returned to Katherine¡¯s embrace and she was turning to run.

    Aaron stood back up, clutching the right side of his forehead which was pouring blood, ¡°Chase her!¡±

    Katherine and her tiger were rushing toward the edge of the arena that bordered the jungle. Since her attempt to kill Aaron failed, she could only forfeit. She had no more summons or any other tricks.

    The mantis and the stag beetle turned and gave chase. The giant seagull also took flight but it was even slower.

    ¡°Damn it! Fine!¡± Aaron shouted as he grabbed at his summoning belt, ¡°Zephyr, kill her for me!¡±

    A ray of sky-blue light shot out of his brow and took the shape of a huge grey wolf. The beast came out of its summoning orb in a full sprint. It overtook the two insects in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Awwooo!¡±

    Katherine looked back and for the first time, a flash of worry crossed her face. She patted her mount and urged, ¡°Jade, faster! Faster!¡±

    They were almost at the edge of the field. In front, the other survivors made way for her frantic escape. Behind her, the grey wolf which was as big as a bull was closing fast.

    ¡°Almost there,¡± Zachary muttered as he watched, ¡°Almost there.¡±

    ¡°Kill her!¡± Aaron roared.

    The wolf opened its mouth and launched a familiar attack. An almost invisible pulse of air shot out like a cannonball.

    Pa!

    A powerful explosion of air sent the tiger and Katherine flying.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    At the same time, the wolf leaped and made swiping motions with its front paws. Blades of wind shot toward the still airborne Katherine and her mount.

    Crimson mists sprayed out against a clear blue sky. Two bodies fell to the ground, covered in horribly deep cuts, their blood staining the barren ground.

    ¡°Grrr¡­¡± The tiger growled weakly.

    It was still alive but only barely. With its last breath, it grabbed Katherine¡¯s limp figure with its mouth and tossed her forward. It was just enough for her to make it over the boundary of the dueling field.

    Seeing this, Captain Willis struck the bell and stood up to announce the end of the duel.

    However, as she did so, Aaron¡¯s wolf launched another air cannon attack at Katherine. She was lying on the ground, unmoving. There was no way for her to dodge. It seemed that she was going to die after all.

    ¡°Onk!¡± A loud and fearless snort sounded.

    A furry pig appeared out of nowhere and blocked the attack, taking the ball of explosive air head-on.

    Pa!

    Onkie flew several meters and crashed down hard. But her tough body and thick fur protected her from severe injury. She quickly rolled to her feet and snorted angrily, her eyes ablaze with fighting spirit.

    ¡°Awooo!¡± The huge gray wolf howled at the new challenger.

    But then, a powerful wave of soul power pressed down on all of them, instantly bringing the fight to an end before it started.

    ¡°The duel is over, Aaron is the winner. Recall your summon!¡± The captain ordered.

    Aaron did so reluctantly. As he did so, he glared at Zachary.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡± He mouthed.

    Zachary¡¯s eyes narrowed. He also knew that this wasn¡¯t over. That huge grey wolf Aaron summoned had to be the grey wolf king that guarded the ruins. The one that had sent him into the abyss, he now knew what had happened to it. Even though the world was vast, enemies were bound to meet again.

    Zachary turned away and rushed to Katherine¡¯s side. She wasn¡¯t breathing and her soul force was nonexistent. He checked her pulse. It was weak but still there. Ignoring the stares around him, he picked her up and carried her back to his group. As he walked, his activated ability summoning and sent Wander¡¯s healing power through his hands.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Heather asked.

    ¡°She¡¯ll live,¡± Zachary said as he laid her down.

    He knelt beside her and held a palm against her chest, continuing to heal her. Although this was not as effective as directly receiving Wander¡¯s healing breath, it was the best he could do without revealing Wander to so many prying eyes.

    After several long moments, Katherine coughed up a mouthful of blood as she came to. She groaned in pain as her eyes fluttered open. Her bloodstained face regained a bit of color. When she caught sight of Zachary, she smiled despite her condition.

    ¡°Zach¡­ I did the best I could.¡± She coughed up more blood, ¡°I killed one of his powerful summons¡­ and I drew out one of his aces. Cough, cough¡­ be careful, he has more than one.¡±

    At her statement, Heather, Nellie, and the others looked at each other with deep worry. From the duel, everyone understood that Katherine was not weak. It was just that Aaron was too strong. Aside from the powerful summons, the fact that he managed to dodge that sneak attack was a testament to his skills and fighting instincts. He would be a nightmare opponent for anyone in the second round.

    ¡°Zach¡­¡± Katherine weakly grasped his hand that was on her chest.

    Her touch reminded him of the days they spent as a duo, struggling against the challenges of the jungle. He decided that he still disliked her for the monolith debacle but he didn¡¯t hate her.

    ¡°Kate.¡±

    She smiled when he called her name, ¡°I¡¯ll leave him to you.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ---

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 147. The Same Tactic (II)

    Katherine closed her eyes and drifted into unconsciousness. Zachary''s hand remained in her chest, healing her until he was sure she would survive.

    "How does she know we have to fight Aaron?" Wander asked.

    "She doesn''t, it''s still a random draw."

    "What if we have back luck?"

    "..." Zachary didn''t know what to say to that so he changed the subject, "At least, she got rid of that snake for the rest of us. I don''t know where Aaron managed to find an Ensouled with electric abilities, those are rare."

    "What is electric?" Wander asked.

    "Combining Eternum of different elements can produce strange effects and stronger abilities. In this case, fire and sky attributes produce electric abilities."

    "Oh, you mean skyfire? Why didn''t you just say that?" Wander snorted, "Skyfire nothing special. Just a cheap trick."

    Zachary rolled his eyes.

    After a little while, he stopped healing Katherine and stood up. The captain was calling for the competitors of the next duel. The field had been cleared. The two tiger corpses had been taken away by the republic soldiers. There were no signs of the previous battle except for the bloodstained ground.

    "Watch her for me?" He asked Heather as he passed her.

    "Okay."

    "Aaron might try something. Be careful."

    She gave him a shove, "Worry about yourself, go."

    He walked onto the dueling field, silent gazes following his every step. His steps were steady. His expression didn''t give away anything. He had experienced a fair number of duels in his youth, before Yaoyao became too strong. He also participated in a few recreational duels during the first few months of university life.

    Seojun of Riverside Village eyed him from across the field. The audience eyed them both. Every duel was important. Aside from life and death, what each summoner revealed was critical for potential opponents in the next round.

    "Ooooh! We finally get to fight!" Wander said excitedly, "What''s our plan?"

    "Like we discussed, win without revealing our full strength," Zachary replied.

    He could not bring out Wander in the first round and he also did not want to use Doro. Objectively, they were his strongest summons. If he could save them for the second round, he would have a big advantage.

    "Our team is strong in many aspects, we can wait for the opponent to show their hand first," He said.

    "Cool, cool!" Wander replied.

    "Summoners ready?" The captain struck the bell, "Begin!"

    Seojun moved first and four rays of light shot out of his brow. The first beast was a bristly worm the size of a dog. The long white hairs that covered it from head to toe swayed as it wriggled. It was disgusting to look at, causing many people to shudder involuntarily. The second ray of light turned into a poison frog. It was bright yellow with orange spots, as big as a pomelo fruit, all around a very deadly and competent creature. The third was a vine demon. It stood as tall as a person and three times as wide. Its vines were thick and heavy, capable of snaring large beasts. The last summon was a treant. It was somewhat unremarkable compared to the treants Zachary had seen before, just an average treant that could be found throughout the jungle. All four were adept rank Ensouled.

    Zachary, along with every other experienced summoner, analyzed Seojun''s lineup within just a few glances. The treant and vine demon were simple creatures. They were slow but strong, providing good defense and close-range control. Although the bristly worm was a little strange, since it was summoned together with the poison frog, everyone naturally assumed that these were long-range attackers. Strong defense and long-range offense, this was a standard tactic used by summoners all across the world.

    Zachary decided to respond with the same tactic and brought out two summons, Elmont and Voodoo.

    "Two? Two summons? Are you looking down on me?" Seojun asked, his voice carrying clearly across the dueling field.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Zachary crossed his arms, "I am. I am looking down on you. What are you going to do about it?"

    Seojun''s face flashed with anger and indignation. He immediately commanded his summons to attack without much thought. Four against two, there was nothing too complicated about it.

    "Fire everything, kill him!"

    The poison frog croaked loudly and let loose a volley of poison spitballs.

    Pu! Pu! Pu!

    The attack arced in the air beautifully... landed harmlessly on the ground. It was too far away. The two sides were over eighty meters apart but the frog''s attack range was not even seventy.

    The bristly worm also attacked. It let out a strange gurgling sound as Its body shook all over and several long hairs shot out like arrows. These flew much farther and the aim was pretty good.

    "Elmont, vine shield." Zachary commanded.

    The treant groaned and extended an arm into the air. The vines covering its body grew rapidly, forming a circular living shield.

    Thuk!

    Thuk! Thuk!

    About half of the bristly arrows landed on the ground while the other half hit Elmont''s shield. One arrow managed to pierce through but only barely and it had lost all of its momentum by then. The rest were all blocked.

    "Our turn. Voodoo, time to show off."

    Voodoo opened its fearsome mouth and let loose with a continuous stream of poison spitballs. Unlike the poison frog, Voodoo''s poison attack flew faster, farther, and was even more accurate. It was a deadly, unceasing rainstorm that fell only where it needed to.

    Seojun cursed and took cover with his poison frog and bristle worm. His treant blocked the poison rain with its body while the vine demon created a similar shield to Elmont. If he had chosen a different tactic, if he could ride his summons as Katherine had done, he wouldn''t have to get hit like this. However, with summons like the treant and the vine demon, he had no other choice.

    Where drops of poison landed, thick bark and heavy vines started to rot with visible speed. Both Ensouled started to groan in pain as the poison rain continued. There was no end to it and the two summons could only bear the punishment with their bodies.

    "Wow... What kind of worm is that?"

    "Is that a new species?"

    Voodoo''s power and stamina astonished everyone. A summon that could suppress four opponents by itself was a rare talent. Those who had originally doubted Zachary''s competence when he only brought out two summons were fully convinced. If he could win the duel like this, he would be even more impressive than Aaron.

    "Damn it! Damn it!" Seojun muttered as he hid behind the vine demon.

    Being humiliated like this was something no summoner could bear.

    "Push forward!" He commanded.

    His treant and vine demon lumbered toward Zachary through the poison rain. They accrued more and more damage as the distance closed, causing their groans to grow louder and louder.

    "It''s fine. Keep going!" He urged even though he could see that it was not fine.

    The treant and vine demon were slow to begin with but their steps got even slower as their bodies rotted from the poison. The treant''s heavy bark was falling off piece by piece while the vine demon struggled to regrow the vines that had fallen off.

    "When will it end? How long can it keep going like this?" He muttered to no one in particular.

    He couldn''t poke his head out as long as the poison attack continued. His summons couldn''t retaliate.

    Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, Voodoo stopped to take a breather.

    "Finally!" Seojun shouted and sent his bristly worm and poison frog out again, "Shoot! Shoot them!"

    Thuk! Thuk! Thuk!

    Pu! Pu! Pu!

    This time, both attacks landed on Elmont''s shield. Several barbed white arrows poked their way through the vines while the frog''s poison had a similar corrosive effect to Voodoo''s poison, albeit with much less potency.

    "Elmont increase the thickness of the vine shield," Zachary instructed.

    "Grrr... alright."

    "Voodoo, are you slacking off on me?"

    The worm hissed back at him, "Shut up! I''ll kill you after I kill them!"

    After a few more deep breaths, Voodoo resumed its attack. Purple poison once again fell down like heavy summer rain and Seojun had to once again dive for cover. This time around, his treant and vine demon were already heavily wounded. Their bodies were rotted and broken. They couldn''t bear much more punishment.

    Seojun cursed and summoned another creature. He also recalled the treant and the vine demon before they died. His fifth adept rank was a huge rhinoceros beetle with a shiny gray shell. It was so big that several people could comfortably take shelter beneath it. As for Voodoo''s attacks, they hit the beetle''s metallic shell and slid off without much effect. It seemed impervious to such poison abilities.

    Zachary frowned at this development. Such a strange beetle with such a strong shell, this thing had to be Seojun''s ace. If it wasn''t, his ranking would have been much higher than fifteenth. As long as Zachary could deal with this beetle, the duel was over.

    "Flash, let''s go!" He called out.

    A ray of white light emerged from his brow. Flash, the giant seagull, appeared in midair. It flapped its wings and looked around, squawking loudly.

    Zachary pointed to the shiny beetle, "Over there, there''s food beneath it."

    "Food! Where!" Upon hearing there was food, the giant seagull took off.

    Zachary shook his head. As a newly captured summon, he couldn''t rely on it for complicated tasks. That was why Aaron''s seagull performed so badly during the previous duel. However, food was instinctive. The seagull already knew how to hunt so he only needed to point in the right direction.

    Flash flew across the field and crashed into the metallic beetle. The beetle was strong and resisted the impact easily. Flash poked the bug with its sharp beak but it was futile. It was like trying to hit a nail against a rock.

    "The food is hiding beneath it!" Zachary shouted.

    Enlightened, Flash used its substantial strength and smacked the beetle with its wings. After a few blows, the beetle was pushed onto its side. One more hit and it finally flipped over onto its back, its six legs wriggling helplessly.

    "Food!" The giant bird squawked happily.

    "Ahhh!"

    Seojun''s scream of terror was cut short as Flash''s beak smashed his head into a pulp.

    The bell rang.

    The duel was over.

 148. Heather vs. Casimir (I)

    Seojun died. Such fate was a common result of summoner duels with no rules. As long as the summoner died, there was nothing else to fight over.

    With his death, his summons were no longer bound to him and they did not have to obey his commands. The bristly worm and poison frog fled in two different directions while the huge beetle still lay on its back.

    ¡°Zachary is the winner. Recall your summon!¡± The captain''s voice rang out.

    At her words, squads of marines marched onto the field with their iron fur gorillas and ember cats. Two marines carried Seojun''s body away while the others went after the wayward beasts that no longer had a master. The bristly worm and poison frog were quickly captured. The huge metallic beetle managed to flip itself right side up. It charged through the encirclement of iron fur gorillas and escaped into the jungle with fire orange fireballs from the pursuing ember cats splashing harmlessly off its tough armor.

    The victor of the duel, Zachary, was left with no spoils at all.

    Zachary shook his head and recalled all of his summons. He strode off the dueling field as if nothing had happened.

    "Great win!" Jean-Pierre said, patting his back.

    Heather gave him a quick hug while Nellie, Carlos, and Shuhua greeted him with smiles and congratulations.

    Other survivors gave him strange looks, including Thomas of Riverside Village. He wasn''t angry that Zachary had killed his deputy, only curious. Zachary had only revealed three summons and one of them was a giant seagull which was a known quantity to everyone. Whoever had to fight him in the second round had little idea what his true strength was.

    It was difficult to tell if he was truly strong or if he just got lucky due to an advantageous matchup. Both summoners had chosen the same tactic, strong defense and long-range offense. Zachary won because his strange worm''s long-range abilities were too strong, preventing Seojun from doing anything. If Seojun had a summon that could close the distance quickly, as Zachary had with the giant seagull, perhaps the duel would have ended differently.

    "You''re up against Casimir next. He''s a tough one." Zachary said to Heather.

    "I''ll be fine, I can handle him," Heather replied confidently.

    He smiled, "I know."

    "Next duel, Casimir versus Heather!" The captain called out.

    Heather walked across the dueling field, her gaze on her opponent all the way. Casimir was the same. The two people shared enmity that went back to the beginning. They had fought many times and were irreconcilable. They were both eager to settle the score once and for all.Stolen novel; please report.

    "Summoners ready? Begin!" The captain announced as she struck the bell.

    Heather and Casimir both started immediately, without waiting to see their opponent''s strategy. One summon, two summons, three... Six creatures appeared in front of Casimir, showcasing his prowess as a Six Paths Adept Rank summoner. Looking at the other side, Heather also had six. She was also at the Six Paths Adept Rank. At the beginning of the year, Aaron could claim to be the strongest prisoner with such a level of soul cultivation. Now, others had caught up to him.

    Heather''s summons included her trusty mantis Toby, her dependable gray wolf Max, Roger the treant, Mary the python, Alan the poison frog, and a golden butterfly with wings the size of an umbrella. She had named it Jenny. It was a recent addition to her lineup less than a week ago. Zachary hadn''t seen it in action before.

    On the other side, Casimir''s summons included two porcupines, a large crocodile, a giant pill bug, a tall stag with wide antlers, and an iron fur gorilla. The appearance of the iron fur gorilla drew a lot of discontent from the republic sailors and marines. They finally knew what had happened to the airship that had been dispatched to this place half a year ago. Although the main culprit was the giant seagull horde, they still blamed Casimir for looting the remains.

    The duel began in earnest once all summons were ready. Heather climbed onto Max''s back while Casimir got on his stag. After a few hushed commands, the two porcupines found cover behind a large log and prepared to launch sharp quills across the field. On Heather''s side, her poison frog hopped onto Roger the treant which provided a more mobile cover as well as an elevated attack position. As for the remaining summons, Jenny stayed on Heather''s shoulder while Toby charged at its old foe, the crocodile. Heather''s python also slithered forward, choosing the iron fur gorilla as its opponent.

    The two porcupines open up with their quills. One aimed for the treant while the other attacked Heather directly. However, before the quills could make it halfway, Heather was already on the move. Under her command, Max dashed across the field toward the porcupines, zig-zagging to avoid subsequent volleys.

    Casimir reacted quickly, turning his stag around and galloping toward Heather on an intercept course. Heather and Max veered away as she didn''t want a direct clash this early. However, she retaliated with her own long-range attacks as Alan''s poison spitballs chased after Casimir and his stag.

    This duel was unlike any of the previous ones. Both summoners chose to go all out from the beginning. Both summoners also had mounts so it was a fast-paced, chaotic battle. The cries and howls of Ensouled filled the air, interjected with their summoner''s rapid commands.

    "Switch targets, fire at the porcupines!"

    "Roger, keep moving! Don''t just sit there and get hit by the quills!"

    "Toby, I''m coming to help!"

    Heather and her grey wolf charged towards the fight between her mantis and the crocodile. On one side was the overgrown mantis with a pair of sharp forelimbs that were like swords. The other was a huge crocodile at least five or six meters in length. Its sharp teeth were just as deadly as Toby''s blades while its thick hide was tough to cut through. In contrast, the crocodile was too big and slow to catch up to Toby. Every time it snapped its massive jaws; the mantis was long gone.

    "Max, pack bond!" Heather commanded once they were close to the action.

    "Awooo!"

    The gray wolf utilized its special ability that improved its allies in all aspects. Toby''s strength increased drastically. With a slash, it easily cut through the crocodile''s hide and opened a long bloody wound.

    The beast roared in pain and anger.

    "Stone skin!" Casimir shouted.

    The crocodile''s entire body pulsed with energy.

    Clang!

    Toby''s subsequent attack fell onto a surface as hard as stone and his blades no longer had any effect. The two beasts were once again at a stalemate.

 149. Heather Versus Casmir (II)

    Heather and Max join the fight, attacking the crocodile together with Toby from two directions. However, the crocodile defended with its tail as well as its jaws. Its thick, powerful tail was covered in sharp spines. With a swing, it left a deep gash on the wolf''s snout that caused it to reel back in pain.

    Heather grimaced and pulled her gray wolf away to a safe distance. This crocodile was strong, strong enough to be the ace of anyone''s lineup. It could have been hers had the Dark Star Gang not ambushed her that day and stolen it away. This was a grudge that she had to settle.

    Casimir, meanwhile, ordered his giant pill bug toward lumbering treant to try and disrupt her long-range attacks. Seeing this, the poison frog switched targets toward this new threat, peppering it from head to toe with poison spitballs. However, the smooth shell of the bug resisted the frog''s poison attack, with most of it sliding off harmlessly.

    "Roger, living roots!" Heather shouted from afar.

    "Grrrr!" The treant groaned and sunk its feet into the ground.

    Countless roots started growing rapidly, digging through the ground, and spreading in all directions. As the pill bug approached, those roots erupted from beneath, trapping its small feet and stopping its progress. The bug shrieked in alarm, wiggling to and fro in confusion.

    "Damn it! You stupid bug! Charge, charge through it!"

    The giant pill bug struggled hard, snapping many roots. But even more shot out of the ground, slowing its progress to not much more than a crawl.

    Cursing, Casimir urged his stag to chase after Heather, intent on cutting off the head to solve the problem.

    The two summoners continued to play a cat-and-mouse game across the dueling field. Casimir''s stag had great speed but less agility. Heather''s wolf could always change direction quickly, leaving the other summoner in a lurch. Aside from them, the mantis and the crocodile remained in a deadlock while the giant python and the iron fur gorilla were wrestling furiously. All the while, sharp quills and poison spitballs flew wildly across the battlefield.

    "Jenny, it''s your turn," Heather said.

    "Trrrree!" The butterfly on her shoulder trilled eagerly.

    Heather and Max to avoid another charge from Casimir and his stag and then headed for the brawling giant python and iron fur gorilla. Both beasts were big and strong. They started the battle evenly matched. The python had wrapped its long, sinewy body around the gorilla, trying to crush it to death. The gorilla struck the python''s body with its heavy fists, crushing scales with each hit and drawing blood until both beasts were bathed in red. The python hissed in pain after each blow, struggling to hold on to its opponent.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    "Jenny, dream eyes," Heather commanded.

    "Trree!"

    The golden butterfly took off. It flew around the two beasts as its large compound eyes started to glow with golden light. The light grew in brightness and pulsed repeatedly, sending out waves of Eternum that could be felt from the sidelines.

    Soon, the effect of this attack became apparent as the gorilla suddenly lost the will to fight. It stopped punching. It also no longer struggled against the python binding it. Its small black eyes glazed over as it sank into a state of dullness and confusion. Even though its body was slowly being crushed, to the point that its iron fur was starting to crumple, it still remained in a daze. It was like it couldn''t feel any pain, like it couldn''t feel anything even if were to lose its life.

    "No! Don''t you dare!" Casimir shouted frantically.

    He charged over and cast a long-range recall on his gorilla in the nick of time, just as its iron body was about to be crushed completely. The giant python looked around in confusion when its foe disappeared. It then found the culprit and hissed at Casimir.

    "Woo! Jenny is so strong!" Wander cheered at the turn of events.

    "That ability is very powerful. Those pulses of light can overpower the senses." Zachary said, "Jenny is worthy of being her ace."

    "I can still beat it," Wander said confidently.

    "Of course, you can," Zachary said, not doubting it at all.

    Such an attack on the senses worked by producing so much Eternum in a short span of time that it overwhelmed the opponent''s soul energy channels. As such, anything that could disrupt this surge of energy, like a shield, could negate the spell. Even breaking the line of sight could be enough.

    While Zachary and Wander discussed the finer points of the butterfly''s ability, the ongoing duel which started evenly matched was quickly turning into a rout. With the iron fur gorilla off the field, the giant python went to help the mantis with the crocodile. After another dream eyes attack from the golden butterfly, the crocodile was quickly subdued, forcing Casimir to recall it before it died.

    Just like this, the duel was over. Two of Casimir''s strongest summons had been defeated. Perhaps he could bring out a few more summons but none of them were as strong as the crocodile or the iron fur gorilla. On the other hand, Heather''s lineup was still at full strength. Even if he had a way to counter the golden butterfly''s special ability, it was too late.

    Casimir stopped on his stag and looked around the field with an unwilling expression. Everyone had already come to the same conclusion, that it was over for him. He didn''t want to accept it but it was now the reality. Heather and her mantis were charging toward his two porcupines. They were only hiding behind some fallen trees. They wouldn''t be able to resist.

    He let out a sigh in resignation and quickly recalled his remaining summons. He then turned his mount toward the east and galloped into the jungle. He was gone, just like that.

    The bell rang.

    "Heather is the winner!"

 150. The Final Round (I)

    The third duel was over. Casimir didn''t choose to struggle until the end and instead escaped to conserve his strength. He would live to fight another day.

    Three duels resulted in three exciting battles and three different endings. This caused a growing sense of excitement among the audience, especially the marines and sailors. Everyone loved a good summoner duel. It was the national pastime. They were eager to see what the remaining duels had in store.

    The next match was Sergio versus Carlos. Sergio was the leader of the Daybreakers gang so he had some of the best summons including a mantis, a giant crab, and a brown bear covered in tree bark. He was also a Six Paths Adept Rank summoner.

    Carlos didn''t have such privilege but he wasn''t a pushover. Although he was one level lower at the Five Paths Adept Rank, his summons were also strong. He had a giant pill bug, a treant, a mutated crayfish, a leafy spider, and a muddy bullfrog which was his ace.

    In the end, the difference in soul cultivation was the critical factor. Unlike Zachary, Carlos couldn''t come up with a way to overcome this gap. One of his summons always had to fight two against one, no matter how he shifted the matchups. His summons were strong but they were not special like Voodoo or Heather''s golden butterfly. The duel devolved into a brawl and he lost on both quantity and quality.

    The fifth match pitted Thomas against Shuhua. As the leader of Riverside Village, he was a tough opponent like Sergio. He had a large number of adept rank Ensouled. He brought out a total of nine over the course of the duel, switching some out for others to adjust his strategy on the fly. In the beginning, he attacked with an array of long-range summons. Later, he switched to fast-paced battle while riding a gray wolf, similar to Heather.

    He also had a unique summon, a water spirit with a body made entirely of blue water. It was similar to Doro, a purely elemental existence with tremendous strength and potential. It was unfortunate that the dueling field did not have any bodies of water. Otherwise, it would have been unbeatable.

    However, the pivotal force in the match proved not to be the water spirit or Thomas¡¯ large lineup of summons. Instead, it was Shuhua¡¯s monkey which she had named Peony. Despite its name, it was strong as an ox. It was also fast and agile like a rabbit. Carrying a large mantis claw in each hand like a pair of swords, it was a killing machine that had no equal.

    Most importantly, the beast was incredibly smart. It knew how to fight and how to trick its opponents. Shuhua only needed to point it towards the next target and the monkey largely took care of the rest. While she hid behind a wall of plant type Ensouled, Peony rampaged across the battlefield, slaying one opponent after another until finally, Thomas was forced to forfeit.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    This was another surprise win which garnered a lot of noise and applause from the crowd. Such a smart creature was worth a fortune. Everyone was excited to see even stronger Ensouled.

    The next duel soon followed, between Elkie and Nellie. It was an interesting matchup. Both of them summoned mossy diamondbacks for defense. These turtles had the same ability which created an additional protective layer on their shell, making it impenetrable to all kinds of attacks.

    Seeing this made Wander very happy. He wondered if they were friendly turtles. He also boasted that their shields weren¡¯t as good as his.

    As for the duel, Elkie and Nellie chose the same strategy by chance. They both hunkered down behind their turtles and lobbed long-range abilities at each other. However, this was only a rouse so that they could send a sneak attack while the other was distracted.

    Nellie gave this task to her chameleon hunter. The color-changing lizard crawled across the field without being detected and leaped at Elkie''s neck from behind. By some miracle, she sensed the incoming attack and sacrificed her arm to block it. Her right arm was severed but the chameleon hunter was killed before it could complete its mission.

    On the other side, Nellie wasn''t so lucky. Her opponent''s sneak attack came in the form of a ghostly spider. Its body was small and transparent, almost impossible to detect. It landed a deep bite on her leg before it was squashed to death.

    Both summoners suffered from each other¡¯s sneak attacks but one contained poison and the other did not. The flesh around Nellie¡¯s spider bite quickly turned red, then purple. Her leg went numb and she could feel her whole body turning cold with each labored breath. Helpless, she could only forfeit and go to Zachary to seek treatment. If she had hesitated for a few more moments, even Wander¡¯s full-strength healing breath wouldn¡¯t have saved her.

    The sixth duel finished and the seventh duel started. The old man named Theo faced off against Renata of the Daybreakers. Renata¡¯s summons were nothing special. They included commonly found Ensouled like vine demons and treants. Theo, on the other hand, brought out an Ensouled nobody had ever seen before. It was a multi-colored peacock that spat flames from its beak. It was a fearsome creature that easily defeated several opponents with a few attacks. Seeing this, Renata lost the will to fight and tried to forfeit. However, she burned to death before she could reach the edge of the field.

    The final duel was between Jean-Pierre and Jan of the Dark Star Gang. It kicked off with Jan summoning five beasts in a row which was his limit. He had a strong lineup that included a shooting porcupine, a furry pig, a giant crab, a mushroom demon, and a large black raven which was his ace.

    However, none of that mattered because Jean-Pierre had summoned a forest elephant. It was huge, even bigger than a trolly car. Its signature ability flew out without mercy. Bright green blades of energy crisscrossed the field, decimating the opposing Ensouled. Even Jan wasn¡¯t spared.

    The true ruler of this jungle finally appeared and its power was overwhelming.