Chapter 9 - Emergence, Dark Octopus (1/2)
Summoners were considered powerful because of their ability to call forth alien creatures.
There were several requirements for a summoning spell. Once casted, it would consume a large amount of mental strength and vitality. However, there were some cases in which the summoners forced themselves to summon without meeting the bare requirements, resulting in fatal backlash. Such aftermaths were not uncommon.
Thus, sacrificial offerings came into being.
Offerings could vary: be it humans or corpses; insects and zombies; and even the caster's own flesh or soul.
Akin to money, the more you have, the better the items you will be able to purchase. Likewise, sacrifices work in the same way; the higher the quality, the greater the rewards.
First Tiered offerings such as Blood Sucking Worms could be used to summon Skeleton Soldiers; Second Tiered Crimson Crowned Beetles can call forth Armored Zombies; Third Tiered Venomous Lion Vultures can call forth the Tyrannosaurus Rex; and Fourth Tiered Desolate Lightning Falcons can call forth Lightning Colossals...
As in reality, one may encounter counterfeit goods from time to time. Summons are not guaranteed. There had been doc.u.mented cases in which casters had used high-tiered monsters, such as Bone Dragons and Zombie Kings, as offerings, but had called upon wild pigs and dogs instead. Furthermore, it was a fact that many summoners were scourged by these ridiculous “counterfeits”!
In fact, there had been a time when Li Jiayu and his companions were tasked to bring down a male and female pair of Black Knights. After a long and arduous war, they brought down the female counterpart and relied on Li Jiayu to summon a creature from the corpse of the fallen monster which would aid them greatly in the peril.
However, life does not always go as planned, as Li Jiayu had actually conjured a hen...
In the midst hen’s cackling, Li Jiayu and the Demon Hunter group almost coughed out blood from anger. However, they could only retreat, leaving behind the bodies of two teammates which made him drown in remorse.
Of course, that only occurred due to his lack of experience as an Apprentice Summoner. After he rose to the rank of a Greater Summoner, situations such as these never emerged.
There had also been numerous rare cases which were equivalent to miracles, such as summoners getting a summon beyond what they had bargained for! It all depended on luck, really. During a windfall, one could use a sow as an offering and summon a Frost Wyrm!
However, these chances were close to zero but that did not mean it was impossible. Nothing was impossible in this apocalypse!
Therefore, a career as a Summoner was akin to being a Gambler. If one was lucky, one’d be able to turn the tables and emerge victorious. Meanwhile, if one was unfortunate, they’d have to sleep on the streets and may even lead their companions into their graves.
Now, Li Jiayu shall bet once more!
A Scythe Beetle was considered a Middle First Tier offering and, if nothing else, it would be possible to summon a Skeleton Soldier, Goblin, Orc or a Beastman. If one was fortunate, they would even be able to call forth higher-tiered organisms such as Nagas, Ogres or even Arzuros.
[TL: monsterhunter.wikia.com/wiki/Arzuros]
Li Jiayu firmly believed if he had a contracted beast alongside him, with his leaders.h.i.+p and axe mastery, they would be able to contend against the Crimson Crowned Beetles head on, behead more than 10 and harvest their Insect Cores as his first pot of gold in the apocalypse.
”Li Jiayu... You... Can you stop bringing up the matter about us wetting ourselves? It’s embarra.s.sing and it's not as if we're doing it deliberately...”
Sun Weiwei's face flushed red from the tip of her eyes to the bottom of her neck. She clearly recalled Li Jiayu being gentlemanly, always treating girls well. He even had the t.i.tle of ”Women’s Confidante”, but now, every word he spouted made the girls blush... He must have taken the wrong medication; that was the only explanation for his drastic change.
”You were the ones who peed standing. You can urinate yourselves but not allow me to talk about it? The patent for urinating while standing belongs to boys, so why are you women following suit? You even wet yourselves...”
Li Jiayu felt contented and joked a little more but ceased after noticing the expressions of the female students. They were on the verge of crying in shame, so he changed the subject. ”Give me some s.p.a.ce, I'll take care of its corpse...”
Even though they did not understand the motives behind his actions, they still trusted him and scattered to the back. Their eyes, however, remained glued to Li Jiayu's actions out of sheer curiosity.
”Anyone has a knife?” Li Jiayu reached for his face and ran his finger along the injury inflicted by the beetle.
Upon hearing that, a cla.s.smate quickly removed his keychain and handed the utility knife over. Although it was useless as a weapon, it was sufficient for slitting his wrists.
Honestly, the axe could do it. However, it was stained and although the blood was non-toxic, it would pollute Li Jiayu's blood.
”Jiayu, are you going to dissect the insect?”
”...” Li Jiayu was rendered speechless by the female student's question.
”No, I'm using it for bloodletting.”
He drew the utility knife across his elbow and blood gushed out in large amounts, spilling onto the beetle's carca.s.s.
The students around stared wide-eyed as they could not comprehend his actions but the solemness on his face made them shut up in fear of distracting him.
Li Jiayu's fingers started interweaving, like a b.u.t.terfly flitting through flowers, as he mouthed in an intelligible language. In the eyes of the students present, it seemed as though he had turned unfathomable; not like those con men, but the Mages or Monks you see in game.
”Beyond the void, through the depths, albeit separated by s.p.a.ce, we are bound through fate... I, Li Jiayu, am a summoner hailing from the Central world, please heed my call.”
While Li Jiayu was focused on reading the chants, w.a.n.g Siyuan's face drained of blood as he exclaimed, ”Jiayu! Another Scythe Beetle is heading our way!”
Li Jiayu's heart shuddered and was surprised to see a red-coloured Scythe Beetle eyeing them from dozens of meters away. It flapped its wings while its eyes shone with hatred. For some odd reason, it seemed to treat Li Jiayu as a mortal enemy, seeking revenge for its partner which laid under Li Jiayu's feet!
”f.u.c.k! It's the Scythe Beetle Lord!”