The world might be unfair, but the System isn't.
The way it operated followed set rules, and it adhered strictly to them. Breaking those rules, or causing deviations, were met with certain consequences.
Curses only existed due to the fairness of the world's principles.
As such, any Beast that an individual summoned had to be returned to said individual. It didn't matter their location or position.
They would still appear before the one who called them.
***********
The stage was set.
Rey stood before a Magic Circle, his eyes keenly focused on the egg that sat at its center. The object shone with purple light, but the black mist that danced around it seemed to suppress the power that lay dormant inside.
It almost felt like whatever was inside wanted to explode, but the cage that restricted it forced the creature to remain within.
"What kind of Beast should I expect?" Rey asked as he glanced at Ater, who was finally merging all the pieces of the Dyubbuk.
The Familiar grinned as he stared back at his Master.
"Didn't you want it to be a surprise?"
The moment Rey heard this, he itched his head. He had obviously let curiosity get the better of him, nearly ruining the moment.
"Yeah… you're right." Slight hues of pink appeared on his face, but they vanished almost instantly.
'I want this to be an amazing surprise! Like unpacking a surprise present for the first time!'
It was a kind of thrill that one rarely had, so he desired to savor the moment. Thankfully, his loyal Familiar understood that.
'Thank you, Ater!'
"Just a slight hint, though, Master…" Ater's words echoed as a buzzing sound began to fill the air.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"That Beast is very special. Its properties and compatibility with Master is incredible. I admit… if I was never summoned by you, it would make a perfect subordinate."
As those words sank into Rey's head, his heart began to race.
'Ater is giving it such high praise…' He suppressed all wariness and allowed slight doses of excitement seep through.
His eyes were wide open as he awaited the promised moment.
"I will now release my hold on the egg." Once Ater said this, the dancing blackness around the egg vanished, and the object began to tremble violently.
The Magic Circle around it shone with brilliant white light, activating on its own once it sensed the presence of the powerful entity within its confines.
An invisible barrier surrounded the area of significance, and all attention fell on the egg.
~CRACK!~
Fissures began appearing all over the egg, causing it to tremble even more.
Rey held his breath as his glistening eye reflected the bright radiance of the Magic Circle, and the glowing 'thing' that was beginning to emerge from within.
Then—
~POP!~
Like something finally erupting due to an overbearing pressure from within, the egg finally exploded, causing the entire area to be drowned in light.
Rey didn't need to close his eye, and neither did Ater. As such, they were able to witness the Beast's emergence in all its glory.
'T-that is—?!' His widened eye took in everything, and his jaws loosened that very instant.
The glistening, oily body of the creature floated in the air. Its fluid form, reflecting the light, but also displaying its amazing purple form, began to disperse from its spherical form into a more chaotic appearance.
Rey had seen something like this before—back on Earth, in games and a few shows.
"... A slime?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Yes! The creature's thick, malleable form gave it away almost immediately. It was none other than an ooze which began to spray itself all over the area.
It splashed all over the barrier, but was met with resistance.
Clearly, it wanted to be free, but the surrounding field did not let it pass. The moment this happened, all of its slime-like appendages converged into the same ball from earlier, and it landed on the bare ground.
'I got… a slime, huh?' Rey took a step forward as he watched the thing with slightly narrowed eyes.
Ater told him the creature was strong, so Rey decided to believe in those words despite every ounce of his common sense telling him that wasn't the case.
'Still… a slime was the last thing I expected to come out of an egg.'
One look at Ater's pleased face showed that this was by no means an accident, so Rey had to assume that the slimes from fantasy worlds were exceptions.
The slimy creature remained dormant, but the moment Rey got closer, the thing charged in his direction and splattered itself on the wall of the barrier.
If it was anyone, they would have jumped back in fright—or at least shock—from the actions of the Beast, but Rey was different.
He had a small smile on his face as he proceeded to do the most reasonable thing.
'[Perfect Divine Appraisal].'
[STATUS WINDOW]
- Name: None
- Race: Symbiote Slime (Beast)
- Class: Absolute Summon (S-Tier)
- Level: 1 (0.00% EXP)
- Life Force: +++
- Mana Level: 0
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})- Combat Ability: 0
- Stat Points: 0
- Skills (Exclusive): [Symbiosis] [Perfect Mimicry] [Consume]
- Skills (Non-Exclusive): Nil
- Alignment: Neutral
[Additional Information]
The perfect canvas for those whom it binds with. As an ally, it can prove to be indispensable. As an enemy… it is virtually unstoppable.
[End Of Information]
"Huh…?" Rey was amazed by what he was looking at.
Based on Stats alone, the slimy thing didn't seem all that special. In fact, it seemed pretty weak. However, the Life Force had a strange information that he had never seen before, and the Skills also seemed pretty decent.
'The Additional Information also hypes it up. I better take a good look at its Skills.'
Now that Rey's Appraisal was upgraded, he could see the details of a Status Window, not just the base display. In essence, he could determine the Privilege of a Class he saw, as well as the details of the Skills observed.
As long as the target was susceptible to his [Perfect Divine Appraisal], Rey could decipher pretty much everything the System had on them.
"Let's start with [Symbiosis. It sounds pretty—"
"Master, you shouldn't delay any longer. We should begin the binding vow now."
"Hm? What's with the rush?" As he asked this question, Rey glanced at Ater, but the moment he did so… something unexpected happened.
~SHWUUUUUP!~
All at once, the entirety of the barrier was swallowed up by the Slime.
Almost as if its sticky body sucked all the energy around it, the Magic Circle's glow was all taken in by the purple creature, and the invisible barrier that surrounded it was also sent into its jelly-like form.
The result?
~WHOOOSH!~
The slime was free!
As soon as it gained its freedom, the purple creature thrust itself away from Rey, sending itself flying at incredible speed—
far from the two who watched it.
"Shocking…" As soon as Rey muttered this, the Zones changed, and the slime found itself right where it started from.
Ater also began to walk closer to the creature, who tried to escape once again, but still found itself stuck in its initial position.
"I saw it… this thing consumed the Mana didn't it? As soon as it did, its Mana Level jumped to 3,000."
Rey's eyes glistened as he watched the relentless slime with newfound wonder.
"Indeed. It can do a lot more if we're not careful, so we should begin as soon as possible." Ater presented the Dyubbuuk—a cube that was all-black, save for the purple core that glistened at its center.
Rey nodded and took the device from Ater's grasp. He already knew not to underestimate Beasts and to trust Ater.
"I'll take your word for it."
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Thanks for reading!
What Familiar did you expect to see? Be honest, people!
