CHAPTER 198: SUMMONING

His last mission was finished. Standing on a high branch, Adam pulled the crumpled mission slips from his pocket. Twelve slips in total. A quick motion tore them in half.

The small pieces of paper fluttered down into the forest below, forgotten like dead leaves. No pride registered on his face, only a cold focus. The first part of the plan was over. Now, the second would begin.

"System," Adam’s voice was a low whisper in the quiet woods. "What is the time?"

A blue screen appeared in his vision. [Master, one and a half hours have passed. The competition began one and a half hours ago.]

’It’s quite late, but it doesn’t matter, I still have some time left’ Adam thinks.

A small, sharp smile touched Adam’s lips. "I have more than enough time," he said to himself. "Time to start the next plan. The front-end team will not complete their missions."

Without another word, Adam pushed off the branch. The departure made no sound. His form became a shadow flowing through the trees, faster than the wind, leaping from one branch to the next. Closing his eyes, his senses spread out like a great net, searching for the energy of the Golden Group.

In a dark and empty space, Eric watched a screen. It was his only link to the world. On it, his own body moved with a deadly grace that was not his. The hunt, the impossible power of the lightning—he had seen it all. The plan was finally clear. This was not just about a bet. The goal was to save Alina, to force the Golden Group to release her.

Then, more information flowed into his mind. A vision of the Emperor, his face hard, giving a condition. The New Warriors would receive support and resources, but only if Princess Monica left the Golden Group. This entire game was also a political move to free the princess from Joshua.

Stunned, Eric sat in the darkness. A pawn in a game he did not understand. On the screen, his body moved. The belief that the System was in control, a cold machine, was all he had.

The truth remained hidden from him: the one in control was not the System, but a being named Adam. The weight of it all was too heavy. The world on the screen started to fade. A wave of blackness washed over his mind. He disappeared from the dark space, gone.

A silent landing on a thick branch marked Adam’s arrival. Opening his eyes, he scanned the clearing below. They were here.

His gaze settled on the fight. The Golden Group’s best team was battling a strange beast, what the mission board called a Small Elephant.

It was the size of a big dog, with the thick hide and body of an elephant. A meat-eater, its real weapon was earth magic, sending waves of energy through the ground to stun its enemies.

The formation was competent. The three third-year students moved like soldiers, with Monica and Alina part of their attack pattern. Alina’s form was a silver flash as she dodged a stomp from the beast.

The ground cracked where its foot landed. Worry for her was a foreign thought. Adam knew she was strong, a fast learner. Her teleport skill made her a dangerous fighter. She could take care of herself.

This means I just need to ruin their mission, Adam thought, his eyes turning cold. I do not know how many missions they have done. This will be their last one.

Dropping from the tree, Adam landed softly on the ground. A thick trunk hid him from view as he knelt, placing one hand flat against the cool earth.

"Summoning," he commanded, his voice low.

The ground under his palm began to glow. A complex, golden magic circle spread out. The light grew brighter, and from its center, a creature rose. A Phoenix. It was a beautiful and terrifying beast, its body made of living fire, its eyes burning like two golden suns.

Looking at the fiery beast, a real predator’s smile touched Adam’s face. No time was wasted.

"Your task is simple," he said to the Phoenix, his voice full of power. "You see that team over there. Make them tired. Destroy their courage. Remember," his voice became hard, "you will not kill them. Hurt them. Make them think they are about to die. Make them run from this forest. Your only job is to drive them away."

For Adam, it is not to kill them but to stop their mission from being completed, and for this, he is using this magic that he saw a 2-year-old student doing a while ago.

The Phoenix gave a soft cry of understanding and bowed its head. Then it spread its massive wings, a curtain of fire that made the nearby leaves turn to ash. A powerful thud from its wings beating once sent it shooting into the air like a rocket, leaving a trail of fire behind.

Adam jumped back into the high branches and found a comfortable spot. "Now," he whispered, "I will just watch the show."

The Golden Group team was about to finish their fight. Their leader had made an opening. Monica moved in for the final attack. Then they all froze. The three upperclassmen, Monica, even the Small Elephant stopped moving, held by an invisible wall of pressure.

Alina was confused. "What is wrong?" she started to ask, but then she felt it too. A terrifying feeling made the hair on her arms stand up. Her gaze followed her teammates, up toward the sky.

A bird made of fire was coming down. Before they could think, the Phoenix opened its beak. A ball of fire grew in its mouth, not red or orange, but a bright, terrible blue. The Phoenix spat the blue fire down at them. The Phoenix was coming down fast. The blue fireball was much faster.

The Golden Group had no time to react. The blue fire hit the ground in their middle. It did not explode outwards but erupted into a tall pillar of blue flame. They all jumped back in a panic. Alina was not as fast.

She had to use her skill, teleporting as far away as she could. Looking at her arm, she saw a small part of the blue fire had touched her. Her skin was red and blistered.

The pain was sharp and deep, a magical burn. The others were also hit, their uniforms showing black scorch marks.

Their eyes, wide with fear, looked back at the blue fire. Their mission target, the Small Elephant, was in the middle of it. The beast was now a black statue that crumbled into dust and ash.

Fear was on every face. But they had no time to think. The Phoenix landed. It hit the ground with a soft thud that shook the earth. It spread its fiery wings in a clear challenge.

The team’s leader, a tall third-year, stared at the S-rank beast. He knew what it was. He knew what it meant. His mind raced. We cannot fight this. We cannot even hurt it. We will die. Confusion set in. He knew of only one S-rank beast in this forest, one the Emperor himself had defeated. This was something new. They needed the Emperor to fight this. They had no chance.

The choice was made. He did not look back at his team. He screamed, his voice full of panic. "RUN! GET OUT OF THE FOREST! NOW!"

He turned and ran. The perfect formation was gone. The other two third-years and Monica ran right after him, their faces white with terror. Alina heard the scream. She did not understand but she obeyed. She turned and ran. Her teleport skill was used up. It would take a long time to use it again. She had to run on her own two feet.

They crashed through the forest. The leader was in the front, pulling a special compass from his pouch. The needle spun wildly, then locked onto one direction, pointing the way out. It was a priceless compass from the Golden Group, given to him for this mission to beat Adam’s team.

Now it was being used to save his life.

"If you fall behind I will not come back for you!" he yelled. "Follow me if you want to live!"

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A massive thank you to every single one of you for joining the adventure! Your support means the world. If you’re enjoying the story, your Power Stones are like mana potions that keep me writing, so thank you for every single one!

Now, for a bit of fun! I want YOU to be a part of this world. Our hero is about to name their new signature technique. What should it be called?

Drop your most creative ideas in the comments! I’ll pick my favorite, and it will become canon in the story, with a special shout-out to you.

Can’t wait to read your brilliant suggestions!

Alphaboss

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