CHAPTER 6: KING TIER SUMMONER IN MANHATTAN HIGH

Godfrey beckoned his knight to retreat, allowing Sam to recall his summon. It had not been long since Godfrey awakened Mountain, and the toll was showing.

Black-Out State had forced Mountain from 3.0 to an unbelievable 4.0, and the toll was clear, Godfrey’s face was pale, his body trembling. His body felt weaker than usual, his breathing slightly unsteady.

It was natural. Most new summoners needed a week, sometimes a month, before their bond strengthened enough to maintain a summon for longer than a few minutes. With time, they could keep their companions for hours, even days. The most powerful summoners could sustain their summons all year, three hundred and sixty-five days without rest, repeating the feat continually without strain.

But the soul space was a natural cradle, a place where summons recovered and grew. That was why they were always recalled after battle.

"Cherish the mercy I’ve shown you today," Godfrey said flatly as he walked past Sam. The upperclassman stood frozen, disbelief carved into his face at the humiliation of his defeat.

"I was wondering when you’d leave Isolde."

A familiar, mocking voice made Godfrey halt. He turned back. His eyes narrowed at Siegfried and Maldred, strolling side by side, while Snow followed silently behind them, phone in hand.

Maldred stretched his hand forward. Quills shot out of his palm, crossing the distance in a split instant. Godfrey barely had time to cross his arms in defense before they pierced into his forearms.

He tried to summon Mountain, but dizziness washed over him. Before he could recover, Siegfried appeared before him in a blur of green. His hands had morphed into jade-like claws, large and gleaming under the sunlight.

Those claws clamped over Godfrey’s face.

At terrifying speed, Siegfried slammed his head against the wall. Stone cracked like glass, web-like fractures spreading outward before Godfrey collapsed limply to the ground.

"Oops. Used too much strength," Siegfried laughed, retracting his claws as if nothing had happened.

He crouched down beside the unconscious boy, tilting his head with a smirk. "I wonder what that Pendragon girl sees in you. Is she into weak boys?"

Maldred strolled past Sam, who was still stiff and wide-eyed. His gaze lingered on Snow, the calm, silent figure whose mere presence dwarfed everyone else’s.

Sam’s throat tightened. He was a third year, a 4.0 summoner, yet Snow was already a 6.5. Even a year below, Snow was untouchable. Beside him was Siegfried, rumored to be 4.6 with defenses rivaling the elite 5.0 tier, yet still only Snow’s subordinate.

Watching them crush Godfrey so casually stirred something ugly in Sam’s chest. His earlier humiliation began to fade, replaced by a twisted satisfaction. ’That’s right. He’s nothing before true talents.

Snow, silent as ever, gave Godfrey’s unconscious body a dismissive glance. With one sharp kick, he slumped him against the wall like discarded trash, then walked past, scrolling on his phone.

Godfrey’s blue eyes fluttered open to the face of the school nurse leaning over him.

"You’re awake. I was getting worried," she said, relief softening her tone as he sat up with a groan, touching his sore head.

"Don’t worry. I’ve healed your wounds. After awakening your summon, your body has already grown tougher, so it wasn’t life-threatening. But the shock knocked you unconscious."

She spoke gently, yet Godfrey still heard the pity buried in her voice. It made his jaw tighten.

"Can you apologize to your classmates?" she asked, trying to reason with him. "You’re supposed to be friends. Why are you—"

"Apologize? To people who want me as their lap dog?!" Godfrey snapped, biting his lip and clenching his fists.

He forced a few deep breaths, then lowered his head. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell."

Would lashing out at the nurse help? No. He already knew the answer. Others had time, years to train, to grow alongside their summons. The sophomores had at least one year of experience. He hadn’t even had one day.

His blue eyes flickered as he recalled his knowledge. Summons grew slowly in the soul space. Battles accelerated that growth, but the true catalyst was the dungeon core, something only found in green gates.

Mountain was still low tier. But if Godfrey could push him to elite tier 4.0, then with Black-Out State he could match a 5.0. Mountain’s unique weapons gave him the ability to harm even tougher foes, up to 0.5 tiers above.

That meant one thing, if Mountain reached 4.0, Godfrey could threaten even a 5.5 summon.

The next day, Mr. Edwin entered the classroom, dropping his book on the desk before facing the students. His sharp eyes settled on the empty seat beside Isolde.

"Mr. Godfrey Daniels was severely injured yesterday," he announced. "He’ll be taking a few weeks off to recover. But he will return before the Ranking Competition at the end of this month. Remember, those who make it into the top three will have better chances of graduating as Valedictorians, and their summons’ potential will be boosted. Work hard."

The class immediately erupted in whispers.

"The coward ran after a simple head bump," Siegfried scoffed loudly. Maldred leaned over, whispering the story to another student, who snickered.

’So he’s gone...’ Isolde thought to herself, her golden-orange eyes glinting coldly as they swept toward Dale and Snow.

"With that humanoid summon, it was only a matter of time," sneered the girl Godfrey had defeated in combat class. "Manhattan is a place for the great, not trash flaunting his father’s name."

"Trash mocking trash," Dale cut in with a scowl. "Your brother only picked a fight with him because you were beaten by a mere humanoid summon."

The girl’s face paled, lips snapping shut. She dared to mock Godfrey but she wouldn’t dare to challenge Dale.

"Maybe it’s because of Isolde," another whispered. "The top boys are furious she spends time with Godfrey instead of them."

The classroom buzzed until Mr. Edwin’s voice cracked like a whip.

"I don’t want to hear another word." He dropped his notes on the lectern, his stern gaze sweeping the room. "Today we discuss the two categories of summons: Chimera and Primal. These are the only two types of—"

Several sessions later, Cecil left the female bathroom and was about to pass the staff’s corridor when a voice made her freeze.

"King tier!" a male voice exclaimed.

"Yes, a king tier was detected yesterday," a woman replied, her tone shaken. "At first, the Headmaster and I thought it was a mistake. But this morning, the authorities contacted us, their gauges picked it up too. Yet the student’s summon doesn’t resemble any King-tier summon."

"Which student?"

"It’s Godfrey Daniels. The sophomore transfer."

"...What?!"

The man’s shocked outburst echoed Cecil’s own thoughts. She covered her mouth with trembling hands.

’Godfrey... a King-tier summoner?! Impossible.’

Her heart raced. King-tiers were the stuff of nightmares and legends. One had once declared himself a god, and the world had barely stopped him.

How could that boy, who couldn’t even defend himself be of such a terrifying rank?

When she finally returned to the cafeteria, her eyes instinctively sought Siegfried. He had been the one who humiliated Godfrey.

’No... it can’t be true.’ She clenched her fists. ’A King-tier? That’s absurd. Godfrey awakened a stupid knight, everyone saw it. These gossipers have lost their minds.’

Though she said that internally, that seemingly stupid knight had defeated her classmate and her elder brother on the same day it was summoned by a boy who had no prior experience as a summoner!

Something was wrong.