The Hound Of Hell
The next in line was Renwu. He mentioned that he had seen his father and grandfather summon familiars before, but he had never tried it himself.
Despite his family's legacy of summoning powerful familiars, he knew he had to prove himself. With a deep breath, he focused his energy and began sketching the magic circle on the ground.
The students watched intently, curious to see what familiar Renwu would summon. Suddenly, a shimmering portal materialized, and from it emerged a magnificent creature—a large tortoise, its shell gleaming in the sunlight.
Renwu stood still, his eyes fixed on his newly summoned companion—a huge tortoise spanning over 3 meters wide. Without hesitation, he climbed onto its shell, settling himself comfortably on top.
Raising his hand high into the air, Renwu shouted, "Together, we will purge evil! We're the ultimate duo!"
Today's class seemed more lively, with everyone playing with their familiars, and our class was no exception.
Kevin summoned a lion, Kabuto got himself a black panther, Anastasha had a salamander, and Nana... a bear?!
With sparkling eyes, she greeted her new companion.
"You're so cute!!! Big and fluffy! I'll name you Mr. Ted!"
With a delighted smile, Nana hugged her bear companion tightly, feeling its soft fur against her cheek. "Mr. Ted, you're going to be my best friend!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with joy.
The bear nuzzled her affectionately, emitting a low rumble that sounded almost like a contented purr. It seemed to understand her words.
And for Theresia, she was half asleep while she drew the circle; somehow, she was able to draw it with her eyes closed.
A sheep with thick wool emerged from the portal, lazily bleating as it grazed on the field's grass. Theresia approached the sheep and flopped onto its back, quickly drifting off to sleep on the plush wool.
I could only watch with amusement; her familiar truly suited her.
Everyone was enjoying their time with their new familiars, each one unique in shape and size. However, three individuals stood out from the rest.
Alice Ancantrea, as the princess of the kingdom, had royal blood flowing in her veins. It was only natural that she summoned a high-grade familiar—a qilin. This legendary creature, said to be the steed of gods, had the body of a horse with the head of a dragon.
Upon its summoning, a cold breeze swept over the participants. The elegant creature stepped onto the earth gracefully, fitting the role of a princess perfectly.
The other two were Hugo Franciuss and Axel Hagan.
When the creatures finally materialized, a collective gasp echoed through the assembly. Hugo's familiar emerged first—a majestic 'Long', its scales shimmering in the sunlight. The sheer presence of a 'Long' sent shivers down the spines of onlookers, its powerful wingspan casting a shadow over the surrounding area.
Axel's summoning followed suit, a winged dragon appearing beside the 'Long', its form equally imposing and awe-inspiring.
Dragons were revered beings, symbols of unparalleled strength and wisdom. Their presence alone commanded respect, their very existence steeped in legend and folklore. To witness not one, but two dragons summoned in the same place was a rare and momentous occasion, stirring excitement and admiration among those present.
From afar, I observed everyone playing with their familiars, but I refused to join them or summon one myself. I knew that if I summoned mine here, the lovely atmosphere would turn dreadful in an instant.
I couldn't summon one for such a trivial matter, the outcome would be too dangerous.
Noticing me just standing and observing, Professor Forrst approached me with puzzled expression.
"Aren't you summoning one, Mr. Lam?"
"Well, I must decline. I deem it unnecessary to summon one here," I replied.
"Too bad, you have to. This will be counted as practical exam, and if you fail this, you might not pass," Professor Forrst insisted.
Before I could answer, Kabuto taunted me, "Are you afraid yours might be worse than Alan's?"
"Oh, look what we have here, feeling so proud after summoning just a cat," I countered.
"Better a cat than nothing at all," he retorted with a smirk.
Fed up with his ignorance, I decided to respond to his challenge.
I stepped forward slowly towards the circle, my hand reaching into my purse to retrieve what I needed to summon my 'familiar'.
"Ready to summon now, Mr. Lam? Take the chalk," Professor Forrst offered, extending it to me as I approached.
"No thanks, I don't require one," I replied calmly.
With a puzzled expression, she looked at me as I declined the chalk.
"How do you plan to draw the circle then?" she asked.
In response to her confusion, I retrieved a razor from my purse. With a swift motion, I slit my wrist with it, allowing some blood to flow out.
As the blood trickled from my wrist, I began to draw not a magical circle, but a sigil on the ground, using my own blood as ink. Professor Forrst looked at me, surprised and concerned.
"What are you doing, Mr. Lam?! This is not—"
"Tsk, just wait and see," I interrupted her protest.
Everyone looked at me with horrified expressions as I deviated from the norm. Instead of using magical chalk dust, I used blood to draw, creating a circle that differed significantly from what they were accustomed to using for summoning.
At last, I let a few more drops of my blood fall onto the middle of the sigil, marking the end of my ritual.
Now... what can I summon that will cause the least destruction...
"You see, everyone summoned their cute familiars, but don't even think that those worms and lizards of yours can compare to mine."
"Yours were called forth with mana as a deal, but mine use blood and soul instead. We don't make friends with mana; we use souls as our contract."
"I hesitated to summon one of my contractors to spare you all from losing your sanity, but since you were so insistent..."
"Ex profunda parte inferni te evocavi, custodem portarum tormentorum, eum qui attrahit sed numquam emittit, vorator animarum peccantium(From the deepest depths of hell, I summon you, guardian of the gates of torment, the one who draws souls in but never lets them out, devourer of sinful souls)."
"Evocatio Prohibitae(Forbidden Summoning): Consume 40 animal souls, fulfill my contract, Cerberus, canis insanus inferni(Cerberus The Crazy Hellhound).
As I uttered the incantations, the air grew heavy with a sense of dread. A dark energy enveloped the surroundings, and from the depths of hell itself, Cerberus emerged. Its form was monstrous and terrifying, with fur as black as midnight and eyes that burned with an otherworldly fire.
I stood atop its mane, feeling the raw power emanating from its massive body. With a deafening roar that shook the very earth beneath us, Cerberus announced its presence to the world. Its neck and legs were bound by chains that glowed with an ominous aura, tethering it to the sigil drawn with my own blood.
As Cerberus loomed over us, its size dwarfing even the dragons summoned by my classmates, a wave of fear washed over them. The dragons seemed like mere worms in comparison to this monstrous hellhound.
With a primal instinct, Cerberus bared its fangs, saliva dripping from its jaws as it surveyed the crowd with a menacing gaze. I could feel its hunger for souls, a hunger that could never be sated.
"Who dared to summon me, the gatekeeper of the underworld, The Great Cerberus to the surface of this wretched world?!!!" Cerberus bellowed, its voice echoing ominously.
The three heads spoke with different voices from one another—an eerie screech, a deep growl, and a haunting melody.
Other familiars retreated in extreme fear. Some curled into balls, others cowered behind their trembling masters, and a few even fled. Even the dragons refrained from flying nearby.
While Cerberus growled, I tapped its mane a few times, attempting to draw its attention to me.
"Huh? Who dared to sit on my—"
"Yo, long time no see, puppy," I interrupted, addressing Cerberus in a casual tone.
"You— that mana... the only human who was brave enough to summon the great hellhound! Even if you change your appearance, I could still recognize you, Dam—"
"Pssst..." I put my index finger on my lips, shushing him.
"I don't know what happened to you and why you look different, but I must ask. What do you require that you had to call me?!"
"Well, just wanted to greet my favorite dog. Besides, those people want to see you," I replied nonchalantly.
Cerberus seemed to soften slightly, its growls subsiding as it regarded me with its three sets of eyes. The air of hostility began to dissipate, replaced by a curious interest.
"Interesting," it rumbled, its voice echoing ominously. "You summon me for a mere greeting? And what of these others?" Cerberus gestured with one of its massive heads towards the trembling crowd, still reeling from its appearance.
"They seek power, knowledge, and protection," I explained, gesturing towards the crowd. "But for now, they're simply in awe of your presence."
Cerberus let out a low rumble, almost like a chuckle. "Very well. If they wish to witness the might of Cerberus, then so be it."
The professors present appeared to be on high alert, accompanied by their familiars, prepared for any unforeseen events. However, even their familiars trembled in fear, reflecting the overwhelming presence of Cerberus.
"What are you looking at, worms?!! You want to be eaten?!!" Cerberus bellowed, blowing a gust of wind from its nostrils that sent the dragons staggering back.
"Well, there you have it. Everyone, say hello to Cerberus," I announced, gesturing towards the imposing hellhound.