Arrogance

If someone were watching Leonard's actions, they would deem him stupid. Since his thoughts weren't heard, it was clear that seeing him jump into a threat would seem like the result of a small brain. However, Leonard had a plan in mind, and its execution was crucial.

Not feeling any nervousness, Leonard arrived at the entrance, which would be their duel ground. For the summoner, this was simply child's play.

There was nothing to lose in this exchange. In reality, it might even entertain him a little. With the measly dignity of a summoner, he accepted the duel. Despite questioning how Leonard knew this idea, he still faced him.

There could be some entertainment in this as well. For him, seeing Leonard's defeated and desperate face would be amusing.

Whatever happens, the result was already fixed. He would show what a real summoner was.

Waiting for Leonard, he watched him stand on the other side. Standing across from the tavern, Leonard appeared prepared for what was about to happen.

"I will give you the upper hand. Summon yours, now."

Leonard felt his saliva retreat as chills rushed down his spine. An awkward smile appeared, though he didn't find it entertaining.

"I will give YOU the advantage," Leonard retorted, causing the summoner to clench his fist, fumes appearing from his nose and ears.

"There's a limit to my patience. Summon it or die. There's no need for a duel if you die."

Leonard scoffed. "Why are you mad? Are you not happy that I'm confident? Come on. Don't be stupid."

'Calm down… This kid has already lost his mind. Even if he used the Black Box, which would only work on Summoner Class, let's give him the possibility that he is indeed a summoner. But, the result isn't enough for him to be on par with me.'

Accepting Leonard's apparent stupidity, the summoner nodded with a sarcastic look. Leonard was testing him, for sure, and it was obvious he was buying time to save his lady companion.

The summoner glanced over at where Yuna was. She was still there, which was a good thing because Leonard's plan was useless. Even if he tried to divert attention, it would still be futile.

But his concern didn't lie with what Leonard could do. In reality, it was about his strong companion, Zeus. Zeus was superior to him in pure strength and mobility. Thus, as a summoner and a scout, he couldn't do much against him.

Closing his eyes, he summoned another creature, but this time in a farther location. It was a small flying insect, almost invisible, about the size of a mosquito.

'Search for a strong individual. Sense their magic essence. If it is prominent, report to me,' he mentally commanded.

With a buzzing sound, the small creature immediately carried out its master's order.

At the moment, Leonard had already planned his next move. For him, provoking the summoner meant either death or safety. If his plan worked, he could turn the tide in his favor.

'I'm not a protagonist, but it feels like I can pull this off.'

Although it seemed stupid, his actions were remarkable on some level.

"What are you waiting for? Summon now," Leonard taunted again. The summoner clenched his jaws, chanting a few words to activate a <Skill >. The next second, a solid mass dropped in a green flash from the sky. Small clouds of dust concealed the creature until the wind slowly blew the cover away.

A dog-sized creature emerged, with three heads and crimson eyes set on moss-green skin. Its gaze was so domineering that it was hard to look at without fearing what might happen next.

The creature's aura remained powerful, its sharp fangs peeking from its three jaws.

'Cerberus but green?' Leonard wondered, noting its similarity to the Greek mythological beast.

"Your turn."

Leonard nodded, closing his eyes and extending his senses. His breaths were controlled, each fragment of a second timed perfectly as he inhaled and exhaled. His body felt calm on the outside, yet internally, he was burning, ready for the fight.

Mimicking the summoning process, Leonard chanted some gibberish words before finally opening his eyes.

"Where's your summon?"

Leonard smirked. There was no summon. In fact, his entire plan revolved around provoking the summoner to his breaking point. Even without knowing the extent of the summoner's powers, he gambled on his strategy for one key reason: to distract the summoner from focusing on his summons.

There were different types of summoners, but the most common one involved a deep connection with their summon. This was the most reliable method to fully manifest a summon. By forging this connection, their senses and emotions became intertwined.

Of course, Leonard didn't know this firsthand. But thanks to the <Body Wisdom>, he discovered his profound bond with Zeus. Whatever he felt, Zeus would also experience, albeit to a lesser degree.

Thus, the theory Leonard gambled on was rooted in this connection between summoner and summon. If the summoner's rage exploded, with his patience already running dry, then the creatures he summoned would likely spiral out of control.

Moreover, the summoner Leonard was facing had several similar summons, none of which were unique. They lacked individuality or a distinctive build to set them apart. Regardless, Leonard felt confident he would succeed.

Leonard had been observing the three colossal golems that the party and town fighters were battling. They mirrored the calm demeanor of their summoner. But when Leonard noticed the bulging veins and the fury etched on his opponent's face, he spotted the instability within the summons—one had already been defeated.

"I don't need one. I can face you alone without a summon. You're weak, relying on your summons. I don't need them, that much is clear. You're just a weak Player who can't do anything on your own. Your parents didn't even want you. In fact, they wanted you gone. They regretted keeping you alive when their first plan was to abort you. But since you're here, I'll say you only crawled your way up with the help of some creature. Nothing you have is your own."

Leonard was brimming with arrogance, and at the summoner's end, things were far from great. His eyes narrowed into a menacing glare, filled with killing intent and an unexplainable rage. His breaths were short, and every vein on his body bulged with fury.

"Fuck you!"

Leonard grinned. 'If there was one thing I had learned, it was that this man's patience was incredibly thin.'