III - Tutorial Begins

Azea sat against the charred remains of a fallen tree, staring at the glowing Intermediate Summoning Crystal in his hand. His heart was still pounding from the fight, but his mind was racing for an entirely different reason.

Level 2. Already, he felt stronger—like some unseen weight had been lifted from his chest.

"Alright," Amon said, standing a few feet away. "You survived. That's a start."

Lyra crouched next to Azea, grinning. "Not just survived—he leveled up. Pretty quick for a rookie."

Azea rubbed the back of his neck. "Quick? That fight almost killed me."

Lyra shrugged. "Eh, you get used to it. Besides, you didn't actually do anything. We did all the work."

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," Azea muttered.

"Stop whining," Amon said. "You're a Summoner. Your strength isn't about swinging swords or dodging attacks. It's about strategy, leadership, and knowing when to pull. Speaking of…" He pointed at the crystal in Azea's hand.

Azea blinked, looking down at it. "This thing? What's so special about it?"

Lyra leaned closer, her golden eyes gleaming. "That's an Intermediate Summoning Crystal. Way better than the beginner junk you just used to summon me."

"I wouldn't call an A-Rank assassin 'junk,'" Azea said.

Lyra smirked. "Flatter me later, boss. For now, you should pull it."

Amon crossed his arms. "She's right. The sooner you build your roster, the better your chances of survival."

Azea hesitated, turning the crystal over in his hand. "What if I screw it up? What if I get… I don't know, a D-Rank farmer or something?"

Lyra burst out laughing. "A farmer? Seriously?"

"Don't overthink it," Amon said. "Luck is luck. You get what you get. Just pull it."

Azea took a deep breath. "Alright. Here goes nothing."

He held the crystal up, focusing on it just like before. The familiar hum filled the air, and the crystal began to glow brighter.

[Summoning Crystal Detected. Initiating Summon…]

The light intensified, and a gust of wind whipped through the clearing. Azea squinted against the brightness as the energy crackled and exploded outward.

When the light faded, a figure stood in the center of the clearing.

It was a young man, maybe in his early twenties, with messy blond hair and a carefree smile. He wore a long coat covered in intricate runes, and a staff crackling with electricity rested on his shoulder.

"Yo," the man said, giving Azea a casual wave. "You're my Summoner, huh? Nice to meet you, kid."

Azea blinked. "Uh… hi?"

Lyra tilted her head. "A mage? Interesting."

The man grinned. "Not just any mage. Name's Kael, S-Rank Mage. You're welcome."

Azea froze. "S-Rank? Did you just say S-Rank?"

Kael smirked. "That's right. Lucky you, huh?"

Amon frowned. "An S-Rank this early? That's… unexpected."

Lyra whistled. "Boss, you really ARE lucky. First me, now him? Maybe this whole Summoner thing isn't so bad after all."

Azea stared at Kael, his mind racing. S-Rank. The best of the best. Was this the game throwing him a bone, or was it setting him up for something even worse?

"Alright, Kael," Amon said, stepping forward. "You're strong, sure. But can you follow orders?"

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Orders? From you? Sorry, pal, but I don't take orders from anyone but the kid here." He nodded at Azea. "He's the Summoner, right? That means he's the boss."

Amon's eyes narrowed. "Watch yourself, mage. You might be S-Rank, but that doesn't mean you can handle everything alone."

Kael smirked. "Relax, big guy. I'm just here to help."

Azea cleared his throat, stepping between them. "Okay, okay, let's all calm down. We're on the same team, remember?"

Kael shrugged. "Fine by me. So, what's next, boss?"

"Good question," Azea said, glancing at the System notifications still floating in front of him.

---

[Quest Complete: Defeat the Field Boss!]

[Rewards Claimed: Intermediate Summoning Crystal, EXP +500, Beginner Equipment Chest x1]

[Tutorial Progress: 95% Complete.]

---

Azea frowned. "Tutorial progress? Are we almost done with this beginner stuff?"

Amon nodded. "You'll stay in the tutorial phase until you reach Level 3. After that, the real challenges begin."

"Real challenges?" Azea asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Because a Level 10 Stonebeast wasn't real enough?"

"You'll see," Amon said, his tone flat.

Lyra grinned. "Don't worry, boss. You've got us. Nothing's taking you down."

Kael tapped his staff on the ground, sparks flying. "Yeah, I'll fry anything that comes our way. Just say the word."

Azea sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. First things first, let's open this Beginner Equipment Chest. Maybe it'll have something useful."

He focused on the notification, and a glowing chest materialized in front of him.

[Beginner Equipment Chest Opened!]

[Rewards: Summoner's Cloak (C-Rank), Basic Staff (C-Rank), Healing Potions x3]

Azea groaned. "C-Rank? That's it?"

Lyra patted his shoulder. "Don't be picky. You're Level 2. What did you expect? Legendary gear?"

Kael chuckled. "C-Rank's better than nothing, kid. Put it on and let's move."

Reluctantly, Azea equipped the cloak and staff. The cloak was a deep blue, with faint patterns glowing along the edges. The staff was plain, but it felt solid in his hands.

"How do I look?" Azea asked.

Lyra grinned. "Like a total noob."

"Helpful," Azea muttered.

Amon stepped forward. "Gear up and get ready. The tutorial's almost over, and that means one thing: the Final Trial."

"Final Trial?" Azea repeated. "What kind of trial?"

Amon's expression was grim. "The kind that determines whether you live or die."

Before Azea could respond, the ground began to shake again. This time, it wasn't a distant rumble—it was close, and it was constant.

A System notification appeared, flashing red.

[Final Tutorial Trial: Boss Encounter Initiated!]

[Enemy: Bloodfang Hydra (Level 15)]

Azea's eyes widened. "Level 15?! Are you kidding me?!"

Kael smirked, his staff crackling with energy. "Relax, kid. We've got this."

Lyra twirled her daggers, her grin widening. "Time to show off, boss."

Amon unsheathed his sword, flames already licking the blade. "Stay sharp, Summoner. This isn't going to be easy."

The trees ahead of them parted, and the Bloodfang Hydra emerged. Its three heads snarled, each one dripping with venom, its massive body coiling around itself like a nightmare.

Azea gripped his staff tighter, his heart pounding.

"This world hates me," he muttered.

"Focus," Amon barked. "Command us."

Azea took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.

"Alright. Amon, tank the heads. Lyra, go for the weak points. Kael, hit it with everything you've got."

Kael grinned. "Now you're talking."