Chapter 8: Chapter 8: A new life begins

Chapter 8: A new life begins

"Now, go have your snack and come back in here to read," Lucius told him, and Thomas stood. His brown eyes locked with Lucius's red ones, searching for an attempt of a lie. He saw nothing, and so, he walked out of the room.

Thomas felt full after eating his snack. The pleasant sweetness of the cherries gave him some relief from his dark thoughts. He checked the clock on the wall. It was three o'clock. He had been late with his meal. The next one will not be at six, but at seven.

Yima, the guild master, had given him the day off while the cleaning staff righted the reception room and reset the traps leading to the vault. Thomas had first gone to the room to get his book, and then gone back to the cafeteria.

There was no one but him inside. Everyone had gone home, bar the staff that had to stay to fix things. Thomas looked at the roasted bull that was still on its split. It was going to go to waste.

The receptionist shook his head. It wasn't his business if this bull went to the trash disposal. There was no reason for him to get a slice, after he had eaten his snack. Beef was in the red zone, as far as the creator of The Zone was concerned. So was pork. He was allowed just chicken, rabbit, and turkey. All lean protein.

The dark-haired receptionist picked up his things, and stood up. With his bag in hand, he made his way to the hospital wing. Lucius was staring at the ceiling. Lost in thought.

Thomas placed his bag on the ground, and sat down to read.

One must not try to summon a summon that is beyond their summoner rank. Not even in a life-or-death situation. Summons respect strength. It is safe to always try to summon a summon that is a rank below your own. Least, you find your throat ripped out by an angry demon.

Wait? Demon? Summons were demons? Thomas looked to Lucius. When he was sure that the man was not sleeping, he cleared his throat.

"Lucius, are summons demons?" Thomas asked. Lucius chuckled at that.

"The A ranked ones and above are. I believe the Z ranked ones are slimes. Goblins are higher. At H rank," Lucius told him, and he yawned.

"So, if I have to always summon a summon that is a rank below mine, I will never manage to summon an SSS ranked one?" Thomas felt cheated. Here he was going to give it all a shot. Only to find out he would never be able to perform to the best of the possible capabilities for a summoner.

"Thomas, if you always summon a summon that is a rank below yours, you will never summon anything to begin with. Seeing as, as a novice, your rank is Z," Lucius clarified. Thomas paled at that.

He couldn't even summon a slime! That was... laughable. He chuckled. Then, he chuckled again.

"There is no way I can become a summoner if I play it safe," Thomas said, after the realization hit him.

"True. Then again, that is the truth for everything. Strive brings progress. Flip to page fifteen, and summon a slime," Lucius commanded him.

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"Wait, I don't know the theory," Thomas protested. He was still on the first page.

"The theory will only hinder you. This is not healing. You will find that most summoners go around knowing only the summoning runes. A summoner who takes time to waddle across the endless sea of summoning theory is a weak summoner," Lucius made a motion with his finger for Thomas to get on with it, and the dark-haired receptionist flipped to page fifteen. 

The rune for a slime was a simple circle with a single line in the middle. He took a piece of paper from the bedside table. Then, he poured mana into it, until the rune was drawn on it.

The slime was not what Thomas had expected. He had thought it would be the size of a dog, at least. Not the size of an apple. It slithered towards him, leaving sludge behind.

"Wait, what do I do now?" Thomas began to flip the pages frantically. Suddenly regretting not having read all the theory. The slime reached him, and he felt a pain in his leg.

He looked down, seeing the thing as it ate through his pant leg and touched his flesh. With a swift kick, he sent it flying to the other end of the room.

As he rubbed the burned spot on his leg, he noticed that it felt like he had sprinkled himself with a cleaning product. The slime charged at him again, and Thomas rose his foot. Just as he was about to stomp on it, it stopped.

Thomas looked down at the slime, his foot in the air. He lowered it slowly, and the slime approached him. It touched his leg. In the same spot that it had touched him before. Instead of a burn, Thomas felt as if he had applied a healing cream on the spot.

"I have to rough them up first?" Thomas exclaimed, disbelieving. Lucius barked a laugh.

"They respect power, remember? There is a safe way to do this, and save mana," Lucius pointed at the slime, and Thomas traced his stare. Now, the slime was making human legs.

"It evolves?" Thomas exclaimed. "I can let them evolve, and keep them summoned?"

"Precisely. I would not suggest for you to let it submerge you in its acid. That would kill you. But, if you bring it animals and the like," Lucius let his words trail off. Thomas whipped his head to stare at him with wide eyes.

"Why haven't I ever heard of that way of summoning?" Thomas asked. Summoners summoned spirits and the like. Everyone knew that. They didn't wait for them to evolve.

"Because, a friend of mine invented it after a summoned fox took a bite out of his arm. I wouldn't suggest for you to try his approach. Baiting a summon doesn't end up with it being loyal to you," Lucius chuckled as Thomas picked up the slime and kissed it. Only to sputter at the taste.

"A flying slime. No, a slime that could use water magic. No! A fire breathing slime," Thomas began to list all the evolutions. He felt the slime latch onto his hand, but this time, he didn't pay that any mind. It didn't hurt in the slightest. He also didn't pay it any mind when the slime ended up with two arms and two legs.

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