Chapter 136: Summoner against the Monarch

Words : 1129 Updated : Oct 6th, 2025

Chapter 136: Summoner against the Monarch Kairos stood alone in the half-ruined building, a strange nausea swirling in his gut as he mulled over Ravin’s words. The silence stretched, broken only by the distant creaks of the unstable structure and the low thrum of tension lingering in the air. He felt it creep up his chest—a sensation he recognized but couldn’t quite embrace. It was disappointment... and dread. ’Why the hell am I feeling this way? Am I... disappointed that I won’t get to meet the shadow people? No. That mustn’t be it.’ Kairos shook his head as if to clear the intrusive thought from his mind. "Even if what you say is true," he muttered sharply, eyes narrowing, "I refuse to eat lies at the table of my enemy." Ravin let out a low chuckle, the kind that carried both amusement and hidden venom. Slowly, he rose to his feet, brushing invisible dust from his coat with calculated ease. "I tell you a single lie, and others feed you millions," he said, his voice rich with mockery. "The current government is corrupt. Wherever there’s intelligence, there will always be corruption. Team up with me, Kairos. You have no one—no family, no friends, no ties. I can give you a future you never dreamed you could even graze." Kairos remained silent, his eyes locked on Ravin’s with unreadable intensity. It wasn’t clear whether he was truly contemplating the offer or had simply grown tired of hearing it. Ravin folded his arms, catching the shift in Kairos’s gaze. "I see... you’re no longer interested in listening?" he asked, though his tone made it sound more like a statement. He let the pause hang in the air. "And here I was thinking you were some kind of smart kid—like your mother." That name. Kairos flinched. It was a slight movement, a subtle tic—barely there—but enough for Ravin to notice. And that was all the invitation he needed. Without another word, Ravin raised a palm. A shimmering light formed above it, rapidly solidifying into a bird-like creature with feathers of dark steel and eyes glowing crimson. It let out no cry—no sound—just the sheer pressure of its form rushing forward, speeding like a bullet toward Kairos’s chest. The attack came so fast and silent that Kairos didn’t even register it until it was too late. He staggered back, groaning as pain exploded in his abdomen. His legs buckled, and he dropped to the floor, gasping and clutching his gut. "What the hell—" His eyes rose, blurring from the sharp ache, only to catch sight of a figure standing between him and Ravin. Kaela, she had been the one who hit him out of the way. She stood firm, both arms extended forward as she held the feral bird-creature in her grasp. The beast strained against her hold, its wings twitching and body bulging unnaturally as it tried to slip past her grip. At times, it looked like it would tear through her fingers. Other times, it seemed as though her control might crush it completely. But what struck Kairos more than the surreal scene was the expression on her face. Her eyes burned—not with fear or surprise—but with cold, seething fury. Killing intent radiated from her like a second aura, all of it directed squarely at Ravin. ’Someone’s riled up all of a sudden,’ Kairos thought, groaning as he pushed himself to one knee... then to his feet. "Thank you." Kaela didn’t respond with words. Instead, she tightened her grip, and with a final push of strength, the bird-creature was crushed into a grotesque mix of blood and shattered bone. She let the remains fall from her palm like refuse. Ravin blinked slowly, registering her presence, her ability... her restraint. "The girl with the flaw... only able to speak a hundred words a day, wasn’t it?" he mused aloud, recalling old files in his mind. "Silent but powerful... and surprisingly weak to core weapons." He smirked, dark thoughts playing in his mind. ’How interesting it would be... to experiment on her.’ Kairos clenched his teeth. He considered launching an attack—an echo walk followed by a shadow swipe. A clean strike. Ravin looked physically weak, and Kairos was fast enough to make the move count. But then... Fex’s words echoed in his head. ’This isn’t a battle test. This is real life... with an adult summoner who’s seen hell.’ His foot froze. He needed to think properly. One wrong move and it was over. ’Use your brain, idiot. Predict your enemy first.’ He remembered his first loss. Even with all his skill, he’d learned nothing about fighting an actual summoner. Not one who was experienced. Not one who was deadly. His knowledge was limited to street fights—brutal, direct, impulsive. This wasn’t that. He couldn’t win this. Not head-on. ’Unless... I can manipulate this man.’ Ravin grinned again, as if reading his hesitation. "For a moment," he said mockingly, "I thought you’d be reckless enough to attack me just because I look feeble." He bent low and slammed his palm to the ground. A pool of darkness, deep and wide, oozed across the roof like living ink. From within it, silhouettes began to rise—figures, creatures, monstrosities formed in shadows and madness. Abyssal beasts. Kairos’s heart dropped. His body tensed as the creatures crawled and slithered from the dark, each one radiating an aura of devastation. ’Not one... not two... but seven. What rank are these things? And why so many?’ Cold sweat formed on his brow. Kaela stepped forward, her voice low and controlled. "Kairos, be careful. They’re all Abyssal ranked beasts." She stood with terrifying calm, her posture unreadable, her tone somehow unshaken by the numbers arrayed against them. Kairos felt a twinge of awe. She believed she could take them on. And for a second, he almost believed it too. But then... the final creature emerged. Another pool formed directly in front of Ravin, and this time, only one figure rose from its depths—a lizard-like beast. Massive. Covered in spike-like armor. A club-like tail swayed ominously behind it. Even Kaela’s composure flickered. Only Ravin noticed. And he grinned. Who wouldn’t falter? "In the face of a Monarch Ranked Beast..." he said with amused reverence, "what is a Grade One summoner, truly?" Kairos felt the tension crawl into his bones like ice. ’Is he lying...? How on earth is he able to summon that?’ As if to respond to his doubt, a notification blared in his mind: [Quest: Defeat the Monarch Ranked Beast] The system never joked. And it never lied. Ravin’s grin stretched further. His eyes danced with twisted delight. "Let’s see the resolve of your son... Mrs. Veyl." He whispered to himself.

Chapter 136: Summoner against the Monarch

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