Chapter 62: The Sins of the Summoning World

Chapter 62: The Sins of the Summoning World The entire vicinity fell into a deathly silence, as all eyes turned toward the mighty colossal beast that materialized before them. Its towering body was sheathed in midnight-black scales, each glinting ominously under the dim light. Jagged horns twisted from its massive skull, wings as vast as storm clouds stretched from its back, and four powerful limbs ended in claws capable of shredding mountains. Dark smoke coiled from its nostrils, rising into the air like a sinister omen. It was a dragon. Kairos’ second summon was a dragon. The sheer sight of the beast paralyzed everyone present. Even Kairos’ friends, who had heard tales of dragons in their childhood bedtime stories, stood frozen in place. Legends said dragons were creatures of myth, beings of unfathomable destruction—and yet, here one was, obediently standing by Kairos’ side. The shock struck Rivet so hard he could barely remain upright. His knees wobbled uncontrollably, and his sword-arm trembled as a chilling fear gripped him. "H-How the hell did you get a dragon summon?" Rivet stammered, his voice cracking. "This... this is impossible! How do you have two summons?!" Kairos said nothing. Instead, his shadow dragon tilted its head back and let out a senile, bone-shaking roar that rippled through the entire area. The ground trembled beneath their feet. The roar shattered whatever bravado Rivet’s men still clung to. Panic overtook them as they stumbled backward, their formation collapsing in a heartbeat. "Get him!" Rivet screamed, his voice tinged with desperation, but his command fell on deaf ears. His men, faces drained of color, hesitated, the primal fear of death weighing heavily on them. Only one among them dared to act. With trembling fingers, a boy called forth his summon—a lizard-like beast, sturdy and muscular. Gritting his teeth, he pointed at the dragon. "Attack!" he barked. For a brief moment, the air thickened with tension. The battle between summons began—and ended in a blink. The dragon lowered its head, opening its massive jaws. In an instant, it charged a sphere of seething dark flames and unleashed it like a cannon. The blast struck the lizard creature square in the chest, engulfing it in swirling black fire. The lizard’s roars of agony echoed across the battlefield for mere seconds before its body crumbled into ash. The boy, horrified, barely managed to recall his summon into its space just before death claimed it. His legs buckled from sheer terror. He turned to flee, a scream ripping from his throat—but he was far too slow. The dragon’s massive tail whipped through the air with terrifying speed and slammed into the boy’s body. There was a sickening crack, and the boy’s body was hurled like a ragdoll into a nearby wall. Blood splattered across the surface, leaving nothing but a grotesque smear where he had once been. Silence fell again, heavier and darker than before. The others—seeing the brutal end of their comrade—abandoned any hope of fighting. They scattered, but the dragon gave no mercy. It pounced on them one by one, smashing bodies with its massive claws, sending dark flames to devour flesh and bone alike. Within moments, none remained alive. None, except Rivet. The dragon stood motionless now, its crimson eyes fixed on Rivet but awaiting its master’s orders. It knew—Rivet was Kairos’ prey. "You dare touch my friends... and try to kill me!" Kairos growled, his voice low and thunderous as he took slow, deliberate steps forward. Rivet felt a lump form in his throat. His heartbeat thundered painfully in his ears as he shakily raised his blade in defense. "You can’t touch me!" he yelled, desperation leaking into his voice. "I’m the son of the Thorne Faction! If you lay a finger on me, my family will hunt you down and destroy you—" Before he could finish, a bloodcurdling scream tore from Rivet’s lips. Kairos had already moved. With a precise, merciless strike, he sliced through Rivet’s arm at the elbow. The severed hand, still clutching the sword, fell to the ground with a dull thud. Rivet collapsed to his knees, clutching his bleeding stump. Tears of pain and terror welled in his eyes as he stared up at Kairos—no longer as a rival, but as a condemned man awaiting his executioner. This was it. He was going to die. "If you kill me!" Rivet croaked, voice breaking, "Mikey will upload the video! I sent him back to the base after we saw you use your skill! Your secret will be exposed—you’ll lose everything!" It was a desperate, final attempt at bargaining for his life. But Kairos didn’t even flinch. Instead, he smiled—a dark, broken smile—and bent over, grabbing Rivet by the front of his shirt and pulling him up so their faces were mere inches apart. "Now, why should I care?" Kairos hissed. "I already told you. I’ll kill you... and if your family comes, I’ll end them too." Deep inside, Kairos knew he was speaking madness. At his current strength, there was no chance he could defeat the Thorne Faction—or even one of their servants. But it didn’t matter. His hatred burned too deeply. His need for revenge, too consuming. "Goodbye, Rivet—" Grab. Kairos froze mid-motion. A soft hand tapped him on the back. Turning his head, he saw Kaela standing there. Her brown hair danced lightly in the breeze, her gentle yet firm gaze locking onto his. The emotion in her eyes paralyzed him more effectively than any blade could. "Don’t do it," Kaela whispered. Her voice, soft and steady, cut through the haze of rage clouding Kairos’ mind. "The new beast... it’s filled with rage. It’s bleeding into you. You’re not thinking clearly. You’re becoming irrational." Kairos clenched his fists tightly enough for his knuckles to whiten. His body trembled not from fear, but from the war within him. "He hurt you!" Kairos growled, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions. "He hurt all of you! Carlos too!" Kaela shook her head slowly, stepping closer. "You’re hurting yourself more than he ever hurt us," she murmured. "If you kill him, you lose everything you fought for. Let him live. Let him owe you. A favor in battle must be honored by the ancient laws, even if he’s a bastard." Kairos’ breathing grew ragged. He looked around the battlefield—and his heart twisted. His friends were bleeding. Rayla, pale and barely conscious, was leaning weakly against the dragon’s side. Darnell lay crumpled on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. Poison coursed through others still alive. They needed him. And he was wasting time with vengeance. With a grunt of frustration, Kairos forcibly cancelled the integration with his summon. His body jolted as the burning rage drained away, leaving a cold emptiness. "You’re right," he muttered bitterly. "I don’t have to stoop to this idiot’s level." Turning away from Rivet, Kairos hurried toward Darnell, kneeling beside him and pulling him carefully to his feet. Rivet, still on the ground, stared in disbelief. Why? he thought, stunned. Why didn’t he kill me? How could he just... lose interest? Kairos worked quickly, helping his injured friends onto the dragon’s broad back, including Rayla and one other barely-breathing student. Finally, he turned his gaze back to Rivet. "Come or stay behind," Kairos said coldly, mounting the dragon. "It doesn’t concern me." Rivet hesitated, staring at him with a complex mix of fear, shame, and confusion. "Why... why are you helping me?" Rivet croaked. Kairos looked back at him, his expression unreadable. "It’s not you I hate," he said. "It’s the system. You’re just one of the lucky few born into it." With that, Kairos gave the command. The dragon lurched into motion, its massive wings unfurling. Ding! All their phones chimed at once. Kairos pulled his phone out of his pocket and read the notification. His heart dropped. "A massive breakout has occurred. All students must return to base immediately. Planet evacuation will commence in one hour."