Chapter 74: Apology of a summoner

Chapter 74: Apology of a summoner Ashen stormed through the corridors of the second-year building, his face twisted in anger and frustration. The news of Rivet’s failure—how he’d not only lost but come back without an arm—left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was disgraceful. Despite all the planning, the Apex weapons, the numbers on their side—they had failed. Utterly. He wanted to scream. He wanted to break something. But most of all, he wanted to understand how everything had gone so wrong. At first, he was furious with Rivet and the others. But then he saw the video. A summon—one that grew stronger by consuming beasts. Ashen had to replay the footage three times before he could even begin to process what he was seeing. It wasn’t just a fluke, it wasn’t luck—it was overwhelming, monstrous power. The kind of power that twisted the rules of battle itself. Kairos. Ashen couldn’t even fathom how strong that bastard had become. It was no longer just about getting revenge—because now, it seemed... impossible. ’I won’t give up. I’ll find a way to kill that bastard—my—’ Before he could complete the thought, two shadows stepped out from around the corner, blocking his path. It wasn’t an accident. They had been waiting for him. They were students—first years, judging by the uniform. But that didn’t make sense. First-years weren’t allowed in the second-year building unless they had high-level clearance or rank. And judging by the one standing in front, it was clear one of them definitely did. Lina Veyl. The other was a strange girl with long black hair, unfamiliar to Ashen. He didn’t know her, and that worried him even more. His first instinct was to ignore them—pretend he didn’t know who they were and simply walk past. But just as he reached their side, Lina moved. Without hesitation, she grabbed him by the shoulder and slammed him hard against the wall. The sheer force shocked him. She wasn’t just angry—she was terrifying. "I know what you did on our hunt!" she spat, venom laced in every word. "And because of that, I’ll make sure my family doesn’t take your punishment lightly. You might not even graduate before your premium suffering begins. And worse—much worse—if you ever try that again, if you dare get close to any of my companions... I swear, you won’t spend another night in this academy." Before Ashen could even respond, she drove a hard fist into his gut. The air was knocked from his lungs, and he dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach in agony. Lina didn’t even look back. She turned sharply. "Come on, Kaela. Let’s go." The silent girl followed closely behind, never speaking a word. Ashen remained crouched against the wall, gasping. His face twisted into a grimace of pain and something deeper—shame. His hands trembled. His heart pounded. He was... afraid. It had been a long time since he felt that way. Since the punishment by the Crimson Vanguard family, he’d fooled himself into thinking everything would be fine. That the worst had passed. But hearing Lina’s words—seeing the wrath in her eyes—unraveled all that. Something within him cracked. He’d been lying to himself, convincing his mind that he was strong, untouchable. But now... He felt small. He felt broken. Funny, he thought bitterly. How the human mind tries to protect the heart from the truth. And that truth was clear. Ashen was scared. He wanted to run. He wanted to rewind time and undo everything. "I hate the system we live in," he muttered under his breath, his voice shaking. "Why do those with power get their way in everything? What’s the point of living if all that waits for me is death in the coming months..." He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. His eyes lifted toward the hallway, locking onto the two girls as they disappeared around the bend. "There are only two ways this ends..." he whispered through gritted teeth, his gaze dark and mad. He was going to do something reckless—something unforgivable. And he no longer cared. --- Meanwhile... Kairos tucked the folded letter carefully into his pocket. His steps were quick and purposeful as he made his way toward the summoners’ battle class building. He had only one thing in mind—apologizing to Sergeant Lloyd for the destroyed weapon. Despite Darnell and Carlos practically begging him to join in some post-class training, Kairos had refused. This was more important. He had made a mistake, and he needed to own up to it. He stood now before the familiar door to the classroom. Since there were no scheduled classes today, he wasn’t sure if Lloyd would be inside. Still, he knocked firmly, then waited. No response. He knocked again. And again. Still silence. Frowning, Kairos gently tested the door. It wasn’t locked. With a nervous breath, he stepped inside, careful not to make too much noise. He walked toward the teacher’s desk, already pulling the damaged gauntlets and the Minotaur’s Apex Core from his bag. But before he could place them down— "You’re here," came a calm voice from behind the desk. Kairos froze. Sergeant Lloyd was sitting there, eyes locked on him. How had he not noticed him at first? "Uh—I’m sorry for entering like this," Kairos stammered, feeling awkward. But Lloyd waved it off, motioning for him to come closer. Kairos stepped forward and laid the broken gauntlets and glowing core on the table. "I wanted to apologize. These got damaged during the battle. I know you said to take care of them, and I really tried. But I... also brought this." He pushed the core forward. Lloyd chuckled lightly. "Wow. You really did a number on these." Kairos could tell the laugh was fake—an attempt to hide something. Was it anger? Disappointment? Or something else entirely? "I brought the Apex Core for you to use," Kairos explained quickly. "Maybe you can fix them... or create a new pair of gauntlets. I know it might not be enough, but it’s all I could do to repay you." Lloyd’s eyes lingered on the core, then returned to Kairos. "No need," he said with a small shake of his head. "The reason I asked you all to maintain your gear is because in war, being able to care for your equipment can mean the difference between life and death. But these?" He picked up the gauntlet pieces. "They’re basic core weapons. The military can mass-produce them in thousands." Relief flooded Kairos’s chest. "I saw the video," Lloyd added, his tone shifting slightly. "I liked the way you used Feral Arts—your own interpretation, your own rhythm. It was unique. Impressive." Kairos blinked in surprise. "You... really think so?" "I do. And because of that, I want to give you something," Lloyd said, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out a book. He handed it over. Kairos took it like it was a sacred artifact. He stared at the cover—an intermediate-level Feral Arts manual. His breath caught. "This is for you to study during your free time," Lloyd said. "Especially while the academy is still getting back on its feet." "Thank you, sir," Kairos said sincerely, his voice soft. Lloyd smiled again. "Would you like to keep me company for a bit? It might be educational." Kairos hesitated. Something about Lloyd felt different today. Warmer. Calmer. Kinder. "Sure," Kairos said, placing his bag beside the desk. ’Not all soldiers are bad...’ Lloyd leaned back in his chair. "Then let me tell you about my time in the war. And afterward—we’ll talk about your summon. There are things you should know."