Chapter 79: The inventor summoner

Chapter 79: The inventor summoner As soon as Kairos heard Melvin mention his two summons, a surge of primal instinct took over. Without thinking, he lunged forward, grabbing Melvin by the collar and hoisting him off his chair and into the air. "How do you know about my—" But before he could even complete the sentence, a violent surge of electricity surged through his body like a lightning bolt. His body jerked involuntarily as the shock slammed him backwards, sending him crashing to the ground. He landed hard on his bottom, dazed. Melvin, however, barely took a hit. He stumbled lightly, falling to his feet with a gentle stagger before casually straightening his collar, calm as ever. "Man, you don’t have to be so hasty to attack," Melvin said smoothly, brushing nonexistent dust off his shoulder. "At least hear me out first. And maybe turn off that integration of yours." Kairos froze at the words. His heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t even noticed he’d activated his integration. It had come on automatically, driven purely by his emotions. That wasn’t normal. Quickly, a cold realization struck him. The Shadow Dragon... He remembered now—one of its inherent risks: the inability to resist emotional surges. It was a dangerous drawback, and one he had foolishly underestimated. He quickly deactivated the integration and shook his head to clear the lingering haze. His voice was apologetic, though his eyes remained sharp and wary. "I’m sorry for acting out like that," he said, standing up slowly. "But I need to know... how did you find out about my secret?" A mischievous grin played across Melvin’s lips. "It’s on the internet, don’t you know?" Kairos’ eyes widened in panic. The internet?! His heart pounded. When? How? A dozen nightmarish scenarios raced through his head like a stampede. But Melvin burst out laughing. "Hahahaha! I’m just kidding. You really don’t know how to take a joke, do you?" he teased, amused at Kairos’ horrified expression. "[Not funny]" the Shadow Wolf snarled in Kairos’ mind—and he couldn’t agree more. Melvin’s expression gradually shifted to something more serious, though there was still a gleam of curiosity in his eyes. "However," he continued, "I have a special ability through my beast—a high-level perception that allows me to see the structure of other beasts, their abilities, their intentions. It’s not just me, it runs in my family." Kairos felt his guard lower—just a little. If it was a unique ability, then perhaps it was still safe. Only Melvin had seen it. His secret wasn’t fully out... not yet. But even so, the thought of a second-year he didn’t trust knowing such dangerous information was still deeply unsettling. Could I even defeat Melvin if it came down to it? The question loomed like a shadow in his mind. He already knew the answer. "I advise you to listen to what I have to say," Melvin said, a glint in his eye. "Because I’m not just your senior... I’m also an inventor. And I come from a small faction of my own." His tone was light, almost playful, but the weight behind the words struck Kairos like a stone. A faction... does he mean one of the Big Families? Or something else? But Melvin, as if reading his thoughts, elaborated further. "My family’s responsible for most of the futuristic tech you see around here. Beast core weapons? That’s us. But me, I’m more of an inventor than a forger." He was a talker, no doubt—probably someone who spent too much time holed up alone in his workshop. Still, Kairos now understood that Melvin wasn’t just some eccentric upperclassman. He was a member of a family that practically defined technological advancement. A genius in his own right. A faction like that... It meant power. Influence. Resources. So... if someone became strong enough, could they create their own faction from scratch? The thought was both daunting and invigorating. "But don’t worry," Melvin added, waving his hand. "I gain nothing from exposing your secret. In fact, I want to study it—especially your summons. Two of them, and both at legendary rank? That’s unheard of." He stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with a mix of fascination and hunger, reaching out like Kairos was a specimen in a lab. But Kairos was no fool. He stepped back, wary of another shock. "Relax," Melvin said smoothly. "The electricity only activates when I’m in danger." He placed his hand on Kairos. [Foreign ability detected] [Another summon is trying to reach for your summon space...] [Attempt declined] The system buzzed in Kairos’ mind as alerts flashed before him. Melvin’s eyes widened in surprise, and he jerked his hand back instantly. Without a word, he stood upright and returned to his chair, spinning slightly as if trying to regain his composure. Kairos tilted his head, confused by the sudden change. Still, he didn’t press it. "I need a pair of gauntlets forged," he said, shifting the conversation. Melvin puffed out his cheeks and blew a raspberry, spinning lazily in his chair. "Nah," he said bluntly. "Forging’s not my priority hobby." "But—" "I’ll do it for a thousand coins," Melvin interrupted, smirking. "I only deal in quality materials." Kairos’ jaw dropped. A thousand?! Did this guy think he was some spoiled noble? That kind of money was absurd. No... he must want something else. "Unless," Melvin added, eyes glinting, "you let me investigate your summons. That digital thing in you... It’s potentially humanity’s greatest discovery. Imagine if a person could have a second awakening. A second summon. And that strange system of yours—it’s exhilarating to even think about!" Kairos paused. He shared that curiosity. He wanted to understand his summons and the system as much as Melvin did. It was a risk. But the greater risk was in doing nothing. He stepped forward and nodded. "It’s a deal," he said firmly. "But it’s a partnership. Not slavery. I get a say in all of this." Melvin seemed to consider it, then grinned and nodded. "So," he asked, "what cores do you have for the gauntlets?" Kairos walked over to the nearest table and carefully removed three cores from his bag. He placed them down: two Apex cores and one Abyssal. The Apex ones shimmered with a clear, ethereal light. The Abyssal core, on the other hand, pulsed with a crimson glow and had a rugged, almost angry texture to it. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. Melvin tapped a button his chair and it began floating, zipping forward, bringing him face to face with the cores. "Wow..." Melvin breathed. "You got two Apex and an Abyssal-ranked core from your first hunt?! You’re insane, man! I can’t wait to see you in action." Kairos allowed himself a small smile. Melvin’s excitement was infectious. Beneath the arrogance and quirks, the guy was passionate and brilliant. "Maybe we can train together later," Kairos offered. "It took me forever to find this place, and I’m sure it’s getting dark outside already." Melvin nodded without looking up, still fixated on the Abyssal core. "So... should I come back tomorrow to collect them?" For the first time, Melvin looked away from the glowing core and shot him a sceptical glance. "If making quality weapons took just a day," he scoffed, "how many do you think the military would be swimming in right now? Come back in a week, idiot." The insult caught Kairos off guard, but he smiled faintly. ’In a week... I’ll be stronger. By then, It’ll be a step closer to getting my revenge.’