Chapter 81: New pair of Summoner Gauntlets

Chapter 81: New pair of Summoner Gauntlets A week had finally passed, and Kairos—who had been looking forward to this day with growing anticipation—hurried out of his room as early as possible, no longer able to contain his curiosity. Today was the day he would finally receive his custom-made gauntlets, crafted by none other than the second-year genius, Melvin. Thankfully, it was Saturday. No classes meant no drills, no lectures, and no grueling assignments. Classes had resumed for all first-year students earlier in the week, and the workload had been nothing short of brutal. The sergeants had crammed every waking hour with intense training regimens and endless materials, piling on topics they expected the students to master almost instantly. Despite the stress, Kairos had found a strange comfort in the Summoners’ Battle Class. The notes and resources he had received from Lloyd gave him an edge—not just an advantage in comprehension, but also in performance. He had quickly outpaced many of his peers and was starting to become a recognized figure in the class. But today wasn’t about classes. Today was about power—new, tangible power that would rest right in his hands. His heart beat faster as he made his way across campus to the second-years’ building, walking with purpose down the now-familiar hallways that led to Melvin’s room. Thanks to his first evolution, Kairos’ mind was sharper than ever—he remembered even the smallest details with clarity, including the path to Melvin’s door. And finally, he stood before it. He stretched out his hand to knock—only for the door to swing open on its own, offering him a silent invitation. Without hesitation, Kairos stepped in, and the door closed behind him with a soft but firm hiss. Unlike the last time he’d visited, Melvin wasn’t busy at his computer. Instead, he was sprawled on his bed, his eyes half-lidded, with prominent dark circles painting a clear picture of exhaustion. His face looked pale under the soft light, and he seemed as though he hadn’t slept in days. "You are a mess," Kairos couldn’t help but say, raising a brow. Melvin slowly sat upright and let out a small grin. "I forgot to get your contact information the last time you came," he muttered, voice rough with fatigue. Kairos’ eyes widened in surprise, but before he could ask what that meant, Melvin added nonchalantly, "My AI system already hacked your phone. Don’t worry about it." Kairos blinked, stunned once again by the strange brilliance that was Melvin. ’He’s really something else,’ he thought, both impressed and a little unnerved. Melvin stood and made his way to his workbench, the energy in his steps contrasting the haggard look on his face. Without ceremony, he dug into a box tucked underneath the table and pulled out a pair of sleek, dark gauntlets along with a few other materials Kairos hadn’t expected. "Here. Give it a try," Melvin said, holding the gauntlets out. Kairos took them carefully and studied their design. They were masterfully crafted—dark, metallic, with intricate carvings that shimmered slightly under the light. Crimson lines ran along the frame, pulsing faintly like veins, giving them a living, almost breathing quality. The metal felt both solid and strangely light in his hands, a perfect balance of durability and comfort. "Just like the description you gave me," Melvin said with a smirk, "I made the gauntlets. With a few tweaks to make them more interesting." [Ding] [Abyssal Ranked Gauntlets: Increase in Strength! Increase in Shadow Swipes! Retractable Claws!] [Special Skill: Poison Effect] Kairos’ eyes widened as the system notification appeared before him. This was far more than he had expected. The features were overwhelming—not just enhancements, but capabilities that could shift the tide in combat. The possibilities danced in his mind like wild flames. But Melvin wasn’t finished. "This here is a hooded sweater," he said, handing over the next item. "But the lining is made from Apex-ranked cores and some... regular material. It’ll protect you from attacks—though don’t expect it to make you invincible." Kairos slipped it on without hesitation. The fabric was warm yet breathable, and the fit was perfect. [Apex Core Clothing: Extra Armor to Protect User] Finally, Melvin handed him a mask. "This one is more than just protection," he began, his tone softening with a spark of pride. "I’ve always wanted to create a superhero-type figure... But more than that, this will protect your face from direct attacks. And, most importantly, stop you from being recorded again while using abilities the world isn’t ready to see." "Instead of a cure, you now have prevention," Melvin added with a grin. Kairos smiled behind the mask, genuinely moved. Melvin was eccentric, yes—but he was also brilliant and surprisingly considerate. Despite not being told much, he had created tools that matched Kairos’ needs perfectly. He put on the mask. At first, it was too large, but then it began to reshape, nanotech fibers adjusting until it molded precisely to his face. He could breathe as easily as he would without it. "Let’s test this all out," Kairos said, his voice slightly distorted—almost like someone else’s. A clever disguise built right into the mask. The words seemed to inject life into Melvin, who suddenly darted to the far side of the room. He placed his hand on a seemingly random spot on the wall. A loud mechanical sound echoed, and the wall shifted aside, revealing a large opening—like a hidden vault. Beyond it was a wide, sterile room bathed in white light. It looked almost exactly like the awakening rooms used by the military. "Come on, we’ll use my testing room," Melvin called out with excitement. Kairos blinked, surprised. He had assumed they would test the gear in the regular room. The presence of a private training facility changed everything. "Melvin, is this—" "Nah. My family’s kind of important, so they set this up for me. I had one during first year too. Doesn’t matter now. Let’s test them out!" Melvin said, already stepping inside. Kairos shrugged and followed him in. The interior of the room was massive, clean, and reinforced—perfect for combat testing. "I’ll be deploying drones," Melvin explained, heading to a control panel on the wall. "They’ll fire light stun blasts. You can break them, but try not to destroy them completely." Kairos nodded and stepped into the center of the room. He activated his integration and waited. The first drone appeared, soaring a few feet into the air, followed by five more that encircled him from above. They attacked suddenly—red beams shot from their cores, aiming straight at him. Kairos managed to dodge three, barely scraping by thanks to his improved reflexes. But two beams struck him—one in the chest, the other in the back. He flinched, but felt... nothing. The apex-lined hoodie had absorbed the impact. Another volley came, but this time, Kairos was ready. "Echo Walk!" he declared. He vanished—disappearing into shadow—and reappeared directly in front of the first drone. His punch collided with it and sent it crashing into the wall with a loud, satisfying thud. Melvin’s jaw dropped. The speed—far faster than what he’d seen in the footage—was astonishing. Kairos ducked under another drone’s beam and delivered a spinning upper kick, enhanced by the gauntlets. The drone spiraled into the ceiling, crashing into bits. One by one, the drones fell, unable to withstand his attacks. And for the final one, Kairos extended his claws. With a single slash, a shadowy beam surged from his gauntlet like a blade of darkness, cutting cleanly through the drone. It hit the ground with a metallic clang. Silence followed. Kairos let out a soft breath, lowering his hands as he stared at the gauntlets in awe. Melvin stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief. Kairos smiled beneath the mask. He had gotten stronger.