The window appeared before Rusty, but he did not even spare it a glance. Instead, he stared at his metallic hand. Only moments ago, it had been smeared with humanoid flesh and blood. It had been punctured, scraped, and dented in several places, yet no signs of damage remained. In their place lingered a strange void within his very being, something he could not fully explain.

  Even though the mission had been classified as hard, the rewards were worse than those he had received from Gwen’s mission. To make matters worse, he had obtained a stamina enchantment talisman, a stat he did not even use as a living armor. The only explanation he could think of was that, aside from difficulty rating, the length of the summoning also played a role in determining the quality of the rewards.

  ‘That child…’

  Rusty closed his fingers slowly, the metal plates grinding against one another. The battlefield had vanished, replaced by the familiar summoning chamber and the silence that filled it. He had been summoned before and had taken part in many battles, but this felt different.

  The emotions of his new summoner still lingered and weighed on him. They were far stronger than anything he had felt when called by Gwen. The anger and desperation were almost palpable. The massacre had not been enough. A deep-seated anger remained, accompanied by a strange and hollow sadness.

  He dismissed the windows and moved to the console to examine the summoner profile. The youth who had brought him forth showed no signs of proper mage training, yet he had somehow managed to summon Rusty in this newly empowered body. A glance at the statistics made it clear that this young man surpassed his previous summoner.

  Even though he was younger than Gwen, his stats surpassed hers. All of the attributes related to spellcasting were impressively high, yet it was clear he lacked proper training. Worse still, Rusty had only received a measly five coins for completing the mission, nowhere near what he had hoped for.

  “What is the point of this when I have to spend it like this…”

  Rusty could not shake the weight pressing on him. He felt deeply for the youth. Everyone the boy had known had been slaughtered right in front of him, leaving him with nothing. Rusty’s main reason for taking on summoning missions had always been to earn more coins for Gwen and to unlock additional abilities. The only consolation was that some upgrades carried over between summoners, such as the expanded storage space. Others, however, like the skills that increased how far he could move from his summoner, had to be upgraded separately.

  That meant it might be wiser to invest in shared skills rather than focusing on a single summoner. Still, doing so would only make things more difficult when he was summoned by Gwen, who remained the one he wanted to prioritize.

  “I will probably have to make a decision…”

  The system offered him many summoning missions, and perhaps he would need to narrow his focus to only one or two summoners on his journey. He had once been certain he would devote himself to helping Gwen, but after the mission he had just completed, even that resolve felt uncertain.

  “That kid needs help…”

  With the meager amount of five points, he would not be able to obtain both the bronze and iron armor summons as he had with Gwen. However, he still had some leftover points from his previous summoning, so he could at least give the child something to summon while he was not there. This situation felt far more dangerous. Teral was seemingly alone, while Gwen at least had the safety of the summoning school, where the teachers would protect her. But who would protect the boy?

  “...”

  “Is this what the humanoids call a conscience?”

  He mumbled to himself as the cursor hovered over the options. He knew that the upgrades he selected were used by his summoners, but he was unsure whether they were truly necessary for their survival. Even though he had received only five points, he had also gained several experience talismans, along with some meant to help with enchanting gear.

  His metallic hand moved slowly as he spent the coins he had received. A total of nine points were used to grant the child access to both bronze and iron armor for protection. While those suits of armor were not particularly strong, with the amount of mana Teral possessed, he should be able to summon many of them. They would be enough to protect the boy from people like the raiders, at least as long as he did not have to face them alone.

  “I have lost four coins. But perhaps I can choose another mission?”

  Rusty asked himself as he moved over to the mission section. After clicking it, he was brought to a grayed out screen where the two previous missions were displayed. Even when he tried clicking them, nothing happened. Instead, he felt a sudden certainty that time had run out. The summoning chamber began to shift, and he knew it was over.

  His interaction with his new summoner had been brief, but he hoped the child would survive on his own until the next mission. Rusty knew that with each new mission, the probability of receiving more summoner coins increased.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine… I wonder what Gleam will think of this!”

  With everything seemingly in order and new talismans ready for use, he exited the summoning chamber. Just as he expected, his consciousness returned to his regular body, and he was back to fight another day. However, as he was pushing himself out of the hidden compartment, another scene was playing out, something that he had not foreseen.

  *****

  “Dead… they are all dead… everyone… everything is gone…”

  Teral, the lone survivor, fell to his knees as he watched the entire village burn before his eyes. The humans who had done this all lay dead around him, but even with revenge taken, the young man wanted only his family back. His parents and little sister lay where they had fallen, their bodies growing colder as fire devoured the world around them.

  Teral’s strength finally gave out. He collapsed onto the ashen ground, his fingers clawing at dirt that still radiated faint warmth from the summoning circle. The smell of smoke and blood filled his lungs, each breath a painful reminder that this was real. The metal spirit had vanished, but the nightmare had not ended. He was still here.

  “They’re gone…”

  He whispered, his voice barely coming out.

  “I’m still here… but why?”

  No answer came. The forest, once alive with birdsong and rustling leaves, lay silent save for the crackle of burning wood. Even the flames seemed subdued, as if they too were ashamed of what they had consumed.

  Teral forced himself to crawl back to his family. He sat between his parents and gently pulled his sister closer, cradling her small, unmoving body against his chest. Her face was peaceful and untouched by fear, and that hurt more than any blade ever could.

  “Don’t worry… I’ll be joining you soon…”

  He said as he glanced toward a piece of sharp, broken metal lying nearby. His hands trembled as he picked it up, staring at the sharp, uneven edge and then at his dead sister. Slowly, he brought the metal closer to his own neck.

  Just as he was about to take his own life, something rose deep within him. A strange warmth spread through his body, followed by a rush of information flooding his mind. His gaze drifted toward the statue, the ancient figure that had supposedly answered his call and given rise to the metallic spirit.

  Now, as he held his dead sister, he hesitated to take his own life. Instead, he reached out with one trembling hand and spoke.

  “Come forth…”

  Mana flowed from his fingertips, and a summoning circle appeared on the ground. It was far smaller than the one that had brought forth the massive metal spirit, but power still pulsed within it. From the circle emerged a creature formed of bronze, similar to the metal giant but not quite the same.

  “Another metal spirit?”

  His eyes widened as he continued to pour out his mana. The bronze construct finished forming and straightened, its movements stiff and mechanical. It had a humanoid shape, yet he could tell that no human dwelt within it. It was a suit of armor that could walk.

  This was not the end. The mana kept flowing, and more circles appeared on the ground, each summoning another being. Most were made of bronze, but some were different, formed of iron and clearly more powerful.

  “Ahh…”

  Suddenly, a sharp jolt shot through his forehead. The pain was familiar, mana deprivation. While he was not much of a spellcaster, he knew a few basic household spells his parents had taught him. Even though he was a wood elf, every elf possessed a natural understanding of magic and a large reserve of mana. His tribe was just a peaceful group, never practicing the ways of combat or attack magic.

  Soon, all of the metallic spirits fully manifested. There were ten bronze constructs and three made of iron, which seemed to be his limit for now. They all turned toward him but remained still, as if awaiting his command.

  “It’s like father said…”

  Teral knew the old stories of summoners among his elven forefathers. The founder of the village was said to be one of them, and the statue represented one of the spirits he could call forth. He now believed that he had somehow awakened this long-lost power of his tribe.

  “What happened? Wasn’t this supposed to be an easy mission?”

  Before he could think further, a twig snapped nearby, and the voices of humans resounded.

  “I don’t know, but look at that.”

  Two men emerged from the bushes. Both were human and wore armor similar to that of the earlier attackers. It was clear to Teral that they belonged to the same group and had likely come to finish the job. He was the only survivor, yet the fear he had felt before was gone, replaced by something entirely different.

  The two men froze when they truly took in the scene before them. Burned homes, charred trees, and piles of corpses half-buried in ash. At the center of it all knelt an elven boy, surrounded by a ring of silent metal soldiers.

  “What in the hell?”

  One of the humans muttered, his hand drifting toward his sword.

  Teral slowly stood. His legs were unsteady, but his gaze was not. The boy who had begged a spirit for help was gone. In his place stood someone hollowed out by loss and filled with cold resolve.

  “You. It is all your fault.”

  Teral spoke quietly, his lips trembling while his eyes remained wide and blazing with rage. The humans exchanged a glance and quickly realized what they were facing.

  “Kill him before he…”

  Before the man could finish shouting, Teral raised his hand and pointed at them.

  “Kill them.”

  The command was simple, but the way it was spoken was anything but. His lower lip trembled as his hatred surged. The constructs moved. Metal feet struck ash-covered earth in perfect unison. Two bronze armors rushed forward while an iron one followed behind them, its heavier frame moving louder as it charged.

  “Shit!”

  Steel rang as one man drew his blade and blocked the first bronze armor. The attack was light, and he managed to push the creature back, but he had no time to recover before another bronze blade lunged for his head. From all sides, the living armors advanced, an unstoppable wave of metal.

  The second man turned to flee, hoping to escape while his partner distracted the summoned creatures. Before he could take more than a few steps, an arrow whistled past his cheek, drawing blood. He spun around to see an iron armor holding a bow, with two bronze constructs beside it, both aiming at him.

  “Stop!”

  A spear flew from one of the constructs, forcing him to retreat. His back collided with his companion, and the two found themselves surrounded by the metal soldiers. While they could defeat them in single combat, they were hopelessly outnumbered. Worse still, even after destroying several of the constructs, the shattered metal reformed into its original shape, as though the beings were immortal and driven by nothing but vengeance.

  “N-no…ARGH.”

  One of the men screamed in horror as multiple weapons pierced his body. Seven armors swarmed him from all directions, and after delivering several wounds, his legs finally gave out. His partner fared no better. A spear pierced his thigh, and he collapsed to the ground.

  “P-please, don’t!”

  The human trembled, clutching at the spear lodged through his leg. His eyes darted between the lifeless metal faces and the other man, who was now nothing more than a bloody cadaver.

  “S-spare me, please. What do you want? I’ll give you anything. I’ll tell you anything!”

  He shouted whatever came to his mind, desperation spilling from his mouth. Just as the metal creatures were about to deliver the final blow, they stopped at their summoner’s command.

  “Stop. Hold him down.”

  At Teral’s order, the bronze armors piled onto the human, forcing him flat against the ground and pinning his arms and legs in place before their master.

  “You attacked my village. You slaughtered everyone. Why?”

  The man swallowed hard.

  “We…we were ordered to. That’s all. We were told to do it by a noble lord… That’s all I know, they don’t tell people like me much… I just carry out orders.”

  Teral’s gaze flickered as he didn’t like the answer.

  “Who gave the order?”

  “A noble, House Dulet. That’s all I know… I’m just a mercenary, w-we don’t ask questions!”

  The man looked around, his body trembling as he tried to free himself. Teral, on the other hand, only grew angrier with every passing moment. There did not seem to be any real reason for the attack, and if there was, this man likely did not know it.

  “Dulet…”

  Teral bent down and picked up the sword the other man had dropped. He could barely hold it with both hands, but it was enough for what he intended to do.

  “No, please. I told you what you wanted. Have mercy.”

  The young wood elf stepped closer and raised the sword above his head, aiming directly for the man’s neck while the newly summoned creatures continued to pin him to the ground.

  “Your kind showed us no mercy, so I will show none in return.”

  He brought the blade down. The strike was clumsy and fueled more by rage than skill, but hatred gave his arms a strength they should not have possessed. Steel tore through flesh and then bone. There was a dull, sickening sound, followed by a sudden release.

  The man was dead, yet the void in Teral’s heart remained. Rage consumed him completely. He lifted the sword again and again, striking the lifeless body over and over until his blood-soaked hands could no longer find the strength to hold the weapon.

  “Kill. I will kill all of you.”

  He fell to his knees and screamed into the distance as the village continued to burn around him. At that moment, he made a promise to himself, one that would have the humans pay for what they did here. Even if he died trying, he would have his vengeance.