NOVEL WEB Chapter 135
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The door didn’t open in one go.
Maybe it was my first attempt, but it took more magic power than I expected to get that door open.
Thus, the door closed again, and the light spilling from it also dimmed.
It seemed I needed to adjust the magical circle a bit.
I quickly checked the magical circle. And calmly looked at the circuit glowing.
Is this enough?
With such thoughts, I focused my will. The magical circle, accepting my will, slowly began to open the door.
This time, the door opened more smoothly, and I saw a blue light spilling out from beyond.
I clicked my tongue slightly at that sight.
During the process of creating this magical circle, I tried to discern what might come out in advance through the light.
After all, unwanted things could roll in.
And among those lights, the blue meant it had little connection to me.
I thought maybe I saw it wrong, but upon closer inspection, that light was quite distinct. Indeed, it was blue.
I felt a bit disappointed, but I quickly collected my thoughts. There could still be a chance.
Perhaps something unexpected might come out, surpassing that blue light.
Concentrating, I threw the door wide open. And directed my will towards what was beyond the door.
It responded to my call without resistance and jumped out. Something rolled out from beyond the door.
It was about the size of my palm.
I paused the magical circle for a moment and looked down at it. The Sister also stepped towards it.
“Oh my, something interesting has come out.”
I heard the Sister mumble.
Interesting, huh?
I smiled wryly as I used magic to pick it up. A light touch was felt on my palm.
As I shook it lightly, a rattling sound echoed.
I quietly wrinkled my lips at that sound. It felt a bit sour in my mouth. It was due to deep disappointment.
It couldn’t be helped. This was something I had seen before, a rattle. A toy from my childhood.
Sure, this too was connected to me. There were traces of it in my dreams.
But I never expected something like this would pop out.
As I was shaking it absentmindedly, the Sister giggled.
“We could label this as a dud, right?”
I nodded.
Dud, that expression was fitting. This was truly a useless item.
Though, I had an inkling it would turn out this way.
This place was my dream, and countless things were connected to me. Among them, it wouldn’t be easy to pull out what I wanted.
Still, having such a disappointing first attempt deflated me a bit. There’s also the idea of beginner’s luck.
As I continued to shake the rattle, I felt someone poking my waist.
“Kill! Kill!”
I casually looked down, and the rabbit was reaching out to me. I waved the rattle lightly.
Then, she nodded.
She wanted that. It was useless to me anyway.
So, I handed it over to her.
She accepted it and started shaking it slowly. The rattle’s bells rang clear as she played with it. The rabbit giggled lightly.
She looked quite happy. It seemed it resonated with her heart.
It appeared that it wasn’t completely worthless after all. It had found its owner.
I shook my head slightly as I watched her.
I needed to collect my thoughts. The summoning was not over yet. This was only the first attempt.
I had ten orbs in my possession. That meant I had ten chances.
There was no need to feel overwhelmed over just the first attempt.
I restarted the magical circle. The circuit, now infused with power, began to glow brightly as it started to absorb the orb.
With that, I tightly concentrated and resumed the halted summoning.
Once more, a door started to manifest within the magical circle. I unleashed my will and slowly opened the door.
I felt a pull towards what was inside. This door was beginning to attract many things from the dream.
This time, what would it be?
With such thoughts, I looked at the door.
I could see blue light spilling out. Then the next, and the next.
I scratched my head lightly as I saw the pile of items. They were varied.
I saw the wardrobe I used as a child, and the remains of the doll I used to make.
I touched them lightly.
This might be somewhat useful.
Everything else was a dud, though. Still, with all these duds, perhaps something different would come out next.
I opened the door again.
But once more, the blue light could be seen. Just as I was disappointed, I caught a glimpse of purple light flickering within the blue light. My eyes widened slightly.
That light, that was what I was aiming for.
So, before the light vanished, I quickly yanked the door open. And I concentrated my will to haul out what was beyond it.
It sprang out beyond the door without any resistance.
Is it here?
I thought, staring at it intently.
However, the object that came through was entirely different from what I thought. I quickly conjured a protective spell upon seeing it.
A shimmering protective barrier enveloped the object.
And it exploded. A vibration rippled through the barrier, and dust rose up.
Thank goodness I was prepared.
Letting out a sigh of relief, I dispelled the barrier.
The one that caused the explosion was a small box spewing red light, the very bomb I had seen before.
It was indeed connected to me. Compared to the previously spewed blue items, this was somewhat rarer.
I thought I saw a different light, was it just my imagination?
Scratching my chin, I looked down at the magical circle. The door positioned in its center was firmly closed.
And among the orbs floating above, I could confirm that nine had lost their glow. I sighed softly.
I was really unlucky. Thus far, only blue light had filled up the space.
Seeing only that light now made me click my tongue reflexively.
I looked at the last remaining orb. Only one was left now. This was my final chance.
The last remaining orb emitted a hazy aura. I swallowed lightly and began to infuse it with magic.
I could feel a bit of tension wrap around my body.
If this one turned out to be a dud too, then I would have no more orbs left. That was the last one assigned to me.
Of course, there were others around, but—
I peeked at the Sister with squinted eyes.
They all had orbs. Should I borrow one?
If I did borrow one, perhaps it wouldn’t matter if I drew a dud this time.
But before that thought could consume my mind, I shook my head slightly. I wanted to scatter that thought.
After tapping my cheeks lightly, I glared at the magical circle.
Having such a sacrilegious thought would bring misfortune. So, I needed to focus and give it my all as if this was my last attempt.
I had not given up yet. This too was a match, a magical duel of sorts.
I was definitely going to pull something out.
With those strong thoughts, I closed my eyes. And I poured a more earnest will into it.
As the magical circle, filled with my magic and will, began to slowly flow towards the door, I watched attentively as it opened up.
This time, somehow, I felt hopeful.
Having drawn even a bomb on my last attempt should have expunged bad luck, so surely something good would come out this time.
And just as my thoughts proved to be true, light started to gently ooze out from between the door. This light was different from the previous ones.
It bathed everything in a vivid purple hue. Upon confirming the color, a smile spread across my face.
I wasn’t wrong before. Ah, it was just waiting to show up.
With that thought, I swung the door wide open.
This bright purple light meant a stronger connection than blue.
Something emitting such light couldn’t just be a mere object.
And as if to prove that, I felt my will resonate with what lay beyond.
Something was definitely caught in my summoning.
With my eyes still closed, I extended my magic. The magical circle embraced my magic and began to pull the object towards it with even more force.
It seemed that the object beyond was slightly struggling against the magical circle.
It was trying to use its magic to repel the pull.
However, that resistance couldn’t hold against the flow of the magical circle.
This was an irresistible attraction, after all. Summoning was about forcibly drawing things in.
So, before it could escape my grasp, I quickly snatched it.
The summoning was successfully completed.
I watched as the being from beyond emerged through the door. Once it passed through, it adjusted its posture and landed on the ground.
“Ah, where is this place? I was taking a nice nap in my memories, and now my happiness…”
She said, holding a small rabbit doll in her arms. It was a doll I had made during my childhood. I let out a satisfying laugh as I saw it.
I seemed to have pulled that along with it.
Nonetheless, it was a success! I had pulled another anchor!
In truth, the path to success lay in persistence.
Feeling a bit fulfilled, I looked at the being I summoned.
She bore a strong resemblance to the Sister and the Rabbit. In other words, she had the shape of the Professor.
There was no doubt that I had successfully completed the summoning.
Watching as she scattered her magic, I raised both hands.
“Greetings! Please don’t be alarmed. I summoned you.”
I bowed lightly. And then I observed her. She had a small branch resembling a snake stuck in her hair.
With a gleaming arrow tip at the end, it was clearly a projectile.
That was likely to shoot with a gigantic bow she wore on her back. With her active attire and the bow in hand, she looked just like a hunter.
Maybe I should call her a hunter.
As I thought that, the hunter looked me in the eyes, confused, and tilted her head.
“Wow, so I’m your master. But where am I?”
Master? That word made me cough for a moment. That was unexpected. She slowly approached me and began to sniff around my body.
Then she nodded and affixed herself to me.
As I carefully stroked her head, the hunter let out a cute, purring sound, seeming pleased.
A hunter, huh? I cautiously analyzed the form of her magic.
The snake-shaped arrows were rare. Moreover, there was a treasure I knew that bore such a shape. I had that memory vivid because I conducted a lecture recently.
Thus, I immediately understood what type of treasure’s magic she bore. It was the magic of a first-grade friendly entity, the nagaraja’s power.
Perhaps due to the treasure’s limitations? Her latent magic, compared to the Sister and Rabbit, seemed a bit deficient.
Those two possessed magic derived from grade three entities, so it couldn’t be helped.
So that was why she bore the purple hue. I nodded lightly. The upper tier of color existed too.
However, that she possessed the magic of a treasure remained unchanged. This meant she was definitely going to be useful.
“Could you explain the situation to her?”
As I said that, I glanced at the Sister who drew near. She nodded lightly and gently pulled the hunter away from me.
“Kill! Kill!”
The Rabbit clung to the Sister, waving her hands animatedly. She certainly wanted to explain the situation.
No, she simply wanted to play with her.
The Sister smiled softly as she handed the hunter over to her.
The Rabbit shook the rattle in her hands, leading the hunter along. The hunter followed the Rabbit’s lead with a blank expression.
As the two reached the table, they began conversing softly.
“Kill! Kill! Kill…”
The Rabbit explained something, and the hunter nodded quietly.
As she glanced around, the hunter soon began to show interest in the Rabbit’s words.
Seeing that, I nodded. The hunter seemed to have no will to resist.
A little later, I figured I could ask her for help.
This was a success. This was a result made from ten orbs.
“How do you find it? I successfully ended the summoning.”
“That’s amazing!”
The Sister clapped her hands lightly. After she laughed, she rested her finger against her chin, tilting her head slightly.
“I’ve been watching, and we can’t do such summoning. Because you are the dream’s master, it’s only possible for you. It’s a bit sad, you know. I wanted to try summoning as well.”
I could catch a glimpse of slight disappointment on her face as she spoke.
She was right. This was a convenient magic only possible here, within my dream.
If this were reality, such a composition would be absolutely impossible to manifest.
Seeing the Sister’s forlorn expression, I let out a light cough. Noticing her glance towards me, I subtly extended my hand.
Seeing her gaze descend to my hand, I began to speak.
“How about investing some of the orbs you possess? I can summon on your behalf.”
Ten attempts felt a bit unsatisfying alone. I was still not satisfied. Just one more pull would go a long way.
That thought filled my heart. Yes, just one more.
That was also a stable combination.
As I looked at her, I had already confirmed she had plenty of orbs.
My ten orbs were also acquired from her, after all.
As I extended my hand, the Sister laughed, finding it amusing. She hesitated for a moment before nodding.
With that, I made a fist. I would be able to summon again.
The Sister rummaged through her robe and withdrew orbs, handing them to me with care. I received them cautiously, counting them.
A total of ten. The exact amount I had used earlier.
I thought she’d have more than this, glancing at the Sister.
“First, I’ll only give you this much. We need the rest for our use, you see. With a new friend here, we should decorate a bit.”
With a light shrug, she thumbed a few orbs, causing them to shatter while releasing ethereal energy.
Those scattered into the building, quickly vanishing.
Along with that, small vibrations began to occur. I could feel this shabby room expanding slightly.
She was surely planning to keep using this place consistently.
With the altar ahead, she nodded.
No matter how helpful this was for us, it was kind of shameless to demand all their orbs for this summoning.
Having received such investment, I needed to ensure success.
“I will definitely summon one more.”
I bowed my head toward the Sister. And I firmly gathered my thoughts as I looked up.
Let’s give it a shot, I would put everything into this attempt.
I began fiddling with the orbs, a confident smile radiating from me.
This was not merely for fun. This summoning was the only means to breakthrough my dream.
Thus, I had to be very serious about it.
Of course, there was a bit of jest in there too. Did I say it felt like I was testing my luck?
With this set of ten, I would truly pull out another professor.
And with that resolve, I focused and attempted the summoning once more.
As the green lights burst forth once more.
I could see bluish and blue hues shimmering, swaying beyond the magical circle. I rubbed my eyes, but the color did not change.
Beyond the open door, only blue lights swirled around.
And as I sat there in despair at the mound of toy-shaped objects before me, I slumped down.
All ten of these attempts had resulted in utter failures.
As expected, it seemed I was really unlucky.
While lost in that thought, the Rabbit began to approach the toys as if she were intrigued by them.
“Kill!”
The Rabbit examined the toys and her eyes sparkled as she embraced them tightly. The hunter was standing next to her.
The Rabbit hummed a light tune and started heading towards the table.
I sheepishly rose and followed her from behind. After all, we still had some orbs left.
With that thought, I swiftly grabbed the Rabbit’s tail.
“Kill?”
The Rabbit trembled slightly and looked back at me with wide, surprised eyes. She was holding her tail as she looked back.
As I met her gaze, my eyes sparkled.
I rubbed my hands together and cautiously edged toward her. I glanced briefly at the toys.
“What are you planning to do with that?”
“Kill! Kill!”
The Rabbit lifted one toy and shook it gently. She clearly wanted to play with it. I nodded toward her and smiled.
“Well, could you maybe pay a small price for that? A few orbs will suffice.”
“…Kill?”
The Rabbit tilted her head slightly, glancing at the Sister. Wasn’t this something she received from her?
The Sister met her gaze and laughed lightly, finding it amusing.
The Rabbit pondered momentarily before shaking her head, looking pouty. I smiled while rubbing my hands together at her.
“Just ten orbs will do. With that, I can certainly pull out many more diverse toys for you to play with. Wouldn’t you care for investing just this once?”
That mention of “more toys” seemed to make her contemplate. I leaned in closer, whispering sweet words into her ears.
I could see her eyes lighting up at my words.
Seeing that, I passionately pressed on to persuade her. As a result, the Rabbit began to sway in delight.
Eventually, sensing my sincerity, she drew a pouch from her side. It was filled with orbs.
“Kill… Kill!”
She began pulling orbs from within. I swiftly grasped them, but before the Rabbit could say anything, I bowed my head.
“Thanks for believing in me. I will definitely succeed in the summoning.”
The Rabbit stared blankly for a moment before nodding. Her orb pouch was now completely empty.
All of it was now in my hands. With satisfied smiles, I held the orbs confidently.
Though I had fallen flat with those previous ten attempts, they had no bearing. I still wasn’t defeated.
In the end, if I kept trying until I succeeded, I would prevail.
Having attempted to reclaim those opportunity costs was precisely why I was so invested in this summoning.
I glanced at the hunter.
This trio alone felt a bit lacking. Another one needed to be drawn for a solid frontline.
With such determination, I tossed the orbs carelessly. As they flowed into the magical circle, they engraved themselves into the door, beginning to expel hazy light.
It was yet another attempt. With my focus sharpening, I aimed to compute that existing entity as quickly as possible.
However, to my disappointment, the door spat forth blue light.
And the blue light continued to flow. Dud, dud, and another dud.
With each successive dud, ripples began to distort the calmness of my heart.
Success, when would it finally come?
Glaring at the magical circle, I readied my mind. This summoning magic, whose probabilities I couldn’t quite fathom, was exceedingly cruel.
Those drawn objects were whipped away by the Rabbit, who gleefully brought them over. Toys were happily shared with the hunter, while furniture and objects remained to embellish the room.
They had some worth in their own right.
However, what mattered more was summoning a new professor. If I failed again, I would then have to hunt soldiers to gather more orbs. Time would be squandered anew.
More soldiers would form a line of defense.
If time continued to flow this way, that wall might become impenetrable. Therefore, I needed to ensure this attempt was a success.
With a yearning heart, I clasped my hands as if praying.
And I focused my will, pouring magic into the magical circle. My power flowed through the magical circle towards the door, creaking as it began to reveal itself gradually.
Would this be it? I sparkled my eyes at the door. But I was left disappointed.
Once more, blue light poured forth.
As I reached to draw it out, I hesitated. I saw the door, which was going to be taken with blue light, change its color.
The door, once spilling blue light, began to rattle and slowly transform into a purple glow.
This can’t be.
I stared at the door wide-eyed. The door wouldn’t stop there. It began to shine in a golden hue as well.
Whoa! I scrunched up my eyes, concentrating my will to help.
With that, I quickly grabbed onto the arriving entity. It simply flowed right through the magical circle and pulled me along.
That’s it!
With that thought, I locked my focus onto what awaited.
As I manifested, I summoned a being of an entirely different caliber.
It appeared before me as a woman. With sharp teeth, she scanned her surroundings, seemingly bewildered.
“Wow! Where am I? I was enjoying my memories comfortably. My happiness…”
The woman was clutching a small rabbit doll. It was something I had crafted in the past. Grinning with satisfaction, I saw her.
It appeared I had unintentionally summoned its memory—or at least part of its memory!
I must say, my efforts had paid off! At last, I’d pulled another anchor!
Talking to the mysterious presence in front of me, I began browsing through her features.
Just then, I noticed a faint glowing ring hovering above her head.
Behind her, she had mild-looking wings fluttering. Best to call her Professor Ring.
Professor Ring appeared startled when she saw me. She quickly hid behind the Sister, seemingly a bit shy.
The shape of that ring immediately revealed it. Without a doubt, she harbored the power of the heavenly ring. As Hao had wreaked havoc, this power would certainly equip her to face the soldiers before us.
The Sister gently embraced Professor Ring and led her to the table, explaining the current situation to her slowly.
Watching the four of them sit around the table, I let out a light smile.
Despite engaging in a lottery with such abysmal odds and requiring an unpredictable amount of orbs, I had ultimately succeeded. Eventually, I was able to increase their numbers considerably.
I peeked outside the building. I could feel the lingering killing intent from the soldiers out there.
With this quartet of companions, I could most certainly break down the thick iron curtain.
So I made my way to the table. Meeting Professor Ring and the hunter’s gaze, I could see that both were intrigued.
They clearly acknowledged the purpose of my summons. After a moment’s deliberation, they voiced their wishes. It was just as I had suspected.
I caught the Sister’s glancing look. It aligned perfectly with her earlier words as well.
They desired to witness reality. It seemed to be an instinct of theirs. As beings born of dreams, perhaps they longed to just see the outside world.
However, the coincidence of each harboring the same desire felt quite fascinating.
If there was anything I could do to fulfill their wishes, then I would do so. With their aid, I was certain I could attain the conclusion to this dream.
Thus, it was only natural that I should return the favor for the assistance received.
So, I began conversing with them. Adequately preparing, we set out. As soon as we stepped outside the building, the desolate wilderness unfolded before us, along with a pitch-black sun.
The sun was prominently glowing out in the distance. It would surely serve as my trajectory’s destination.
Thus far, soldiers had barred my path, but now that would change.
The soldiers’ forms soon came into view, framed by that monolithic iron curtain.
It stood not far from where we had exited the building.
Gazing upon that scene, I could see steel machines moving about.
High above, drones fluttered, surveying as if scouting. Among the steel machines, cold-faced soldiers stood firmly processed into position.
Their line-up appeared like a wall—my reasoning for dubbing it the Iron Curtain.
The scent of iron and blood coming from them was quite thick. It truly felt like I was traversing through a battlefield.
As I watched, I sensed that the soldiers, noticing our presence, began to shift forms. Along with their transformation, the intense killing intent slowly rained down upon us.
“Ah! I didn’t wish to deal with those things. That’s why they remained stuck in my memory.”
I found myself chuckling softly at the light complaints from Professor Ring. Contrary to her words, however, she was boiling with energy, scanning my surroundings.
Initially, I considered ambushing, but I soon realized that it would have no meaning here.
This barren wilderness was overtly visible, and thus avoiding conflict would be futile; they would inevitably chase us down.
So, charging in head-on was the only option left.
“Alright then, onward!”
As I rattled the doll in my hand, I set forth. I had created it from the remnants of the explosive bugs I had altered. These dolls would flutter lightly to approach the professors.
The shapes of the dolls varied widely, naturally, having been bound together from the remnants of draw from the lottery.
Since they were dreamscape objects, the process of modulation was slightly complex, but I could at least send simple signals with them.
Slowly, the dolls began to march toward the encroaching battalion. Statistically, the enemy outnumbered us significantly. We were a mere quartet, after all.
Yet conversely, we were a strong four. The number had doubled compared to when there were just two of us. The previous situation was insufficient in terms of manpower.
The messages I sent via the dolls adjusted their positions accordingly. I had taken a step back from the battlefield. Given my involvement, I couldn’t do much there.
There were also things that could only be accomplished here. The battlefield’s trajectory was as unpredictable as ever. Thus, I needed to guide them with precision. That was the task I would take on.
By my signals, the Rabbit took position at the forefront.
She raised her axe high, charging ahead while waving it around.
Empowering herself, she struck the ground with her axe, and the soldiers became her target.
Even as projectiles were aimed at her, I witnessed how every one of them fell below her blade.
With her axe, she began cleaving through anything in her path. The resonance of her magic pulsated vividly, spilling bloodlike aura.
“Kill! Kill!”
The Rabbit laughed with joy. She seemed euphoric to have dumped her previous terror and now engage in combat. Whipping her axe with uninhibited delight, her movements appeared to magnify in excitement.
Watching her, I furrowed my brow slightly. She did seem to be losing control of herself.
Before I could signal her to cool it, she unwittingly widened her gaps. It happened before I even uttered a word.
The soldiers quickly seized the opportunity to charge through the openings created by the Rabbit.
Several of them flung themselves against her axe in hopes of restraining it momentarily.
As the mechanical soldiers turned their barrels toward her, a feeling of dread swept over me. I shook my head in dismay. Though the Rabbit attempted to block the incoming projectiles with her axe, it was already too late.
This was the familiar pattern I had encountered several times in the past.
They lured the Rabbit to let her excitement lead her away from caution. This had always been the centerpiece of their strategy.
Even if I reminded her several times, it didn’t seem like it would matter.
Thus, I discreetly signaled.
At that, one of my dolls sprang to action. The projectile soared and somewhat struggled against my summoned arrows, diverting away.
The arrow took on a snake-like form, moving back toward where it had come from.
Absorbing that projectile, it snaked its way through.
It was an arrow fired by the hunter. Several other projectiles loosed toward the Rabbit, but those were swatted down by the arrows as well. I nodded in satisfaction.
It felt great! If a single arrow snake couldn’t do the job alone, this was the perfect opportunity to use support!
I was once simply constrained by the difficulty of filling the loopholes left by the Rabbit.
Previously, all I had done was layer protection spells onto her.
But now, the collaboration made a difference. Increasing her numbers simply meant aggregating power.
Yet, it also meant potential for more agile movements through organic cooperation.
The Rabbit, now shielded by arrows, began to exhibit newfound energy. She charged through the soldiers with unprecedented confidence.
Channeling her magic into her legs, the Rabbit leaped into the fray.
She smashed through the mechanical soldiers and began to crush them.
Many bullets and shells rained down upon her, yet those too were consumed by the arrows, falling away into oblivion.
The Rabbit’s swift strikes split the adversaries apart as the hunter moved swiftly behind her.
Tracing their route was a waft of mist, fluctuating and rolling out in the wake of the Rabbit’s destructive path. The fog crept surreptitiously among the disorganized soldiers.
As the mist enveloped them, whispers echoed amongst the air. The men, who had been wandering amidst the fog, began moving under those enticing whispers.
If they appeared slightly skewed before, they now dulled the ferocity from their eyes.
Those whispers ushered forth a sense of bliss. Gradually, that joy would permeate the soldiers’ spirits, subliminally altering them.
And as they became enveloped in feel-good vibes, they turned to shoot at each other.
Creating a chaos of confusion, the battlefield began crumbling away. I nodded while subtly directing the mist to adjust its course.
This tactic—their intermingled parts feeding a discord—was the most effective way this quartet could manifest chaos. I bore a satisfied grin as I then paused.
As some parts of the battlefield began rapidly repairing, I took notice.
There was someone attempting to reverse the battlefield’s flow from somewhere.
Quickly scouring the area, I spotted a potential schemer in the mix. A thicket where squads were clustered together.
Upon recognizing the threat, I signaled through the dolls.
They fluttered to relay the message to the Rabbit. It was a cue to pivot left from our current position.
This line had clearly shown signs of recovery. The riding commander must’ve been present.
“Kill!”
The Rabbit’s eyes sparkled at the command and spun to charge forward.
Her intense magic cut through the opposition, paving a route deep within.
However, as she advanced, I spotted them congregating in a manner meant to defend something important.
With the mist enveloping her, the Rabbit’s motions quickened further.
Yet, incoming rounds would rain toward her, thwarted by the multitude of arrows.
The Rabbit, camouflaged by the fog, swung her axe as she tore through their lines.
In the end, I laid eyes upon a soldier—this man bore a different energy from the surrounding grunts.
There was an aura indicating some form of leadership.
Had the Rabbit detected it, too? She threw her axe at the man leading the pack.
It soared through the air, cleaving cleanly as it swiftly sliced the commander’s throat. He evaporated on contact, melting into nothing.
With the loss of command, the iron shield’s structure, which had seemingly been recovering, began to collapse anew.
Seeing this unfold, I chuckled lightly. I had fled before, but now I had successfully breached their ranks.
Do I perceive another commander lurking? I began scrutinizing the battlefield once more.
This time, they could not regain its momentum. What was left was just falling apart in chaos.
Thus, gauging the battlefield flow and discovering the simplest routes, that was my assistance.
I rubbed my eyes lightly and crouched down. This was coming to an end. All that was left was to clean up the battlefield.
I scratched my nose lightly. It felt weird to realize I was capable of observing the battle this way.
It might stem from some prior rush of familiarity. I had an inkling of déjà vu regarding this experience.
Why those flashes were occurring, I had no clue. Perhaps this was due to memories from my past life. I pondered that thought, causing my head to shake lightly.
First, cleaning up their mess would take precedence. Out of my way, I stood.
If their hold on me had begun faltering, then I could take them on.
“Kill! Kill!”
The Rabbit’s ecstatic movements, dancing around with her axe, radiated satisfaction. I scanned my surroundings. There were no remaining enemies.
All those thousands of blocking soldiers had melted away, disappearing beneath the ground. While on the battlefield, I scattered my dolls across. I aimed to collect the orbs.
So many soldiers fell. That meant plenty of orbs must have emerged. A glint of eagerness flashed in my eyes.
If I just had those orbs, I could pull out a greater number. This time, success would await me.
Thus, the moment for the lottery came again. I clapped my hands excitedly, seeing the purple glow shine vibrantly.
A new professor had joined! I had drawn her with an orb, that professor connected, and repeatedly journeyed deeper.
However, not every process had gone seamlessly. There were even times I had to retreat.
As the soldiers’ numbers continued to multiply, the variety of steel machines also increased.
When a massive steel pillar flew from afar, I felt an immediate sense of dread. Some of those I had drawn before were almost placed in peril.
But progress slowly persisted, aided by the many professors I could summon.
Thus, I once again looked down at the glowing summoning circle.
The brilliant light spilling from the door’s center caught my attention. From that doorway, a resplendent wave of purple light began to break free.
In this manner, yet another summoning was to be enacted.
As she crossed through the door, I graciously tilted my head.
She sluggishly knocked into a few things but then looked around bewildered. Her sharp teeth glimmered brilliantly.
Among my knowledge, only one treasure bore such sharp fangs. It must undoubtedly connect to the Tooth Necklace.
Having made such a promise, a smile crept on my face. This summoned presence marked my twentieth!
“Well, well, you’ve grown!”
The Sister approached, grinning softly. It was intriguing to watch the process unfold as she mildly nodded in agreement.
“Indeed, magic becomes second nature over time. I am clarifying the chance of summoning!”
As I remarked that, I gazed back towards the magical circle. The moment I infused the circle with energy, it emitted a hint of purple magic before sealing solidly.
The Sister stared at that with a glint in her eyes, expressing curiosity.
“I’ll take care of this one, then. I’m excited about who might appear next!”
With that, the Sister escorted Professor Tooth away, gradually leaving the room. This building had grown much larger than before, likely in preparation for the increased numbers.
Waving a fleeting glance at the Sister fading away, I didn’t articulate my thoughts. However, unlike before, the magic circle had notably transformed.
It was largely an experiment.
When summoning through this circle, I would connect with those closely affiliated with me. I had adapted the magical circle to refine its scope continuously.
The essence of selection had become more explicit.
As a result, drawing mere objects was not in play anymore. The chances of seeing them bound to me had continuously improved.
What was once a 10% chance now climbed to approximately 40%!
Of course, this meant I had to invest in more orbs. Each attempt would now require five of them.
Nevertheless, I could deem this procedure worthwhile.
Gravity tugged at my feet as I swept my foot across the magical circle.
My primary aims in altering the magical circle were to elevate the probabilities and clarify their identities.
Even when resorting to asking them directly, distinction in their responses never appeared. Henceforth, I took on the responsibility to discover the truth myself.
This time’s magical circle was a product born of such contemplations.
As my palm rested upon my chest, I sensed movement nearby, bare tumbling about.
What the magical circle was summoning only made contact with those drifting feelings. Nothing except my magic made its way through the circle.
However, Professor Tooth, the figure from before, traversed that tightly shut space within the magical circle.
The fact she managed to breach those barriers indicated that she and the things emerging didn’t merely consist of objects tied to me.
I forcefully held back a wry smile.
Didn’t they assert that there were about fifty of them? They were each anchors tethered into my dreams.
I finally figured out the identity behind these beings.
That identity was none other than myself—my own soul. They were born from my very essence.
Ignoring the sensation of my head scratching, this conclusion bagged a whole lot more intrigue than I had anticipated. Yet the path that led to their creation had remained a mystery.
“`