Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Theodore's jaw tightened with resolve.

Five heartbeats passed. Ten. No one stepped back.

"Good." Arthur's tone shifted, the deadly edge receding. "Now, as a welcome gift, I have a skill for each of you."

The sudden change in atmosphere was almost dizzying. Excitement flashed across previously tense faces.

"The skill will be of my choice, and will either enhance your current strength or solve a weakness."

He approached Jasmine first, reaching into his inventory and retrieving a skill book.

"[Rejuvenating Touch]," Arthur said, placing the skillbook in her hands.

Jasmine gasped happily, nearly dropping the precious item. "Thanks,"

The warriors behind her craned their necks, eyes widening at the sight.

The book dissolved into particles of light that sank into her skin. Jasmine gasped as new knowledge flooded her mind.

"This skill allows you to heal multiple targets simultaneously," Arthur explained. "Each touch creates a lingering regeneration effect that continues working even after you've moved to the next patient."

Jasmine looked at her hands in wonder.

Arthur did not linger next to Jasmine, already moving to the twins.

He pulled out two matching books with blue bindings. "Cain, [Mirror Strike]. Abel, [Swift Pursuit]."

The boys grabbed their books eagerly, eyes widening as the skills transferred.

"Mirror Strike creates phantom copies of your weapon strikes that hit a second later," Arthur told Cain. "Swift Pursuit lets Abel increase his agility by 5% for five seconds after landing a critical hit, it can be stacked five times, making the total increase in agility 10% and the duration 30 seconds"

The twins exchanged excited glances.

"Combined correctly, these skills make you nearly unbeatable in tag-team combat."

"We'll master them immediately!" they promised in unison.

Arthur nodded and moved to Theodore.

"[Commander's Presence]," he said, handing over a gold-trimmed book. "This enhances your War Cry effect, adding a 10% damage reduction to all affected allies."

Theodore accepted the book with reverence. "Thank you, boss."

Arthur nodded. "You're the backbone of this team. The others will look to you when I'm not present."

Arthur nodded. "You're the backbone of this team. The others will look to you when I'm not present."

Arthur continued down the line, distributing skill books.

Each warrior received abilities tailored to their fighting style. Arthur explained each one's function briefly but clearly, watching as understanding bloomed in their eyes.

No skill below Rare-rank. Nothing that wouldn't significantly elevate their combat potential.

When the last book dissolved, the room was now of a different atmosphere.

These sixteen now possessed abilities that would normally take them a lifetime to find or afford.

"These skills are only potential," Arthur reminded them. "Without practice, they're useless. Tonight, study what you've received. Tomorrow, you'll demonstrate your progress."

"How did you acquire all these?" someone dared to ask.

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. "Focus on your training, not my methods."

The warrior bowed deeply, recognizing the dismissal and apologising for his honest mistake.

As they filed out, Charles approached. "That was quite an investment, protector."

"We'll see if it pays dividends," Arthur replied. "The mountain will test them soon enough."

Arthur headed out of the building and onto the village streets. Players and natives alike paused their activities to bow or offer greetings. His reputation had grown exponentially since the duel.

"Swordmaster! Honor to see you!"

"Blessings, Swordmaster!"

Arthur acknowledged each greeting with a nod, maintaining the dignified persona he'd crafted.

As he approached the gate, an older player stepped into his path. Gray-haired, weathered features, he was in his fifties.

"Swordmaster, I seek your aid." His voice trembled slightly.

Arthur paused. "What's wrong?"

The man wrung his hands. "My name is Harren. I... I've made a terrible mistake."

"What did you do?

"I trusted someone I shouldn't have." Harren's eyes dropped to the ground. "My daughter—my real daughter, she's sick. Needs medication I can't afford."

Arthur's attention sharpened.

"I've been taking odd jobs in-game, converting gold to real money," Harren continued.

"Go on."

"This player, Maddox, approached me. Said he had a mission that needed two people—a simple escort job with a big payout." Harren's voice cracked. "Due to desperation, I went with him. I was so happy thinking I could finally pay for my daughter's medication."

Arthur nodded, already seeing where this was heading.

"But he ambushed me halfway through. Led me into a PvP-enabled zone and killed me." Harren's fists clenched. "Made me drop my only uncommon item—a healing staff I'd been relying on to survive and continue earning money here."

"This Maddox," Arthur said. "Where can I find him?"

"He hangs around Broken Sword Tavern alongside his friends," Harren continued, eyes downcast. "Now that I think about it... I was so oblivious due to desperation. He could've simply asked his friends to join the mission with him, not me..."

Arthur said nothing for a moment, studying the man's face.

Then he opened his menu and navigated to his inventory. With a flick of his finger, he materialized an uncommon healing staff.

Harren's eyes widened in shock. "Swordmaster... this..."

"Take it," Arthur said, holding out the weapon. "I will deal with Maddox personally."

The older player's hands trembled as he reached for the staff, but Arthur didn't release it immediately.

"But," Arthur's voice dropped, carrying a dangerous edge, "if you're lying to me and he didn't do this, you will regret it." He leaned closer. "Final chance—did he really ambush and kill you? I won't punish you if you tell the truth now."

Harren nodded exaggeratedly, eyes wide with sincerity. "He did! He did! I swear on my daughter's life!"

Arthur released the staff. "The Broken Sword Tavern. Is he there now?"

"Most evenings. He and his friends—they call themselves the Red Daggers—they treat it like their personal headquarters."

"How many?"

"Six, usually."

Arthur nodded once.

"Go. Use that staff to earn what your daughter needs."

"What will you—"

"Nothing that concerns you." Arthur turned to leave, then paused. "One more thing."

"Yes, Swordmaster?"

"If you want to make money for your daughter's sake, be at the training ground tomorrow at dawn. Your healing skills could be useful in some of the teams that go out exploring."

Harren clutched the staff to his chest. "I'll be there. I swear it."

Arthur nodded and continued toward the forest.

The tavern could wait.

Normally Arthur wouldn't deal with such petty issues, but the Red Daggers were disrupting the peace in his village.

A bad leader ignored the struggles of those under his protection—and Arthur had promised both players and villagers alike that their issues would be his.

'I'll inform Charles,' he decided. 'Let him investigate and handle the punishment.'

Right now, he had more pressing matters. Aetherion had found something of interest, and Arthur needed to check on his newest primordial beast. The space talent extraction was his priority—a power that could change everything.

He sent a telepathic message to Aether: 'Meet me at the mountain peak.'

The response came instantly, bubbling with excitement, 'Master! I found something weird! Really weird! Super weird!'

Arthur quickened his pace, leaving the village behind.

That was concerning. Aetherion was powerful but childlike—his definition of "interesting" could range from a pretty flower to a tear in reality.

The forest path curved upward toward the mountain. Arthur sent another message.

'I'm coming. Don't touch anything.'

'Too late!' came the cheerful reply. 'Already poked it lots!'

Arthur broke into a run.

Ten minutes later, he reached the lower slopes of the mountain.

No sign of Aetherion, but he could feel the dragon's presence nearby—a pressure in the air, like the moment before lightning strikes.

"Aether?" he called.

A massive black shape swooped down from above, landing with surprising grace for something so large.

"Master!" Aetherion bounced excitedly, making the ground tremble. "I found a weird door! With weird writing! And weird feelings!"

Arthur frowned. "Show me."

Aetherion led him up a narrow path he hadn't noticed before, hidden behind an outcropping of rock.

The trail wound around the mountain's eastern face, away from the village, reaching a small plateau.

There, carved into the mountainside, was what could only be described as a door.

But not just any door.

Ancient symbols covered its surface, glowing faintly with power that made the air shimmer. The material wasn't stone or metal, it seemed to shift between states, never quite solid, never fully ethereal.

And it was cracked open. Just slightly.

"I poked it!" Aetherion announced proudly. "And it moved!"

Arthur approached cautiously. The symbols were unlike any language he'd encountered in Armageddon.

"What is this place?" he murmured.

"Dunno! " The dragon bounced again.

Arthur's eyes narrowed.

This couldn't be coincidence.

"Aether, can you sense what's behind it?"

The dragon tilted his massive head. "Something sleeping."

Arthur frowned.

'Let's test the door, it has clearly survived for so long. It wouldn't break instantly...'

"Aether, use your Dimensional Slash on the door."

"Really?!" The dragon's eyes lit up. "You want me to break it?"

"No," Arthur clarified quickly. "Just test it. The weakest version you can manage."

Aetherion nodded enthusiastically. He took a deep breath, focused on the door, and—

"[Dimensional Slash]"

A nearly invisible line appeared in the air, so thin it was barely perceptible. It struck the door with a sound like reality tearing.

The door absorbed the attack. Then reflected it back.

Arthur barely managed to dive aside as the spatial rift shot past him, slicing through a boulder behind him like it was paper.

"Whoa!" Aetherion's eyes widened. "It played catch!"

Arthur stood, dusting himself off. "Not catch. It's a powerful seal."

This changed things. A door that could reflect Aetherion's spatial attacks wasn't ordinary confinement.