This went better than I thought.

I looked at the peoples who were dragged in unconscious and tied together, making them completely unable to move, when they wake up.

“Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

I could have called for a fricking army, defeating the prince without doing anything! I seriously need to start to think further in the future.

While I was thinking, my blades glided on my head in a grating motion, cutting off any strand of hair that grew on my skull.

“Ehhh, my lord, what should we do with them?”

Before I became completely bald again, one of the ghouls talked to me.

It was one that I made, Subject Number:1

During the two-day I stayed here I took the liberty to study it. Not only it could talk normally, but its mental capabilities have also stayed the same, filling out the blanks in my knowledge of this world thanks to his explanations. And now, with the eight (now seven) ghouls I summoned, he showed that he could command them without any difficulty, becoming a helpful asset for my entire operation.

“…Number1 and Number2 stay here with some ghouls for the magic formation. Number 3 and the rest go outside and retrieve the body of the ghouls that were killed. If you find a living being then bring it back here. “

The ones I was referring to were the comrades of Number1. After they were used to summon the ghouls, I transformed them. Maybe because of some sort of backlash, these two turned out different than the first one. They became ‘Lesser Living Ghouls’, with painfully thin bodies, bluish skin, and elongated jaws. They were dumb, unable to talk. There only saving grace was that they could use some of their skills to fight and where stealthy. Also, they didn’t eat like the other ghouls, who did it even though they were long dead.

“Finished.”

I stepped into another circle, draw with coal, then I made sure to check if everything was correct.

“That was fast.”

With a glance, I checked the formation draw with the coal that I made and ghoul blood.

“Seems alright. Then let’s begin.”

“Will there be more ghouls, my lord?”

“… I won’t promise anything.”

The magic circle that was on the floor was my design. Usually, when summoning, one must need to draw the limiter seal over the main one. Here what I did was a little bit more complex. With the regular method, one must use their own mana to call for something. If their mana capacity wasn’t enough then they would do the ritual with other mages, chanting the spells at the same time.

My masterpiece on the other hand was different. I disassembled the regular summoning circle into three parts, connecting them with symbols in a configuration similar to a rectangle.

Even if it was complicated, it was necessary.

The cores inside me need mana to keep me alive. I can’t be sure if by using magi, I won’t affect them. With my method, I could use peoples as sentient batteries, forcing them to use their mana. When they run out of juice, I would use my own to make it work. This method cut out the necessity of agreeing to the summon and till now there didn’t seem to be any side effect. (the two skeletons don’t count!)

“You can cut him.”

One of the ghouls stepped forward, slicing the wrist of the one who was lying on the magic formation that had the most blood in it.

I raised my blades, and I started to chant.

“Gods of the underworld, your puny servant demands your attention! Give me the power to complete my mission, give me the wisdom that may elevate me to your dark kingdom! Masters of darkness, rulers of destructions…”

With each sentence the red magic circle started to let out a deep crimson color, illuminating its surroundings.

“…bring me salvation in this time need. Summoning Magic: Mass Summon!”

The circle now was letting out a reddish light. The one in the middle of it was shaking, his skin color turning paler and paler.

Not hesitating I turned to another magic circle, draw with white chalk.

“Goddess of mercy, the ruler of balance, guardian of equilibria, bless me with your divine presence, give me the strength to suppress the evil that is coming. Summoning Magic: Limitation Seal!”

The second magic circle let out a faint light, and a three-dimensional picture made of it appeared made out of silver light. The flowing magic circle hovered over the red one that now started to pulse, with some figures appearing in it.

Then the next thing i did was pointing at another magic circle that I was standing, this one drawn by coal.

“God of paths, protector of roads, father of freewill, hear my call, grant me power so that my wish may come true! Summoning Magic: Seal of Will!”

The magic circle under my feet let a roaring noise, then a black line has started to spread in the direction of the red circle. When it reached it, the light became dimmer and more ominous.

Before I could finish it, I needed one last line, that tied all together.

“By my will, by my seal, by my soul, I commend you! Creatures called by my wish, manifest yourselves in front of me as I am your master! Combined Summoning Magic: Limited Mass Summoning!”

I clapped my hands together in a praying position when the white magic circles finally touched each other in a blinding light.

[Summoning complete!]

[Number of unites summoned: 10]

[Rank of unites summoned: D]

[Alert, one extra unite found!]

[Rank of extra unite: C]

[Requirements meant!]

[Title: [Novice Summoner] lost.]

[New job received: Apprentice Summoner.]

[Skill: [Familiar Summon] has evolved into job skill: [Lesser Summoning Magic; LV:1]]

[Additional skill received: [Lesser Summon Sign]]

[Warning!]

[Jobs Slave Master and Apprentice Summoner are compatible!]

[Please rase one of the job levels so that they may fuse!]

The light from the circle faded away revealing what was in the middle of the rectangle.

The first thing that came out of the light where 4 small humanoids, not bigger than a 5-year-old, with ashen skin and dirty clothes. Each had hammers or other tools in their hands.

____________________________________________________________________

Re-dwarf

Threat Level: D

Description: When a dwarf dies their bodies must be buried in a rock coffin or burned. If not, they may come back to life as these creatures. Their mental capacities might be lowered, but their craftmanship stayed at the same level.

Magic most compatible: earth, fire, craft

____________________________________________________________________

Behind them was two tall, thin silver armor, holding two halberds. Under their helmets, two fireballs were shining with menacing light. They gave out a strange feeling that told me that they were hollow inside.

____________________________________________________________________

Living Armors

Threat Level: D

Description: When a knight is too attached to something in the realm of the living and that thing is threatened, they might possess their former armors, becoming on with them. They are deadly foes to face in battle, without any weak point.

Magic most compatible: non

____________________________________________________________________

Then the rest were human of average size with reddish skin and empty eyes.

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Ghouls

Threat Level: D

Description: When a person dies next to a great source of magic or pain, they might become ghouls, undead seeking flesh. It is a known fact that this menace is incredibly stealthy.

Magic most compatible: non

____________________________________________________________________

Each one of them, kneeled before me, their heads facing the floor.

“Ghouls, armors, dwarfs. Not bad…What is that?”

Behind al of them was a colon of black smoke. Within the smoke, the outlines of a person could be seen, standing still like a tree.

“[Appraisal].”

____________________________________________________________________

Smoke Elemental

Threat Level: C

Description: When a great quantity of smoke and mana meet, they will give birth to this creature. This being possesses an affinity with fire and wind, making it extremely versatile.

When summoned it is a loyal follower to those who it deemed worthy.

____________________________________________________________________

Would you look at that? I managed to score something particularly useful.

I cleared my gorge and I spoke exaggeratedly.

“Listen to me, I am the one who summoned you! I have only one question for all of you! Are you willing to make a pact with me?!”

I asked the first bunch the same question. They accepted the pact, but they became connected to the living ghouls, instead of me. Well, I didn’t bother me since; they were loyal to me and saved me the mana to use them.

The monsters stayed on their knees, showing that they will accept my proposal. The smoke elemental also lowered itself to its knee.

[Pact been made!]

[Creatures are now summonable by: [Quick Summon]]

“These are your first orders. The ghouls and the elemental, patrol around the area. If you find an intruder, try to bring it back alive. The rest stays here, protecting me.”

My new slaves stud up and they stood in a corner of the room, in exception of the ghouls and the sentient smoke,

Now then let’s continue. I made one of the ghouls clean up the floor with a wet fabric that I found.

While I was waiting for it to dry, I ran over their loot. Or to be more precise, looked. Stripers rule don’t touch only look and all that. I have already planned a way to contour this problem, but it was another matter entirely.

There was nothing interesting in their belongings, only an old map, that showed the system of sewers.

“This will come handy.”

When the floor dried, one of the ghouls started to draw with chalk.

What was I doing right now was something that could be considered a heretic act. One of the greatest sins that the church punishes by public execution. The dark magic of the highest level, or so they say.

Demon summoning.

T sounds dark and edgy, yet it is quite simple. You draw a pentagram in a regular circle with some candles and recite the incantation for it. No fancy tools or knowledge needed, guaranteed fun for the whole family.

The only complications happen if you want to keep the demon in our realm. Supposedly, demons summoned from regular summons don’t possess any physical body, they require a sacrifice that they need to invest to stay in this world, for a prolonged period of time. This flesh suit also works as a limiter on them, keeping them from using their full power or to possess the one who is summoning them. Higher demons can use dead bodies, but since I wasn’t too confident in my skills, I decided to start with something small. I only wanted to ask some questions about the demon continent and if there were any way to contact them. I wasn’t that naïve to believe that the information will come free, but I believe that I might be able to make it sing.

“Devil, lord of evil, bringer of chaos, enemy of light, the fallen star, I implore. Bring your sight on me, gaze upon my tainted soul and give me one of your followers so that I may accomplish my vengeance. Oh, fallen son of light, bringer of chaos…”

I chanted for a solid hour. The temperature in the room became systematically colder, with each word, till a thin layer of frost has formed on the floor.

“…. By this offering, I open your crimson doors! Sacrificial Summoning Magic: Demon Summoning.”

The pentagram shined for a second, before letting out a noise similar to broken glass and shut down completely.

[Warning!]

[Due to barrier, no demonic entities may be summoned.]

What? This is stupid! The barrier has affected other monsters as well not just me! This is racism! Discrimination!

“Devil, lord of evil, bringer of chaos, enemy of light, the falle-“

I couldn’t even finish my damned sentence, that stupid pentagram made the same noise again.

Fine! You wanna play like that? Tell ya what, who needs you anyway? I have another, perfectly well-functioning summoning circle, ready to bring me more slaves… and in have just erased… AAAAAggh I am so stupid!

“… Clean this up. I need some time to think.”

The ghouls nodded and started to go to work.

I too seat at my usual seat and entered my chapel.

There I conjured a pile of paper and a pen and started to work out a way that might get me out of this situation.

With the mass summoning and my troops, I have a somewhat strong strength. If only I could ask for help from my own race. Then again, knowing how they talk about them here, it might be better not to call for help.

I wrote down my last word, before reading it, with a grin on my face.

“I am a bloody genius.”

With this plan my I couldn’t loose, giving me different

its high time for me to act. With the information I gathered from my slaves, I have already planned how I will get stronger and get my human appearance back. Also, there is a part where I take my revenge on those three. I am not to fan of doing things like that, but the state which they put me is unacceptable. I will turn them into skeletons when I get my hands on them!

I took out another paper from a pile that I called, future tests.

“This should do it.”

*****

Josh Pov:

“Sir, we finished restoking the note board.”

“Thanks. Was there any problem?”

“Nothing just yet, sir.”

The staff member left my office.

“Sigh, I didn’t think this trough. “

The guild was running smoothly. From the three main guilds, we received different low ranked quests, helping us providing jobs for the inhabitants of the poor district. We even made a system of providing medical care to those who are hit with sickness.

The only annoyance was the paperwork.

Since this guild has just opened, different reports, demands, notes, and info came in. And bills. A lot of bills. Some of them weren’t even real, they were frauds that tried to milk as much money from me as possible. At first, I gave them to the knight to send them to court, but now, I only throw them into the dumpster, since it was a waste of energy.

“Sigh, I should get an assistant.”

Boom!

A huge explosion shocked the entire building,

“What the fuck was that?”

I got off my office and rushed to the door!

Boom!

Before I could do anything, a forced break through the door sending me through the wall, out of the building, and finally landing on the dusty ground.

Through my body, an indiscernible pain went through me, especially on my ribs and back

“Ugh, need a potion.”

I took out a bottle of green liquid and drunk it up. Immediately the pain faded.

What is happening?

A third explosion could be heard, followed by a loud tremor not far away from where I was lying.

I got up on my shaking feet, facing that thing.

“A rock troll?”

Trolls were a race of monsters that had an incredible force and healing ability. Or so they said.

The thing is, the troll race was an extinct species and only one member of their race survived. The rock trolls. These guys have evolved have rocks grooving on their skins, creating an armor that protected them from anything.

Yet the specimen facing me wasn’t anything like that I heard of. The monster was the size of a horse, its arms and back covered by rocks. Yet the rest of its body was relish muscular and human-like. Its head was a little bit complicated. The upper part of its head, to its upper lips, was made out of stone, while the rest was red with fangs. And on its chest…

“It can’t be.”

It had the same eye as the demon had. An eye with white iris, turning in blood. Only now, it was in the middle of something that looked like a magic circle, with veins coming out of it.

Is this thing related to the demon? I need to capture it in all

“Must...”

It spoke! This abomination could speak!

“Must…kill…must kill!”

The beast got on his all four, launched itself at me, with surprising speed.

Damn it.

I was barely able to evade it, by jumping in the opposite direction.

I left my sword in the office. Need to get them before it.

“Must… kill…”

The creature turned around and rushed at me again.

“[Speed Acceleration]”

I evaded the incoming attack and I run with full speed, back to the guild.

“Come… back…”

Thud!

I took a glimpse only to see a rock coming in my direction.

“[Iron Body.]”

I had no time to evade it, so needed to take it. The rock collided with me, pushing me away.

Not good my arms are broken.

“Come… here… let me… crush you…”

The troll came at me, with loud steps, making the ground shake.

I got back on my feet, fighting the agony that was pulsing in my arms.

“[Iron Body]”

Wham.

The trolls fist came at me like a sliding rock. Thanks to my martial art I absorbed some of the damage, but there were enough to send me flying back to the guild.

I went through the wall, stopping in the middle of the entrance hall, which was now empty.

“S-Shit.”

I couldn’t move, everything was broken. Dying by the hands of a troll wasn’t something that I wanted to experience.

Come on body. You had worse; you can’t die right now!

Yet again, I managed to get back on my feet.

My vision was blurry, and I felt sick.

The troll came in by the hole of the wall, breaking the already broken wood under its feet.

“Kill… all…”

He got on his all four and charged at me.

This is it…

I waited for it to send me flying when something flew next to my head.

Boom!

Someone wearing a cloak jumped between us and sent the troll away through the hole it came.

“W- Who are you?”

The figure turned around, revealing itself. It was a huge man wearing an unusual armor, richly decorated with exotic symbols. The most unique one was probably the helmet that looked like a red ogre.

“Wait here. We will take care of it.” He swings his arm and everything turned black.

*****

“Who is that guy? What is a samurai doing here?”

I was watching the show from my mind with a notepad.

My original expectation was that the summoning circle on his body would send a horde of monsters to destroy the place, yet the result was so different. The summoning circle mutated the body of Number:3in an unexpected fashion. I believe that the soul fragment that I left in its body was the cause of it. To be more precise the fragment of my unique skill; [ Body Physique Manipulation].

I could feel it when I activated the circle, that wave, cursing through me. It seemed like it had other ways to use it than I thought.

But I used a skeleton, why is it talking?

I finished noting and I threw the notepad away.

The arrival of this fellow was indeed unexpected, but I have prepared something for it. I touched three other pieces on my chessboard and sent out my order.

“Advance!”

____________________________________________________________________

Name: Desmond ˙(Temporary,)

Race: Stranded Spirit

Age: 16

Job: Golem Maker; Slave Master, Apprentice Summoner

LV: 9/30

HP: 560/560

MP: 540/540

STR: 30

VIT: 0

SPD: 20

MRES: 30

Skill PT: 60

Physical attributes: [Dark Vision] [Transparent Body] [Flight] [Intangibility] [Fragmented]

Skills: [Golem Fabrication: LV:1] [Slave Commend;Lv:1] [Lesser Summoning Magic; LV:1]] [Deal Making, LV:3] [Wish Granting, LV:2] [Mapping, LV:1] [ Appraisal,LV:2] [Mind Town, LV:1] [Slave Mark, LV:1] [Chained Possession, LV: 1] [Lesser Telekinesis, LV:1] [Transmute;Lv:1] [Lesser Mind Magic,Lv:1] [Lesser Summon Sign,Lv:1]

Passive skills: [Herbology; LV:1] [Sweet Talk, Lv:5] [Speed Healing, LV:1] [Mass Absorption, LV:1] [Midas’s touch]

Resistances: [Poison] [Fire]

Curses: [Iophobia] [Holy Burn]

Unique Skills: [Body Physic Manipulation] [Harvest]

Titles: [Broken Soul] [Heretic] [Cursed Book Owner] [Revenge Driven] [Decorator] [Heartless]

____________________________________________________________________