CHAPTER 153 – SUMMONING AGAIN.

Rusty stood in front of the material shelves provided by the Soul Forge. For his next creation, he needed mana-enhanced twilight steel. Enchanting without it would be impossible. If the mana wasn’t infused into the alloy beforehand, enchantments would usually be rejected. According to the books, it was possible to force enchantments onto almost any metal, but doing so required a high level of skill. Since Rusty was just starting out, it made more sense to take the easier path.

"The Soul Forge will provide you with the metal you need, Rusty. But I recommend reviewing the process. It will help you understand the concepts more clearly and improve your technique."

"That's a good point. I can't always rely on the system to do everything, and my SP is limited," Rusty replied to Alexander, who hovered above him.

The shelves were stocked with the correct mana-infused twilight steel ingots. Regular ones were stored nearby, along with a box filled with sparkling mana stones.

"I wish I could take these out and give them to Gleam..." 

He muttered to himself while picking up one of the mana stones. It resembled the kind he had seen in the dungeon cave. The stone was blue, radiating the familiar aura of mana, and felt somewhat brittle in his hand. These crystals were not only used for enchanting but also served as ingredients in mana potions and various alchemical concoctions that required a source of magical energy.

"This should be enough.”

After gathering a handful of the small blue crystals, he moved over to the smelter. It had changed again, now adapted to handle the mana crystals alongside iron and steel. He could even start from raw iron, mix in carbon, and then infuse it with the mana crystals to create his own steel from scratch. Still, this was optional. Using pre-forged steel worked just as well for his current needs.

At the center of it all stood the main crucible, connected to several separate channels. These open pathways were designed to hold different materials, which would flow into the crucible once they had been heated sufficiently. Thanks to the Soul Forge, which had provided him with a simplified version of a traditional forge, the entire process was relatively easy to manage.

All he needed to do was place the twilight steel ingots into one channel and the mana crystals into another. Then, by following the instructions from the book, he would heat both materials to the required temperatures and combine them at the precise moment.

“But how do I know when it’s hot enough?”

"Look at the color of the flames, Rusty. While you don't have skin to feel heat or cold, you still have other senses you can rely on. Try focusing.”

Alexander explained as Rusty continued to observe. His sense of touch wasn't like that of those with flesh. Instead, he had to rely on other methods, such as his mana sense or visual perception, to gauge temperature. The process wasn’t simple, but by studying the flames and watching how they interacted with the magical crystals and metals, he eventually unlocked an important skill.

Lesser Heat Perception L1

Passive Skill

This skill allows the user to accurately judge the temperature.

As the description stated, the skill gave him a basic ability to sense heat. It wasn't perfect, and being only the first level of the skill, it provided only a rough estimate of temperature. He would likely need to level it up further to gain precise control and accurate readings. Fortunately, the lesser metals and mana crystals he was working with didn’t require pinpoint accuracy. As long as he was close enough, it was good enough to proceed.

“Crystals to channel two, steel to channel one. Heating rate…”

Soon, Rusty became fully absorbed in his work. The Soul Forge glowed with orange light as the channel filled with twilight steel began to heat up. The steel gradually took on a faint purple hue as it softened, while the mana stones started to dissolve alongside it. Both components were breaking down into their raw essences, ready for fusion.

Alexander hovered nearby, continuing to offer guidance. Even so, failure was inevitable at first. On his first attempt, Rusty mistimed the fusion and ended up with a useless product that could hardly be called enchanted steel. It took several batches of materials to get things right, but with the Soul Forge's support, he didn’t need to worry about resource scarcity during this stage. After several days of trial and error, he finally succeeded in producing a solid batch of magically enhanced twilight steel.

Classification:

Mana Infused Twilight Steel [ Crude ]

Type: 

Metal

Description:

Twilight Steel infused with a small amount of mana. 

“It’s low grade, but you're getting there, Rusty. You’re a fast learner. Most people would take months to reach this point.”

“Am I a genius?” 

Rusty chuckled, gazing down at the bar of enhanced twilight steel. A subtle bluish tint marked the infusion of mana from the crystals.

“Don’t let it go to your head, Rusty. You still have a long way to go, it’s still just a crude infusion.” 

Aburdon called out from the side, laughing as Rusty's brief moment of pride was swiftly cut short. Rusty lifted his metal chin in mock offense, though in truth, he didn’t mind. The crude ingot rested on the table like a promise. It was far from perfect, but it held potential. He carefully set it aside, already wondering if it could be properly enchanted.

“What are my options…” 

At the moment, he couldn’t fuse his two elemental affinities. The only enchantments he could reliably create were aligned with darkness and light. Previously, he had used an item from the summoning chamber to enchant a weapon with flame properties. In theory, he should be able to apply the same method to light and darkness, making it possible to activate magical effects without wasting as much mana or any at all.

“A sword of light and darkness, maybe? Could the light act as a protective ward against undead enemies?”

He recalled that the guides also mentioned the possibility of enchanting equipment with stat-enhancing properties—buffs that could increase agility, strength, or other basic attributes. However, crafting such enchantments would require additional materials, ones that needed to be incorporated during the smelting process itself and used together with specific enchanting circles. 

All of this was exciting to him, though he also understood it would take a great deal of work to master. His mind never tired, and his body had no need for food or rest. Even so, he still needed to reforge all of his equipment and apply enchantments to all of his forms before setting out again. But, for now, he chose to set the hammer down.

He had gained the skills and knowledge required to create his two enchanted variant bodies. There was no longer any reason to rush. Before continuing, it seemed wise to check the summoning chamber and see what rewards it might offer. The last time he visited, he received items that increased his experience and allowed him to infuse flame into a weapon. That unexpected gift had shifted his priorities.

It was probably better to claim the rewards first. If he received any unique enchantments or materials, he might have to modify his weapons or armor to work with the new magic.

With that in mind, he made his way to the summoning chamber just as he had before. He wondered what kind of quests it would present this time. His previous challenge had involved defeating two specific monsters in a summoner battle, and to his surprise, he had truly enjoyed the experience.

“This place is as big as ever.”

There was no change in the summoning chamber, so he made his way over to the console. This time, he knew exactly how to use it. The summoning icon was still visible, and he remembered that clicking it would display the available quests. However, before proceeding, he decided to confirm something else.

Next to the console sat a notebook that had previously displayed information about his last summoner. When he opened it, he saw the gloomy-looking girl once again. This time, her image was no longer grayed out.

"The manual didn’t lie. I can be summoned again!"

Rusty clicked the notebook icon, then selected Gwendolin Rainstar’s portrait. A new window opened, and Alexander immediately commented.

"Hmm… why does it look like a job application?"

The interface resembled a letter or application, with Gwendolin’s portrait in the top left corner. Along the sides were various details, including a note that the Rainstar noble house was in decline. Rusty quickly skimmed through the information, focusing on what mattered most. He noticed a partial status screen for his previous summoner.

"Most of these are F minus… was she really that weak?"

The only noteworthy aspects were her summoning skill, which was ranked E+, and her high mana reserves. Everything else, like her physical stats, were the lowest of the low, stuck in the F-minus range. She was clearly not a fighter and lacked the ability to cast powerful spells. She was, in every sense, a pure summoner.

"Are all summoners like this?"

Rusty turned to his guides. Aburdon responded with a dry laugh.

"Not at all. This one just seems incredibly weak. Some summoners can develop a that lets them boost their stats. But this girl doesn’t seem to have it. Relying only on summoned creatures is pathetic."

Aburdon scoffed, but Rusty found the concept intriguing. The idea sparked his curiosity. If he and Gleam could develop such a skill, the potential was enormous. Sharing physical power with her and receiving her magical strength in return could make them unstoppable.

The idea was enticing, and to make things more interesting, there was something new in the bottom right corner of the page—a bar labeled "Synergy." At the moment, it was colored red, and Rusty wasn’t quite sure what its purpose was. Besides the stats and the synergy bar, there was also a button labeled "Re-summoning." When he hovered over it, a small quest window popped up before him.

Quest:

Mystwood Academy Exam

Difficulty: 

Medium

Description:

Help your summoner in the completion of her test inside the mystical forest. The rewards will depend on your ranking.

“Oh? Some kind of test? I’m not good at writing though…”

“I don’t think it’s that kind of test, Rusty. It’s probably a test that requires a summon. Look, it states the location, some kind of magical forest?”

Alexander replied, considering the possibilities.

Rusty wasn’t sure what to expect, but the difficulty was moderate. Previously, he had chosen the easiest quest to test the system and discovered that it was possible to influence the outcome through actions like decisively defeating an opponent or irritating the opposing summoner. He still didn’t know what the requirements for this test might be, but if Alexander thought it would involve combat, it was probably worth investigating.

For now, he returned to the main screen and opened the summoning window once again. Just like before, several quests were available, and Gwendolin Rainstar was not the only summoner requesting help.

Quest:

Necromancer’s Minion

Difficulty: 

Medium

Description:

A necromancer summons you to guard his lair from trespassers and thieves. Protect his treasure at all costs.

Taking any of the treasure will result in failure.

"Hmm… another necromancer.”

He muttered, scratching his steel head with his gauntlet in a very human-like gesture.

"Why can’t I take any of the necromancer’s treasure? What else do we have?"

It did not sound like a bad quest, but it also did not sound particularly interesting. He would probably be stuck in a vault or underground chamber for who knew how long. The lack of exploration or active challenge made the entire thing feel dull. 

Quest:

Punish The Explorers

Difficulty: 

Hard

Description:

A group of unworthy explorers has entered an ancient temple. Kill them all to appease the vengeful spirits.

Now this one sounded more exciting. It also seemed far more dangerous. Being summoned into an ancient temple to face off against a group of well-equipped adventurers would not be easy. These explorers were likely seasoned fighters and might even be part of a guild. Taking them on alone would be a real challenge.

Quest:

Serve The Dungeon

Difficulty: 

Easy

Description:

A Dungeon Heart needs you to protect its dungeon. Join other monsters and repel the invading adventurers. 

He stared at the screen in silence. Without a word, he turned away from the last quest. The idea of being a servant to another Dungeon Heart was unacceptable. He had already escaped that fate once. He would never go back to being just another monster guarding a dungeon.

That left only two real choices.

"What do you think?" 

He asked his two guides.

"Let’s just take the hardest one.”

Aburdon replied with a bored tone. 

"It probably has the best rewards."

Alexander, however, offered a different perspective.

"I think you should go help Gwendolin again."

"I should? Why?"

"Let me explain. Do you remember that red bar you saw earlier?"

Rusty nodded. 

"Yes. What about it?"

"It’s a synergy bar. I am almost certain it increases when you continue working with the same summoner. That bond might allow both of you to grow stronger over time. If you keep starting new missions with different summoners, you may waste potential progress. Why not stick with the girl and see what happens?"

Alexander made some sense. If this was how the system worked, then it was probably best to stick with one summoner, at least until he managed to fill the entire synergy bar. If he kept switching between different summoners, he would only waste time and slow his progress.

The other quests were also less appealing. One involved a dungeon he wanted no part of. Another was set in a temple that sounded too restrictive. Even the necromancer’s lair offered little freedom. In contrast, the girl was a student at a magic academy. Her life seemed far more dynamic and flexible. She could move around, interact with others, and encounter a wide range of situations. It was certainly more interesting than guarding treasure or haunting a ruin.

“Let us go with Gwendolin again.”

After a brief moment of thought, the decision was made. The next thing to consider was which body to use. Last time, he had chosen his larger form. That had made sense in an open arena where a one-on-one fight called for strength and durability. This time, the situation was different. He would be entering a mystical forest. The larger and slower form might become a liability in such an environment.

It was probably better to go with his all-purpose form, the one that offered a balanced approach and could handle a variety of situations effectively.

‘Mystwood Academy Exam’ quest has been picked, please stand in the summoning circle to continue. The user’s status will be concealed during the summoning. Some of the user’s abilities will be locked. Raise the synergy with the summoner to remove these restrictions.

“Oh?”

This seemed like the right decision. Even if the benefits did not appear immediately, increasing the synergy might eventually unlock his full capabilities. There was even a chance he could switch between his different loadouts during missions…