"How does this work?" Luke racked his mind as he studied the blank card. Prolonged staring at it seemed to absorb the mind as a suction of black mist would appear on the surface of the card.
The Blood Summoner keenly observed the youth. With an agitated voice, he said, "What's the matter? You don't even know how to summon?"
'Summon?' Luke repeated in his mind. He suddenly had an idea as he forced his will into the card and an image appeared along with a description.
[Apreza, Knight (Level 10)]
This was the result of his 24 hours grind. Although, he had reached the requirements to upgrade his class to an Apprentice Hero Summoner, he still doesn't have enough Soul Essence. As such, his hero was stuck at level 10.
'Apreza appeared on the card? What's next?' Luke was still dubious as his eyes darted around in confusion.
"Finish this idiot, Crill!" Having seen enough, the Blood Summoner waved a hand as the orange creature began to march forward.
Luke panicked and shouted, "I summon Apreza!"
The card escaped his grasp and floated. It shattered into countless dots of light, before forming a magic circle. Just then, a female undead knight rose up from the circle, holding a lance and a shield. A rusty helmet covered her face and a loose chainmail protected her body.
"What's this?" The Blood Summoner shook in laughter before smiling from ear to ear, "You actually know how to summon! This is what I came for!"
With a command, the creature, Crill, moved forward and clashed with the knight. It was evident that it was much stronger as the knight was forcefully pushed backward with every strike she received.
Luke was still in disbelief that he was able to summon his hero in the real world. Usually, he would have cheered loudly but his eyes were still in a trance when Apreza received a grazing slash on the neck. The orange creature, Crill, can extend its limbs and neck like rubber.
Just as Luke recovered from his shock, he finally noticed the new notifications on his holographic visor.
[Warning! Shadow Game initiated in the material world!]
[User has no knowledge of magic!]
[Shadow Chip will now act as a catalyst for magic, interpreting the User's will!]
These notifications were also shown on Reyn's visor. Even though his body was immobilized, like his flesh and bones were turned to stone, his head was still functioning. However, he received more notifications than Luke.
[Spirits are still shackled to the tower!]
[Spirits are too powerful compared to the the User's Summoner Rank!]
[Spirits can only be summoned for 5 seconds. Another 5 minutes to summon them again.]
[User's rank is Apprentice Spirit Summoner. Three Void Cards are awarded.]
[Void Card's cooldown depends on the spell or summoned's cooldown!]
'Crap!' Reyn was able to move a finger. Apparently, he can feel that the spell he was under is fading. His eyes darted to the fight before him. He can see the summoned units battling each other depended mostly on their attributes. His swordsmen only needed a fraction of time in an engagement, and they would immediately deliver a killing blow. If only he could summon them.
Luke felt like he was in a pinch. He thought of Apreza discarding her lance and switching to her short sword so she can fight better at close range. But her skills depended mostly on her lance. He had focused on upgrading the 'Lance Charge' and 'Shield Charge' that when cast together, Apreza could bulldoze her way through a sea of monsters. However, when it came to a boss or a strong individual that can match her strength, they could stop her charge and she'd become defenseless like a rider, deprived of her mobility.
'What should I do?' Luke gritted his teeth and watched helplessly as his summoned unit suffered more wounds.
The Blood Summoner sneered as he enjoyed the beating his summoned was inflicting to its opponent. He couldn't help but revel early at the spoils. In a Shadow Duel, when a summoner is killed, the winner will take all of the Spirit Shards, Soul Essences and even the Shadow Quintessences from the loser.
"Crill! Stop messing around and kill them all!" He screamed in excitement. In truth is, he was not accustomed to the Shadow Game. Only when a Shadow Duelist adopted and raised by the Verdant Mages decided to make a journey to this continent. The way the Shadow Duelist described the Shadow Game exhilarated him to the core. Thus, he joined his little band.
The Blood Summoner glanced at the direction of the youth. Seeing the helplessness on the teen's face, he grinned from ear to ear. He was the superior summoner.
"Apreza..." Luke had already made a decision to make his hero switch to her short sword when the corner of his eyes caught sight of Reyn staring at him. Even though his friend's head was covered entirely, it was obvious because his face was completely turned toward his direction.
"Enter the Shadow Realm!" Reyn managed to shout and vanished.
Luke's eye widened as he instantly realized what his friend was trying to tell him. He dispelled Apreza and hastily shouted the same words.
When the two teenagers disappeared without a trace, the blood summoner's eyes were in complete confusion. He recalled what he heard from Julius about the Shadow Game manifesting into something else in order to train the new generation of Shadow Duelists. Although the Shadow Game can be initiated by anyone, this new manifestation can only be accessed solely by Shadow Duelists.
From what he understood, the two teenagers had gone to a place where he cannot follow. He stomped the ground hard, exhaling a steam of air through gritted teeth. After a careful consideration, he turned around, dispelling his summoned unit. Julius might know a way to prevent his fellow Shadow Duelists from escaping to the Shadow game.
-----
Reyn was back in the tower. He felt his body was functioning properly and it was safe to assume that the Blood Summer's spell has worn out. However, he felt an urge to log back out to see if his friend had also escaped.
Considering the distance between Luke and the Blood Summoner's summoned unit, there was no way his friend wasn't able to utter the words or will himself to enter the game. The only downside of escaping to The Shadow Game is that they will reappear on the place where they logged in. Meaning, the Blood Summoner could just wait at the exact place until they decided to log out.
It was better that they wait until tomorrow where the streets became busy and flooded with people. This way, the Blood Summoner would think twice of assaulting them under the eyes of normal folks. If only he had a way to contact his friend.
Unbeknownst to him, the Blood Summoner did not knew this and already left the scene.
Reyn's mind was in disarray. With the things he saw, it felt like he was plunged into another world. The only difference was that he was still in the same place. The world he grew up was totally different from what he knew. Ultimately, he shook his head and suppressed his thoughts. Overthinking things without the proper knowledge would get him nowhere.
At the moment, he needed to focus on what's in front of him. If these Shadow Duels cannot be avoided, he needed to be prepared to face it. He remembered the notifications earlier. They had to be the basis of his current goals. Rank up his class and clear the tower. With that, there would be nothing holding him back when he is once again confronted by the Blood Summoner.
Reyn only wished that he had his backpack. It contained supplies that even if he stayed inside the tower for a period of time, he would last a week.
A sigh left him as he glanced around the place. He saw the molten floor where the succubus disappeared a while ago and spotted the card she left. If he recalled it correctly, she said it was a spell. Curiously, he walk in haste and picked it up, feeling a tingling sensation in his head as notifications appeared on his vision.
[Possession Spell acquired!]
The system displayed many descriptions but there was one that stood out the most for Reyn.
[Enables the caster to acquire all the abilities of spiritual bodies within their sphere of influence!]
Countless scenarios appeared in Reyn's mind as all the possibilities hit him. With this spell, he could become invincible. But there was one thing that bothered him. How does he cast a spell?
[In order to activate the Demon Art: Possession, you only needed to utter it in the tongue of the Fiery Depths. You already have the knowledge.]
Reyn's mind was jumbled as he searched for this knowledge inside his head. Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation just like earlier and saw a vision of letters written in fire. His lips slowly parted as he whispered strange words.