The first time Sid Arakawa realized life wasn't fair, he was six years old and clutching a toy robot his father had smashed in a drunken rage. The second time, he was twenty-one and bleeding out on a freezing Tokyo street, betrayed by the only friend he ever trusted.
"Not like this," he muttered, sirens howling faintly in the distance, the world tilting and dimming around him.
But fate wasn't finished with Sid Arakawa.
When he woke up, it wasn't in a hospital or a blinding white afterlife. He was lying on soft moss, staring up at a sky so blue it hurt his eyes. Twin suns hovered overhead, casting long, warped shadows over dense emerald-green trees. The air smelled like crushed herbs and something electric.
Sid sat up slowly, his heart racing. "Okay… either I died and reincarnated, or someone slipped acid into my ramen."
His clothes were the same ones he died in—bloodied hoodie, torn jeans—but weirdly clean, like they'd been laundered by angels. No pain, no stab wound. Just… fine.
"What the actual hell?"
Ding!
A glowing screen popped up in front of him.
> [Welcome, Summoner Candidate Sid Arakawa.]
[You have been chosen by the Astral Gate.]
[Initializing System: World of Valheria - Class: Summoner]
[Scanning soul… Complete.]
[Assigning Traits… Complete.]
Sid blinked. "Oh, great. I got isekai'd."
Another panel followed, hovering gently in front of him like a hologram.
---
Name: Sid Arakawa
Class: Summoner
Level: 1
Title: The Weirdest Summoner
Traits:
[Unstable Link]: Your summoned creatures may inherit strange or unpredictable traits.
[Soulbound Misfit]: You attract the most unusual summons from across the multiverse.
[Second Chance]: Upon death, your body may respawn once per month at a random safe location.
Skills:
[Summon Familiar I]
[Astral Bond I]
[Inspect Creature]
---
Sid stared at it. "Weirdest Summoner? Are you serious right now?"
Another ping announced a new screen.
> [Tutorial Quest: Summon Your First Familiar]
Objective: Use [Summon Familiar I] to summon your first creature.
Reward: 100 EXP, Starter Gear Pack
Failure: None
"Well, no pressure," Sid muttered. "Let's get this over with."
He took a breath, raised his hand, and chanted the first command of his second life.
"Summon Familiar I!"
The ground in front of him shimmered with light. A glowing magic circle appeared, pulsing with ancient symbols and raw energy. Wind kicked up leaves around him as a piercing sound rang through the forest.
The circle exploded in a burst of white light. Sid raised an arm to shield his eyes—and when the light faded, he squinted at the thing standing in the middle.
It was… weird.
About the size of a pug, the creature had short, stubby legs like a baby dragon, but its face was unmistakably that of a wrinkly, annoyed old man. Its skin was pink and hairless. Two tiny, leathery wings folded on its back, and it blinked up at Sid like he'd personally ruined its retirement.
Sid gaped. "No way."
The thing sneezed, puffing out a tiny cloud of glittery smoke.
"Name me, summoner," it rasped, voice wheezy and slightly British. "Before I vanish into the Void."
"You… you talk?"
"I can do more than that," it grumbled. "Name me before my essence destabilizes."
Sid scratched his head. "Okay. Uh… you look like a Bob."
The creature looked offended. "Seriously?"
Sid shrugged. "Fine. Sir Bob of Weirdlandia."
"…Bob is acceptable."
> [Familiar Named: Bob]
[Familiar Bond Established]
[Trait Activated: Soulbound Misfit]
[Bob has inherited a random passive: 'Reality Warp I']
[WARNING: Effect is unpredictable.]
Sid blinked. "Reality Warp? That sounds dangerous."
"It is," Bob sniffed. "And apparently, we're both cursed with bad luck."
Another screen popped up.
> [Tutorial Quest Complete]
Reward Acquired: 100 EXP
You have leveled up!
New Skill Unlocked: [Weird Fusion I]
Sid stared at the new ability. "Weird Fusion? That doesn't sound comforting."
Bob waddled over and perched on a rock. "Welcome to Valheria, kid. You just summoned a sentient failure with a random reality-warping effect. This is your life now."
"Thanks, that's so reassuring."
"Anytime."
They started walking through the woods. The trees were tall and ancient, and eerie animal cries echoed in the distance. Sid glanced around nervously. "So, where are we exactly?"
"The lower forests of Ryn Varis," Bob replied, flapping his wings. "Dangerous. Wild. Mostly uncharted. Oh, and summoners like you are hated by the local kingdoms. Just a heads-up."
Sid stopped walking. "Why?"
"Blamed for a war fifty years ago. Long story. We'll probably be hunted eventually."
Sid groaned. "Awesome. So I'm weird and illegal."
A rustle in the bushes made him freeze. Bob's eyes narrowed.
A massive boar emerged from the underbrush, black as night with crimson eyes and tusks the size of daggers.
> [Beast Identified: Feral Shadow Boar - Level 5]
Sid's jaw dropped. "I'm level one! That thing's a death sentence!"
The boar charged.
"Bob, do something!"
Bob grinned. "Reality Warp!"
A ripple of distorted light shot out from the creature. It hit the boar mid-charge—and instantly, the beast shimmered and transformed.
Into a three-legged jellyfish with feathers.
Sid blinked. "What the hell did you do?!"
"I warped its form. Unpredictably."
The jellyfish squawked and flopped harmlessly onto its side.
> [You have defeated: Feral Shadow Boar (??)]
[EXP gained: 180]
[Loot Acquired: Shadow Tusk, Mystery Spore, 3 Gold]
Sid panted, heart racing. "Okay… you're not totally useless."
Bob bowed dramatically. "You honor me, summoner."
Sid wiped sweat from his brow. "This is gonna be a weird ride."
Bob smirked. "Kid, you've got no idea."
As they walked into the forest's shadows, Sid glanced up at the sky again. He'd died alone and broken in his old life.
But here?
Here, he might just become something more—something strange, unpredictable, and powerful.
The Weirdest Summoner.
Sid trudged forward, Bob bouncing along beside him with tiny, flapping wings and the slow dignity of someone used to being confused for a sock puppet.
"So," Sid said, stepping over a root, "we just defeated a killer demon-boar with glitter and jellyfish magic. I guess that's normal for this place?"
"Normal is relative," Bob replied, brushing a leaf off his bald pink scalp. "This forest is considered 'low-threat' by adventurer standards. The real nightmares live in the Dead Expanse. Or the Fogged Hollows. Or anywhere with a name that sounds like a metal album."
"Great," Sid muttered. "So how does a newbie summoner survive in a place where the squirrels probably have swords?"
"You don't," Bob said cheerfully. "Unless you find shelter, allies, and better pants. Seriously, you look like you robbed a high school dropout."
Sid looked down at his blood-stained hoodie and jeans. "Okay, fair. Let's get to the nearest town. If I'm gonna survive here, I need info. Food. A bath. And possibly therapy."
"Agreed," Bob said, waddling forward. "There's a village nearby—Eldenroot. Half a day's walk northwest. They tolerate weird folks. Mostly."
"And they don't hate summoners?"
"Let's call it 'mild distrust with occasional torch-wielding mobs.' You'll be fine."
"Comforting," Sid muttered.
They pushed through brambles and tall grass, following a barely visible trail. As they moved, Sid opened his status screen again.
---
Name: Sid Arakawa
Class: Summoner
Level: 2
Health: 135/135
Mana: 200/200
Title: The Weirdest Summoner
Traits:
[Unstable Link]
[Soulbound Misfit]
[Second Chance]
Skills:
[Summon Familiar I]
[Astral Bond I]
[Inspect Creature]
[Weird Fusion I] (NEW)
---
Curious, he tapped on [Weird Fusion I] for more details.
> [Weird Fusion I] – Temporarily fuses two summoned entities into one unpredictable creature.
Fusion Duration: 30 seconds
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Side Effects: May cause side effects ranging from hilarious to catastrophic.
He blinked. "Who the hell designed this system? A drunk goblin?"
"Actually, yes," Bob said. "The first summoning codex was written by a goblin scholar named Yiblik. Very progressive for his time. Also completely insane."
As they rounded a bend, Sid's stomach growled. Loudly.
Bob's ears twitched. "Hungry?"
"Starving."
Bob flapped into the air and landed on Sid's shoulder. "You're in luck. I detect mana traces nearby—possibly wild fruit or edible fauna. Or a mana slug. Very chewy."
They veered off the trail and found a glowing bush covered in shimmering purple berries.
Sid raised an eyebrow. "That looks poisonous."
Bob squinted. "Let me analyze…"
> [Inspect Plant: Starflare Berries]
Edible. Tastes like blueberries mixed with static electricity.
Slightly boosts mana regeneration for one hour.
May cause mild hallucinations.
Sid shrugged and picked a handful. "Could be worse."
He chewed, eyes widening as flavors popped in his mouth like firecrackers. "These are amazing!"
"Glad you like them," Bob said. "The hallucinations usually involve singing cats. Nothing too alarming."
They continued eating and resting near the bush, until a new sound cut through the peaceful forest—a distant scream.
Sid shot to his feet. "That was human."
Bob grunted. "Or an elf with lung problems."
Another scream, closer now. Definitely human. And terrified.
Without thinking, Sid ran toward it.
"Are we really doing the hero thing?" Bob asked, clinging to Sid's shoulder.
"I just got a second chance at life," Sid said. "I'm not letting someone die while I stand around eating magic berries."
They burst through a thicket and onto a small clearing—where two armored bandits surrounded a girl in tattered robes. She was holding a wooden staff, breathing hard, backed up against a tree.
> [Target Identified: Human Mage Apprentice - Level 3]
[Threats Identified: Bandits - Level 4 & Level 5]
Sid didn't wait.
"Bob—Reality Warp!"
The tiny familiar flung a paw forward and unleashed a ripple of warped light. One bandit blinked—and suddenly transformed into a terrified chicken with a helmet.
The other shouted in confusion. "What the hell?!"
Sid raised his hand. "Summon Familiar!"
A new creature emerged from the glowing summoning circle—a giant raccoon made of living vines and glowing eyes.
"…Seriously?" Sid muttered.
> [New Summon: Verdant Thief]
Trait: Steals random items on contact
Weak to fire
Allergic to cheese
"GO!" Sid shouted.
The vine-raccoon lunged at the remaining bandit and tackled him, robbing him of his sword and pants in the same motion.
The girl blinked in surprise. "Who are you?!"
"Sid," he said, panting. "Weirdest summoner in the forest. Are you okay?"
She nodded, rubbing her wrist. "They jumped me when I left Eldenroot. I thought I was dead."
Bob landed beside her. "Technically, that's still possible. But less likely now."
The chicken-bandit squawked and ran into the woods, followed closely by the half-naked other bandit, screaming obscenities.
Sid collapsed onto the grass. "That was… stressful."
The girl dropped her staff and knelt beside him. "You saved my life. Thank you."
"I couldn't just stand there," Sid said.
"I'm Mira," she offered. "Apprentice mage. I was gathering herbs when they attacked."
Bob eyed her warily. "You're not going to report us for unauthorized summoning, are you?"
Mira smiled. "If you keep saving villagers, you'll be a hero before you're an outlaw."
Sid chuckled. "I'll take that."
Mira helped him to his feet. "Come with me to Eldenroot. You need gear. A place to stay. I know someone who might help—a retired summoner. They trains oddballs."
"They !!! What do you mean by that ?" Sid asked congusedly.
"You will know once you reach there" Mira answered.
Bob blinked. "Define 'oddball.'"
"Who trained a guy who could only summon chickens."
"…I like them already," Sid said.
They began walking back toward the trail. The forest didn't seem as dangerous now—not with a sentient gremlin, a vine-raccoon, and a mage apprentice by his side.
Sid glanced up at the sky again. Somewhere, beyond those twin suns, his old world was still spinning. But it didn't matter.
He had a new life now.
Not a hero. Not yet.
But maybe—just maybe—the weirdest summoner in Valheria was exactly what this broken world needed.