I Got Caught Up In A Hero Summoning, But Everything Seemed Shady, So I Ran
The smell of cheap, moldy velvet and desperation hit Riku Okamari immediately. He stood next to three teenage heroes, his suit jacket wrinkled and feeling completely out of place. The magic circle didn't bother him; it was the poorly organized event that made him uneasy.
The King—a man whose red, bloated face resembled a baked potato left in the microwave too long—watched as the Priest read Riku's status.
[Status: Riku Okamari]
Level: 1
HP: E-Rank
Unique Skill: [Magic Fridge]
A stunned silence filled the Throne Room.
"Magic… Fridge?" The King's voice cracked with disappointment. "Is that truly all? You are unfit for the battlefield!"
"I apologize, Your Majesty," the High Priest stammered, shooting Riku a look of pure hatred. "It seems this man is non-essential collateral."
Riku saw his chance. He stepped forward and bowed low.
"Your Majesty," Riku said clearly, his voice humble but firm. "My skill is entirely useless for war. I would only be a drain on your sacred treasury. If you would kindly grant me a small travel fund—enough for safe travel and two months' meager board—I will leave the capital and find a harmless trade."
The King, relieved to be rid of the problem, practically threw a bag of gold coins at Riku. "Go! Now! And do not speak of this summoning to anyone!"
"As you command," Riku replied, turning his back on the absurdity. Twenty gold coins. Not bad for five minutes of humiliation.
He left the city quickly and sought solitude near a stream. He pulled his cast-iron skillet and a slab of Wagyu A5 ribeye from his [Magic Fridge].
"If I'm going to start a new life," he muttered to himself, "I'm starting it with a decent dinner."
The sound of the beef hitting the hot oil marked his independence. The aroma—beef, garlic, and cracked pepper—was divine.
Then, everything changed.
A violent, chaotic downdraft slammed into Riku, putting out his fire. He looked up just as the SSSS+ Apex Guardian, VORNAG, landed with a force that shook the ground.
The giant wolf ignored Riku, its massive head dropping toward the steak. A deep, resonating voice, like thunder, crashed into Riku's mind.
[The Purity… It is Untainted by this World's Filth. Unthinkable.]
Vornag devoured the entire ribeye in one huge gulp. Its silver eyes, filled with unsettling intelligence, locked onto Riku.
[Human. You will now be my feeder. Your skill is sufficient for my needs. I, VORNAG, enforce this contract upon you.]
Riku stared at the enormous wolf with no fear, only intense annoyance. "Wait, enforce? I didn't agree to that," he protested, retrieving his empty skillet.
[Silence. The contract is absolute. You are obligated.]
Riku threw his hands up in frustration. "Obligated? I was just trying to have dinner! Now I'm stuck catering to a celestial dog who probably eats more than a small army! How am I supposed to afford you?"
A red notification appeared, detailing his doom.
[Daily Quest: Acquire APEX-GRADE Monster Core for Mana-Infused Meal.]
Vornag let out a low, challenging growl.
[Find me the Core of a Mountain Wyvern by tomorrow's dawn, little one. I am hungry. And do not waste my time with that cheap meat from the stagecoach town.]
Riku sighed, his voice flat with defeat. "A Mountain Wyvern. Of course. Just one day into my new life, and I'm already fielding shopping lists for extinction-level events." He looked at Vornag's massive form and shook his head. "Fine. But I'll have to make a spreadsheet just to figure out how to keep you in kibble."