Rye stared at the skeleton lingering in the corner, its empty eye sockets gleaming faintly in the room's light.
"Is the skeleton with me until it gets destroyed or something?" he asked, tilting his head as he studied it.
{No, you can unsummon it by saying Unsummon Undead.}
"I just noticed that… You are peculiarly responsive today, or is it just me?" Rye muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
{You never asked me personally a question before.}
That was true. Rye paused, eyes narrowing slightly. He had never spoken to the system directly. Everything so far had been questions muttered to himself.
"Why didn't you bother to show up back when I was tinkering with the panel?" he asked, gesturing vaguely toward his desk.
{Like I said. You never called for me personally after mentioning [System]. You only looked at it and never spoke with me directly.}
Rye exhaled, shoulders slumping a little. How could I have known you could respond…? He shook his head, the thought leaving him more confused than before.
He straightened, clenching his fist, and muttered firmly, "[Unsummon Undead]."
A viscous green goo began pooling at the skeleton's feet. Slowly, it coiled around the bones, absorbing the figure until it sank through the floor. A few seconds later, both skeleton and slime vanished completely.
Glop...
Rye grimaced, stepping back slightly. Still disgusting…
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "You said I can obtain the skills my summon has… How did they acquire them in the first place? They have rarity, right?"
{That is correct. The undead you summon does not always summon a skeleton.}
"So… what are the possible undeads I could have summoned?" he pressed, leaning forward.
The system remained silent for a moment.
{…}
Rye frowned. Either it didn't know or it simply couldn't say.
"So you don't know everything about my skills, huh." He chuckled softly, running a hand over his face.
{I cannot say.}
"Right." He nodded, accepting the answer. "How can I learn the skills my summons have?"
{You must meet the requirement for the skill. Not meeting the requirements will not automatically grant it. If you far exceed the summon's stats and power, you will be able to obtain the [Skill] they have automatically.}
Rye tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Does that mean I just have to get stronger?"
{Getting stronger alone does not grant the skill. You must meet the required skill to wield the power.}
I see now, he thought, finally understanding.
He hesitated, then glanced toward the empty spot where the skeleton had been. "Can I ask the skeleton to train me then?"
{…That is correct.}
Rye rubbed his temples. "If the skeleton is able to teach me swordsmanship, that would greatly help me. And I don't really think I can learn any skill in one day..."
He took a breath and raised his hand.
"Summon undead."
Green goo seeped up from the floor, bubbling as the familiar skeletal frame began to emerge. Its bones assembled themselves with quiet clicks, and the crude clothing Rye had put together clung to it just as before.
"Is there any way this process can speed up?" he asked, watching the last pieces form.
{By leveling up your summoning skills.}
"Oh… right." He sighed. "Skills do have levels…"
The skeleton finished rising, standing still and perfectly obedient. Rye stared at it, thinking.
Fireball wasn't that useful… If I'm going to survive the next test, learning basic swordsmanship would help me a lot.
But then reality struck him.
My strength... Kinda sucks…
He cleared his throat. "Hey, skeleton. Teach me how to wield a sword."
The skeleton slowly nodded, its jaw shifting with the motion.
They were still in the middle of the city, and the tower wasn't too far away.
Where am I supposed to train here?
As his thoughts turned, an idea clicked. He straightened.
Of course. I saw a training facility near the tower earlier.
Another thought followed right after.
I can't keep calling it 'skeleton.' It feels… wrong.
"Hey, system," he asked. "Can I name him?"
{Yes. You can name your summons, as they are summoned without a name.}
"Alright then…" Rye lifted his chin with confidence he absolutely did not have.
"I name you… Skell."
A long pause.
{…}
The silence felt judgmental. Rye could almost feel the system's disappointment hanging in the air. He looked away, embarrassed.
"…Don't judge me," he muttered.
Ding!
[Name: Skell]
[Class: Swordsman]
[Skills: Strong Slash Lv.1, Ranged Slash Lv.1]
[Traits: None]
[Magic Power: 10]
[Strength: 50]
The named updated the skeletons information panel, as rye looked at it in awe
Rye exhaled. "Alright, Skell. First… let's get you a proper set of clothing. I don't want people looking at my way for having a skeleton following me around."
He walked to his closet, digging through folded clothes until he found something thick enough to mask every bone. After a bit of struggling, he managed to wrap the skeleton in a layered, tightly-fit outfit that hid everything except the vague shape of its frame.
That should do it. Tight enough that even quick movements won't tear it off.
"Follow behind me, Skell."
The skeleton nodded obediently.
---
They arrived at the tower. Skell trailed quietly behind Rye, its face hidden beneath the hooded cloth.
Inside the building, a counter greeted them. Rye approached while glancing around.
The place wasn't large, but neither was it cramped. What stood out were the details.., paintings along the walls, pots of greenery scattered like someone tried very hard to make it feel welcoming.
"Uh, hello. This is the training facility, right?" Rye asked.
"Uh huh…"
"Yeah, I'd like to train with my pal here. Skell."
He stepped aside, revealing the skeleton.
Skell raised a hand and gave the man a small wave.
"Yeah, I hear ya." The man finally lifted his gaze. "Just sign up here. Write your name and your pal's name, then you're good to go."
He pushed forward a logbook and a pen.
"Oh..! sure thing." Rye scribbled his name, then Skell's, and handed the book back.
"Head down that hallway. The one marked 'Training Grounds.'" The man pointed his thumb lazily over his shoulder.
"Yeah… thanks." Rye muttered, heading toward the hallway with Skell following.
He let out a small sigh. He's pretty rude for an receptionist… nothing like the people at the registration building.
The hallway opened into a massive chamber so wide and long that it looked like it stretched farther than the building would ever allow. The ceiling rose high above them, but instead of an open sky, there were towering walls climbing further and further upward.
Rye stared.
Is this one of those spatial expansion things the instructor mentioned? It looks the same… just not outdoors.