7. Aria
Deletion. He would not let it happen.
'Duran there's something wrong with Aria, is there any way I can save her?'
"Remember how I said she was stripped of her physical body." He stood up from the hot spring.
'Yes.'
He left the hot spring and grabbed a robe.
"You can use your spirit energy to construct it again for her through a summoning ritual."
His eyes grew colder.
"But. You might die in the process." He exhaled. "Are you willing to risk your life for her?" he asked with a disturbed tone.
He turned around, gripping his shoulder.
'Is that supposed to be a question? I would do the same thing if it were you.'
He looked at him intensely, his eyes filled with conviction.
'I will not abandon a comrade and most of all she's my friend.'
"You never fail to amuse me." He inhaled deeply. "Very well let's go save our friend. If she's not around who will I argue with?" he laughed.
[Bond level with Duran has increased by 2!]
They left the hot spring and hurriedly entered the central hall immediately.
He removed both of his S rank catalysts from his storage.
'I don't know how she looks like tho.'
[15...25]
"You are already connected with her through your ability. Use that connection to reach out to her." He tapped him on the shoulder. "And I'm sure she will respond." He took a step back.
'Summoning ritual——'
He exhaled deeply, closing his eyes.
'Aria!'
He shouted loudly.
He had to focus. Listen deeply for her voice.
[30..35]
Nothing happened. It was blank— pitch black darkness. An unsettling cold surrounded his body.
[40...45...50...55]
He was channeling all his spirit energy. It only got colder.
[60..65..70..75]
Drip! Drip!
Blood began to drop from his nose.
He would not give up. He would not stop. No matter what, he would save her.
He would push his body beyond its limit.
[80..85..90...95]
Still nothing.
[96..97..98..99]
"Aria! Don't you wanna hit the hot spring? I thought you said you were going to pummel me. Don't tell me you have given up already!" Duran exclaimed with a saddened tone.
'Aria! Aria. Are you really going to let it end like this!'
He inhaled deeply.
'That's just super pathetic.'
[99.7..99.8..99.9...]
"Like hell am I going to give up!" Aria exclaimed loudly.
[Error... error... restarti---- error... Deletion of the legendary assistant personality conti——error]
'Aria! Where are you?'
"I'm right here Revet-san—" her voice distorted.
"I don't want it to end like this. I want to try out the hot spring." The distortion continued.
"Most of all I haven't gotten my revenge on those bastards." Her voice shook.
"Revet-san." Her voice grew fainter.
"Save me----"
A calm warmth filled the air.
He saw a bright orange light as he ran deeper into the darkness, surrounded by eerie dark mucky hands.
It was Aria. He could feel it.
'Get away from my assistant!'
He burned the hands.
'Aria I'm here.'
He grabbed her hand.
"Who are you?" she exclaimed faintly.
"It's Revet-san!" Her voice grew louder.
"I'm here now!"
He embraced her.
'You don't have to worry anymore.'
A burst of orange light emerged, dispelling the darkness.
[Congratulations you have successfully summoned the Transcendent grade entity: Hakenami Aria, the Goddess of Takeoun Eight Trigrams Shrine!]
[Bond level with Aria has increased by 2!]
"So you are the famous Takeoun goddess that disappeared 100 years ago?" Duran asked as he walked closer.
"Don't look, I'm naked, hehe." she replied abruptly.
He realized his chest was pressed against her.
"I can't take this anymore." She vanished.
'Where did she go?'
He stood up.
"Sorry! Guys I'm back!" she exclaimed.
Now that he looked closely, she had a white dragon-like tail and a pair of white horns, white hair flowing down her shoulders and light pink eyes. She had changed into a battle maiden-like outfit.
'Aria do you perhaps have any link with a dragon?'
She scoffed.
"I'm not a mere dragon but a dragonoid. Not just any dragonoid, the goddess of the former strongest shrine sect." She took a deep breath. "Hakenami Aria!" she exclaimed. "I know you are marvelled by my peerless beauty." She smirked.
"If you are so great how come you were stripped of your physical form and reduced to a mere assist?" Duran asked curiously.
"It was a bloody set up." Her tone darkened. "They invited me over for a meeting." She exhaled slightly. "But it was a trap and by the time I noticed, it was already too late." She turned towards Duran. "Duran I'm sure you have heard of the Apollix Seal?"
Duran's eyes widened in shock.
"But—" he stammered. "It was destroyed by Entria— that horrific seal that can strip a god of their INCA for a minute!" he exclaimed.
"A minute was all they needed to erode my physical form away." she added.
'If I may ask who are they?'
"I'm curious too. Who would dare stand against a god no less the goddess of the eight trigrams," he said.
"The Nuxeons— that crazed cult." Her expression darkened.
"They disappeared around the same time as you. This is really suspicious," he said.
"I can't shake off the feeling that they have their hands placed in this summoners' war." She turned towards him.
"This century's summoners' war will be different from the rest," they both said in unison.
'Then, who the hell is in charge of this war, who created it in the first place?'
"It's the EROS," Duran answered abruptly.
"It doesn't have a particular form. It was the first to exist. Some say it was around before The Making," she added.
'The Making?'
"Think of it as the creation of all things and concepts such as time and space," Duran answered.
'What did they even want from you?'
"The eight trigrams of course. It is one of the keys of the Genesis Seal. But they were utterly disappointed when they figured out I hid it away," she said calmly.
'If I had to take a guess it must be really powerful.'
"Powerful is an understatement. It is the only artifact that wasn't forged—" he paused.
"A reset button for The Making," he said with a sharp tone.
"Anybody that gets hold of it can remake everything according to their will," she added.
[20 summoners have been eliminated and domains have been taken over by rank no.1 Berry!]
[All requirements have been met. World feature: Alliance and Domain Expansion has been unlocked!]
[Summoners can now take over the domains of summoners they have killed or insubordinated!]
Bing!
"Hick!!! 20 at a go. What a monster."
"Who knows I might be next."
"An alliance feature?"
"I could build an empire at this rate"
"Keep dreaming!"
"Berry is probably a serial killer. Hehehe."