Another prompt pulled me back to reality as I stepped out of the Guild Hall. The cold air sharpened my senses.
—
[Yes] or [No]
—
Flag Bearers.
…What were they?
—
I selected [Yes].
—
I waited.
Calm.
—
A rune formation unfolded beside me.
Not quite a portal—more structured. Precise.
Light gathered, then parted.
—
A figure stepped through.
Short.
Barely a meter tall.
—
He carried a large flag.
Blank.
Yet its edges were intricately engraved.
—
The figure itself—
A boy.
Or something close to one.
A hybrid. Dwarf and elf.
Sharp ears. Refined features.
Impeccable white attire.
Glasses rested on his face, thin chains clipped to the frame.
Shoes with small wing-like extensions.
—
He stood still.
Composed.
—
——————————————————————
King of Strategists (Squad Commander)Mentor, Guide, Reconnaissance of the Total Order
Name: Austin
Current Tier: Unclassified (scales with the Prince's magic)
Description:
A deployer. A strategist. A reformer of order.
A hybrid of Primordial Blood and Eldritch Elves.
Designed for mobilization, guidance, and battlefield control.
Role: (Support Unit)
——————————————————————
The boy looked at me.
"An honor to meet you, my Prince. And contrary to what you might think—I am not a boy. I am over two thousand years old. My form simply reflects my lineage."
A brief pause.
"My name is Austin. Leader of the Flagbearer Squad."
—
"...I see."
I studied him for a moment.
"What exactly do you do?"
A slight pause.
"And why do I have a second summon?"
—
Austin tilted his head slightly.
"You doubt my ability."
His eyes began to glow—golden, steady.
"Then allow me to demonstrate."
—
He reached toward the mission prompt.
Tapped it.
—
Then paused.
As if sensing something.
—
"Path."
A quiet murmur.
"Wait here, my Prince."
—
He vanished.
—
A golden trail remained where he stood—stretching upward into the sky.[1]
Clean.
Precise.
Like a path drawn through the air itself.
It faded.
***
Meanwhile—
Austin moved.
He cut through the sky at high speed, a streak of gold against the dark.
Then—
He stopped.
Mid-air.
—
Below—
A bone hyena lunged.
Its jaws opened, aiming for the head of a young girl frozen in fear.
—
Austin dropped.
Fast.
—
Whack—
He landed between them.
—
His eyes glowed gold.
Bright.
Steady.
For a moment, he seemed almost radiant—calm energy spreading outward, pressing against the chaos.
—
He raised the flag.
Then drove its pole into the ground.
—
It pulsed.
—
Ripples spread across the earth.
A runic formation unfolded beneath him.
—
Darkness seeped through.
—
Null stepped out.
Daggers in hand.
Pulsing with shadow.
Silent.
Null's presence sank.
Gone.
Then—
He resurfaced behind the creature.
Chains lashed out, wrapping around the bone hyena's neck.
He stepped onto its back.
—
Crack—
Plop.
—
The creature's skull snapped free.
The green flame in its eyes flickered—
Then died.
—
—
Swoosh—
A golden runic portal formed in front of me.
I stepped through.
—
The world shifted.
—
A village.
Chaos.
Undead creatures roamed the streets.
Children and a few adults hid inside their homes—doors shut, windows barred.
—
I exhaled.
A faint smirk formed.
—
[Totality—Combat Aspect I]
—
Claws extended from my fingertips.
My feet shifted—bones reforming into hooves.
Not a full transformation.
Enough.
—
I moved.
—
I leaped at the nearest creature.
Aimed for the head—
—
Then stopped.
—
This wasn't random.
—
There had to be a summoner.
—
"Austin."
A golden flash—
Austin appeared beside me.
"Yes, my Prince?"
—
"Find the summoner."
—
He tilted his head slightly.
"The source…"
—
Then he vanished.
—
A moment passed.
—
He returned just as quickly.
His expression—tight.
Eyes glowing, but… unsettled.
—
"What is it?" I asked.
—
He exhaled.
"…The summoner."
A pause.
"It just evolved."
—
My gaze sharpened.
—
"Tier 3.0."
—
"…I see."
—
That explained it.
The creatures were changing.
More coordinated.
Some now bore brass-colored bones instead of white.
—
"Take me to it."
—
"Yes, my Prince."
—
Austin moved closer.
He reached out—placing a hand lightly against my head.
—
The world warped.
—
Space folded.
—
Then—
We reappeared.
—
A few meters ahead—
It stood.
—
A skeletal figure.
Tall.
Still.
A staff gripped in its hand.
Its bones—
Gold.
—
A hood draped over its head.
From within—
Venomous green flames burned in its eyes.
For a moment—
I felt it.
Fear.
—
No—
Not fear.
—
Horror.
—
The thing's bones rattled constantly, grinding against each other as it stared at me.
Then—
It raised its staff.
And struck the ground.
—
A pulse spread outward.
—
All around—
Bone creatures surged forward.
Fusing.
Twisting.
—
Becoming one.
—
A massive bone lizard took form.
Its presence heavy.
Oppressive.
—
Tier 3.0.
—
"Null. Get here. Now."
—
My breathing turned uneven.
—
The necromantic skeleton mounted the creature—silent, watching.
—
Null emerged from my shadow.
"My prince."
His voice—deep. Mechanical.
"Grant me permission to take half of your magic reserves."
A pause.
"…Unless you intend to die."
—
I didn't hesitate.
"Do it."
A breath.
"Remove it."
—
No one chooses death.
—
Magic surged through me.
Then drained.
Pulled away—absorbed.
—
Null changed.
—
His form expanded.
Darkness deepened.
Armor, cloak, helmet—
Black.
Absolute.
—
Tier 3.0.
—
The sky dimmed.
The air grew heavy.
—
Then—
He vanished.
—
A ripple in the shadows—
—
He reappeared behind the necromancer.
—
His fist struck.
—
Crack—
—
Bone shattered.
—
Gone again.
—
Reappearing—
Closer.
Faster.
—
His hands moved.
—
Dark chains erupted from the ground—
Metallic.
Violent.
—
They wrapped around the bone lizard.
—
The bone lizard thrashed violently—straining against the chains.
It found no escape.
—
Null didn't allow it.
—
He moved.
Leaping toward the necromancer—daggers drawn.
—
Then—
The necromancer reacted.
Its staff rose.
—
Magic converged.
Sickly green.
—
A translucent beam shot forward.
—
It struck Null.
—
Clean.
Direct.
—
Passing straight through him.
Through our bond, I felt it—
Null's pain.
—
His body dropped.
Falling.
—
The beam didn't stop.
It continued forward—snaking through the air, unstable, searching.
—
Then—
A flash of gold.
—
Austin.
—
He moved in front of me.
The flag rose.
—
A single motion—
—
The beam struck.
—
And split.
Deflected away.
—
I still had control over the chains.
Even now.
—
Magic flowed from me—feeding Null.
Draining.
—
…Enough.
—
I raised my hand.
Clenched my fist.
—
The chains responded.
—
They tightened.
Shifted.
Obeyed.
—
Faster.
Stronger.
Binding the lizard completely.
—
Bone cracked.
Again.
Again.
—
It struggled.
Violently.
Pointless.
—
This ends now.
—
I inhaled sharply.
—
[Devour]
—
The creature convulsed.
Its body resisted—
Then failed.
—
Magic poured into me.
Essence followed.
Raw.
Unstable.
—
Heat surged through my limbs.
Burning.
My mind sharpened—adrenaline cutting through everything else.
—
The lizard collapsed inward.
Consumed.
—
Gone.
—
I didn't stop.
—
[Bestialification II]
[1] Like example: DC’s Flash when he dashes and there are trails of lightening.