Instantly, the Fire Spirits burst into motion, surging forward like living fireballs. They aimed directly for the enemy beasts.
The White Tiger roared and charged ahead, claws flashing.
The Fiery Lion spewed a wave of flame, crashing into the oncoming spirits.
The Iron Fang Hawk soared upward, dodging and slicing with wind-laced talons.
The next moment, chaos erupted.
Some of the Fire Spirits exploded upon impact. Others circled, distracting, harassing, sacrificing themselves to keep the beasts busy.
Igaris knew they weren't truly dead. With some emergy they could revived and brought back.
So he wasn't worried.
"He's using them like pawns..." muttered the bob-cut man. "But why? What's he planning?"
They got their answer moments later.
As the Fiery Lion locked jaws with a Fire Spirit, Igaris appeared behind it, silent and fast. His hand, glowing with Platinum energy, slammed into the beast's side.
A wave of resistance pulsed, but it was too late.
The lion's roar choked off. Its body shuddered, glowing violently, then vanished.
[ Acquisition Successful ]
A shockwave pulsed outward. And the other two summoners froze.
"H-He took it—he actually took our beast!"
"But, how is this possible?"
Even the crowd seemed to have gone mad.
Owen's mouth hung open in disbelief. He glanced at his magical beasts, afraid it might get into Igaris clutches as well.
The long-haired man rushed forward, spear in hand. The White Tiger followed with a snarl.
But Igaris didn't wait. He dashed low, evading the spear, then slid behind the tiger, his hand striking the beast's flank.
This time, the resistance was stronger, the Tiger roaring in agony.
A deep cut opened on Igaris's arm from a nearby strike, but he endured.
The Platinum light burst again.
[ Acquisition Successful ]
Igaris stumbled slightly, blood trailing down his side, but he gritted his teeth. The wound would be healed soom.
The pain was real, but the gains were greater.
"You bastard! Give them back!"
"You brought this on yourself," Igaris said coldly.
The last summoner—the one with the Iron Fang Hawk—backed away, face pale.
"Don't come any closer! I'll kill you—"
He screamed as a Fire Spirit exploded near his feet. The distraction gave Igaris the opening he needed. In a flash, he leapt upward, propelled by another Fire Spirit like a springboard.
The Hawk flapped hard, trying to escape, but it was too late.
Midair, Igaris's hand struck.
The Hawk screeched one final time, then faded.
All three enemy beasts were now his.
The trio stood frozen, stunned. Their faces were pale, sweat trickling down.
"You... You're a monster..."
The bob-cut man dropped his weapon. The long-haired one stumbled back, kneeling in defeat.
Around them, the crowd murmured in disbelief. No one moved. The silence was thick with fear and awe.
Three powerful summoners, beaten by a single boy.
And now, behind Igaris, not just the Fire Spirits stood, but also the newly claimed White Tiger, Fiery Lion, and Iron Fang Hawk.
They glared at their former masters with cold, indifferent eyes.
Their bonds were somehow broken.
"Please... don't kill us," one of them begged.
Igaris didn't respond right away. He turned his gaze to the remaining Fire Spirits—only nine of the original twenty still burned.
Some of them whimpered, flickering weakly. But they had served their purpose.
"I don't kill unless I have to," Igaris finally said. "But I won't show mercy if you threaten me again."
The trio nodded furiously, faces drained of color.
With a flick of his wrist, Igaris turned away. The Griffin landed beside him, puffing proudly, its chest high after watching the one-sided war.
"Does anyone else have a problem with me?" Igaris asked while his broken blade was raised.
The spectators quickly shook their heads, some stepping back.
No one dared to meet his eyes.
With a flick of his wrist, he lowered the blade, turning his back on the crowd without fear. Around him, the Griffin, the White Tiger, and his newly acquired beasts stood as silent sentinels. The Fire Spirits hovered and flickered like tiny embers, returning to his side.
Igaris turned his focus back to gathering the remaining Fire Spirits. Many had fled during the chaos, but a few lingered, drawn to his power. One by one, he reached for them with the Acquisition glow wrapped around his fingers, sending them to the safe confines of his inner space.
Inside the Acquisition Space, Evernight watched from her throne-like chair of twisted roots and light.
"My Liege, you shouldn't rely on me like that," her voice came, soft but chiding. "And not certainly reveal your abilities so openly."
"Oh, you started to care about me?" Igaris asked, chuckling.
Igaris heard her clearly despite the distance. The link between them was strong, sharper after every summoning.
He sighed. "What else could I have done? If I had summoned you, I'm sure the situation would've escalated fast. You're a walking apocalypse, Evernight."
She smiled faintly at the compliment, but her tone remained serious.
"And yet, by showing this much, you've already placed a target on your back. Your ability, your potential ... To them, you're either a threat or a temptation."
"I know. But it's not like I had any other choice." He glanced around again. "Still, it's not all bad. With my mysterious image and the number of beasts I control, most will stay away. Obstructing me won't be easy."
Evernight didn't look impressed.
"Sigh... You're still young," she said. "You don't know how far people will fall for power. What you've shown today will draw more than just attention. It will draw ambition, envy, greed... and maybe worse. Someone stronger might come for you. And at that time, I might not be able to save you."
Igaris's eyes narrowed.
"You think so too, huh."
He looked out over the Shrine, where dusk began to settle. Faint clouds of smoke still lingered where his Fire Spirits had died.
The crowd had begun to scatter, though many kept glancing back over their shoulders.
"I was planning to leave soon anyway. I got what I came for."
He turned on his heel, heading for the stairway. His new beasts followed in a disciplined formation. They now obeyed only one master.
Evernight's voice returned one last time, whispering like the wind.
"Don't get too comfortable, my liege. You may be building your army... but there are others building theirs too. And some already have strong numbers."
"You mean the Mechas?"