1 Summoning gone wrong!

Chapter 1: Summoning gone wrong!

Bryce has always been living with an odd feeling within him.

As a child, he found it annoying, so he consciously ignored it, but as he grew up, the feeling heightened and became like a burden. He couldn't put it aside, and it weighed him whenever he was doing something, be it spending time with his friends or just playing video games.

However, in those games filled with blood and gore, Bryce found the burden lighter. Weird, he thought, and he continued searching for an answer within those games, only to get more irritated as time passed.

Having no answer, Bryce researched more of that unusual feeling, which resulted in him casting aside his friends, he became a loner that seemed like an easy target for others. In his first year of middle school, Bryce didn't bother finding friends, and he spent more time thinking about other games and their mechanics, seeming like an outcast who could be easily bullied.

A few of his classmates thought exactly like that, and Bryce also seemed like a kid with wealthy parents, and some girls had commented on his cute face, too, so he was like a perfect target. With their intent clear, the boys pushed Bryce to the toilet, sneering, their eyes twinkling with mischief.

But that turned out to be the worst idea of their lives. When Bryce saw no teacher in the vicinity, he growled at the bullies, they laughed at him and extended their hands to pull his clothes and hair, then Bryce balled his hands and smashed the nose of one of them.

Shock and fear overlapped within the hearts of the bullies as their classmate fell unconscious onto the ground, his deformed nose bleeding profusely and his face drained: they gawked at their buddy while rooted to the ground.

Bryce stood as though frozen, but he could move just fine as his heart felt lighter than ever before. That bizarre feeling became non-existent for a second, and it felt as though shackles had fallen off his body.

And then, Bryce lifted his eyes, smiling at the bullies with the purest smile he had ever formed, their horror-stricken expressions and trembling bodies thrilling him, and as the roles switched, Bryce used those bullies to study his bizarre feeling.

He beat them all, left the toilet as though nothing had happened, then returned to the class. Before the news reached his teacher, Bryce sat by the table like usual, visualizing the events in the bathroom. He soon realized that the odd feeling hadn't entirely gone and that it was him thinking it was the case because he never felt less burdened.

He then had a talk with his teacher and his parents.

Fast forward to high school, Bryce joined various martial arts clubs. But as his country lacked a proper dojo as it was not as popular here as in the eastern countries, Bryce traveled to Japan as an exchange student and started rigorous training there.

Bringing some experience from his home country, Bryce knew what exactly he wanted; he desired to hold a sword and use it to overwhelm others. With that weapon, he felt the lightest burden in his heart, and he somehow could control a bit of that mysterious feeling within him.

A few times during his serious club activities, Bryce had an inkling that someone had muttered to him that he was finally doing a good job of becoming stronger. Feeling ecstatic about his progress, he continued winning trophies for his school, his fame stretched across Asia, and he became pretty famous here.

Bryce was now eighteen years old, and his last year had come to an end. He gazed at the school that had enabled him more than anything else, then turned around and went back home.

After opening the door to his one-room apartment, Bryce halted and smiled widely at his good friend, Gengo, running toward him on his paws. Gengo was a golden retriever, and he was Bryce's closest friend; he had him ever since that thrilling event in middle school, and he even took him to Japan.

Being a big boy already, Gengo jumped at his owner and happily woofed, Bryce also extended his hands to hold him, and he scratched his ears, which made Gengo groan happy noises.

He then dropped him onto the ground. "Home's safe?"

Gengo barked.

"Good."

Bryce and his good buddy went to the kitchen. He poured out a portion of food for his pet, then cooked something easy for himself. Both of them soon ended up on the sofa and watched TV together. Gengo took Bryce's lap for himself and enjoyed the hand of his owner combing through his fur.

As an advertisement popped on the screen, Bryce muttered, "I still have that odd feeling within."

Gengo whined, his tail low.

"I don't know what else I have to do." Bryce arched his head back and stared at the ceiling. He has finished high school, and his club activities and achievements gave him a bright future in Japan. He wouldn't have any problems moving forward to university.

But as a significant chapter of his life ended, Bryce had to recollect his thoughts. He couldn't help but think about himself and what exactly he was. It was mainly because of that bizarre feeling within him that he was a master of the sword in the foreign land, without too many friends and his family.

Thinking deeper about himself, Bryce recalled the beaten faces of his bullies from middle school and then the fed-up expressions of Asian students he had won against with his swordsmanship.

'Do I have to kill someone?' Bryce questioned inwardly.

But as dogs perceived emotions well, Gengo instantly stood up and barked shrilling noises. He draped over Bryce, licked his face, and begged him to not have any negative thoughts. It was exactly because of that good friend that Bryce thought of himself as a normal boy.

Of course, having thoughts of killing someone was far from normal, but Bryce had already accepted that he wasn't like others. Perhaps, all geniuses are odd in some way, and that bizarre feeling is a negative product of his superb swordsmanship.

Bryce pushed aside those thoughts to reassure his friend.

"Sorry, Gengo. You know that I am not such a person, and that's enough for me. And who am I to decide someone else's life? I am just a student. Well, a little lonely student, I think it's time to hit some clubs. If I want to settle for life in Japan, I need to find a girlfriend. I will go around and search for a girl with a golden retriever lady. My Gengo needs a girl, too! Haha!"

Gengo gawked at his owner as though he were an idiot, then he barked positive noises; he was a simple friend who was happy as long as his owner was happy.

Nothing seemed to disturb the daily life of these two. But after a good time of laughing, a sudden magic circle appeared out of nowhere beneath Bryce and Gengo.

It swallowed them wholly and brought them to another world.

At the same time, many more of those circles appeared on Earth, taking the geniuses of many talents over to another world.

But while all of them appeared in either grand castles, royal houses, or eerie and dark strongholds, Bryce and Gengo appeared in the middle of the forest, startled and unsure of what had just happened.

[Demon Lord Maria L. Evilmask and Duchess Isabella have summoned you at the same time.]

[Neither could overpower the other, and your innate power intercepted their battle over you.]

[You have landed in a random location.]

[Your player bloodline has been partially awakened.]

[Your demon lord bloodline has been partially awakened.]

[Your status has been updated.]

[Bryce E. Lars Lv.1 HP: 100/100 MP: 100/100]

"How cringe is that?"