Chapter 4: System's Second level

Von Lucien gave a curt nod of approval before turning on his heel and striding away, leaving a dumbfounded Varick gaping after him.

Elio could scarcely believe what had just transpired. One of the legendary Nine Invokers had not only defended him against Varick's insults, but had recognized his intellect and offered to reveal the mysteries he knew behind the Book System… if he could prove his mettle against the Water Monster.

A rush of determination flooded through Elio's veins. He would not squander this unprecedented opportunity. Gripping the dagger and glove tightly, he lifted his book, ignoring Varick's murderous glares boring into his back.

The guard checked Elio with a disdainful sneer. "You're lucky Von Lucien took an interest in you, boy. Though honestly I don't understand what he saw on you"

Elio said nothing, his jaw clenched resolutely. Let the doubters mock him, their scorn would only make his eventual triumph all the sweeter.

"Very well," the guard grunted. "Open your book and begin the trial."

With trembling hands, Elio opened the weighty tome, its pages seemingly whispering dark secrets waiting to be uncovered. A cold shiver ran down his spine as the familiar question appeared:

Do you wish to challenge the second trial?

Drawing a fortifying breath, Elio gave a firm nod. Immediately, the world around him dissolved into a swirling vortex, transporting him to the Water Monster's lair.

♢♢♢♢

The time had come to face the dreaded Water Monster, and Elio's mind filled with his father's… teachings. The words resonated as clearly as if his parent were there guiding him once more.

"Remember, son, the Water Monster disables your ability to create fire. The little apprentice level 1 trick the women like to use on the day of the Sacred Flame ritual won't work for you. Most failed men are idiots who thought their attempt to burn the monster would bear fruit. Don't forget, the damn frog becomes much more troublesome if you let its skin touch water, so keep your hand completely sealed to your mouth to breathe."

Elio nodded to himself, mentally reviewing every word. He knew his father… had studied this challenge thoroughly, learning the harshest lessons firsthand. He could not afford to make mistakes.

Gripping the common dagger they had given him tightly, Elio opened the System Book and immersed himself in the trial. Instantly, he found himself in a stone chamber, similar to the Fire Monster's, but with a colder atmosphere.

And there, in the center of the room, waited his opponent: an enormous frog roughly a meter tall, its bulging eyes watching him warily. Elio held his breath, recalling his father's… warnings about the creature's elusive nature.

According to his teachings, the frog tended to wait for summoners to make a mistake, letting them create the water it needed to attack. So it would hop around the room for hours, keeping away from its attacker in a battle of stamina attrition.

But Elio had a plan. He recalled his father's… words about the best way to trick the frog.

"Listen Elio, you must run slowly until it jumps, and then change to a sprinting speed as soon as it is suspended in the air to catch it as it falls. The damn thing won't understand what happened."

With determination burning in his chest, Elio began advancing slowly toward the center of the room, his gaze fixed on the Water Monster. The frog watched him approach, its hind legs tensed, ready to leap at any moment.

Suddenly, the creature propelled itself backwards, its body contorting gracefully in mid-air like a cat. Elio knew this was the perfect moment and exploded into a sprint, his speed increasing exponentially.

The frog was just about to land when Elio was a few meters away. Before the creature could react, Elio swung his dagger and struck it with a precise blow to the belly.

A shrill screech echoed through the chamber as the blade cut into the monster's skin, exposing its glowing core with a small crack. Elio grimaced, feeling adrenaline coursing through his veins. The strategy to win instantly had failed!

If he had the magic dagger Varick stole from him, he surely would have succeeded. But his denial phase was brief. The frog writhed furiously, its body glowing with a menacing energy. Elio knew immediately that his father… had been right: the creature had detected his true speed and would increase its own evasion speed.

The frog leapt again, this time with an agility impossible to follow. Elio cursed under his breath, realizing he would not be able to overtake it until he tired it out. But relying on his stamina to exhaust it was risky, 3 out of 10 died with that strategy.

After a while he could grow weary and his hand might slip from his mouth, he could trip, there were too many ways to fail. He needed an alternate plan.

Recalling his father's lessons... Elio removed his hand from his mouth and held his breath. He took off his glove, summoned a miniscule amount of his Sacred Flame power, and created a tiny drop of water in his palm. Just as he expected, the frog was instantly drawn to the liquid, halting its frantic flight.

With a guttural roar, the creature lunged at Elio, its front foot touching the drop and one of its toes transforming into a sharp water claw. Elio barely had time to react before the claw struck his chest, ripping through his flesh.

The pain made him grimace, but Elio did not falter. He had been prepared for this counterattack, and with a rapid motion, he plunged his dagger into the frog's exposed core.

An ear-splitting screech resonated through the chamber as the Water Monster writhed in agony. Elio watched, panting, as the creature slowly dissipated into a watery mist.

Finally, when the last vestige of the monster vanished, Elio fell to his knees, pained but triumphant. He had overcome the System Book's second challenge by following in his father's… footsteps and using his own cunning.

Suddenly, he felt a warm sensation course through his body, and the wounds from the frog's attack began rapidly healing. Elio smiled, this was part of the process, upon overcoming a level, his health would be fully restored, though he hadn't expected a mere drop could create such a long claw.

How had the damn old man defeated the frog if, according to him, he made the mistake of generating a stream of water upon entering the challenge?

His mind buzzed with questions about the new horizons opening before him. Would it be possible to obtain information about the familiars only powerful Level 4 Summoners had managed to invoke? How was it that their power allowed them to hurl energy balls at high speeds?

When the last part of his wound vanished, the System Book opened before him, showing his new stats:

Elio Elian Stats 

Skills: 

Sacred Flame 

Holy Water (New) 

Familiars: 

N/A 

Level 2

Mana: 20/20 (+10) 

Endurance 20/20 (+10) 

Stamina 6/6 (+1) 

Attack 2 (+1) 

Strength 2 (+1) 

Defense 2 (+1) 

Speed 2 (+1) 

Perception/Agility 1.2 (+0.2)

Observing his new stats, Elio could not help but marvel at the changes he had experienced. A strength of 2 was basically the combined might of two people. Feeling excited, he decided to test his new abilities.

With a powerful jump, Elio leapt upwards, his muscles contracting with a force he had never felt before. To his delight, he managed to reach a height of nearly two meters before landing on the ground. 

Elation swept over him, and Elio began jumping all around, reveling in his newly acquired agility. In a moment of carelessness brought on by the ecstasy, he lost his balance and fell to the floor, but to his surprise, it didn't hurt at all thanks to his increased defense (it stung a little).

Chuckling to himself, Elio got to his feet and flexed his arms, marveling at the sensation of vitality coursing through his body. He had never felt so healthy and strong before.

Elio tossed his glove into the air and focused, directing his attention to the details of his surroundings. Instantly, everything seemed to slow down slightly around him. A second that would normally pass in the blink of an eye now stretched out a bit longer.

Elio smiled, understanding that his increased perception granted him this ability. Though the 0.2 increase this level was not substantial, and only 0.1 in the next levels according to his father… the ability to slow his vision of the world could prove invaluable in combat situations.

Yet his mind remained fixed on the mysteries still surrounding him. Von Lucien's words echoed in his head, offering him the chance to learn the secrets behind summoning and the Book System.

Elio clenched his fists with determination. If he could impress the powerful Summoner, perhaps he would finally obtain the answers he so desperately craved.