Chapter 5: Summoned to another World.
A never before felt, surge of pain wracked Su Pings mind as his tail was bitten off completely in one bite by the pig demon.
Su Ping who felt victory was only a few steps away, gnashed his fangs and persevered.
With a final, desperate lunge, he reached the orb, his claws brushing its radiant surface and the world dissolved into darkness, his vision swallowed by an abyss that felt both endless and instantaneous.
When his sight returned, Su Ping found himself standing in an open field, the air crisp and fresh, unlike the Abyss.
It was a complete opposite to the hellscape he'd escaped. The space was a small arena, its boundaries marked by low stone walls, and around it, elevated platforms held a crowd of young people dressed in student uniforms, white, cinnamon, and brown, their colors vibrant against the green expanse.
Their faces were filled with curiosity and judgment, some whispering, others staring openly, while some cheered as if gearing to witness a battle.
" Beat up senior Roland."
" Show that dark witch who's boss!"
" Go Roland! he's our man, if he can't do it, no one can!"
" Looks like the ugly witch can't even summon a proper summon, what is that thing? I can't tell if it's a street dog or a crippled gecko."
" To think she actually dared to challenge senior Roland to a duel, just who does she think she is." A girl who's eyes were filled with envy glared towards the arena.
" I bet you the slut just wants a one on one time with Senior Roland." A girl said, her words sparking laughter amongst those around her.
Behind Su Ping stood a girl, perhaps fifteen, her gothic appearance striking as she glared at the cheering students.
She had short black hair which framed a face so pale it seemed to glow, dark circles under her eyes giving her an air of weary defiance, her lips pressed into a thin line that spoke of her pent up frustrations.
In front of him, a brown-haired boy of sixteen stood with an arrogant tilt to his chin, his eyes gleaming with a confidence that bordered on cruelty, his uniform immaculate and adorned with subtle embroidery that hinted at privilege. Su Ping couldn't help but think that he was a higher ranked student.
' Was I summoned to another world by that strange orb?' Su Ping came to a realization, at this same time, he saw faint chains wrapped around his neck that seemed corporeal and invisible at the same time.
The instant he accepted the girls summoning, which was definitely the moment he touched that summoning orb, Su Ping was forced into a temporary summoning contract with her.
The chains were like a warning, telling him to behave or their would be consequences.
At the boy's side strutted a magnificent peacock, its purple feathers shimmering with an almost unnatural luster, each plume catching the light as it fanned out in a display of arrogant beauty.
Su Ping's scaled body tensed, his glowing purple eyes darting between the girl, the boy, and the peacock, the weight of their gazes pressing against him like the walls of the egg he'd escaped.
Right now he felt as if he was an animal in a circus, being forced to perform for paying customers.
The more he felt the condescending looks from the watching students, the more bitter he felt... He couldn't help but wonder just how low his life would reach before faith was satisfied.
At the same time, His severed tail still hurt, moreover, he also felt a pang in his stomach, and with it, a growing hunger.
His severed tail wound had long since stopped bleeding but the wound was still open nonetheless.
The arena buzzed with unspoken tension, and he knew, with a certainty that chilled his blood, that things were about to get worse.
" You've done well to make it this far Lucinda but, I'm afraid this is where your journey ends."
" If you quietly admit defeat now, I'll save you from the bitter taste of defeat."
" Shut up! If anyone's going to lose then it's you. Your stupid parade ends today."
" I'm done being your punching bag." Lucinda glared at Roland her hands clenched.
Everyone in the school saw her as nothing but a witch but it wasn't always that way.
Everything started all because she refused to sleep with the arrogant noble Infront of her.
In a fit of rage, Roland began making her life a living hell in the academy, as the leading scholarship student, she once had lots of friends, people who admired her.
But now, she had no one, everyone now avoided her like a plague because of him, her best friend had even turned over to his side but the ironic twist was that after using her, he dumped her aside as if she wasn't even worth his time.
At first everyone felt pity for Lucinda, but by now, everyone had even forgotten how the bullying began, it was as if they'd all been brainwashed into seeing her as the problem child of the academy.
She who was just a new adult, having turned 15, tried resorting to learning dark magic, though not illegal in the empire, it was heavily frowned upon.
' With my summon from the abyss, I won't lose to him.' Lucinda clenched her fist.
She knew the risks of being caught, Abyssal summons weren't allowed in the academy competitions but, she couldn't let the opportunity to beat him pass her by.
" Still as stubborn as a mule. Suit yourself!"
Roland's voice cut through the murmurs, as he ordered his purple peacock summon to attack.
The creature, a magnificent beast with feathers that shimmered like amethyst under the pale sunlight, let out a piercing cry that echoed across the stone-walled enclosure.
With a graceful leap, it ascended into the air, its wings fanning out in a dazzling display of iridescent hues, and with a powerful flap, it unleashed a torrent of sharp, glowing energy feathers toward Su Ping, their edges glinting like blades forged from starlight.
' You've got to be kidding me, what sort of attack is that?' Su Pings eyes widened in disbelief.
" This is my familiars E rank skill, blade rain!"