Ark was still clutching the rainbow rune in his hands, murmuring a quiet thanks, when a sudden chime rang in James' mind.
A system window appeared, floating in front of him.
[Level Up]
[Congratulations, James. You are now Level 25.]
You are now eligible to summon the Immortal Transcendent.
James blinked.
'Level 25… that fast?' he thought, recalling the stat boosts from the orc runes, the lucky boxes, and his unique achievements.
He glanced around. The streets were eerily quiet now, and many had retreated indoors, still shaken by the earlier chaos. Perfect.
James ducked into a hidden corner behind a crumbling wall. He crouched, took a deep breath, and opened the designated summon window.
The familiar interface appeared. One box stood out, glowing faintly with an ethereal white light. Its text read:
Immortal Transcendent
He clicked it.
"Summon," James whispered.
A ripple of light surged in front of him, and a figure materialized.
A boy.
Handsomeness etched into every line of him, yet alien in his aura. Long, spiky white hair framed a pale, striking face. Red pupils glowed faintly beneath sharp brows. His black cloth wrapped around his muscular body with the height and build of a high schooler, yet his presence felt… otherworldly.
A system window appeared immediately.
[Summoned Entity Details]
[Category: A super weakened version of The End/ Opposite of Beginning]
[Name: Martis]
[Rank: Immortal Transcendent]
[Type: Unknown]
But this time no background lore. No history. Just the cold, simple information.
James blinked, slightly puzzled.
Another window flickered into existence:
[Affinity and trust requirements complete]
And then:
[Do you wish to create a clan with Ark?]
James frowned. "Clan?" he muttered. "What is… a clan?"
The system went silent.
Seconds ticked by, then another window popped up.
[The title 'The First Inquisitive' forces the system to answer]
The window disappeared briefly, and a new message appeared:
['A clan is essentially a team. It recruits players. Clans can provide special benefits derived from achievements. If the clan leader possesses an achievement that grants bonuses, all members benefit. This makes clans superior to normal teams.']
James' eyes widened slightly. "Ah… so that's why the system asked me first. And Ark would be part of it if I create one…"
Another window appeared almost instantly:
['All summoned entities are automatically part of the clan once created.']
James' gaze flicked to Martis. "Hm… you said you're ready for this?"
Martis spoke, smooth, measured, and cold: "You should create a clan."
James blinked. He had almost forgotten Martis was standing there. "Wait… are you even human?"
"No," Martis replied instantly, crimson pupils narrowing. "I am higher than a weak insect."
James froze for a moment. "…The weak insect?" he said awkwardly. "…You mean… humans?"
Martis' gaze was unwavering. "…Yes."
James coughed, trying to laugh it off. "Right… okay. But… why can't I see your level or stats? And what exactly… is the meaning of 'weakened version of the End'?"
Martis shrugged, brushing the questions off. "It is unimportant. Create the clan. That is what matters."
James exhaled slowly, a mix of exasperation and hesitation. He clicked "Yes" on the system window, the motion slightly stiff, still feeling awkward under Martis' piercing gaze.
"Now… what are your skills?" James asked cautiously.
Martis paused. Long seconds stretched in silence. Then he replied, "Only one of my original skills remains."
James' heart sank. "Just… one?"
Martis nodded once. Expressionless.
James exhaled, disappointment heavy. "Figures…" He opened his mouth to dismiss him, thinking the boy wasn't worth the attention right now.
Then a familiar voice called from the street.
"James?"
Ark appeared, eyes wide, taking in the scene. His gaze fell on the boy standing silently beside James.
Ark ran up, stopping beside James and whispering, "Kuya… who's that?"
James' mind scrambled. He had to think fast. "…Uh… I found him hiding in this corner," he lied quickly, "…I thought I'd help him out."
Martis' crimson eyes sharpened, scanning James sharply. He tilted his head, clearly unimpressed by the excuse.
Ark blinked. "What's his name?"
"Martis," the boy replied, voice soft but firm.
James added quickly, trying to ease the tension. "…He's… a little cold."
Ark's eyes widened slightly. "I see…" He seemed curious, but didn't press further.
James exhaled slowly, glancing at Martis.
The city around them was still in chaos, fires burning in some buildings, the distant sounds of monsters echoing through streets. Yet in that quiet corner, a strange new alliance was forming, James, Ark, Sampon and now Martis.