I Only Summon Villainesses

Hearing Kassie’s voice felt like the real breath of fresh air.

’What happened? Why was I not able to reach you?’

’Huh, why does she sound angry?’

’Because I am.’

A crooked grin crept onto my face. ’Oh? Were you worried about me?’

’Answer my question.’

’Fairly, I think it had something to do with the monster I was fighting. Kassie… have you ever fought a creature that isn’t a Spirit Beast?’

’Yes. Humans.’

I hissed at her response while I walked forward, shifting Nisha’s weight higher on my back.

’I can’t believe she almost had me there.’

’Had you? I’m serious…’

’Of course you are, Kassie, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something that isn’t human and not quite Spirit Beast either, and definitely not a Spirit Summon.’

Kassie was silent for a few seconds, then her voice came: ’That is what you faced?’

I paused and looked left and right before deciding which path to take. Compared to before, the woodlands looked almost normal now, the forest more sparse, and I could see what lay beyond instead of that endless sprawl of white trees.

’Yes, it was a very perverted creature… before that, I had to face a Level Seven Primal Beast. What do you think?’

’How did your partner do? What was your role in the battle?’

I paused, my mouth dropping, a small smile spreading across my shocked face.

’You don’t believe I can do it alone. Oh, if you could see me now you would. I’m even carrying Nisha right now because the second battle was majorly for her sake. She wasn’t a part of either fight. She was completely useless. In fact, she had tried to attack me beforehand.’

’She had?’

I quickly spoke, in my mind of course. ’That’s not the point, she was under a mental attack. Do you believe I defeated two creatures alone? I think this Chameleon is as strong as an Apex Beast, maybe Level One or Two.’

Kassie was silent for a few moments. ’I believe you. Did you dismiss the fire wizard?’

’What? Seriously, Kassie! I swear… I couldn’t reach my soul plane, I also couldn’t summon Maggie. It felt like something vast and very dangerous was blocking me and trying to spy into my soul or something. That was how it felt, though.’

’I also was not able to reach you.’

’Yeah, that too… but shouldn’t that be normal since I’m in a Spirit Gate?’

’You are dealing with me.’

’Oh, right. Yes ma.’ I scoffed and continued trekking towards the coastline in my line of sight.

’Anyways, what’s the development? Why were you trying to reach me so badly? Did you simply just miss me?’

Kassie was silent for a few moments.

’I think I’ve solved it.’

I froze mid-step.

’Kassie, what did you do?’

I tried to calm myself down as I asked. I wasn’t trying to freak out because I knew that when we were connected like this, she could read my mind. It was unfortunate that I didn’t know how to read hers.

’It wasn’t me. I promised. He tried to touch me, I moved instinctively. Since we started it, I thought, why not finish it? So I took on everyone and their summon.’

’Ah. I’m sorry, everyone where exactly?’

’Everyone in the Manhattan Trade Center, of course. I did hear that they have bases across the world. That’s too bad. But I’m sure this one suffered intense damage. That should do for now.’

I just stood there, not knowing if I should be happy or freaked out. The Manhattan Trade Center. Everyone and their summon. She said it the way someone would talk about clearing out a storage closet. I did expect something like this, but expecting it and hearing her say it so casually were two very different things.

’I already had my suspicions when she was saying she wanted to infiltrate them…’

But I had thought she would surely have infiltration skills, because she had been a war master. The Tyrant Empress.

’That was your mistake to assume. Why would I need to infiltrate anyone when I can simply tear them down and solve the problem?’

’Ah… I see. What if the problem can’t be solved by tearing them down? Like, you need to steal some information.’

’I can simply tear down everything aside from the information. Besides, who do you think I was? Why would I need to infiltrate when I had an army of ten thousand willing to do anything for me…’

I exhaled, my shoulders dropping. Nisha’s weight settled heavier on me, and I almost staggered. I had nearly forgotten I was carrying her, but the reminder came quick enough.

’This would be much simpler and easier if you just built me an army. Be more ambitious, Summoner. Build me an army and I shall permit you to be one of my Generals.’

’Your grace is so magnanimous.’

’Don’t mention it. The best we can do is give opportunity to lesser beings…’

I froze again, standing there and blinking.

’Kassie? Are you… happy? Wait, are you smiling?’

’It has been a while since I moved this much. Don’t worry, I defeated all of them without using my sword and armor.’

The Tyrant Empress. Without her sword or her armor, and she was smiling about it.

I didn’t know how to react to all of this, so I just stood there, staring at nothing.

’I guess you really are happy.’

’Perhaps…’

I shook my head and walked forward, reaching the edges of the forest where the ground dropped away and blended into the cliff below. Beyond was a stony plain, a continuation of the canyon and whatever lay at its end.

The wind hit different here, open and salt-touched, carrying the faint sound of waves crashing against rock somewhere far below.

I stood there for a moment, getting ready to summon Cindy, when the entire ground beneath me shook with powerful tremors.

I almost fell, caught myself, and staggered back before I pitched over the cliff’s edge.

The landscape shook again, and I knew the only scenario where gates shook like this.

They were coming undone.

’Someone has defeated the real boss…’