Others Summon Dragons, I Summon Legendary Knights

Chapter 390: A Vengeful Lion

Outside a building sitting on a plain with grass that spread seemingly to the ends of the earth, a white-haired man chopped wood on a stump while a tall blue-skinned man wearing a fanged gray steel mask and long gray hair practiced with his katana not far from him.

”Isshin...” Arian said, and Isshin stopped, turned, and looked at his summoner.

”Are you not supposed to help?” Arian aimed his axe at the blue-skinned Oni Ronin who was over two times his height.

Isshin turned and was about to resume his practice when Arian kicked a stump, one he planned to turn into firewood. It didn’t have roots like this one he used as a chopping block.

Isshin tilted his head, revealing his side profile. The braids by the sides of his face danced as his katana gleamed. He moved like a blur, slicing the stump into several even pieces and kicking it into the air.

They flew and fell on the chopping block, stacking on each other.

Arian opened his arms wide. ”See? You’re good at this.”

Isshin looked away. Arian turned toward where his summon was looking and saw two young men in the distance.

His hands went to his waist as they drew close and began to jog.

’It’s been three days since that earth-shaking battle. He finally showed up. Both of them,’ Arian said inwardly.

”You look like a proper family man, Captain Arian.” Percival smiled as he stood before Arian with Godfrey.

”I’m no longer Captain, Percival. Glad to see you back on earth.” Arian chuckled, then turned to Godfrey, who tucked his hands into his black jacket.

”I see you’ve recovered.”

”You grew a beard.” Godfrey said, still staring at Arian’s beard. It wasn’t much, just a little, but he knew and saw Arian every day for over a year, and not once was his chin not shaved clean.

But... there was peace in his eyes. His teacher had lost all his sharpness, that intimidating aura he once commanded back when he first saw him was gone.

Maybe all this while, this part of Arian was there. Within the dreaded Ronin that had carved his name into the hearts of the authorities’ agents.

Arian caressed his slightly bushy jawline and laughed a bit. ”I’ve gotten used to it. How about you? I still remember how you were when you left but later on, I heard you got together with another member of the Pendragon family.”

”I did.” Godfrey responded with a nod.

Arian nodded. ”I’m glad you’re feeling much better now.”

Godfrey’s lips curled upward.

”So, how was the sea?” Arian turned to Percival.

”Beautiful. Really beautiful.” Percival said and looked at Arian’s home. ”How’s your wife?”

Arian’s smile became a little strained. ”It’s alright.”

He sat on the stump.

Percival looked at Godfrey and they both looked at Isshin, who reacted noticeably to that question.

”What happened?” Godfrey squatted, his eyes slightly narrowed as he stared at Arian with concern. Though, it looked a bit odd with his Black-Out eyes.

His emotions could be spotted through his facial expressions as his eyes just couldn’t show them.

”Well, we lost our kid back when we were going in search of her. I had no idea she was pregnant, she had no idea either but I guess since we were not able to communicate, she wasn’t able to tell me when it was discovered. Well, she also lost it and I’ve never shared what happened back then but they were all within trees when we got there. There was this tree-like creature with two humanoid tree-like people, according to their account.”

He exhaled.

”That tree monster left with the other, leaving the last one. It didn’t kill them, which we found strange, but since she came back, Kiara found out she can’t give birth. According to the doctors, their systems were altered, they were in a process of being transformed into what, we don’t know.”

Arian smiled bitterly. ”We had no problem with it until she started seeing the white gate.”

The moment Arian said that, Godfrey’s expression changed while Percival faced the sky. He already knew how it would end from here.

”That was an opportunity, an opportunity to regain her ability to give birth. At first, she resisted because of me, then she tried convincing me but I know how this goes. You get the power, then it uses you to fuel the desire of another. You hurt one and it grants another power for vengeance. It’s a circle and there is a probability we’ll lose what we had. Our peace for something that wasn’t guaranteed.”

Arian looked at them. ”Her desire kept rising each time that gate popped up in the bedroom, sometimes here on the field as you look out the window. It knows, the mana tree knows if it gets her, it gets me. It brings me back into the game.”

Arian clenched his teeth, then released them. ”The strange thing is, I’m afraid of the people who will add to the pile once I’m forced to return.” He cleared his throat, blinked several times and looked at the young men before him.

He cleared his throat to ensure he pushed everything that welled up in his heart down. ”She hasn’t taken the bait yet. Her affection for me still stands but we aren’t really talking much since, in a way, I’m in the way of her getting a child. That aside...” Arian exhaled.

”What did you do three days ago?” He looked at Godfrey. ”Or was it both of you?”

”It was Godfrey.” Percival responded, noticing Arian didn’t want to go further about his wife. ”I didn’t even know about it until the next day.”

”How would you? You were sleeping on my bed with Lucy. Must have been a dream, you even slept through the earthquake.”

Percival almost choked and began to cough. ”It didn’t get to that area!” He shot a glare at Godfrey that said, ’Did you have to say that?!’

Arian smiled. ”You must have done some damage then. Saul has changed the entire concept of the tournament. It was supposed to be for the cohort alone but now it’s been turned into a spectacle for everyone in paradise to attend. That aside, he’s separating the Elite Class into two teams, Yellow and Black. You, Percival, Arden, and Oliver are in the Yellow Team while Arnold, Nathan, and Alora are in the Black Team. Saul is the one setting the matches and the rules, meaning it’s already disadvantageous for you guys.”

”We heard. Saul’s reacting to the loss of his summon and most likely the relic too.” Godfrey replied.

Arian looked at his student. ”Then you’ve stepped on his tail. I know my teacher and I know what it’s like when he’s angry.”

He shut his eyes and exhaled heavily. ”He wants to kill you publicly and not just that, he’s out for everyone in the Yellow Team, those he knows are on your side.”

”We figured. He’s not trying to even hide it.” Percival clicked his tongue.

”I’ve thought about it and these changes make it easier for us to destroy Saul’s plans. Once we win, I’ll publicly reject the Demigod’s essence.” Godfrey said. His declaration at the end would seal everything and those knights would know their brothers and sisters whom they left behind fought in this tournament for them.

”Then you have to be prepared.” Arian began. ”This is a dungeon, just an organized one. People are going to watch you go through pain, it’s like you’re stepping into a lawless domain. A gladiator’s battle where death isn’t odd. In fact, it’s expected.”

He paused, then continued.

”My teacher has spent most of his life in dungeons and creating his own dungeons where he slays those that enter. His concept of death is tilted, he’s no different from a man trained in the wild. Saul is a monster in human skin, he chases after strength, uses it to control like that’s all he is and all he has.” His eyes flickered.

”He becomes erratic once that control slips and does everything to eliminate a perceived threat.” Arian stared at Godfrey’s placid expression.

The young man had expected this outcome and was ready to face it while Percival had a solemn look.

”I’ve faced something like this before. Back when I joined the cohort. That was what the pit was for. Bodies were dragged out several times, people feared the cohort for their strength and their nature. They were stronger but more like lions, I made the cohort a pack. But now, rules would bind you in that colosseum, you can only pray a member of your team isn’t killed. Saul right now is no different from a vengeful lion. The public doesn’t have to like what he does to acknowledge his overwhelming power, which protects them from the authorities and the Fanatics.”

Arian stood up. ”For a man focused on strength, he knows how to use it to manipulate the public. Because right now, he’s revered for the feats his summons have shown.”