Once the practical class wrapped up, the four of us eagerly made our way to the cafeteria.
"I still can't believe she stopped it just like that," Cerise groaned, resting her head on the cafeteria table while we ate.
"That's again, would you stop your groaning already?" Novelle said.
"At the very least, I want to have a battle like Rain and Caelenra," Cerise continued.
"Seriously, are you going to keep groaning? But you two really fought well. That was a good battle," Novelle said
"Thanks! Caelenra's Pionfle is too strong. Her skill almost knocked Mermaphin out," I said.
"Hehe, thank you, Rain. But I thought it would knock her out. Turns out your Mermaphin is just tough," Caelenra said.
"Maybe she just doesn't want to lose again," I said. "But are we not allowed to knock each other out? Could you show some restraint next time?"
"I'm sorry, Rain, but that's the only skill she learned. I'll try next time," Caelenra said.
"But seriously, they're both too strong," Novelle said.
"But I think Novelle's battles are impressive as well. Rallas is already quite strong, but paralyzing the opponent first was a clever strategy. It made it easier for Rallas to strike. Galguana is impressive, too. Despite being paralyzed, he can still shoot Fire Shot with precision. It's just unfortunate that Rallas is very agile," Caelenra's compliment flatters both Novelle and Cerise.
We kept talking about the recent battle while eating cafeteria food. When the bell rang, everybody went to class, making the cafeteria, which had been full of students, empty in a minute.
In the classroom, Mr. Levi was already present, and the afternoon class began as soon as everyone took their seats. This time, Mr. Levi explained the monster type more specifically, focusing on beast-type monsters.
He explained that beast-type monsters are the most common type, meaning they can be found everywhere. He also notes that over the years, beast-type monsters have become a favorite among many people because they are strong and agile, which makes them easier to train.
Depending on the attribute, a beast-type monster can be stronger or more agile. For instance, the Earth attribute makes some beast-type monsters tougher, while the Wind attribute makes them faster.
Mr. Levi mentioned that one of the Grand Summoner's favorite monsters is a beast-type. She uses a beast-type monster to defeat the previous Grand Summoner, who relied on a fiend-type monster in the tournament. Eventually, it depends on the summoner who trains them.
The class has ended, and all the students have left the classroom, but we chose to stay a little longer. We were discussing a beast-type monster that Mr. Levi had just mentioned. We also wondered if Novelle's Rallas is similar to a beast-type monster. Meanwhile, Cerise seemed uninterested in having beast-type monsters.
Without us realizing it, the sun had already set, and the sky had grown dark. The four of us decided it was time to go home. On our way down, Cerise began to wonder about tomorrow's practical class. I couldn't disagree with her, as the previous practical class at noon made me feel like the Summoner Academy was truly all about hands-on experience.
We split up to our own dorm. Even though there were students around, it was a calm walk to the dormitory, with people chatting and a gentle breeze. But the time I was there, I noticed the hallway looked different from this morning. There was a scratch running across the wall, and the furniture had been turned upside down.
"Are you a first-year student?" A sudden man standing in front of me looks like he is from senior year.
"Yeah, what is going on?" I asked.
"There's no time to explain," he said. "Come with me to the third floor."
Without asking any questions, I followed his instructions and hurried up the stairs with him. As we rushed, I noticed that the same scene was happening on the second floor. When we arrived on the third floor, the residents were fighting a rat-like monster.
"Someone said the first student who arrived mentioned there was already a monster inside the dorm, and no one knows how it got there," he said. "I know this will be tough, but I have monsters too big to summon in the hallway. I hope you will take care of them. I will help heal your monster."
"Alright, I will take care of it," I said, pulling out my card summoning Mermaphin.
"Good, what level does your monster have?"
"Two."
"It'll be harder than I thought, but it'll be alright. Did you notice their eyes? A monster is controlling them; it could be someone's monster, but it doesn't matter right now. This one is influencing all of them at once, which makes it difficult to control but also gives you a better opportunity."
I see some people battling those monsters. I pull out my MonsterDex. It chimes and speaks to me. "Ratang, their diet consists of anything they can find, even carcasses or human waste, which makes them carriers of toxins and diseases." The database appeared as it spoke.
[[Monster Data]]
Name : Ratang
Gender : Male
Type : Beast
Attribute : Dark
Species : Toxic Rat Monster
Height : 0.3 m
Weight : 3.8 kg
Abilities : Venomous Fang
Prior Form : -
Next Form : Ratomp (Level 20)
[[Monster Stats]]
Level : 3
HP : 33
Attack : 59
Defence : 38
Sp. Attack : 28
Sp. Defence : 38
Speed : 75
After the scanning process concluded, four agile, green-furred creatures appeared before us. Their teeth chattered ominously, producing a sound reminiscent of hail pelting against metal.
"Alright, you got this. Remember what I said: there's a lot, but being controlled at the same time is hard to manage," he said
Suddenly, two Ratangs lunged forward simultaneously, their bodies low to the ground as they aimed for Mermaphin's shins with a fierce Tackle, hoping to knock her off balance.
"Mermaphin, dodge and counter with Scratch!" I commanded. With a swift, graceful twist, Mermaphin evaded the first strike with ease, her claws poised and ready as she countered the second. The evaded sent the first Ratang spiraling sideways, while the second staggered back, visibly injured.
The two remaining creatures scurried behind, their incisors glowing with dark energy as they prepared to execute a Bite attack. Mermaphin attempted to strike one of them with Scratch, but the other latched onto her arm, causing her to cry out.
As Mermaphin fought to free herself from the vice-like grip of the biting Ratang, the other three monsters surged toward her, their bodies colliding with a bone-jarring force. Trapped and vulnerable, Mermaphin was unable to evade their simultaneous onslaught.
"If this keeps up, she's going to lose her footing," the upperclassman warned, concern etched on his face.
"Mermaphin, escape their attack!" I shouted, determination surging through me as I rallied for her to fight back.
As the sound of her master's cheers filled the air, instead of dodging, Mermaphin poured her focus into harnessing the energy of the water around her. In an instant, a shimmering wave erupted beneath her feet, swirling gracefully around her like a protective dome. The nearby Ratang, caught off guard, was swept away by the powerful current and thrown unconscious to the other side.
"Wow!" I gasped as I struggled to understand what had just happened. Mermaphin is ignoring my command by using water to make a dome to shield her. As I looked at my MonsterDex turns out Mermaphin unconsciously learned a new skill called Tidal Vault.
{{Tidal Vault}}
A shimmering wave shields the user.
As the shimmering barrier of water that had enveloped her began to fade away. Leaving her vulnerable and exhausted. She fell to the ground, her body trembling, and I rushed to her side, picking her gently in my arms, and the upperclassman checked the bite marks that marred her arm.
"She has been envenomed," he said. "You're doing great. Everybody will handle the rest."
"Merma!" Her cry cut him off. We may not understand what she said, but there is no mistaking the urgency in her voice. Mermaphin is struggling to rise, her entire body shaking. The concern etched on the upperclassman's face decreased as he witnessed her resolve; despite the visible tremors, her determination to fight once more radiated from her.
With a resigned sigh, the upperclassman rummaged through his bag, finally retrieving a small vial filled with a shimmering, golden liquid. He handed it to her with a determined look. Mermaphin, her eyes shining with hope, uncorked the potion and took a cautious sip. The moment the elixir touched her lips, a warm, tingling sensation enveloped her, and she felt an overwhelming wave of energy surge through her body. Gradually, the potion worked its magic, restoring her to her initial state.
She rose from my arm, and the upperclassman leaned slightly closer and warned her, "Be careful." Once she finally stood up, he turned to me and encouragingly said, "You have a strong monster; be more confident."
I looked down at Mermaphin as she was fully healed. She gazed at me, waiting for my command. "I think we're ready," I said to the upperclassman.
"Be careful; I can heal your monster if you need me to."
The four Ratang appeared once more as we finished talking. "Alright, Mermaphin, we're going to defeat them easily this time."
The four Ratang charged forward in unison, their sharp teeth bared in determination. They stuck their heads forward; they were ready to unleash a ferocious tackle, their powerful bodies coiled with energy, ready to strike.
"Mermaphin, use Water Shot!" I commanded.
Without wasting a moment, Mermaphin gathered a shimmering orb of water energy, shooting at the four Ratangs. The orb soared through the air and struck two of the Ratangs directly, causing them to fall backward; the other two, quicker on their feet, deftly sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the powerful Water Shot as it splashed against the ground behind them.
The other two, who barely survived the attack, with unwavering determination, refuse to slow down as they are rapidly closing the distance. As they drew closer, with only a few steps separating them, they jumped on Mermaphin.
"Now, use Tidal Vault!"
A radiant, shimmering wave surged forth, enveloping Mermaphin in a protective dome. It didn't merely stop the advance of the two Ratangs; the powerful surge swept them off, sweeping the creatures aside as if they were nothing.
The two remaining Ratangs, who had fallen to the ground from the impact of the Water Shot, are now charging toward Mermaphin.
"Mermaphin, shoot them all again with Water Shot!"
Mermaphin began to shrink the shimmering wave that had enveloped her, as the Tidal Vault completely faded away, she unleashed a series of water balls that sliced through the air. The two Ratangs charging towards her were caught off guard, their momentum stopped as the powerful shots hit them with precision. Simultaneously, the other two Ratangs, just about to regain their footing, found themselves overwhelmed as the water shots hit them as well. One by one, they crumpled to the ground, left motionless in the middle of shimmering droplets.
"Good job, Mermaphin," I shouted.
"Great job, both of you! That was an amazing battle to keep them at a distance," the upperclassman said. "It seems the dorm is calming down. I think there will be no wild Ratang for a while. You can go to your room now; I'll clean up the rest."
"Okay, thanks," I said.
"Hey, I forgot your name. My name is Jay Basalt. You can call me Jay."
"My name is Rain Sapphire. Please call me Rain."
"Alright, Rain. Thanks again."
We went to our room immediately after we were told. After that intense battle, I could see Mermaphin growing stronger, advancing from level 2 to level 5. Because of that, Mermaphin didn't seem tired; Unlike in the first battle, when exhaustion had left her collapsed and unable to rise.
When we entered the room, I was just about to settle down for the night after putting Mermaphin back in the card. But Mermaphin opposed being put away. So I decided to share the bed with her, as she wished from the very beginning.
***
After I woke up, I saw Mermaphin, who was already awake, sitting on top of me and staring at me. She looked happy when our eyes met, as if she had been waiting for me to wake up for a long time. I said good morning to her, and she replied with her cry. I'm still sleepy, but our stomachs' growling is getting hard to ignore.
"Let me wash my face, and then we can go to the cafeteria," I said.
Mermaphin answered it with a cry, and then from her mouth gathered a water ball, and she launched it towards me, splashing against my face.
"Thanks, Mermaphin. But I mean, wash my face in the bathroom."
Mermaphin just sat there, staring at me, so I decided to let it go. Before leaving the room, I asked Mermaphin to return to the card. She got mad at me for that. As a result, Mermaphin stayed with me for a while longer.
When we arrived, the cafeteria was surprisingly quiet, with only a few people scattered across the tables. After we got our breakfast and took a seat, Novelle, Cerise, and Caelenra came in. They grabbed their food and sat down next to us.
"Good morning, Rain! MERMAPHIN?! You let her out?" Novelle's eyes were wide with surprise.
"She doesn't want to get back in the card since last night," I said
"Good morning, Mermaphin," Caelenra sat down next to Mermaphin. Novelle sat down in front of me, and Cerise sat next to her.
"What happened last night?" Novelle asked
I told her everything about what happened last night, including the meeting with upperclassman Jay Basalt, how Mermaphin almost collapsed, and how she learned a new skill and defeated the Ratangs.
"After that, we went to my room, and she always refuses to get back in the card since then," I continued.
"How could Ratang get inside your dorm?" Novelle asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"Why Mermaphin keeps refusing to go back inside the card? Did you do something?" Caelenra asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"What level Mermaphin right now?" Cerise asked.
"Level-5," I said.
"Whoa! She is already 5?!" Novelle exclaimed.
"She is," I said.
"Does she get a new skill after leveling up to level 5?" Cerise asked.
"She learned a new skill before beating anyone else," I said.
"And after that, she collapsed, right? Poor thing, I wish I had been there to help her," Caelenra said.
"I agree that sounds fun," Cerise said.
"So if what Senior-Jay said was true, someone has been controlling the Ratangs to horde Rain's dorm with their monster. But what for?" Novelle said.
"For being mischievous," Caelenra said.
"To destroy Rain's dorm," Cerise said.
"I don't know about that, but I think it's deeper. Someone must have been planning something, or else it doesn't make sense. I mean, why is only Rain's dorm being swarmed by Ratangs?" Novelle said.
"Are you jealous because your dorm isn't getting attention? I understand," Cerise said.
"I DIDN'T FEEL JEALOUS, YOU BATTLEFREAK!" Novelle exclaimed.
Suddenly, the bell rang for Mr. Levi's morning class. Before we went upstairs, I asked Mermaphin to return to the card, but she refused. It seems Mermaphin will stay for the whole day.
In Mr. Levi's class, he noticed Mermaphin and asked me to return her to the card. I explained to him, but he didn't respond and started the class. For the whole time, Mermapphin sat next to me and didn't make any commotion.
After the class ended, it was time for the practical class. But before I'm out of the class, Mr. Levi calls me to talk about Mermaphin. He mentioned he had been researching the cause of Mermaphin letting herself out of the card on her own, and had gotten nothing since then. He claimed it was the first case in history and offered to help me find the cause.
"If you got something you could tell me," Mr. Levi said as he walked out the door.
I got out of the classroom, and I saw Novelle, Cerise, and Caelenra waiting for me. So we went to the stadium together. When we arrived, we rushed to where Mrs. Lexi was standing. She saw us and said. "You're late, where have you been?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Levi called me after the class ended, they were waiting for me," I said.
"Well, whatever, we will do the same thing as we did yesterday. Summon your monster. For today's training, Cerise against Caelenra, and Rain against Novelle."
"Wait a second, Mrs. Lexi, Rain's monster Mermaphin already reached level-5," Novelle said.
"What? How so?" Mrs. Lexi turns her head towards me.
"Well, this is what happened last night," I told her about everything that had happened since last night. From the battle with a horde of Ratangs, Mermaphin's new skill, and Mermaphin's behaviour.
"So, that's what it is," I said.
"So that's it, very good, Rain, you handled the battle very well, and good for you too, Mermaphin. I'd love to see your new skill in action. For that reason, let's start the training. Rain still fights against Novelle, no changes."
"But, Mermaphin is level-5!" Novelle exclaimed.
"It's fine, it's training, in the wild, you will be fighting against monsters much stronger. That's why you can use Mermaphin as a practice on how to defeat a monster stronger than your Rallas. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am," Novelle murmured as Caelenra approached her and gently patted her back.
"Alright, now summon your monster so we can begin the training."
Before we started the training, the sky suddenly darkened as we looked up. It was filled with a swarm of bee monsters. They resembled enormous bees with eyes that gleamed like large red rubies. Their right arms were shaped like swords, while their left arms resembled shields made of honeycomb.
I pulled out my MonsterDex. It chimed and spoke to me. "Apvalier, they may appear in swarms, but rarely fly from the nest to protect the queen. Their swords carry a poison that may paralyze opponents." The database appeared as it spoke.
[[Monster Data]]
Name: Apvalier
Gender: Male
Type: Insect
Attribute: Wind
Species: Bee Knight Monster
Height: 1 m
Weight: 29.5 kg
Abilities: Paralysing Sword
Prior Form: Larvatus
Next Form: -
[[Monster Stats]]
Level: 10
HP: 65
Attack: 90
Defence: 80
Sp. Attack: 45
Sp. Defence: 40
Speed: 75