21. Familiar Training (Patreon)

Luke stood in the center of a closed-off glass-like chamber, a room he recognized immediately. It was the same one where the mock test had taken place, except this time, there were no wounded beasts or trial simulations—this was something different. Across from him, Professor Martha stood with her arms crossed, her sharp eyes analyzing him as she explained the fundamentals of commanding a familiar in combat.

"The first step to efficiently fighting alongside your familiar is learning how to issue proper commands," Martha stated, her voice steady. "You need to build an understanding of Szeth's abilities and use them to your advantage. To do that, you’ll need to apply a status emblem to check his skills."

Luke blinked, maintaining an impassive expression. "Oh, no need for that. Principal Arthur already helped me with it," he lied smoothly, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "I already know all of Szeth's skills."

Martha raised an eyebrow before nodding. "Of course, that makes sense. The principal would at least do that much for his personal student."

Her gaze drifted downward, stopping at Luke’s right hand, where the silver ring gleamed under the artificial lights. A spatial ring. It didn’t take her long to deduce that it was likely another gift from the principal. A flicker of jealousy flashed across her face before she quickly schooled her expression. Even as an academy professor, affording such an item wasn’t easy. Yet here it was, handed freely to Luke without a second thought.

Clearing her throat to mask her momentary lapse, Martha shifted the conversation. "The best way to truly bond with your familiar is through battle," she said, turning slightly to gesture toward a separate holding area within the chamber. Luke followed her gaze and tensed when he saw what was inside.

A massive Silvermane Wolf prowled within the enclosure, its silver-gray fur rippling over layers of muscle. Unlike the beast Luke had fought during the mock test, this one was uninjured, its piercing blue eyes burning with primal fury. A low, menacing growl reverberated through the glass walls, the beast baring its sharp fangs as it sensed its impending freedom.

Martha smirked at Luke’s reaction. "Mock tests use injured or weakened beasts to prevent fatal encounters. But moving forward, every practical combat test will pit you against a real beast—one at its peak." She paused, watching him closely. "Your task is simple. Fight using only your familiar. No direct intervention from you. Just issue commands and let Szeth handle it. Of course, I’ll step in if it gets dangerous."

Luke took a breath, nodding. "Understood."

He adjusted his stance, rolling his shoulders as he prepared himself mentally. Szeth, coiled tightly around his arm, lifted his head, sensing the shift in atmosphere. The metallic sheen of his scales glistened under the light as he tensed in anticipation.

Martha raised a hand, signaling to the academy mages positioned outside the chamber. With a flick of their hands, the barriers separating them from the Silvermane Wolf shimmered and then dissipated entirely.

The instant the containment field fell, the wolf sprang forward, kicking off the ground with immense power. Its muscular limbs propelled it at Luke with frightening speed, its eyes locked onto its prey.

"Szeth! Use Bite on its leg!" Luke commanded sharply.

A system window flashed before his eyes:

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[Skill: Bite (Lvl 1)]

• Effect: The Ironclad Serpent’s fangs deliver a venomous and devastating strike.

• Damage: Deals 300% of Szeth’s physical attack.

• Effect: Inflicts Poison (lowers target’s defense by 10%) and causes continuous damage equal to 5% of Strength per second for 60 seconds.

• Cooldown: 30 Seconds

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Szeth reacted immediately, uncoiling from Luke’s arm and shooting forward like a silver arrow. His blue fangs glinted in the artificial light as he lunged straight for the charging beast’s forelimb.

Szeth's fangs sank into the silvermane wolf’s leg with a sickening crunch, the wolf howling in pain as the venom seeped into its system. Almost immediately, the beast thrashed wildly, attempting to shake off the metallic serpent latched onto its limb. However, Szeth’s grip was unrelenting, his silver-black body coiled tightly like an unbreakable chain.

Luke wasted no time. “Szeth, use Ichor Discharge!”

Another notification appeared.

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[Skill Activated: Ichor Discharge (Lvl 1)]

• Effect: Releases a venomous red fog in a 5-meter radius.

• Enemy Defense -30%.

• Enemy Movement Speed -30%.

• Szeth’s Attack Power +50%.

• Duration: 30 seconds.

• Cooldown: 2 minutes.

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Szeth uncoiled from the wolf’s leg, his jaw stretching unnaturally wide as a thick crimson mist spewed forth, quickly covering the entire battlefield. The wolf staggered back, its breathing turning ragged as the toxic fog invaded its lungs. The reduction in defense and increased attack boost for Szeth created an overwhelming pressure in the room.

The silvermane wolf snarled and lunged at Luke, its powerful muscles bunching as it leaped through the mist. But Luke had anticipated the attack. With precise footwork, he sidestepped at the last second, the beast’s claws slicing through empty air instead of flesh.

“Szeth, Wrap Up on its hind leg—now!”

A new system notification flashed before Luke’s eyes.

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[Skill Activated: Wrap Up (Lvl 1)]

• Effect: Szeth coils around the target, dealing continuous 200% Strength damage (50% in Weightless form).

• Bone Breaking Effect applied.

• No cooldown.

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Martha, watching from the sidelines, sucked in a sharp breath. Szeth wasn’t just strong—he was terrifyingly efficient.

The wolf writhed in agony, its sharp fangs gnashing at the air in a desperate attempt to find purchase on Szeth’s metallic form. But Luke wasn’t about to let the creature recover.

“Szeth, switch to Weightless mode and go for its throat!”

Another system alert popped up.

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[Skill Activated: Weightless (Lvl 1) (Active)]

• Effect: Szeth’s body which weighs a ton (increases with growth) becomes nearly weightless.

• Can switch between weightless and normal form at will.

• Wrap Up’s bone-breaking effect increases by 200% in Weightless form.

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Szeth’s already swift movements became even more fluid, almost ghostlike. His body, no longer restricted by gravity, moved with a supernatural grace as he slithered up the wolf’s body. The silvermane, still dazed by its broken leg and the lingering effects of Ichor Discharge, could do little but snarl and snap at empty air as Szeth coiled around its thick neck.

Luke’s eyes locked onto the wolf’s struggling form. “Finish it. Wrap Up—full force.”

Szeth’s metallic body constricted with a brutal finality. The wolf thrashed violently, claws gouging deep into the floor, its powerful frame convulsing as it fought for air. But Szeth's normal form enhanced the bone-breaking pressure to its peak. The beast’s resistance weakened with each passing second until—

SNAP.

The silvermane wolf fell limp.

Silence filled the arena, the only sound being Szeth’s smooth slither as he uncoiled from the lifeless beast and returned to Luke’s side. His tongue flicked out briefly as if to confirm his kill.

Martha, still standing at the edge of the field, was stunned into silence. The sheer control Luke had over his familiar, the ruthless efficiency of their attacks—it was on a level far beyond what she had expected. Her fingers curled into a tight fist as she realized something undeniable.

Luke wasn’t just talented.

He was a monster in the making.

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After his training with Szeth proved successful, Martha could not stop praising Luke. She insisted that he should consider becoming a Summoning Major, emphasizing how naturally gifted he was in the art. However, Luke politely refused the offer, maintaining that his true goal was to become a Gunner. His entire system was structured around that path, and all the growth he had displayed so far had been largely due to the system’s enhancements. While summoning was undoubtedly useful, it was merely a tool to aid his primary aspirations.

Days turned into weeks as Luke and the other Earth dwellers gradually adapted to the new world and the academy’s rigorous structure. Most of their lectures consisted of theoretical lessons, designed to deepen their understanding of Eldoria’s reality. This was not only for Earth dwellers but also for native Eldorians—there were fundamental truths about magic, history, dungeon strategies, and beastology that everyone needed to learn. Five weeks passed in this manner, with minimal practical training.

During this time, friendships and factions naturally formed. The largest faction in Luke’s class was led by Third Prince Blaine, closely followed by Roy’s. Roy’s charisma and adaptability had allowed him to integrate seamlessly with both Earth dwellers and native Eldorians, earning him a diverse following. Even the usually prideful elves had been drawn into his faction. Alice also had her own group, composed mainly of admirers and a handful of close female friends. Meanwhile, Luke, Jasmine, and Trenton found themselves forming an unintentional trio, navigating their academy life together.

Two more practical events had taken place during this time, though they were relatively uneventful. Blaine, Luke, Roy, Grukthar, and Alice had solidified their positions at the top of the class in terms of combat prowess, their scores in practical evaluations far surpassing the rest. In contrast, theoretical studies were dominated by two names: Luke and Jasmine. While Jasmine’s academic excellence came as no surprise to Luke, he himself barely paid attention to the class rankings. His reasoning was simple—he read the most, so naturally, he would score the highest.

The academy’s social dynamics continued to evolve. Clubs were established, and even the canteen developed an informal seating hierarchy. Luke and his friends, however, took whatever seats were available. Within this period, Luke’s reputation spread far beyond his own class. His exceptional results, his mysterious yet powerful familiar, and the fact that he was personally mentored by the principal made him a frequent topic of conversation. Among the female students, his striking appearance sparked endless discussions, much to the jealousy of the male population. Yet, not all rumors were flattering—whispers about him being part of a cult, a womanizer, or even a psychopath circulated. These baseless accusations never gained enough traction for Luke to concern himself with them.

One person, however, had been consistently fanning the flames of these rumors—Damian. The purple-haired pretender had somehow managed to elevate himself into an actual young master figure within the academy. Luke had no idea why Damian was so fixated on undermining him, but he made a mental note to deal with him if his antics continued.

Amidst all this, Luke remained disciplined in his training. While his ability to craft new firearms was currently limited, preventing him from advancing his craftsmanship skill, he diligently honed his other abilities. His physical conditioning saw noticeable progress—somehow, in the span of a month, his height, which had long since plateaued on Earth, increased by three inches, bringing him to a towering 6’4. His body had become more toned, muscles subtly defined, giving him an unintentionally imposing presence. He wasn’t bulked up like a warrior but had the kind of build that exuded quiet strength, something akin to a sleeper body that only revealed its true power in motion.

As for Szeth, Luke had checked the herbs from the spatial ring he had obtained back on Earth, only to find that the highest-ranked herb among them was merely an uncommon rank. This meant he was still far from acquiring an epic-rank herb to evolve Szeth. Not that Luke was in a hurry—Szeth was already far stronger than most familiars, something that was clear from the cautious way other familiars behaved whenever he was around. The moment he slithered into an area, familiars instinctively moved aside, sensing the apex predator among them.

Szeth, too, had become something of a celebrity in the academy, drawing attention from students—especially female ones eager to pet him. Unlike other intimidating familiars, Szeth had an enthusiastic nature when it came to pats and gentle touches, his forked tongue flicking happily whenever someone indulged him. This only made him more popular, with a small group of students constantly seeking him out whenever Luke walked through campus. However, while the students adored him, other familiars did not share the sentiment. The bated steps, the subtle tension in their bodies whenever Szeth was around, were proof enough that even without any significant growth, he commanded dominance in the familiar hierarchy.

Despite his popularity, Szeth wasn’t alone in his journey. He had found companions in Ivy and Don, forming an inseparable trio much like their masters. The three familiars often played together during downtime, their bond growing just as naturally as their summoners’ friendships. Ivy’s speed and agility made her an exciting playmate, Don’s resilience ensured their games were never dull, and Szeth’s clever maneuvers kept things unpredictable yet fun. Together, they became a notable trio within the academy’s familiar circles who could often be seen together, much like their masters had among the students.

On the sixteenth day of the second month since Luke’s arrival in Eldoria, he was seated in class, reviewing notes from the previous day’s lecture when the door swung open. Professor Yorth Vale stepped inside, his authoritative presence immediately silencing the room.

“The playtime is over,” he declared, his voice carrying an edge of finality. “From this moment onward, the real studies begin.”

Every student in the room sat up straighter, anticipation thick in the air.

“It is time for you to tackle your first dungeon.”

A ripple of excitement and apprehension spread through the class. The true challenges of their academic lives were about to start.