"You're something else, aren't you?" Kash let out a dry laugh and shook his head.
The imp had an attitude, but he could not deny its strength.
And its intelligence?
That wasn't normal either. Beasts didn't usually show this kind of battle instinct so early on.
Then again, Sera was involved—so normal rules didn't apply to anything tied to her.
'I miss a good opportunity...'
If not for the mess his family was caught in, he could've joined the academy and even been rewarded for discovering a new type of beast.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him—ones that provide more power but demanded more effort.
"EEKKK! EEK... EKKKKK!" The imp threw up its tiny hands in a victory pose.
"Okay, okay," Kash said, trying not to smile. "We get it. You're amazing."
Pleased with the praise, it gave a little twirl before turning its attention forward."
Kash sighed, half-exasperated, half-amused.
"Let's just hope you're as good at getting us out of here as you are at showing off."
"EEK!" It punched its chest, letting them know it had everything under control.
With the imp leading the way, they rushed toward the main door.
As expected, more summoned beasts blocked their path.
The first group they faced was half a dozen of dog-sized ants, their shells dark and shiny like burnt metal.
Greenish toxin dripped from their jaws as they clicked and snapped their mandibles.
"Go burn them down with your Scorching Flame! Don't wander too far—stay close and protect us no matter what."
With a loud 'EEKK,' the imp shot out, fire already building in its palms.
Leaping onto a fallen crate, it sprayed fire in a wide arc across the path.
Flames engulfed the ants, their legs thrashing before they crumpled into ash
"Now, go after their summoner!"
It snapped its head toward the group of enforcers, now filled with fear after their summon was destroyed so easily.
"EKKKKKKKK!"
Grinning wide, it shot into the air, savoring the panic on their faces. It loved every second of it.
But before it could reach its target, a flock of bat-like creatures and spider-legged monsters swooped in from above.
An ambush.
High-pitched screeches tore through the air, so sharp that it made Kash and the others wince and cover their ears.
The imp only grinned, immune to it.
With a twist of its body, it faced the ceiling mid-air and unleashed its scorching flames again.
With the bats and spiders weakened by the flames, they quickly succumbed to the attack.
Next came the enforcers, wide-eyed and exposed.
Without a summon to protect them, they were easy prey.
One of them, a tall man dropped to his knees, hands raised in desperation.
"Please, we were just following orders!" His voice cracked, desperate.
Another, a younger man, looked between his dead companions and Kash.
"Mercy," he gasped, his voice shaking. "Spare me...I.. I have a family waiting.."
Before Kash could say anything, his summon burned them to the ground, then started laughing.
No one else could see it, but he noticed red particles of light gathering in the air.
His summon was drawing in power—refreshing itself with every life it took.
Theoretically speaking, it means that unlike normal summons that needed rest, his, could continue to fight as long as there were living beings to burn.
'Isn't this too brutal?' he asked mentally.
(This is normal. You'll have to get used to it. )
Closing his eyes, he shook off the unnecessary thoughts.
He was almost swayed simply because the young man mentioned his family, and that was Kash's weak point.
"We need to get to the stable and grab some horses, then we'll leave this city immediately." He turned to his parents.
"But what about our home?" Alicia, his mother, asked.
"We can't do anything about it, mother. With the people I've killed here, their claims of us betraying the empire are only stronger now. We have to leave this place and escape their territory, or they'll come after us."
"EKKKKK!" His imp lunged toward him, blocking an incoming projectile that almost hit his forehead.
"Your summon is quite impressive, to think you were able to cause this much damage," a voice called from the door
Stepping in slowly was a middle-aged man dressed in a navy colored officer's clothing.
Beside him stood a three-foot beast, its body covered in large metallic spikes.
'An armored rat... A hunter rank' he muttered to himself.
He wasn't particularly afraid of it, considering how strong his summon was.
However, he could see more officers lining up, each summoning their beasts. There were six hunter ranks now:
Three Armored Rats, two Bat Slicers, and one Spitting Toad appeared.
The creatures varied in strength and ability, some useful for offense, others more for control or distraction.
"Can you handle them?" he asked.
"Ekk," it scoffed, then started rolling its shoulders, like it was some kind of badass boss.
The tension in the air snapped suddenly, as all the hunter ranks attacked at once.
Thin spikes flew through the air, aimed directly at Kash.
Without wasting a second, he sprinted for cover, pulling his family with him.
The spikes whistled as they flew by, missing them by inches.
"Attack them. We can survive on our own!"
SWOOOOSH!
The imp shot forward at full speed, a blur of flames.
They had underestimated its speed, thinking it was exhausted from fighting its way out.
The officers quickly reacted, and the spitting toad unleashed a jet of water.
But it evaporated to steam ,leaving the imp barely untouched.
When it got close enough, a burst of flame shot out, scorching the ground beneath them.
The other beast tried to fight back, but the heat was unbearable.
One by one, they collapsed, scorched beyond recognition.