Chapter Eight: Becoming a Summoner

Standing before the village chief, I said, “Chief, I’ve reached level 10. Can you send me for my job change now?”

The chief replied, “Of course. Young man, you’ve progressed very quickly. I have high hopes for you.”

I interrupted, “Enough with the small talk. Just send me to the Sanctuary.”

The chief laughed, “You’re certainly in a hurry.” With that, he led me to a magic circle and said, “Step inside, young man. Go choose a profession that suits you.”

As soon as he finished, I stepped into the circle. A flash of white light enveloped me; my whole body felt as if it were floating. In the next moment, everything turned blank before my eyes. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but when I woke, I found myself in a strange place.

Before me towered five high spires, and at their center stood an even grander tower, rising at least fifty meters into the air, bathed in white light. The surrounding area was divided into five levels, each with three black portals. Each portal bore a distinct name, as if representing a different profession.

I was stunned. At that moment, a hollow, emotionless voice echoed in my mind: “Welcome, adventurer. Upon reaching level ten, you may now undergo your job change and become a true adventurer with your own profession. Will you become a mighty Warrior, a fearsome Archer, an invincible Mage, a mysterious Summoner, or a holy Priest? You may freely choose any one of these professions. If you have questions, feel free to ask. Now, please select the profession you wish to advance to.”

Looking at the five options, I found myself overwhelmed with questions, yet unable to articulate any. After a moment’s hesitation, I managed to say, “Could you explain the characteristics of these five professions?”

“Certainly. Warriors possess immense close-combat strength and defense, making them the kings of melee. They wield formidable attack power, sturdy defenses, and indomitable will. Warriors are adept at using anything at hand as a weapon, always fighting at the front lines, courageously battling enemies and shielding their companions.

“Archers excel at long-range attacks and agility, balancing strength and intellect. They must be physically robust to traverse mountains and rivers in pursuit of monsters, yet also clever enough to strike with lethal precision. Quick of eye and hand, they draw and release their bows in a heartbeat. Archers are cheerful, talkative companions on the road, as well as cautious and kind-hearted pacifists.

“Mages wield the strongest area-of-effect magic attacks and are masters of intellect, constantly seeking enlightenment. They spend most of their time gathering the world’s elemental forces and honing their mastery. Versed in the five elements and mysterious arts, their wisdom is unmatched—but their physical fragility is also notorious...

“Summoners can call forth various creatures to fight on their behalf and are a unique kind of mage who command monsters and spirits in battle. They rely on vast armies of summoned beasts to overwhelm opponents. As a Summoner, your role is to command and empower your minions, standing by to witness the fierce battle unfold.

“Your summoned beasts rely on your trust—they will be your best companions. Those with powerful summons are virtually invincible. Remember, as a Summoner, you are always a supporting role; your summoned beasts are the true protagonists! However, the Summoner has few personal limitations, making it a profession with broad developmental potential.

“Priests possess the most sacred healing abilities and hold an indispensable position on the battlefield. As a support class, Priests themselves are fragile and often targeted first, so they usually stay behind the front lines, encouraging and rejuvenating their comrades. Their inspiration can revive a demoralized team, and they are the only profession capable of quickly healing allies in combat. Their potent buffs are highly sought after. Priests are the guardians, selflessly wielding their holy light to save countless lives. At the mere mention of their name, all adventurers feel a sense of reverence.

“Of course, at the early stages, these five professions are not fundamentally different. Choosing a profession only determines your future path of advancement. Adventurer, have you decided which profession to choose?”

I considered carefully and asked, “Which of these five professions is the strongest?” I’d played many classes in games before and knew a little about each, but to be safe, I asked anyway.

The voice replied, “There is no strongest profession—only the strongest player!”

Hearing this, I did not hesitate further. “Then I choose Summoner.” I hadn’t played this class before, so I decided to try it.

“Understood. Summoner!” At the words, the white space around me shifted. A small, multicolored crystal slowly materialized and drifted towards me.

“This is the Summoner’s Power Crystal. Once it fuses with you, you will become a mysterious Summoner.”

I found myself unable to move in this space, so I could only watch as the crystal floated to the center of my forehead. Instantly, I felt a cool energy pouring into my body. The crystal dissolved into countless barely visible filaments that spread from my brow to every part of my body.

It was a strange, indescribable sensation—like hidden power being unleashed within me. My body, now free, responded to my will. I clenched my fists, feeling the surging strength, utterly astonished. I murmured, “What… what’s happening?”

At the same time, the system prompt chimed: “Ding~! Crystal fusion complete. Basic information as follows.”

My status window popped up automatically:

Weiwei Long
Profession: Summoner
Level: 10
Vitality: 500 (Base 400 + Knuckle 100)
Mana: 300
Attack: 110 (Base 30 + Knuckle 75 + Glove 5)
Defense: 50 (Base 25 + Wolfbone Armor 10 + Ninja Boots 15)
Reputation: 10
Luck: 0
Possession: One Summoner Beast Egg

I asked, “May I know more about Summoners?”

The voice replied, “Of course. Ask anything you wish.”

I fired off my questions in a rush: “How do I obtain summoned beasts? How many can I summon? What weapons do Summoners use? What advanced classes are available at the second job change? How should Summoners develop? How do I hatch this egg? How many types of summoned beasts are there?”

The voice answered, “Adventurer, you certainly have a lot of questions, but I can answer them one by one. First, obtaining summoned beasts: upon becoming a Summoner, you gain the Taming skill, which allows you to capture wild monsters as your summoned beasts, though the success rate is low. Alternatively, you can buy beast eggs from monster vendors. These are the two main methods.

“Second, how many can you summon? Each Summoner can have up to five summoned beasts, but before your second job change, you can only have two summoned beasts fighting at once. However, you can raise more and rotate them, laying the groundwork for the future. Remember, raising summoned beasts takes time and effort.

“Third, Summoner’s weapons: there are three—staff, whip, and rod. Each has its own strengths. The staff boosts your magical damage, the whip enhances your summoned beasts, and the rod gives you better self-defense. Choose according to your needs in battle.

“Next, at level thirty, Summoners may advance to three specializations: Beastmaster, who focuses on summoned beasts as the main force; Druid, who assists their beasts with magic; and Battle Beastmaster, who fights alongside their beasts as a physical combatant. More details will be shared when you reach level thirty.

“As for development, Summoners primarily focus on strengthening their summoned beasts, with few personal restrictions, allowing for flexible growth. You can become a powerful offensive Summoner, an agile Summoner, a resilient and defensive Summoner, or a magical Summoner who supports with spells. The choice is yours.

“To hatch the beast egg, it requires energy. When you defeat monsters and gain experience, some will be absorbed by the egg. You can even transfer all your experience to your summoned beast if you wish.

“As for types, there are many—flying, running, swimming, all sorts. Summoned beasts are divided into three factions: Animal, Plant, and Special. The Animal faction includes Reptiles, Aquatics, Insects, Birds, Beasts, Dinosaurs, and Dragons. Plant is simply the Plant faction. Special includes Angels, Demons, Undead, Elementals, Machines, and Holy Spirits. Any other questions, Adventurer?”

I replied, “No more.”

“Very well. Adventurer, before you go, let me share one piece of advice: the strength of a profession depends on the individual’s talent—do not force what isn’t meant for you. For Summoners, your combat power relies heavily on your summoned beasts; their strength determines yours. Summoned beasts are also classified by rank—except for Dragons, Angels, Demons, Machines, and Holy Spirits, which are all at least demi-god level, other types are divided into lower, middle, upper, top, and the rare god-tier. Machines have no rank. That’s all, Adventurer. I wish you a pleasant journey. Farewell.”