Chapter 1

Alone with an S-Rank Summoned Beast Chapter 1

Prologue

One day.

The world changed.

Monstrous creatures suddenly appeared all over the world and began invading humanity.

In response, humanity gained special abilities.

Floating text, status windows, levels...

Reality had transformed into something like a game, leaving humanity bewildered.

"Who is Gaia?"

"What about sensitivity?"

"How can something be seen by everyone in the world?"

Renowned scientists and analysts stepped forward, but no one could clearly explain the situation.

"Is that the problem now?"

"We need to fight first!"

"We must prevent the end of the Earth!"

Many people rose up.

They enhanced their abilities as the system required and fought using the monsters they had tamed.

There was no time to understand the cause.

They had to protect themselves and their families from the monsters.

One year, two years, three years... ten years.

Humanity continued to fight.

They cleared dungeons that appeared everywhere and upgraded the monsters.

And finally!

"The investigation revealed the source of all the monsters!"

"Where is it?"

"...The Labyrinth, the Final Labyrinth!"

"Is that place?"

"Yes, that's right. Hundreds of guilds and thousands of summoners have challenged it, but it remains unconquered. It has swallowed countless people and never spat them out, making it the worst dungeon in history."

"Oh..."

"How can this be..."

Everyone despaired.

The Final Labyrinth.

The only dungeon deemed impossible to clear.

It was that terrifying.

"It's unbelievable. Does this mean we have to fight for the rest of our lives?"

"Thousands of 6-star summoned beasts have died there!"

6-star summoned beasts.

As always, not all summoners had the same level of summoned beasts.

The level of summoned beasts increased, and the system categorized them by rank.

From 1-star (★) to 6-star (★★★★★★).

By interacting with and consistently defeating monsters, summoned beasts could evolve.

The highest rank achievable was 6-star.

"Isn't 6-star common?"

"Hey! You mean thousands of 6-stars?"

"No, what I mean is... the 6-star rank doesn't really matter. If you just keep raising F-rank monsters, it's easy to make a 6-star."

"Ah, that's true."

Even 6-stars were not all the same.

Each summoned beast had a innate rank.

From F-rank to A-rank.

This innate rank, set from birth, created an insurmountable gap.

Based on the same star (★) and level.

To defeat an A-rank, you needed about 100 B-ranks—

To defeat a B-rank, you needed about 100 C-ranks.

Of course, this was generally true, not an absolute number.

The results could vary widely depending on the summoner's skill.

Nonetheless, there was a clear gap between the innate ranks.

To tame a high innate rank summoned beast, you needed the corresponding 'sensitivity.'

"So, what's your point?"

"...There are those. Our last hope."

"You can't be serious?"

"Yes, they... the ones who can."

The highest rank known to be tamed by humans is A-rank.

There were the world's top summoners who had tamed three A-rank summoned beasts.

The 'Light Saint' from Europe.

The 'Cold Analyst' from America.

And the 'Summoner Master' from South Korea.

They did not disappoint humanity's expectations.

"Final Labyrinth? We're going."

"Don't follow us. You'll just be in the way."

And so, they walked into the labyrinth, shouldering the responsibility for world peace.

* * *

Inside the Final Labyrinth.

At the very end, three men and women, covered in dust, were walking.

Their ragged appearance spoke of the hardships they had endured.

"Finally, we've made it."

The Cold Analyst, Geoffrey, muttered.

"It was a long journey, 99 years and 11 months."

The labyrinth was complex.

It was a continuous maze with no end, and high-level monsters kept pouring in.

In other words, they had been fighting non-stop for about 100 years.

"Damn, the labyrinth's trick was time."

The slender blonde beauty, Yuria, spat out a dusty phlegm.

The moment they arrived at the labyrinth, they analyzed it.

They then realized that the flow of time in the labyrinth was different from reality.

One year in reality was 20 years in the labyrinth.

It was a long time that would drive most people mad.

But they were the world's top summoners.

They endured the trials of the labyrinth and were finally left with the final boss.

Boom!

A terrifying sound echoed in the black mist.

A pitch-black shadow enveloped the entire labyrinth.

"Damn, it's noisy."

Yuria stretched her joints with a tired expression.

"Let's finish this quickly and go eat chicken. I won't even look at monster meat when we get out."

Even in the terrifying scene, she remained calm.

They had crossed the line between life and death hundreds of times and had long become indifferent to death.

"I want to eat ramen."

Geoffrey replied while preparing for battle.

"The ramen I had in the Master's country was really great."

"Ramen again? Is it that good?"

"It's great. The fact that I still remember it after 100 years should tell you something."

Yuria turned around at Geoffrey's answer.

"Hey, Master."

"...What."

A tired voice came from behind.

Jin Doyun, the 'Summoner Master,' the pinnacle of existing summoners.

"Promise me. When this is over, treat me to that food."

"Whatever, focus. If you mess up, you won't even get to eat chicken, let alone ramen."

"Hmph, with the Master here, what's the problem?"

They joked, but they moved meticulously.

They summoned their own summoned beasts, placed them appropriately, and prepared for battle with various buffs.

Yuria handled healing and buffs.

Geoffrey handled debuffs and strategy.

And Jin Doyun was the damage dealer.

"..."

The atmosphere soon became tense.

They knew.

The black dragon in front of them was not an easy opponent.

Rumble!

In the center of the grand hall.

The creature, crouched on top, finally lifted its head.

"To think a human could make it this far... I'm impressed."

"...Crazy."

Yuria cursed.

The creature's gaze was more terrifying than expected.

"Three instant-kill skills, two sealing skills, five transcendent skills."

Geoffrey quickly recited the creature's information using his summoned beast's characteristics.

"The creature's health and mana are immeasurable. And its innate rank... S-rank."

"S-rank?! Such a rank exists?"

"I'm surprised too. This place might be our grave."

Geoffrey was an analyst.

He knew better than anyone the gap between innate ranks.

"Don't say such unlucky things, Geoffrey."

The Master spoke in a dry voice.

They had been in the labyrinth for 100 years.

It would be too unjust to die now, with the final boss in sight.

"We will survive somehow."

Whoosh!

Enormous energy began to surge around him.

The legendary A-rank summoned beasts began to resonate with him.

"...Even if we die, we should eat our fill of what we want. Ramen or anything."

"That's right, Master."

"Great! Let's see if we can die!"

The world's top summoners.

And the final boss with an innate S-rank.

Thus, the epic battle for Earth's peace began.

* * *

Boom!

The battle was long and grueling.

It lasted for about a month without a break.

"This is insane, is there a way to kill it?"

The Destroyer Dragon was both tenacious and strong.

Thanks to the experience and sensitivity accumulated over 100 years, they managed to hold on; otherwise, they would have lost long ago.

"Yuria."

Geoffrey called out in a tired voice.

"What."

"We might have to choose the final option we've been avoiding."

During the long battle, they found the Destroyer Dragon's pattern.

However, they always failed at the final attack.

Each time they approached, the creature's two sealing skills activated.

Finally, Geoffrey made a decision.

To get close to the creature, they would have to neutralize its sealing skills from two different locations.

"Since the Master is the damage dealer, you two should block while I aim for the critical hit."

"I reject that plan."

Master Jin Doyun firmly said.

"The skills you have to handle are beyond your level. What's the point of winning at the cost of your lives?"

"There's no other way. Master, if we keep this up, we'll all die meaninglessly."

"Right, Master. Death doesn't matter to us anymore. If we can just deal a blow to that thing that made us suffer so much."

Geoffrey's words were echoed by Yuria.

Jin Doyun still shook his head.

They were comrades who had fought together for a long time.

Even if victory was important, this was too much.

However...

For the first time, they disobeyed the Master's orders.

They began to move to the left and right of the roaring Destroyer Dragon.

"What are you doing! Stop immediately!"

"Master, thank you for everything. And don't forget, the creature's weak point is its heart."

"Sorry, Master. You have to defeat that thing for us."

Watching his comrades charge in, risking their lives, Jin Doyun clenched his teeth.

Blood trickled from between his lips.

He wanted to stop them.

But his comrades' actions were swift, as if reading his mind.

The bowstrings were already drawn.

The activation of the sealing skills.

Two beams of light shot from the creature's eyes.

"Ah!"

"Ugh!"

His comrades and their summoned beasts were freezing, turning to stone.

'Damn it.'

There was no time.

The foundation his comrades had created.

He couldn't let their sacrifice be in vain.

Jin Doyun gathered the three summoned beasts spread around him.

The bird that never dies.

'Phoenix' (★★★★★★).

The Water Elemental King.

'Elaim' (★★★★★★).

The Death Knight.

'Death Knight' (★★★★★★).

The highest A-rank summoned beasts that made him the 'Summoner Master.'

'Destroyer Dragon Demolition... I won't let you get away with this.'

Jin Doyun clenched his fist.

And he vowed.

No matter what, he would sever that creature's head.

Swish!

He rolled his feet to close the distance.

He dashed towards the creature's weak point.