I Became the Youngest Summoner in the Strongest Guild

25. Arcana Online

When I opened my eyes, a loud bell was ringing.

After sleeping, my body seemed to be fine...?

I turned off the alarm and zoned out for a while, then briefly satisfied my hunger, took some medicine, and logged into the game.

When I opened my eyes after logging in, the bear was hugging me and Yong-yong was in my arms.

"Did you sleep well?"
"Kyuung!"
"Groooan!"

I handed one magic stone each to Yong-yong and the bear. After packing up, I climbed onto the bear's back, and it slowly increased its speed as it set off.
The bear ran while being considerate of me.

"It seems more comfortable?"
"Groooan!"
"Now that you're an exemplary taxi, you're going to charge extra!?"
"Grohoho!"

The bear laughed, saying it was a joke.
I think it was serious, but maybe it's just my imagination?

It seems like it was trying to sneakily charge more!?

I've never seen such a sly bear in my life.

After running for a while, the bear slowed down and stopped.

A village visible in the distance.

"Groooan!"
"Thank you."

When I handed over a magic stone, it disappeared with it in its mouth, but doesn't it usually eat it right away?

It always disappears with the magic stone it receives as a taxi fare in its mouth.

Should I ask about it next time?

As I walked towards the village, I made eye contact with a dwarf standing guard.

"What business does a little miss have in our village?"
"I came to buy a staff! Here's a letter of recommendation."

When I showed the letter of recommendation to the guard, he nodded and told me to go inside the village and turn right.

After greeting him, I entered the village and saw an unfamiliar scenery.

There were numerous blacksmith shops and various races visible.

To find the Silver Blacksmith Shop, I walked to the right and saw a huge sign in the distance.

[Silver Blacksmith Shop]
The second cheapest blacksmith in the village!!
The owner has gone crazy!!!

I saw an advertisement that I often see on mobile phone store banners, or is it just my imagination?

As I entered the store, an elderly dwarf welcomed me.

"Welcome! Hmm? What brings our little miss here?"
"I came to buy a staff! Here's a letter of recommendation!"
"Oh? A letter of recommendation, is it."

The dwarf who received the letter of recommendation from me tore it up without even reading it.

Then he gestured for me to follow him.

"There's only one person in this world who would send such a letter of recommendation. My apprentice."
"Apprentice!?"

They looked similar in age, but they were master and apprentice.

Following the dwarf inside, I saw numerous weapons hanging on the walls.
The rarer ones were inside glass cases.

"Choose a staff you like."

"Okay!"

I looked at each staff hanging on the wall or inside the glass cases, but couldn't find one I liked.

While rummaging through an oak barrel full of staffs in one corner, I saw something that caught my eye.

It was an old stick with a bell attached.

«??? Bell»
Seems to be a tool used in rituals.

My hand reached for it without thinking.

"I'll take this."
"Hmm? What's that?"

When I looked at the dwarf with a bewildered face, he said he didn't know either and told me to just take it.

"Really!? Thank you!"
"Sure, sure. If you're grateful, promote our blacksmith shop a bit."
"I'll definitely do that!"

I left the store and shook the newly purchased stick.

'Ding-a-ling. Ding-a-ling.'

I liked the sound, so I walked while shaking it, and a message window appeared in front of me.

[Reacting with the Divine Dragon Shrine Maiden's Robe, it reveals its true form.]
[You acquire the Divine Dragon's Bell!]

«Divine Dragon's Bell»
A bell once used by a shrine maiden who served the Divine Dragon.

[When equipped, greatly increases the stats of your summon.]
[When equipped, greatly increases the stats of your summon.]
[Ability is sealed.]
[Ability is sealed.]

[The seal on the Divine Dragon Shrine Maiden's Robe is released.]

«Divine Dragon Shrine Maiden's Robe»
Clothes once worn by a shrine maiden who served the Divine Dragon.

[When equipped, greatly increases the stats of your summon.]
[When equipped, greatly increases the stats of your summon.]
[Ability is sealed.]
[Ability is sealed.]

With a bright light, the old stick that was there until just now changed to a pure white color, and the bell sound changed.

'Ding-a-ling~ Ding-a-ling~'

A bell that makes a clear and beautiful sound.

Feeling like I'd hit the jackpot, I was excitedly looking around the village when I heard a voice from somewhere.

Following the voice, I moved to a dark alley where a small fox was lying collapsed and panting.

Its whole body was covered in dark bruises and it was bleeding, dying.

I hurriedly took out a potion from my inventory and poured it on the fox. Although the wounds healed, it still couldn't regain consciousness.

I took out a magic stone and held it close, and it was absorbed into the fox with a bright light.

Only then did it open its eyes and look at me, then get up.

"Are you okay, fox!?"
"Kyaang!"

After checking its body condition and looking at me, it bowed its head and then ran off somewhere.

I got up, dusted myself off, and looked in the direction the fox had gone.

I've already saved two foxes, is something going on?

I was worried, but thinking that surely nothing could be wrong, I set out on my way.

After finishing my tour of the village, I left and walked along the path when I saw a bear taxi running from afar.

"Over here! Here!"
"Groooan!"

It stopped in front of me, but it seemed to have gotten bigger in the meantime?

How long has it been since we parted, and it's gained weight?

"Bear, have you gained weight?"
"Groooan!?"
"It's okay. You can just go on a diet."
"Groan!"

It grumbled as it gave me a ride, and its speed gradually increased.
No, it became extremely fast.

"W-wait a minute, Bear!? Run slowly!"
"Groan!"
"Safe driving! I said safe driving!"

*

*

*

Long ago, there was a village where the Silver Fox Clan lived.

The foxes of the Silver Fox Clan, who loved peace, dreamed of ascending to become immortals.

Through training, they could gain one tail every 100 years, and if they gained nine tails, they could ascend.

One day, while the foxes were living day by day in training, goblins came to visit.

A group of goblins threatening to hand over the village.

When they refused the demand, they were ambushed at dawn and lost their home in a single morning.

Fortunately, no foxes lost their lives, but all their efforts had gone to waste.

The tails they had gained through training were all used to protect the clan, so they had to start training from the beginning again.

While the clan was scattered and wandering without a destination, I was seriously injured by a monster attack and barely escaped, but due to the severity of the injury, I hid in a human village and was waiting for death in a dirty back alley when a human girl saved me.

The magic stone she used to save me produced an unexpected result.

The one remaining tail changed into nine tails, and the opportunity to ascend came.
At that moment, I was conflicted.

Is it really the right choice to ascend like this?

The thought didn't last long.

When I returned to the village that had been taken away, a change had occurred.

The goblins were nowhere to be found, and there was a fox with nine tails just like me.

The moment I approached, it turned its head and looked at me.

"Sister?"
"Rang-ah."

My twin younger sister had become a nine-tailed fox.

My sister was just as surprised.
She was looking at my tails.

"Did you meet a benefactor?"
"Yes. Someone who saved me when I was dying in the forest and gave me power."

As I was pondering our future course of action, my sister spoke.

"Shall we ask? Ask if they can share power with our clan, just like they gave us power."
"Rang-ah. What comes must go. We have nothing we can do for our benefactor."
"Isn't a human's life span at most 100 years? Let's serve them for 100 years."

Serving a human for 100 years rather than training for hundreds of years.
It wasn't bad.

If our interests align, things will progress smoothly.

"I'll go meet our benefactor."
"Sister, you're not good with words. I'll go."

As my sister tried to climb on top of my head just because she got tails, I gave her a knock on the head, and only then did she quiet down.

No, she's not quiet, she's glaring at me.

"Do you want another hit?"
"No violence!"

We compromised to go meet our benefactor together, and started calling our clan back to the village.

We combined our powers to send a signal that only our clan could hear. Soon after, many clan members returned to the village.

The clan members looked at us with surprised eyes.

We told them what had happened and our future plans, and the entire clan agreed.

After finishing our discussion, my sister and I set out as representatives of the clan.
To meet and greet our benefactor.