Rebirth Of The Bastard Spirit Summoner

Kael stepped to the side as blood splurted out of a bear's throat, nearly staining his shirt.

The half-elf had been shredding through these bears with such efficiency that Kael began to question his past.

He was a professor at the academy, so Stark's strength did not impress him. It was clear that he was still a fledgling.

Each year, hundreds of candidates sought admission into the academy, many of whom lost their lives before they even entered the admission office.

Many shortly after that…

Those who survived were the absolute best of the best, lethal in every single way.

He had potential, but that was all there was. The issue was the way he fought—it was ruthless, classless, and without any degree of elegance.

No notable sword style, no flashy techniques… just clear, efficient violence.

Kael watched as he slid underneath a bear's legs, then looked away as he slashed the bear's family jewels, earning a painful shout from the beast.

A shudder ran down his spine…

Half-elves were often treated better in human territories. Some were even loved due to their beguiling beauty.

Some called them the best of both worlds. But to the elves? They were a stain that shouldn't exist.

Still…

Kael was intrigued. And when he was curious about a beast, he didn't stop at just observing it. He wouldn't rest until he had dissected it, felt the warmth of its insides, and was thoroughly satisfied.

Sadly for the young man, Kael had become intrigued…

He stepped to the side as the young man was sent crashing into a tree. Stark doubled over, letting out a strained gasp as he clutched his stomach tightly.

Kael stood next to him and asked, "Need help?"

Ignoring him, Stark spat out blood and picked up his weapon, swinging it around before charging back into the fray, sending a rush of wind past them.

'He's fast.'

"Pay attention, half-elf… There are many theories concerning the awakened," Kael began, adjusting his glasses.

It didn't matter if he was fighting for his life, it was time for a lecture.

"But the most potent theory is called the Elven Theory—Tatarius Elongini."

"It is said that during the primordial days, there existed four primordial archons, each one responsible for an aspect of the universe."

"Zedek, the Archon of Time. Trigeris, the Archon of Balance. Kanak, the Archon of Trust. And Lorine, the Archon of Harmony."

"Now among these archons, Lorine was said to be a beauty beyond compare, and tales of her grace were sung throughout many realms. It was no surprise that they would one day fall for her..."

Boom!

Stark's fist slammed into a bear's face, knocking a tooth loose, and then he drove his knee into its jaw before splitting its jugular apart.

"Halfy, are you listening?"

Stark shot him a glare. "Halfy, really?"

Kael shrugged as another bear came barreling forward.

"As I was saying… Zedek, the ever-stalwart man, was the only one not drawn to her beauty. But Trigeris and Kanak? They were head over heels, and so Lorine was forced to make a choice…"

He paused a little before he continued.

"It took many centuries, but eventually, she made her choice. Preferring the company of Trigeris, Lorine decided to be joined with him, leaving Kanak with no place to direct his love."

"Yet even after rejection, Kanak's love burned even stronger. There is a saying that we desire the things we cannot have the most…"

"And so Kanak came up with an idea—what do you think he did?"

Stark narrowly escaped being bitten in half by the last bear. He jumped from foot to foot, sizing up the creature, then waited for the moment it lunged—before slashing it sideways.

He was breathing heavily, covered in steaming blood, his arms trembling from tanking many powerful blows.

Kael frowned. He hated when students were not attentive, and right now, Stark was in no mood to learn.

"We will finish the tale another day. Rest up, we'll leave when you are ready," he said before turning away, moving to where his students stood.

One of them in particular looked offended, while the other was as calm as always.

"Did we really need to let him handle it? We could have helped," Jasmine complained.

Kael shot her a stern look. "Do you really have time to worry about others?" he began, his words freezing her in place.

"You are barely hanging in the academy. This expedition might very well be the deciding factor on if you pass or are expelled."

He paused to let his words sink in.

"Shouldn't you be more concerned with passing?"

Jasmine stiffened and looked to the side, swallowing her words. "Yes, professor."

Kael sighed. "Just look at Eurus, he's perfectly calm, not jittery like you—wait, is he sleeping?"

•••

Stark brushed his hands on the dried leaves around him to clean off the blood and then took in a tired breath.

The battle had completely drained him. His vision was a little blurry from exhaustion, and his heart still raced as the last bits of adrenaline wore off.

Thankfully, Kael had finally stopped his yapping and gone to meet his students.

The first thing he did was summon Chubby to heal the wounds he had, and then secondly, he lifted his hands and all the spirit crystals around flew into his palm.

Jade arrived a second later, dropping another pile of crystals in front of him.

"Thanks…"

For a second, he considered saving one of the crystals to replace one of his spirits but decided against it.

He didn't know how close they were to ascending, and ascension would probably make them stronger—or just as strong as the bears he had fought—

So he crushed them all and breathed out a sigh as the energy pulsed through him, an invigorating feeling that enriched his bones and sharpened his senses.

When he opened his eyes, Jade was sitting down in front of him, legs crossed.

Her face, that seemed just a little too perfect to be human, was stained with blood, and there were some bloody substances on her body.

Probably severed flesh…

"How far have you gone?" she asked, her face resting in her palms.

Stark summoned his artifact and glanced at the counter.

[952/1000]

A dark smile appeared on his face.

He was nearly there—very soon, he would once again ascend.

What new power was waiting for him at ascension?