Rebirth Of The Bastard Spirit Summoner

Achooo!

"Tch." Stark hissed, rubbing his nose only to draw back blood. Just like the past few days, he was surrounded by a pool of blood, nothing as bad as the first ever time he used the inner world, but enough to be concerning.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?"

Stark blinked, only then realizing that Jade was floating above the floor just in front of him, staring at him like one did a specimen.

He sighed and looked to the side. "Turns out controlling lightning isn't as easy as I thought."

He had been practicing for some time now, using every single free time he had to learn by simulating the conditions in his soul.

Yet, he was still failing…

Jade frowned as her eyes moved between the blood and his bleak form. "Why are you in such a hurry? It's not like there is a deadline."

She was right, there was no deadline in an actual sense but—

"It's just frustrating."

"What?"

Stark met her gaze. "This might sound like a childish reason but it sucks to be the weakest one in our expedition."

She raised a brow, surprised by his answer, and floated to the bed before slowly descending. Then she crossed her legs, humming quietly as she thought about his words.

"Eurus is definitely terrifying behind that mask of cowardice, but you should be stronger than Jasmine in the very least."

Shaking his head, Stark then said, "That is only if we go one on one, she's a tamer remember?"

The power of her beast alone was more than enough to put them on equal grounds.

He had been training for so long, yet it was annoying to think he still hadn't reached the level of the academy students.

To his surprise, Jade laughed at his concerns, her figure trembling slightly in mirth.

It was nice to see that she was laughing after her last few moody days, but Stark didn't know what to feel being the subject of her amusement.

He frowned and tried to stand up, only to fail. "Hey, what's so funny?"

She looked at him and smiled. "I understand your frustration, but haven't you been training for about six months? People like Eurus and Jasmine have been training for twelve years at the very least."

"Right now, I'm sure you can hold your own against them, and that is just if you face them one on one. If you add your spirits… then it would be a different matter entirely."

Stark was still frowning, but after thinking it over… "I guess you're right—Chubby."

The little guy appeared in front of him and then his eyes widened as it saw the blood.

Strangely enough, Chubby hated being in contact with blood. But before he could scurry away, Stark grabbed onto him with both hands.

"Huuu Huuu!" Chubby complained, twisting in his grip.

"Stop being a wimp and heal me."

The little guy frowned and then glowing light green energy surrounded Stark, invigorating his body and healing up the vessels that had burst inside him.

Yet, when he was perfectly healed it was still difficult to move, so he just sat there. That was when he remembered something...

"We never found out what changed about Chubby did we?"

He had advanced, but at the time he had been trying to get his weapons so he completely forgot.

"Oh, that's right." Jade walked over to where he sat and squatted down, hugging her knees as they both stared down at the spirit.

Now the center of everyone's attention, Chubby's cheeks began to glow light blue.

Stark gave him a deadpan expression. "What are you? A teenage girl?"

Chubby frowned and then made a "Hmmph" like sound.

"He is a little too dramatic for a spirit." Jade commented as they both watched him.

Stark silently agreed with her, his eyes still fixed on him. "Be quick, show us what you can do."

The little guy made a movement oddly similar to a sigh and then he stared up at Stark and smiled.

Chubby immediately changed color, transforming from a gem-like blue to a bright gold color.

His little horns extended slightly and it was as though the very aura surrounding him had changed.

Then suddenly—

Fwooosh!

Golden energy suddenly flared around Stark's body, rising up into the air. The display lasted only for a few seconds right before the energy sunk beneath his skin.

Immediately it happened, Stark gasped in shock as his body suddenly jerked to life. It was like the feeling of having drunk too much sugar water, but tens of times more potent.

His tired mind became extremely alert, his weak muscles gained strength, and he could feel the flow of his internal energy improving by the second.

Stark, who could not even stand a few seconds ago, rose up to his feet with ease, his fatigue completely gone.

"Woah, he can buff now?"

Healing alone had been powerful, with buffing added Chubby was becoming the perfect support spirit.

The little guy looked smug as it slowly floated around Stark. "Fu Fu Fu." It sang, smiling.

"Yeah, yeah, I admit it, you're amazing."

With an ability like this, he could go on far longer whenever he ran out of stamina. It could even help him intensify his training.

Jade held Chubby and patted his head, an amused smile on her face. "Good job little guy."

'Did something happen? She seems so much livelier now compared to a few days back.'

"It's good to see you're back to your old self."

Jade was silent at first, acting as though she didn't hear him. Then she sighed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Is that so…"

She paused and glanced at him, an unspoken emotion in her eyes as they were engulfed by a tense silence that seemed to span for an eternity.

Stark had spent hours trying to figure out what was wrong—even went as far as asking, but she always changed the topic.

There were times it seemed she was on the verge of speaking, but each time she would leave the room, preferring the silence of the streets to confiding in him.

Jade placed Chubby on the chair.

"Sulking isn't going to change a thing, right?" She said, implying that whatever the problem was, it still wasn't solved.

Then she smiled smugly. "Did my silence really bother you that much?"

He frowned and turned toward his bed, knowing better than to go along with her games. "I don't miss that sharp tongue of yours though."

Jade laughed as he climbed into bed, laughter he hadn't heard for a very long time.

Strangely, it felt good to hear.

'I must be going mad from staying awake for so long.'

They were well into the night and he needed to sleep properly for the final day of their expedition tomorrow.

She didn't say anything else—only when he had comfortably wrapped himself up in his blanket did she speak.

"Stark…" her voice was a little hesitant, yet filled with resolve.

"D-do you think…"

"You, stuttering?" Stark smirked, his eyes still closed. "The heavens must be falling."

Silence

"Is it possible…" She breathed out. "To come back from the dead?"

Stark's eyes snapped open and he sat up straight, the blanket slipping off his shoulders. Jade was holding onto her wrist and staring right into his eyes, her expression serious.

She was not joking…

"So all this time—that was what was bothering you?"

She tore her gaze away from him, her lips pressed into a thin line. There was something else, something she was unwilling to share.

At least not yet.