The Seven Demon's Tamer

The roaring of a particular Lamborghini could be heard approaching from a distance.

Even before turning towards it, they could already tell it was screaming luxury.

"That's no ordinary vehicle," Leo muttered, his experience with cars allowing him to sense the quality despite being far.

"Relax," Ryder said, waving his hands dismissively. "We are joining the Red Eastern guild as allies, so it's natural for them to treat us with respect, that's for sure."

Despite his casual words, Ryder found himself unconsciously straightening his posture and brushing non-existent dust from his clothes. First impressions mattered, especially when dealing with people who could afford to send Lamborghinis as casual pickup vehicles.

"Easy for you to say," Brok grumbled, retracting his Ragnar tortoise familiar back to him as orange mist—same color as his mark. "You're the one they're rolling out the red carpet for."

The roaring grew louder, more distinct, until it was close enough that they could feel the vibrations through the ground beneath their feet. When the vehicle finally stopped at the hill leading to the village gates, it was nothing short of as impressive as the sound had promised.

"Well," Leo said dryly, folding his arms across his chest. "I suppose they want to make an impression."

"Mission accomplished," Mara breathed, unable to hide her awe.

She'd seen luxury vehicles in magazines and occasionally on the rare occasions when wealthy merchants passed through the village, but never anything quite like this.

The car was a statement, a declaration that the Red Eastern Guild operated on a completely different level than anything she could ever imagine.

When the driver's door finally opened, it did so with smooth precision, almost dramatically.

The man who emerged was like something out of a movie—tall, impeccably dressed in a tailored black suit that screamed money, and moving with the kind of precision that made it seem like every gesture had been practiced to perfection.

Ming Fan adjusted his black glasses with a gesture that was as professional as his appearance as he glanced at them, scanning all four of them silently with his eyes.

Then, with a single tap on the Lamborghini's controller, the doors opened for them with a soft hiss, revealing an interior that was even more luxurious than the exterior.

"My name is Ming Fan, and I was sent by Master Sung to come pick you up," he started, his voice perfectly neutral. His accent was quite distinct, marking him as someone from the eastern regions where the guild is built.

Before focusing solely on Ryder, he gave each of them a quick, assessing look one more time.

"Ryder," he said, his gaze settling on the young summoner with laser intensity. "You're a demon contractor owning a black marked familiar. More information is still yet to be discovered about you, but what we know already is... intriguing."

Yes, Ming Fan referred to him as just Ryder deliberately, since it was the most appropriate.

On this planet Terra, surnames or last names weren't really necessary for ordinary citizens. All that mattered was the first name of a person—except when that person was a member of a guild.

Guild membership brought with it a last name for members and ranks that served as identification.

Take for example the Red Eastern guild, which had developed one of the most refined ranking systems on the planet.

The members all shared common last names that clarified their rank at first mention, creating an instant understanding of where each person stood in the guild's hierarchy.

There were four different categories of Red Eastern guild members, each representing rank in the guild.

Firstly, there was the Fan—the lowest category within the guild hierarchy. This was the rank of all the guild members who had participated in the Ludlow incident, alongside Ming Fan himself.

The fact that they were at the lowest rank didn't make them the weakest by any chance. They were all red marked summoners after all, which automatically placed them in the upper level of summoner society.

They either seemed to lack much experience, had been given minor duties too often, or simply hadn't yet made a contribution significant enough to warrant promotion.

In all honesty, Ming Fan wasn't supposed to be among them—his skills and experience far exceeded what was typically expected of a Fan rank member.

But for some strange reason, he had been kept at the bottom rank for all these years, despite being one of the closest people to the guild leader himself.

The second title was the Luo. Those who bore Luo in their names were individuals who had spent a number of years in the guild working diligently without causing trouble.

Being diligent wasn't the only qualification though; they also possessed some battle experience and were taught an advanced Japanese martial art that went in tune with their summoning abilities, making them capable of much more than ordinary red marked summoners.

The martial art focuses on uniting techniques with familiar shared powers, allowing practitioners to fight with greater capabilities than what they extract from their familiars' shared capability.

Then the third rank, Tian.

The Tian title was given to the highly privileged ones who had proven themselves worthy through exceptional capabilities, and adaptability to the secret Tian technique—one that allows them to use the affinity of their familiars, not just their familiar's shared physical capabilities.

Unlike the Fan and Luo ranks, the Tian were rarely ever sent on mundane errands or boring tasks.

They were also taught the advanced Japanese martial art for summoners alongside the formidable skill of drawing out affinity.

This skill had been displayed by Master Sung first-hand during the breach incident just the other day. Brok, Mara, Leo, and Ryder had watched it unfold, as he somehow used the affinity of his beasts without summoning them out, sending out lightning and flame strikes.

Finally, there was Sen—the highest rank in the hierarchy of the Red Eastern guild, reserved for only the most exceptional members who had transcended the great prowess of all other ranks in the hierarchy, making them appear exceptional.

There were rumors that only three individuals currently held this title, and they were treated with respect that approached how Master Sung himself was treated.

Their identities were a mystery, their faces rarely seen even within the guild halls. Only a few high-ranking Tian members and Master Sung himself knew who bore the Sen name.

What made the Sen rank both feared and respected wasn't just their rarity, but their capabilities that were legendary.

Unlike the Tian who could draw upon their familiars' affinities without summoning, the Sen were said to possess something far more impressive and more dangerous—the ability to permanently merge with their marked beasts and reverse the process at will.

This merger wasn't temporary like the brief connection. It was a complete fusion of consciousness, body, and power that created beings that were no longer entirely human but weren't quite familiar either.

In this state, they possessed not only their own abilities but also the full power and affinity of their familiar, along with their sense of self—allowing them to still perform their martial arts and advanced techniques.