Summoner: Gold Sun 4
Lumiia had spouted some truly arrogant nonsense. The venom in her expression made it clear just how much spite she harbored in her heart. With pride like hers, it was only natural she'd end up handled so roughly—it was practically scripted.
Well, if that's how she wanted to play it, I had my own ways to respond.
"Fine. Here's the deal. Every time you try to kill me, I'll fill that pussy of yours to the brim with my cum."
"Hey! You think I'm joking around!?"
"Nah, you seem dead serious. And so am I."
Her face twisted into a demonic snarl at my words. She still thought I was messing with her.
"You bastard…!"
"Oh ho. Wanna test if I'm serious? Come at me right now."
Lumiia's hand trembled around the hilt of her greatsword.
But in the end, she lowered it. That one clash earlier had made the gap in their skills crystal clear—she'd admitted she couldn't win head-on.
In the original story's early game, Lumiia wasn't that strong. She awakens later and climbs to the top tier among champions, but right now? She's mid-to-low tier at best. And I had zero plans to awaken her in this survival game.
"I'll kill you for sure…!"
She muttered it with pure murderous intent, looking every bit like a vengeful virgin ghost. Though, was Lumiia actually a virgin?
The original didn't say.
"You'll have plenty of chances for a sneak attack. I'm heading out to fight right now."
"Right now? The summoner survival just started! And do you even know who you're up against!?"
"Of course."
I'd taken a week off. No intention of dragging this survival out longer than that.
'Gotta optimize my route.'
Eight targets to take down.
I already knew exactly who, when, and how. Knowing the original made the strategy obvious.
I pulled the Leon Mask out of my inventory for the first time in ages. Slipping on the lion-emblazoned mask, I saw Lumiia's eyes widen in surprise.
"That's no ordinary item. A holy relic?"
"Something like that."
"Knew you weren't normal. What's your name?"
"Leon Mask."
I stepped out of the house. Lumiia hesitated a moment, then used magic to change into casual street clothes before following.
Probably aiming for the back of my head.
Guess I'd have to watch my six.
"Where we headed?"
"A restaurant."
My steps were sure. First target: the restaurant owner. Ten minutes later, a tiny tonkatsu joint came into view—only five seats inside.
"Welcome."
A mild-mannered guy in his mid-40s with glasses greeted us from behind the counter. His gentle face matched his plump build, perfect for a place reeking of fryer grease.
I didn't sit—walked right up to him.
"L-Leon Mask!?"
He gasped in shock at the sight of the mask.
Seems my rep had spread this far. Makes sense—I'd been all over the news nonstop.
In the Soul Community world, Leon Mask was infamous. Probably Korea's most notorious criminal.
In the 'front' world, anyway.
"Summoner! What the hell do you want!?"
A young man in chef whites burst from the kitchen, wielding a cleaver. Didn't fit the part-time cook vibe. Both these guys were dudes. No food to be had. That's why they were first on the list.
"Straight to the point: Retire from the summoner survival."
"What!? No way you're a summoner too, Leon Mask! Tch! Think I'll listen to that crap!?"
The glasses guy jabbed a finger at me. Gone was the kindly vibe.
"Grace! Take him out!"
At his order, the chef's outfit morphed into gladiator gear—chains dangling, sword in left hand, net in right. Just like Lumiia, a magic costume change.
"Light Saber."
I summoned my blade of light to meet him. Lucky for us, no other customers. Not that it mattered.
Bam!
"Guh! What the—!? You're not a summoner, you're a champion!?"
Our swords clashed, and shock hit Grace's face. One exchange showed who was superior.
But Grace's power wasn't just the sword. Nah, that was secondary. His real trick was the net.
"Heaven's net that binds all things! Tenra Jiwang!"
[Lv 1] (A-grade)
Consumes inner energy or mana to maximize the sword aura's lethality, delivering a devastating strike that utterly rends the foe. Manwol Slash boasts 50% physical penetration.
He hurled the net at me. It ballooned massively, enveloping everything around me—a wide-area trap snaring front, back, left, right. The dense mesh blocked my vision.
Like a fish in his net. Grace sneered down at me.
"A gladiator's power ain't just swordplay. Once you're in my net, you're done!"
"You sure about that?"
I poured mana and qi into my Light Saber. Tough net, but not enough to seal me.
"True Manwol Slash."
The blade unleashed with ferocious power. Its afterimage gleamed like a full moon in the sky—and that moon shredded Grace's net in one go.
Clang-clang-crash!
Surrounding fixtures shattered, tables splintered. The slash didn't stop at the net—it carved straight into him. His armor tore like paper.
The light blade pierced flesh. A solid thunk through the hilt. A normal person would've gone into shock.
A deep gash across his gut—one clean horizontal line. Grace dropped to his knees, blood spewing from his mouth.
"Cough…! Summoner…!"
"Grace! Get up! Fight! You promised me eternal life! Damn it! Gears Counter, I command you—stand and fight!"
"Impossible… Even Gears Counter can't force the impossible… I'm retiring…."
"Shit…! No!!!"
Grace dissolved into motes of light. The glasses guy crumpled to his knees on the spot.
Memories of the fight would auto-erase. That's how summoner survival worked.
"Let's go."
We left the shop. Lumiia stared at me, dumbfounded.
"What the hell was that? You actually retired a real summoner?"
"Exactly what you saw."
"No, seriously… who the fuck are you!?"
"Leon Mask. Oh, and you were gonna backstab me, right? Changed your mind?"
"You fought without a single opening. Impressive."
Pity. I'd hoped she'd try and get reverse-ganged on. Her sharp eyes saved her ass.
Could've forced it, but where's the fun? Pass.
"Next guy's gonna need some prep."
I called Hye-min.
The summoner survival had begun. And not even 30 minutes in, one summoner dropped out. All participants could see the remaining summoner count.
"What happened?"
Jang Bori, the high school girl summoner, tilted her head. The blue-haired archer with a bow on his back crossed his arms beside her and replied.
"Who knows? Maybe some ridiculous bastard joined."
He was just as baffled. He'd done a few survivals, but this was a first.
"Lyka, can we win this survival?"
"We'll give it our all."
Lyka's answer was textbook.
Jang Bori was a high schooler with a terminal illness. The summoner power kept it at bay for now, but lose that power post-survival, and it'd surge back.
To save her, they had to win and claim Eve's apple. No choice.
"Bad feeling about this. Better stay in today."
"If that's what you think, Lyka, we'll do it."
Bori trusted and followed Lyka completely.
I called Hye-min for cash. Fine's slush fund was mine to tap. 500 million won? Easy.
Next stop: a loan shark's office. Mask off.
"Welcome. How much you need?"
Typical shark—straight to money.
"Not borrowing. Buying. Bad debts."
"Huh? Buying?"
"A guy named Jang Se-gun borrowed here, right!?"
"Client info's confidential."
I pulled 5 million won.
"Yes, he did. For his daughter's hospital bills… plus interest, about 200 million."
"Here's 500 million. I'll take his debt."
His eyes bugged out at the stack.
"Cash."
"Uh… dirty money?"
"And if it is?"
I bought Jang Se-gun's debt. He was summoner Jang Bori's dad.
Straight to him—day laborer at a construction site.
"Here to collect."