The Best and Worst Result
The Mashins of Catastrim, who appear based on random probability, are divided into four tiers according to their strength and summon rates.
Starting from the lowest tier, N (Normal).
The mid-tier, R (Rare).
The high-tier, SR (Super Rare), to which Apollona belongs.
And finally, the SSR (Specially Super Rare) tier, a supreme rank held by only three of the Mashins, possessing the lowest summon probability of all.
Among them, Apollona, the first Mashin, was technically an SR-rank. However, her raw combat power was only average, and since she was programmed to be summoned first no matter what, her rank didn't carry much practical weight.
In that sense, the ritual taking place before her eyes was essentially her master's first true test of luck.
But honestly, Apollona didn't expect much.
The quality of the soul is good, but the quantity is just too small. Frankly, if he had used the entire thing, we could have hoped for a great result... But since he only drew a fraction of the blood to keep the guy alive, it's highly unlikely we'll get anyone decent.
Half a soul, and a meager amount of blood extracted during a brief torture session.
While it was barely enough to perform the ritual once, the sheer lack of materials made it hard to anticipate anything grand.
Of course, since this was a game of chance, the possibility of pulling an SR or SSR wasn't zero. But realistically, it might as well have been.
Well... I suppose the real value is just meeting our first companion. I want to see another familiar face as soon as possible, anyway...
With low expectations for the strength of the incoming Mashin, Apollona watched the ritual unfold, content with the simple fact of welcoming a nostalgic comrade to this world.
But then...
"...Wait, what is this?"
"...Huh?"
The moment the bell tolled and light flashed, the summoning circle suddenly began to flicker with a deep crimson glow.
At the same time, an ominous, overwhelming presence surged through the air, sending goosebumps down Apollona's spine.
Flash!
What... What is this? No way... Could it be?
An unimaginable fluctuation of mana.
Tinged with a dark, reddish-black aura, the energy radiated a scorching heat that made Apollona feel as if she were burning, even if only for a brief second.
No... Surely it can't be... her...
The blazing heat slowly began to subside.
Then, a figure came into view.
She wasn't standing in the center of the magic circle. Instead, she was leaning back casually in a chair that sat just off to the side.
She possessed rich, healthy copper skin and a toned, muscular physique that still retained an elegant beauty. Her silver hair stood in stark contrast to her dark skin, and she wore striking red garments.
She had horns similar to Apollona's, but the sheer, extraordinary power radiating from her was on a completely different level.
The moment Apollona saw her, a single thought automatically flashed through her mind.
Oh, son of a bitch...
She had never expected to meet her like this. Of all the Mashins, this was the absolute worst rival she could have hoped to see.
Leaning her arms on the armrests, the newly summoned Mashin looked at the startled Adjuster, Seton, and spoke.
"Well, well... My, my. It seems I've been bound to a truly absurd Master... no, Adjuster. I didn't expect us to meet so soon."
She looked down at Seton with an arrogant, self-assured smirk.
Watching this, Apollona, despite her souring mood, couldn't help but wonder.
Is our Adjuster... actually blessed with insane luck?
The entity had made a grand entrance from the very start. Knowing exactly who she was, Apollona was utterly dumbfounded by how this was even possible.
0.01%.
That was the probability of summoning the entity before them using such a meager sacrifice. Faced with this miraculous encounter, Apollona was torn between celebration and despair.
Having defied the astronomical odds to manifest in this world, the silver-haired Mashin slowly stood up, looked at Seton, and offered a hand with a boisterous laugh.
"A pleasure to meet you, my Master. My name is Mares. If it is victory you seek, command me at any time."
"Right... I look forward to working with you, Mares."
Seton accepted the handshake, his grip slightly awkward.
And watching them...
Apollona could only stand in stunned, conflicted silence.
Mares... An upper-tier SR-rank, and the fourth strongest among all the Mashins... How did he pull someone who usually requires sacrificing multiple Master-class assassins just like that...?
A powerful ally had arrived far sooner than anticipated. Mares then turned her gaze away from the Adjuster, flashed a bright grin at Apollona, and offered a casual greeting.
"I knew you'd been here since the start of Catastrim, but it's good to see you like this, sister."
"Is it... Indeed. Let us call it a pleasure."
"Haha, don't look so miserable. Like it or not, we serve the same master now. Let's get along without fighting, shall we, sister?"
"...Of course. Since this is our first time meeting in reality, there is no need to dwell on the past."
Apollona's forced smile twitched at Mares's words.
Seeing their tense interaction, their master and the Adjuster of the world, Seton, asked with deep suspicion in his voice.
"Is there a problem between you two? You don't seem to get along very well."
"...Well, that is... you see..."
"No, nothing at all. It is simply that my younger sister is overwhelmed with joy at seeing her older sister again."
"...Yes, that is... correct."
Apollona reluctantly agreed, letting the matter slide. Though her stomach churned, she couldn't show such unsightly behavior in front of her master. She composed her expression and swallowed her frustration.
But... this is going to be troublesome. I can't believe my worst rival showed up right at the start.
Mares, the entity summoned to this world by sacrificing Ardin's soul and blood.
Though she possessed a much more boisterous personality than Apollona, she was still a Mashin born with the ultimate mission of destroying the world. I took the opportunity to clarify the concept of a more 'refined destruction' to her as well.
"I see. I understand. To be honest, I always found the idea of slaughtering non-combatants rather distasteful."
"Really? That's a relief."
"A glorious death in battle is an honor for a warrior, but there is no reason to lay a hand on those who cannot fight."
Mares spoke like a textbook warrior. Through her, I realized that even among the Mashins, there were vast differences in personality.
Unlike Apollona, she seems to possess a shred of mercy. She reminds me of someone I used to know...
"Regardless, erasing this world is our sacred duty. I shall carry it out faithfully under your command, Master."
Of course, she still made it clear that their ultimate goal remained the destruction of the world.
"Then the next question is what we do from here..."
With the introductions out of the way, I looked at my party, which had grown to three in just a single day, and prepared to discuss our next steps.
Just then...
Grumble.
"Huh?"
"..."
"Ahem..."
The sudden sound of a growling stomach echoed through the room. Realizing that we had been so busy we hadn't even eaten yet, I addressed the two before me.
"Well... there's no immediate rush, so let's grab a quick bite first. What do you Mashins usually eat?"
"We can eat generally the same things as humans. However, unlike humans, we are not particularly picky about our meals."
"Is that so? That's good. I have some rations I brought along, so let's make do with those for now."
"Ah! Thank you, Adjuster."
"Distributing rations? You have my thanks, Master."
Seeing the two beautiful women express such genuine gratitude, I felt a pang of guilt as I unpacked the travel rations I had brought along.
Hard biscuits, tough jerky, dried figs, and a cup of water poured from my canteen.
It was an embarrassing meal to offer to two individuals whose elegance and beauty could easily rival any high noble lady, regardless of their race. But right now, I had no other options.
However...
"So this is... the food of this world."
"Intriguing. I knew of it through my memories, but this is the first time I shall actually consume it."
Despite the meager spread, both of them looked at the food with genuine anticipation.
Watching them, I suddenly remembered that despite their vast knowledge and mature appearances, they had technically just been born into this world today.
They have basic common sense and abilities... but knowing something in theory is very different from experiencing it in reality.
With that thought, I took a bite first to show them how it was done, chewing the hard biscuit and tough jerky with some effort.
Following my lead, the two of them carefully put the food into their mouths.
"...It is delicious. Much better... than I expected."
"Not bad. Experiencing hunger and consuming food in this manner has a charm of its own."
To be honest, the food was meant for survival, not flavor. Yet, both of them seemed genuinely impressed by their very first taste of food.
Seeing them react like that makes me feel even more self-conscious... I'll have to treat them to some proper food when we get the chance.
As I ate, I barely paid attention to my own food, completely captivated by the sight of the two beautiful, yet surprisingly cute, Mashins eating so diligently.
Once our brief but memorable meal was over, we sat down to seriously discuss our next move.
First and foremost, we needed to secure a stable supply of food. Now that I knew the Mashins needed to eat just like me, resolving this issue was our top priority.
At the same time, we also needed to capture targets to use as sacrifices. To accomplish both, I realized there was one immediate task we had to undertake.
"Hunting?"
"Oh ho..."
Apollona and Mares's eyes lit up with genuine excitement at my words. Seeing the fierce motivation in their beautiful eyes made my heart flutter slightly, but I quickly shook off the feeling and continued.
"Yes, hunting. It's the best way to solve several of our problems at once. Conveniently... I know just the place."
The areas I had noted on my way here—specifically, the dangerous zones I had gone to extreme lengths to avoid back then.
If we turned those places to our advantage, we could easily solve our food and sacrifice problems. With that in mind, I pointed to a spot on my faded map.