Kiera_Yanagi

  Yuki's return to the Adventurer's Guild was met with the usual bustle of activity. The building was lively, with adventurers chatting excitedly about their quests and the test news from the frontlines. It wasn’t quite as early as when she had left, but the air still held a quiet hum of the morning, with a few patrons finishing up their breakfast.

  She made her way to the counter, where the receptionist greeted her with a friendly smile. Yuki set the bundle of bandit hands down on the counter with a soft thud, each one gruesomely severed but necessary for confirming the completion of the quest. The receptionist raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by the sheer number of hands in front of her.

  "Quite the job you’ve done," she remarked, eyeing the severed hands. "I’ll mark your quest as complete and process your reward."

  Yuki gave a silent nod, her face betraying no emotion. The act of killing the bandits hadn’t been difficult, and it hadn’t been something she particurly enjoyed either. It was simply a task to be done, and she had done it well. She watched as the receptionist worked quickly, her hands moving swiftly to tally up the reward and hand her the compensation.

  With the quest complete and the reward in hand, Yuki didn’t linger long. There was something else she was interested in. Something that had caught her eye earlier: a new quest, pinned on the board just below her completed task.

  Quest Title: Protection Detail for Summoning ExperimentDescription: A group of alchemists and magic researchers are conducting an experiment involving summoning magic. They require protection while they attempt to summon a demon for study. Payment upon successful completion of the task. Note: Must be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.

  The words "summoning magic" piqued Yuki’s interest immediately. The idea of summoning was not foreign to her. She had been summoned herself into this world after all, though the exact mechanics of it had eluded her thus far. If there was a chance to learn more about summoning magic, she couldn’t pass it up. Who knew? Maybe she could even find a way to use it to return home.

  After all, she was technically a summon herself. If the magic worked in such a way that she could be sent back, it might be her best chance at leaving this strange world behind.

  She walked over to the receptionist again, handing her the quest details. "I’ll take this one," she said, her tone casual, though her mind was far from it. The potential of summoning magic was something that intrigued her deeply, and the idea of investigating it further, in a more controlled setting, seemed like the perfect opportunity.

  "Got it," the receptionist replied, taking the paperwork and confirming her participation. "The location is just outside the city. You’ll be going to the Summer family estate. They're well known in the area for their research."

  [System Notice: Quest Accepted – “Protection Detail for Summoning Experiment”][System Notice: Reward; 6 gold coins, 80 unallocated stat points and 1 hidden reward]

  The Summer estate was located on the outskirts of the town, nestled on a quiet hill that overlooked the sprawling fields below. The mansion was rge, its architecture grand yet functional. As Yuki approached the gates, she couldn't help but notice the air of old money and prestige that surrounded the property. The iron gates creaked slightly as she pushed them open, and she made her way up the winding path toward the front door.

  The door opened just as she reached it, and a woman in her early thirties greeted her. She had short, auburn hair and wore a practical outfit of simple robes and trousers—clearly someone who was used to working with their hands.

  "You're here for the summoning experiment," she said with a slight smile. "Please, come in. I'll take you down to the basement where the others are waiting."

  Yuki nodded, following the woman inside. The hallways were lined with rich tapestries and shelves full of old books and trinkets. It was a pce of learning, of magic, and Yuki couldn’t help but feel a slight thrill at the thought of what was happening below.

  They passed through the mansion’s interior, making their way toward a set of wooden stairs that led down to the basement. The air grew cooler as they descended, and the scent of potions and herbs filled Yuki’s nose. The basement itself was rge, with various alchemical equipment lining the walls—gss jars, strange vials, and brewing stations. But the center of attention was a rge, circur ritual space marked by an intricate array of runes and symbols drawn in chalk.

  Standing around the ritual space were six people, most of them women, dressed in robes of various colors. A few were holding scrolls, others stood with their hands raised, and one was preparing what appeared to be some kind of catalyst—a glowing orb that pulsed with magical energy. The air felt charged, as though the very fabric of reality was being pulled taut in anticipation of what was to come.

  Yuki took a step forward, observing the scene in silence. Her eyes flickered between the participants, noting their focused expressions and the intensity in their movements. They were preparing for something big—something dangerous. And Yuki was here to ensure nothing went wrong.

  As the woman who had greeted her stepped to the side, she gestured to the group. "This is where the summoning will take pce. Please, stand back and observe, but be ready to intervene if needed."

  Yuki nodded, her eyes never leaving the group. She was no stranger to danger, but this was different. These people weren’t just summoning creatures for battle—they were attempting to ensve a demon. She had heard rumors of such things before, but seeing it firsthand was a completely different experience.

  A woman with long bck hair, her face serene and calcuting, stepped into the circle and began to chant in a nguage that Yuki couldn’t understand. The air seemed to crackle, and the symbols on the floor glowed with an eerie light. The orb in the woman’s hand began to pulse faster, its light becoming blinding.

  The chanting grew louder, more intense, and then, with a sudden burst of energy, a figure appeared within the circle. It was humanoid but twisted—its form was barely discernible, shifting between shadows and fme, its eyes burning with an unholy light. Yuki instinctively took a step back, her heart pounding. The demon was here.

  The others stepped forward, readying their tools—chains, enchanted colrs, and binding spells. The demon’s form began to solidify, and it let out a roar of defiance, but the women were prepared. They cast their spells and used their tools with practiced precision. Within moments, the demon was subdued, bound by powerful chains that shimmered with magic.

  Yuki watched in silence, but her mind was racing. When the ritual had settled, and the demon was safely contained, one of the women turned to her.

  "Are you curious about the summoning process?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "I’m sure you have questions."

  Yuki nodded, her curiosity evident. "How does summoning magic work? And... can the summon send itself back to where it came from?"

  The woman smiled, though her expression was tinged with caution. "Summoning magic is complex. We use rituals and ancient spells to draw a being from another realm into this one. But a summon can only return if it is stronger than its summoner—or if it kills the summoner. The summoner’s control over the summoned being is the only thing that keeps it bound. If the demon can overcome the summoner, it can leave. But it’s rare—and dangerous."

  Yuki’s mind whirled as she processed the information. A demon could return home by becoming stronger than its summoner, or by killing them. It was a simple rule, yet it made everything more complicated for Yuki. Could she become strong enough to return home? Could she overpower a god—or would she need to kill her summoner? The realization struck her with full force.

  Her path had just become a thousand times harder.

  Yuki let out a long, heavy sigh. The idea of returning home now seemed more impossible than ever. But she was a already a [Hero Killer] what was stopping her from becoming a [God Killer] this just meant revenge became a necessary part of her goals.

  Kiera_Yanagi