Awakening with two legendary Summons-Chapter 55: And Summoners met the Abyssal Beast

Kairos quickly hurried past the trees, weaving through the thick foliage as he approached the spot where he and his teammates had gotten separated. His breath came in short bursts, and every step reminded him of the strain he’d just endured. However, before he could reach the designated meeting point, he stopped in surprise.

His teammates were already there, gathered together and scanning the surroundings as though they were searching for him.

That was unexpected.

Had they all finished their battles before me? Kairos wondered, eyes trailing over each of them from head to toe. Among them, only Kaela and Lina appeared completely unscathed. Not a single scratch marked their bodies. Not even signs of cuts from the explosion that had occurred earlier.

Well, I guess I was the only one who had to fight two Apex Beasts... He let out a tired sigh, hiding his exhaustion behind a smirk.

"Wow, you look in bad shape," Carlos commented with a slight grin. Despite his words, Carlos bore more visible injuries than Kairos, though they seemed superficial and were already beginning to heal.

"I could say the same about you," Kairos responded with a small smile, his voice laced with irony. Then, turning to the rest of the group, he added, "I fought a Minotaur on my own. What about you guys?"

Lina stepped forward and shook her head slightly. "We took down one ourselves and harvested the core. That gives us four Apex Beast cores in total."

Kairos frowned slightly. Four cores weren’t nearly enough. The amount of time and danger they’d endured made that fact frustrating. Despite their efforts, their current yield wouldn’t secure the rank they were aiming for. They needed more—much more.

Still, as he scanned his teammates again, Kairos couldn’t ignore the battered condition of the three boys. Bruised, limping, panting—but alive. None of their injuries were fatal, but they needed time to recover.

Yet, as though reading Lina’s concerned expression, Kairos quickly said, "Don’t worry about us. Let’s keep moving."

"Yeah, that was just a warm-up! I can still go a few more rounds with some Apex Beasts!" Darnell added with a forced laugh, stretching his arms even though every movement clearly caused him pain.

Carlos didn’t say anything, but his nod was all the confirmation they needed. He was in.

They had come this far. None of them wanted to stop—not when they were so close. Not when the top spot was still within reach.

And for Kairos, there was another reason. A more personal, burning reason. He had to keep hunting until his second summon hatched. That much was clear in his mind.

Together, the group of five made their way toward the cave entrance. When they arrived, they arranged themselves into a formation: Kaela and Lina took the lead, while the injured boys followed behind, conserving their strength for what lay ahead.

As they stepped into the cave, an eerie silence engulfed them. Darkness loomed thickly around them, and the air turned cold and foul with each step forward. The absence of light was jarring until, deeper into the cave, they noticed faint illumination—small crystal-like rocks embedded in the ceiling, the floor, and the walls.

Each crystal emitted a dim blue glow, just enough to light the path ahead.

The cave’s ominous stillness made it a perfect nesting ground for crawling beasts and creatures laced with poison.

"Kaela, isn’t this...?" Kairos began, but Kaela already knew what he meant.

"Yes. Terrains for poisonous and crawling creatures," she confirmed, her voice low and focused.

Kairos smiled faintly. "Good to see you remember."

He stayed at the back, observing everything carefully. His voice turned thoughtful as he added, "At this rate, even if we ran, we might not make it back to base before curfew."

Everyone murmured in agreement. They had taken the long route to reach the cave. Factoring in the time spent fighting and traveling, more than six hours had passed since daybreak—and in this world, a day only lasted nine hours.

By now, most students were already heading back. Others would be wrapping up their hunts.

Kairos looked up at the ceiling again. Despite the danger, despite the bloodshed and tension, he found something surreal about the crystals’ soft light.

For a moment, the beauty of this alien world captivated him. A place haunted by monsters still held a breathtaking charm.

"Hey, can we talk?" Darnell’s voice interrupted his thoughts. He had walked back from the front to join Kairos.

Kairos didn’t respond right away. His gaze lingered on the ceiling a moment longer before he gave a slight nod.

"Your summon... it grows stronger by consuming other summons, doesn’t it?" Darnell asked, his tone low but steady.

Kairos’ eyes immediately turned to him, sharp and dangerous. A flicker of bloodlust danced in them—a warning. But Darnell didn’t flinch.

"You said no more secrets," he said calmly. "You’re a terrible liar, Kairos. You can trust me too, you know."

Kairos exhaled slowly, his tense expression relaxing.

"I know," he muttered. "But if the wrong people find out, it won’t just endanger me—it’ll endanger anyone close to me."

"I’m not afraid of being endangered," Darnell replied, crossing his arms. "I can handle myself. But I’m your friend. You should have told me. If I hadn’t asked Carlos to confirm, I wouldn’t have known how to react."

Carlos...?

Kairos’ gaze snapped toward Carlos, who walked calmly ahead of them, carrying the sack of beast cores. He didn’t turn back, nor did he react—but Kairos was certain he had heard everything.

How much did he tell him? Did he also tell him I killed Mike? Why would he do that? What’s his end game? A thousand questions swirled in Kairos’ mind, but none had clear answers.

Carlos, for his part, could feel the weight of Kairos’ stare. Though he didn’t turn around, his thoughts were uneasy.

Kairos Veyl... I still don’t understand you, Carlos thought. I wish we were back at the academy, sparring like before. Then maybe, I could ask you directly—how your summon consumes beasts’ bodies. And why.

If not for Darnell catching him in the act yesterday, he never would have known.

Their progress through the cave slowed. An unnatural silence hung in the air, broken only by the distant drip of water and their soft footsteps.

Then, as they turned a corner, the group came to a halt.

Corpses.

Several Apex Beast corpses, scattered around the path.

Some were torn apart, others had clean, brutal holes punched through their bodies. All were freshly killed.

"What do you think happened here?" Darnell asked, his voice uneasy.

"Maybe while we were fighting, someone else passed through and killed them. Or maybe there’s another passage that leads here. We’re not the only ones in the cave," Carlos offered, though his tone was uncertain.

It was a plausible explanation—but something didn’t sit right.

Kairos narrowed his eyes, observing the scene more closely.

"Look at the way the bodies are placed around the cave..." he said slowly, "...and notice how not a single crystal is damaged."

The group froze, glancing around. He was right.

The crystals remained untouched, pristine and glowing. It didn’t make sense. If these beasts had been in a ferocious battle, the surrounding terrain should show signs of damage.

Something was very wrong here.

Kaela pointed suddenly. "Look over there."

Stacked against the far wall were human bodies. Piled up like trophies.

Lina’s face hardened. She drew her dual swords without hesitation.

"Kairos, Darnell—go check it out. The rest of us, stay sharp!"

Without complaint, the two of them rushed forward. The first body was cold—lifeless. They gently moved it aside and examined the next.

It was a girl. Barely breathing. Her chest rose and fell faintly.

Kairos’ heart dropped.

"Rayla..." he whispered, recognizing her almost instantly.

Rayla. A descendant of a Faction, now lying on the brink of death.

Who... or what... could have done this?

And then, the air shifted.

A sudden gust of wind blew through the cave, but it wasn’t just a sound. It carried a word—faint, distorted, and chilling.

"Blood..."

Kairos and Darnell looked at each other, horror flickering in their eyes.

Was that the wind...? Or something else?

DING!

All their phones rang in unison.

The message was brief.

ABYSSAL RANKED BEASTS! RUN!!!