The Extra's Reincarnation-Chapter 154: Summoning And Taming Arts (4)

She gestured broadly at the vast landscape around us.

"The orbs are scattered throughout this area, but they won't simply be lying on the ground waiting to be picked up. They respond to your magical resonance and your inner essence. When you approach one that matches your spiritual signature, it will reveal itself to you."

"You have until sunset to find your orb," Professor Sinclair continued.

"If you encounter any difficulty or danger, send up a mana flare. Declan and I will be patrolling the area, and we'll come to your assistance immediately."

She gestured toward the vast expanse before us.

"Spread out. Give yourselves space to sense without interference from others' mana signatures. Trust your instincts - they will guide you to your orb."

"What if we don't find one?" someone asked from the back of the group.

Professor Sinclair's expression softened slightly.

"Then you return tomorrow, and the day after that, until you do. Some connections take time to form. There's no shame in patience."

With those final instructions, she mounted Declan once more.

The magnificent creature spread its wings, casting a shadow over our group before launching into the sky with powerful beats that sent ripples through the tall grass.

"Well," Ezekiel said, clapping me on the shoulder, "Guess I'm sitting this one out."

"Sitting it out? Professor Sinclair just said this is mandatory."

His grin widened as he leaned in closer.

"Let's just say I've already got my spirit situation handled."

Right I just realized what he meant.

I had forgotten that Ezekiel had already contracted with Eurus, the Primordial Spirit of Wind.

In the original novel, he'd formed this bond after he graduated at the academy, a fact that had shocked the world when they discovered it.

Eurus wasn't just any spirit; she was among the 0.001% of spirits considered to be in the Pinnacle category, beings of such power that most mages could only dream of encountering them, let alone bonding with one.

"Professor already knows," he continued, lowering his voice.

"I just have to observe today and help any stragglers who might get lost. Special arrangement."

"Good for you," I replied with deliberate indifference. "I don't really care."

Ezekiel laughed, clapping me on the back with unnecessary force.

"Still the same old Julian. Always pretending not to be impressed." His expression shifted to something more serious, almost evaluative.

"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if you found an epic-grade spirit yourself. With your potential... well, let's just say stranger things have happened."

Before I could respond, he was already walking away, waving over his shoulder. "Good luck out there! Try not to get eaten by anything with too many teeth!"

With a sigh, I turned toward the vast grassland stretching before me.

Let's hope that even with my disabilities I can find at least a decent orb to hang with.

***

"The forest seems more promising," Julian muttered to himself, stepping under the canopy of the trees.

-Most spirits prefer places of power,

Vykekard observed in his mind.

-The deeper parts of old forests often contain pockets of concentrated mana.

Julian nodded absently, his fingers trailing along rough bark as he passed.

"I know. That's why I'm heading this way."

As he ventured deeper, the forest grew thicker as the shadows lengthening despite the midday sun.

The sounds of other students faded behind him, replaced by the rustle of leaves and occasional calls of unseen creatures.

Several times he passed other first-years searching in the outer rings of the forest, their expressions shifting to confusion when they saw how far he intended to go.

"You shouldn't go that deep," a girl with braided hair warned as he passed.

"Professor Sinclair said the outer areas have plenty of orbs."

Another student, a boy examining a hollow tree trunk, looked up with concern.

"The deeper sections are restricted for a reason. There are things in there even the professors avoid."

Julian merely nodded politely and continued his path inward.

After nearly an hour of walking, Julian realized he hadn't seen another student for some time.

The forest had changed character as the trees here were more ancient with their massive trunks wider than three people standing arm-to-arm.

Moss covered everything, and strange luminescent fungi grew in clusters, providing ghostly illumination.

"We're in the deep forest now,"

He stepped into a small clearing, feeling the concentration of mana thickening the air around him.

The hairs on his arms stood on end as he sensed something massive approaching—a presence that made the ground tremble slightly with each step.

From between two towering trees emerged a creature unlike anything he'd expected.

Easily fifteen feet tall, it appeared to be formed entirely of living stone and earth, with moss and small plants growing from cracks in its rocky hide. Its eyes glowed with an inner light that pulsed like embers.

-An earth elemental creature!

Vykekard laughed looking at the behemoth with nostalgia

-A mature one, at that.

As Julian dropped into a combat stance the creature regarded him silently, its massive head tilting slightly as if in curiosity.

Then, without warning, the elemental simply... vanished.

"Huh?? What happened…"

Julian blinked in confusion as the massive earth elemental simply vanished from sight.

The elemental's disappearance left no trace—no footprints, no disturbed vegetation, not even a lingering mana signature. It was as if the creature had never existed at all.

-That's... unusual,

Vykekard commented, his voice tinged with suspicion.

-Earth elementals don't typically possess vanishing abilities. They're creatures of substance, not illusion.

"I can't tell if this forest has some curse to it or maybe I might be going crazy."

Julian cautiously continued forward.

The forest seemed to watch him as ancient trees leaned inward as if curious about this intruder in their midst.

He hadn't gone more than fifty paces when the undergrowth to his left rustled violently.

Julian spun around ready to take on the creature.

A massive wolf-like creature with crystalline fur emerged from the shadows.

Its eyes glowed with an inner light, intelligent and evaluating.

This was no ordinary forest predator—it was clearly a spirit beast of considerable power.

"Easy now," he murmured, not breaking eye contact.

The crystal wolf took one step toward him, its paw leaving a glittering imprint in the soft earth—and then it too vanished.

No sound, no movement, simply gone between one heartbeat and the next.

"What is happening?" Julian whispered, a genuine frown creasing his forehead.

"That's twice now."

-Three times, actually,

Vykekard corrected as Julian felt a presence above him.

Julian looked up just in time to see a serpentine form coiling through the branches overhead—scales shimmering with colors that shouldn't exist in nature.

It fixed Julian with an appraising stare, forked tongue tasting the air—and then it too dissolved into nothingness.

"This is getting ridiculous,"