SS Awakening: My Monster Merging System!

The Shelter Lord shifted his gaze to Zich. The others didn’t need to explicitly state it, but he already had a full grasp of what had happened.

Even the other members of the Player Association were forced to look at him.

Due to recent events, Zich’s name had become quite popular throughout the shelter. The people they had expected to stand out were Helen and Jayden because of the prestigious families they came from.

However, the no name had completely stolen the spotlight.

And now they were saying he cleared the Gold Realm Secret Realm as well?

"You... you killed the boss?" Arnold asked, his tone cracking as he struggled to keep his face straight.

Technically, it was not him, and the monster had killed itself. Zich knew that accepting the kill outright could be a double edged sword, so he came up with an even smarter way.

"It is a bit complicated. I didn’t exactly land the killing strike, but I contributed to its death."

His answer was neither a lie nor the truth. It was the perfect balance. It gave enough room for the bystanders to think he was the one who had killed the boss while still admitting he had only contributed.

And just like he had predicted, they bought his words.

"By contribution, do you mean one of your summons?" Cole asked in a curious tone.

’There we go.’ Zich smiled in his heart. He genuinely loved when people were able to piece things together for themselves.

"Yes, something like that."

"He has a summon that is strong enough to kill a boss in a Gold Secret Realm?"

The question came from one of the Association members standing at the side, and the moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere became rowdy again.

Several eyes moved toward Zich at once.

Even the guards who had been pretending not to listen secretly straightened their backs. A summon capable of contributing to the death of a Gold Realm boss was not something a new player should possess.

Zich could feel all their gazes settling on him like needles.

He sighed inwardly.

This was why he hated explaining things.

"My summon did not kill it alone," Zich replied calmly. "The others weakened it, the boss had already lost its supply, and the situation became favorable. If you want a cleaner answer, then no, I did not simply point at it and make it die."

The Association members who had been staring at him finally relaxed a little because that explanation sounded much easier to accept than a newly awakened summoner owning something capable of destroying a Gold Realm boss directly.

Arnold, however, did not relax.

His eyes stayed on Zich for a moment longer.

"Still," Arnold said slowly. "For you to contribute to the defeat of a Gold Realm boss and return alive is already beyond ordinary."

"Luck played a part," Zich said.

Cole rubbed his forehead as though he was already tired of the entire situation.

"We will need full reports from everyone. Separately."

Zich’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Reports?"

"Yes," Cole replied. "You entered a Blue Realm that became Gold Rank, survived, cleared it, and came out with loot. Did you expect us to clap and let everyone go home?"

"I was hoping for that, actually."

Cole stared at him.

Zich stared back.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The giant Velhari suddenly laughed from the side, though the sound quickly turned into a cough because of his injuries.

"This human is funny."

"He is troublesome," Cole muttered.

Arnold raised one hand, stopping the discussion before it became useless. His gaze moved across the injured group.

"Medical treatment first. Reports later."

Several Association healers immediately moved forward after hearing that.

Helen allowed one of them to check her arm, though her eyes kept drifting toward Zich. Jayden accepted treatment silently, his face still pale from exhaustion and anger. Varok stood still while a healer inspected his leg, and the giant Velhari complained the whole time until the short Velhari told him to shut up.

Zich tried to move away quietly.

He only took three steps before Cole appeared in front of him.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Home."

"You are injured."

"I have a bath."

Cole’s expression twisted slightly.

"That is not an answer."

"It is the answer I care about most right now."

Cole opened his mouth, but Arnold spoke before him.

"Let him go."

Cole turned toward Arnold with a frown.

"Shelter Lord?"

Arnold said. "He will not run. Not with that much attention on him."

Zich clicked his tongue softly.

That sounded like trust, but he knew it was actually a warning.

Arnold continued, "You will report tomorrow morning. Do not make me send people to your residence."

"I would rather you did not," Zich replied.

"Then appear on time."

Zich nodded once and turned away without waiting for more questions.

Helen watched him leave. For a second, she looked like she wanted to follow, but the healer beside her held her arm in place while applying treatment. She clicked her tongue softly and stayed where she was.

At that moment, Arnold approached Helen.

"Miss."

"Mm." Helen replied, shifting her gaze from Zich’s disappearing figure back to the Shelter Lord.

"Your father has been worried about you."

The moment he said those words, Helen’s expression softened.

...

Zich ignored all the gazes and walked down the mountain path.

The cold wind outside the vanished realm felt much cleaner than the air inside the Gold Realm. There was no blood mist, no soul stone channels, no undead crawling from broken walls... just wind.

For once, Zich appreciated something simple.

By the time he returned to his mansion, the sky above the privileged district had already darkened.

The gate opened as soon as it recognized him.

The mansion grounds were quiet as usual.

Zich walked through the front door and locked it behind him.

Only after the door closed did his shoulders lower slightly as he let down his guard.

The moment he entered the main hall, he dropped his spatial bag onto a nearby table.

THUD!

His clothes were ruined. Dust, blood, bone powder, and dried sweat clung to him. He felt irritated and felt that if he didn’t take a bath immediately, he might lose his mind.

While Zich was taking a warm bath in his luxurious bathroom, in the real world, Helen had already returned to the Player Association building.

*** 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

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