SSS Awakening: Only My Summons Evolve

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Verso asked, his voice strained.

The atmosphere in the cavern had become so thick with murderous intent and the scent of blood that it felt like he was breathing cold, liquid lead.

Han’s face was unreadable almost as if his hollow, dead expression was a mask carved from ice.

Crunch.

The sound of snapping bone echoed off the jagged walls of the caverns.

Verso shifted his gaze behind Han, landing on the massive White Tiger. The beast was hunched over the final mercenary, its white face painted a dark crimson.

The Tiger slowly lifted its head, its golden eyes locking onto Verso. The sheer weight of the pressure the creature exerted was suffocating. There was no way that this was just another Mutant beast.

The air inside the cavern itself seemed to vibrate with its power.

’So I was right. Han had an Elite beast after all...’

Verso felt the hair on his arms stand up.

He had seen what the Siren could do and he had seen his own Sea Serpent’s dominance, but unlike both of them, this tiger was a land based predator.

He knew, with a sinking certainty, that if that beast decided to move, he might not even have time to blink before his throat was torn out.

Yet, for some reason, Han hadn’t given the order to kill.

Not yet.

Han took three deliberate steps toward Verso, his ancient black robes fluttering despite the stagnant air.

He slowly raised his golden revolver, the barrel level with Verso’s forehead.

"So, what did my brother promise you?" Han’s voice was a chilling, melodic whisper.

"Power? Riches? Did he tell you that after you helped his dogs kill me, you would have a seat in our clan?"

The questions hit Verso like physical blows.

’His brother? What is this lunatic talking about?’

"Why the fuck would I know your brother, Han?" Verso shouted, his frustration finally boiling over.

"Snap out of it! We need to get out of here right now and stop the other mercenaries before Lua and Xavier get hurt further!"

Han’s only response was a low raspy chuckle.

Without shifting his gaze, he pulled the trigger three times in rapid succession.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The mana bullets didn’t hit Verso. Instead, they slammed into the ceiling of the narrow tunnel entrance behind him.

The impact shattered the structural integrity of the damp stone, and with a deafening roar, several tons of rock and earth collapsed, completely sealing the only route back to the surface.

Verso coughed as a cloud of dust filled the room.

"Are you insane?! You just trapped us in here!"

"Do you really think I’m going to let you run away this easily?" Han said, his eyes glowing with a manic intensity.

"Xavier was never here, and you must have already dealt with Lua. You’re quite the actor, Verso, but the play is over."

Just then, a sharp, white hot ache pierced Verso’s chest.

[Summon ’Stone Golem’ Dead]

His heart skipped a beat.

That was one of the golems he had left outside with Xavier. If his frontline was already falling, it meant the mercenaries outside were even stronger than they looked.

’I can’t waste any more time in here.’

"I promise you, Han, both of them are outside fighting for their lives!" Verso’s voice was desperate now, his grip on the Black Scythe tightening.

"If we waste any more time here, the situation will only get worse! The mercenaries out there are real and they aren’t mine!"

Instead of a moment of clarity, Han’s face distorted into a mask of pure disgust.

"So you’re planning to die without any dignity... I guess I can do that for you."

Han pointed his finger toward Verso, a signal for the tiger to engage.

Verso saw the creature’s two curved horns begin to glow with a sharp, ethereal light.

’You’re leaving me with no choice, Han. I’ll take you outside by force if I have to!’

Verso knew that logic was no longer an option. Han was trapped in some form of paranoid delusion and the only way to break through was to survive the coming onslaught.

If he wanted to clear this misunderstanding, he had to prove he was not who Han thought he was by bringing him outside to the rest of the team.

And for that, he had to fight the Scion of the Feng Clan.

"Two can play this game, Han."

Verso flicked his wrist toward the black lake at the center of the cavern.

Suddenly, a massive, violent splashing sound erupted from the water behind Han. The Scion’s eyes widened as he instinctively spun around.

A massive blue portal, larger than any other Verso had summoned before tore open just above the surface of the lake. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Instantly Han looked at the surface of the lake trying to figure out what had Verso just summoned.

And just then his eyes landed on a massive draconic head that was slowly breaching out of the surface of the lake, its yellow eyes staring directly at him.

The serpent let out a low, vibrating hiss that shook the very foundation of the cave, its massive jaws opening to reveal rows of fangs.

Han froze, his golden revolver trembling slightly.

The sheer presence of the Serpent which was buffed by Verso’s Son of The Seas talent was enough to rival his own Leaping White Tiger.

"Did you think you clan fuckers were the only ones who had access to Elite beasts?" Verso spat, his eyes narrowing.

The situation had shifted into a complete and terrifying stalemate.

If Han ordered his tiger to leap at Verso, Han himself would be left completely unguarded against the Serpent, which could crush him in a single coil.

Vice Versa, if Verso attacked, the tiger would shred him before the Serpent could reach Han.

The focus of the battle had changed. It was no longer about who was the better summoner but rather about who would die first.

"So," Verso said, his voice cold and steady.

"Are you going to come outside with me or not?"

Han’s eyes flinched. The look of surprise on his face was slowly replaced by a deeper, more primal anger.

He felt cornered, insulted, and betrayed.

"You know what?" Han hissed, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"Fuck this."

The moment the words left his mouth, the Horned White Tiger made its move as it suddenly blurred into a streak of white and red.

Then, all hell broke loose.