This place offered a breathtaking view, one that would delight anyone who loved lush green landscapes teeming with life. Colorful birds flew joyfully in every direction, freely enjoying the beauty of the land and its abundant natural resources.
Large fish swam happily alongside their own kind, creating a mesmerizing sight for anyone fortunate enough to witness them. Bees buzzed with delight as they approached the magnificent flowers in bloom. One could easily call this place paradise, but nothing in existence is ever truly perfect. Even the most beautiful places hide darkness and ugliness beneath their surface. Such is the balance of nature.
The colorful birds that had been flying freely only moments before were suddenly ambushed by savage predators. The giant fish were pursued by even larger creatures eager to make them their next meal. The bees, which had been about to land on the beautiful flowers, were swallowed whole as the blossoms revealed themselves to be living predators, enormous thorns bursting from their vibrant petals.
This was the violence inherent in nature itself. Only the strong could become stronger and more powerful. It was an unbreakable truth accepted and followed by nearly everyone.
If you were powerful, countless people would seek your friendship, and every privilege and special treatment would be yours to enjoy. The opposite was true for ordinary people and weaker beings. If you were weak, you would spend your life obeying others.
…
The paradise-like tranquility of the forest was suddenly disturbed by a strange phenomenon. A powerful surge of energy descended rapidly from the sky toward the vast woodland below.
Countless wild beasts and ordinary animals were thrown into panic. Creatures were naturally able to sense danger, and fearing death, they fled before the mysterious object could strike the land they called home.
It looked as though a massive meteor were about to crash into the forest, capturing the attention of the people in a nearby village. Fear was visible on their faces, but curiosity burned just as strongly in their minds. They knew this event would affect them deeply, and alarm spread throughout the village as they tried to understand what was happening.
They could feel the balance of life itself being disrupted, along with the fear of the countless creatures around them.
“What should we do, Chief Dario, now that this mysterious object has appeared and fallen into the forest?” Apo Noni asked the man recognized as the leader of their village.
Worry was etched across the wrinkled faces of both Apo Noni and Chief Dario. According to old superstitions, the fall of such a strange object could only be a bad omen, a sign that disaster was approaching. Everyone wanted to know what had happened, but no one wished to gamble with their lives.
“I still don’t know what the best course of action is,” Chief Dario said, his voice heavy with uncertainty. “But in a situation like this, we must take a risk. I refuse to let this become an even greater problem.”
“Take a risk? Do you hear what you’re saying, Chief Dario? You know how dangerous that vast forest is!” First Former Aleton snapped, raising his voice.
(Former – A representative of the village who holds decision-making authority and assists the Chief in governing the settlement or the village itself.)
(Apo – A highly respected elder of great age and wisdom whose experience and intelligence make them one of the village’s greatest treasures.)
“You’re putting our safety in an extremely dangerous situation, have you even considered the well-being of the people under your care?” ” Third Former Serion said sharply.
“Are you truly a capable Chief? You’ve only held that position for three years, and already you act as though you alone know how to make every decision!” Third Former Mario added angrily.
“I support the Chief’s decision,” Apo Noni said quietly.
His words struck the gathered Formers like an explosion.
Apo Noni supports him?!
None of them dared to argue. Among everyone present, Apo Noni possessed the greatest wisdom and experience. If he had reached a decision so quickly, there had to be a compelling reason behind it. Whether they agreed or not, they could not oppose him.
“Thank you for your support, Apo Noni—”
Chief Dario was cut off as the old man raised a hand.
“I did not do this to support you or anyone else,” Apo Noni said in a grave tone. “We are already facing a serious problem, and now this mysterious object has fallen near our territory. We cannot ask Patriarch Zemon—or anyone else—for help. There has been conflict among the Patriarchs, and blame has been unfairly placed upon him when the true fault lies with the neighboring Orman Village. Hmmm…” he added.
Apo Noni narrowed his eyes.
A powerful wind suddenly swept through the area. Green mist poured from his body, and a vast emerald Magic Circle appeared in the air.
“I summon you, Gyrant, Celestial Child of Ginia—Appear!”
A brilliant light engulfed the land. Trees and plants glowed with vivid green radiance, and even the Patriarchs of neighboring villages sensed the immense power that had emerged from the void. Cold sweat formed on their bodies. Though most people could not fully comprehend the summoned being’s strength, they all felt the overwhelming pressure radiating from the green entity.
“Apo Noni!” the elders exclaimed as they felt the terrifying power.
There was no doubt about it. The old man had summoned a creature powerful enough to send chills through anyone who sensed its presence.
…
Deep within the forest, the mysterious object had carved an enormous crater into the earth. Strangely, despite the tremendous impact, it showed no visible signs of damage.
At the center of the crater lay a young man. The darkened burns covering his skin were slowly fading as his natural complexion began to return, though traces of the injuries remained. He appeared to be sleeping peacefully, completely unaware of the chaos his arrival had caused.
What would shock him even more was the truth of where he had arrived.
A world much like his own.
A realm where summoning powerful beings was not only possible, but commonplace.
Without question, he had entered the territory of the Summoners.

Apo Noni and Gyrant seemed to share a single mind. Apo Noni was already very old, yet his strength was still feared by several neighboring villages. He had attained the rank of Fifth-Level Summoner and possessed five powerful Familiars, with Gyrant being one of them. In most villages, leaders such as Chief Dario were typically only Fourth-Level Summoners. Those who had reached the Sixth through Ninth Levels were known as Patriarchs. However, because of his age, Apo Noni would have great difficulty hunting for a sixth Familiar. Even so, his actual combat power was comparable to that of a Sixth- or even Seventh-Level Summoner. Because of this, even if Chief Dario and his three Formers combined their strength, they would still be insignificant compared to him due to the lower levels of their Summoning Magic. Nor could he seek assistance from the Patriarchs, as they were dealing with conflicts of their own.
The Summoner World was governed by a highly disciplined system of order. Rankings were constantly updated, and although Apo Noni was tremendously powerful, he had never entered any official Summoner ranking because there were still many individuals far stronger than he was.
When Gyrant arrived at the crash site, Apo Noni was deeply shocked by what he saw. He had never imagined that a young man would be inside the Summoner’s Glass, a special vessel used for teleportation. What disturbed him most was the boy’s pitiful condition. At first glance, the young man looked nearly dead. But upon closer inspection, Apo Noni could tell that he was still breathing, and his burned skin was already healing at an astonishing rate. Apo Noni was certain he understood what had happened.
“Could this be the return of a new generation of Summoners from another dimension? This is a major event for everyone. But why did this young man arrive in such terrible condition? The Summoner’s Glass should not have caused injuries like these unless some kind of anomaly occurred. Fortunately, he is inside the vessel, which possesses regenerative and recovery abilities. Otherwise, he would have died long ago. Tsk, tsk…”
Apo Noni silently observed the youth through Gyrant, one of his five Familiars.
[Familiar: A summoned being such as a Celestial Being, Divine God, Divine Child, Summoned Beast, or Summoned Creature.]
Gyrant immediately attempted to lift the young man’s Summoner’s Glass. Its weight was impossible to measure, but after several attempts, he managed to raise it. The effort drained a tremendous amount of energy from Apo Noni, whose veins bulged as he maintained control over Gyrant and the massive vessel.
“Apo Noni, what is happening? Why do you look like—!” Third Former Serion began anxiously as he watched the elder struggle.
First Former Aleton immediately silenced him.
“Are you trying to kill Apo Noni, Serion? He is obviously carrying out something extremely important right now. If you disrupt his concentration and anything happens to him, I’ll feed you to my Familiars!”
No matter how much they disagreed with the new Village Chief, none of them would ever dare disrespect Apo Noni. Even though he had never entered the Summoner Rankings, it was a great honor that he was part of their lineage and one of the founding ancestors of Hercas Village.
A few moments later, everyone was shocked when Apo Noni suddenly coughed up fresh blood.
“Apo Noni!”
Chief Dario, First Former Aleton, Second Former Mario, and Third Former Serion cried out in unison.
Apo Noni immediately drank Energy Recovery Water, a special liquid drawn from the Summoner’s River. The world of Summoners was extraordinary. The environment was rich with natural energy, the land was fertile, and the waters possessed healing properties. But everything existed in levels, and the Summoner’s River was one of the most dangerous places in the world. Both its waters and the surrounding land were inhabited by Ownerless Beasts, Ownerless Heroes, and countless other creatures.
This was one of the frightening truths of the Summoner World. The Summoner’s River was also the location of an Opening Portal leading to the Summons World, where innumerable Ownerless Summoned Beasts, Creatures, and Heroes awaited worthy Summoners to claim them as Familiars. However, obtaining one was never simple. Some had to be tamed, while others needed to be captured using a Summoner’s Rope—a magical cord specifically created for binding them. Even then, success depended entirely on the Summoner’s own strength and talent. Ownerless Summoned Beasts were savage and violent, while Summoned Heroes—many of whom were descendants of Celestial Beings and gods—were proud, disdainful, and notoriously difficult to win over.
Every three months, the great Opening Portal to the Summons World opens. During that period, Summoners entered to search for a Beast or Hero who would become their Familiar. Gyrant himself was one such Summoned Hero, the child of a Celestial Being. Apo Noni had already been old when he captured Gyrant. Had he achieved this feat in his youth, he might have advanced through several more Summoner Levels and extended his life by thousands of years. But his Summoner Talent was steadily fading, and he likely had only a few hundred years left to live. That was why everyone was careful not to provoke him, especially the Formers and Chief Dario.
They all wished to prolong Apo Noni’s life, for he was the very foundation of their village. Many neighboring settlements left them alone solely because they feared his strength, even though he stood only a few hundred years away from death. Their enemies were simply waiting for that day to come. Once Apo Noni was gone, they would invade and seize everything.
That was the harsh reality of the Summoner World. Without overwhelming strength and power, one would be oppressed or enslaved. A Summoner’s greatest enemies were often other Summoners. The world maintained order through territorial conquest. Villages evolved into towns, and towns into cities, but only one rule mattered in the end: the strongest ruled.
The Formers supported Apo Noni while Chief Dario stood silently nearby. He no longer wished to argue with them, as such disputes had become exhausting.
“What exactly did you do, Apo Noni? Why did you push yourself so hard?” Second Former Mario asked anxiously. He had no idea what Apo Noni had been doing while linking his consciousness with Gyrant. This was the first time he had seen the elder so exhausted and visibly injured. Apo Noni was the village’s last true protector, and compared to him, even Chief Dario was still weak.
“You all forgot to tell me that today is the Summoner’s Annual Celebration, the day when the young Summoners return,” Apo Noni said.
Chief Dario scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “So it was today… I forgot to mention it as well. My apologies.”
The previous night had marked the start of a new lunar month. Everyone had been so preoccupied with recent problems that they had overlooked one of the most important occasions in the Summoner World.
The three Formers immediately frowned.
“As Village Chief, it is your duty to keep track of important events,” Aleton scolded. “Apo Noni is too old to concern himself with matters that should already be your responsibility.”
“Exactly,” Serion added. “This celebration is significant to the entire Summoner World and to the new generation of Summoners. In one month, the Opening Portal at the Summoner’s River will open. Our disciples may be affected.”
Serion’s displeasure was obvious. He disliked Dario’s carefree attitude. Though they had no desire to remove him from his position, they believed strict guidance was necessary for the good of the village. If Hercas were destroyed, they would all suffer.
Mario sighed. “I’m tired of these arguments. All we ask is that you fulfill your responsibilities properly, Village Chief Dario. Your mistakes become the mistakes of the entire village.”
Chief Dario bowed his head. “I am truly sorry. I will do my best to carry out my duties more responsibly.”
Determination shone in his eyes.
In his youth, Dario had lived a carefree life, concerned only with light training and personal comfort. Everything changed three years ago when his parents were deliberately murdered. At the age of twenty-five, he became an orphan and was thrust into a hellish training regimen to prepare him for the heavy responsibility placed upon his shoulders.
As an only child, he had no siblings to lean on. His only support came from the people of his village, especially Apo Noni, his great-grandfather. Though long retired as Village Chief, Apo Noni had personally guided him in leadership and governance.
The deaths of Dario’s parents led to increasing pressure from neighboring villages. Yet none dared take actions that would provoke Apo Noni’s anger. Although foul play was strongly suspected, no evidence was ever found to identify the culprits. The village of Hercas remained undisturbed largely because no one wished to antagonize a Fifth-Level Summoner.
As Village Chief, Dario studied every aspect of their territory: trade, finance, food production, and countless other matters. He also monitored suspicious activities in neighboring villages and focused on protecting his people. The past five months had been particularly difficult due to conflicts among the Patriarchs of nearby towns. Such disputes disrupted trade and restricted both internal and external activities.
The effects were especially severe for Hercas, which depended heavily on commerce. Their agricultural production was limited, and even the nearby forest, one of their most valuable resources, was at risk of being seized by hostile neighbors.
It was a deeply troubling situation for the leaders of Hercas, who carried the enormous burden of protecting their village in an increasingly uncertain world.