Others Summon Dragons, I Summon Legendary Knights

Chapter 404: The Ruination Is Here

"Still working, huh?" A man in his sixties chuckled as he walked over to the girl underneath a huge truck.

Lucy rolled out and sat up. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with her forearm, then exhaled as she dropped the spanner.

"Everyone that has tried fixing her has failed." The man folded his muscular arms as he gazed down, meeting her gaze.

"I know that. I also know it can be fixed. I mean, look at this thing." Lucy slammed the truck’s steel frame. This truck had several tires and a huge tortoise shell on its back.

It was a monster made from dungeon materials and the brilliant minds of Earth’s engineers. Although it consumed a lot of cores, with the rate of dangerous terrains in dungeons, this was the perfect vehicle, especially now.

A month had passed since Saul was killed. After his death, the Cohort went through lots of transformations. Those that still believed in Saul’s ideals were driven away, and Godfrey changed their name from Vagabonds to Sentinels and made a speech that they should stop seeing themselves as fugitives.

This was their own place, their world. Bearing the name fugitive meant tying themselves to the order of the outside world that refused to accept them for what they were.

Unfortunately, even after the chant of hundreds, Godfrey refused to become the Captain. But he changed the hierarchy, abolishing Elite and Regular classes.

They were now Captains. The Cohort was slowly becoming a small team of elites once more and, with Customization and Mastery, they were gaining more ground in Summoner skills.

Summons could now be built to become better. This was a form of artificial adaptation, a painful process with a rewarding end. Summons that were meant to rely on their hides and fur now had armour, boosting their Defence Factor greatly.

Lucy picked up the spanner with renewed determination. "I’m sure I can make it work."

"That engine is one of a kind. It was built from other scraps, one of a kind. It’s an impossible task." The man squatted as Lucy rolled under the vehicle once more.

He shook his head, walked over to the column, and slammed a red button. There was a loud sound and steel ropes came from above, hooked the truck, and lifted it up.

Lucy blinked several times when it began to ascend.

"You have more light this way," the man said.

"I don’t want more light," she replied.

"Exactly." He sighed, then looked at her with a softer gaze. "Because you’re used to being in the shadows, in the dark of something bigger."

The old man’s words made Lucy pause.

He went close, then stretched his hand toward her. "Stand up."

Lucy rose to her feet on her own. She wore an orange coverall but brought the top down to her waist, revealing her gray top while the sleeves of the coverall hung loosely at her side.

As usual, her hair was packed into two ponytails, and it made her face even more striking. She was the most good-looking girl not just in the workshop but in the Cohort as a whole, considering her age and the fact that she rarely wore makeup.

At a glance, a young man would think he met a badass young lady with appealing looks and personality, but looks could be deceiving.

It once took her to the arms of a Polaris top student and right into the depths of a pool, left to drown.

Watching her walk away, the man squinted. "Where are you going?"

"To meet my friends since I’m not welcome here," she replied without looking back.

"And what are you going to do there? Watch how they’ve grown and then hide once more?" The man’s words made Lucy’s stubborn look collapse as she stopped walking.

"I’ve seen how you’ve been acting ever since they all came back. The big boys, Godfrey, Percival, Isaac. You have all these boys around you, you’re the closest to them amongst anyone in Paradise, yet it’s obvious you’re struggling to fit in."

"I didn’t ask for your advice." Lucy turned to the man with a frown.

"But you need it. Your summon doesn’t define you, Lucy. It’s not everything you are, even if our world sees through those lenses. I don’t, and it’s the same for them too. You’re your problem, you can’t be yourself if everything about you is defined by the public’s views."

"I’m myself."

"Then why do you hide your summon?" The old man tilted his head. "You could have easily summoned it to help you with this vehicle. You know, bond with it publicly, yet you act like it’s a shame to you. Everyone has been using their summons this past month. We’re celebrating a transformation brought by your friend. Your friend. But I’ve been seeing you appearing here more often when others are celebrating."

Lucy looked around as if to confirm if they were the only ones in the workshop. Then, Lucy turned and walked away.

The man rubbed his forehead. ’What’s wrong with her?’

As she walked as fast as her legs could carry her, tears pooled in her eyes. She swiftly went into an alley to hide.

Who was she to tell them that she lost her summon while raiding a dungeon alone after seeing how Isolde, Godfrey, and Isaac had grown? The incident with Snow’s family told her that even your loved ones might not always be there, but that decision ended wrongly.

She couldn’t find the courage to say her summon was dead to the same people who risked their lives to evolve it. She tried to find herself, find her own path, and hope it led back to being together with her friends, but that choice ended horribly.

Now she lived these past three months dyeing her hair each day and wearing a fake smile like nothing happened.

Maybe she wanted to forget it, to live in a delusion she brought up for herself. She was miserable and aware of how miserable she was.

What path?

She wanted to be with her friends and be happy, but every time it ended with how she wanted to be like them. Just be content, those words spoken countless times were never acknowledged by her mind.

Lucy stayed in the alley for a while before leaving. She went back to the workshop and the old man, who sat by the turtle truck examining a spanner, turned to her.

"Can I just... try to fix it?" This was her solace, putting all her focus into something, a time where nothing else could enter her mind.

The man nodded softly. "Of course. Let me help you."

"You said it couldn’t be fixed."

"Well, I’m working with one of the brightest mechanics in Paradise. I’m sure with my knowledge and your quick thinking, we should be able to get this monster moving." The man chuckled.

As Lucy walked toward him, someone appeared at the wide entrance. "Lucy. The Watchman wants you in the tower."

She paused, feeling cold all of a sudden.

"The Watchman. That’s a privilege I’ve never had." The man chuckled. Lucy knew he wanted to make her feel proud of her skill, but she knew who Gabriel really was.

***

A few minutes later, Lucy walked into the tower and saw more than two dozen Sentinels moving around with books and placing them on new shelves.

Her fear subsided as she approached them and took a few books. She kept breathing through her mouth as she placed the books on the shelves according to the boxes she took them from.

She eventually got to the point where the old books were. The titles on the spines caught her gaze.

She stretched out her hand toward one whose title was Earth’s Ancient Civilization, but someone beside her whispered.

It was the kind of whisper where one wanted to yell but had to make it as silent as possible. "Lucy."

Lucy turned to see another Sentinel glaring at her. "The Watchman doesn’t joke with his books, and you can’t touch them without his permission."

"She has my permission." Gabriel’s voice rang as he appeared from thin air.

Lucy and the other Sentinels were shocked, their eyes widening. For the others, it was out of awe. For Lucy, it was fear.

It felt like she stood before the devil himself and could see the cruel truth beyond his warm, handsome appearance.

Gabriel squinted as he drew close. "Are you... afraid of me?"

"I’m not," she replied with a forced smile.

Gabriel shrugged. "Give me those." He said to a Sentinel who quickly handed over the books she held.

Gabriel began to put them into an empty shelf below. "I came to help." He smiled warmly.

Lucy could barely keep her smile. Just then, they heard a loud sound, as if the door was pushed with tremendous force.

There was some noise and two young men appeared at the other end of the row. Godfrey and Percival, who had rushed over when they got to the camp and heard she was here, were met with a scene they didn’t expect.

Lucy and Gabriel with books. Gabriel even squatted and looked at them with a confused face.

"What’s going on?" He asked, looking around.

’I spent just one month staying with my mother and it seems like I’ve already grown dull. What is this? Is he telling me I’ve had enough of a break?’

Godfrey thought.

Gabriel blinked. "Did both of you barge in here because you were not called?" He chuckled, but inwardly, his voice was placid.

’They both came for her. Seems like she’s worth something but... she’s not my target, Godfrey. I want something much closer... something that can give a fight and leave a scar. A deep scar. But I can’t distract you from the Ruination so... let’s just fill up these shelves today.’

Percival cleared his throat and went to pick up books.

Seeing Godfrey put books into the shelves beside him, Gabriel smiled.

"It’s been a while. I was starting to think you were avoiding me."

Percival and Lucy, who were on the other shelf, looked at each other.

Godfrey smiled.

"It’s good you came. The stars are aligning, and our world is much brighter than ever." Gabriel’s words made Godfrey turn.

"What?"

"The Ruination is here."