Damien walked into the Mercenary office early the next morning, his mind clouded by lingering thoughts of the nightmare that had kept him tossing and turning through the night. Arielle greeted him with her usual warm smile from behind the counter.


    "Back so soon?" she teased, her head tilting slightly in curiosity.


    "I''m here for another demon-hunting mission," Damien replied, his voice calm but firm.


    Arielle''s smile faded as she reached for a scroll lying on the counter. She unfurled it, her expression growing serious. "This one came intest night," she exined.


    "A group of demons has been sighted holding human captives. The demons are likely keeping them alive to feast onter."


    Damien''s jaw tightened. "What rank is the mission?"


    "It hasn''t been officially confirmed yet," Arielle admitted, "but it''s estimated to be either Grade Five or Grade Four. The demons seem organized, which is unusual."


    Damien gave a single, resolute nod. "Good. That''s exactly the kind of challenge I''m looking for."


    As Damien turned to leave with the scroll, Arielle called out after him. "Wait a second! I need your ID."


    Damien stopped mid-step and nced over his shoulder. "What''s wrong with it?"


    "I forgot to include your talent," she admitted, holding the card out. "I''ll need it for your records."


    Damien hesitated, then shrugged. "E-Ranked Summoner."


    Arielle blinked. "You''re joking."


    "I''m not," Damien replied nonchntly.


    Her brow furrowed, and she crossed her arms. "You''re telling me you''re an E-Ranked Summoner, yet you took down a horde of demons faster than anyone expected? How is that even possible?"


    Damien smirked. "I''m just different."


    Arielle wasn''t convinced. She reached under the counter, retrieving a small dagger and a thick, ancient tome. "This is the Book of Gifts," she exined. "It reveals the talent and divine blessing of whoever''s blood touches its pages. Prove it."


    Damien eyed the tome warily. It looked eerily simr to the one from his family''s estate, the very book that had branded him a failure. After a brief pause, he sighed and took the dagger.


    "See for yourself then." He made a shallow cut on his thumb and pressed it against the nk page. Almost immediately, glowing letters appeared.


    Talent: E-Ranked Summonern/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Blessing: God of Mischief


    Arielle stared at the text, her skepticism giving way to confusion. "You''re serious," she murmured.


    "I told you," Damien replied with a shrug.


    "But how..."


    Damien interrupted her with a chuckle. "You''re the first to ask that, and I doubt you''ll be thest. Just think of me as... unique."


    Still unconvinced, Arielle followed Damien to the office''s entrance. "Show me," she demanded.


    Damien smirked at her persistence. Without a word, he focused his thoughts, summoning Aqu.


    A shimmering portal of blue light appeared beside him, and from it emerged the majestic Griffin. The beast''s golden feathers glistened in the sunlight, its sharp talons clicking against the cobblestone street.


    Aqu stretched its massive wings, letting out a cry that echoed through the town, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.


    Gasps rippled through the growing crowd of onlookers. Some stepped back in awe, while others whispered amongst themselves, specting about the rare creature.


    Damien climbed onto Aqu''s back, his movements smooth and practiced. He nced down at Arielle, whose jaw hung slightly open.


    "It''s a Griffin," Damien exined. "Rare even among summoners. And mine''s one of a kind."


    Arielle finally found her voice. "You summoned that without a spell...?"


    Damien nodded. "Summoning''s kind of my thing."


    The Griffin pped its wings, stirring up a gust of wind that sent loose papers flying. As the beast rose into the air, Damien leaned down slightly. "See you around, Arielle. Or maybe not. That''s up to fate."


    With that, Aqu ascended higher, leaving Arielle and the rest of the onlookers in awe.


    High above the town, Damien reviewed the details of the mission in his mind. A group of demons. Captured humans. Likely Grade Five or Four.


    He urged Aqu to fly faster, the wind whipping against his face as he mentally prepared himself for whaty ahead.


    Within an hour, they reached the edge of a dense forest. Damien instructed Aqu to descend, and the Griffinnded gracefully on the withered grass below.


    The forest was eerily quiet, its trees warped and twisted as if corrupted by the demonic presence. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and patches of vegetationy rotting on the forest floor.


    Damien dismounted, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. He knew the demons''ir couldn''t be far.


    "Stay close," he murmured to Aqu, who let out a soft chirp in response.


    It didn''t take long for Damien to find what he was looking for. Another dark, gaping holey ahead, its edges barren of any greenery. The ground around it was cracked and lifeless, the miasma of demonic energy palpable even from a distance.


    Damien smirked. "Let''s cook once again."


    He summoned his Advanced me Magic, conjuring a massive ball of fire in his hands. With a flick of his wrist, heunched it into the hole.


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Then came the explosion and roar.


    Booooom!!


    Dozens of demons surged out of the pit, their grotesque forms illuminated by the mes. Damien''s grin widened. "Let''s dance."


    With a singlemand, Damien sent Aqu to the edge of the battlefield, instructing the Griffin to intervene only if attacked. Damien wanted to grow stronger too. He needed all the Exp he could get from ying them himself as Exp from his summons kills would be smaller.


    Drawing his ming sword, Damien charged into the fray. His de cut through the first demon effortlessly, its ckened body copsing in a heap. Another lunged at him, ws outstretched, but he sidestepped smoothly and countered with a fiery sh that cleaved the creature in two.


    Demonic fireballs and corrosive liquids were hurled his way, but Damien deflected them with precise swings of his de, the mes consuming the projectiles before they could reach him.


    One particrly bold demon attempted to nk him, only to find itself impaled as Damien spun around, driving his de into its chest.


    Kreeeeii!!


    Aqu, observing from its perch, let out a triumphant cry as a small group of demons turned their attention to it. They reminded it of thest encounter and Aqu prepared to give these ones a beastial dance as well.