Chapter 9, Critical Moment, Dark Octopus

Beneath Li Jiayu's feet, a radiance emerged, faintly revealing strange patterns, resembling a magical array

For example, using a Level 1 sacrifice, the Bloodsucker can summon Skeleton Warriors; a Level 2 sacrifice, the Red-Capped Beetle, can summon Ironclad Corpses; a Level 3 sacrifice, the Venomous Griffin, can summon Tyrannosaurus Beasts; and a Level 4 sacrifice, the Azure Thunder Eagle, can summon Thunder Giants

The scythe beetle king let out a mournful cry in pain, its wings flapping as fast as a fan in a fit of rage. It buzzed and flew into the air, gathering momentum, clearly intent on launching a lethal aerial charge against Li Jiayu

Li Jiayu felt a tumultuous wave rising in his heart, unable to maintain his composure any longer. He did not expect the second scythe beetle to arrive so quickly, and it was the red scythe beetle king!

Subsequently, Li Jiayu's fingers danced gracefully, resembling a butterfly flitting among flowers. She pressed several handprints and uttered a cryptic incantation— to her classmates, it indeed felt somewhat like encountering a remarkable individual, not akin to those charlatans who engage in trickery, but rather reminiscent of a wizard from a game or an Eastern Taoist.

snap

Wuwu

Although the students did not understand how Li Jiayu intended to handle the situation, they complied out of trust in her, discreetly stepping back. However, they still closely observed every move she made, curious about what surprising actions she would take next

At this moment, the scythe beetle king turned its compound eyes towards the strangely growing Li Jiayu, its scythe-like mandibles opening and closing, emitting a sharp cry, and it was about to charge at him

Boom

Even Li Jiayu once faced a setback in the gutter—his demon-hunting team received a mission to eliminate the Black Knight couple. When the main combat members of the team exerted all their strength to defeat the female Black Knight, the team was already exhausted and on the brink of collapse. The only hope for the team lay in Li Jiayu's sacrificial summoning. As long as he could summon the corresponding summoned beast using the corpse of the female Black Knight, it would be much easier to deal with the remaining male Black Knight.

The scythe beetle was unexpectedly pinned down by this dark shadow, unable to fly any longer, and fell down!

Li Jiayu was in a great mood and didn't mind making another joke. However, seeing the girl's flushed face made him feel so embarrassed that he almost cried, so he stopped joking around and changed the subject by saying:

A hammer slipped from the hand and struck directly on the head of the Scythe Beetle King, producing a dull thud

The scythe beetle king has already charged at Li Jiayu, and it is only three to four meters away from her. In less than 0.1 seconds, it is highly likely that Li Jiayu will meet a tragic end

The Scythe Beetle King charged over without a word, its speed truly so fast that one could hardly react. Li Jiayu felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, but relying on his keen combat instincts, he rolled on the ground. In a flash, he sensed that the Scythe Beetle King had already flown past him!

As long as she possesses the summoned beast for protection, Li Jiayu believes that with her commanding skills and her proficient axe techniques, she can definitely confront the red-capped beetles head-on. At that time, she will divide and conquer, swiftly slaying more than ten red-capped beetles and obtaining insect crystals, thus securing her first pot of gold in the apocalypse

( They have arrived! They have arrived! My summoned partner has finally come! )

The scythe beetle before him is a level 1 intermediate sacrifice. If all goes well, Li Jiayu can use it to summon skeleton soldiers, little fairies, raging goblins, and half-orcs. If luck is on his side, he might even summon level 1 high-tier beings such as little naga, ogres, and blue bear beasts.

Just like money, the more money one has, the better the things one can buy. Similarly, the higher the quality of the offerings, the greater their effect on the summoning.

She saw Li Jiayu in danger and actually planned to use herself to attract the attention of the Beetle King, in order to buy time for Li Jiayu

Without a doubt, the chest of that male student was instantly severed by the massive jaws of the scythe beetle king, splitting from the nipple line. His head, carrying half of the chest cavity, flew out amidst a torrent of blood spraying everywhere

All the students stared wide-eyed, unable to comprehend why Li Jiayu would harm himself. However, upon seeing Li Jiayu's serious expression, they obediently fell silent, not daring to interrupt, lest they distract him.

Seeing the Scythe Beetle King turn to look at Sun Weiwei, Li Jiayu was both angry and anxious. She forcefully threw the fire axe in her hand, which flew at an incredible speed and struck the compound eye of the Scythe Beetle King precisely, bursting forth a large mass of red viscous fluid, while the fire axe became lodged in the muscles of the compound eye

... ... The endless void, the deep chasm, even though separated by countless layers of spatial barriers, we are connected by fate in the unseen ... ... I am Li Jiayu, the summoner of the Central World, please heed my call ... ...

Thus, the profession of a summoner can be succinctly described as that of a gambler; with enough luck, one can turn the tide in a single match, determining victory or defeat. Conversely, if luck runs out completely, one might find themselves failing miserably, potentially dragging the entire team down with them.

Sun Weiwei's face turned red as she stammered. She remembered that in the past, Li Jiayu was clearly very polite, quite a gentleman, and treated women exceptionally well, earning the title of "friend of women." But now, whether in his speech or actions, he easily made women blush. She truly did not understand what kind of medicine he had taken to undergo such a significant change

It is a being even more formidable than the ordinary sickle beetle, having reached the first-level high rank, on par with the red-capped beetle. However, its speed is truly terrifying. In terms of lethality, the sickle beetle king is far more powerful than the red-capped beetle

However, the unfortunate Li Jiayu ultimately summoned a hen

Li Jiayu was screaming wildly in his heart, like a raging flame, filled with excitement, but the wound on his wrist suddenly gushed forth a large amount of fresh blood

Li Jiayu was completely at a loss for words due to a question from a certain girl, and after holding back a breath, he stiffly replied

What is even more shocking is that the blood from the deceased classmate's hetushucom.com splattered onto their faces, leaving them utterly terrified, their legs turned to jelly, completely unable to dodge

( How could this happen... At this moment, encountering the scythe beetle king is far too dangerous. The chance of defeating it is less than thirty percent. Time, oh time, why can't you give me two more seconds... )

As she spoke, Li Jiayu had already taken a small knife and made a light yet firm cut on her own elbow. Blood immediately surged from the wound, dripping in large drops down her skin and onto the corpse of the insect.

At that time, Li Jiayu was still an apprentice summoner, and it was quite normal for mistakes to occur. However, after Li Jiayu was promoted to a grand summoner, such blunders never happened again

Thus, in order to take a shortcut, offerings of this kind have come into being

At this moment, the students finally reacted, letting out terrified screams due to extreme fright. No matter how scared they had been before, the creature had not truly harmed them. However... this time it was a genuine, bloody dismemberment. The one who was dismembered was a classmate with whom they had spent over a year, a friend as close as family. In the blink of an eye, he had turned into two bloody, mangled pieces of flesh.

The scythe beetle king showed no mercy to the terrified students. It turned its head, opened its deathly scythe-like mandibles, and clamped down on the nearest classmate, severing both of his legs at the roots as easily as chopping vegetables. Then, amidst his screams, it crawled onto his upper body, which was struggling on the ground, and, as if to demonstrate its power, pierced his heart with its sharp forelegs

Damn it! It is the Scythe Beetle King

That person is actually Sun Weiwei

You all step aside, I need to properly handle its body

Jia Yu! Another sickle weevil has arrived!

This foolish woman, is she seeking death? Although your spirit is commendable, I, Li Jiayu, do not need a woman like you to pity me

Please heed my call, become my companion, and fight alongside me. I shall offer my sacrifice, and I will maintain my utmost respect for you at m.hetushu.com. Come forth, my new companion!

Swish!

Li Jiayu ... ... Can you please stop bringing up our wetting the bed all the time? It's quite embarrassing for us, and we didn't do it on purpose ... ...

It is truly fortunate that the assault by the scythe beetle king did not harm Li Jiayu; however, like a meteor's sharp blade, it struck a male classmate not far behind Li Jiayu

Just as Li Jiayu solemnly recited the incantation, Wang Siyuan suddenly changed color dramatically and exclaimed:

As Li Jiayu's incantation came to an end, the surrounding air became thick and murky, akin to glue, reminiscent of the oppressive atmosphere before a torrential downpour, making it difficult to breathe.

one meter

A classmate hurriedly handed over a small fruit knife, the kind that can be attached to a keychain. It would certainly be useless for dealing with insects, but it was more than sufficient for cutting wrists

The offerings can be living individuals, deceased persons, insects, zombies, or even the flesh and soul of the summoner themselves

However, summoning creatures from other realms into the real world requires a significant expenditure of mental and life energy. There are many instances where summoners, lacking sufficient vitality, forcefully attempt to summon, only to find that the summoned beast does not materialize, while they themselves end up perishing in the process.

Now, Li Jiayu is about to gamble once more

At that moment, Li Jiayu felt a stirring in his heart; he sensed that a bridge of communication had been established within his soul

Just as the words were spoken, the scythe beetle slaughtered two classmates in less than two seconds. At this moment, Li Jiayu was completely enraged. He propped himself up, and finally, in a fierce and furious manner, finished reciting the final summoning incantation

However, this probability... one can easily imagine how infinitely close it is to zero, but that does not mean it is completely impossible

The unfortunate classmate, who had lost both legs, spewed forth a large pool of blood from his mouth, convulsed once, and then breathed his last

Ah!

Li Jiayu was filled with horror and quickly looked out the window, only to see another red sickle beetle hovering menacingly in the void several dozen meters away, its compound eyes shimmering with a hateful glow—there was no need to think; it was clear that it regarded Li Jiayu as an enemy, seeking revenge for its companion that had been trampled underfoot by her

( How could so much blood be drawn from me ... ... However, the more blood that is drawn, the stronger it becomes ... ... Please do not let me down! )

The reason why summoners are powerful is that they can summon beings from other realms

two meters

"Who told you girls to stand while urinating? You urinate, and I can't say anything about it. Standing to urinate is clearly a privilege of boys. You mimic them, and look, your pants are wet, aren't they?"

In fact, it is possible to use an axe to cut one's wrist; however, the fire axe is stained with the blood of insects. Although it is not poisonous, it would contaminate Li Jiayu's donated blood

No, I use it for bloodletting

Amidst the clucking of the hen, all members of Li Jiayu's demon-hunting team were so enraged that they nearly spat blood. Ultimately, with no other option, the team had to retreat, leaving behind the bodies of two comrades. Every time she reflects on it, Li Jiayu feels a sense of indignation and guilt.

Similarly, just like the lottery in the real world, there are times when a summoner can summon a creature that far exceeds the rank of the offering. If you are lucky enough, you could become wealthy overnight; you might even summon a frost dragon using an ordinary sow

"Who has a small knife?" Li Jiayu touched the blood mark on her face, which had been injured by a sickle beetle, and suddenly asked.

Indeed, just as in the real world, where spending a large sum of money can occasionally lead to the purchase of counterfeit goods, gray market items, or knockoffs, summoning with offerings can also result in the occasional summoning of subpar entities. It is not uncommon for high-quality offerings, such as bone dragons or zombie kings, to yield results like goblins or wild boars. One can only wonder how many summoners have met their demise due to the misfortunes brought about by these "inferior" products

Jia Yu, what do you need the small knife for? Are you going to dissect insects

The stag beetle king charged out for only two meters when suddenly, a dark shadow appeared above its head, bringing with it a strong, fishy wind, pressing down with immense force!