Chapter 52: The Elemental Vanguard
Lei Feng stood before five floating figures, arms crossed, brow furrowed in contemplation. They hovered in front of him like colorful lanterns, each exuding a powerful aura… and yet, their appearances seemed almost absurdly cute.
He squinted.
"They're adorable," he muttered. "Too adorable."
One blinked slowly at him—puffy cheeks, glowing elemental body, oversized eyes that radiated warmth and curiosity.
He sighed.
"I mean… they look like mascots, not monsters. Am I supposed to send them into battle like this?"
Just then, his eyes caught a flicker beside each summon—a hovering translucent screen glowing in their respective elemental colors. A line of text pulsed faintly across each one.
> [Non-Combat State]
"Huh?" Lei Feng blinked. "Non-combat state? So this isn't their true form?"
He called out, "System!"
Ding!
A crisp chime echoed in his mind immediately, explaining the situation before he could ask.
> [Summons will naturally enter Combat State when host is in danger or initiates combat. The Combat State can also be manually triggered by command. This feature is both passive and active.]
"Good to know." He nodded slowly, the cogs in his head turning.
"System… How do I activate Combat State manually?"
> [Figure that out yourself.]
Lei Feng's lips twitched.
"You really are something else…"
Rubbing his forehead like he had a phantom headache, he turned to the summons.
"Alright, guys… enter combat state."
The summons tilted their heads in sync. None moved.
Lei Feng blinked again.
"You understood me, right? …Right?"
They floated closer, eyes shimmering with curiosity—less like soldiers receiving a command and more like children examining a strange new toy.
Lei Feng's face darkened.
"Don't tell me… they're not intelligent?"
Then he paused, watching the nuanced emotions on their faces. Confusion. Innocence. Anticipation.
"No, that's not it. They're intelligent. They just… don't understand me."
He let out a breath, staring at the five surrounding him.
"How am I supposed to lead them… if we can't even communicate?"
As the thought lingered in his mind, something clicked—like a lost puzzle piece sliding into place.
"Summoner's Empathy."
He invoked it silently, and the world seemed to shift. A soft wave of energy radiated outward from his chest, connecting his soul to theirs. The change was instant and profound.
Their presence no longer felt foreign or detached—they felt *known*. Deeply. As though they had been at his side for lifetimes, not seconds.
Lei Feng's breath caught.
Emotions flooded him—flickers of loyalty, curiosity, strength, even affection. Each summon's essence blended with his, not overwriting his thoughts, but resonating in perfect harmony.
The summons looked at him, eyes glowing with new understanding. No longer puzzled. No longer curious. They understood.
"You guys," Lei Feng said with new authority, "activate your combat state."
Their eyes gleamed.
> "Yes, Master," they answered in unison.
Lei Feng's eyes widened.
"I… I can understand them. And they can speak back…"
More importantly—he felt no drain on his mana. The connection didn't cost him anything.
Empathy didn't just bond him—it transcended communication.
Before he could marvel further, the world exploded with elemental energy.
Wind howled. Flames surged. The air thickened with magic as the once-cute beings morphed before his eyes. Light engulfed them—and when it faded, Lei Feng took a step back, speechless.
Where once stood tiny, chibi-like elementals, now stood towering, radiant avatars of raw elemental might.
They weren't monsters. They were incarnations.
"…Elemental Summons?" he breathed. "No. These are Elemental Entities."
---
The first to catch his eye was the fire elemental.
A tall, imposing figure radiating heat. His body was covered in molten armor that rippled like living magma, with flames licking from his shoulders and gauntlets. His face was chiseled like a warrior's, and his orange eyes flickered like wildfire.
> [Status Panel]
Name: Ignis
Level: 1
Talent Rank: Supreme (Platinum)
Type: Flame Avatar
Elemental Affinity: Fire
> [Attributes]
Strength: 50
Agility: 50
Endurance: 50
Intelligence: 30
Perception: 30
Total Stat Points: 210
Lei Feng nearly choked.
"Supreme Talent… and this is just Level 1?!"
He shook his head in disbelief.
"That's almost my stat range…"
---
The next was a stark contrast.
Graceful. Cold. Lethal.
She was beautiful beyond measure—an ethereal fairy draped in shimmering frost, her white hair trailing like winter mist. Her blue eyes were sharp and distant, holding the chill of a thousand frozen lakes.
> [Status Panel]
Name: Glacia
Level: 1
Talent Rank: Supreme (Platinum)
Type: Frost Fairy
Elemental Affinity: Ice
> [Attributes]
Strength: 50
Agility: 50
Endurance: 50
Intelligence: 30
Perception: 30
Total Stat Points: 210
Lei Feng swallowed, captivated.
"She's… beautiful. And terrifying."
---
Third came serenity.
A tall, serene woman whose skin shimmered like flowing water. Her aura radiated calmness—soothing, deep, and endless. The moment Lei Feng's eyes met hers, his heartbeat slowed. His mind quieted.
> [Status Panel]
Name: Aquari
Level: 1
Talent Rank: Supreme (Platinum)
Type: Tranquil Spirit
Elemental Affinity: Water
> [Attributes]
Strength: 50
Agility: 50
Endurance: 30
Intelligence: 50
Perception: 30
Total Stat Points: 210
"Calm. Empathetic. Tranquil," Lei Feng whispered.
"She balances the team."
---
Next, the unpredictable one.
A slim, agile figure floated midair, dancing lazily on invisible wind currents. His form shimmered, eyes sparkling with mischief. His voice hadn't spoken, but his grin said plenty.
> [Status Panel]
Name: Aeolus
Level: 1
Talent Rank: Supreme (Platinum)
Type: ???
Elemental Affinity: Air
> [Attributes]
Strength: 30
Agility: 60
Endurance: 50
Intelligence: 60
Perception: 50
Total Stat Points: 250
"What the—?!" Lei Feng frowned.
"His Type isn't even identified?"
His stats were insane. More intelligent and perceptive than Lei Feng himself.
And that grin…
Aeolus winked, causing Lei Feng's heart to skip a beat. He quickly looked away.
---
Last came the juggernaut.
A hulking colossus stood like a walking mountain. His skin was rough like stone, his eyes burning like embers from within. The air around him trembled with sheer weight.
> [Status Panel]
Name: Granite
Level: 1
Talent Rank: Supreme (Platinum)
Type: Golem
Elemental Affinity: Earth
> [Attributes]
Strength: 80
Agility: 30
Endurance: 80
Intelligence: 10
Perception: 10
Total Stat Points: 210
Lei Feng grinned.
"The brute. A living fortress."
---
He stepped back, taking in the five towering summons. So different. So strong. And all his.
"Ignis," he called.
The flame avatar placed a flaming fist over his chest.
"At your command."
"Glacia."
The frost fairy bowed, her voice like chimes on a glacier.
"I live to serve."
"Aquari."
She smiled gently.
"Master. I am here."
"Aeolus."
He spun midair, hands behind his head.
"You rang?"
Lei Feng narrowed his eyes.
"…Behave."
And finally, "Granite."
The colossus nodded slowly, his voice like grinding boulders.
"Ready."
Lei Feng's expression turned solemn.
"Each of you is powerful. Each of you unique. But from now on, you are more than just my summons. You are a team—a family."
He looked into each of their eyes.
"You will protect one another, fight beside one another, and grow together. No matter the challenge, you face it together. From this moment on, the world will come to know your name as one."
He raised a hand.
"You are… The Elemental Vanguard."
The summons stood straighter, their elemental energies pulsing in sync.
The storm had a new core now—not of chaos, but of unity. And Lei Feng stood at its center.