Lustra smirked, slowly raising her hand to display a delicate, ornate ring on her finger. For a second, Haruto and Toya exchanged a confused look, wondering if she was just showing off her jewelry. But then, the ring began to glow with a blinding, divine radiance.
In a flash of golden light, the ring elongated and sharpened, transforming into the massive Golden Spear—the very same weapon that had pierced Haruto's shoulder during the trial. Haruto's eyes widened as the memory of that raw power flashed through his mind.
"If she had that level of power back then, she was definitely holding back," he realized.
Suddenly, the spear began to shimmer and dissolve, reshaping itself into the form of a young girl. She looked incredibly shy, rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken up from a century-long nap. She yawned softly, looking around the room with a dazed expression.
"Um... Lady Lustra? Did you summon me? Where are we?"
Haruto couldn't help but think to himself,
"Seriously? Every single spirit that comes out of these weapons looks like they just crawled out of bed. Why do they even keep them stored away if they have such top-tier gear? Just keep them summoned!"
The girl looked around, spotting Ivory and Bellona.
"Oh! Hello, Lady Ivory! Hello, Lady Bellona!" she chirped. But then, her gaze landed on Haruto. Her eyes went wide with terror as she remembered the trial where Haruto had physically caught her weapon form with his bare hands. With a tiny squeak of fear, she scrambled behind Lustra, trembling.
Lustra laughed, patting the girl's head.
"Oh, don't be scared, sweetie. This is Haruto. You could say he's the... owner of all of us now."
In the back, Logos and Smoke were watching. Logos pushed his glasses up, a rare hint of a smile appearing. "It has been quite a long time, hasn't it?"
Lustra gestured toward the shy girl.
"Haruto, meet my spirit, Elysia. She is the heart of the Golden Spear."
Elysia peeked out from behind Lustra, her eyes landing on Smoke. She tilted her head, looking at his spiked hair and punk outfit.
"Um... Lady Lustra? Who is that strange person? Why is he wearing such... loud, messy clothes?"
Smoke's face turned bright red with fury. He was already reeling from Logos calling him a "Flashy Delinquent," and now this shy little spear-girl was insulting his fashion sense too. He took a step forward, ready to roar, but Ivory didn't even look at him. She just spoke directly into his mind.
(Ivory's Telepathy): "Smoke, stand down. Elysia is also an SSS-Rank Spirit. If you pick a fight with her, you will be impaled before you can even finish your sentence. Do not make me format you."
Smoke froze, his jaw twitching as he slowly backed away again. He was officially the weakest legendary being in the room, and it was killing his pride.
Haruto tried to step closer to say hello, but Elysia flinched, hiding deeper behind Lustra's dress. Asobi finally snapped at Smoke,
"Where are your manners?! You're causing a scene in front of the guests. Stop being a nuisance or I'll lock you back in the pipe for a century!"
Haruto watched the chaos, realizing that while his team was infinitely powerful, they were also a total disaster of personalities. He looked at Elysia and then back at his own hands. The duel with Kaelen was only 27 hours away, and he was currently managing a group of gods who spent more time roasting each other than training.
Lustra beamed with pride, pulling the shy girl forward by her shoulders.
"See? Isn't she just the cutest thing you've ever seen?" Lustra chirped, practically squeezing the life out of her.
Haruto took a moment to actually look at Elysia, and he had to admit, the "Visual Specs" in this spirit were off the charts. She was undeniably adorable—fair, porcelain skin, long silky golden hair that looked like it was woven from actual sunlight, and an expression of pure innocence that made you want to protect her at all costs. She was dressed in a stylish pink outfit that looked more like high-end fantasy fashion than battle gear.
Elysia gathered her courage, fidgeting with her fingers. "I-it is a pleasure to meet you properly," she whispered, peeking at Haruto before quickly looking away.
As she stood there, she noticed Logos and Smoke standing together in the background. Her eyes darted between the scholarly librarian and the punk delinquent, her expression turning slightly playful. "Ole, ole~" Lustra teased, watching the interaction.
Elysia turned back to Lustra, her voice small but firm.
"Lady Lustra, you are behaving in an excessively human manner. It is... unusual."
Haruto froze. "Wait a second," he thought, his gamer brain connecting the dots.
"That's the exact same thing Logos said to Ivory earlier. 'Excessively human.' And the fact that Elysia recognized Logos and Ivory immediately... this isn't just a coincidence."
He looked at the three Goddesses—Ivory, Lustra, and Bellona. It was now crystal clear. These three hadn't just met recently; they shared a history that went back way before they ever encountered him. Their weapon spirits were part of the same "Original Party" or "GodTeam."
The training hall was descending into absolute chaos. Elysia looked around the room and noticed the presence of two other weapon spirits—Smoke and Logos. Her shy mind immediately jumped to the conclusion that this room was becoming a crowded storage unit for spirits, and she started to pout, feeling overwhelmed.
Haruto, seeing her distress, stepped forward and said, "Wait, hold on—"
That was the wrong move. Elysia's eyes welled up with tears, and a single drop rolled down her cheek. She let out a soft sob, retreating further into her shell.
"Haruto! What did you do to her?!"Lustra barked, immediately scooping Elysia into a protective hug and glaring at him.
"I didn't do anything! I just said wait!" Haruto stammered, hands raised in panic.
Elysia sniffled, her voice trembling. "He... he's a monster! He swallowed my weapon form into that terrifying black void during the trial! I'm scared he's going to eat me next!"
Toya and Asobi turned their heads slowly, looking at Haruto with expressions of utter judgment. "Bro," Toya whispered, "I know you had to survive the trial, but devouring the essence of such a cute girl? That's cold, even for you."
"It was a tactical move!" Haruto yelled, but Lustra cut him off.
"Her aura was partially absorbed to fuel your health bar, Haruto. That's why she's so physically weak right now!"
In the background, the "Librarian" and the "Punk" were having their own issues. Logos was visibly confused—he hadn't been summoned during the trial, so he was looking to Ivory for an explanation. Ivory simply gave him a sharp, silent glare that told him to stay quiet and stay out of it.
Smoke saw the confusion on the high-and-mighty Logos's face and started laughing.
"What's the matter, Four-Eyes? Lost your place in the book?"
WHACK!
Logos didn't even look. He delivered a swift, calculated chop to the top of Smoke's head. A second later, Asobi marched over and delivered a second smack to the same spot.
"Ow! Why did you hit me too, Boss Lady?!" Smoke cried, rubbing his bruised head.
Asobi glanced at Logos, then back at Smoke with a terrifyingly calm expression. "If Logos hit you, you clearly deserved it. You probably breathed too loudly and offended the logic of the room."
Logos looked slightly uncomfortable being defended by Asobi, but Ivory stepped in instantly thinking Logus was being scolded too.
"Back off, Asobi. He's my spirit. If he's going to be scolded, I'll be the one to do it."
"Then tell him to keep his hands off my spirit," Asobi countered.
Smoke's eyes widened with sudden, tearful emotion.
"Lady Asobi... do you... do you actually care about me that much?"
Asobi sighed, looking at him with zero pity.
"Even if you are a stray dog, a troublemaker, a punk, and a complete idiot... you're my idiot." Smoke's grin vanished instantly as the insults piled up.
The room was a mess. Toya was trying to strike up a conversation with the trembling Elysia. Lustra was still coddling her. Bellona was leaning against a wall, crossing her arms and checking her watch, clearly waiting for her turn to summon her spirit. And in the corner, Professor Vane and Princess Lilith were still passed out like sacks of flour.
Haruto looked at the bickering spirits, the judging glares of his friends, and the total lack of actual training happening. His patience snapped.
"STOP IT! ALL OF YOU!" Haruto roared, his voice echoing with the authority of the Void.
The room went dead silent. Everyone—spirits and humans alike—froze and turned to look at him.
"Logos, Smoke, Elysia—back to your original positions! Stand down and shut up!" Haruto commanded.
"We are in the middle of a countdown. If you want to roast each other or cry about the past, do it after I've defeated Kaelen. Now, get in line and act like the SSS-rank weapons you're supposed to be!"