Global Awakening: Monster Taming Necromancer

Thayer explained. "Zones are made up of build-up of energies, right? Then there's a place where the energy is the most concentrated, the strongest. We call that the center. It's where monsters are brought here from other places."

From his spatial ring, he brought out an artifact; it's a round, smooth ball the color of the sun. "This is a Gold rank artifact." He said proudly.

They all looked at it. Jael tried to feel it with his senses, but the small ball remained still and silent; he felt nothing special from it. "What does it do?"

"It's a dungeon regulator. Just place it at the center of the zone and it'll regulate the flow of mana in that zone, controlling the amount of monsters that can come through." Thayer cradled the golden ball, this is the foundation of his Guild and it cost so much he winced from the memory.

"It'll eventually turn to a zone core and can then do much more for the zone. Every team will be running for the center and the first to place this there is the winner."

"So that's how you claim a zone," Litha said. "Then how do we know the center of it? I'm assuming you don't mean center right."

They placed the zone regulator on the table. "The center is anywhere the mana is the thickest, it will concentrate and cause rend in space that twist the environment and it's usually surrounded by the meanest strongest monsters. Just think of it as the boss's place in a dungeon. I'll give you something to determine the direction of the center."

"Now that all of that is on the way, let me introduce you..."

Jael knew Tim before, but the woman sitting beside Thayer is called Cele, and the beast-man is Dile.

"......and this is Litha. All of you are part of the strongest in the current set of climbers."

"But you are strong too Thayer," Jael raised his brows. "Why are you not going?"

"Because I'm a Guildmaster...to be. But honestly, I'm going to remain outside so I can smooth things over from this side. Building a Guild is one of the most difficult things to do in the Tower." He sighs.

Temur shifted. "Who is going to be the captain? The leader?"

Thayer dropped a card on the table. "I'll leave that to sort out among yourselves since you will be the ones to enter the zone," he stood. "On that note, I'll be here to pick you all up in two days, heres some money to buy what you need for preparation."

With quick, fast strides, he closed the door firmly behind him, and he was gone.

Jael grimaced at the almost awkward silence that lingered afterward; they all looked at each other and then away. He didn't for once imagine that he'd be sharing a room with other people when he went out today.

He sighed. "So, who wants to be the leader?"

Tim pointed at him. "Don't you want to be?"

No, Jael thought. 'I don't want to be. Most of the other Awakeners have fought in dungeons back in their world before climbing the Tower. They had something I didn't– experience. There'll be plenty of time to lead. For now, I watch and learn'

"I don't want to be the leader." He said out loud.

Tim grinned. "You are the person who defeat me. If you don't want to be the leader, then I can't be either!"

They both turned to the others.

Dile closed his eyes. "I don't want to either. I'd have loved to, but my abilities during battle won't allow me to lead effectively."

Cele, Temur, and Litha looked at each other. Cele is a red-haired woman with orange eyes. "I will lead."

Litha bristled. She didn't want the position but she didn't want those from Thayer's team to lead either. She would have preferred it if Jael were to lead, but now, she turned to Temur, and their eyes held.

He sighed. "I want to lead too."

"Unfortunately we can only have one leader." Jael pointed out unnecessarily.

"I am the leader of team C of Thayer's teams. I am a fire mage, and I can give orders from behind while I support with my fire spells." Cele argued.

"I am collected during battle and at the front to see how the fight is going. I am a warrior. I think it would be best if I lead." Honestly, Temur would have preferred it if it wasn't him, but since they are entering a contract, it's best to have as much control as they can.

"Are we voting?" Dile asked as if he couldn't care less.

"Now," Jael smiled, a glint in his eyes. "Why don't we do what Awakeners always do to determine this things? A duel!"

Temur groaned and Tim laughed. Litha sighed but she nodded.

"I agree," Cele said. She's a fire mage and confident in the range of her firepower.

Temur has no choice but to agree.

So they went downstairs and out into the town where they rented a training ground for two gold coins. They packed themselves inside and left the two on the square stone platform.

"Ready when you are," Cele said from the other side. Her Codex is in the form of a furnace, burning steadily behind her.

Temur calculated his options and he picked his weapon. "I am ready."

Jael was surprised that he picked a shield but then again, fire and sword don't go well.

Litha brought down her hand sharply. "The first one to land a hit. Now fight!"

Fireballs bloomed around Cele, and her eyes glowed orange; she wasted no time to send them to Temur, who danced between them, his body covered in aura.

Cele grinned. "You think you can dance between my fireballs and make your way closer to me? You are not the first one to think that! Spinning inferno!"

A whirlwind of fire flared brightly between them, cracking with dry burning air. She gestured and the fire whirlwind came down like a whip, straight at Temur's head.

Jael waited with breath held for him to dodge but instead, Temur brought out his sword and cut the air sharply and the whirlwind was ripped apart with a sharp bust of aura, splitting it into two and creating space for Temur to throw his shield, and it steak off in a blast.

Cele grunted in surprise as the metal shield hit her in the stomach, lifted her and sent her sprawling, her eyes fluttering in pain. When her eyes focused she found a sword pointing at her.

She flopped back on the ground, breathing hard through clenched teeth. "You win."