Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

"I'm here regarding the land acquisition request," Arthur replied, holding up the parchment.

The guard gave a small nod before pushing open the gate. "Go on inside. He's expecting you."

Arthur stepped through, noting the well-kept garden and the faint scent of burning incense wafting from the building. Whoever owned this place had wealth—and more importantly, influence.

Reaching the entrance, he knocked.

A moment later, the door swung open, revealing a man in his early fifties. He was tall, dressed in a well-fitted dark coat with silver embroidery, his grey hair slicked back.

His eyes swept over Arthur in a single glance, as if assessing him in mere seconds.

"You must be the one who posted the mission," the man said smoothly.

Arthur nodded. "That's right."

The man extended his hand

"James Goldsmith."

"Azarel."

The man nodded before stepping aside. "Come in."

Arthur entered.

The interior was just as refined as he expected. Dark wood furnishings, velvet drapes, and the flicker of a fireplace.

There were no excessive decorations—everything was simple, yet elegant.

The man gestured toward a chair. "Have a seat."

Arthur remained standing. "Let's skip the formalities. I assume you're the one selling the land?"

The man smirked slightly before taking a seat himself. "Direct. I like that." He pulled out a few documents and placed them neatly on the desk.

"I assume you're looking for land within Caldera?"

Arthur glanced at the papers but didn't touch them. "Yes. Preferably in a location that allows for future expansion."
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The man tapped a particular document. "Then you'll want a district with high traffic but fewer regulations. Somewhere you can grow without too much interference."

"That's right." Arthur nodded.

"Then you might want to check the document out." The man said.

Arthur picked up the document and skimmed through it.

The location was indeed promising.

It was situated near a growing trade route, close to a transport hub, and not far from the guild district.

Arthur lowered the paper slightly, meeting the man's gaze. "What's the price?"

The man raised his five fingers.

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. "Five thousand?"

The man nodded. "5,000 gold coins. This is my last offer. You can take your time to think about it."

Arthur leaned back slightly, studying him. 5,000 gold wasn't a small amount, even for him. He could afford it, but that didn't mean he should rush into the purchase blindly. Land in Caldera was valuable, but he needed to be sure he was getting the best possible deal.

After a brief pause, Arthur nodded. "Alright. Can I always find you here?"

The man smirked slightly, adjusting his seat. "For now. But I won't wait forever. Good land doesn't stay on the market for long."

Arthur stood up. "I'll be in touch."

The man simply inclined his head. "Pleasure doing business."

As he stepped back onto the bustling streets of Caldera, he exhaled slowly.

He still had time before he needed to make a final decision.

'Time to check out the Academy." He thought, before turning towards the large castle-like building.

Arriving at the gates of the academy, Arthur was immediately stopped by a pair of guards clad in dark steel armor, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords. Their gazes were sharp, assessing him in an instant.

"Halt. Identification," one of them demanded.

Arthur wordlessly pulled out his black ID card, the golden inscriptions glinting under the midday sun.

The guard who spoke gave it a quick glance before nodding toward a glowing crystal set on a pedestal nearby. "Scan it over there."

Arthur stepped forward and placed the card against the crystal.

[Ding! Identity is being confirmed…]

A soft hum filled the air as a radiant light extended from the crystal, washing over him from head to toe. Arthur resisted the urge to shift under its scrutiny, keeping his expression neutral.

Noticing his glance, the guard explained, "It's a verification measure. Ensures that the person holding the card is the rightful owner. You'll only need to go through this process once."

Arthur gave a short nod.

A second later, the crystal let out a sharper chime.

[Ding! Identity confirmed.]

The guards immediately stepped aside, their postures relaxing. "You may enter."

Arthur took one last glance at them before striding past the gates, stepping into the Academy of Mera.

The sight before him was even more breathtaking than he anticipated.

a vast courtyard opened up before him. Grand marble pathways stretched outward, splitting the area into multiple sections, each leading to different wings of the academy.

Arthur's gaze swept over the towering gothic spires, their dark stone glowing faintly under the enchanted lanterns that hovered near the walls. Massive banners bearing the academy's insignia fluttered in the wind.

The Academy of Mera.

It was even more imposing up close.

Arthur took a deep breath and started forward.

His first destination was clear—he needed to familiarize himself with the layout, understand the structure, and figure out where his classes would take place.

Arthur continued walking, his footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone pathways. The entrance was eerily quiet, with not a single student in sight.

'Strange…' he thought. 'I expected more activity. But then again, the academic year hasn't officially started yet. Maybe most students are still settling in or training elsewhere.'

The sheer scale of the academy made it difficult to gauge where the heart of student activity might be.

...

After walking for a while, Arthur heard a voice call out.

"Hey!"

He ignored it, continuing his pace.

"Hey!"

The voice rang out again, sharper this time.

Arthur sighed and finally turned around, his gaze landing on the source of the voice.

A girl stood a few paces behind him.

She was short, reaching his shoulders, and her eyes were the colour of emerald.

"Remember me?" She said as she caught up.

Arthur nodded. "It hasn't been that long." He muttered, his eyes on her, wondering why she was calling out for him.

The two stood in silence for a few seconds, before Arthur decided to break it.

"So...Why did you call me?"