Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love

Monster Variant and Magic Beast Variant

A variant is a term used to classify monsters and magic beasts that has special abilities that differ from the regular type. When a monster or a magic beast got exposed to an extreme magical property from its surroundings or consumed an excessive amount of a certain magic element from a type of monster, they'll mana core will react and absorb the foreign source to its system, and adapt.

Most variant monsters and magic beasts possess a certain element that their species unusually has. When a monster or a magic beast became a variant, their strength got increased by several folds, placing them to a different rank of difficulty.

-Encyclopedia of Magic Beasts and Monsters, Great Library of Eureka, The city of academy and magic, Ausbildia

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"Hm... I guess it can't be helped, *Snap!*" Lyan snapped his fingers, and the summoning grimoire appeared from the thin air.

"W-What's that sinister-looking floating book...?" (Belle)

"I need your help. Come and heed my call, [Shadow Hobgoblin]" (Lyan)

A black magic circle suddenly appeared before him, and black particles gushed out from the grimoire, forming a form of a humanoid. After several seconds, a figure with a height of an average human appeared, while wearing black full plate armor covering its body he unsheathes his black sword. A sinister aura is getting emitted to him.

"Hobu. I'll count on you to handle the small ones. I'll face that one," Lyan points at the huge goblin that is approaching them with his sword.

With a single nod, the shadow hobgoblin rushed toward the goblins and kill them one by one. Traveling from shadow to shadow, the shadow hobgoblin lowered the number of goblins quickly.

Knowing that the shadow hobgoblin is ignoring it, the goblin champion approached Lyan that is pointing at him with the tip of his sword. It knows that it is being challenged by Lyan, but unlike the goblin champion's corpse that is lying beside Lyan, it acts more intelligently and didn't rush immediately.

(Its skin is red, and its size is bigger than the one I killed before. So this is a variant, huh... The rare type of monster. It's more intelligent than this one, and it must be stronger as well. The one Mr. Abraham and the Madam battling are also the same variant type, huh... It can't be helped...) (Lyan)

Lyan closed his eyes as he choose the mana he was going to use to battle the goblin champion before him.

(I used Griselda's mana to kill the one before, I guess I'll try using Arturia's mana for now. Let's maintain it on the low output, I need to preserve the mana as much as I could, after all. Sylphia's wind mana that I used yesterday hasn't completely recovered yet, which means that the borrowed mana from the great spirits recovered at a very slow pace, so I need to be careful on using it) (Lyan)

A white mana aura gushed out from Lyan's body. But just by the appearance of the mana aura alone, his whole presence seems to be changed.

(T-The atmosphere around him changed...) (Ravia)

Noticing the change, the goblin champion carefully approached Lyan without rushing. Holding its giant ax with a powerful grip, he inhales a lot of air, and-

*Whoosh!!!*

"B-Breath!?" (Xena)

A breath of flame gushed out from its mouth as if it is a dragon. It should be enough to kill a normal person, but the one before him is the hero of the two realms.

*Slash!*

A single slash. A slash that is powerful enough that it sent powerful winds and disperses the breath of flame the goblin champion variant shoot outs.

(H-He blocked it with a slash!) (Alina)

But that breath from the goblin champion variant is nothing but a test for Lyan.

(Starting from this point is where the real battle begins!) (Lyan)

This time, Lyan took the initiative to close the distance with the goblin champion variant. He's fast, but the goblin champion variant's response is quick as well. Despite of his big size and the huge ax it is wielding, the speed of the goblin champion variant is as fast as Lyan.

*Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!*

Their weapon collided with each other. Each blow is powerful enough that it sends winds and shockwaves to the surroundings. And by each blow, the speed of their bouts keeps on increasing, making the five girls spectating the battle widen their eyes.

(H-He's so strong...) (Xena)

(He's pushing it back!) (Belle)

(He looks like a hero!) (Alina)

(This guy's back looks like gramps') (Raine)

(But why is he just using one sword if he's wielding it with one hand? He still has another sword on his waist) (Ravia)

Lyan's fighting the goblin champion while wielding the sword with one hand. Usually, a person using a sword of a decent size uses two hands to utilize more strength to the sword. But there is also some swordsman who wields a sword with one hand, but they usually either wield two swords at the same time or use a shield on the other hand.

*Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!*

As the bout goes on, the goblin champion gradually gets pushed back by Lyan. Knowing that it won't win by confronting Lyan head-on, the goblin champion variant let out a cry.

"KKiiieeeeeekkkK!!!!"

*Stomp!* *Stomp!*

"Y-You must be kidding me..." (Xena)

Another goblin champion with red skin indicating it's a variant appeared from the hidden passage.

*Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!*

The first goblin champion variant exerts all of its power and continues the bouts with Lyan, knowing that the other goblin champion variant will help it win the fight.

"T-This is bad..." Ravia struggled to stand.

Not only Ravia, Raine, Alina, and Xena also struggled to stand as they understand how grim the situation is.

(Move! Feet!! If I don't help him, he'll definitely die!) (Ravia)

(I can't let him die helping us!) (Raine)

(He helped us a lot already. I can't let him keep on helping us!) (Alina)

(If he dies... I won't be able to forgive myself!) (Xena)

But as if he heard their thoughts, Lyan let out a gentle tone that all of them heard.

"Just stay in your position and rest. There's nothing to worry about," (Lyan)

As his right hand continues to deflect the attacks from the goblin champion variant, his left hand reaches to the handle of the other sword on his waist.

*Shiiing!*

Holding its giant ax, the other goblin champion variant joined the fray and attacked Lyan from the other direction.

*Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank!* *Clank*

"Y-You must be kidding me..." Ravia uttered as she dumbfoundedly watched the scene before her.

"He... He's this strong...?" (Xena)

Before them is Lyan deflecting all of the attacks from the goblin champion variants that attacked him from both sides with quick speed not matching their size. But as if he himself is impressed with himself, an impressed smile is imprinted on his face.

(This is amazing. As expected of the knight spirit, Arturia. Her mana is like a powerful sword, it's straightforwardly quick and powerful. But if it goes on, I'll be using more mana than I intended, I guess it's time to try using two mana at the same time) (Lyan)

*Crack!* *Crack!*

Electric sparks started to gush out from Lyan's body, and the moment his hair stands.

*CLAP!*

A powerful thunderclap once again appeared, but this time, two goblin champion variant heads fell to the ground. But because of the extreme heat contacting and burning the part that is being torn, there is no blood spilled from the corpse.

But not just the corpse, the extreme heat also affects the other thing as well.

"Ah... They broke..." Lyan uttered as he saw the swords on his hands turn into dust due to their incapability to contain too much lightning mana inside them.

"It can't be helped I guess. I'll take a random sword from the dead goblins later. For now..." Lyan shifted his gaze towards the three girls before him.

*Step!* *Step!* *Step!*

Lyan approached the three girls.

Belle still has no strength in her legs yet as she stares at Lyan with captivated gaze, Alina in her battered clothes stared at Lyan with blushed cheeks as he approached them, and Xena, realizing that the only thing covering her body is the black butler vest Ravia gave her, desperately attempt to cover her body in embarrassment.

But at the time she saw the leaking disgusting fluid from her crotch, her face once again distorted to a face of despair as she remember what happened.

(What am I even embarrassed for... I no longer have any value on-) (Xena)

*Whoosh!*

Lyan unhesitatingly pulled the black vest, exposing Xena's bare body to him. Then he put his hand on Xena's belly with a serious expression.

"W-What are you-" (Xena)

"You wouldn't want to get pregnant with a disgusting green monster, right?" (Lyan)

"Eh? Of course, I don't want to!" (Xena)

"Then forgive me for a while. I'm making sure all of those disgusting get out from inside of you," (Lyan)

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<-Hobgoblin's Sword and Normal sword>

Name: Lyan

Occupation: Mercenary

Money: 22,800 Elnes

Weapon: None

Equipment: Black leather cloak

Grimoire's Companions: 8 High Spirits, Shadow Hobgoblin