Chapter 17: Razor

As Ryland softly called out the name "Razor," a radiant burst of light materialized the mantis into existence, perching it gracefully onto Ryland's shoulder. Alan looked on with intrigue and nodded appreciatively, "Razor, a fitting name for such creature," he remarked with a hint of admiration.

Carefully cradling Razor in his left hand, Ryland studied the mantis's features intently. He turned to Alan with a look of curiosity, asking, "How would you classify Razor? Is he more of a Beast or perhaps a Monster?"

"Let me have a look at it," said Alan as he walk around Ryland in circle to get a better look at Razor.

Intrigued by the sharpness of Razor's foreleg, Alan attempted to examine it closer. However, the keen edge proved to be unexpectedly sharp, causing Alan to recoil slightly as it grazed his finger. "Impressively sharp," he remarked, shaking off the brief sting.

Hoping to further test the sharpness of Razor's blade, Alan drew his dagger. But the moment Razor caught sight of the dagger's glinting blade, his stance shifted dramatically. He raised his forelegs defensively, sending a clear and unmistakable warning to Alan.

Alan and Ryland was suprised at Razor's display, "that was uncalled for," Alan commented.

With a light-hearted chuckle, Ryland gently addressed Razor, "Easy there, let Alan have a closer look at your razor." Razor responded to Ryland's soothing words by shifting into a less defensive stance, displaying a willingness to cooperate.

As Alan cautiously extended his dagger towards Razor's blade, the two edges met with a clear, resonating clank. The interaction seemed almost ceremonial, a mutual acknowledgment of each other's sharpness and quality.

A warm smile spread across Alan's face as he withdrew his dagger. At that moment, Ryland sensed a telepathic message from Razor, "his dagger is well-crafted". Amused, Ryland relayed Razor's compliment to Alan.

Alan chuckled softly, shaking his head in amusement. "It appears," he mused, "that I am the one being appraised and approved by our new mantis friend."

Alan slid his dagger back into its sheath, his gaze lingering thoughtfully on Razor. "Based on what I observed," he began, "that mantis could very well be a Tier 4 Monster, much like White Boy. "

A wave of realization washed over Ryland. "If Razor truly is a Tier 4 Monster," he pondered silently, "I now have two Tier 4 Monsters in my summoning arsenal."

Eager to test something, Ryland summoned White Boy once more. As White Boy materialized, it appeared fully rejuvenated, showing no signs of the previous battle's injuries inflicted by Razor.

White Boy hovered gracefully for a moment before Ryland beckoned him closer. "What do you think of Razor?" Ryland inquired.

"Razor? Razor strong!" White Boy responded enthusiastically, descending to land and squatting before Ryland.

Razor, perched on Ryland's shoulder, chimed in, "Bat is good too."

Ryland corrected him gently, "His name is White Boy."

"Okay. White Boy claw strong. But can be stronger," Razor remarked with a hint of encouragement.

Curious and eager to learn, White Boy posed a question, "How?"

With a confident gleam in its eyes, Razor replied, "Razor can teach you." White Boy's excitement was palpable as he broke into a joyful dance.

"Razor teach me? Yes! Razor's slashes so good, hurt a lot," White Boy exclaimed.

Razor looked slightly apologetic, "sorry about the slash."

White Boy waved it off graciously, "me sorry for scream."

Ryland watched the interaction between White Boy and Razor with immense satisfaction. The summoning staff seemed to bridge the gap between them, creating a shared understanding despite their distinct appearances and abilities. To Ryland, it hinted at the incredible diversity of creatures he might eventually command.

For Alan, the spectacle unfolding before him was akin to watching a captivating circus act. The various sounds—White Boy's shrieks, Razor's hisses—and Ryland's casual conversation with them in plain English felt almost surreal. Alan found himself reminiscing about the time when such interactions were commonplace during Xavier's rule. It felt like a distant memory now, almost too extraordinary to believe. A smile crept onto his face as he observed.

Noticing Alan's contemplative expression, Ryland turned to him and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Alan opened up about his emotions, reminiscing about the past and linking between Ryland's interactions with creatures and those of his father, Xavier. "It's truly nostalgic, Ryland," he began, his eyes reflecting a distant memory. "Seeing you communicate with these monsters, just as your father did, brings back so many memories. It's always been fascinating to witness someone converse so naturally with beasts and monsters."

"But brace yourself, Ryland. There are creatures that can converse in human languages with anyone, not just with you."

Ryland was taken aback by this revelation. "What kind of monsters are those?" he asked.

Alan explained, "During Xavier's time, he had some unique creatures in his summons. There were plant monsters and mud monsters that could communicate in human language. I imagine the experience of conversing with these creatures is somewhat similar to what you and Xavier felt. Additionally, there was the renowned Draugr, the sole dragon ever witnessed in this world, capable of telepathic communication with anyone."

Ryland was spellbound by these tales, realizing there was so much more to learn about the world of summoning and the creatures within it. Just as he was about to delve deeper into the topic, Razor interrupted with a hiss, drawing Ryland's attention back to the present moment.

Razor's hiss carried a hint of curiosity, prompting Ryland about its impending meal. Sensing the creature's interest, Ryland replied with a smile, "Don't worry, Razor. We'll head home now, and I'll make sure to prepare something suitable for you." With that assurance, Ryland gestured for everyone to leave the factory and make their way back home.

As they made their way home, Ryland cast a curious glance at Razor, "What brought you to that rundown factory, Razor?"

With a hint of nostalgia in its eyes, Razor replied, "I was merely seeking refuge, trying to survive. Before finding the factory, I had been wandering for days, searching for green and damp environment where I could thrive. That bush seemed perfect. Occasionally, Soil Rodents would wander by, providing me with prey."

Eager to share this newfound information, Ryland relayed Razor's words to Alan. Alan's eyes widened with interest upon hearing that Razor had been hunting Soil Rodents. Such a skill could prove invaluable in dealing with the Soil Rodent problem plaguing their farm.

Ryland's curiosity piqued further, "Have you had any predators trying to hunt you down, Razor?"

Climbing onto Ryland's shoulder for a better view, Razor nodded, "Yes, I've had my share of predators. But I've learned to hide in plain sight." With that, Razor's skin began to shift and change, adapting its color and texture to match Ryland's shirt seamlessly.

Amazement flashed across Ryland's face. The reason he couldn't spot Razor earlier when White Boy had pointed him out was now clear. Razor's ability to camouflage was nothing short of impressive.

While Alan couldn't interpret Razor's hisses, the visual display of Razor's camouflage left him chuckling. "You truly are an assassin, Razor," he remarked with a grin.

Razor tilted his head slightly, curious, "What's an assassin?"

Ryland smiled, patting Razor gently, "I'll explain it to you later."

Upon reaching home, they spotted O'kuyo wandering around outside. Ryland called out to him, and White Boy swiftly flew towards O'kuyo, emitting excited shrieks and pointing towards Razor perched on Ryland's shoulder. O'kuyo, spotting Razor, hastened over to them.

"You've summoned a new creature? How? When did this happen? Why didn't you call me? I would've loved to witness the process again!" O'kuyo exclaimed with eager curiosity. Alan interjected, "This summoning wasn't as smooth and picturesque as the last time." Ryland proceeded to recount the entire adventure and how Razor came to be his new summon.

After hearing that, O'kuyo said, "It's a shame I couldn't be there to see Ryland get a new summon. But at least this time around, you didn't choose a stupid name like the last one. No offense, White Boy."

White Boy responded with a playful shriek towards O'kuyo, seemingly taking his comment in stride.