Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons-Chapter 432: Sarah Draketower Negotiation

Arthur nodded with what appeared to be sympathetic understanding. "That sounds... challenging. How are the others handling similar effects?"

Yohan stepped forward, his expression carrying similar dejection. "Same issues across everyone who died. We’re significantly weaker than our levels suggest."

"The merge didn’t just integrate powers, it integrated death penalties that were previously temporary," another group member added.

Arthur processed this information with coldness. His early elimination of opposition had created lasting effects that extended beyond simple level differences.

"Have you sought remedies? Healing potions, enhancement items?"

Confirming limitation scope.

John shook his head with obvious frustration. "Nothing works. The penalties seem integrated into our fundamental physiology now."

Irreversible consequences.

Arthur maintained his sympathetic facade while internally calculating.

"I appreciate the information," Arthur said with manufactured concern. "Perhaps future advancement will compensate for your current limitations."

The group nodded with desperate optimism, grasping at possibilities that didn’t exist.

Hope sustains the hopeless.

Arthur departed with casual farewells, his enhanced already processing implications. The merge had created permanent hierarchies based on historical performance, it was meritocracy through supernatural enforcement.

...

Arthur arrived at the Academy of Mera, its towering spires and ancient stonework as majestic as ever. The building commanded respect through sheer architectural presence.

The building truly befitted its status as the best academy in kingdom of Mera, and not simply Caldera.

The guards at the massive entrance gates straightened as he approached, their enhanced perception immediately cataloguing his equipment and bearing. Recent fame had spread his reputation throughout Caldera’s community.

"Good afternoon, Guild Master," one guard said with genuine respect.

Arthur nodded acknowledgment and passed through the gates without ceremony. The Academy’s grounds buzzed with weekend activity—some students heading home, others hanging out with friends. Despite that, it was still quieter than weekdays.

On his way toward the female dormitories, Arthur’s route took him past the training grounds. His space perception detected familiar energy signatures from within the combat facility.

His eyebrows raised in recognition. Sarah’s mana signature blazed from inside the building, her elemental energies unmistakable in his eyes.

Of course she’d be training on weekends. The girl was relentlessly ambitious, especially after her recent loss to Ash Ashencroft during academy sparring matches. Power-hungry individuals didn’t rest—they trained harder.

Arthur respected that about Sarah, she never gave up.

Arthur altered his path, entering the training facility through reinforced doors designed to contain magical explosions. The vast space could accommodate dozens of students, but weekend schedules left it largely empty.

Only five students occupied the grounds, including Sarah. Most others were visiting families or enjoying their limited free time away from academic pressures.

Sarah practiced against a reinforced training dummy, her A-rank Elemental Control talent on full display. Fire, water, wind, earth, and air responded to her commands with impressive coordination,streams of different elements weaving together in complex attack patterns.

Her versatility was remarkable, but Arthur’s tactical mind noted the inherent weakness. Multiple elements meant divided focus, reduced power concentration compared to specialists like Ash Ashencroft’s S-rank Explosion talent.

Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Still formidable, but with exploitable limitations.

Arthur approached her casually, his eyes still tracking her movements while calculating persuasion strategies.

His spatial storage contained exactly what he needed for the persuasion.

The Flame Orb he’d acquired during earlier adventures. Epic-rank equipment that would amplify fire-based abilities significantly. Combined with Draketower family blacksmithing expertise, it could create weapons that significantly improved Sarah’s combat capabilities.

It was a good leverage for negotiation. After all, both items were epic-rank and the flame orb complemented her talent.

"Sarah," Arthur called out as her latest combination spell dissipated against the training dummy.

She turned, sweat beading her forehad despite the cool air. Her enhanced physiology had been pushed hard during the extended practice sessions.

"Azarel! I haven’t seen you in a few days. Where have you been?"

Her tone carried curiosity mixed with the respect that growing reputation commanded. Even among academy elite, Power Guild’s founder drew attention.

"Busy with guild business," Arthur replied easily. "Recruitment, equipment distribution, all kinds of hassles. The usual boring activities."

"Ah." Sarah nodded understanding. "Building an organization from scratch must be incredibly demanding."

"It has its challenges." Arthur said whilst he studied her training setup, multiple elemental focuses, endurance-building routines, tactical pattern development. "You have an impressive training regimen."

Sarah’s expression brightened with pride. "Thank you. I’m working on elemental fusion techniques—combining multiple elements to engance their effectiveness."

"Compensating for power limitations?"

Her smile faltered slightly. "Something like that."

Arthur let silence stretch before transitioning to his real objective. "Actually, I wanted to discuss something specific with you."

"Oh?"

"I understand you recently acquired an Epic-rank body-strengthening herb."

Sarah’s expression immediately changed to a mild frown. "How did you know about that? I never told anyone."

"Your uncle mentioned it during our recent meeting."

Recognition flickered across her features. "You met with Uncle Raemund? About what?"

"My guild is cooperating with his team, we are trying to create a mutually beneficial partnership, it would serve us and the city well, nobody losses and everyone gains," Arthur’s tone remained casual despite the growing importance of their conversation.

"I had asked him about the herb, and he told me that he gave it to you. So, here we are." Arthur smiled.

Sarah’s posture stiffened defensively. "What about it?"

Seeing her defensive reaction. Arthur didn’t wait any longer. He reached into his spatial storage, withdrawing the Flame Orb with deliberate ceremony.

The Epic-rank artifact blazed with contained fire essence, its surface radiating heat that showcased its power as an epic rank item.

"I’m interested in a possible exchange."

As soon as Sarah’s fingers closed around the orb, a jolt raced up her arm—sharp, immediate, alive. Heat coiled beneath her skin, not searing, but awakening, as though some long-dormant part of her had been waiting for this very moment. Her elemental sense, usually quiet and steady, surged with recognition. This wasn’t inert magic sealed in glass; this was power waiting for a master.

She inhaled, steadying herself, but the energy pressed against her restraint, eager to be unleashed. Threads of fire-elemental force curled outward from the orb, brushing the air like restless embers in search of fuel. She could feel it—wild, volatile, yet strangely in tune with her own fire. It wasn’t chaotic. It was waiting for purpose.

The flame orb would perfectly integrate with her existing skill sets.