Boundless Evolution: The Summoning Beast
Chapter 36: Gratitude of the Villagers

Chapter 36: Gratitude of the Villagers

Gasps of confusion spread among them, their eyes darting around in shock. Murmurs broke out between the soldiers as some looked to Raegan for answer, others glancing at the empty space where the hyena had just stood.

But even Raegan, the veteran soldier, was also as confused as them as he had thought that that was the original but then realisation struck him.

His sharp eyes flickered to his front...

The real Boy remained crouched behind the now-slumped body of the bandit leader, his golden eyes still glowed faintly in the dimming light as the rest of the clones also began to dissipate.

During the moment that he was supposed to strike, Boy had not been standing idly.

The moment that he heard the veteran speak out that they would have to take extra care of the bandit leader, he knew that he had to adjust his plan a little and so he immediately used Shadows of the Pack and sent a clone forward to stand behind the veteran.

While he was doing that, he went around the houses and hid in the debris as he awaited the perfect time to leap out and reinforce as he knew the bandit leader would most likely break out.

’His real body had been observing the battle the entire time, ensuring that the tendril remained strong, keeping the leader immobilised.

The revelation first came to Raegan then to the rest of the soldiers, sending another wave of murmurs as they exchanged stunned glances.

"That summon..." one of them muttered, "he tricked all of us..."

"He’s more than just a summoned beast," another soldier exhaled in near disbelief, "Is this what Commander Darius saw?"

Raegan’s smirk widened slightly as he shook his head in awe and surprise.

He had fought alongside countless warriors, both humans and summons alike, but this one- this summon- was different.

"Clever," he chuckled under his breath.

The battle had ende, but the silence that followed was not one of peace- it was the weight of survival settling over the village.

Slowly, figures began to emerge.

At first, only a few cautious steps echoed in the quiet aftermath of battle, but soon more and more villagers appeared, stepping out from the shadows of collapsed buildings and scorched alleyways.

The feline summon trotted ahead, leading the rest of the villagers, acting as the front line for the others to make their way to the battle site.

A few collapsed onto their knees, relief and grief crashing over them all at once as they saw the bodies of their loved ones.

Others clutched their living loved ones, while bearing silent, tear-streaked faces as they took in the devastation around them.

The weight of what had almost happened- of what had been lost- was sinking in.

As they made it closer and closer to the battleside, they all saw the soldiers and Boy and at this, their gazes shifted as their eyes filled with hesitation and relief before turning into admiration.

They bowed deeply, hands over their hearts, while others clasped the hands of nearby soldiers in silent gratitude.

Cries of thanks filled the air as the survivors expressed their relief and appreciation.

"You fought for us," an elderly man rasped, gripping a soldier’s arm, "We thought we were lost. Thank you."

A woman with a soot-streaked face wiped at her eyes as he added, "Without you all... I don’t want to imagine what would have happened to us."

The soldiers nodded, some smiling through their fatigue while others gave reassuring nods in response.

Officer Raegan, standing among them, let out a small chuckle.

"Well, I’d say we did alright," he admitted, rolling his shoulders as though shaking off his exhaustion, "But if you really want to thank someone..."

He turned and gestured towards Boy but before he could speak...

Pitter! Patter!

A small girl broke through the crowd, her wide, tear-filled eyes locked onto Boy as she ran forward as she threw her arms around his front leg in an embrace.

"Thank you," she whispered quietly, her voice barely audible yet containing all her emotions of gratitude and relief.

"You should thank him," Raegan finished his earlier sentence.

And at this, one by one, they all began to approach Boy.

A woman carrying a young child in her arms stepped forward, her hands trembling as she let her child stand next to her.

"You... you saved us," she spoke, her voice raw with emotion.

She swallowed hard before she bent into a deep bow, her child saw what her mother was doing and immediately mimicked her motion.

"Tankyuu~" the child spoke, fumbling its word but its meaning was clear to understand.

An elderly man limped forward, using his broken staff to steady himself. Hesitation sparked in his eyes as his hands trembled but then he reached out and slowly placed his palm on Boy’s head, his touch light but reverent.

"Without you, this village would’ve been demolished and I would not be here. You have my deepest thanks," he spoke as he ruffled Boy’s fur.

After this, more and more villagers stepped forward, some bowing, others placing hands over their hearts in gratitude.

Then, from the crowd once again, a teenage girl stepped forward, her movements hesitant but determined. Her dark hair was tangled with soot and dirt.

But even through the grime, Boy caught something unnervingly familiar in her features.

She took another step, her eyes caught onto Boy’s own golden eyes as she then dropped to her knees, placing a trembling hand over her heart.

"Thank you," she spoke softly, her voice weighted with sincerity.

Boy stiffened as he saw the girl look up and give him a warm smile and he got to see her face.

Her face- it looked like Lady Elaria’s... A younger version, softer, unweathered by time or status, but the resemblance was undeniable.

A strange, twisting sensation curled in his chest, making his mind recoil.

The way she had smiled, had reminded him of the exact smile that Lady Elaria used to put on after she spoke as if he mattered.

Boy’s found himself immediately displaying memories of his old life... The way in which he was discarded without a second thought.

Something inside him rejected the moment entirely.

Suddenly, his whole mood took a turn. His thoughts changed. The warmth in their gazes, the gratitude in their voices- it felt foreign... alien... unfamiliar... Undeserved...

As Boy raised his eyes to look at the rest of the villagers, he found himself unable to stop this growing thought that not a single one of them meant what they were saying.

He pulled away, turning around abruptly before walking away, his paws pressing against the dirt with quiet finality.

His ears flicked back as the villagers watched in confusion, whispers of concern rising between them.

The soldiers exchanged glances, unsure of what had just happened.

Even the feline summon was confused as it trotted after him at first before stopping as it watched as Boy made his way to the edge of the village.

The villagers yet to thank him too now hesitated, glancing between themselves as they did not know whether to follow the hyena.

"Leave him be," Raegan’s voice sounded from the confusion, "I do not know why it suddenly did this but we must respect its space."

The villagers remained for a moment longer, their gratitude lingering in the air, but they obeyed.

Boy did not turn back, nor did he acknowledge them again.