Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

They materialized inside a house.

At least, that's what it looked like when they scanned their surroundings.

It was a dark room—some kind of basement. A few bookshelves lined the walls, stacked with books and scrolls. There was even a sofa and a fireplace.

Clearly, someone spent a lot of time down here. Experimenting. Studying.

"Did it work?" Lucas asked, his gaze sweeping across the space, analyzing every corner.

"I think so." William pointed toward a staircase leading up to a door. "Exit's gotta be up there. Think there'll be guards waiting on the other side?"

Lucas, the one who knew Zanyi best, laughed.

"Relax. Even if there are, security's practically nonexistent." He shook his head. "Zanyi prefers to secure his residence with magical formations. The whole idea is that nobody gets in—so internal security is minimal."

That made sense. Zanyi was a formation master, one of the best in the kingdom—and the neighboring ones too. He had every reason to trust his defenses.

William pictured it in his mind: them throwing open the door, Zanyi's face going pale with shock when he saw them standing there.

Yeah. That would be hilarious.

"He won't be expecting anyone to use the portal." A grin spread across William's face. "Let's go give him a scare."

Lucas loved the idea.

Thompson, on the other hand, remained serious. He wasn't too keen on startling this Zanyi person.

The reasons were simple enough: he didn't know the man well enough to have that kind of familiarity. And more importantly, he still saw himself as an authority figure to the two of them—he'd been their teacher back on Earth, after all.

Both weighed on his conscience. But he said nothing. He just followed them up the stairs.

The wooden door creaked as they pushed it open.

Beyond it lay a spacious house.

The first thing they noticed was the living room. A massive sofa that looked more like a bed sat in the center, and another fireplace crackled with flickering flames. Zanyi certainly had a thing for fireplaces.

William couldn't blame him. This rainy, cold weather was perfect for one.

Right beside the sofa was an enormous window—practically an entire wall of glass.

Outside, a stunning garden with a water fountain. But the most incredible part? Despite the heavy rain pouring down, no water accumulated inside the garden. Only what was necessary remained.

One of Master Zanyi's magical formations. Formations could do wonders for a person's quality of life.

Beyond the living room, there was a dining area and a spacious kitchen. Food sat stored inside magical boxes, preserving their freshness indefinitely.

But no sign of Zanyi anywhere.

"Where's that old rascal?" Lucas muttered, walking toward the living room.

As he got closer and looked down, he spotted an elderly man sprawled across the sofa. An empty wine bottle lay beside him.

None other than Master Zanyi himself.

William stopped next to him. "I don't believe this." A pause. "Think we can still scare him?"

Looking at that helpless old man, William felt a brief pang of guilt for even asking.

Lucas stepped closer and nudged his shoulder. "Hey, buddy. Wake up."

He shook him a few times. Nothing.

Lucas checked Zanyi's pulse and breathing. He was fine—just completely wasted.

"You keep saying this guy is all about security, but look at him." William gestured at the unconscious figure. "Lying there, completely plastered. Is he really as good as you claim?"

That's when someone appeared beside them.

One moment, nothing. The next, a figure emerged from the wall itself—like a spirit, or someone who'd been standing there the whole time, camouflaged.

It was Zanyi.

"So." Zanyi held a wine glass in his hand, smirking. "Did you enjoy the illusion I created? I've been watching you since you popped into my basement."

William—who'd planned to scare Zanyi—ended up being the one who jumped.

"Holy shit!" He stumbled back a step without even realizing it. "Where the hell did you come from?"

Zanyi laughed. "Trade secret. But honestly, I can't believe it." He turned to Lucas. "That little girl Bella actually let you use the formation? I thought she'd be way more of a pain about that."

Lucas walked over to his old friend and pulled him into a hug. "It's been too long, Zanyi. I showed up expecting to meet her father, but apparently the old man retired too."

"Retired too? I'm old, but I haven't retired." Zanyi took a sip of his wine. "I'm too busy rebuilding this city."

"Sure you are." Lucas gave him a knowing look. "You only drink when something's bothering you. What happened?"

The two had known each other for years. Lucas only looked younger because his status as a summoned hero granted him access to medicines that slowed aging considerably.

Zanyi could've done the same. Physically, they were about the same age. Only their outward appearances differed—Zanyi preferred looking older. To him, that look carried weight. Wisdom. Knowledge.

He gestured toward the sofa for them to sit. The illusion of the unconscious Zanyi had already faded.

"As you know, this city was recently attacked by magical beasts. I came to help rebuild the barrier, and I'm acting as provisional leader since the previous one died."

He paused.

"The problem is, this attack wasn't an isolated incident. I've observed a mysterious portal nearby. Creatures are coming through and heading here. I don't know how to close it, and I'm not about to step through and find out what's on the other side."

Even as a formation master with a high level, Zanyi wasn't focused on combat like William, Lucas, and Thompson.

He was support. Strategy. Planning ahead—not fighting on the front lines.

Lucas frowned.

"That's not entirely surprising. I've heard about these portals for a few years now. But the frequency seems to have increased dramatically..."

He looked at Zanyi. "You want help with this?" A pause. "But I'll tell you, my friend—we're going to need a favor too."

The situation had turned into a classic exchange. Getting Zanyi's help building their base would be simple if they could solve a problem this serious for him.

"If you're willing to enter an unknown portal, fight a bunch of beasts, and figure out how to close that damn thing?" Zanyi's eyes gleamed. "I definitely want your help. And I'll do whatever you need afterward."