"The second gift is this."
Loke took out a gleaming golden key and placed it gently into Rhodes' hand.
Rhodes weighed it carefully.
The texture, the density, even the magical pressure… it all felt very similar to the twelve Zodiac keys.
Yet the design was completely plain, no constellations, no ornate engravings, no majestic patterns.
"What kind of key is this?"
Loke raised a brow. "Strictly speaking, this counts as a Zodiac key."
"Meaning?" Rhodes asked. "Lucy and Yukino already have all twelve. Don't tell me there's secretly a fourteenth one?"
Loke smiled, a mysterious, fox-like smile.
"This is a Zodiac key that has no corresponding Celestial Spirit."
Rhodes paused.
"Then what good is it? Do you want me to tame those rebellious Celestial Spirits and make contracts with them?"
Loke shook his head.
"No way. They rebelled because they couldn't stand those very rules. They would never accept something like that."
Rhodes frowned slightly. "Then what does this key do?"
Loke lifted his finger and finally explained:
"Even though it doesn't correspond to a Celestial Spirit… the power inside this key is exactly the same as a standard Zodiac key."
"In other words, it can be used to cast the strongest, rarest spell in all of Star Spirit Magic."
Rhodes took a slow breath.
"The… Price Summoning Magic?"
"You know of it?" Loke looked impressed.
"I've only heard of summoning magic that requires life or blood as a price," Rhodes said. "Usually it's black magic, like the cultists who tried summoning demons using human sacrifices. But I've never heard of a price summoning tied to the Celestial Spirit system."
Loke nodded.
"That's because almost no one in the Human World is even qualified to attempt it."
He continued:
"The Price Summoning Magic in Star Spirit Magic was originally a forbidden technique. To use it, a powerful Celestial Spirit Mage had to sever their contract with the Celestial Spirit they trusted most, break the key, and offer that as the price to summon the Celestial Spirit King."
Rhodes stiffened.
Severing a contract, killing a bond.
"And that's assuming the Celestial Spirit trusts the mage enough to respond," Loke added.
"So in all of history, only a handful of Celestial Spirit Mages ever had the potential to cast this magic… and even fewer were willing to pay the price."
He shrugged.
"That's why there's practically no record of it. Only the Zodiac would secretly teach it… but only to a Celestial Spirit Mage whom we truly acknowledge, and only at the brink of death."
Rhodes slowly exhaled.
"And this key bypasses the price?"
"Exactly."
Loke tapped the plain gold key.
"Because this key has no Spirit tied to it, you don't sever any bond , you just learn the technique. That is the Celestial Spirit King's gift to you."
Compared to other price summoning, which demanded human life or blood sacrifice, this seemed almost… merciful.
But Rhodes understood why the move was so restricted.
Lucy had always said that a contract between mage and Spirit is equal to life itself.
To her, breaking a key would be as traumatic as losing a loved one.
Only those who valued their contracts that deeply would be able to wield power worthy of summoning the King.
Contradictory. Demanding.
But that was the nature of Star Spirit Magic.
Rhodes nodded.
"So, I'm essentially receiving the ability to summon the Celestial Spirit King for battle… without paying the traditional price."
"Yes," Loke confirmed. "Creating this key is such a serious violation that the King had to swear to the stars it would be a one-time exception."
Rhodes tucked the key away with an expression he rarely showed, genuine solemnity.
"This really is an extraordinarily precious gift."
Loke proceeded to teach him the chanting sequence, the trigger conditions, the mental structure, and the method to anchor the King's descent without destabilizing the space between realms.
After he finished, Loke clapped his hands lightly.
"That's all three pre-summoning principles. Finally, the Celestial Spirit King left you a personal message."
Rhodes lifted a brow.
Loke straightened his posture, face suddenly solemn and majestic:
"'May the starlight be your friend.'"
Then, instantly, his expression melted back into his normal flirtatious smile.
"I also wish to be friends with the starlight," Rhodes said with a grin. "How's that for an answer?"
Loke gave an exaggerated thumbs-up and flashed a mysterious smile."Alright then! I have to run, I've got several dates that have been postponed for far too long."
"'Several,' he says…" Rhodes sighed. "Whose daughter are you planning to harm this time? Don't drag the guild into trouble!"
"Relax!" Loke called out while slipping away. "I definitely won't get caught by them!"
Rhodes watched him vanish at high speed.
"Honestly, I kind of hope you do get caught."
A monk can run, but the temple stays put. If Loke got caught on the spot and beaten into a mop, the guild might actually suffer fewer complaints later.
Rhodes studied the golden key a little longer, then reopened the thick rulebook.
After thinking for a moment, he closed the book again and headed outside.
Lucy was just finishing breakfast, her empty plate still on the counter as she grumbled to Mira about Loke's usual crimes.
Rhodes waved. "Morning, Lucy. Did he see you naked again today?"
Lucy trembled with rage. "PLEASE change your greeting phrase!"
She slumped. "What did he talk to you about for so long?"
"Just some words of thanks," Rhodes said, "and he brought two gifts from the Celestial Spirit King."
"Old Man's gifts?" Lucy immediately perked up with curiosity.
"I can't tell you the details yet. You'll know later."
"That only makes me more curious!" Lucy puffed her cheeks and turned to Mira. "Miss Mira, you ask him. He'll definitely tell you if you ask!"
"Alright." Mira smiled sweetly at Rhodes. "Can you tell me when we get home?"
Rhodes answered immediately: "No problem!"
"Why only when you get home?!" Lucy felt utterly betrayed. Mira had joined the enemy.
Rhodes only smiled and said, "There is one thing I can tell you: the Celestial Spirit King plans to invite all Celestial Spirit Mages to visit the Star Spirit Realm."
"I'm not going!!" Lucy instantly refused.
Her previous experience in that place had traumatized her. Although, realistically, if an invitation truly arrived… Lucy would eventually cave in, as long as she had enough time to prepare.
And next time, she would 100% remember to notify the guild.
"Oh, Mr. Rhodes," Lucy asked, changing the subject, "how's your research on the rules going?"
"I've only read half so far," Rhodes replied. "The specific events aren't listed, but each day is basically a combination of comprehensive events plus combat matches. The overall ranking uses a point system."
He added, "Also, this year's format changed. There will be a preliminary round before the main tournament, they'll directly select eight teams from all entries to enter the finals. So this year might be the most competitive one yet."
"Oh no…" Lucy's shoulders slumped. "Does that mean I have even less chance of being selected?"
She had really hoped her father might see her on the national broadcast. And Princess Hisui had personally told her she looked forward to seeing her compete.
But when your guild is too strong, it comes with its own problems.
...
Stones PLzz
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