"!!!" The moment I opened my eyes, I nearly jumped out of my skin.

The sword, on the verge of exploding, was wrapped in red flames.

A red shape was soaking up the runaway mana.

It was Firedrake!

Firedrake, my fire spirit, was drinking down the overflowing mana in flame.

It lapped up the mana sword's mana as naturally as licking a tasty ice cream cone.

Hwareureureureureureu.

In my hand was a blazing red sword of fire.

Unbelievably, the sword, the mana and the spirit became one, and everything was under control.

Before I knew it, the seething mana had died down and gone still.

The sword, too, returned to its proper shape as if nothing had happened.

The runaway mana came to a halt.

Cheucheucheucheucheut.

Amazingly, Firedrake's flames even restored the blade that had been about to explode, good as new.

Hwareureu, hwareureureureu.

In the flames, Firedrake the lizard was still flicking its tongue.

Looking very pleased with itself, it gave a long, dragonlike stretch.

Sparks flew in every direction.

Something shaped like a shell of fire came into view.

Incredibly, Firedrake had begun to shed its skin.

With a whoosh of flame, its body grew a little bigger too.

A horn sprouted in the middle of its forehead.

An even fiercer, redder flame poured from Firedrake's whole body.

I'd never seen anything like it.

I stood there in a daze and watched Firedrake change.

At that moment, the notices slammed into my head.

— The lesser fire spirit has evolved into an intermediate spirit.

— By evolving your fire spirit, you have become an intermediate spirit summoner.

— A beginner blacksmith has crafted a mana sword for the first time. You are granted more experience than you can handle.

— By the sacred grace of fire, a lesser fire-spirit mana sword has been born. The Spirit King's blessing dwells in the sword. Igrib, the Fire Spirit King, has begun to take notice of you.

— Blacksmithing is now Intermediate 1.

— As one who has become an intermediate fire spirit summoner, you are granted a level-up bonus.

—…