The morning sun filtered through the valley mist, golden beams striking the mountain's edge where the dungeon mouth pulsed faintly with runes. Rayan stood just beyond the threshold, gauntlet-clad hand resting on the hilt of his spell-etched staff. A soft wind stirred his cloak, the woven threads of his summoner's mantle catching the light.
Today would not be about exploration.
Today was about strength.
He glanced over his shoulder at Lina, who sat safely near the outer ridge with Nalia and a few scouts. She gave a small, confident nod. The bond between them flickered lightly, a gentle warmth pulsing between soul threads.
He turned back toward the stone arch and stepped in.
Inside, the air thickened. The stone corridors narrowed quickly, forcing his summons to adapt their spacing. Shadehowl padded forward with eerie silence, the Hollowlight Familiar floating close above it, casting a soft radiance ahead that erased deep shadows.
From the walls came the first sound: claws scraping stone.
The first wave began.
• Enemy Detected: Scaled Thrall x4• Threat Level: D-• Recommended Action: Controlled summon engagement• EXP Yield per unit: 6–10
"Shadehowl, center push. Hollowlight, suppress backline."
From his palm, Rayan called forth another: a lesser fire-touched guardian named Brimclaw, newly crafted the night before.
It snapped into existence with a hiss, a feline-shaped creature cloaked in flickering red sigils. Together, his trio surged into battle.
Stone cracked. Ash scattered. Rayan directed each strike, positioning his units perfectly. This wasn't a chaotic skirmish—it was a calculated grind.
He wasn't just fighting.He was farming.
Battle Log:• Scaled Thrall defeated (x4)• Total EXP Gained: 34• Minor Soul Core extracted x2
He pressed on.
Dust clung to his boots. Rayan crouched near a collapsed stone arch, examining residue. Another batch of thralls—this time reinforced by a skeletal hound—burst from the darkness.
• Enemy Detected: Bonefang Hound x1, Scaled Thrall x3• Threat Level: C• Objective: Clear without summons taking fatal damage
Brimclaw took a direct hit and dissolved into mana mist, its body falling apart. Rayan winced but didn't lose composure. He pulled out a reserve core, channeling essence into a new summon mid-combat—a maneuver only those attuned with their skill deeply could perform.
The Anima Forge pulsed.
New Summon Crafted On-Site: Ironback Gremlin
• Role: Distraction Tank• Traits: Rapid regeneration • Spiked armor burst on break• Deployment: Immediate
It exploded into battle with a screech, dragging enemies toward it while Shadehowl tore through their flank.
The hound died screaming, its body vanishing into black smoke.
Battle Log:• Bonefang Hound defeated• EXP Gained: 20• Shadehowl EXP Threshold: 71/100• System Note: Shadehowl nearing evolution tier
Rayan sat near a low ember fire, bread crust in one hand, map crystal in the other. The dungeon had more passageways, but he'd marked which spawns refreshed every two hours. With summon rotations and map control, he could clear three loops before sunset.
He checked his status.
Lord Rayan – Anima-Bound Summoner• Level: 4• EXP: 242 / 300• Summons Available: 4 active • 2 reserve slots• Forge Sync: 68%• Forge Perk: On-the-Fly Summon Replacement unlocked
His mana regeneration had improved, too. He could now maintain combat summons longer before recalling them.
From the distance, the Hollowlight Familiar pinged a cluster of respawning entities in one of the smaller branches.
He stood.
"Time for the last run."
The air was thicker now. The dungeon, aware of his repeated intrusions, had started reacting.
The next ambush didn't come from the sides—it dropped from the ceiling.
• Enemy Detected: Veilclaw Spider x2 • Cursed Myconid x1• Threat Level: C+• Warning: Fungal spore release imminent
Rayan snapped commands.
"Hollowlight, pulse barrier now!"
A ripple of light shot forward, neutralizing half the incoming spores. Shadehowl dashed through the mist, its form splitting into three shadow clones as it struck all enemies in sequence.
The last Veilclaw clung to the ceiling before a fireball from Brimclaw's summoned spark finished it off.
Battle Log:• Enemies Defeated: 5• EXP Gained: 48• Dream Spores Collected: x2• Shadehowl EXP: 100/100 – Evolution Threshold Reached• Lina Bond: Sync Increased
A breathless silence settled. Rayan stepped through the aftermath, eyes gleaming.
The Forge within him surged, recognizing the growth.
Summoner Level Up• New Level: 5• Bonus Perks Unlocked:• Quickbind Slot (Passive)• Lesser Anima Synergy (All Summons gain +5% to synergy-based actions)• Forge Charge Capacity +1
He staggered back toward the ridge, exhausted but triumphant. Light from the outside broke through the dungeon mouth. Lina stood there with a warm smile, holding out water.
"You smell like a burnt frog," she giggled.
He took the canteen, panting.
"I earned it."
As torches flickered in the village square, Rayan sat down to log the day's progress. A soft chime echoed through his mind—one last whisper from the System.
Day Report: Dungeon Operation Summary• Time Spent: 14 hours• Total EXP Gained: 143 (Personal) / 213 (Summon Group)• New Materials: Soul Core (x6) • Dream Spores (x2) • Cracked Relic Stone• Risk Level: Minimal• Surge Countdown: 3 days, 11 hours remaining
He leaned back, eyes closed.
Tomorrow, they would begin descending.
Tonight, he had earned rest.