Drifting Embers
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[MGM]: 54 - Treacherous World
🕑 Added 2025-03-01 15:05:20 +0000 UTCSoul Partition
Summoner, as an Origin, represented a connection between the summon and its master. However, summoning itself was not a rigid art restricted by the existence of a connection. Amara was a fine example—able to summon creatures she could command without any definitive bond existing between them.
The truth of the matter was that Amara's summoning was an expression of her talent—an aspect of her domain. No actual creatures were being summoned; rather, magic was so finely tuned that it allowed for the execution of basic orders.
But Summoner, as an Origin, was different. The creatures summoned might not possess the sheer intellect of a cognizant entity, but their sapience was undeniable. Even then, a summoner losing their summon remained a concern.
A summoner of lesser rarity, that is.
I did not have that concern—or rather, I wasn’t supposed to. My Origin, Celestial Archive, at Supreme-tier rarity meant that even if one of my summons died, I could just re-summon them. They wouldn’t lose their memories or anything, because technically, they were still the same person.
Unfortunately, I was the type of guy who didn’t trust such things blindly. Or rather, I was very much fearful that my Origin might be doing some behind-the-scenes mind-fuckery with my summons. Needless to say, I was overwhelmingly pleased to hear that Pyra hadn’t died as a result of that slap.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Your summon has slain a level 112 monster: Mutant Black-Bear (B)!
Your summon has slain a level 124 monster: Petra-Chimeros (B)!
Your summon has slain...
Your summon has slain...
You have earned XP . . .!
You have earned XP . . .!
You have leveled up! (×28 times)
You have 340 unallocated stat points.
Congratulations!
You have ascended to Rank-C.
Talent Summon has been raised to Rank B.
You have unlocked a new talent: Spirit Ascension.
[Talent Acquired: Spirit Ascension]
Even before we had embarked on this journey, with explicit knowledge that we would have to face a B-Rank monster, I had already determined the sheer amount of XP we would be raking in from this opportunity. Still, a small nagging doubt had sprouted in my mind—that I might be overestimating the gains.
I had been wrong. By a huge fucking amount.
Level 62.
A reality that felt more like a dream; I had to blink and clear my eyes just to believe what I was seeing before me. More importantly, it was the attribute expansion that had me at a loss—a near 3,000-point growth, and that wasn’t even counting the 340 unallocated points. It was an utterly insane and ridiculous number.
A quick look at Amara's Soul Record confirmed that she had experienced a similar growth. Tania, though, seemed to have earned just over a thousand points—still an absurd amount, but nothing as broken as what Amara and I had experienced.
And experienced was indeed the right term.
For Amara, the feeling had passed in a comforting sensation, but for me, the increase had nearly left me paralyzed. It didn’t help that I could feel my Mana being put under continuous strain. Another look at my Soul Record revealed why.
Race: Human [Awakened] (Dragon Heart: Compatibility at 97%)
Somehow, despite the restrictions in place to halt the progress, my ascension to C-Rank seemed to have stimulated the beast.
I took small, measured breaths, the bitter smoke and clouds of dust irritating my nose. The momentary silence of my surroundings let me focus inwardly—to calm my mind and center myself in the present. The encircling warmth only served to assure me of a steady presence. I allowed myself to lean into it.
"Better?"
The voice, nearly a whisper, sounded close to my ear. The heated sensation of her breath would've roused a fire in my heart, but lately, I had learned to keep my emotions under control. I smiled.
"Yeah," I replied, leaning further back, enjoying the comforting warmth of her chest against the back of my head. I had no idea what had prompted the dwarf to remove her breastplate, allowing for more intimate contact between us, but I certainly wasn't complaining.
I opened my eyes to take in my surroundings, noting the lack of vegetation that had once crowded the woodland. Now, the area was devoid of rocks and trees, the ground riddled with holes that ran quite deep. In the distance, small fires crackled with harmonious rage, their existence marked by blackened trails shooting up into the sky and a mass of ash blowing like gray snow.
The scene reminded me of my home—of a question I had once asked my father.
"If hunters fight all the time and use their talents to cause chaos and destruction, then why does the world not burn to the ground?"
I had asked with the muted curiosity of a child fascinated by the wider world.
"That's because," my father had replied, "while humans adapt to survive this treacherous world, the world also evolves to survive us unreliable humans."
At the time, I had dismissed his words as nonsense. But years in the field had taught me that there was a nugget of truth in them.
The vegetation of The Continent was capable of surviving even the harshest conditions. End Forest was a prime example. The plants here had been subjected to corrupted mana, yet instead of withering and dying, they had survived—mutated into twisted and horrific abominations, but survived nonetheless.
Even now, the heat in the atmosphere was fading, the fires growing colder and colder. The plants, trees, and even the very ground siphoned off the mana from the last remnants of the chaos humans had wrought.
"They are coming."
Tania's voice broke me out of my reverie, and I looked ahead at the two individuals advancing our way. Amara still lacked her blazer, the hem of her shirt untucked from the waist of her pants. My attention, though, was on the Ifrit walking beside her.
Pyra appeared largely fine, though I noticed a tear in her pereline. A pair of glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, and judging by the soft curl of her lips, she didn’t seem bothered by the recent events. I heaved a relieved sigh inwardly.
"Not even a day has passed, and I'm already your beloved," Pyra said with a playful lift of her brow. "I heard you nearly got yourself killed because of me."
I blinked, my mouth slightly open, before shaking my head with a fretted sigh and a curt laugh. The woman knew how to turn even the somber into something cheerful.
"Well, as you said, I was overcome with rage when I saw the monster nearly kill my beloved," I said, offering a toothy smile. Having largely recovered from the fatigue and injuries, I pushed myself to my feet and stretched. Tania was quick to slide her palm against mine—a silent announcement to deter any who might dare challenge her position. My smile grew wider.
"It would seem I might just take over the position before long," Pyra said, shuffling closer.
Before I could reply—or even open my mouth—Amara had already spoken.
"While it's nice to see you return to your cheerful mood, I think we have more important matters to tend to," she said, not bothering to hide the frown she directed at the Ifrit. "Let's go."
Pyra blinked, her expression unreadable, before turning to me. I shrugged and followed after Amara, pulling Tania along beside me.
I had only taken a few steps forward when I felt Pyra fall in right beside me, her arm circling mine as she pressed herself closer.
When I gave her a curious look, she only offered a wink.
---
Markus' Soul Record
Name: Markus White
Race: Human [Awakened] (Dragon Heart: Compatibility at 97%)
Age: 19
Origin: Celestial Archive [Supreme???]
Level: 62 | XP: 89.02%
Rank: C
Attributes
- Strength: 726
- Agility: 827
- Vitality: 928
- Intelligence: 1230
- Perception: 619
- Spirit: 2345
- Free Stat Points: 340
Talents
- [Summon - B]
- [Talent Copy - N/A]
- [Blood Monarch - SSS]
- [Runic Empowerment - B]
- [Spirit Call - C]
- [Spirit Ascension - C]
Summons (3/5)
[Amara - SSS]
- Favorability: 61% (Romantic Interest)
- Power Sync: -66.5%
[Titania - A]
- Favorability: 53% (Romantic Interest)
- Power Sync: -66.5%
[Pyra - A]
- Favorability: 29% (Friendly)
- Power Sync: -66.5%
Author's note:After a long time (well, not that long—less than two weeks), I’m back with an announcement!
First and foremost, updates will now resume, shifting back to one chapter per day. However, I’ll be keeping the billing cycle paused for another week—I feel like I owe you guys for the break.
There won’t be any updates to At The Crossroads just yet, at least not until I get my rhythm back.
Anyway, it’s good to be back, and I’m truly grateful for all the support you’ve shown. Thanks, and as always, enjoy!
