Chapter 9 - Bronze Level
[5 Soul Fragments were granted and consumed by a summon.]
[8 Soul Fragments were granted and consumed by a summon.]
[0.3 Soul Fragments were granted and consumed by a summon.]
[2 Soul Fragments were granted and consumed by a summon.]
After leveling up twice, my Control Attribute reached 6 points in total, and my Mana was at 20, as it grew by 5 with each level up—as did my HP. So now I could summon four entities, and they were eating everything that looked like monster remains in that room and outside it.
After a few minutes, they had consumed most of the remains of the Dark Spider Queen's eggs and their contents, so...
[Congratulations! Your "Summoning" skill has risen to Bronze Level.]
[A large increase in attributes can be checked.]
[A change in the appearance of your summons can be noticed.]
"You didn't even have to tell me..." I muttered with a smile on my face.
At that moment, a reddish glow emanating from the skeletons in the room illuminated my face.
Those small skeletons, which looked more like gnome bones, suddenly began to grow before my eyes. Small bone fragments began to break off their bodies, dissolving into black dust before being replaced by larger, more solid structures.
The skeletons began to grow considerably. Their thin, brittle bones thickened, taking on a darker hue. The gaps between the vertebrae and joints began to fill with a magical reddish substance.
The dull glow in their eye sockets intensified, taking on a deep crimson hue.
The hands, which were once small and devoid of real strength, were now larger and gripped curved sabers instead of the frail knives they held before.
In addition to the obvious change in size and strength, their postures had also changed. They no longer looked like simple puppets conjured by a novice but rather trained soldiers.
When the red glow finally faded and the Summons' evolution seemed to be over, they turned toward me and knelt down.
It was then that I noticed the biggest change: they were no longer even slightly endearing like before. They were ready to kill for me.
The slight smile on my lips turned into a broad grin.
"This is the true power of a Summoner. Not just creating creatures, but witnessing their growth and transformation into something far beyond what they once were."
I was thinking about leaving this dungeon when I remembered the description of the key that brought me here.
+
[Public Library Portal Key.]
Description: A key that opens a portal to a forbidden section of the Lovikalen Public Library. It leads to an alternate, deteriorated version of the same building, where legend has it that the original Necronomicon was hidden. Despite this, it is a large library to search for a book.
Effect: Opens a Rank-E Dungeon Portal.
+
The Necronomicon. At first, this should have been the real reason anyone would dare to enter this place.
I just wanted to test my powers and system, so I had completely forgotten about the rest.
The legend that the original version of the book was hidden in this place was not just a random detail in the description of the key. If I had learned anything so far from the many novels I had read, it was that every piece of information provided by the system mattered, and if an item was hidden in a place like this, it was definitely an item worth looking for.
I began to explore the dilapidated corridors of the library in search of the Necronomicon.
The wooden bookshelves in this place were mostly crooked and rotten with age, and with every step I took, the floorboards creaked.
At one point, as I continued my exploration, I passed a corridor that made me take two steps back and examine it more closely. It was an empty hallway, except for a single door at the end. Through the keyhole and under the door, a strong blue light leaked out.
"Do you feel that?" I whispered to my skeleton soldiers, but they didn't answer.Just looking at that lonely door in that hallway made the hairs on my neck stand on end.
When I stood in front of the door, I reached out my right hand toward the doorknob and took a deep breath before pushing it.
Behind that door was a hall with a high ceiling and stone walls. In the center of this place was a pedestal, and on it was a book that I knew immediately was the Necronomicon—the most valuable item in this library.
The cover of the book was made of dark, wrinkled leather, almost as if it had been sewn together from different pieces of skin. The corners were reinforced with aged metal, and dark stains spread across its surface.
The moment I reached forward to grab the item, I heard a noise coming from the very hallway I had just been in.
Instinctively, I waved my hand in the air, and the skeleton soldiers accompanying me disintegrated into particles of black mist.
I didn't know what had made the noise, but I felt a strong presence and a sinking feeling in my chest.
Luckily, I quickly found a place to hide—a bookcase leaning against the wall that created a narrow gap. It wasn't the perfect hiding place, but it was the best I had.
In the silence of the room, I not only heard but felt footsteps on the wooden floor. The sound was steady, calm gait. Whoever it was, they seemed to be in no hurry.
When I stopped hearing the footsteps, my curiosity got the better of me, and I leaned forward to peek at who had entered the room. Part of me had known from the beginning, from the moment I heard the sounds coming from the hallway.
There was only one other person in this universe who could use the system keys besides me.
The man who entered the room wore a simple black coat and carried a pair of daggers. His icy blue eyes and hair matched his sharp demeanor. He was Hunter Ruse, the number one player.