Leveling Up and New Summons

The darkness wasn't absolute. A faint, internal light, emanating from some deep recess of my mind, allowed me to perceive a sliver of reality. It was the Summoning System, clinging to life, refusing to completely abandon me. The pain in my chest, however, remained, a constant, throbbing reminder of my near-death experience. My body felt heavy, leaden, unresponsive. But my mind, miraculously, was still sharp, analyzing the situation, searching for a solution.

The growl echoed again, closer this time. It was a sound that resonated deep within my bones, a primal scream that spoke of ancient power and unrelenting hunger. Whatever hunted us was not merely strong; it was something ancient, something…otherworldly. The goblins' crude savagery paled in comparison. This was a predator of a different order entirely.

Then, a flicker. The system interface sparked back to life, a weak, wavering glow in the oppressive darkness. My stats were abysmal: health at critical levels, stamina depleted, mana practically nonexistent. The Swordsman, my initial summon, showed no signs of life. He was essentially offline, a casualty of the unseen beast.

But the system was up. And that meant hope. I focused on the Summoning menu, my mental energy strained to its limits. Each character displayed was grayed out, representing the absence of the required mana. Summoning a new unit seemed impossible, yet I had to try. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

A faint blue shimmer manifested at the edge of my vision. My mana pool was empty, yet… somehow… a new option was appearing. It pulsed with a faint light, an ethereal energy that stood in stark contrast to the oppressive darkness of the cave. It was labeled: "Emergency Summon."

A brief description appeared beside the glowing text: "Summon a low-level creature at minimal energy cost. Limited duration, strength heavily reduced. Proceed with caution." There was a small gauge beneath indicating the available energy that was enough for a single summon. There was no time for hesitation. I clicked.

A small, wisp-like creature materialized before me, no bigger than a rabbit. It resembled a miniature dragon, with iridescent scales shimmering in the dim light, its tiny wings fluttering nervously. Its stats were pitifully low compared to the Swordsman: health and stamina barely registering, offense minimal, defense negligible. The description: "Draconet – Emergency Summon. Level 1. Limited Duration: 10 minutes." It was a fragile thing, yet it was alive, it was here, it was mine.

The Draconet chirped nervously, a high-pitched squeak that felt oddly comforting in the tense situation. It looked at me with large, intelligent eyes, seeming to understand the danger we were in. Instinctively, I commanded it to scout. The Draconet, despite its low level, moved with surprising speed and agility, its small form weaving through the cave's limited space.

Within seconds, it returned, emitting a series of high-pitched chirps and squeaks which I was able to understand due to the system's automatic translation. The beast that hunted us was a Wyvern, a large reptilian creature with leathery wings and razor-sharp claws. Its size alone was enough to dwarf the Draconet. The Wyvern had been circling above the cave, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Its patience was almost eerie.

The Draconet's brief reconnaissance provided vital information. The Wyvern's movements were deliberate, methodical, a testament to its superior intellect compared to the goblins. It wasn't driven by instinct; it was hunting strategically, waiting for us to make a mistake.

The remaining mana pool indicated I could summon one more unit, a far stronger one given enough time to gather it. The Draconet's mission buy me time to gain some mana; the remaining 10 minutes provided a tiny window of opportunity.

I focused again on the Summoning System, this time with a clearer objective. I needed a creature capable of defending us against the Wyvern, a creature with both strength and agility. As I scanned the list, a new option emerged—a Summoning Crystal, shimmering with a warm golden light. The description read: "Summoning Crystal: Grants access to higher-level summons. Requires 1000 XP to activate." The small gauge filled a bit, indicating that the Draconet's survival was not only important for the short time but also essential for its contribution to gaining XP.

The XP system, I realised, was tied directly to the creatures' survival and their contributions during battles. Each successful action, each goblin slain, each point of damage dealt, contributed to XP gain. The Draconet, despite its low level and fragility, had already earned us a significant amount of XP. My focus sharpened.

The Draconet, after a very short fight, defeated several goblins outside the cave. The XP bar filled slowly, each small victory giving me a small boost. Time was running out, however. The Wyvern would attack soon. With only 10 minutes left for the Draconet, I had to gain 1000 XP.

I focused my will, guiding the Draconet to lure the remaining goblins closer, creating a small, manageable conflict. The Draconet, despite its miniature size, fought with surprising ferocity, its tiny claws and teeth proving surprisingly effective. With each goblin slain, a wave of satisfaction washed over me as my XP bar inched closer to the goal.

Finally, with only seconds remaining on the Draconet's timer, the XP bar reached 1000. The Summoning Crystal activated, glowing brighter than before. A new menu appeared, offering a wider variety of summons: Gryphon, a powerful flying creature; a Minotaur, a formidable melee warrior; and a powerful, water elemental – Hydrus.

The Wyvern roared, its shadow falling over the cave entrance. I chose the Hydrus. It was a formidable water elemental, with far greater power, defense, and agility, capable of combating the Wyvern. The crystal shattered, and a torrent of water erupted, forming a majestic Hydrus, towering over the cave. Its powerful form, imbued with the elemental energy of water, was far more than a match for the Wyvern. The battle for survival was far from over, but for the first time since entering the world, I felt a surge of genuine hope. The fight with the Wyvern was epic, the water elemental proving to be more than a match for the beast. The battle was hard-fought, ending with the Hydrus severely wounded, yet the Wyvern was slain, providing an enormous amount of XP and initiating the next level.