Damien moved into the shadowy recess of an alley, checking for any stray eyes before summoning Aquila.
“Summon Aquila.” Damien muttered lazily as he awaited the expected response from the system.
Ding!
«Summoning Aquila, the Griffin.»
«-50 Units of Magic Essence!»
«Aquila summoned!»
The shimmering blue portal swirled into existence, and from it emerged his majestic griffin, its wings stretching wide and its golden eyes gleaming with intelligence.
“Let’s skip the long hike,” Damien muttered, patting Aquila’s side before mounting the beast.
As the griffin rose into the air, Damien called up his system panel to assess his progress toward unlocking a fifth summon. “Progress to my next summon?”
Ding!
«Slay 450 more demons to unlock another summon!»
He groaned, leaning slightly forward on Aquila’s back. The last time he had checked which was months ago, the number had been a staggering 2,410 demons. Seeing it now in the hundreds felt like an achievement, but it also reminded him of the sheer scale of the task.
“One step at a time,” he murmured. “For now, let’s focus on this nest.”
“Hopefully, it doesn’t last too long.” Damien scoffed as wind blew against his face.
Forty-five minutes later, Damien and Aquila arrived at the marked location. The forest stretched out below them, its once vibrant greenery giving way to decay and corruption.
Sparse, withered trees dotted the landscape, their branches twisted and bare, while patches of blackened grass and rotten stumps marred the earth.
“Go down.” Damien commanded his summon, the beast immediately heeding its summoner’s request.
Thud!
Aquila landed on the floor, its legs mkingmist no sound.
Damien’s nose crinkled at the foul stench wafting up from the forest floor. The air itself felt heavy, tainted by an ominous energy that seemed to sap the vitality from the land. He recognized the signs as well as the energy he felt in the air immediately.
“Demonic miasma,” he said to himself. “Guess we’re in the right place.”
Two years in the Forest of Twin Disasters had taught him well. He understood the corrosive nature of demonic essence and its effect on the environment.
However, unlike the Twin Disasters, which was sustained by its abundant magic essence and thriving mana beasts, this forest was succumbing to decay.
He guided Aquila forward, scanning the ground as they advanced for signs of the nest. The griffin moved around the forest paths, carefully avoiding the more noxious areas as they followed the trail of dead vegetation.
The deeper they went, the worse the landscape became. Entire trees had collapsed, their trunks hollowed out by rot, and pools of stagnant water dotted the ground, exuding a faint, sickly glow.
Damien grimaced. “This place reeks of death. Fenrir would’ve had a meltdown by now if it was outside.”
The statement he made was because he knew just how sensitive the wolf was to smell. Even Damien with his heightened senses which still paled in comparison to Fenrir’s, almost couldn’t bear the stench.
Finally, they reached a clearing. At its center lay a gaping hole in the earth, its edges jagged and uneven as if the ground itself had been torn apart.
No vegetation grew within a ten-meter radius of the pit, the surrounding soil barren and lifeless. A wave of decay and dread radiated from the hole, making Damien’s skin prickle.
“Found you,” he whispered, dismounting from Aquila.
Damien approached the edge of the hole, peering into its dark depths. The void seemed bottomless, an abyss that exuded malevolence.
Even as Damien stared and listened, he couldn’t hear anything from within, but the faint hum of demonic energy vibrated in the air, setting his nerves on edge.
He took a step back, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. A wicked grin spread across his face as an idea formed.
“Let’s turn up the heat,” Damien said, raising his hands.
Summoning his Advanced Flame Magic skill, Damien conjured a ball of searing fire in his palm. The flames crackled and roared, their heat distorting the air around them.
Using his Wind Manipulation skill, he directed currents of air toward the flame, feeding it until it grew to an enormous size, nearly three times the diameter of the pit.
“Bigger is always better,” he muttered, his grin widening.
The blazing orb cast a fiery glow over the clearing, the surrounding shadows dancing wildly in the light. The oppressive aura of the pit seemed to falter slightly under the intense heat.
Without hesitation, Damien hurled the massive fireball into the hole.
The flames plummeted into the abyss, their light illuminating the walls of the pit as they descended. Damien stepped back, watching intently for any reaction.
At first, there was silence.
Boooom!
An explosion echoed out of the hole, blowing up dust and smoke.
Kareeei!
Then, a muffled roar echoed from the depths, followed by the faint sound of movement—scratching, scurrying, and guttural growls.
Fwwoooooosh~
A surge of demonic energy burst from the hole, accompanied by a wave of heat and ash that made Damien shield his face with his arm. The ground trembled slightly, and he could hear the creatures within stirring.
Swiiishh!
The he first demon emerged—a gaunt, humanoid figure with charred skin and glowing red eyes. Its clawed hands gripped the edges of the pit as it pulled itself out, its guttural snarls sending chills down Damien’s spine.
More followed. Dozens of demons began to pour out of the hole, their grotesque forms illuminated by the fading light of the flames.
Some were humanoid, others more bestial, but all exuded the same vile energy that made Damien’s stomach churn. Demonic essence.
He quickly summoned Luton, the oversized slime still rendered immobile by the mana beast—the Obsidian Drake—it had swallowed previously.
He chuckled darkly, drawing his sword from its scabbard which was stored in Luton’s (Universal Space) before cancelling the Slime’s summon.
“Looks like I’ve got your attention,” he said, his voice steady despite the swarm gathering before him.
Behind him, Aquila let out a powerful cry, its wings flaring as it prepared to fight.
Damien raised his sword, flames licking along the blade as he activated his Advanced Flame Magic once more.
“Please, die!” he said, charging into the fray.