Vaelzara and Rowan returned to Eren where he stood with literally no one picked to join him in the scouting mission as Eren had ordered. Eren happened to be curious why Rowan was trying to go alone, until he decided to ask him directly.
"Did she not tell you to pick a partner, Rowan?" Eren asked.
"She did, my Lord. Somehow, I couldn’t find anyone to pick because they were all occupied with their duties..."
"So I decided to choose her."
Eren’s eyes lit up slightly as he turned to Vaelzara.
"That’s right, Master. And I would be glad to work with Rowan to scout the area. With my assistance, we should be able to cover a good distance while maintaining an effective survey," Vaelzara explained.
However, Eren still wasn’t entirely convinced.
"Rowan can’t go alone, Master. He needs someone to assist him, and I’m the only person available to do that at this point," Vaelzara continued. "If you grant me permission to accompany him, I’ll be handsomely glad, Master... Just like you."
’Huh??? What did she just say again?’
Eren shook his head, momentarily wondering whether he had heard her correctly.
"All right, then. You can go with him. Just remember that you must return before nightfall," he said.
A smile spread across Vaelzara’s face as soon as she received his approval. She bowed respectfully before turning toward Rowan, who was staring at her as though he had played no part in the decision whatsoever.
Eren watched them leave the clearing, with Vaelzara leading the way. There was little doubt about who would be taking charge of the mission. More importantly, he had a pretty good idea of how the entire arrangement had come about.
’It’s crazy how she told Rowan to lie and claim that he chose her. She must have urged him to do it, taking advantage of the fact that everyone else was occupied while she had nothing to do.’
Eren sighed.
’Did she think I didn’t know everyone else was occupied when I sent her to deliver the message to him? Tch. Anyway, have fun, Demon Queen.’
He watched their figures disappear into the distance before turning away.
’The fact that you’re acting so soft and diligent only makes me want to keep a closer eye on you.’
With that thought in mind, Eren returned to the others at the shelter site, a new plan already taking shape in his head.
"Listen, everyone. Especially you, Marcus!" he called out.
The group immediately turned toward their Lord.
"We’re going to build two shelter units. One large enough to accommodate the ten of you, and another, smaller one for me and the three ladies you met upon your arrival," Eren announced.
He paused briefly, allowing everyone to absorb the change of plan before continuing.
"After that, we’re going to establish a perimeter around both shelters using sharpened wooden stakes. We need to protect ourselves against possible monster attacks and prevent anything from wandering into our camp freely."
Marcus and the others nodded in agreement. No one raised an objection.
"Now, get back to work. We don’t have much time left. Our immediate goal is to survive the night. Once we’ve managed that, we can start planning how to survive the nights that follow."
The group nodded again before returning to their respective tasks.
Eren remained where he was for a moment, observing their progress. Then, he realized something rather embarrassing.
He hadn’t done anything particularly useful himself.
Sure, he had been giving orders and organizing everyone, but that alone wouldn’t make the shelter appear any faster. If he wanted the work completed before nightfall, he couldn’t simply stand around watching others do everything.
After a moment’s consideration, he decided to join those gathering wood and carrying it over to Marcus.
He could already see how hard Marcus and the others were working to turn their limited resources into something that might actually protect them.
Elena, Aldric, and Garrick were transporting the wood Kael had cut down, while Darius and Roland assisted Marcus with the construction.
They began by digging holes deep enough to hold the wooden poles. Once the poles were firmly positioned, they used the ropes from their starter supplies to secure them together.
Marcus then instructed them to use smaller pieces of wood to connect the poles, gradually enclosing the shelter’s frame. Since wood was practically the only usable building material available in their immediate surroundings, most of the structure had to be constructed from it.
Despite their limited resources, however, Marcus seemed to know exactly what he was doing.
His understanding of construction allowed him to make the most of every available piece of wood, and the structure gradually began to take shape. What had initially looked like a collection of rough poles was slowly becoming a recognizable shelter.
Eren couldn’t help but admire the man’s abilities.
He decided to inspect Marcus’s status.
»[Name: Marcus Veyne.]«
»[Class: Builder.]«
»[Rank: F.]«’If he could rank higher than F-Rank, he would be much more proficient in his profession, and he would be able to build better structures for the settlement,’ Eren thought after examining his stats.
’But how?’ He then asked himself.
’How can he rank up? How can all the summons rank up?’
The questions lingered in his mind. Unfortunately, he had no answers.
His curiosity only grew as he considered the possibilities.
’The Three Calamities are already SSS-Ranked beings, so that means they have reached the pinnacle of power, as the General Master said. It was just the S-Rank we had been told about. Since the Great War, humanity had never encountered an SSS-Ranked being.’
’That proves the fact that SSS is the end, but...’
Eren paused.
’Coming to think of it, they should all have Skills, right?’
Skills were an essential part of possessing a Class. Whatever abilities a person acquired were generally connected to the nature of their Class, allowing them to perform feats that ordinary people could never hope to achieve.
Although Eren hadn’t had enough time to examine his own Spirit Summoner abilities, he suddenly felt that this was the perfect opportunity to do so.
He opened his status interface.
»[Class: Spirit Summoner.]«
»[Skills: ???]«
»[Skills Description: The Spirit Summoner currently possesses no Skills, as his main ability is to summon spirits from anywhere in the world. Once the Spirit Summoner reaches E-Rank, he will be allowed to access the Option Channel, where he can choose to summon whatever branches of Spirits he desires.]«
"Huh? What does that even mean? You mean I don’t have any Skills?" he muttered in confusion.
Although no answer came, the explanation was clear enough. Eren stared at his status interface for a moment before letting out a sigh.
He checked his rank and level next.
»[Rank: F.]«
»[Level: 1 {0/100}.]«
He hadn’t even begun leveling up, meaning that reaching E-Rank might take some time. To advance to the next rank, he would first have to reach Level 20, which sounded like it could involve a considerable amount of work.
But Eren was ready for the challenge.
As he continued examining the interface, he soon realized that he could also access the status information of the Three Calamities.
All their information was stored within the Ultimate Summoning System, allowing him to inspect their abilities whenever he wished.
Naturally, the first person who came to mind was Elena.
He immediately opened her status interface.
»[Name: Elena Snow.]«
»[Rank: SSS.]«
»[Level: 1 {0/100}.]«
»[Class: Frost Archmage.]«
»[Vitality: ???]«
»[Mana: 20/20.]«
»[Skills:]«
- SKILL: FROSTCRAFT.
- DESCRIPTION: Allows the user to generate and manipulate ice and frost using mana. Can create ice formations, coat surfaces in frost, and launch basic ice projectiles.
- MANA COST: 10 MP.
- SKILL: FROSTBOUND.
- DESCRIPTION: Freezes an enemy’s limbs or feet, restricting their movement. The duration and effectiveness depend on the target’s resistance.
- MANA COST: 20 MP per target.
- SKILL: MANA FROST.
- DESCRIPTION: Infuses frost with mana-disrupting properties. Enemies affected experience disrupted mana circulation, making it harder to cast skills or maintain magical defenses.
- MANA COST: 30 MP.
- SKILL: ABSOLUTE ZERO.
- DESCRIPTION: Releases an intense wave of cold that rapidly freezes the surrounding area. Can freeze exposed surfaces, water, and vulnerable enemies.
- MANA COST: 100 MP.
- SKILL: WINTER’S DOMINION.
- DESCRIPTION: Creates a frost domain over a designated area, lowering the temperature and spreading ice across the surroundings. Enemies experience reduced movement speed while the user’s frost abilities become more effective.
- MANA COST: 150 MP.
- SKILL: ETERNAL WINTER.
- DESCRIPTION: Unleashes an enormous wave of frost that freezes a wide area, transforming the battlefield into a frozen wasteland. The freezing effect persists after the initial attack, but maintaining it requires additional mana.
- MANA COST: 300 MP.
- SKILL: FROZEN MIND.
- DESCRIPTION: Attacks an enemy’s concentration with supernatural cold, slowing their thoughts and disrupting their ability to maintain complex skills. Does not grant direct mind control.
- MANA COST: 70 MP per target.
- SKILL: FROZEN REALITY.
- DESCRIPTION: Freezes a designated area to an extreme degree, severely restricting movement and physical processes. Can suspend projectiles in ice and immobilize enemies, making them appear almost motionless. When activated, it results in a catastrophe!
- MANA COST: 3000 MP.
- SKILL: WHITEFALL.
- DESCRIPTION: Summons a heavy snowfall infused with mana, reducing visibility and gradually freezing exposed surfaces. Can conceal allies, obstruct enemies, and prepare the battlefield for other frost abilities.
- MANA COST: 200 MP.
- SKILL: FROSTBOUND BARRIER.
- DESCRIPTION: Creates a defensive barrier of densely compressed ice capable of blocking physical attacks and certain magical attacks. Its durability depends on the mana invested and the strength of incoming attacks.
- MANA COST: 80 MP.
As Eren finished reading Elena’s Skills, another notification appeared before him.
«[Warning.]»
«[The summoned Spirit possesses an exceptionally high Rank compared to the current Summoner.]»
«[The Spirit’s Level has been reset to Level 1.]»
«[The Spirit retains her original Skills and Abilities.]»
«[However, available Mana is determined by her current Level.]»
«[Skills requiring Mana cannot be used indefinitely.]»
«[As the Spirit’s Level increases, her Mana capacity and ability to utilize her Skills will increase accordingly.]»
Eren stared at the notification for a moment before dismissing it.
’So even though Elena is an SSS-Ranked spirit, her current Mana is only 20 MP?’
He looked at the Skills again, his eyes moving from one entry to the next.
’And some of these Skills require hundreds of MP. She can’t even use them right now.’
He couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
Having an SSS-Ranked Frost Archmage under his command was already an extraordinary advantage. However, knowing that she couldn’t use many of her abilities yet meant he would have to find a way to help her grow stronger.
Still, Eren wasn’t going to complain. Even with her current limitations, Elena remained an incredibly powerful spirit.
Besides, she wasn’t the only one he needed to inspect.
Another name immediately came to mind.
Hela Mountain, The Winged Calamity.
Eren promptly opened her status interface.
»[Name: Hela Mountain.]«
»[Age: 29.]«
»[Rank: SSS.]«
»[Level: 1 {0/100}.]«
»[Class: Valkyrie Warrior.]«
»[Vitality: ???]«
»[Mana: 20/20.]«
»[Skills:]«
- SKILL: MOUNTAIN BODY.
- DESCRIPTION: Reinforces the user’s body with mana, increasing physical strength, durability, and resistance to injury. Allows the user to withstand powerful impacts and fight physically stronger opponents.
- MANA COST: 20 MP per minute.
- SKILL: MANA REINFORCEMENT.
- DESCRIPTION: Concentrates mana into a specific part of the body, temporarily increasing its power. Can strengthen the arms for powerful strikes, the legs for explosive jumps, or the body to withstand incoming attacks. Read this novel at novelping dot com for the best experience.
- MANA COST: 30 MP per activation.
- SKILL: WING CONTROL.
- DESCRIPTION: Grants precise control over the user’s wings, improving balance, flight stability, and aerial maneuverability. Allows rapid changes in direction and better control during combat.
- MANA COST: 10 MP per activation.
- SKILL: LIGHTNING INFUSION.
- DESCRIPTION: Infuses the user’s body or weapon with lightning generated through mana, increasing attack damage and potentially disrupting an enemy’s movements upon impact.
- MANA COST: 30 MP per minute.
- SKILL: LIGHTNING STEP.
- DESCRIPTION: Releases a burst of lightning-infused mana through the user’s legs, enabling extremely rapid movement over short distances. Useful for dodging attacks, closing distances, and escaping danger. Does not grant teleportation.
- MANA COST: 50 MP per activation.
- SKILL: MOUNTAIN STEP.
- DESCRIPTION: Enhances the user’s jumping power and footing on unstable terrain. Allows powerful leaps, easier movement across gaps, and improved stability on steep or rugged surfaces.
- MANA COST: 60 MP per activation.
- SKILL: WARRIOR’S INSTINCT.
- DESCRIPTION: Enhances combat awareness, allowing the user to recognize incoming attacks, detect openings, and react quickly to sudden threats. Does not reveal the future.
- MANA COST: 50 MP per activation.
- SKILL: AERIAL MASTERY.
- DESCRIPTION: Grants exceptional control over aerial movement, allowing the user to accelerate, brake, turn sharply, and change altitude while flying. Greatly improves effectiveness in aerial combat.
- MANA COST: 40 MP per minute.
- SKILL: STORM EDGE.
- DESCRIPTION: Coats the user’s weapon in concentrated lightning-infused mana before unleashing a devastating slash. Increases cutting power and can damage enemy defenses.
- MANA COST: 70 MP per attack.
- SKILL: WING SHIELD.
- DESCRIPTION: Reinforces the user’s wings with mana, allowing them to block physical and certain energy-based attacks. Can also be used to partially shield an ally, but the wings can still be damaged.
- MANA COST: 100 MP.
- SKILL: LIGHTNING FIELD.
- DESCRIPTION: Releases lightning-infused mana across a designated area, damaging enemies and disrupting their movements. The field’s range and intensity depend on the mana invested.
- MANA COST: 150 MP.
- SKILL: VALKYRIE’S DESCENT.
- DESCRIPTION: Launches the user into the air before a high-speed dive toward a target. The user channels lightning into her weapon and body, delivering a devastating impact that releases a burst of energy.
- MANA COST: 200 MP.
- SKILL: WINGED ASSAULT.
- DESCRIPTION: Combines aerial movement, wing-assisted maneuvers, and rapid weapon strikes into a relentless sequence of attacks. Allows the user to attack from multiple angles and overwhelm opponents.
- MANA COST: 120 MP.
- SKILL: SKYBREAKER.
- DESCRIPTION: Concentrates enormous mana into the user’s weapon before unleashing a devastating strike. Releases a powerful shockwave capable of breaking barriers, tearing through defensive formations, and damaging multiple enemies.
- MANA COST: 400 MP.
- SKILL: MOUNTAIN’S RESOLVE.
- DESCRIPTION: Reinforces the user’s body and mind against fear, intimidation, pain, and certain forms of mental interference. Allows the user to maintain focus and determination under extreme pressure but does not heal injuries.
- MANA COST: 100 MP.
- SKILL: VALKYRIE’S FINAL STAND.
- DESCRIPTION: Unleashes the full potential of the user’s Valkyrie Class, greatly enhancing physical strength, combat speed, aerial mobility, and lightning-infused attacks for a limited period. Prolonged use rapidly depletes mana and can leave the user severely exhausted. When activated, the user is almost unstoppable!
- MANA COST: 3000 MP.
«[Warning.]»
«[The summoned Spirit possesses an exceptionally high Rank compared to the current Summoner.]»
«[The Spirit’s Level has been reset to Level 1.]»
«[The Spirit retains her original Skills and Abilities.]»
«[However, available Mana is determined by her current Level.]»
«[Skills requiring Mana cannot be used indefinitely.]»
«[As the Spirit’s Level increases, her Mana capacity and ability to utilize her Skills will increase accordingly.]»
By the time Eren finished examining their Skills, his mouth hung open in disbelief.
’They own all these Skills... No wonder they almost wiped out the entire Human Faction. This is what it means to be an SSS-Ranker!’ Eren shouted inwardly, completely awed.
Now he understood why the three women had once been regarded as such terrifying figures. Their current limitations were the only things preventing them from unleashing their full potential.
They had been reduced to Level 1, with the lowest mana capacity possible. Yet even the abilities listed in their status interfaces were enough to leave Eren speechless.
He could only imagine what they would be capable of once they began leveling up.
’If they can level up... They would be unstoppable!!!’
The thought alone filled him with excitement.
He had barely begun his journey in the Dominion Expanse, and he already possessed three spirits whose names had once shaken the world. If he could help them recover their strength, the possibilities would be almost limitless.
Of course, he still had Vaelzara’s status to inspect. Considering the abilities Elena and Hela possessed, he could hardly imagine what the former Demon Queen’s interface would reveal.
For now, however, one thing was certain.
’If they remain loyal and serve me, I will not only survive the Ashen Frontier, but also conquer it!’
His gaze swept across the shelter under construction, and a bold ambition began to take shape in his mind.
’I could really become the greatest Settler the world has ever seen!’
.
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[A/N: Hey there! The author would love to know your thoughts about the first ten Chapters. Hope I haven’t screwed up, hehe!]