With the raid over, quiet settled back over the trees outside his walls. Inside them, nobody was resting yet. The summons were more interested in goofing around.
Logan sat near the summoning circle, Tower Points sitting fat and unused in the corner of his vision. Six thousand three hundred of them, more than he’d had at any point since Awakening. He intended to spend every last bit of it he could justify.
’Territory.’
```
[ Player Territory ]
Level: 2 (Tower Points for level up: 2500)
```
He spent it without blinking.
```
[ Territory upgraded to Level 3 ]
Congratulations on upgrading your territory.
+1 Tower Minion generated for free.
```
```
[ Player Territory ]
Level: 3 (Tower Points for level up: 5000)
Size: 50 meters radius
Facilities: Summoning Circle (Lv. 2), Territory Core Healing Area (Lv. 2).
Tower Minions: 7
```
He turned to the Summoning Circle next.
```
[ Upgrade Summoning Circle ]
Requires: Territory Level 3
Cost: 1500 Tower Points
```
Facilities could never outgrow the territory that housed them. A Level 2 base could only support a Level 2 circle, no matter how many Tower Points he threw at it. He’d remembered that much from the guides, which was exactly why the base had come first.
He spent the fifteen hundred without a second thought.
```
[ Summoning Circle reached Level 3 ]
Normal - 40% | Uncommon - 30% | Rare - 15% | Epic - 5%
```
Five percent now.
He had 2300 Tower Points left.
’Alright, it’s time to increase my power.’
```
[ Summon: Combat Unit ]
Cost: 100 Tower Points
```
Ten times he spent it, watching the circle fill and empty, fill and empty.
The first four were plain, norma-rank fellows.
```
[ Torch Bearer (Tier-1/Normal) Summoned ]
[ Shieldwright (Tier-1/Normal) Summoned ]
[ Quickfoot Scout (Tier-1/Normal) Summoned ]
[ Flint Slinger (Tier-1/Normal) Summoned ]
```
Three more came after that, sharper around the edges than the last batch.
A lean shape wrapped in blackened chain stepped out first, twin hand-axes already loose in its grip.
```
[ Ashclaw Skirmisher (Tier-1/Uncommon) Summoned ]
```
Something squat and rooted followed, more boulder than person, planting itself like it had grown there.
```
[ Ironroot Sentry (Tier-1/Uncommon) Summoned ]
```
A small falcon-shaped thing came last, feathers pale and edges sharp, already circling the rafters before its feet had properly touched down.
```
[ Whistling Falcon (Tier-1/Uncommon) Summoned ]
```
Seven down. Logan barely had time to nod at any of them before the eighth light gathered, and this one didn’t settle the way the others had.
It built slowly, a low growl rolling out from somewhere inside the glow before the shape even resolved. When it cleared, a lean cat-like thing crouched where the light had been. Fur the color of banked coals covered its frame, and its claws smoked faintly at the tips.
```
[ Emberclaw Panther (Tier-1/Rare) Summoned ]
```
Logan grinned.
’Now give me an Epic already!’
Something low and dark slid out of the next light, more shadow than shape until it lifted its head and showed a jackal’s narrow face, eyes like dying coals.
```
[ Darkfang Jackal (Tier-1/Rare) Summoned ]
```
"Not bad," Billy said from the doorway, watching with real interest now. "Feeling lucky, boss?"
"Ask me after the tenth one."
The last light gathered brighter than any of the others.
Something humanoid with wide feathered wings stood where the glow had been, lightning crackling faintly along its crystal armor. Its eyes were pale gold, and they found Logan’s without hesitation.
It had the head of an eagle, a big humanoid body with creamy fur covered by the crystal armor, and majestic wings.
"Master."
```
[ Thunderwing Sentinel (Tier-1/Epic) Summoned ]
```
Logan didn’t say anything for a second. He’d read about Epic-rank summons in beginner guides the way people read about winning the lottery, something that happened to other people in other matches.
"Wow," Billy said, whistling low. "That guy is powerful."
Logan grinned. "Hello, friend. I shall name you, Blitzhawk."
"Blitzhawk. I like it, Master. Thank you." Blitzhawk grinned.
[Thunderwing Sentinel]
Name: Blitzhawk
Level: 1 | Tier-1
Rank: Epic
—Stats—
HP: 1500/1500
MP: 1500/1500
Attack: 15
Speed: 15
Constitution: 15
Arcane: 15
[Active Skills]
> Lightning Feather Rain (Epic)
> Thundering Sword & Shield (Epic)
> Stormcall Totem (Epic+)
[Passive Skills]
> Lightning Wing Enchant (Epic)
> Spirit Eyes (Rare)
’Damn, look at those skills!’
Even with lower stats, Blitzhawk could absolutely wipe the floor with Billy. Not to mention that Blitzhawk could fly. He got his first flying unit!
Well, technically his first flying unit was Whistling Falcon that appeared before Thunderwing Sentinel, but that falcon was more like a scout-type and an Uncommon-rank one, which was going to be merged anyway.
’Stormcall Tomet is Epic+...’ Logan remembered what that meant. He had read it. It means that the summon had a chance to upgrade that skill to the next rank, which was Legendary for this one!
However, it usually requires some push, encounter, or resources.
He then opened Boundless Genesis for the merges.
The Torch Bearer and the Shieldwright first, plain and Normal and better together than apart.
```
[ Merge Complete ]
Torch Bearer (Tier-1/Normal) + Shieldwright (Tier-1/Normal)
> Level 1 Emberward Guardian (Tier-1/Uncommon) Created.
```
Something stood there with the shield’s bulk and the torch’s fire both, flame licking along the rim of a shield gone from plain iron to something closer to forged coal.
Next, the Quickfoot Scout and the Flint Slinger, speed and aim folded into one.
```
[ Merge Complete ]
Quickfoot Scout (Tier-1/Normal) + Flint Slinger (Tier-1/Normal)
> Level 1 Flintfoot Ranger (Tier-1/Uncommon) Created.
```
Whatever stood there now didn’t hold still long enough for Logan to get a good look at it before it darted off to test its own legs.
That left the two Rares. Logan looked between the Emberclaw Panther and the Darkfang Jackal, fire and shadow both built for exactly the same kind of work.
He picked both.
```
[ Merge Complete ]
Emberclaw Panther (Tier-1/Rare) + Darkfang Jackal (Tier-1/Rare)
> Level 1 Cinderfang Wraith (Tier-1/Epic) Created.
```
Something quick paced out of the light, half cat and half shadow, embers bleeding through cracks in fur the color of old smoke. It didn’t make a sound when it moved.
’Looks like a ghost assassin type.’ Logan grinned. "Let’s name you Vex."
[Cinderfang Wraith]
Name: Vex
Level: 1 | Tier-1
Rank: Epic
—Stats—
HP: 1500/1500
MP: 1500/1500
Attack: 15
Speed: 15
Constitution: 15
Arcane: 15
[Active Skills]
> Shadow Stroll (Epic)
> Black Flame Claws (Epic)
> Cinder Shadow Clones (Epic)
[Passive Skills]
> Wraith Mark (Epic)
> Cinderdark Engine (Epic+)
’Wow. So Cinderdark Engine increases Vex’s speed, dark power, and fire power the lower his HP is, up to a 100% boost at 20% HP.’
’Wraith Mark applies to targets that are affected by Vex’s skills. Each mark increases damage taken by 5%, up to 50%.’
Logan’s eyes glinted. ’Boss killer.’
Two Epics now, and he hadn’t needed to get lucky twice to get there.
’One more.’ Logan’s eyes glinted. ’Let’s get one more Epic.’