The subterranean passages beneath the Research Spire of the Royal Summoner Academy were colder than the misty alleys of the Iron Docks.
Kaelen Ashford walked down the spiral stone staircase, his boots making no sound against the damp obsidian steps. Suspended along the curved walls were brass sconces burning with pale blue alchemical flames—cold light that cast long, dancing shadows across the ancient masonry.
Drawn around his neck was the heavy wool cloak assigned to the West Wing Annex, but pinned to his lapel, catching the dim blue light, was a silver-embroidered crest.
The Senior Research Assistant Badge.
Two hours had passed since Professor Elira Voss had handed him the badge inside her private tower laboratory. The academy above was quiet now, enveloped in the heavy stillness of midnight. Most noble students were asleep in their plush mahogany-panelled dormitories in the High Precinct Spire, dreaming of gold-ranked contracts and glory in the upcoming trials.
Kaelen, however, had no interest in sleep.
At the base of the spiral stairs stood a massive double door wrought from cold iron and inscribed with complex defensive runes. The metallic surface pulsed with a faint, rhythmic glow—the Academy's high-tier security ward designed to repel unauthorized intruders and suppress volatile mana signatures.
In the center of the gate sat a heavy brass lock shaped like a lion's maw.
Kaelen lifted his badge and pressed the silver-embroidered crest against the lion's eye.
Buzz...
The defensive runes along the iron door flickered, shifting from blood-red to a calm, welcoming azure. The heavy locking bolts drew back with a resonant, reverberating clack, and the ancient doors swung slowly inward, releasing a wave of dry, preserved air that smelled of ancient dust, petrified bone, and ozone.
[SECURITY CLEARANCE VERIFIED] [WELCOME, SENIOR RESEARCH ASSISTANT ASHFORD] [CURRENT LOCATION: IMPERIAL FOSSIL VAULTS — LEVEL B4]
Kaelen stepped through the threshold, and the iron doors glided shut behind him with a heavy thud.
Before him stretched a cavernous subterranean hall that seemed to extend endlessly into the earth. Towering glass display cases, iron-bound shelves, and granite pedestals lined the central aisle for hundreds of yards. Resting upon them were thousands of calcified fragments, fossilized bones, petrified eggs, and amber-encased claws collected over three centuries by the Royal Exploratory Corps.
To the Kingdom of Solis, this place was a museum of dead history—a graveyard of primitive, useless rocks that had failed to adapt to the System's mana system.
To Kaelen Ashford, it was an ocean of unharvested power.
Master...
A soft, velvet-smooth voice resonated in Kaelen's mind through the Primitive Mental Mesh.
Beside his left boot, the shadows detached themselves from the floor. Nox coalesced into physical form, his seven-foot-long Ancestral Primal Void-Stalker body sleek, muscular, and covered in midnight-black fur that absorbed the pale ambient light. His twin horns gleamed like polished obsidian, and his golden eyes shone with intense, predatory hunger.
This place... smells like an ancient graveyard, Nox purred, brushing his broad head against Kaelen's thigh. So many forgotten bloodlines. So many dead hunters.
Simultaneously, from Kaelen's left wrist, a slender emerald ribbon slithered down his sleeve. The Ancient Jade Sky-Serpent uncoiled itself, hovering silently in the air beside Kaelen's shoulder. Its iridescent jade scales shimmered with faint, emerald lightning, and its vertical golden pupils scanned the dark vaults with ancient majesty.
A treasury of forgotten ancestors, the Sky-Serpent communicated through the mental link, its voice echoing like wind rushing through high mountain canyons. The fools who built this hall locked away the bones of those who once ruled the skies and seas.
Kaelen smiled, a cold, sharp expression in the gloom.
"Then let's make sure their memory isn't wasted," Kaelen whispered.
He closed his eyes and summoned his translucent interface. Instantly, the Ancient Bestiary responded, flashing with a staggering cascade of violet system prompts that flooded his vision.
[IMPERIAL FOSSIL VAULTS DETECTED] [SCANNING UNREGISTERED GENETIC MATERIAL...] [IDENTIFIED UNCATALOGED FOSSIL SPECIMENS: 14,822] [ERASED BLOODLINE RESONANCE DETECTED: EXTREMELY HIGH] [INITIATE MASS VOID ABSORPTION?]
"Initiate," Kaelen commanded quietly.
Nox let out a low, rumbling growl of approval. He opened his jaws slightly, and a sphere of pitch-black, light-devouring void energy expanded from his chest. At the same time, the Jade Sky-Serpent opened its maw, releasing a subtle, emerald-tinted gravitational wave that swept across the nearest rows of fossil displays.
What followed was a silent, magnificent harvest.
From the petrified claws of long-extinct thunder-hawks, from the calcified vertebrae of primal sea-monsters, and from the dust-covered ribcages of ancient apex predators, thin streams of glowing violet luminescence began to rise.
The ancient essence—trapped within the petrified stone for millennia—was pulled free. It flowed through the air like rivers of starlight, converging directly into Nox and the Jade Sky-Serpent.
System notifications cascaded across Kaelen's retinas like an avalanche.
[VOID ABSORPTION IN PROGRESS...] [EXTINCTION ESSENCE EXTRACTED FROM SPECIES 018: PRIMAL TEMPEST-HAWK (+120 EP)] [EXTINCTION ESSENCE EXTRACTED FROM SPECIES 022: ABYSSAL CRAG-BEHEMOTH (+250 EP)] [EXTINCTION ESSENCE EXTRACTED FROM SPECIES 031: ANCIENT STORM-LEVIATHAN (+400 EP)] [EXTINCTION ESSENCE EXTRACTED FROM SPECIES 045: VOID-TOOTHED SABER-CAT (+180 EP)] ... [TOTAL EXTINCTION POINTS HARVESTED: +2,850 EP] [CURRENT EP BALANCE: 3,200 EP]
Kaelen's breath hitched in his chest as he stared at the staggering number.
Three thousand two hundred Extinction Points.
More than he had ever held since awakening the System.
"Two thousand eight hundred and fifty points in a single pass," Kaelen murmured, his eyes gleaming with fierce satisfaction. "And we've barely touched ten percent of this vault."
Master, the Jade Sky-Serpent whispered, its emerald eyes fixed on a heavy glass case at the far end of the central corridor. There... in the deep vault. A bone that belongs to my kin.
Kaelen walked down the central aisle, his boots clicking softly against the stone floor. He stopped in front of a reinforced vault display lined with lead and silver containment wards.
Inside rested a three-foot-long, calcified crest horn—crystalline and pale emerald in color, yet cracked and weathered by time. A faded brass plaque on the pedestal read:
Specimen 884-C: Unidentified Prehistoric Mineral Formation. Origin: Northern Rift. Mana Conductivity: 0.00%. Classified as Inert Rock.
Kaelen scoffed lightly. "Inert rock. The Academy scholars truly see nothing unless the System puts a label on it."
He raised his hand and activated his class passive.
[BESTIARY INDEXING IN PROGRESS...] [TARGET: SPECIMEN 884-C] [MATCH FOUND IN ANCIENT ARCHIVE!] [SPECIES 012: PRIMAL EMERALD TEMPEST-DRAGON] [BLOODLINE TIER: CALAMITY-GRADE ANCESTOR] [GENETIC INTEGRITY: 14.2%] [RESONANCE WITH SUMMON #2 (ANCIENT JADE SKY-SERPENT): 98.4%]
The moment the indexing completed, the Jade Sky-Serpent let out a thrilling, bell-like cry. It spiraled through the air and pressed its snout against the glass.
It is the crest-horn of a Sky-Sovereign, the serpent spoke, its mental tone filled with deep, ancestral reverence. One who commanded the hurricane winds before the Architects carved the sky into elemental zones.
[SPECIAL EVOLUTION CONDITION MET!] [SUMMON #2: ANCIENT JADE SKY-SERPENT IS ELIGIBLE FOR UNREGISTERED BLOODLINE RESTORATION!] [EVOLUTION PATH: PRIMAL EMERALD TEMPEST-SOVEREIGN] [REQUIREMENTS: 2,500 EP + PRIMAL CREST-HORN ESSENCE] [CURRENT EP BALANCE: 3,200 EP]
[PROCEED WITH UNREGISTERED EVOLUTION?]
Kaelen didn't hesitate for a single second.
"Do it," Kaelen commanded. "Restore the Sky-Sovereign."
[CONSUMING 2,500 EXTINCTION POINTS...] [ABSORBING SPECIMEN 884-C GENETIC ESSENCE...] [EVOLUTION PROCESS INITIATED!]
A blinding explosion of emerald and violet light erupted within the glass vault. The lead-and-silver wards around the display case hummed violently, straining to contain the sudden, overwhelming surge of primordial energy.
The calcified crest-horn inside the display dissolved into a cloud of liquid emerald light. The luminescence surged through the glass casing—bypassing the physical barrier entirely through spatial resonance—and flowed directly into the Jade Sky-Serpent.
The tiny emerald snake suspended in mid-air expanded rapidly!
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CRACKLE!
Flashes of jade-colored lightning crackled across the subterranean vault, illuminating the rows of ancient fossils in brilliant green hues. The Sky-Serpent's body elongated from three feet to over thirty feet in length! Its smooth emerald scales thickened, overlapping like polished jade armor plates, each etched with luminous tempest runes.
Along its spine, three majestic crest-fins erupted, radiating pure wind and lightning mana. Twin antler-like horns, gleaming like translucent emerald crystals, sprouted from its broad, reptilian head. Its slit golden pupils burned with ancient, terrifying authority.
A suffocating pressure—the weight of a Calamity-Grade apex predator that once commanded the stormy skies of the first epoch—filled the underground chamber.
[UNREGISTERED EVOLUTION COMPLETE!] [SUMMON #2 HAS EVOLVED!] [SPECIES: PRIMAL EMERALD TEMPEST-SOVEREIGN] [BLOODLINE TIER: CALAMITY-GRADE (STAGE 1 RESTORATION)] [TRUE COMBAT RATING: 4,200] [MASKED COMBAT RATING: 1 (MAINTAINED VIA VOID SHROUD II)]
[NEW SKILLS UNLOCKED:]
[TEMPEST DOMAIN (LV 1)] — Creates an invisible 100-meter field of compressed wind force that repels attacks, crushing lower-ranked enemies and enhancing movement speed by 200%.
[EMERALD VOID-LIGHTNING (LV 1)] — Fires concentrated bolts of jade lightning infused with void decay that bypasses physical armor and destroys mana shields directly.
[ATMOSPHERIC SHIFT] — Manipulates air density and localized weather, allowing silent levitation and atmospheric concealment.
The thirty-foot Emerald Tempest-Sovereign circled gracefully beneath the arched ceiling of the vault, its long tail fanning a gentle, pleasant breeze across Kaelen's face. Then, with a subtle shimmer of spatial energy, the massive dragon condensed its form, shrinking back down into a slender, foot-long emerald serpent that coiled smoothly around Kaelen's left wrist.
Its crest-horns rested lightly against his skin, pulsing with warm, vibrant life.
Thank you, Master, the serpent spoke softly in his mind. The sky is ours once more.
Kaelen looked down at his wrist, then turned to Nox, who nodded in quiet approval, his dark tail swaying lazily.
With 2,500 EP consumed for the Sky-Serpent's evolution, Kaelen still had 700 EP remaining from his harvest.
"System," Kaelen commanded quietly. "Allocate 500 EP to Nox's Bloodline Repair and Skill Enhancement."
[CONSUMING 500 EXTINCTION POINTS...] [NOX (ANCESTRAL PRIMAL VOID-STALKER) BLOODLINE REPAIR UPDATED TO STAGE 0.6!] [TRUE COMBAT RATING INCREASED: 770 ➔ 850!] [SKILL UPGRADE: VOID STEALTH II ➔ VOID STEALTH III] [NEW PASSIVE UNLOCKED: PRIMAL DOMINANCE (LV 1)] — Automatically inflicts a heavy mental suppression attribute on any beast with a lower True Combat Rating, causing panic or paralysis upon proximity.
[CURRENT EP BALANCE: 200 EP]
Kaelen felt a surge of cold, invigorating energy flow through his bond with Nox. The Void-Stalker's fur grew even darker, absorbing every stray beam of light in the chamber, while his True Combat Rating reached an incredible 850—well within the upper echelons of Gold-Grade beasts in the entire Kingdom of Solis.
And yet, under the veil of Void Shroud II, both Nox and the Tempest-Sovereign remained completely invisible to the System's evaluation crystals.
To the world outside, Kaelen Ashford was still a trash-tier Failed Summoner with a total Combat Rating of 2.
Suddenly, a sharp chime echoed from the iron doors at the entrance of the vault.
CLANG! CLANG!
The heavy iron bolts rattled as a red warning light flashed along the security archway.
[WARNING: AMBIENT MANA FLUCTUATION DETECTED IN SECTOR B4] [PATROL GUARD APPROACHING]
Kaelen didn't panic. With a calm gesture, he adjusted his wool cloak and tapped the badge on his lapel.
Nox melted instantaneously into Kaelen's shadow, becoming completely indistinguishable from the dark stone floor. The Emerald Tempest-Sovereign nestled snugly beneath Kaelen's linen sleeve, concealing its crest-horns and emerald glow.
A moment later, the heavy iron doors swung open.
A senior academy warden wearing silver-plated armor and holding a glowing mana-lantern stepped into the vault, accompanied by two elite student guards wearing the crimson sashes of the High Precinct.
"Who's in here?!" the warden demanded, his sword half-drawn as his sharp gaze swept across the dimly lit rows of fossil displays. "The central mana-sensor registered an unregistered energy spike in Sector B4!"
One of the student guards—a arrogant third-year noble with a silver crest on his chest—spotted Kaelen standing near the display cases.
"You!" the student guard barked, stepping forward with his hand on his weapon hilt. "What is a West Wing trash doing in the Imperial Vaults at midnight?!"
Kaelen didn't flinch. He slowly turned around, his expression cold, serene, and completely unbothered.
He raised his left hand, letting the silver-embroidered badge on his lapel catch the warden's lantern light.
"Senior Research Assistant Kaelen Ashford," Kaelen replied smoothly, his voice calm and authoritative. "I am conducting late-night cataloging under the direct authorization of Professor Elira Voss."
The warden blinked, his eyes widening in surprise as he recognized the official silver seal of the Research Spire. He quickly lowered his sword and bowed his head slightly.
"Research Assistant Ashford... my apologies," the warden said, his tone instantly shifting from hostility to professional respect. "Professor Voss's research assistants have full night-access clearance. But... did you feel a sudden mana surge just now?"
Kaelen looked back at the glass case containing the now-empty pedestal where Specimen 884-C had rested.
"A minor alchemical reaction during specimen analysis," Kaelen lied effortlessly, without shifting an eye. "A calcified mineral core disintegrated upon exposure to my testing reagent. I've already logged the report for Professor Voss."
The noble student guard sneered, looking down his nose at Kaelen's plain clothes. "A mineral core disintegrated? Hmph. Typical lower-class incompetence. You probably broke a worthless piece of rock because you don't even know how to handle delicate tools."
Kaelen looked at the noble student guard.
For a fraction of a second, Kaelen let a tiny sliver of Nox's Primal Dominance bleed through his shadow.
An invisible, freezing wave of marrow-deep dread washed over the student guard.
The guard's breath hitched in his throat. His knees buckled slightly, his face turning pale as sweat broke out across his forehead. His hand trembled uncontrollably against his sword hilt, a sudden, inexplicable terror gripping his heart as if an unseen apex predator was standing directly behind him, opening its jaws over his neck.
"Is... is something wrong, Guard?" Kaelen asked softly, stepping closer with a pleasant, polite smile.
"N-No..." the student guard stammered, backing away two steps, his eyes wide with unadulterated fear. "N-Nothing... Warden, let's go. Everything is in order here."
The warden looked at the pale, trembling student guard in confusion, then turned back to Kaelen. "Very well, Assistant Ashford. Please ensure the vault doors are locked when you finish your work."
"Of course," Kaelen replied.
The warden and the terrified student guard turned around and quickly exited the subterranean hall, the heavy iron doors slamming shut behind them.
In the quiet dark of the vault, Kaelen let out a soft chuckle.
Nox emerged from his shadow, resting his massive black head against Kaelen's hand, while the Tempest-Sovereign purred softly against his wrist.
Kaelen walked over to the central bulletin board near the exit stairs. Posted upon the gilded notice parchment was a fresh announcement stamped with the gold crest of the Academy Council:
[NOTICE: ANNUAL FRESHMEN SUMMONER TOURNAMENT] [SCHEDULED: TOMORROW MORNING — GRAND COLISEUM] [MANDATORY PARTICIPATION FOR ALL NEW ENTRANTS] [PURPOSE: RANKING ADJUSTMENT & SEEDING FOR ACADEMY FACTIONS]
Kaelen stared at the notice, his eyes burning with a cold, fierce, unshakeable flame.
Julian Vane, the noble elites, and the arrogant instructors of the High Precinct were expecting to parade the "Failed Summoner" with a CR 2 rating into the arena as a laughingstock for the entire academy.
They had no idea that Kaelen Ashford was walking into that Coliseum holding an Ancestral Primal Void-Stalker with a True CR of 850 and a Calamity-Grade Primal Emerald Tempest-Sovereign with a True CR of 4,200.
Kaelen turned toward the stairs, his boots firm and steady in the dark.
"Let them prepare their arena," Kaelen whispered into the quiet night. "Tomorrow... the world learns what happens when the weakest student stops hiding."