Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Arthur chuckled, his confidence unshaken. "Forever? I don't need forever. A few more minutes, and this fight is over."

The demon snarled at the taunt. "Arrogant human! I'll tear you apart!" it roared, charging forward with fury, its claws glowing with dark energy.

Sylvaris hissed in response, his body coiling tightly as he prepared to strike. Arthur's sharp eyes didn't miss a single movement.

"Sylvaris, use Land Smash!"

The massive serpent obeyed without hesitation, rearing back before slamming his tail down onto the arena floor with explosive force. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the stone, and a shockwave rippled outward, throwing the charging demon off balance.

The demon stumbled, its footing disrupted, and Sylvaris capitalized on the opening.

"Follow it up with Poison Bite!" Arthur commanded.

Sylvaris lunged forward, his fangs glinting with venom as he struck. The demon twisted to avoid a direct hit, but Sylvaris's fangs grazed its side, delivering a dose of his potent venom.

-53 HP

The demon howled in pain, black ichor oozing from the wound as the poison began to spread. It clutched its side, its fiery eyes burning with rage.

"This is nothing!" the demon spat, its voice trembling with fury. "You think poison will stop me? I'll crush you both!"

Despite its bravado, its movements were slower now, the venom taking its toll.

The demon lashed out with its claws in desperation, whipping toward Sylvaris in an erratic flurry of attacks. But Sylvaris's reflexes, combined with Arthur's quick and accurate commands, kept him one step ahead.

"Dodge left!" Arthur shouted, and Sylvaris twisted his body gracefully, evading the demon's wild strikes.

The demon's frustration boiled over. "Fight me yourself, coward!" it bellowed, its ego bruised by the serpent's dominance and Arthur's unshaken composure.

Arthur smirked. "I am fighting you. Sylvaris and I are one team. If you can't keep up, that's your problem."

The demon's roar echoed through the arena as it channelled its rage into another powerful attack. Its claws glowed brighter, crackling with dark energy as it lunged toward Sylvaris with reckless abandon.

But Arthur was ready. "Sylvaris, counter with your tail!"

Sylvaris coiled tightly before lashing out with his tail in a powerful, sweeping motion. The strike connected with the demon's chest, sending it hurtling backward.

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The demon crashed into the ground, its body skidding across the arena floor. It groaned as it struggled to rise, the cracks in its skin leaking more of the black ichor.

Sylvaris didn't give it a chance to recover. With a hiss of determination, he launched himself forward, his massive form coiling around the demon and pinning it in place.

The demon thrashed wildly, its tendrils lashing out in all directions. But Sylvaris's grip was unyielding, his powerful coils squeezing tighter with every second.

"You've already lost," Arthur said, his voice calm but firm. "You just can't accept it."

The demon roared, its voice filled with frustration and wounded pride. "This… this isn't possible! I am a servant of His Majesty! I cannot be defeated by a mere human!"

Arthur's smirk grew wider. "Servant of His Majesty or not, you're still just a lesser demon. And you're nothing against us."

Sylvaris hissed one final time, his fangs glinting ominously as he prepared to strike the demon's exposed neck with a decisive Poison Bite.

"Sylvaris, wait!" Arthur commanded sharply.

The serpent froze mid-strike, his fangs mere centimeters away from tearing into the demon's neck and delivering a lethal dose of venom. His emerald eyes flicked back toward Arthur, his body coiled tightly around the demon but motionless, awaiting further orders.

Arthur stepped closer, his smirk cold. "I could consider letting you off," he said, his voice calm but dripping with menace. "Who knows? If you stay alive, maybe your 'Highness' will come and save you, and you'll get to serve him again. But… it'll come at a cost."

The demon, despite its weakened state, managed to snicker, its voice low and mocking. "Dream on," it spat. "If you think I'll betray His Majesty or tell you anything about him, you're sorely mistaken. I would rather die than give you what you want."

Arthur chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Come now, don't be so dramatic. When did I say I wanted information about your precious 'highness'? That's not what I'm after."

The demon's fiery eyes narrowed, its confusion evident even through its defiant glare. "Then what do you want, mortal?" it growled.

Arthur crouched slightly, bringing himself to the demon's eye level. "It's simple. Tell me why you attacked Village #420. That's all I want to know."

The demon's expression faltered briefly, a flicker of confusion crossing its face. "Village #420?" it repeated, the words sounding foreign on its tongue. For a moment, it looked as though it was trying to recall something, but then its defiant sneer returned. "Hmph. That's none of your business."

Arthur caught the hesitation in its voice, the brief moment of confusion that betrayed something important.

His sharp mind immediately latched onto the inconsistency.

"Does that mean it wasn't called Village #420 before?" Arthur thought, his eyes narrowing slightly. "It did look much larger in the vision. What was it called back then? And why would a place like this attract the attention of demons?"

The realization sent his mind racing.

The village he was in now, a small and struggling settlement, might have been something far greater in the past. Its destruction at the hands of the demons likely held deeper significance than he had first assumed.

Arthur's expression softened slightly, feigning indifference as he changed tactics. "Fine. Forget about the village," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "Tell me this instead—why do you hate humans so much?"

The demon let out a harsh, guttural laugh, its cracked lips curling into a sneer. "Hate humans?" it repeated, its tone mocking. "You flatter yourselves, mortal. We don't hate you. You're nothing more than animals in our eyes."

Arthur's expression didn't change, but his curiosity deepened. "Animals?" he prompted, keeping his tone neutral.

The demon's grin widened, its fiery eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. "Yes, animals. You're weak, short-lived, and pathetic. Why would we waste energy hating something so far beneath us?"

It leaned forward slightly, though Sylvaris's tight coils kept it firmly in place. "The same way you slaughter beasts to feed yourselves, we do the same. Hehe…

Arthur nodded slowly, his gaze steady as he processed the demon's words. "I see," he said, his tone calm and even.

The demon's perspective, while twisted, wasn't entirely surprising. To them, humans were prey—nothing more, nothing less.

The hatred Arthur had assumed wasn't personal; it was purely pragmatic, a justification for their actions.

Arthur straightened, his expression neutral. "You treat us like cattle, then. Expendable, meaningless."

The demon sneered again, his body twitching weakly. "Exactly. So why bother asking questions, mortal? You can't comprehend our world or our purpose."

Arthur's smirk returned, colder and sharper this time, cutting through the demon's defiance like a blade.

He stepped forward slowly, his dagger in his hand. "Then experience it for yourself," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Feel what it's like to be expendable, meaningless, and killed by the cattle you despise."

Before the demon could respond, Arthur disappeared from his spot, reappearing in an instant right in front of the demon. His movements were swift and merciless. With one fluid motion, he drove his dagger deep into the demon's heart.

The demon's body jerked violently, its fiery eyes widening as it spat out a mouthful of thick, dark blood. The ichor dripped from its lips, its molten veins dimming as its life began to fade.

The demon's voice, once filled with arrogance, trembled with a mix of fury and disbelief. "I curse you, human," it rasped, its words laboured and bitter. "I will see you in hell."

Arthur chuckled darkly, his voice echoing in the silent arena. His grip on the dagger tightened as he twisted it slightly, ensuring the fatal blow. "Hell?" he repeated, amusement lacing his tone. He leaned closer, his eyes glinting with an almost predatory gleam. "Hahaha… trust me. You'll be seeing me very soon."

The demon's fading eyes showed a flicker of confusion, its weakened body unable to resist. Arthur's smirk widened. "You're becoming my summon, after all."

The demon let out a final, guttural snarl, its fiery eyes dimming completely as its body began to dissolve into particles. It didn't understand the human's laughter, nor the meaning behind his ominous words.

As the last remnants of the demon faded, Arthur straightened, flicking the dark ichor off his dagger.

A system notification appeared before him, glowing faintly in the air.

[You have slain Level 10 Lesser Demon (Epic-Boss).]

[Ding!]

[You have levelled up to Level 12]

[All attribute points will be increased by 1]

[You have gained 1 free attribute point and 1 Skill Point]

[Backpack(Very Rare) has been dropped]

Description: Able to hold 200 items inside.

Arthur's grin returned as he read the notification. His voice was calm, almost casual, as he muttered to himself. "Not bad, he not only dropped me a very rare item but made me level up too. He is already proving to be a good summon."

Sylvaris slithered up beside him, hissing softly, its sharp eyes glowing with satisfaction. Arthur glanced at his loyal serpent and gave a small nod.

"Status,"

[Race:] Human

[ID:] Fateless

[Level:] 12

[Class:] Shadow Monarch (SSS)

[Talent:] Primordial Summoner (SSS), Evolution Pathway (SSS-Rank), Lucky (SSS)

[Summons:] 7/12

[Health Points:] 160

[Mana Points:] 200

[Magical Damage:] 20

[Physical Damage:] 13

[Damage Resistance:] 16

[Attributes:] Strength 13, Agility 16, Vitality 16, Intelligence 20 (+20%)

[Skills:] Ninefold Fortune(Mythical), Shadow Bind(Legendary), Shadow Dweller(Legendary), Blade Whirl(Epic), Enhanced Senses(Rare), Mana Coating(Rare)

[Attribute Points:] 11

[Skill Points:] 11

[Equipment:] Ring of Darkness (Legendary), Platinum Dagger (Very Rare), Backpack(Very Rare), Mana Ring(Rare), Iron Necklace (Rare), Backpack (Rare), Iron Boots (Rare), Iron Armor (Rare), ...