Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Arthur walked through the forest, his boots crunching softly against the leaves and dirt beneath his foot.

As he walked through the forest, he encountered a few corroded rabbits that darted into his path, their red-glowing eyes filled with malice as they spotted him.

He smirked. "I love me a walking money and experience orb,"

He wasted no time, lunging forward leaving a trail of wind behind him.

He dispatched them quickly with fatal strikes of his rare dagger that plunged into their heads.

[Critical Hit!]

-25 HP

-30 HP

[You have slain a Corroded Rabbit (Level 2)]

The system notifications rang in his ears as the rabbits dropped to the ground, leaving behind items.

Arthur knelt beside the items and quickly stored them inside his rare backpack.

'Uncommon drops again,' he thought. 'Not bad, that's around 6 silver coins which means I just made around $600 already, kek.'

As he glanced around, he noticed a few players scattered in the area, their voices loud and their combat stiff as they farmed low-level monsters.

He frowned.

'I'm not far enough into the forest yet, I need to head deeper. The real opportunities lie deeper in.'

Adjusting his grip on his dagger, Arthur walked forward.

The noise of other players faded as the trees grew denser and the forest floor darker.

The air was thick with silence, the kind that made your skin prickle and your heart race.

He slowed his pace down a notch, each step he took was thought of not avoid making any necessary sounds.

The eerie stillness wrapped around him like a dark shroud.

Suddenly, he froze. Ahead, a small clearing came into view, and with it, a group of hulking creatures.

[Corroded Tusked Wild Boars]

[Description:] Known for their incredible physical defence, these creatures have evolved to cover their weaknesses. Their tusks deal devastating damage.

Arthur's grip tightened on his weapon as he observed the boars, their massive tusks gleaming in the faint light filtering through the canopy. Each of them pawed at the ground, their bodies brimming with raw power.

'These wild boars could be trouble if I head in without a plan,' he thought. 'Even two of these boars could be dangerous if I'm not careful, and there are...'

He crouched low, counting under his breath. "One, two… three. Four," he finished, his gaze scanning the surroundings.

His eyes darted to the trees around him. 'If there's a hidden horde, I could get myself killed like an idiot for heading there without scanning the surroundings first.'n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Satisfied that the area was clear of any surprises that might prove to be unpredictable, he climbed a nearby tree.

He stood on a thick branch that seemed to be strong enough to hold his weight without making any suspicious noise.

The position offered him a clear view of the group of wild boars below.

From his vantage point, he planned his next moves.

Suddenly, Arthur facepalmed, the realization hitting him.

'Why haven't I thought of this before? I've been so used to doing everything myself...that I completely forgot I could summon him.'

A sly grin spread across his face as he accessed his summoning interface. The dark energy swirled around him briefly before Sunless materialized beside him on the branch.

The skeletal warrior stood silently, its hollow eye sockets fixed on Arthur as if awaiting his royal decree.

[Race:] Undead

[ID:] Sunless

[Level:] 5

[Talent:] Darkness (A)

[Health Points:] 120

[Mana Points:] 90

[Magical Damage:] 11

[Phyiscal Damage:] 9

[Damage Resistance:] 12

[Attributes:] Strength 11, Agility 6, Vitality 12, Intelligence 9

[Skills:] Rage (Epic)

[Attribute Points:] 0

[Skill Points:] 0

Arthur met its gaze with a smirk. "Sunless, you're up. I need you to go down there and fight."

The skeleton's head tilted slightly as it acknowledged the command.

Arthur's tone grew serious. "If you feel like you're in danger or that you might not make it, retreat immediately. Understand?"

Sunless gave a slow, understanding nod.

"Good," Arthur said, leaning back against the trunk of the tree. "Now go down there and show them what you've got."

Without hesitation, Sunless leapt from the branch, landing with a loud thud that drew the attention of the boars. The creatures snorted aggressively, their tusks glinting as they turned to face the intruder.

Arthur leaned forward, his heart pounding. "Alright, sunless, show me what you've got. You better not have been nerfed like crazy, otherwise, I am pissed,"

The largest of the boars wasted no time, barreling toward Sunless with an earth-shaking charge.

The ground trembled beneath its hooves, and Arthur gritted his teeth. "Here we go."

Sunless stood perfectly still, its bony fingers flexing in anticipation.

Just as the boar reached it, tusks aimed at its ribcage, Sunless sidestepped with a dancer's grace, spinning on his heel and slashing at the boar's flank. Its claws scraped against the thick hide, leaving a gash.

-15 HP

The boar screeched, skidding to a halt a few feet away, blood trickling down its side. Arthur smirked. "Nice one. Keep it up."

The other three boars, spurred on by the first one's attack, began to circle Sunless, their growls getting louder in frustration.

They moved as a unit, their eyes gleaming with some intelligence that surprised Arthur.

"This big one… is he their leader? It seems like he's giving them orders, they are some clever boars, too clever. If I'd rushed in thinking I could handle all four alone, I'd be on the run right now, with four wild boars chasing me,"

He exhaled sharply.

"I need to hit level five soon. Going without a single skill is like walking blindfolded through a minefield. But at least I've got Sunless here. He'll do the hard part, and I'll sit back and collect the rewards." A sly grin tugged at his lips.

"Work smarter, not harder, right Neko?"

The thought shifted as his eyes drifted to his right shoulder. Neko lounged there lazily, her expression that of indifference.

His lips twitched.

'Is this what it's like for her? Just coasting along while someone else does the fighting? She's got it easy.'