Awakening: I Became a Legendary Spirit Summoner-Chapter 14 - : The Mountain of Death

[You have entered the Mountain of Death.]

The [Mountain of Death] was a desolate, hostile place.

The ground was rough and cracked, with jagged rocks scattered across the terrain.

A thick gray mist covered everything, making it hard to see far ahead.

The air was cold and still, with an unnatural silence that pressed on Karl's senses.

"The monsters here should be stronger."

He looked up.

The top of the mountain was his goal.

Once an awakener reaches level 10 and climbed to the top of the mountain, they would be able to challenge the boss.

Everyone had to defeat the boss alone to prove that they learned all the basics.

Those who couldn't would be stuck here.

The [Mountain of Death] was at the very center of the trial, meaning that the [Living Forest] surrounded it.

"Hm... there should be about 6 to 10 people in here," Karl estimated.

He had to be cautious of anybody now.

After all, a human had killed him, meaning that his murderers would probably be surprised to see him back alive.

If they did, they would try to kill him a second time.

He feared dying again and finding himself in the [World of Spirits] with an ever harder trial.

But regardless of that, if he found them first, he would get rid of them instantly with his spirits.

He wouldn't allow people like them to roam free.

Advancing forward with his spirits, Karl stayed on guard.

But before long, the ground trembled faintly, and two groups of monsters emerged from the mist.

Suddenly, two groups of monsters emerged from the mist.

One was a pack of [Level 8 Shadow Hounds].

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Their glowing red eyes pierced through the fog as they snarled and circled.

The other was a trio of [Level 9 Rock Golems].

Each stood nearly twice Karl's height, with rocky bodies that seemed impervious to damage.

"Spread out!" Karl commanded his spirits.

The battle began.

The [Shadow Hounds] lunged first, their speed overwhelming.

But the [Giant Nature Fox] intercepted them, slashing at one with its claws.

A [Rock Golem] swung its massive arm, attempting to smash his spirits, but they simply moved in opposite directions.

'They're disrupting the formation,' Karl gritted his teeth.

"Spectral Blade!"

A glowing blade formed in his hand, and he dashed toward the nearest hound, slicing through it with precision.

[You have slain level 8 Shadow Hound]

His [Spectral Blade] was still capable of one-shotting these things.

It was good to know.

The [Thorned Vine Beast] on the other hand used [Entangling Roots], slowing down the hounds and pinning one in place.

The [Alpha Dire Wolf] roared, intimidating some of the hounds and forcing them to back away momentarily.

But the hounds were relentless, and the [Giant Nature Fox] was overwhelmed.

A sharp yelp echoed as the fox fell, fading into particles.

"Dammit!" Karl hissed.

The [Green Snake] tried to coil around a golem, but it was too strong.

A single punch from the rocky monster shattered the snake, ending its fight.

Karl clenched his fists.

"Everyone focus! Take them down, one at a time!"

The remaining summons regrouped.

The [Small Whip Tree] lashed at a hound, taking it down with a decisive strike.

The [Demonized Bear] charged into a golem, slamming it back and creating an opening.

Karl infused his [Spectral Blade] with energy and leapt at the weakened golem.

With a powerful slash, he struck its core, shattering it into pieces.

The battle dragged on, but with coordination and effort, Karl and his spirits finally wiped out the monsters.

Breathing heavily, he surveyed the battlefield.

Two of his spirits were gone, but the rest stood strong.

He tightened his grip on the fading blade.

[3/10 Strikes left.]

[Your proficiency with "Spectral Blade" has increased by 4%]

He grabbed the spirits of the monsters.

[You have taken the Shadow Hounds' Spirits (8)]

[You have taken the Rock Golems' Spirits (3)]

"I should be getting more types of spirits from these," Karl muttered, glancing over his summons.

Each one was distinct.

Their forms, abilities, and even their names were different, making them feel more unique than he'd expected.

It was strange to think that no two spirits were exactly alike.

Lost in thought, Karl suddenly snapped back to reality.

And once he did, he noticed that every single summon was staring at him.

Their crimson eyes glowed eerily, unblinking, fixed on him as if waiting.

'Don't look at me like that,' he thought, recalling the [Evil Spirits] from the [World of Spirits].

The thought barely formed in this head before all but the [Frenzied Rabbit] averted their gazes, as if responding to his unease.

Karl tested a theory.

'Jump.'

As one, they all leapt, their movements perfectly synchronized.

A grin spread across his face.

"I can control them with my mind," Karl said, satisfied, "That's good to know."

With renewed confidence, Karl tightened his grip on the [Spectral Blade] and pressed forward.

The next encounters were straightforward.

He came across two new monster types: [Stonefang Boars] and [Ironhide Apes], both formidable level 9 threats.

The [Stonefang Boars] charged with brutal speed, their jagged tusks capable of tearing through armor.

While the [Ironhide Apes] used their immense strength and near-impenetrable hides to withstand attacks.

At first, the battles were chaotic, but Karl quickly studied their attack patterns.

With calculated commands and precise use of his spirits, he turned the tide.

Each fight became smoother, his spirits working like extensions of himself to bring the beasts down efficiently.

By the time the dust settled, Karl felt more in control than ever.

He'd leveled up once again.

And, as expected, he had gathered enough spirits to [Link] twice, adding two new summons to his roster:

[Shadow Golem]

[Stonefang Ape]

Both were fusions of the monsters he'd already encountered, meaning they were incredibly powerful.

"I think it's safe to say I've completed the Novice Trial," Karl muttered, surveying his summons.

He still needed to level up further, but at this point, he was confident he could handle anything, even the level 10 boss.

The real challenge would be not losing too many of his summons.

The cost to obtain them was growing.

It took 40 spirits now, and the process was becoming more taxing with each new summon.

Karl was about to continue his journey, focused on leveling up, when suddenly—

Boom!

An explosion echoed in the distance.

"What the...?" Karl muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Another human?"

He had expected to run into others eventually, but actually hearing one was unsettling.

Still, he shrugged it off.

'I'll just keep moving,' he thought. 'They're probably fighting monsters.'

But then—

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three more explosions followed, shaking the ground.

"Alright, I'll go check it out."

Karl's curiosity got the better of him.

He quickly changed direction, moving toward the source of the explosions.