Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

"Extraction Completed! Skill: Ninefold Fortune (Mythical) has been extracted."

Seeing the notification, Arthur smiled to himself, a mixture of satisfaction and confidence lighting up his expression. "Alright, that's done," he muttered, dismissing the menu.

His eyes turned to his inventory, scanning through the items he had meticulously gathered in preparation. Among them, a healthy stock of healing potions and mana potions caught his attention. These were premium-grade potions he'd purchased at the alchemy shop in the village, their shimmering liquids stored neatly in durable glass vials.

Arthur took mental note of his supplies, nodding to himself. "This should be enough," he murmured.

Each potion was a lifeline, capable of pulling him back from the brink during dire moments. He knew better than to underestimate a challenge of this magnitude, and every preparation mattered.

Still, his thoughts lingered briefly on the cooldown for his summoning talent. He could have waited two more weeks—around fourteen days—and then summoned another Primordial Beast to bolster his roster. Another unstoppable ally to aid him in this trial. But he shook his head, dismissing the notion almost immediately.

"If I can't beat this without another Primordial Beast, and it only requires an A-rank talent, then I would be a fraud," he muttered under his breath, his tone laced with self-assured determination.

Arthur took a deep breath, centering himself. His hand hovered over the glowing notification. The crystal before him pulsed with a rhythmic light, as if it were alive and waiting for his decision.

[Would you like to enter?] [Yes | No]

Without further hesitation, Arthur pressed "Yes."

The world around him shifted instantly. The ground beneath his feet seemed to dissolve into a swirling vortex of light and shadow, disorienting him as the transition carried him to a new, surreal plane.

A kaleidoscope of colours and distorted shapes surrounded him before solidifying into a clear view. Arthur blinked as his eyes adjusted to the scene unfolding before him.

"Am I… floating?" he muttered, glancing around.

Indeed, he was suspended in the sky, with no ground beneath him. The sensation was surreal, as though he were weightless, caught in some ethereal plane. His arms and legs felt bound, unresponsive to his commands. It was as if he had been reduced to nothing more than a spectator, forced to observe what was about to unfold.

Looking down, Arthur immediately recognized the landscape.

"That's the mountain near the village!" he exclaimed, his voice echoing in the void around him.

The mountain stood prominently, its jagged peaks as intimidating as ever. Further away, his eyes caught sight of the village below—or what was left of it. Most of the buildings were in ruins, reduced to charred rubble and debris. A few structures remained standing, though barely, their walls cracked and roofs caved in. Smoke rose from the remnants, painting the horizon in ashen hues.

Arthur frowned, his thoughts racing. "What happened here? Is this… the future? A vision? Or something else entirely?"

Before he could process further, a sudden shift in the atmosphere drew his attention.

Two figures materialized out of thin air, appearing mid-battle near the base of the mountain. Arthur's eyes widened as he took in their forms.

One was a man clad in shining armour, though it was battered and dented in places, evidence of an intense and prolonged fight.

Despite its wear, the armour still caught the faint light, gleaming with an otherworldly radiance. In his hand, he held a massive sword, its blade etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly with power.

His stance was firm, and resolute, as though he were the embodiment of unyielding justice.

The other figure was a stark contrast. A towering demon loomed before the armoured warrior, its form shrouded red mist that writhed and curled like living shadows.

Horns jutted from its head, curving backwards, and its crimson eyes glowed with malevolent glee. The demon's voice was deep and guttural, laced with malice and mockery.

"You damn demon!" the knight spat, his voice strained but unwavering. "All you do is spread corruption in the land!"

The knight's grip tightened on his sword, the glow from its runes intensifying as if responding to his resolve.

The demon let out a low, sinister chuckle. "Hehe… spread corruption?" it mocked, its voice dripping with disdain. "I am merely purifying these lands from you humans. All you do is kill and kill. Your greed knows no bounds, your hunger for power insatiable."

It leaned forward, its massive claws tearing into the ground as it snarled, "It's time for everything to change."

The two combatants clashed violently. The knight lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with a blinding arc of light.

The demon met the attack head-on, raising its clawed hand to intercept the blow. Sparks erupted as steel met shadow, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the air.

Arthur watched, transfixed. Despite being unable to move, he felt the intensity of the battle as if he were standing in its midst. The energy radiating from their attacks crackled in the air, tingling against his skin.

The knight pressed forward, his strikes relentless and precise. "You've already taken too much from this world," he growled, his voice strained but determined. "I'll end this here!"

The demon sneered, deflecting the knight's blows with unnatural ease. "End this? You think you have the power to stop me, little knight?" It swiped its claws in a wide arc, forcing the knight to leap back. "Your time is over. The age of humans is at its end."

As the battle raged on, Arthur's mind reeled. "Who are they? And why does this feel so… real?"

The mountain seemed to tremble under the weight of their conflict, fissures spreading across the ground as their attacks grew fiercer. Arthur's gaze flickered between the two figures, searching for answers.

The knight's sword struck true, carving a deep gash into the demon's side. A howl of pain erupted from the creature, black mist seeping from the wound like blood.

But the demon only laughed, its voice echoing across the battlefield. "Is that all you've got? Pathetic. Let me show you true power!"

The demon raised its arms, and the black mist surrounding it exploded outward, engulfing the area in a suffocating shroud. The knight braced himself, his armor glowing brightly as he summoned a protective barrier.

Arthur's heart raced as he observed the chaos. "This is a memory," he realized suddenly. "This happened before. But when? And why am I seeing this now?"

The scene began to blur, the figures fading into the swirling mist. Arthur's voice caught in his throat as he tried to call out, to demand answers, but his words were swallowed by the void.

Then, the mist cleared, revealing a new and even more chaotic scene.

The battlefield had shifted dramatically. Both combatants were grievously injured, their once-formidable appearances now ravaged by the intensity of their battle.

The demon, towering and monstrous, was missing both of its jagged horns and an entire leg. Black mist seeped from its wounds, swirling around it like a shroud as it struggled to maintain its balance. Its crimson eyes burned with fury, but its movements were slower, more labored.

On the other side stood the knight—if he could even still be called that. His armor was shattered, barely clinging to his battered form. One arm hung bloodied and limp holding a sword, while the other was gone entirely, leaving him a one-armed swordsman. Yet, despite the odds, the knight stood tall, his sword still clutched tightly in his remaining hand.

"This is the end!" the knight roared, his voice echoing with unshakable resolve.

With a final burst of strength, the two warriors surged toward each other, their figures blurs of motion as they clashed once more.

The collision was brutal. The air trembled with the force of their strikes, the sound of steel against shadow reverberating like thunder. Arthur could only watch, frozen in place, as the decisive moment played out before him.

When the dust settled, the outcome was clear.

The knight had lost the clash. His sword fell from his grip as he stumbled backward, the last of his strength leaving him. Blood poured from the fresh wound where his remaining arm had been severed. He crumpled to his knees, defenseless and spent.

The demon stood victorious, though it, too, had paid a heavy price. Embedded deep in its abdomen was the knight's sword, its runes glowing faintly with residual power. Black mist poured from the wound, and the demon's movements were sluggish and uneven.

"Hahaha! I have won!" the demon bellowed, its laughter shaking the battlefield. It loomed over the fallen knight, its jagged teeth bared in a triumphant grin.

But the knight… smiled.

"You demons really are fools," the knight said, his voice calm and steady despite his injuries.

The demon's laughter faltered, its grin replaced by a confused frown. "What are you talking about, human?" it growled.

Then, it noticed the sword. It tried to pull it free, its massive claws gripping the hilt and yanking with all its might. But the sword refused to budge. The runes etched into the blade began to glow brighter, their light seeping into the demon's flesh.

"What did you do to me?" the demon roared, panic creeping into its voice as it pulled harder, to no avail.

The knight coughed, blood staining his lips, but his smile remained unwavering. "You finally noticed? That sword isn't just a weapon—it's a seal. I knew I couldn't beat you with my strength alone. So I sacrificed my arm… and most of my lifespan… to bind you."