"Here you are, Sir Bolt.*
"Thank you, I would also like to accept this request."
"Sure, after this quest you are eligible to take the rank up test for a rank up test."
"I'll do my best."
I said as I left the guild and got outside the city to accomplish the task at hand.
As I got out I did my tasks which were herb gathering and monster hunting. And as I finished those quests I entered a cave which was an abandoned mine.
This place is actually abundant with mining area but somehow it is advised to not mine the surrounding area of this city including even the borders of this land.
And the reason for that is because no one can mine many ores. This resulted in the inspectors of the place having a bad reputation. And it was only later it was revealed that the inspectors were telling the truth. It is just that the resources are being used by the eight towers.
And as people raided the towers the less and less it was for many people to find those resources. They gave up mining and resulted in having dungeons popping out. But not all of them became one for some became den for monsters. Which is technically the same thing but different effects.
There are many speculations on how these are happening but one of the most plausible one is that the whole mountain ranges surrounding the city arena have their rich resources being used for the eight towers to resupply their loots for the challengers.
Hearing this theory mining was stopped although it was only a verbal agreement so few people sometimes came here to mine.
And now I am one of them. I wouldn't be doing these if not for the resources I need for my business. And I don't want him eating all my supplies of resources.
[Heed my call, summon.]
As I said the incantation Titan was then summoned.
And the reason for this is that he can find resources fast. So fast that I had to stop him from eating the whole mansion at home.
"Well then Titan let's go mining."
"Kuu!"
When I said so he replied.
"Well then let's go mining."
As we started we found some monsters along the way ranging from weak F-rank monsters to upper E-ranks but even so as we got deeper Titan would occasionally find some ores and surprisingly we had a huge haul.
But things didn't always go as planned as we collected this many a group of goblins came out from every direction for the cave.
"Oh sho*t, this isn't good."
Although I can defeat them, their number is too many. What is going on?
I'm pretty sure that there weren't any monsters along the way, even the place we've been through. But now there are monsters at every corner how?
Without even a time to think of a countermeasure against them they attack like mad men. And so we fought back.
Taking out my sword I sliced them and they were scared but a command from the back came from their leader.
"Guh ka!"
Surprisingly I can't detect him, so the reason for this situation must be because their leader can use a stealth to his minions
As they continued to attack I thought of using my domain but it is better to get closer to their leader. I don't want to use all of my mana with the number of monsters.
Then more than 30 have been killed by me and Titan, thinking it wasn't going the way it wanted. The leader commanded new goblins to attack and those were hobgoblins, a higher form of goblins.
And there were at least five of them and sensing from their auras they should be D-ranked borderline C monsters.
The fight got even harder that I thought of releasing a bigger attack. But this place is a cave. It would be dangerous to do so.
Plus I don't know anything about their leader so it would be even more dangerous if it got away if we plan to continue mining.
But then Titan nudged me thinking it might be good because of the situation. I listened and used his straps to carry him again like a shield.
As I did so his shell popped out some blades or more like transformed seeing these I understand what he meant.
So charging him with mana his baldes shined and I threw him to the monsters and before we knew it they were running for their lives as most of them died including those hobgoblins.
But I didn't stay idle and charged forth the supposed location of the leader and used the domain.
As I attacked I saw the appearance of the monster. It was a goblin shaman, a C-rank monster.
Was somehow stopped by a few seconds with his stick which later noticed was made from a great material since it only flew off without much damage.
The goblin shaman then was cut to half.
"Haa, huu, haa."
I was catching my breath only to let my guard down as the goblin shaman somehow finished his spell and then hit me with it.
What was that but I noticed that nothing happened to me so I dismissed it but later was forced to experience something unexpected.
'He's not going to last long.'
'Why struggle just die already.'
'To think w thought he was the next coming of the hero.'
'What failure.'
"No, no. Nooo!!!"
The sensation, the pain, the words and the feelings was something I shouldn't have experienced came without notice. It feels like reality. I yelled so hard that the next thing I knew I was I black out.
~~~~~~~
I woke up and looked around then Titan nudged his head to me.
"I'm okay."
I comforted him saying I'm okay, but deep inside I'm not, and from the looks of it he also knows. But still I forced myself to get up and move.
What I had experienced just now, was definitely illusion magic from the dark element. I guess my will power was weak for it to affect me like that, or what happened to Dustin really something that put a scar on his heart and affecting me.
I don't know but having this weakness is a dangerous thing. Good thing I noticed it early on. But knowing and overcoming it is different so I need to find a way to overcome this.
Seeing that it is nearly night I decided to go back to the city early.
And if you're asking if we had clocks we do. Although it was pocket watches, as for the wrist watches I am still trying to make it.
I could have done it earlier. It's just that I got busy and somehow I don't see the need to make it. But it would surely be a good money making idea.
But before I could go back I saw Titan not moving at his place thinking so I unsummoned him. But he absorbs the mana from the spell like before.
That's weird he doesn't do this anymore ever since after our battle against that chimera I wonder why he is doing this?
"Kuu!"
Answering my thoughts, he dug a hole in the cave and stayed there. And with that action made me understand he wants to stay here.
"Hmm? So you want to stay here?"
"Kuu"
He answered my inquiry.
"Okay then let's make this your new summoning zone."
"Kuu"
"Okay then let's start."
As we agreed we made the place as his summoning zone.
This is not something new to summoned beasts. Originally summoned monsters are beings that are from a different plane of the world kinda like a parallel world but more of a subspace of this world.
There are more than one subspace and it is quite rare to find one. Even though we can summon, summoned beasts from these subspace it is difficult for us to go there.
Since the place is more like an imaginary place created by laws of the world. Although there are many theories of going to the place since the summoned beasts can exist here in our world it is not entirely proven yet not to the public at least.
But here comes the crucial part that place it is said to have a fierce competition and that the place is very small or that the creatures there are too many.
So there are instances that beasts there tend to stay in this world more often than there to find a place to strengthen themselves and gain their own territory.
Leading to having monsters of that place migrated to this place through breeding or to cutting their connection to that world with a summoning zone.
So Titan might have liked to stay in this world more often than there. But after our fight against that chimera he might have had a change of heart and fought back. And now I guess he finds this place pleasing for his growth.
Now then I placed my hands on his head and said the incantation.
[The passage of worlds be open, let this be our medium of connection, zone creation.]
After that the place became his personal space which I could also use. There are many benefits from this. One being able for the both of us to teleport to this place at will and preventing intruders inside.
Although it would be a one way ticket if the both of us are inside. So it is best to have at least one of us to act as a node to teleport back and forth. If not we would have to walk our way out, not to mention the mana it eats is so huge.
A lot of people tried to do this but a lot of requirements are needed for it to be applicable. One being the location to be rich in mana like this place, the place should also have no signs of monsters stronger than your summoned beast at the area of said zone. And the place should be to the liking of the summoned beast.
Ones that are completed you are good to go. But most people can't complete these requests being most rich lands are owned by the rich and powerful, while there are monsters who are strong living there.
And from the looks of it that goblin shaman was the strongest monster here. Since there are no stronger monsters than Titan in this cave making this place his entirely.