Summoning Gate.

"A summoning gate? I don't recall buying one."

He looked up at the gate. It had a plain and yet intricate frame design that made it appear elegant.

[ Answer, the summoning gate before you is exclusive to Dungeon Lords with megastructure dungeons. It is a bonus item and can only summon Common-grade servants, with the occasional chance of summoning an Uncommon-grade servant. ]

Shinʼs gaze touched the ground. "Hmm," he rubbed his chin, "I see."

[ When you successfully summon a servant, you have the option to establish a contract or not. If you choose not to form a pact, the servant becomes a citizen of your dungeon. However, if you decide to make a pact, the servant will evolve alongside your own evolution. ]

[ Question, would you like to perform a summon? ]

"Sure."

Shin's gaze remained fixed on the structure in front of him.

Instead of opting for a more efficient summoning method, he decided to conduct a preliminary test.

[ Command received, initiating summoning... ]

Suddenly, a spatial distortion occurred within the hollow section of the elegantly designed frame. A transparent spatial layer materialized, and as anticipated, a figure emerged.

"Hm?" Shin uttered.

He wasnʼt expecting anything impressive.

However, the individual who had crossed into the four corners of his dungeon was what one would classify as— unexpected.

It was petite girl with pale skin, red eyes, and long, dark hair. Clad in a worn black dress, she glanced nervously around, her slender legs trembling with anxiety.

[ Congratulations, you have successfully summoned a Common-grade servant! ]

He studied the girl with a stoic expression.

The girl appeared as fragile as a porcelain doll, her eyes constantly scanning her surroundings as if searching for an escape route.

"Uh, uhhh, uh..."

Every now and then, her gaze would find its way to Shin's, and panic would ripple across her young features. It was an innocent shyness that made her seem like a startled animal, always ready to dart away at the slightest hint of danger.

A moment passed, and the little girl gathered her courage.

Like a tiny bolt of lightning, she dashed towards the Summoning Gate, maybe hoping to escape.

But that was pointless...

BAM!!

She ran into the transparent spatial barrier which proved to be impenetrable. It delivering a painful blow to her delicate face.

She retreated in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I... It hurts..."

Her hands cleaned the small balls of tears that pried out of her eyes.

Once a servant made their way across the gate, there was no chance of turning back. It worked like opposite sides of a card— it acted as a petal on entry but turned to a barrier upon attempts to exit.

Turning to face Shin once more, her expression turned to fear and vulnerability. Her tiny frame quivered as she retreated, hiding behind the shelter of the Summoning Gate.

"Jeez..."

Shin only said this for one reason.

The gate possessed a hollow section, granting him a clear view of the young girl's every move. So, there was no point in hiding behind it.

Shin let out a soft sigh, his fingers absentmindedly stroking his chin as he pondered the situation.

His gaze drifting towards the ceiling, lost in deep thought.

'Why did I get a child...?'

[ Answer, the selection made by the gate is random and is selected from the ages of 0 to infinity. As such, the acquisition of a child as a servant is not uncommon. ]

'So it's random, I don't get to make an selections and there aren't any requirements besides me deciding when the summoning begins.'

[ 1,000 DP has been deducted from your account. ]

[ Your current DP is 121,450. ]

'Hmm, well that was sudden. Why though?'

[ Fair Transaction Scaling. ]

[ For the case of servants, a fair transaction is achieved by charging Dungeon Points only after the servant emerges from the Summoning Gate. This ensures that the Dungeon Lord does not pay a high price for a subpar servant. The evaluation of the servant takes place only after summoning, where their cost in Dungeon Points is scaled based on their likely worth to the Dungeon Lord. Only then is the deduction made, ensuring a balanced and equitable exchange. ]

'Okay.'

Unlike gacha which used a random purchase system for in-game items, here there was a fair transaction scaling that would allow Shin to get his moneyʼs worth.

"Hm?" he murmured aloud.

Just as he began to contemplate the girl's origins and the nature of her appearance, his attention snapped back to her.

With cautious curiosity, the little girl peered out from behind the gate just to take a look at Shin.

However, he caught sight of her and their eyes met.

"Eeeeeek!!" she uttered.

She hastily withdrew into the safety of her hiding place.

After an exasperated sigh, Shin slowly approached the spot where the girl concealed herself. The sound of his footsteps echoed gently in the dungeon.

Her heart pounded faster the closer he got.

Then, he stood before her. His height was well above hers, as such, his shadow easily eclipsed her.

The little girl got even more scared, a whimpering noise leaving her trembling lips.

"Alright," said Shin.

Crouching down to her level, he allowed his gaze to meet hers once again. Then he used his 『Status Vision』.

|| S T A T U S ||

Basic Information]

   - Name: N/A

   - Race: Demon

   - Grade: Common (potential to reach Epic)

   - Servant-type: Progessive

   - Level: 1

   - HP: 290/290

   - MP: 120/120

   - EXP: 0/50

Stats]

   - Strength: 5

- Dexterity: 8

   - Agility: 8

   - Intelligence: 10

   - Vitality: 7

Magic Skills]

   - N/A

Extra Skills]

    - Superintendent (Locked)

|| C L O S E ||

After giving the little girlʼs status overview a quick scan, Shin sighed again as he gently closed his eyes as if in deep thought.

'If it's a brief summary, she's useless...'

He took another look at her.

'But of course, there's always more. What are her strong points?'

[ The individual is from the demon race. They possesses a wide range of innate skills, including regeneration and a large mana capacity.

[ The individualʼs servant-type is "Progressive", which is one of the four types of servants. ]

[ The other types include Conservative servants, who maintain their peak form without improvement, Regressive servants, who slowly lose their edge over time, and Proliferative servants, who start at a good level and have room for improvement. As a Progressive servant, the individual starts from their weakest stage and has the potential to evolve to their peak or prime, Epic-grade. In special cases, they can even break through their limits. ]

Slowly, Shin rubbed his chin as he continued to look at the girl.

By this time she was trembling and her cheeks were red, the unwavering stare of Shin was enough to incapacitate her. She was too scared to move.

'And her skill, Superintendent...'

Shin appraised it himself.

According to what he'd read, the extra skill [Superintendent] made the individual excel in organizing supplies, equipment, or a party's inventory during adventuring. Their exceptional organizational skills maximized space and improve efficiency, ensuring that everything was readily accessible when needed.

"Useful."

The moment the girl heard Shin speak without warning, she staggered a bit out of fear.

"Alright, I can manage this," Shin said. "Now, the contract..."

[ In order to establish a master-servant contract, all you simply have to do, is to make physical contact with the desired servant and name them. ]

'That doesn't seem too hard.'

After swiftly rising to his feet, Shin shoved his hands into his pockets.

Observing the timid little girl before him, he reached out instinctively to initiate the contract, but she recoiled and attempted to flee.

"D... DON'T HURT ME, SIR!"

Calmly, Shin seized her by the end of her hair, exerting just enough pressure to halt her desperate escape.

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes as she pleaded even more.

"Please... please don't hurt me," she cried out.

Still, Shin maintained his stoic composure, his grip unyielding as he watched her futile struggles. "This feels so wrong," he mumbled softly to himself.

Several minutes passed,

The girl's resistance waning as her strength dwindled. Sensing her exhaustion, Shin released his grasp on her hair, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her. The little girl, now on her knees with her trembling buttocks on the ground, squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away, expecting further pain.

Fear gripped her tightly as she pleaded, "Please... don't hurt me."

Shin's expression softened, a trace of exhaustion crossing his face. He extended his hand toward her, his touch gentle as he caressed her head with care.

The girl's eyes fluttered open, her breath hitching slightly at the unexpected gentleness of his touch.

Resting a finger on his chin, Shin furrowed his brow in contemplation.

"What should I call you?" he mused aloud.

His gaze was focused on the distance before him.

When it came to names, Shin wasn't exactly the best at it. Most of the time he was plain— that much was clear from his avatar, he'd chosen to go for an exact copy of his actual appearance, the only difference was that Shinʼs game avatar had white hair.

After a moment of thought, he spoke. "Your name shall be Malina."

Shinʼs voice was flat, but in the ears of the newly named demon, Malina, it sound warm and comforting.

At that very moment, a radiant golden light enveloped the girl, accompanied by the appearance of a translucent blue screen floating before Shin.

[ Your servant has gained 100 EXP! ]

[ Your servant has leveled up! ]

[ Your servant has gained 2 stat points! ]

[ Your servant has gained 2 skill points! ]

[ Your servant has acquired the magic skill "Lightning Shot"! ]

[ Your servant has acquired the magic skill "Dark Bullet"! ]

Malina lifted her gaze to meet Shin's. Her small hands trembled slightly with an unfamiliar sensation coursing through her. "I... I feel different," she stammered. Uncertain, she glanced down at her hands, suddenly aware of the changes that had occurred within her.

"That's because I gave you a name," Shin informed the little girl.

"A name...?" Malina repeated.

"Yes, Malina," Shin confirmed without hesitation.

The mention of her name changed her. Malina's cheeks flushed a warm shade of red as she recognized the significance of her newly bestowed name. She instinctively placed her hands on her chest, overcome by a wave of emotion. "Malina... I like it," she whispered.

She didn't need to verbally convey her gratitude. Her expression was truly enough.

Shin turned, preparing to leave the empty room within the depths of the dungeon. His purposeful steps echoed.

However, before he could disappear completely, Malina lowered her head in a humble bow, mustering the courage to utter her gratitude. "T... Thank you... so much," she managed to utter.

Her voice was timid but at the same time sincere.

In turn, Shin responded with a nonchalant nod. "Sure," he replied, not even bothering to glance back at her. "Come on, let's go."

Caught off guard by his abrupt departure, Malina's words stumbled out in a flurry of stutters. "Uh... uh... Mister...?" she called out.

Shin halted in his tracks, turning to face her with mild curiosity. "Huh?"

Barely audible, Malina tentatively voiced her request. "Could... could I know your name?" she asked.

Shin's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh, it's Shin," he replied, this time looking at her.

A gentle smile tugged at the corners of Malina's lips as she whispered softly to herself. "Lord Shin... that sounds wonderful," she said.