The Inaugural Summon

Author's Note: Your overwhelming support yesterday has inspired me! As a token of my appreciation, this chapter will be significantly longer(1800 words). Enjoy the read!

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Roxana, now imbued with newfound powers and a form that transcended her wildest imaginations, stood on the precipice of her next great adventure.

Yet, before embarking on a journey to an altar that promised passage to another world, she understood the necessity of testing her enhanced abilities. The underworld, a realm brimming with perils and untold secrets, offered the perfect crucible for her initiation.

Before her transformation, Roxana had known fear and evasion as constant companions in the treacherous underworld.

Among the myriad threats that lurked in its shadows, there was one she had always avoided: the formidable bone-jawed wolf, a top low-rank predator whose howl alone could chill the blood of the unwary.

It was a beast she had once fled from, its ferocious maw and relentless pursuit etched into her memories as a stark reminder of her limitations. But now, reborn with powers that surpassed her previous form, Roxana sought out this very beast, not just as a test of her newfound strength but as a rite of passage, a closing chapter to her old self's fears.

Roxana set forth into the abyssal woods, her heart a drum of war and ambition. The wolf, with its imposing stature and eyes like burning coals, prowled the depths of this dense forest, acting as a guardian of its domain.

The forest was a labyrinth of gnarled trees and thick mists, where light itself seemed to fear to tread. Yet, Roxana moved with an elegance and confidence that belied her youthful appearance.

Her eyes, now a mesmerizing amber, pierced through the darkness, guided by the Soul Peer ability that allowed her to trace the wolf's soul residues. The Demon Blood coursing through her veins thrummed with excitement, anticipating the clash of powers.

As she ventured deeper, the environment played to her advantage. Her Basic Illusion Magic enabled her to blend seamlessly into her surroundings, a ghost among the shadows. Every step was calculated, every breath a silent whisper against the chorus of the night.

Then, there it was—the wolf, its fur a tapestry of the abyss, eyes glowing with a malevolent light.

Roxana approached, her steps silent yet filled with purpose. Gone was the hesitation, replaced by a burning desire to confront her past head-on.

Through its advanced hearing and sense of smell, the wolf was alerted as she approached, its ears perking up in alarm. But this time, Roxana did not hesitate.

She engaged it directly, her movements a blur of speed and precision that her previous form could never have achieved. The wolf, taken aback by the sudden assault, barely had time to react.

Roxana's enhanced strength and agility, gifts from her arduous transformation, made short work of the predator. It was a swift victory, a testament to her evolution.

However, the wolf's demise did not go unnoticed. Its pack, hidden amongst the trees, was quick to respond, their howls piercing the silence of the forest as they converged on Roxana's position.

Eight formidable wolves emerged, their intent clear in their snarls and bared teeth. Roxana, standing amidst the clearing, felt a surge of adrenaline. Here was the challenge she sought, not just a single beast but a confrontation that would truly test her limits.

With a calmness born from confidence in her abilities, Roxana tapped into her Illusion Magic. She cast Environmental Camouflage, blending into the surroundings momentarily before unleashing a barrage of Simple Visual Deceptions.

Multiple images of Roxana appeared, disorienting the pack as they struggled to identify their real target.

Utilizing Emotional Manipulation, she sowed confusion and fear among the wolves, their pack instincts faltering under the unseen assault on their senses. The wolves, though formidable as a unit, found themselves fragmented, each reacting to threats that were mere illusions.

Roxana then picked them off one by one, her movements a dance of death. Her dagger found its mark time and again, the thrill of the hunt pulsing through her veins. The pack, though valiant in their effort, fell before Roxana's onslaught, their numbers dwindling rapidly.

As the last of the pack lay defeated, Roxana surveyed the scene, a mix of exhilaration and solemnity in her heart. This victory was more than just a testament to her physical prowess; it was a declaration of her mastery over her new abilities and her readiness to face greater challenges.

Standing amidst the quiet forest, surrounded by the fallen, Roxana felt a sense of closure.

She had faced her past, not just survived but triumphed. With her powers tested and affirmed, she knew she was ready to approach the altar, to step through into another realm, and to embrace whatever destiny awaited her.

This battle had been the final confirmation of her readiness, the last trial before her journey to new worlds.

Having defeated the wolf pack easily whose level theoretically matched hers, Roxana's next objective was clear: locate the ancient altar she had learned about.

She knew of its existence, but its location remained a mystery, shrouded in the shadows of the abyss. While mastering new body movements, she searched the abyss for the next few days in an attempt to locate this altar, but her quest was fruitless.

Roxana's quest for the ancient altar reached a pivotal moment purely by chance. While traversing the shadowy corridors of the underworld, she stumbled upon a gathering of top low-rank demons, lost in their careless banter.

Concealed by the darkness, she listened as they spoke of a cavern, its walls etched with runes, nestled within a desolate forest where life dared not tread.

This sacred site, they claimed amidst their revels, was the home of the altar, a bastion of ancient magic and gateways, known only to a privileged few. Their unwitting revelations provided Roxana with the final piece of the puzzle, guiding her steps towards the hidden power that lay in wait.

With the elusive location now within her grasp, Roxana advanced toward the desolate forest, a realm where life seemed to succumb to an eternal shadow. As she approached the cavern, her stealth, afforded by Illusion Magic, allowed her to meld into the gloom, rendering her presence undetectable. She positioned herself to overlook the cavern's entrance, her gaze fixated on the ancient altar within, where the fabric of reality appeared thinnest.

There, Roxana's attention was captivated by the sight of two demons stationed solemnly near the altar, their figures shrouded in the cavern's dim light. Unlike the others she had encountered, these demons were not fighting each other for their souls.

It appeared that not all low-ranking demons attacked each other, in contrast to the behavior observed between low and middle order low-ranking demons.

Gradually, the atmosphere within the cavern shifted as the ancient altar at its heart began to pulsate with a mysterious, otherworldly glow, casting eerie shadows across the rough stone walls. 

This luminescence, ethereal and enigmatic, served as a beacon, signaling the commencement of an arcane ritual. Mysteriously, blood began to pool and spread across the altar's surface, accompanied by the sudden manifestation of two lifeless bodies. These appeared as if conjured from the ether, lain out as a macabre offering to the shadowy figures standing vigil.

The air was charged with anticipation as the previously motionless demons suddenly burst into action, each vying to be the first to snatch a soul from its corporeal vessel. It appeared they were competing to see who could reach their goal first. A fierce battle ensued, a stark contrast to the solemnity that had preceded it. Claw clashed against claw in a dance of death, each fighter vying for supremacy. Eventually, one demon emerged victorious, its opponent vanquished. 

Roxana surmised that perhaps only one demon could utilize the altar at any given time, or it might be that the demons were unwilling to share it. Additionally, she pondered the reason behind the presence of only two demons when there was just a single altar in the upper abyss.

She theorized that perhaps multiple altars existed but were so far-flung that locating each could potentially take centuries. This led her to conclude that maybe high order demons might keep the locations of these altars secret to minimize competition. Therefore, only demons who had previously used an altar, stumbled upon one by chance, or had somehow extracted this information were privy to the locations of these sacred sites.

With a triumphant roar, the victor demon leaped onto the altar, now drenched in blood and draped with the tokens of sacrifice. As it touched the altar, the light intensified, swirling around the victor in a vortex of energy. In an instant, the victorious demon was enveloped in this radiant maelstrom, and with a final flash of blinding light, it vanished. The altar's glow dimmed, leaving behind a silence.

The offerings—blood and bodies—were clearly a summoning rite, a call to service that the demons could not ignore. This understanding of the altar's function, as both a beacon and a bridge, offered Roxana new insights into the underworld's complexities and the power dynamics at play.

Roxana, poised near the altar, sensed the imminent arrival of a significant offering. Her intuition proved correct when, after a long wait, an extraordinary summoning unfolded before her.

The altar vibrated with a potent energy, heralded by the appearance of five lifeless forms, their essence rich and alluring. Not far from her, a few rival demons, lured by the same potent scent, emerged from the shadows. Yet, Roxana's reflexes were quicker; with a swift and decisive blow, she eliminated the threat and leapt onto the altar.

Engulfed by the swirling mists of the Gate of the Abyss, Roxana found herself enveloped in an enigmatic tranquility, surrounded by an omnipresent darkness. A solitary beam of light, her guide through this void, beckoned from above.

As she ascended, her form shimmered, becoming a luminous entity darting towards the light.

Emerging into a world bathed in blinding luminescence, Roxana's senses were immediately assailed by the clamor of human voices, their tones fluctuating between disbelief and desperation.

"Has it worked? Did we actually summon a demon?"

"Look, there it is! But...why does this demon appear to be a young girl?"

"No time for questions. Let's plead with her, quickly!"

Turning to face Roxana, a couple, intertwined by hope and fear, addressed her with an awkward mixture of reverence and urgency.

"Please, humble demon, we beseech you," the husband began, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and hesitance. "Our son, Muzan, he's gravely ill. We're prepared to offer anything, everything, for his wellbeing. Can you grant us this wish?"

His wife, equally hopeful yet apprehensive, added, "Yes, anything at all. Our fates are in your hands."