Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

On his way to the area where the silver serpent resided, Arthur glanced at the quest once more.

[Ding! You have triggered the A-Level hidden village #420 quest: Help John Kill the silver serpent that killed his young daughter. Quest duration: Four days. Reward: Rare Skill book & 5 Gold Coins. Failure: You will lose -50 reputation points in the village, and most villagers will despise you.

Arthur moved through the dense forest swiftly but cautiously, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of the Silver Serpent. His dagger rested in his hand.

Hank flew above, serving his role of being a good scout.

"If I can kill the Silver Serpent today, I can auction the rare skill book alongside the rare item if it's not helpful to me," he muttered under his breath, a wide grin on his face. "That should drive the prices up like crazy."

Hank shrieked softly from above, signalling Arthur to pause. Arthur slowed his steps, his keen ears picking up the faint rustling of nearby creatures.

"Another pack of low-level beasts, huh?" Arthur sighed, spotting a group of Corroded Rabbits. They moved erratically, their red eyes glowing.

Without hesitation, he commanded Borak.

"Borak, clear them out. Make it quick," Arthur commanded, his tone casual.

Borak snorted and charged forward, his tusks tearing through the rabbits. Arthur watched as the boar dispatched the creatures with brutal efficiency, their health bars depleting one by one.

-10HP

[You have slain a Corroded Rabbit (Level 2).]

[You have slain a Corroded Rabbit (Level 3).]

Arthur bent down to collect the dropped items which were of uncommon grade. "At least these drops are good for selling," he muttered, tossing them into his inventory.

Moving deeper into the forest, he encountered more scattered mobs—Corroded Beetles and Tusked Wild Boars.

Arthur dispatched the beetles swiftly.

"Borak, add these Wild Boars to your hare- I mean hord" He paused mid-sentence, just in case the two Wild Boars were male.

'I don't want to make him upset, he has been very good so far,' Arthur thought as he watched Borak immediately get into action.

'There is no hesitation in his action... yeah they are females.' Arthur nodded in understanding

-20HP

[You have slain a Corroded Beetle (Level 3).]

Arthur's steps slowed further as he approached a clearing.

The dense forest gave way to a more open area, the trees thinning out to reveal a levelled spot of land.

His eyes immediately landed on the mouth of a dark cave nestled against a rocky hillside. The entrance seemed normal, like any other cave entrance.

"There it is..." Arthur muttered, his voice barely audible. His grip on the dagger tightened instinctively as his gaze darted around.

The lack of sound in the area made him more nervous. There were no monsters, no rustling leaves—just an oppressive silence.

He crouched low, careful to keep his movements as quiet as possible. "If this is where the Silver Serpent resides, no wonder the area is cleared of mobs," he thought bitterly. "That damn snake is probably gorging itself on every monster nearby. It's costing me loot and coins."

Clicking his tongue in frustration, he glanced at the cave again. "Alright, let's do this smartly. No loud noises, no careless movements."

Arthur unsummoned Borak with a flick of his wrist leaving him alone in the eerie place.

'I can't risk Borak making any sound right now, the larger the group the easier it is for the serpent to spot me,' He thought.

"This is the general area, but I'll bet that serpent is deeper inside," he murmured.

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He moved slowly, his boots barely crunching softly against the dirt and fallen leaves. His eyes darted around, checking for any signs of life or disturbance.

After several minutes of cautious exploration, he stopped suddenly. "Still no monsters..." His brows furrowed. "This thing really is clearing out everything. It's like its territory is a no-go zone."

His frustration only increased as the absence of mobs meant no additional loot or experience. "Tsk," he hissed through gritted teeth, kissing his teeth in annoyance. "If this snake doesn't drop something good, I'm going to lose my mind."

He took another step, the ground beneath him levelling out even more. The trees became sparse, replaced by a rocky terrain. His pulse quickened as his eyes caught sight of the dark inside of the cave.

"There it is," he whispered, crouching low and surveying the area.

Arthur summoned Hank.

The air shimmered briefly as a summoning portal formed, and his hawk emerged, flapping its wings silently. Hank landed on a low branch, tilting his head as it looked at Arthur.

"Hank," Arthur whispered, keeping his voice low. "I need you to scout a 500-meter radius from this spot. Fly high, stay quiet, and come back as soon as you finish. Got it?"

Hank blinked at him once before taking off, its wings beating soundlessly as it ascended into the sky. Arthur watched the hawk disappear into the distance.

He crouched closer to the ground, his eyes flickering between the cave and his surroundings. Every shadow and movement played tricks on his mind, but he refused to let his guard down.

"This better be worth it," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible.

Time dragged on as Arthur waited for Hank's return. The stillness of the area gnawed at his nerves, but he forced himself to remain calm.

'Every sound and every movement could be a potential threat.'

"This thing might be watching me already," he thought grimly, his hand tightening on the hilt of his dagger. "I need to be ready for anything."

Soon, Hank returned, shrieking softly near Arthur's ear as if trying to whisper.

Arthur tilted his head slightly, catching the signal.

"Nothing around?" Arthur murmured quietly, his brows furrowing in thought. "Hmm, this is interesting."

He glanced at the dark cave ahead.

"Alright, Hank," he whispered, keeping his voice low. "I need you to enter that cave very slowly. Activate your Clairvoyance skill and share what you see with me. I want to know what's happening inside before I take any step forward."

Hank didn't let out another sound, flapping his wings softly as he took off and made his way toward the cave.

The hawk slowed its pace, moving slowly as it approached the entrance and slipped inside the depths of the cave.

[Your summon Hank would like to share its vision with you through the skill Clairvoyance.]

[Yes/No]

Arthur didn't hesitate, selecting [Yes] immediately.

The world around him faded as his perspective shifted, turning into Hank's eyesight. Suddenly, he could see through Hank's eyes.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The cave interior was barely lit, with faint silver lights flickering further inside.

The source of the glow wasn't immediately visible.

The air seemed heavy and oppressive, even though it was Hank's perception.

Bones and remains of various creatures littered the rocky ground—broken ribcages, splintered spines, and even the hollowed-out carapace of a large beetle-like monster.

Arthur grimaced. 'The Silver Serpent's been very eating well,' he thought to himself.

Hank advanced cautiously as he was ordered, barely making a sound. The deeper Hank ventured, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.

Finally, Hank rounded a corner, and Arthur's breath caught as his summon's vision landed on the source of the glow.