Evan’s eyes wandered over the translucent screen for the third time before he finally noticed the healer trying to get his attention.

“We are heading back to the city to drop off the guild’s share of the monster cores we grabbed. Do you want to come?” she asked.

“I can sense another portal nearby. The core protecting the dungeon is young. We should use it as a chance to grow our army and learn more about this system,” Fenrir whispered in his ear.

The summoner smiled at her. “Fenrir and I have something we need to do. But thank you for the offer.”

Astrid eyed him curiously, before shrugging. “Suit yourself.”

The trio started walking away when the healer suddenly turned around. “What are you going to do?” she asked.

Evan winked at her before turning around and walking off in the direction of the portal. “We’re going hunting.”

* * *

Despite his earlier fascination, he quickly began to resent the sharp thorns and branches that tore at his skin as he made his way through the thick vegetation. They hiked through the forest for an hour before they reached their destination. 

[Skill Detected]

[Dungeon Sense] - Level 1: You have become bound to a dungeon core. The core within you can sense cores and their dungeon portals within 5 miles. The core within you can approximate the relative strength of the dungeon.

Evan dismissed the message as the dense vegetation began to thin. A whirling blue portal stood in the center of a clearing. He took a moment to sneak around the perimeter of the clearing before deciding that there wasn’t anyone else nearby.

The summoner could feel the quantity of mana increase as he approached the portal. Fenrir let out a small sound of pleasure as the core began to absorb the mana hungrily.

Evan smiled as the mana spread through his body and activated [Black Blood]. Astrid had tried her best to heal the multitude of cuts and wounds that covered his body, but most of his wounds were internal and her magic wasn’t strong enough to reach them.

His body turned warm as the mana-infused blood circulated throughout his body. He could feel it stitching together muscle and bone, and regrowing half-eaten organs.

His eyes glowed a fierce blue as the mana that Fenrir consumed strengthened his body. Only a fraction of the strength he used to possess, but it would be enough.

The portal consumed him, and once again he found himself falling through the void. An eternity passed by until he found himself standing inside a massive, endless stone hall. Broken furniture littered the hall and suits of armor stood in front of massive pillars that stretched into a ceiling made up of complete blackness.

“The core is hidden within a room at the end of the hall,” Fenrir whispered in his ear.

Evan took a single step forward. Immediately the three suits of armor nearest to him turned their heads to face him. Red eyes peered at him through the slits in their helmets. 

Another step.

Steel clattered against stone as the knights drew their weapons. One of the knights rushed him. Its sword made a screeching sound as it was dragged across the stone floor. Evan waited until the knight raised its sword to split him in half. He felt the air near his head ripple as the blade swung down.

The knight stumbled forward as Evan dodged to one side and the sword met empty air. A single inch of empty space separated his body and the blade.

The summoner grinned as he threw a fist at the knight’s armored body. There was a screech of twisted metal as the knight’s plated chest dented where Evan had struck him. The knight was thrown back several feet, near the others.

At some unknown signal, the two remaining knights rushed him. Time slowed to a crawl as Evan dodged a second sword, and then caught the edge of an axe in his hand. The axe bit deep, much deeper than it should have been able to, and black blood dripped from the wound. Evan tightened his grip on the axe’s edge and ripped it out of the knight’s grasp before aiming a kick at the knight’s knee.

The armor around the knee crinkled like tin foil and the knight collapsed to the ground.

“Behind you.”

Evan turned his head around in time to dodge a horizontal slash from the third knight. He grabbed the red-eyed knight by the neck and slammed him against a stone pillar. The pillar cracked and the knight lost its grip on the sword. Black blood dripped from his hand and down the knight’s body as Evan smiled. His blue glowing eyes were replaced by black as he and Fenrir fought as one.

Without a second thought, Evan crushed the knight’s neck. The gorget covering the neck crumpled like paper and the knight’s red eyes dimmed to a pale gray. A wisp of blue mana floated from the knight’s body into Evan’s.

You have gained [100 experience points] for defeating a [Dungeon Knight]

“I suppose now we know what the mana the humans were collecting from those beasts they killed was,” he chuckled.

He picked up the dead knight’s sword and walked over to the other two injured knights. He thrust the sword into the slit of their helmets in rapid succession. Two more wisps of mana floated into his body.

A moment passed before the knight’s bodies turned to dust — reclaimed by the dungeon core. In their place stood three small, blue, glowing shards. Monster cores.

Evan picked up the shards and activated [Extract Shadow Core]. The shards floated a few inches above his hand, twisting and turning as they circled. Three black threads of mana erupted from his hand and latched onto each of the cores. It only took a moment for the bright blue crystals to turn completely black.

They shattered, releasing black mana that was immediately absorbed by Fenrir. The dungeon core rumbled in satisfaction.

The summoner could feel the three knight’s shadows within Fenrir. It was like there were three additional voices in his head. In the space that he shared with the dungeon core. They were silent, but their presence was obvious.

He willed the shadows to manifest themselves and activated [Summon Shadow]. There was a brief moment where bright pain erupted within Evan’s mind. Like someone had taken a nail and driven it into his skull. The pain dissipated almost as quickly as it appeared, though it left him feeling concerned.

Three shadowy forms in the shape of the knights he had just killed coalesced in front of him. They were wearing black armor and carried black blades and shields that seemed to fade in and out of existence. He took a moment to stare at one of the shadows and was surprised when a translucent screen appeared in front of him.

[Shadow Knight - Level 1]

[Rank: Soldier]

The knights took a knee in unison and bowed their heads. Swearing fealty to their King.

They rose in unison and stood at attention in front of the summoner.

Evan grinned as he stared at the beginning of his new Shadow Army.

“Go. Seek out the rest and kill them. Bring me their cores.”

Then as one the shadowy knights sunk into the floor and rushed off in different directions.