Volume 1 Chapter 40 - The Cave of Burning Shadows
The forest had grown unnaturally quiet again.
Cindy and Puff walked side by side beneath the thick canopy, following the faint traces of scorch marks left behind by the fire serpent days ago.
Each mark pulsed faintly with residual mana — evidence that someone had been sustaining it long after its death.
[Appraisal – Lv. 5 Activated]
Mana Trace Detected: Controlled Summoning. Source Unknown.
Cindy frowned. "Whoever did this wasn't just using summoning magic... they were binding the creature's soul."
Puff's nose twitched. "I don't like this, Cindy. The scent here... it's wrong. Like something rotten but alive."
They followed the trail until it led them to a sheer cliffside at the far end of the western hills. There, behind the twisted roots of a fallen tree, a faint shimmer of mana pulsed in the rock.
Cindy touched it gently — the illusion shattered, revealing a narrow cave entrance breathing faint red light.
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Descent into the Dark
The air grew thick as they descended. The walls pulsed faintly with veins of glowing magma, the scent of sulfur burning their noses.
[Skill Activated: Gentle Breeze – Purify Air]
A faint breeze wrapped around them, keeping the air breathable.
After several minutes of walking, the tunnel opened into a vast underground cavern — a cathedral of darkness and flame.
And there, in the center, dozens of glowing eyes stared back at them.
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The Monsters
"Cindy..." Puff whispered. "There's too many."
She raised her hand — her wings flared faintly, and her vision sharpened as she used her Appraisal.
[Appraisal – Lv. 5 Activated]
Targets: Infernal Beasts × 47
Level Range: 70–85
Boss-Class Detected: Infernal Reaver – Lv. 100
Summoner Signature: Active
Cindy's heart skipped. "This... this is a summoning nest."
The creatures were massive — half-beast, half-fire, chained to the earth by runes glowing deep red. The air trembled with their restrained fury.
And at the heart of it all, surrounded by a circle of black sigils, stood a lone man in dark crimson robes, chanting softly.
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The Summoner
The man's voice echoed through the cavern like a chorus of whispers. "O burning souls, remain bound to my will... until the spirit awakens."
Cindy's eyes widened. "He's the one who summoned the serpent."
Puff crouched beside her. "We can't take all of them head-on. Not yet."
Cindy nodded. "Then we'll strike the summoner first. Break his control — the monsters might turn on each other."
Puff grinned. "Now that's the plan I like."
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The Assault
Cindy raised her hand, drawing in mana.
[Skill Activated: Wind Edge – Piercing Form]
A blade of compressed air formed in front of her, slicing silently through the gloom. It struck the outer edge of the summoning circle — shattering one of the runes.
The summoner stopped chanting. Slowly, his head turned toward them.
"So... you found me."
His voice was low, cold, and far too calm for someone just attacked.
Cindy stepped forward, wings unfurling. "You're the one behind the serpent attack."
He smiled faintly beneath his hood. "Ah. The little butterfly spirit. I've been waiting."
Puff's fur bristled. "You know her?"
The man spread his arms wide — the runes around him ignited with crimson flame. "Of course. The Spirit of Wind reborn... the missing piece of the Circle."
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Battle Erupts
The cavern trembled. The restrained monsters roared — chains of fire snapping free.
[Boss Monster Released: Infernal Reaver – Lv. 100]
A massive creature emerged from the flames — a hulking beast of molten rock and bone, eyes burning like furnaces.
Puff jumped forward, slamming his palms into the ground.
[Skill Activated: Verdant Shield – Full Bloom]
Vines burst from the stone, wrapping around Cindy to protect her from the initial blast.
Cindy countered, spreading her wings wide.
[Skill Activated: Tempest Veil – Defensive Field]
The two forces collided — wind and flame twisting in a violent storm.
"Such power," the summoner hissed. "No wonder the Order wants you alive."
Cindy's breath caught. "Order?"
He grinned. "You'll know soon enough."
Then he raised his staff high, and the air split open behind him — a portal of crimson light.
[Summoning Complete: Infernal Core – Manifestation]
The Infernal Reaver roared, lunging toward them.
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The Turning Point
Cindy gathered her mana, feeling her heart pulse in rhythm with the mark on her wrist. The sigil of Soleris glowed brightly, whispering in her mind.
"Call the wind to your heart... and release it."
She obeyed.
[Skill Unlocked: Spirit Burst – Zephyr Nova]
Light erupted around her — pure, white, and blinding.
The explosion of wind ripped through the cavern, shattering the summoner's circle and blasting the monsters backward.
Puff shielded his eyes. "Cindy!"
When the light faded, the summoner was gone — his portal closing behind him. The monsters lay scattered and unconscious, their bindings broken.
Cindy fell to one knee, exhausted but alive. The mark on her wrist burned faintly — pulsing like a heartbeat.
Puff rushed to her side. "You okay?"
She nodded weakly. "He escaped... but we stopped the ritual."
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Aftermath
They stood in silence for a moment, surrounded by the smoldering ruins of the cavern.
Puff looked at the scattered monsters. "What now?"
Cindy glanced at the glowing sigils fading into ash. "We report this to the Guildmaster. He needs to know someone's using summoning magic like this near the capital."
Puff nodded. "And the guy mentioned an Order..."
Cindy looked down at her hand, the Soleris mark gleaming softly.
"Yes. I think this is just the beginning."