Elisha's hands rose, and the entire void rippled like a sheet of water struck by invisible thunder.

He was now starting to summon a being that was unlike the previous summons!

Thane watched in excitement. The mana being channeled was thicker than before. And Thane could see something red spread across him.

"Is that his...?"

"Blood. He is giving up a portion of his blood for this summon." Libra answered.

Sparks of light surged and gathered, forming the outline of a towering creature. Its wings burned with molten fire, and its body gleamed with mirrored scales that reflected every color of the cosmos. It stood like a man, broad and regal, yet its head was that of a beast, crowned with flame and shadow.

"Hmmm? Wait a minute..." Thane felt a knowing grin tug at his lips. Something about the shape and posture stirred a memory both biblical and uncanny.

"It is based on that," Libra muttered, his tone dark and contemplative. "That specific breed was created by Cancer. All of us, crafted beings that mirrored what we admired and envied. That creature, as you thought, was an idolatrous and blasphemous imitation of..." He paused, tension seeping into the air.

"The Son of Man?" Thane guessed.

"...Yes."

Thane sighed softly. "You know, what I really don't understand is why you guys don't just repent. But I guess the Calvinists are right on this... You cannot repent even if you wanted to."

Libra did not argue. His gaze remained fixed on the screen as Elisha stood boldly before the blazing titan.

"This," Elisha declared, "is an Infernal. An Astral Beast that we created to be a being like us. One that can move through dimensions and pass through the heavens, escaping the eyes of man. It seems the Astral Beasts hid in one of those worlds to escape the winners of this ancient war."

The being's roar tore through the dimension, shaking the void. Waves of mana cascaded outward, distorting the edges of the screen.

Thane flinched. "That thing is strong! I feel like it could solo an entire kingdom in Velithra!"

"Naturally," Libra answered. "The strongest in this region is around level forty. Those beings can reach level eighty. That was the limit of power we gave them so they would not rebel against us. But after our fall, they likely lost their forms. Only our power sustained their ability to manifest in the mortal veil. Now they wander the Astral Void."

"The Astral Void?"

"The world you saw, Master. It surrounds us and yet is beyond us. A reverse dimension. A realm of exiles and wanderers."

Elisha continued his explanation, detailing the immense difficulty of calling such beings and warning that only the greatest summoners could even attempt it. The Infernal soon began to dissolve, its blazing outline flickering into drifting embers until it vanished entirely.

"Such beings cannot be owned," Elisha said solemnly. "They can only be convinced. To summon one, you need to combine Bound Summoning and Anima Summoning. A summoner must pay a price of mana, life force, or even one's own blood."

The last sparks scattered into the darkness.

Libra exhaled softly. "This Elisha is formidable. I cannot imagine how he managed to call an Infernal."

Thane nodded. "Yeah. This guy's show needs a warning label."

The episode moved into a final segment in which Elisha discussed summoning theories, practical applications, and rare types that existed only in myths. Thane took note of everything, absorbing the rapid-fire information. Even Libra remained silent and attentive, clearly impressed by how far summoning magic had evolved since the ancient eras.

The screen brightened one last time, revealing Elisha with wisps of smoke curling from his hair. "Well, that concludes the introduction of summoning! In the next episodes, we will learn how to create bonds with many beasts for Bound Summoning! Until next time, let your summons do the heavy lifting!"

The screen faded to black, and the Soul Keeper Chamber returned to its dim, reverent glow.

"Hey? What gives? Where's the next episode?!" Thane protested.

"Never forget your purpose, Master Thane," Libra said as he gestured toward the altar. "The Crucible of Souls is about to finish devouring those souls."

Thane's attention snapped toward the glowing altar. Tendrils of light pulsed along its surface. The souls trapped within flickered violently, as if the pressure inside their crystalline prison had reached its limit. Pale wisps thrashed like spectral flames against the dark metal, each pulse sending thin cracks of white light spreading across the altar. The entire structure hummed louder, runes igniting one by one around its base. The chamber trembled softly in response. A low, resonant vibration built in the floorstones, signaling that the Soul Keeper Channel itself was preparing for an upgrade. The light intensified until every rune converged in a blinding convergence at the center.

FLASH.

A surge of brilliance exploded outward, illuminating the entire chamber. Notifications formed in the air like floating inscriptions of golden fire.

[Soul Keeper Channel Level 2]

Collects unbound souls slain in your vicinity.

At current level, up to 10 souls may be stored.

[Soul Incarnation Unlocked!]

A maximum of 1 captured soul may now be incarnated into a Channel Monster. Doing so will turn the beasts into Dungeon Broken beings.

Stored souls may remain in the Channel World and, if permitted, may feed the bound angel to regenerate its true being.

Thane's jaw dropped. "Hmm? It's giving you one of your abilities!"

Libra's eyes flickered with faint awe. "It is... I am amazed."

"Well, this means I could use your abilities to access high-tier necromancer abilities immediately!"

"Master..." Libra whispered. "This means..."

"I know," Thane said with a grin. "If Esau becomes Dungeon Broken, he can exit this channel with me."

He opened the controls. A new prompt appeared, glowing faintly like etched moonlight.

[Activate Soul Incarnation and bestow Bolgard the Beheader's soul into one Channel Monster?]

A detailed list appeared, displaying Bolgard's traits.

[Bolgard the Beheader Soul Stats]

Rank: Rare

- Power Level: High

- Mana Level: Low

- Spirit Level: Average

- Special Abilities:

• High Perception

• Martial Flow

• Danger Sensing

"Wow! This is a great soul!" Thane exclaimed.

He tapped the selection.

[Souls that are ranked Rare and higher have a chance for the being to undergo an evolutionary change, especially if the soul is compatible with the race selected.]

"Woah! So Esau could transform?"

"This is the first I have heard of this," Libra admitted. "It seems your Celestial TV is taking over my abilities and enhancing them."

Thane activated the spell.

He opened a list of creatures. Twenty-eight Groundlings appeared, Esau at the top.

He selected yes.

[Soul Incarnation activated.]

A resonant WARP echoed through the chamber.

Esau appeared instantly, his small grey form blinking in confusion. He squeaked once and then noticed Thane and Libra.

The altar glowed as Bolgard's soul emerged. The translucent figure resembled the barbarian exactly as he once stood: tall, muscular, scarred, and fierce. Yet now his form wavered like firelit smoke. His eyes widened as he looked at himself, then at the altar, then at Thane. He raised his hands, marveling at the ghostly substance of his limbs. Recognition rippled through his face as memories realigned. The battles, the rage, his last breath. A soft gasp escaped him as he understood everything that had happened, the weight of death and the strange mercy of being called back shining in his spectral eyes.

The ghostly warrior turned toward Thane with solemn eyes.

"...I am sorry for trying to kill you," the soul said, voice echoing like a myth in the chamber. "I will do my best to serve you now, Master."

Before Thane could speak, Bolgard approached Esau. The Groundling stiffened as if recognizing what was to come.

Bolgard stepped forward and walked into Esau.

FLASH.

Light erupted, swirling around the Groundling. The soul shrank, spiraling into Esau's chest. The chamber trembled with the resonance of merging power.

When the light faded, Esau stood tall, eyes gleaming with a sharpness never seen before. He knelt before Thane.

New stats appeared.

[Groundling (Esau)]

[Dungeon Broken!]

Level: 8

HP: 132 → 148

STR: 24 → 26

DEX: 20 → 31

VIT: 14 → 17

MP: 2 → 6

MPr: 2 → 6

INT: 3 → 19

Special Abilities:

• High Perception

• Martial Flow

• Danger Sensing

Chance of Special Evolution: High

Thane's grin widened. "Now this is more like it!"

"Esau's stats surpass the average Groundling," Libra said. "But while he is Dungeon Broken, his strength remains tied to the Dungeon Core. If you want to maximize him, you must improve the core. Do not level him yet."

"Then I have to go now! That magma dungeon core ought to be nearby!" Thane decided and traveled toward the Groundling Dungeon Channel.

"You will take care of the Dungeon?" He asked Libra.

"I should be able to keep it up for about a day without the Dungeon Core. Nevertheless, the Dungeon will not grow without the core."

"I understand." Thane walked toward the Dungeon Core.

As if answering a silent call, the Core lifted from its pedestal and drifted toward him. It floated like a weightless gem and, with a soft shimmer, vanished as Thane absorbed it into his Item Storage.

"Esau... Are you ready?" Thane asked.

Esau nodded.

Upon command, the portal toward the real world appeared.

The gate unfurled like a curtain of liquid light, rippling with hues of deep blue and silver. Its edges crackled like captured lightning, and the center swirled like a whirlpool carved from starlight. Thane stepped forward first, the light washing over his vision. Esau followed, his small form stumbling through the brilliance.

Then gravity returned.

Both of them plummeted straight down into the underground river. Water exploded upward as Thane broke the surface cleanly, while Esau flailed wildly, limbs smacking water in every direction. The Groundling spun once, tumbled, and vanished beneath the surface before popping up again with a sputtering shriek. His landing was pure chaos, a mixture of splashes, frantic thrashing, and one confused squeak that echoed off the cavern walls.

Thane burst into laughter.

"You will get used to it. Let's go!"

He retrieved Edwin's device and watched the glowing needle swing sharply to the west.

The hunt for the magma dungeon core had begun.

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