SSS Awakening: Creating Primordial Beasts To Be My Summons-Chapter 10: Monsters of Ashfield
With the gold card, Cohen was easily granted access to the Underworld.
He was even treated like a VIP, being offered a tour.
Naturally, he rejected the offer and only asked for directions.
The Underworld felt like an entirely different city—though judging by its size, it was closer to a town.
There were houses, kids playing in the streets, and all the things you would normally see.
Lanterns hung from crooked poles, casting dim orange light over the streets carved into the cavern floor.
Aside from the fact that the sky here was literally the earth above, the other major difference was the lawlessness.
But like Cohen had been told, as long as he behaved himself, he wouldn’t have any trouble. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
Something Cohen didn’t need to be taught .
That was why he had used the Gate of Baptism earlier, sending Bobby wherever it led.
Cohen left the section of town considered the residential zone and headed toward the marketplace.
Based on his goals—leveling up and baptizing more monsters—he bought several items.
Even though he had been given the opportunity to spend freely, he still gave himself a budget and bought within those limits.
After finishing his purchases, Cohen headed toward the final district of the Underworld.
The buildings here each led to different dungeons or locations in the Wild.
Cohen moved with confidence, asking people where the nearest Level 1 dungeon was.
He walked toward one of the larger buildings among the rest.
Reaching the reception, Cohen slid the card forward and said, "A Level 1 dungeon."
The receptionist was a brawly man that one wouldn’t normally put to welcome a customer.
The golden card changed whatever treatment the receptionist wanted to give as he wore a welcoming smile.
"Alright. We have two Level One dungeons. Which one would you like to hunt?"
Cohen was handed a pamphlet containing information about all three dungeons.
’As much as I want to increase my level, I have to level up with caution, especially now that I know there are people that might be interested in the Outliers.’
A smirk crossed his face.
’But unlike others, I don’t only grow stronger by leveling up. Spreading the faith of the Primordial will benefit me as well.
’I just have to reach a balance in leveling up and Baptising monsters. And...’
He looked at the time, seeing 6pm.
’I should be back home by midnight, so I have six hours.’
He looked up at the man.
"I’ll be starting with the Ashfield."
- - - - -
Cohen was given access to one of the rooms in the building. In the bedroom sized room, there was a tear in reality with a purple mass of energy swirling within it.
’Before I go in. Status.’
- - - - -
Name: Cohen Bennett
Race: Human
Age: 21
Level: 6 [238/3600 EXP]
Class: Priest of Primordial [Mythic]
Talent: Baptism [SSS]
Stats:
[Strength: 13+]
[Agility: 15+]
[Endurance: 16+]
[Intelligence: 50+]
[Mana: 500/500]
[Stat Points: 35]
[SP: 4375]
[Baptised: 1]
- - - - -
"35 points, huh..."
After a few moments of contemplation, Cohen made his choice.
[Intelligence: 50 → 60]
Null Aura still used too much mana, and he didn’t believe what he had right now would put him through three dungeons.
[Endurance: 16 → 26]
With his armor and ring gotten earlier, Endurance was high enough to handle most of the monsters he would be facing today.
The remaining 15, he split amongst strength and agility, with Agility taking most due to his targeted build.
[Strength: 13 → 20]
[Agility: 15 → 23]
"Now, Bobby, come out."
A black gate with yellow energy weaving through it opened beside Cohen, releasing a violet slime that bounced up and down.
He then willed the solid black ring, a storage device that would lose its effects in 12 hours, to release what was within.
Multiple common arrows fell and piled across the floor.
"It’s all yours."
Bobby bounced excitedly, landing on the pile of arrows and absorbing them into its body.
Cohen pulled out another silver dagger to pair with the one he already had, turning himself into a dual wielder.
The rest of the items in the ring were consumables to recover his mana, health, and a few meant for a simple plan he had.
"I have a level 15’s stats, a dangerous level 15 slime, and a couple potions. I’m not that much of a risk taker after all."
He hit his scaly outfit as if testing its durability and stretched his arms.
Cohen took one last breath before stepping through the tear in reality, Bobby bouncing in with him.
- - - - -
Dungeon Name: Ashfield
Level: 1
Description: A vast underground plain blanketed in thick grey ash with a ceiling high enough to disappear into darkness above. The space feels simultaneously underground and open. There is no obvious source for the ash. It simply exists, undisturbed until something walks through it.
Monster Level: 5-14
Monster Rank: Common
- - - - -
Cohen found himself near a wall, his leg stepping on what seemed like a sea of ash, and a wide underground plain in his presence.
It was only at the ankle level. Stone formations were popping out of various locations too.
Through his Perception of Grays, Cohen located several monsters lying dormant near the rock formations.
Without hesitation, he brought out three dense pellets he had bought earlier.
Taking in a deep breath, he yelled:
"Good evening, gentlemen! The Priest is here to spread his faith!"
All the monsters turned their gaze to where he stood, revealing Ram heads with dull eyes and black wool.
’You guys are kinda taking away the beauty of goats looking like that.’
Cohen joked, his legs moving.
As the first wave of rams made bleating noises and darted toward him, he exercised his superior agility, weaving through them.
His hands dropped the first pellet that burst in a cloud of brown dust.
Three more waves of the monsters came at him, and he repeated his actions, dropping pellets.
Bobby, almost twice the level of most of the monsters, simply bounced off their body, trailing Cohen.
After reaching a part of the plain where there was some waterfall of ash, he turned back.
There, the Rams had lost their senses to the clouds of suppressive dust, attacking each other.
Cohen waved at them. "I’ll be back real quick, I have to handle your elders first."
He turned and fell down the waterfall, which was barely 3 meters deep, even more falling from the non existing ceiling.
This was the Dungeon’s Second Zone.
Here, the ash was noticeably thicker as they almost reached his knees.
"It’s even trickier than expected," he muttered, trying to move through.
Then, he turned to Bobby, who bounced on the gray ash so quick, the ash couldn’t drag it in.
"I guess the trick is to be fast," he said, flexing his legs muscles and bulging out of the sand.
He jumped out and started moving about, his leg moving quickly.
The monsters he had caught within his perception had noticed his presence through the vibrations he was making, so they began lunging at him.
A blur of gray shot out of the ash, aiming for Cohen’s leg, but a quick pivot saved him.
Another burst out of the ash immediately, its fangs dangerously wide open.
Cohen felt his Null Aura cover his entire body, his hand swinging to slam the monster away.
A third appeared from Cohen’s back, this time, not giving him space to react without taking damage.
But black tears with yellow energy opened up behind Cohen, an arrow moving at threatening speed stabbing into the creatures head.
More spatial gates appeared, aimed at the monsters, but the ash managed to protect most of them from the deadly arrows.
Cohen used this opportunity to step back to a safe part of this ash plains, managing to get a clear look at one of the monsters.
- - - - -
Race: Ashbound Hound
Rank: Common
Level: 11
- - - - -
They were knee-high hounds with long bodies, low heads, wide-set legs, and jaws that stretched unnaturally far along their skulls.
Their ash-saturated grey coat made them indistinguishable from the floor, especially when still.
They moved without sound; the only sign of their presence to the norm was a faint displacement in the ash around its feet.
Cohen calmed himself and stabilized his body, his two daggers stretched out and his gaze firm.
"First round goes to you guys. I will now be trying my hardest to make sure you don’t have a third round to come back from."
He moved across the ash like he was running on water.
The Null Aura that covered his entire body, slightly increasing his speed more than other factors.
