The Summoner: Rise Of The Night Vanguard

CHAPTER 5: THE KING'S DOMAIN

Adrian was on his phone before he even sat up in bed that morning.

He was refreshing the same government app over and over, waiting for something to show up. The app had been developed by the government so people could report an emergency whenever a dungeon break happened around them and receive immediate assistance.

Later on, he saw a listing about a factory break that had happened hours ago, and it was still active.

He was dressed and out the door after reading the listing twice.

He went to a weapons shop first, and he walked out broke, as every last dollar had gone into a B-rank dagger. It was made from the bone of a B-rank dungeon boss that had recently been killed and weaponized into what he was currently holding.

"Better be worth it," he muttered, turning the blade over once outside the shop and catching the light off it.

The taxi dropped him in front of a gate that used to lead into a normal factory. He took a few steps after entering the factory gate before something ripped a hole straight through reality and turned it into whatever this was now.

And just like that, the world flipped inside out around him.

The first thing he noticed was a really rotten smell and the cold that prickled every hair on his arms.

Something growled somewhere off in the dark, and he saw two shapes standing a few feet ahead.

They were maybe five feet tall, with glowing amber eyes and fangs poking past their lips.

They had crude armor, chipped swords, and shields patched together with whatever they could find. Adrian immediately knew they weren't just any dumb animals.

They were two Goblin Warriors.

They saw him, growled, and charged with their weapons raised.

Adrian didn't hesitate. A brilliant crimson Night Sigil flashed into existence above him. Shadows swirled violently in front of him, and Noir materialized in an instant.

The towering seven-foot Shadow Knight appeared with his massive broadsword already drawn. Without waiting for further orders, Noir surged forward to meet the threat, closing the distance between his summoner and the two goblins in powerful strides.

Steel met steel.

The goblin swung hard from above. Noir caught the blow and was knocked back half a step before retaliating with a sideways swing that cracked the thing's shield in half and sent it stumbling.

The second one went low, aiming for his leg. Noir spun out of the attack and raised his sword with force, bringing his blade down so hard that it split the stone floor where the goblin had been standing.

Then it was just chaos.

Both goblins moved together like they'd fought a hundred times before, one bashing with its shield while the other hunted for an opening.

One lunged for Noir's chest. Noir slapped it aside and kicked it into a wall.

The other one roared and came in swinging. Their blades locked, and Noir's eyes flared brighter. He twisted, forced the sword wide, and drove his elbow into the side of its skull hard enough to stagger it.

Adrian just stood there, mouth open, admiring the level of swordsmanship his summon was displaying.

The first goblin recovered, and they came together again, but Noir backed up a step before slamming right back into them. One wide sweep forced both goblins to block, their arms going numb from the force of the impact.

He pressed forward and drove his sword straight through the first one's chest.

It gurgled and went limp, blood pouring out around the blade.

The second one raised its sword to strike while Noir was still buried in the kill. Adrian rushed forward and drove his dagger into its back with both hands.

It jerked and twisted around, its eyes wide with fury.

Noir yanked his blade free and, in one clean sweep, took the thing's head off.

Blood sprayed, some of it landing warm across Adrian's cheek.

He froze.

He looked down at the blood on his dagger, and his hands wouldn't stop shaking.

This was the first time he had ever taken a life. The smell of blood and the sound the goblin made as it died... it was all too real.

For a moment, nausea threatened to overwhelm him, but he slapped himself hard across the face, snapping himself out of it.

"Get it together! This is a dungeon. People die in here if they're weak," he whispered to himself.

He walked over to where Noir stood, waiting.

"More goblins are coming, probably. Don't waste yourself on them. Save it for the boss. You lead, clear what you can, and I'll clean up whatever's left," he said.

Noir looked down at him for a second, then gave one slow nod.

They pushed deeper into the dungeon together, Noir in front and Adrian behind.

They were still going deeper when they heard footsteps coming fast.

Noir surged ahead, Adrian right on his heels, with his dagger ready.

Noir grabbed the first goblin by the throat and slammed it down, choking it out with one hand while two more broke off toward Adrian.

He met them without even slowing down. Every hour he had spent with Noir drilling him with a blade was paying off right now.

More waited further in.

Noir tore through two at once, while Adrian handled a third that tried flanking the Knight.

By the time they reached a massive carved door, Adrian's clothes were stiff with dried goblin blood, with a few shallow cuts stinging on his arms.

Noir stood beside him, waiting for the next order. The knight, even though he was still standing straight, was breathing hard.

All of a sudden, a panel flashed up right in Adrian's face.

[Main Quest Updated]

The Night Heir cannot challenge a king while dressed as prey. Emergency Support Granted.

Night Vanguard Cloak — Temporary Unlock

Grade: C

+15% Movement Speed

Reduces physical damage by 20%

Once per day, automatically blocks one fatal attack

Permanent ownership will be confirmed upon quest completion.

The cloak dropped over his shoulders on its own, and strange shadows began moving around him as Adrian held his breath through the whole process.

"Guess the system's actually rooting for me," he thought.

Noir put both hands against the door and shoved.

It held for a second, then blew open with a boom.

The chamber was huge, easily large enough to hold a hundred people or more. Massive stone pillars, cracked and covered in glowing green moss, stretched upward to support a crumbling ceiling.

At the far end, on a throne of bones and old weapons, something huge sat in the shadows.

At first, Adrian wasn't sure what it was until it began moving toward them. Each heavy step shook the ground beneath their feet.

Nearly nine feet tall, the creature possessed a broad chest covered in powerful, battle-hardened muscles. Countless scars crossed its green skin, telling the story of countless battles.

A necklace made of bones and fangs hung around its thick neck, rattling softly with every movement. Crude iron armor covered its shoulders and torso, while a tattered cloak made from the hides of unknown beasts hung from its back.

At the bottom of the stairs, it grabbed a massive double-headed axe leaning against the wall. The weapon was taller than Adrian himself.

It swung the axe onto its shoulder.

Adrian's heart wouldn't slow down. His hand was sweating around his own dagger.

For a long, suffocating moment, the Goblin King simply stood there, staring at both the human and the Knight.

Its glowing green eyes burned with primal fury and intelligence.

This was no mindless beast.

This was a ruler. A tyrant that had conquered and slaughtered its way to dominance within the dungeon.

The sheer oppressive aura rolling off it pressed down on Adrian.

It stepped forward, and the floor cracked beneath its foot.

The Goblin King raised its axe and pointed the massive blade straight at them.

A low growl rumbled from deep within its chest, a sound that made Adrian want to turn around and run for his life.

It raised the giant axe slightly, the blade catching the light as it pointed the weapon toward Adrian and Noir in clear challenge.

Adrian glanced at Noir.

The Shadow Knight stood completely still, broadsword held ready, his red, smoky eyes glowing brighter as he waited for the command.

The knight showed no fear.

Only readiness.

Adrian readied himself with a few words of encouragement.

If the system gave him the mission, then that meant he could achieve it.

He was the main character of this story.

He wouldn't die on his first battle, right?

RIGHT?