Boundless Evolution: The Summoning Beast
Chapter 35: Boy to the Rescue

Chapter 35: Boy to the Rescue

And that was when Boy struck.

Calling upon his aether, he slammed his paws into the ground.

Umbral Bind!

The dying light of the sun cast long shadows across the battlefield, and from within them. Darkness surged forth like a living entity.

The air grew heavy as aether pulsed through the ground, an unnatural stillness gripping the battlefield for a fleeting moment before the attack was unleashed.

Black tendrils erupted like serpentine hunters, twisting and lashing through the chaos, their inky forms flickering as if drawn from the very essence of the twilight itself.

They surged forward, with terrifying speed, seeking out their prey with an intelligence beyond simple magic.

The moment they found the target, they latched onto the bandits’ legs, arms, and torsos with crushing force, locking them in place.

Some of the bandits barely had time to react before they were completely immobilised, their bodies ensnared in the unyielding grip of shadow.

Others tried to slash at the tendrils, only for their weapons to pass through like mist, reforming instantly around their limbs with even greater intensity.

The battlefield froze.

Confusion rippled through the bandit ranks as they found themselves suddenly immobilised against their unseen restraints.

The soldiers, wide-eyed at the sudden shift, took only a second to realise what had happened. Then, realisation turned to exhilaration as the tide of battle shifted unmistakably in their favour.

Gasps of astonishment turned into fierce battle cries, their initial shock replaced by a renewed surge of energy.

"Now! Take them down!" the veteran barked, his voice resounded clearly in the ears of all the soldiers.

With ruthless aggression, the soldiers surged forward as some exchanged quick glances, their respect for Boy growing as they saw how effortlessly Boy had turned the entire engagement to their advantage.

A few even murmured words of gratitude under their breath, but there was no time to dwell on it.

What followed was less of a fight and more of an execution as a chorus of steel rang out as swords and spears struck down their helpless enemies.

Each strike landed with the knowledge that they were cutting through an enemy that was no longer able to fight back properly.

The weight of the battle had shifted, and with it, the morale of the entire unit soared as the bandits’ cries of panic turned into pained screams as they were cut down one by one.

The veteran stole a glance toward Boy as he advanced, watching how the summon’s golden eyes remained locked onto the battlefield, calculating, analysing, ensuring the trap held firm.

The veteran’s lips curled into a subtle smirk, ’Commander Darius... I am beginning to see what you saw in this summon.’

A few of the bandits attempted to resist, swinging wildly despite their immobilised state. One of them managed to break free, his desperation lending him unnatural strength, but before he could even take a step, a soldier’s blade ran through his throat.

The resistance was fleeting, and the battlefield was soon covered in the bodies of those who had once roared with confidence.

Yet, suddenly, amidst the carnage, one figure refused to fall...

A powerful surge of heat pulsed from the center of the battlefield as the bandit leader roared in fury, his aura exploding outward in a violent wave of fire.

The tendrils around him shattered, scorched away by his sheer force of will.

Freed from Umbral Bind, he turned his burning gaze toward the veteran soldier, a savage grin splitting his face.

His breaths came heavy, his body smoking from the raw energy pouring off him.

"You really thought you could hold me?!" he snarled, stepping forward, his boots pressing deep into the bloodied earth as the flames around his blade roared higher, crackling like an inferno that was barely contained.

He raised his blade high above his head. Fire coiled around his weapon, glowing brighter, hotter- this was everything he had left, a final gambit to turn the tide as he saw his underlings being swiftly taken down.

However, as he was charging up the attack, the veteran remained unfazed. His stance remained steady, his eyes sharp.

As the bandit leader prepared to bring his attack down, Officer Raegan exhaled calmly, not at all surprised, "I didn’t think I could hold you..."

In that instant, his sword began to glow in a bluish green as its blade seemed to increase in multiple layers of sharpness.

The bandit’s legs tensed, preparing to shoot off towards Raegan to unleash his final attack.

In that instant, three shadowy figures suddenly appeared next to him with purple glowing marks etched along their body as their fur flowed with the wind and hackles were raised in alarm.

A confused look appeared on the bandit leader’s face as his gaze shifted to the three hyenas that had suddenly appeared next to him. As he was pondering on what they were going to do, his attention was grabbed again by Raegan who spoke out again, "I knew I could hold you."

In that instant, the three hyenas activated Umbral Bind.

Dark shadowy tendrils erupted from the ground, wrapping tighter than before. The shadows coiled with newfound strength, reinforcing the initial tendrils that were initially not able to maintain a strong enough hold on the bandit leader.

This time, there was no breaking free as the tendril completely coated his lower body.

"Wha-?!" he choked, his limbs locked in place, the flames around his sword flickering as if suffocated by the overwhelming darkness. He struggled violently as he began to try to move his legs but the more he fought, the tighter the shadows seemed to become, quickly draining his strength.

His breaths came in ragged gasps, his eyes wide with fury and disbelief.

"No-! This isn’t-!"

The veteran gave him one last, sharp look as he pulled his sword backwards, its tip pointing towards him as he got into a thrusting stance, "This is where it ends."

With measured steps, he approached, his sword gleaming under the dimming sky.

There was no hesitation, no flourish- just a single, precise thrust.

Kamikaze Stab!

The bandit leader barely had any time to react before the blade pierced straight through his chest. The sword whistled through the air with unparalleled speed as if it had become an extension of the wind itself.

The force of the strike sent a shockwave rippling through his body, his fiery aura flickering violently before sputtering out entirely. His limbs, once bursting with strength, trembled before falling slack, the power leaving him as quickly as it had ignited.

"Strength is indeed the ruling power," the veteran’s voice sounded as he stopped in the same position that he stabbed the bandit leader in, he finished, "But there is more to life than power."

The bandit leader gasped sharply, his lips parting as if to speak, but only blood spilled forth.

His flames flickered once... then died entirely. His body, once radiating power, slumped forward, lifeless.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

The final variable of the battle had been crushed. The immobilised bandits, having their limbs locked by the writhing tendrils of shadow, were utterly defenseless.

And the soldier did not let this opportunity slip by as they surged forward in perfect formation, blades flashing as they cut down their helpless foes with ruthless efficiency.

As the final cries of the fallen bandits faded into silence, the gaze of all the participants in the area fell to the hyena that had remained standing behind the place where Officer Raegan was before he attacked.

Their gazes, filled with awe and gratitude, locked onto the summon had single-handedly shifted the battle in their favour.

One of the soldiers stepped forward hesitantly, letting out a heavy breath of relief as he gave a firm nod of appreciation, "You... you saved us."

Another, still gripping his bloodied sword, nodded in agreement, "we owe you. Without you, many of us wouldn’t be standing right now."

A murmur of voice spread throughout the remaining soldiers, their expressions shifting from disbelief to admiration.

Some even exchanged hushed words amongst themselves, recounting how they had never seen a summon fight independently like this before- so strategic, so precise.

One of them took a step forward, about to thank the summon directly but just as he reached out to pat it...

The hyena disappeared.