Boundless Evolution: The Summoning Beast
Chapter 75: Mission Complete!

Chapter 75: Mission Complete!

Bennet’s body hit the ground with a heavy thud, his glow extinguished like a candle under wind. Ash was at his side in a blink, paw pressed gently to his chest, eyes narrowed, senses sharpened.

No blood loss. No wounds that hadn’t already clotted. But his breathing- shallow, laboured.

’Is this the cost of unleashing Sovereign Resonance?’ Ash muttered to himself, relieved that Bennet was fine but a tinge of worry at the possible cost of the phenomenon.

The serpent slithered close and coiled quietly beside him, its body winding protectively around the fallen warrior as if to shield him.

Ash glanced toward Seraphina, who had now laid Lucas down next to the feline who had limped its way to them. She now began to run towards them before bringing her hand over Bennet to check on his status.

A sigh of relief seemed to hit her like a wave as Ash saw her muscles relax. She then turned to Ash, nodding faintly, "He’s just overexerted the duration of Sovereign Resonance. He’s going to be fine."

They were all alive. Battered, but breathing.

Just then, Ash’s ears twitched and his body involuntarily tenses.

A spike of killing intent- sharp and fleeting– cutting through the quiet like a blade. This level of danger...

It was clearly a league or even leagues above what the cult leader was able to make him feel. Almost immediately, he whipped his head around, eyes blazing, scanning the perimeter. Whatever it was, it was enough to endanger all of them, especially considering the situation that they were in.

And yet, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished.

Gone.

Ash remained crouched, every muscle coiled, his tail low. Someone had meant to strike. Even though he was now low on aether, he was the best defender they had in this scenario. But the person or persons had either thought twice- or were testing something because that feeling never came back.

And Ash didn’t like either option.

He narrowed his eyes, keeping his voice and thoughts to himself. Someone had been there and was probably still there.

His sudden vigilance did not escape Seraphina’s attention. But before she could respond with a question, a new presence blanketed the field.

The air grew dense, as though saturated with pressure and purpose. A low hum resonated into the bones of every creature present, ancient and resonant. Smelling faintly of ozone, the breath before a storm, yet carried the biting chill of judgment.

A tall figure descended from the air in a slow, deliberate arc, draped in a royal cloak bearing the insignia of Whitehold. His armour shimmered as it reflected the sun’s rays, and every step he took silenced whispers before they could form. His very aura seemed to fold space around him as if gravity was bending with his authority.

The figure approached the fallen trio, stopping just short of Ash’s protective stance. His sharp gaze swept over the scene, pausing as it fell upon Bennet’s unconscious form.

Something seemed to flicker in his gaze- a spark of recognition.

"Bennet..." he muttered, almost to himself, "So it’s true."

Seraphina stepped forward and bowed slightly, her voice calm but urgent, "Yes, sir Sovereign. He pushed past his Sovereign Resonance limit. It overwhelmed his body."

The Sovereign’s gaze lingered on Bennet for a moment longer, as though trying to reconcile memory with the sight before him. Then he slowly turned his attention to Seraphina.

"Tell me exactly what happened here."

Seraphina began to explain and recall everything that happened and while she was doing so, Ash’s gaze drifted upward. His senses no longer warned him but his instincts remained flaring at him. Something wasn’t right. He scanned the arena stands.

A shimmer. A flicker.

Far in the Valtair booth, a cloaked figure seemed to just have retreated into shadow- disappearing like smoke into the air.

Ash’s eyes narrowed. His tail lashed once. But he said nothing.

Seraphina’s voice rang out, steady and measured now as she recounted the final moments of the battle.

The Sovereign listened without interruption, his gaze unreadable.

When she finished, the Sovereign took a final look at the battlefield. He then turned around to the cracks in the arena that led to the outside where some civilians and nobles were peeking.

"Move all the bodies," he commanded, "Get everyone treated immediately. Seraphina, you and your children along with your summons will head back to your estate to treat Lord Valen."

His voice cut clean through the silence brooking no argument.

As he said that, he then picked Bennet up before placing him onto Ash’s back and ordering, "Head off now."

Without waiting for reply, he turned to oversee the recovery efforts, his presence a steady pillar in the chaos that followed.

Immediately, letting the Sovereign get to doing his thing, the group immediately began to move and as they made their way out through the northern gate, a soft chime echoed in Ash’s mind.

[Ding! Mission Complete!

"Protect The Heir", Special Mission:

Keep Lucas Alive (Success)

Discovered Bonus: Keep Lucas from being hurt by a cultist (Success)

Discovered Bonus: Defeat the Cultists (Success)

Discovered Bonus: Find a way to reverse the runes (Success)

Reward: ???]

[Mission success rating: Calculating...]

[Calculating completed: Excellent]

[Rewards: Rank-Up, 2500 exp, 500 AP]

[Rank-Up available! Find an area to begin the process. Time remaining: 3:59:59]

...

The gates of the estate groaned open as the group returned, the Valen banners fluttering faintly in the wind.

The chaos of the arena gave way to stillness- clean marble floors, thick reinforced walls, and worried staff rushed to greet them.

"Lord Valen! Madam Valen!" The maids and servants came out rushing to tend to them.

Seraphina slowly handed Lucas, who had now fallen asleep, to one of the maids and ordered with a firm voice, "Take him to his room and have the family medic check up on him. I have stabilised his situation."

Her gaze then dropped to the feline by his side, "And someone get a medic on that feline, immediately. It’s Lucas’s first summon. It takes priority."

The staff scrambled to obey, lifting Lucas gently and guiding the feline with care.

"Get my husband to his room. He has overexerted himself and needs rest," her voice cut through their hurried urgency as her eyes swept over the gathered medics, who sprang into coordinated motion.

Hearing this, Ash carefully knelt to let the servants lift Bennet from his back, the man’s breathing slow and steady.

As the people took both Lucas, the feline, and Bennet away, Ash stood still in the hallway- mud and blood on his fur, the fading pulse of battle still whispering in his limbs. Despite the exhaustion gripping him, his posture remained firm.

Seraphina slowly approached him, the clatter of boots and murmured orders fading behind her. She stopped just before him.

Her expression had changed. She now looked like a wife barely holding herself together- the love of her life battered, broken, but still breathing. While her only son had been greatly injured and would have suffered permanent damage had it not been for her immediate intervention.

"Ash..." she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she glanced toward the doors where her family had been taken, "Thank you so much for what you have done. Without you today, I would have lost both my husband and my child. You protected Lucas just as Bennet had asked of you and went even further."

Ash tilted his head slightly, feeling strange at the heartfelt gratitude that was coming off of Seraphina. It made him feel important, wanted, and appreciated.

He replied- not aloud, but with a voice that Seraphina heard in her mind.

’I chose to represent the Valens because of what I saw in Daryl. You and your family have treated me better than anyone else I have come across. I should be the one that thanks you.’

Saying that, Ash moved forward, standing before, his golden eyes meeting hers with solemn understanding. And then he did something no one in the hall expected.

He leaned forward gently and pressed his head against her shoulder.

A silent embrace.

His fur was still matted, and raked with battle marks, but at this moment, his presence held a gentleness Seraphina hadn’t expected.

Seraphina’s breath caught as her hand instinctively rested against the hyena’s neck, gripping with trembling fingers. Her composure faltered, a single tear sliding down her cheek as she closed her eyes.

For Seraphina, their new summon had shown itself to be capable and actually caring about her family, something that could not be found among regular summons this quickly.

And for Ash, he felt accepted, as if he now had an identity and dare he say it- a family.

Feeling Seraphina respond with her own embrace, he spoke, ’I would do it again. For Bennet, for Lucas, for you, and for all the summons.’

In that moment, Seraphina froze, the gratitude she felt overwhelming her worries- raw and unfiltered.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely audible.

Ash gave her a slow blink. He didn’t need to say more.