Boundless Evolution: The Summoning Beast
Chapter 78: Rank-Up!

Chapter 78: Rank-Up!

The winds of Aegaryn stirred as Ash dashed across a luscious grass field, leaving a swirling trail of shadows.

He landed softly atop a moss-covered ridge, the towering trees of Lushwood Expanse looming above like ancient sentinels. Mist clung to the underbrush, and the scent of damp earth filled his nostrils.

This was a place of danger-untamed, wild- but it welcomed him like an old friend.

His paws padded forward, slow and measured. The energy in the air here was different- thicker, more primal. It whispered in languages he couldn’t speak but instinctively understood.

Ash continued running.

Lushwood Expanse opened before him like a dream carved in shadow. Each step tore across the soft loam, every breath burned with the weight of unfinished battles. Branches whipped past. Roots threatened his footing but he just kept running. His mind was moving way too fast for him.

It came all at once upon arrival at the Valen Estate. He could still see the arena- the chaos, the cultists, the pain. He remembered their eyes: not of terror, but arrogance. As if they didn’t consider him worth the effort. That arrogance had cost them.

But Ash knew the truth.

He hadn’t won because he was strong.

He’d survived because they underestimated him. Had they taken him more seriously, the result would have been completely different.

That thought gnawed at him, sharper than tooth or blade.

He leapt over a fallen trunk, the wind snarling at his heels.

"I wasn’t enough," he growled.

His mind replayed every second- every flinch, every tense moment that scared him. If they had taken him more seriously... would Lucas still be breathing? Would Bennet?

Ash skidded to a stop atop a cliff edge overlooking the valley as the serene landscape prompted his body to pause and sink deep into thought.

"I don’t want to rely on being ignored to win my battles," he said to himself, "That advantage will not last forever."

Suddenly, his mind replayed the bandit attack on the village that happened on his way to Westreach. He could hear the cries of the villagers and the dead bodies that were strewn across the ground, their faces still containing the expressions they had in the face of death.

He couldn’t help but realise that this would be the same expression that would have appeared on the villagers, civilians, and everyone who had died or lost someone during the attack in the arena today.

Weighed by these thoughts, Ash looked up into the evening sky, seeing the first stars begin to appear. And at that moment, he felt puny. He could feel how small he truly was in the grand scheme of things.

How weak he was to not be able to save those villagers.

How weak he was to not be able to save those civilians.

How weak he was to not be able to protect Lucas and his summon from being injured.

"Hahahahaha!" Ash laughed out loud as the thoughts got worse.

"So that’s what you’re trying to tell me?" he looked up as he shouted into the sky, imagining himself talking to life.

"I hate this feeling," he whispered bitterly, eyes still locked on the endless sky.

He dropped his head, claws digging slightly into the earth as the memories tore at him.

Just then, a soft chime echoed in his mind.

[Time up! Rank-Up Protocol taking place]

The ground beneath him shivered- barely, but enough to make the mist reciol and unravel like threads pulled too tight.

A low hum stirred the soil. Subtle. Not thunderous. But present in everything- the roots beneath the soil, the wind above the ground, the bones inside his body. The sound of insects and birdsongs ceased.

The forest wasn’t watching. It was waiting.

In that moment, the Aether shifted. The shadows beneath Ash condensed- dense as oil, slick as ink. The light dimmed slightly, like dusk had arrived a moment too early.

A sudden suction of aether pulled inwards towards Ash, forming a brief dome of trembling shadow.

His paws dug into the earth as tendrils of darkness coiled upward like smoke reversing gravity. The shadows weren’t wild; they were reverent, dancing with intention, as if honouring the moment.

They raced across his body, leaving a new, tougher, stronger Ash in their trail.

He grit his teeth as he felt his heartbeat deepen, resounding like a war drum in his chest. Each thump pushed more power through his limbs.

His muscles tightened- not with strain, but alignment. Like the body had finally caught up to the soul.

Aether crawled across his back in faint patterns, the markings that initially glowed purple now changing shape as they grew more intricate and expanded in the shape of a spider web.

The glowing momentarily continued before vanishing beneath his fur. His breath caught in his throat- then came the notification.

[Ding! Congratulations, host! Rank-Up completed!]

[Rank: F+ -> E-]

[All base stats increased +25]

[Traits Ranked Up:

Aetheric Sensitivity (E) -> (D)

Shadow Affinity (C) -> (B)

Telepathy (E) -> (D)]

The air returned to motion. Slowly. Almost shyly.

At first, it was only the wind brushing leaves, tentative and unsure. Then came the rustle of branches above, the faint buzz of life slowly resuming its rhythm.

There were no fireworks. No roar. No thunder from the heavens.

But there was the deep exhale of the forest, and the subtle rise of Ash’s chest as he breathed it in- letting the energy, the changes, and the calm root themselves into his very being.

He remained still as the last tendrils of black mist faded into the underbrush, their dance complete. Their purpose, fulfilled.

His silhouette stood defined against the dimming sky like a monument carved in darkness.

Then, slowly, his eyes opened- golden and focused, sharpened by revelation.

"I feel all the changes in my body..." he whispered.

The first change he immediately felt was the aether around him. He could feel it get clearer and more easy to sense and distinguish. It was akin to the feeling of finally taking in a breath after unblocking your nose.

He lowered his gaze and exhaled, steady and sure. Then, without hesitation, he spoke into the quiet woods:

"Status"

A faint glow rippled in front of his vision- translucent, almost like an imprint upon reality.

[Name: Ash

Species: Shadow Hyena

Level: 11

Experience: 14,070/20,000

Rank: E- Class

Aether: 3320/3320

Base Stats:

- Strength: 81

- Agility: 78

- Endurance: 85

- Intelligence: 77

Unused Points: 0

Traits:

S#$%&*!@$^ (?)[Locked]

Aetheric Sensitivity (D)

Shadow Affinity (B)

Pack Instinct (D)

Telepathy (D)

House Valen’s Bond (Unranked)

Skills:

Shadow Sprint(C): Short burst of speed for evasion or closing distance, leaving a brief afterimage. Range- 15m. (60AP) (17%)

Eclipsing Fang(C): A strong melee attack infused with shadow energy. (80AP) (12%)

Umbral Bind (C): Channels shadow energy into the ground, causing black tendrils to erupt around him in a small radius, ensnaring enemies. Range- 8m radius. (15AP/s) (7%)

Signature Skills:

Shadows of the Pack (C): Summons 3 shadow clones to confuse enemies for two minutes. Clones are now able to use skills (250AP) (4%)

Realm Passage (Unranked): Freely traverse between Aegaryn and Terranis at will and arrive at placed arrival points (1/1). (1000AP) (Casting time: 30 seconds)

Evolution Path Progression (Draconic):

- Current Form: Shadow Hyena

- Next Evolution: Choices available after Mission Completion

Defeat five creatures of equal or higher rank that wields shadow affinity (Not Completed)

Defeat one creature that contains the bloodline of a dragon (Not Completed)

Increase Strength to at least 50, Agility to at least 45, Endurance to at least 50, Intelligence to at least 35 (Completed)

Accumulate 5,000 experience through battle and survival (4,320/5,000)]

Ash’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the traits. With each line that glowed before him, a deeper understanding stirred inside him. He took a slow breath and leaned into the details, letting the information settle into his mind like coals in a furnace.

He then placed his attention into the traits that had received an upgrade from the rank-up.

[Aetheric Sensitivity (C):

Grants visual perception of lingering Aether trails, enabling tracking of enemies, detecting hidden summoning circles, and identifying Aether-based anomalies.

Shadow Affinity (B):

Darkness enhances Ash’s combat ability. Gains increased speed, agility, and strength when in dim or dark environments. Shadow-based skills cost less Aether and strike harder. Harder to detect in low light.

Telepathy (C):

Communication range increases to 50 meters, allowing battlefield-wide coordination and better control over clones or group tactics.]

He read the descriptions carefully, absorbing not just the words, but their implications. Each trait shimmered faintly as he reviewed it, a quiet pulse of power underlying the simple lines of text. His lips curled faintly at the edges- not a smile, but the solemn recognition of transformation.

"I’ve come a long way," he smiled as he pondered on his newfound strength, "There is still so much further to go."

For the first time in a long while, Ash felt something shift—not in his body, but in his spirit. The doubt still lingered in the corners of his mind, but it was no longer consuming him. He managed to see that while he was still far from strong enough... he was reminded that he was changing. Progress was real.

He might not be able to save everyone yet. He might still fall short when it mattered. But the path forward was clear, and each rank, each trial, brought him closer to that threshold he had envisioned—where strength met purpose, where power meant protection.

Ash exhaled, the breath steady and sure. His mood lightened—not with arrogance, but with clarity. He would reach that benchmark he had set.

He wasn’t there yet.

But now he believed, truly, that he would be.

His golden eyes turned east, where the horizon melted into the jagged veins of Aegaryn’s canyons. Somewhere out there, beasts waited. Trials waited. And so did his evolution.

He lowered his stance slightly, breath controlled, a low growl rolling beneath his ribs.

"Enough," he muttered. "Enough being underestimated. Enough holding back."

He stepped forward.

"From now on, I chase nothing but power—and I leave nothing but shadows behind."

The forest didn’t respond. It didn’t need to.

Because the wild knew what was coming.