Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God

Ethan sat under a tree, simply staring at the wilderness all around him. It had already been a day and he was still unable to figure out what had happened or wrap his mind around everything. The only thing that was keeping him sane was his status screen.

He willed his status screen to open for the umpteenth time and stared at the same two names.

Lia: Contract bound summon

Luna: Contract bound summon

Both of their names were still glowing which meant that they were alive. He had tried to understand what had happened these past few hours. He first thought maybe it was because of him and his dungeon records but he slowly understood the real reason.

It was because of that damned summoning contract. His summoning contract awakened her and linked her to the system.

Ethan still did not understand the system or any of it for that matter. But if it worked something like an internet then he just made her available online which was more than enough for her to be found.

"It's her mother. She will be fine." Ethan repeated to himself for the nth time. He said the words aloud, but they rang hollow even to him.

"It's her mother. She will be fine," he murmured again, the mantra doing little to ease the heavy weight pressing down on his chest.

His mind kept replaying the encounter—the sheer power of Luna's mother, the fury and contempt in her crimson eyes. It had all happened so fast that he had barely grasped the situation before he was whisked away. Now, all he could do was stare numbly at the wilderness surrounding him, trying to piece together the fragments.

Maybe Luna was fine, then what about Lia and Agnes? He rubbed his face roughly, exhausted and frustrated. He needed more information. He first needed to find out where he was and how he could get back home. He needed to find out what happened.

Ethan did not waste any more time. He had stayed in the same place for a while now and he had confirmed that it was relatively safe. He was in between two tall tress, nestled in the midst of bushes, hidden from the normal view.

He could potentially find a safer place but that would also mean he could run into dangerous variables. So he decided to roll the dice and do the thing right where he was. He flicked open his status screen and accepted the system prompt.

[Ding! Your evolution has been initiated]

A sudden surge of power burst forth from deep within Ethan's core, flooding every nerve and muscle in his body. It felt like molten fire coursing through his veins, a scorching, relentless energy that simultaneously burned and invigorated him.

The intensity forced him onto his knees, his vision wavering as he clenched his teeth against the overwhelming sensations.

His body began trembling uncontrollably. He felt each of his minions' presence—the wolves, goblins, insectoids, the worm, and even the slimes—as if their strength was merging into his own essence, amplifying his mana pool and expanding the boundaries of his being.

It was as if countless threads were being woven together, forming a bundle of raw, unstoppable power.

And then he felt it. Lia's presence. Ethan desperately grabbed onto that thread. He clung to it, ordering his mind and his soul and his body or whatever was responsible for all of this to obey him. He wanted to see more. They needed to show him more.

And shockingly, he managed to grab onto the chance.

He could sense Lia more strongly. She was somewhere far away. He could tell. There were purple mountains all around her and for a moment he caught a glimpse of an old woman near her. At the last instant, before his connection severed, he sensed a smile.

They were alive!

Relief flooded him but the next moment, something far stronger assaulted him. Pain seethed everywhere as the next thread wrapped around him, a thread he couldn't handle.

Its presence was overwhelming, filled with a fierce, raw energy—potent and unrefined. He gasped, instinctively pulling away, but the connection held firm, refusing to release him.

His consciousness was dragged violently across an unfathomable distance, hurtling through darkness and blinding flashes of crimson light. When his vision finally cleared, Ethan felt himself staring into those same blood-red eyes, the ones that had turned his life upside down. Luna's mother.

She looked directly at him, an expression of amused curiosity on her elegant face. "Oh? You dare reach out to me, human?" Her voice echoed, dripping with disdain.

"Such audacity." She snorted. "Hmph. Don't fret. It will but take a moment for me to erase your existence but for my daughter's sake, I will let you live. At least for now."

Ethan felt the connection sever with brutal force, snapping him back into reality. He fell forward, gasping for air, sweat dripping from his brow onto the forest floor. His body trembled violently as if he'd just escaped drowning. He remained there for a moment, breathing ragged, chest heaving, fists clenched in the dirt.

He slowly raised his head, staring at the fading sunlight filtering through the leaves. The encounter had left him shaken to the core, but it also brought a sense of clarity. Luna was alive. Lia was alive. Agnes had survived. These facts alone strengthened his resolve.

Changes were still occurring within his body so he closed his eyes and forced himself to focus.

He shut out the external world, and the chaos and confusion around him gradually faded into silence. He centered his awareness inward, feeling the intricate changes that were reshaping him from the inside out.

The raging torrent of energy had settled at the center of his body and then it disappeared. His consciousness expanded, and for the first time, he truly perceived the intricate web that connected him to his minions. His mana pool surged, its depth now deeper compared to before.

Then, finally, the evolution process completed. The intense sensation slowly receded, leaving behind a powerful sense of stability and strength.