Limitless Summoner: Rise of the Soul God

Ethan spent the next two days adjusting his mindset. Not that it helped. He eventually gave up and moved on, deciding instead to start building himself back up again from scratch. He had advanced to the next rank, and now it was time to explore exactly what he could do.

"Arcane Synthesis…" he muttered thoughtfully, raising his hand. With a mental command, he summoned Shadow, who materialized from a swirl of dark mist, its sleek black fur shimmering under the daylight.

Ethan studied his cat carefully, anticipation building in his chest. This was the first skill he intended to test—a skill capable of inducing mutations. The potential excited him. If this worked, his minions could evolve beyond their current limits, unlocking new strengths and abilities.

He took a deep breath, focusing on the skill. Mana surged through him and he could feel a deep connection to the cat. But at the last moment, he disrupted the skill and did not allow it to activate fully.

"On second thought, maybe I should start with the slimes."

Shadow let out a soft, disappointed meow as Ethan summoned one of the translucent, wobbling creatures instead. It quivered innocently before him, oblivious to what was about to happen.

He refocused and began using the skill again. "Alright, little guy. Let's see what you've got hidden inside."

He carefully activated [Arcane Synthesis] again, channeling his mana into the tiny slime. A soft glow enveloped the creature, and immediately it began to tremble, its gelatinous form rippling violently.

Ethan watched closely as the slime's transparent body shifted colors, turning from clear to a pale shade of blue, then deepening into vivid cobalt. The slime shivered again, its form expanding, pulsing as if struggling to contain newfound energy.

A moment later, the slime's body settled, slightly larger now, with subtle streaks of silver rippling gently beneath its cobalt surface. Ethan's eyes widened—something had definitely changed.

Curiously, he inspected it, noting a distinct aura radiating from the slime. He opened its status window, eager to see the details.

[Ding! Mutation Successful!]

[Slime has mutated into Azure Silver Slime (Uncommon Variant)]

[Abilities gained: Enhanced durability, Moderate Water Affinity, Water Bullet]

Ethan exhaled in awe. His simple slime had transformed into something considerably stronger and far more valuable. This skill was definitely over-powered. If the slimes could mutate this impressively, he wondered how far Shadow or his other minions could evolve.

He quickly wanted to test it out on the cat but as he activated the skill, he got a new message.

[Ding! Skill Cool Down: Time Remaining 24 hours]

"Hmmm… why is there a cool down all of a sudden? This wasn't mentioned in the description of the skill." Ethan went over the details again but he couldn't see a cool down. Was this specific for him perhaps? Could he only handle using this skill once a day right now?

He thought about it for a while and decided to take it at face value. There was no point in overthinking everything. Most probably at a higher level or when he was more familiar with the skill he should be able to use it more often?

He watched the slime water bullet everything in sight zapping left and right in excitement before it ran out of mana. It had definitely changed a lot.

Ethan dismissed the minion before standing up and starting to look around. He needed to figure out where exactly he was and what he was going to do from now on.

He had been so preoccupied with his evolution and new abilities that he hadn't given much thought to exactly where Agnes had teleported him. The dense foliage and towering trees indicated a forest far removed from any familiar landmarks.

He paused briefly to summon Shadow again, who purred softly while rubbing against his legs. "Watch my back, buddy." He also summoned Tweety and send the bird to do some scouting.

However, it turned out all of that was unnecessary. There was a small town located very nearby, visible just beyond a gentle rise ahead. Tweety circled in the sky above it, quickly relaying images of quaint cottages, bustling market stalls, and villagers going about their daily business.

Ethan was a little shocked at first. He had never gotten any communication from his minions like this before. It was only vague imagery but still it was better than nothing. Even though it was not explicitly mentioned in his new skills or status screen, it looked like the connection between him and his minions had improved.

This was good. Ethan increased his pace. A town meant safety, information, and perhaps a chance to rest properly after everything he'd experienced. Still, caution remained. He didn't recognize the area, and there was no telling who, or what, might be waiting.

He soon reached the outskirts of the small town. He approached an older woman who was walking out of the town. "Excuse me," he began politely, "I'm new around here and a bit turned around. Could you tell me the name of this town?"

She gave him a warm smile. "You've wandered into Stonecreek, young man. Welcome! You look like you've traveled quite far. If you're looking for a place to rest, there's an inn down the street."

Ethan thanked her, planning to do pretty much the same. He turned to walk when she called out to him again. "Aye, you must be one of those academy brats, aren't you? The entrance exams are in a week and so many initiates are flocking to our town thanks to the sky high city prices."

"Hmmm?" Ethan paused, neither confirming or denying her assumptions.

"Listen, my husband runs the best restaurant in the town. If you are here for a week, you ought to try our food. It's called The Old Oak Tavern, right down by the market square. Just tell him Meredith sent you, and he'll fix you up something special." She winked good-naturedly.

Ethan smiled. "Thank you, I'll be sure to visit."

As Meredith walked away, Ethan stood thoughtful for a moment. An academy entrance exam?