Chapter 7
The cave Ben navigated was not a normal dungeon.
Most dungeons were structured with a clear progression. The deeper a player went, the stronger the enemies became, culminating in a boss at the end. This cave was different. It was nothing more than a long tunnel that burrowed deeper into the mountain. The further he went, the darker it became.
Ben refused to light a torch. Surprise mattered more than comfort. He stayed close to the cave wall, inching forward and squeezing what little light he could from the distant entrance.
After a short while, he stopped and stared into the darkness, hoping his eyes would adjust.
To his surprise, they did.
It was not true night vision, but it was enough. Shapes became clearer. The ground and walls took form, and he was able to move forward without stumbling.
A system notification appeared. He dismissed it without reading. He was too tense to spare attention for anything unnecessary.
As Ben pressed deeper into the cave, the darkness slowly thinned. After several minutes, he discovered why.
Small glowing crystals were embedded along the cavern walls.
[Cave Glow Crystal]
Ben assumed the crystals were placed by the system to make navigation easier. He accepted the convenience and continued forward until the tunnel opened into a wide chamber.
He froze.
At the center of the room slept a massive brown bear. It was at least three times the size of a normal one. Its slow breathing caused its chest to rise and fall like a bellows.
Ben inspected it.
[Level 10 Regional Boss: Savage Dire Grizzly]
A regional boss.
Ben clenched his fist to steady himself. Regional bosses carried power comparable to dungeon bosses of the same level. The difference was that they were not confined to instanced spaces. A player could stumble into one simply by wandering too far.
If Ben had followed the lizardmen tracks at a different time of day, he might have encountered this thing while it was awake and hunting.
His instincts screamed at him to leave.
He was level four. Even a full party of level four players would struggle against a regional boss. Alone, it was madness. Ben estimated he would need to be at least level eight to have a reasonable chance. Even then, the fight would be brutal.
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He took a step back.
Then he stopped.
The sensation came from nowhere. Not fear. Not excitement. Something quieter, deeper.
You can do it.
Ben shook his head slightly, careful not to make a sound. The thought was absurd. He could not fight a level ten boss alone.
You need to do it.
The thought returned, firmer this time. Ben paused, forcing himself to think clearly.
The sensible option was obvious. Mark the location of the cave and leave. He could travel to a nearby region and hunt level four or five monsters instead. There would be options if he searched long enough. This forest was dominated by lizardmen, which limited his choices, but not completely.
The lizardman dungeon itself was still off the table. Too many enemies. Too much variety. He would be overwhelmed.
But leaving carried its own cost.
This was standard progression logic. Beta players would already be doing it. Moving to another region meant competition, slower gains, and falling behind.
That thought forced Ben to reconsider his entire strategy.
He had planned meticulously, but plans only went so far when he was a single player competing against organized groups. His class was strong, but not unstoppable. Not yet.
There was one advantage he still did not fully understand.
Ben opened his class screen and slowed his breathing. For the first time since entering the game, he forced himself to stop and read.
The answer was not part of his class.
It was a talent.
[Hidden Talent: Master Summoner]
[Rarity: Legendary]
[You have been chosen by powers beyond your understanding, bestowing upon you blessings of peerless strength]
[Effect: For every creature you summon, an additional creature of the same type is summoned. This additional creature does not count against your summon limit]
[Special Note: This blessing has the potential to evolve based on your actions. Tread with grace.]
“Tread with grace?” Ben thought.
He stared at the description, stunned.
Hidden talents were almost unheard of. In his past life, he could count the number of known holders on both hands, per server. Most of them were Beta players.
Hidden talents were different from earned talents. They were unique. Players who possessed them almost always rose to the top of their specialization.
For Ben, it meant one thing.
He would become the strongest summoner.
The realization settled heavily in his chest. He would not have progressed this fast without it. He would never have entered this cave without four summons before level five.
Even without the talent, his class was exceptional. His cherubs were faster, smarter, and more skilled than any summons he remembered from other summoning classes. Necromancers could not compare. Even summoners from his past life fell short.
On top of that, his class began with an extra summon slot.
Four summons before level five.
It was absurd.
The confidence that followed was dangerous. He could feel it. Hubris had killed better players than him. Still, the thought refused to fade.
You must do it.
Ben exhaled slowly and manifested his bow. The worst outcome was death and a forced logout. An hour lost. Painful, but not fatal.
He could make up the difference.
In Eternity, first achievers gained the greatest rewards. Power snowballed. Falling behind meant staying behind.
If he wanted the strength to protect himself and those he cared about, he could not play safely. He already knew where caution led. He had learned that lesson the hard way.
This time, he would take the risk.
Ben pulled back the bowstring. His cherubs moved into position, warriors drifting forward until they were close enough for a clean strike.
When everything was set, Ben released the arrow.
