The sun rose over Windcrest City, its golden rays cutting through the fog that blanketed the rooftops.Two weeks had passed since Lior's battle with the Minotaur — two weeks since his entire world changed.
Every morning, he trained in the open fields — swinging his wooden sword hundreds of times until his hands blistered.Every night, he sparred against his elementals, mastering both combat and synchronization.
He wasn't born a warrior, but his resolve had turned sharper than steel.
⚔️ The Adventurer's Guild
By the end of the second week, Lior decided it was time to register as an Adventurer.He packed his simple gear and walked into Windcrest City — a bustling hub of travelers, merchants, and mercenaries.
The Azureblade Guildhall towered before him, carved from dark stone and lit with floating runic crystals. Inside, the air buzzed with energy — laughter, clashing mugs, and the crackle of magic from boasting mages.
But when people noticed him, whispers spread.
"Isn't that the farmer kid from the outskirts?""He's got no element, right?""He'll quit before sunset."
Lior ignored them and approached the counter.
The receptionist — a young woman with auburn hair tied in a braid — smiled politely."Welcome to the Azureblade Adventurer's Guild. Are you here to register?"
"Yes," Lior said.
She nodded and pulled out a parchment. "State your full name and your elemental affinity — Fire, Water, Earth, or Air?"
Lior took a breath. "Summon."
The quill froze mid-stroke."I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"
"Summon magic," he said simply.
The receptionist blinked in disbelief. "Summon… that's not part of the Four Elemental Classes."
"I know. But it's what I have."
After a long pause, she wrote it down. "Alright, Mr. Lior Everwind. Registered as an E-rank adventurer."
She handed him a bronze badge etched with a rune shaped like a spiral — the mark of a beginner.
"To advance to D-rank," she explained, "you'll need to complete five E-rank quests. Only then can you enter official dungeons."
"I'll take all five," Lior said without hesitation.
Her eyes widened. "All five? That's not how—"
"I'll manage," he interrupted, smiling faintly.
🌿 The Five Quests
By midday, Lior had accepted his list:
Herb Gathering
Ore Mining
Slime Core Collection
Goblin Subjugation
Lost Item Retrieval
He walked to the nearby forest and called,"Terra! Come forth!"
The ground trembled as Terra appeared — a towering human-sized elemental of stone and crystal, his skin marked with glowing earthen sigils and eyes burning with deep emerald light.Though he looked fierce, his presence was calm — steady, like the mountains themselves.
"Terra," Lior said, holding up the quest paper, "I need to find these herbs."
Terra knelt, pressing his massive hand to the ground.The earth pulsed softly, sending ripples of mana across the terrain."Detected. Two kilometers east, near the crystal creek," Terra said, his voice deep and resonant.
Lior nodded. "Then let's move."
By sunset, they had completed three quests — herbs gathered, ores mined, pendant retrieved from a kobold nest.Only slime cores remained.
💀 The Slime Fields
The marshlands reeked of decay. But when they arrived, the ground was littered with already-dead slimes.
Aqua appeared beside Lior — tall and elegant, her sea-blue armor shimmering under the moonlight, long hair flowing like liquid water.She raised her staff and frowned. "These slimes… were slain recently."
Before they could investigate further, guttural snarls echoed from the trees.A horde of goblins poured out — nearly a hundred of them, armed and snarling.
Lior drew his sword. "Terra! Aqua! Formation Gamma!"
Terra slammed his fists into the soil, summoning earthen spikes that impaled dozens.Aqua lifted her staff, calling forth torrents of water that slashed through the air like blades.Within seconds, the battlefield became chaos — stone and water colliding with shrieks of dying goblins.
Lior dashed forward, channeling mana into his sword. One clean strike decapitated a goblin leader.
Crash.Slash.Roar.
In less than a minute, over seventy goblins lay dead.
Breathing hard, Lior retrieved slime cores from the battlefield. "Let's go report."
🏅 Rank Up
When Lior entered the guild that evening, the receptionist nearly dropped her ledger."You're back already? Don't tell me—"
He placed five quest tokens and proof items on the counter. "All completed."
She blinked. "All… five?"
Lior nodded.
For a moment, the guildhall went dead silent.Then she began verifying — herbs, ores, cores, pendant, goblin trophies. All genuine.
Her voice trembled. "Congratulations. You've advanced to D-rank Adventurer."She handed him a silver badge, still stunned.
Murmurs rippled through the hall.
"He did all five?""That's impossible!""What kind of magic is Summon?"
Lior only smiled. "Guess I'll find out soon enough."
⚔️ The Dungeon
That night, while walking home through the forest, a faint blue glow caught his eye — a swirling portal humming with raw energy.
[System Notice: Undiscovered Dungeon Detected][Recommended Rank: B]
"This is it," Lior whispered. "A chance to grow."
Ignoring the warning, he stepped inside.The gate slammed shut behind him, sealing the entrance.
[Dungeon Rule: Exit Locked Until Floor Boss is Defeated.]
Lior sighed. "No way out, huh? Then forward it is."
The first floor stretched endlessly — glowing crystals, strange shadows, the scent of mana thick in the air.He summoned Aqua and Terra beside him. Their presence filled the cavern like living forces of nature.
The enemies here weren't weaklings — C-rank beasts prowled in the dark, snarling with razor fangs.Every battle pushed him beyond his limits, but he refused to stop.
He fought for two straight days, resting only when his body nearly gave out.Each victory brought growth.
[Stats Increased!][Summon Rank: Upgraded to D+][Skill Unlocked: Elemental Resonance][Summoner's Core Expanded]
When he finally reached the boss chamber, the air turned molten hot.A deep growl echoed through the stone walls
A massive figure slumbered within — scales gleaming like molten iron, eyes glowing gold.
"An… Ancient Dragon," Terra growled. "That's A-Rank."Lior's hands trembled. "We can't run, can we?"Sylph shook her head. "Doors sealed."Ignis smirked. "Then we burn it to ash."
The dragon roared, unleashing a wave of heat that shattered rock. Lior was thrown back, his arm bleeding, vision blurring.
Lior's body was covered in cuts, his sword cracked, and his mana nearly gone.But retreat wasn't an option.
He looked up at his elementals — Aqua's eyes gleamed like stormy seas, Terra stood ready beside her, unshaken.
"I've come too far to die here," he said quietly. "Let's finish this together."
The dragon inhaled, its maw glowing with deadly light.Lior raised his sword.
"Elementals! Full Resonance Mode!"
The dungeon exploded in blinding light.
To be continued…