[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical-":3,"chapter-sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-210":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","SSS-Ranked Awakening: I Can Only Summon Mythical Beasts",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1327061,1762,"Chapter 210 In A Ditch","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-210",210,"\u003Cp>Damien chuckled, shaking his head. \"Fair enough. But next time, leave a few more for me, alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No promises,\" Arielle said with a grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two exchanged a brief smile before turning their attention to the trail ahead. Their journey wasn't over yet, and the night was still young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle was behind them, the air still heavy with the aftermath. Rather than immediately take to the skies on Aquila, Arielle suggested a different approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why not walk for a while?\" she said, sheathing her blade and brushing some demon blood off her armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien raised an eyebrow. \"Walk? You do know we have a Griffin for faster travel, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle smirked. \"Yes, but walking gives us a chance to cool off and actually talk. Besides, you could use a bit of walking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien scoffed but didn't argue. He dismissed Aquila with a casual wave of his hand, and the Griffin soared into the sky with a final screech, disappearing into the clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The terrain was still swampy but less oppressive now that the demon stench was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Short grasses swayed in the faint breeze, and the ground beneath them was soft but manageable. The pair walked side by side, the silence between them surprisingly comfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So,\" Arielle began, breaking the quiet. \"How many kills are you aiming for on this little hunting trip of yours?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien glanced at her, his expression thoughtful. \"I need a hundred more meet the next target of mine. So far, I've got around thirty. Maybe a little more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only a third?\" Arielle teased, nudging his arm playfully. \"You've been slacking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Slacking?\" Damien shot her a mock glare. \"You're the one stealing my kills. I'd probably be more than halfway if it weren't for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle laughed, the sound light and genuine. \"You're just mad I'm better at it than you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Better? Please,\" Damien retorted, his lips twitching into a smirk. \"I'm letting you have the easy ones. Consider it a favor. Can't have you rust up while on the hunt with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They continued bantering as they walked, the conversation bouncing between playful jabs and light-hearted topics. For a moment, it felt almost normal—like they weren't in a demon-infested wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither of them noticed the large ditch ahead. Hidden beneath a layer of loose foliage and camouflaged by the uneven terrain, the trap was nearly impossible to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien was mid-sentence when his foot hit nothing but air. He stumbled forward, his balance completely lost. \"Oops.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dam—!\" Arielle's voice turned into a sharp scream as the ground beneath them gave way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them fell, tumbling down a steep ten-meter drop. The sides of the ditch were rough, dirt and small rocks cascading with them as they plunged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahhhh!!\" Arielle's scream echoed all the way down, while Damien remained eerily silent, his mind racing to process what had just happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a heavy thud, they hit the bottom. Dust billowed around them, the earthy scent of disturbed soil filling the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, neither of them moved. Arielle groaned, sitting up and brushing dirt off her clothes. \"What the hell just happened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien pushed himself to his feet, checking his limbs for injuries. \"We fell into a ditch,\" he said dryly, his voice laced with irritation. \"A very deep ditch.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No kidding.\" Arielle stood, wincing as she stretched. \"How did we not see that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien didn't answer immediately. He scanned the walls of the ditch, noting the steep incline and the lack of footholds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ditch was about three meters wide, the walls towering above them with no immediate way out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We were distracted,\" he admitted finally, his tone begrudging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle dusted off her pants, glancing upward. \"Well, call Aquila and let's get out of here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien nodded, focusing his thoughts on the Griffin. He sent the mental command to call it forward, but instead of appearing, Aquila's distant cry echoed from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle tilted her head, frowning. \"What's it doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's... flying away,\" Damien said slowly, his irritation mounting. \"Great. Just great.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can't you just unsummon and then summon it back?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give me a second.\" Damien closed his eyes, muttering under his breath as he canceled the summon. He waited a beat before attempting to call Aquila again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could complete the summoning, a sound froze him in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint crunch of boots on dirt reached his ears. Someone—or something—was walking above them, circling the edge of the ditch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The footsteps were slow and deliberate, almost as if whoever was up there was assessing the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien's hand instinctively went to his sword, his grip tightening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damien,\" Arielle whispered, her voice low. \"Do you hear that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded, his gaze fixed upward. \"Yeah. And I'm asking myself how I didn't notice it earlier.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The footsteps grew louder, closer. Damien's muscles tensed, his instincts screaming at him to prepare for a fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who's there?\" he called out, his voice echoing off the walls of the ditch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The footsteps paused, and for a moment, there was silence. Then, a shadowy figure appeared at the edge of the ditch, peering down at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, well,\" the figure drawled, their voice tinged with amusement. \"What do we have here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle glanced at Damien, her expression a mix of confusion and concern. \"Friends of yours?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not at all. I have no friend.\" Damien muttered, his eyes narrowing as he sized up the figure above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stranger chuckled, their tone mockingly polite. \"You two look a little stuck. Need a hand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien didn't lower his guard. \"Depends. Are you the one who dug this ditch?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure tilted their head, feigning innocence. \"Me? Oh no, I wouldn't dream of it. But I might know who did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle crossed her arms, her patience thinning. \"Then maybe you could stop wasting our time and tell us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stranger's grin widened. \"Now, where's the fun in that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien sighed, his grip tightening on his sword. \"Looks like we're not getting answers the easy way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stranger took a step back, their shadow retreating from the edge. \"Good luck climbing out, though. I'll be watching from a few meters away.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As their footsteps faded into the distance, Damien exchanged a look with Arielle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This just got a lot more complicated,\" he muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think?\" Arielle shot back, rolling her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien glanced up at the walls of the ditch, his mind already racing with possibilities. Whatever this was, it wasn't a random accident. And now, they had more than just demons to worry about.\u003C\u002Fp>",1093,"2026-06-05T19:28:51.149Z",1,"novelbin.me","222c0188e939be8bd70b08aed9aa35424b0e2daaac168f2866893488e867178d","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-451","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-209",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--cover.jpg"]