[{"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-249":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},1327116,1762,"Chapter 249 249: Towards An Unknown Town","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-249",249,"\u003Cp>The group of survivors stood together beneath the blood-red sky, exhaustion weighing on their expressions as they all watched Damien arrive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their clothes were torn and dirty, their eyes filled with uncertainty despite being free. They were awaiting a word. Any word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They simply wanted Damien to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien remained mounted on Fenrir, his silver-haired silhouette standing out against the darkened forest. His gaze swept across the crowd, his mind working through the next steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had escaped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—they needed a place to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Lizella, his voice calm but firm. \"Where are you all from?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a brief silence before the first person spoke. \"Far towards the east of the continent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then another. \"The southern kingdom of Edorg.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Raegon, a town close to Edorg.\" A third person added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, they gave different answers—naming distant towns, remote villages, and far-off kingdoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some had been traders traveling across regions before they were captured. Others had been taken from their homes in the dead of night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few had even been taken from battlefields, prisoners of war who had been sold as merchandise to the highest bidder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien listened carefully, his expression unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time everyone had spoken, one thing was clear—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of these people were from the same place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been gathered from all over the continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella, who had been listening alongside Damien, furrowed her brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That complicates things,\" she muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien nodded. \"Scattering them back to their homes individually would take weeks—maybe months.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And that's assuming they even have homes left to return to,\" Lizella added grimly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of these people had been gone for too long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If their homes had been destroyed—if their families had moved on, or worse, been wiped out—where would they go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy silence settled over the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella finally exhaled and said, \"They can come with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien's blue eyes flickered toward her. \"Where?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My home,\" she clarified. \"It's a decent-sized town. Not huge, but stable and safe. They'll be tended to until they recover. Once they're strong enough, we can help them find their way back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few of the captives exchanged uncertain glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a generous offer—but many of them had never heard of Lizella's town before. She didn't even specify as she spoke about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some still struggled to trust anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien, however, didn't respond immediately. Instead, he studied Lizella carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can your town handle this many people?\" he asked. \"Not just the ones here—but the others I have stored away?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The others?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien's lips curled slightly. \"Did you think I only saved this group?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realization dawned on her face. \"You… stored them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded. \"In Luton.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned toward the Stellar Slime, which sat contentedly on Damien's head, jiggling slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella's mouth opened, then closed. That explained why Luton had suddenly vanished earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at the survivors around her. There were already over five dozen people standing here—and now Damien was telling her there were more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Much more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could her town handle that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella's hometown wasn't large, but it wasn't weak either. They had the resources, the infrastructure, and the organization to temporarily house a large number of people—under certain conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just had to play her cards right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, she let out a slow breath. \"I'll make it work.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien nodded once. \"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't worried. If the town refused them—he had other plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, Lizella's offer was the best option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With their destination set, the group began moving south through the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien stayed toward the front, keeping a steady pace on Fenrir, while Lizella walked beside the group, occasionally checking on those who were injured or weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former captives remained mostly silent, their energy drained after days of suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien's gaze flicked toward the map in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was… off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The southern region of the forest had no markings on his map.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No villages. No trade routes. No known settlements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was supposed to be empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Lizella claimed there was a town there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien didn't question it out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he folded the map, deciding to follow her lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything felt wrong, he could always leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they walked, Damien listened to the sounds of the forest—the rustling of trees, the distant calls of nocturnal beasts, the soft crunch of footsteps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard murmurs from the survivors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some whispered about their uncertain futures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others about the war approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few had begun to discuss Damien himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He caught bits and pieces of their hushed conversations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who is he?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He fights like a monster…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That wolf—what even is that thing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That girl, Lizella—who is she to him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are we really safe with them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien ignored them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't here to comfort them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't here to earn their trust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had simply done what needed to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't shake the feeling that this wouldnt end yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Stray Hounds were only one piece of a much larger web of corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had destroyed one of their bases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there were more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now that he had their map—he knew exactly where to find them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One by one, they would fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella walked a few paces behind Damien, her arms crossed as she glanced up at him every so often.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had noticed his silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just now—but ever since they left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was thinking about something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, she finally spoke. \"You don't trust me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien didn't turn. \"I don't trust anyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella let out a small chuckle. \"Fair enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, after a pause—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will you stay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien finally looked down at her. \"At your town?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought for a moment before responding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll stay long enough to make sure the survivors are all settled.\" His gaze darkened slightly. \"Then, I'll move on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella wasn't surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had known from the moment she met him that Damien wasn't the type to stay in one place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, she smiled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more words were exchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group continued moving south—toward an unmarked town in an unmarked region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien remained quiet but watchful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lizella remained calm but calculating. \"Till they settle, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1039,"2026-06-05T19:28:51.149Z",1,"novelbin.me","4c17e472b8dbfbb4714a2e2b81cbc566d897b87134f338bddb2d9955dc9c365d","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-467","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-466",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--cover.jpg"]