[{"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-276":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},1326727,1762,"Chapter 276: The Hunt For Cores","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-276",276,"\u003Cp>The hunt continued, the roar of dying beasts echoing through the forest as Damien and Arielle cut through their targets with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was almost too easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle was strong to an extent, no doubt, but Damien was on an entirely different level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every swing of his blade, a mana beast fell. Each movement was efficient, precise, and brutal—as if he had done this a thousand times before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle, despite her own skill, found herself playing catch-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The count steadily rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eighteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time they reached twenty kills, something changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest grew quieter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining Grade Four mana beasts had noticed something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They weren't just wandering around aimlessly anymore. They were hiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle wiped sweat from her forehead, leaning against a tree. \"Damn it,\" she muttered. \"They caught on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien glanced around, his sharp eyes scanning the now eerily silent surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They're smart,\" he admitted. \"They know something is hunting them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle sighed. \"That makes things harder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before they could devise a new approach, movement in the distance caught their attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group of over two dozen Grade Four mana beasts was moving through the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Damien and Arielle tensed, thinking they had been discovered—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mana beasts weren't hunting them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were migrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle narrowed her eyes. \"They're not searching for us.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien nodded. \"They're moving from one part of the forest to another.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That didn't matter anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the beasts laid eyes on Damien and Arielle, their instincts kicked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation—they attacked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle cursed, gripping her daggers tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We don't have time for this,\" she muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien's eyes darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were outnumbered and in a bad position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to end this quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without wasting a second, he called out mentally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Summon Skylar and Luton!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burst of blue energy erupted from a portal that appeared close to Damien, and in an instant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skylar, the Shadowfang Wyvern, appeared with its dark energy engulfing its being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the forest went still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle froze in place, her heart slamming against her ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mana beasts stopped in their tracks, their eyes filled with pure terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the air itself felt heavier, as if the very presence of the Wyvern had swallowed all light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grade Four beasts tried to run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Skylar opened its maw, and with a deep, rumbling breath—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vwooooossshh!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shadow Flames poured forth like a black tsunami, sweeping across the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames weren't ordinary fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They clung to the mana beasts, burning through flesh, through bone, through essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle couldn't move—she was too stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer power that radiated from the Wyvern was on another level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn't something a mere mercenary could ever hope to match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien barely even reacted to the devastation around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He merely gave his second command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Luton. Clean up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luton, the Stellar Slime, leapt off Damien's head without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It expanded rapidly, its red gelatinous form absorbing the remains of the incinerated mana beasts, breaking them down with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle finally snapped out of her daze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You… You had that beast this entire time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien turned to her, his face completely calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle just stared at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, she couldn't even find the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She threw her hands up in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"AND YOU LET ME STRUGGLE TO KILL FOUR BEASTS?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien shrugged. \"I didn't think we'd need them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle gaped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—\" She groaned, rubbing her temples. \"I can't believe you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien smirked slightly. \"You said this was your mission. I was just helping.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle glared at him, but deep down…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn't deny what she just saw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Wyvern…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither was that Stellar Slime but she was at least fond of the Slime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had heard stories about ancient creatures, about mana beasts of immense power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was beyond anything she had ever seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at Damien, really looked at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just who the hell is this guy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>~~~~~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the battle over, the forest was once again silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luton had cleaned up everything, extracting the cores from the devoured beasts and storing them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle crossed her arms, still watching Damien cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I knew you were strong,\" she muttered, \"but that was on a completely different level.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien glanced at her. \"What? Did you think I was normal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle snorted. \"No. But I didn't think you were this overpowered either.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien chuckled, rolling his shoulders. \"Well, now you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle sighed. \"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Let's just go back and claim the reward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned on her heel, heading toward the path back to Westmont.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien followed, but his mind was elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way those mana beasts reacted to Skylar…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of instinctive fear only came from creatures who understood true power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew what Skylar was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Damien wasn't sure if he liked that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Damien and Arielle returned to Westmont, the sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of orange and violet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The town buzzed with activity, merchants closing up their stalls, street vendors calling out their last sales, and travelers filling the roads after a long day of work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle stretched as they passed through the gates, cracking her neck with a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Finally,\" she groaned. \"That took longer than I thought.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien chuckled. \"Yeah, well, next time, try not to drag me out of bed for a mission without explaining first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle grinned, nudging him with her elbow. \"But where's the fun in that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien rolled his eyes but let it slide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, his attention shifted toward their next stop—the merchant who had issued the mission in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two of them headed straight to the merchant district, where the streets were lined with various traders and store owners closing up for the day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their target was an older man, one of the more successful merchants in Westmont. He was seated behind his wooden stall, counting a small pouch of gold with a satisfied expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he saw them, his eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're back already?\" he asked, voice filled with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle grinned smugly, slapping the bag of cores onto his table. \"Of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant opened the bag and peeked inside, his hands pausing mid-count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression shifted instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold on… This is more than what I requested.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damien shrugged. \"We ran into a few extras.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant let out a low whistle, emptying the bag to count the cores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly realized that they had ten extra cores, bringing their total to forty Grade Four mana beast cores.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, well,\" the merchant chuckled, rubbing his hands together. \"You two really went all out, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arielle grinned, placing a hand on her hip. \"We do our best.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant sighed, shaking his head. \"I was only supposed to pay you for thirty, but…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reached under his stall, pulling out another hefty pouch of gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sixty-five gold coins for each extra core,\" he announced, tossing the additional payment onto the counter.\u003C\u002Fp>",1182,"2026-06-05T19:28:51.148Z",1,"novelbin.me","424a96630e94058585a63228e553094ea6d566398c43adb787b69ea10db08ea4","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-277","sss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--chapter-275",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsss-ranked-awakening-i-can-only-summon-mythical--cover.jpg"]