Chapter 62 – The Summoner and the Solitary Wolf.

The advance through the deep galleries of the Amethyst Labyrinth's second floor continued at a steady pace.

Diana led the march, her dragon silk cloak fluttering over her shoulders, feeling the colossal energy of her Intelligence 127 and her 730 mana points. Beside her, Rhea kept her scout senses on maximum alert with Agility 85, while Kael held his Volcanic Shield with 660 HP and Aurelia-Elysia kept her staff active with 580 MP.

That was when the squad reached the upper terrace of the Chamber of Crystal Roots.

Diana's [Command Eye] spell immediately picked up a series of chaotic mana fluctuations and the harsh sound of crystal shrapnel shattering at the bottom of the subterranean chamber.

Diana raised her left hand, signaling the group to halt at the canyon edge.

In the center of a sunken amphitheater of amethyst roots, a desperate battle was underway.

***

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Chamber of Roots - The Cornered Summoner

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In the middle of the chamber, a young girl wearing tattered purple silk robes and round-lensed glasses wielded a small silver-leather grimoire.

She was surrounded by four eight-meter-long Poisonous Amethyst Serpents (Level 35) and six Corrupted Spirits (Level 35) hovering in tight circles.

Diana activated tactical analysis on the girl:

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[SOLO ADVENTURER ANALYSIS]

- Name: Seraphina

- Official Class: [Crystal Soul Summoner]

- Level: 34 | HP: 420 / 420 | MP: 75 / 950 (Mana at Critical Level!)

- Active Summon: 1x Spectral Crystal Wolf (Level 33 - About to dissipate).

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Level 34.

Diana blinked, impressed.

A solo adventurer of Level 34 operating alone in the depths of a Level 36 mega-dungeon was an absolute rarity. Seraphina was incredibly strong, but her potion stock was depleted, and with only 75 mana remaining, she couldn't keep her summons active to hold off ten Level 35 monsters simultaneously.

The tail of one serpent came down like a stone whip, shattering Seraphina's spectral wolf into purple dust.

The girl collapsed sitting in the gravel, her glasses slipping down her nose, yet she still raised her small silver grimoire with a fierce, obstinate expression.

“I still have mana to summon a Titanic Golem, you glass-snake idiots!” Seraphina screamed with defiant pride. “Come and get me!”

However, when she attempted to channel the spell, her mana fizzled out with a dead spark.

The largest Level 35 serpent gaped its jaws, fangs dripping green poison, diving in a lethal strike straight toward the summoner's chest.

***

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Greed's Surgical Intervention

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“Kael, intercept! Aurelia, barrier on the girl! Rhea, sever the poison!” Diana commanded with lightning speed.

BOOM!

Kael leaped from the ten-meter-high upper terrace, slamming onto the crystal floor right in front of Seraphina like a black-iron meteor.

UNSHAKEABLE STANCE + IRON TAUNT!

The Level 35 serpent's jaw collided with brute force against Kael's Volcanic Steel Shield.

Kael's wall of 660 HP POINTS didn't even shake! The dragon scales on his armor reflected 35% of direct physical damage back in red flames, snapping the serpent's fangs in an explosion of sparks.

Seraphina's eyes went wide behind her glasses, open-mouthed as a gigantic tank materialized out of nowhere to block the strike with absolute ease.

Aurelia-Elysia leaped off the terrace right behind, raising her Mana Crystal Staff with -40% cast time.

PROTECTION BARRIER + AREA HEAL!

A dome of lilac light covered Seraphina instantly, while the wave of healing restored the summoner's stamina and cleansed residual poison from her body.

Rhea turned into an invisible comet.

PHANTOM STEP!

With Agility 85, Rhea blinked through the shadows of the crystal roots, appearing above the other three serpents. Her Dragon Silk and Shadow Daggers severed the monsters' poison glands in three cross slashes before the creatures could spit acid.

CRUNCH! CRITICAL DAMAGE: 480!

***

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The Commander's Arcane Suppression

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Diana floated down from the terrace, hovering smoothly by way of her arcane cloak.

With Intelligence 127, she extended both open hands over the hall.

MANA PRISON + ARCANE STORM ORB!

Diana sealed the magic channels of the six Level 35 Corrupted Spirits for four seconds with transparent chains and detonated a concentrated electric sphere in the center of the group.

BOOM!

The electricity stunned all the monsters, while Diana unleashed a fanned-out [Greed's Flame] that devoured the spirits in black flames in under ninety seconds.

Combat against ten Level 35 monsters concluded without the group suffering a single point of damage.

***

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The Stubborn Summoner

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Silence descended over the Chamber of Roots.

Seraphina remained sitting on the floor inside Aurelia-Elysia's magic barrier, her glasses crooked on her face and her small grimoire on her lap, staring dumbfounded at the four-member squad wearing gleaming Level 25+ Dragon armor.

She cleared her throat quickly, adjusted her glasses with her index finger, and stood up brushing dust off her skirt, puffing her cheeks with stubborn pride:

“I-I… I didn't need help!” Seraphina declared in a squeaky voice, trying to look dignified. “I was merely luring all those serpents into the activation radius of my supreme summoning trap!”

Kael looked at Seraphina, scratching his neck behind his helm with an awkward smile. “You were down to seventy-five mana, girl…”

Diana took two steps forward, stopping before Seraphina with arms crossed over her Dragon Chestplate, a small, amused, composed smile on her lips.

“Your 'supreme trap' was three seconds away from becoming serpent lunch with your mana channels completely bone dry.” Diana said in a calm tone.

Diana pulled a vial of Pure Mana Elixir (95% Purity) and two concentrated nutrition pills from her belt pouch, offering them to Seraphina.

Seraphina looked at the crystal vial suspiciously. But when she caught the pure, dense scent of mana emanating from the blue liquid, her eyes widened: it was a master-grade potion of nearly perfect purity, something that would cost at least a full silver coin in noble shops.

Mana thirst and hunger won out. Seraphina grabbed the vial and downed the elixir all at once, chewing the pills with tears in her eyes.

In less than five seconds, Seraphina's mana bar recovered 250 MP points, and color returned to her face.

***

Diana evaluated the girl with [Command Eye].

A Level 34 Summoner capable of materializing distraction beasts and support golems would be an extraordinary tactical addition to speed up clearing the second floor and the Level 36 Boss.

“You are out of potions and trapped on the second floor of a mega-dungeon.” Diana declared in a businesslike tone. “We are the Arcane Greed Faction. We have a 660 HP tank, a priestess with 580 MP, and unlimited pure potions in my lab.”

Diana pointed toward the corridor ahead:

“Join our formation temporarily until the Second Floor Boss Gate. You provide distraction summons to cluster the monsters, we guarantee your protection and supplies, and you receive thirty percent of the loot dropped in fights you participate in.”

Seraphina blushed slightly, adjusting the sleeves of her tattered robe, looking at Diana's imposing stance, Rhea's speed, and Kael's volcanic shield.

She knew that offer was a survival miracle.

“F-Fine!” Seraphina said, turning up her nose with an air of feigned superiority. “But only temporarily until we reach the Boss! I'm a solitary, independent adventurer, got it?!”

—Congratulations, Diana…” The System whispered in her mind, the interface floating in black gold with pure mockery. Another stubborn, cute rookie for your asset collection. Pretty soon your 'Greed Harem' is gonna need a bigger mansion.

“Shut up, System.” Diana replied mentally. “Level 34 Summoners increase area-clear speed by forty percent. It's pure mathematics.”

***

Rhea gathered the loot from the ten defeated serpents and specters.

Thanks to the passive +30% Commander's Loot bonus, the harvest yielded 10 Pure Silver Coins and four high-tier amethyst fangs.

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[FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT]

Previous Balance: 210 Silver Coins (21 Gold Coins).

Level 35 Serpents Loot (+30% Bonus): +10 Silver Coins!

[NEW ABSOLUTE NET WORTH: 220 SILVER COINS (22,000 Bronze! / EXACTLY 22 PURE GOLD COINS!)]

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Two hundred twenty silver coins securely stored in the vault. Exactly Twenty-Two Pure Gold Coins.

Seraphina positioned herself between Rhea and Aurelia-Elysia, opening her silver grimoire with eyes shining as she saw the security and power of the squad around her.

Diana adjusted the bracers on her Dragon Chestplate and pointed her dagger toward the second floor's core.

With a Level 34 Summoner temporarily integrated into the squad, the Arcane Greed Faction continued its relentless march toward the Amethyst Labyrinth Boss.

Final Notes: 

Hehehe, high time a new face showed up for the team! Hope you guys are enjoying <3