The Bone Ash Ants didn't last long.

The Death Lords tore through them with ruthless efficiency—dark blades cleaving brittle exoskeletons, necrotic energy devouring ash-coated flesh. The ants screeched, mandibles snapping uselessly before collapsing into piles of scorched bone and smoldering residue.

[You have slain Bone Ash Ant ×5]

[EXP gained]

Mike stepped forward as the corpses dissolved, leaving behind glowing drops.

Bone fragments. Ash cores. A faintly glowing red crystal.

"Fire–ash hybrid materials," he noted. "Nice."

He didn't linger and continued his killing spree.

Soon, Mike reached Level 300.

"This dungeon really is perfect for leveling up…" Mike muttered, glancing around as hundreds upon hundreds of ants rushed toward him. "…only if you can survive here."

He had already killed more than enough, but even then, he started another slaughter.

After the last ant fell, Mike switched places with Shadow, whom he had left behind in the safe zone, and then called Shadow back.

With Shadow's ice affinity, suppressing his heat signature was effortless. He moved unnoticed through the tunnels and returned to the safe zone without any trouble.

Once there, Mike merged back with his shadow, safely reappearing in his true body.

"…That was efficient," he said seeing the time as only three hours have passed and he is already Level 300.

"Now, I should check out my promotion quest" Mike mumbled as he sat at side and begun to browse through.

[Rank Promotion Quest Available]

Target Rank: 3]

Quest Requirement:

Defeat one Early Rank 4 Boss ]

Mike nodded. For a D-class awakened like him, receiving this kind of quest was normal.

"So… to get an SSS+ rating, I need to kill a boss three ranks above me," he muttered. "That means an early Rank 7 boss—or, to be safe, a peak Rank 7 boss."

He paused, thinking.

"I should look for a dungeon where I have a natural advantage," Mike said quietly. "Something like the Abyssal Mist Fly dungeon. That would make things easier."

With that decided, he exited the dungeon and headed toward the local guild.

After showing his Adventurer ID, he was quickly granted access to the list of Rank 7 dungeons.

"…None of these are suitable," he frowned, scanning the entries. Even the early Rank 7 bosses listed were exceptionally difficult.

"Show me all the Rank 8 dungeons," Mike said.

The receptionist nodded and placed another list on the table.

"Hm… this one might work."

Mike's eyes stopped on an Early Rank 8 dungeon gate.

Tyrant King's Kingdom.

It was a fallen kingdom ruled by an undead boss—an Arch Lich, a Mythical-tier lich, similar in nature to the Eldritch Lich Jace.

Mike smiled faintly.

"This should be interesting."

"I should leave my avatar there," Mike muttered. "That way, after the banquet, I can raid it immediately."

With that in mind, he headed to the Mage Guild.

After paying 10,000 gold, he used their special teleportation service.

"Tch… these mage bastards really charge a lot," Mike grumbled as the mage waved his hand and activated the teleportation circle.

Light swallowed him.

A moment later, Mike opened his eyes.

He had arrived at his destination—the Mage Guild branch of Hyrun City, the city closest to the Tyrant King's Kingdom dungeon.

Mike exhaled slowly.

"Perfect."

Mike didn't linger at the guild.

After confirming the dungeon's location and he went to an inn and then booked it for a week.

"Now, I can leave my avatar here" Mike nodded and then came out " I still have some hours so lets browse some stuff" Mike mumbled as he looked at the vast city before him.

Hyrun City was on an entirely different scale.

Compared to Lionheart City, it was several times larger, its streets wider, buildings taller, and mana density noticeably thicker. Awakened of higher ranks moved openly here, their auras restrained but heavy. Rank 7 and Rank 8 presences weren't rare.

"An Rank 8 city really is something else," Mike muttered.

His destination was clear—the magic district.

After walking through several streets filled with potion shops, rune engravers, and artifact dealers, Mike finally stopped in front of the most prestigious-looking store in the area.

The mana around it was refined. Stable. Powerful.

"This should be the one."

He stepped inside.

"Welcome, dear customer."

The shopkeeper was a mature woman with a confident smile, dressed in elegant mage robes that emphasized her status rather than flaunted it. Her sharp eyes flicked over Mike briefly, assessing him in an instant.

Mike inwardly sighed.No matter the world, pretty people still handle sales.

"I'll browse for now," Mike said calmly.

"Of course," she replied with a nod. "Are you looking for anything specific?"

"Yes," Mike said. "Items or skill-related materials for summoners and necromancers."

"Then you'll want this section."

She led him toward the inner side of the shop.

"Summoner-related items are here—contracts, catalysts, enhancement relics," she explained. "And over there," she added, pointing farther in, "the fifth row onward is reserved for necromancers."

Mike nodded. "Perfect."

He stopped at the summoner section first.

Shelves were lined with rare cores, beast-binding chains, soul resonance crystals, and high-grade summoning catalysts—many of them items he had only seen listed in auction catalogs before.

"As expected of a Rank 8 city," Mike muttered. "Things that only appear in auctions back home are just sitting on shelves here."

He started with summoner skill books.

He bought several summon reinforcement skills, along with a few skills focused on healing and recovery for summons. These were essential for long fights and boss raids.

Next, he moved to the summon catalyst section.

A summoner didn't strictly need catalysts, but using one could greatly narrow the type of summon that appeared. It increased compatibility and reduced randomness.

Fire catalysts led to fire-type summons.

Ice catalysts did the same for ice.

and so on

"Hm… if I'm going into an undead dungeon, I will need something with Anti-Undead effect type summon," Mike thought, "a holy-aligned catalyst would be useful."

After some consideration, he selected a high-grade holy-element catalyst.

"This should be perfect for testing the A rank Knight summoner Talent I got" he mumbled looking at the golden pearl in his hand.

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