"Are we all walking together, or should we split up to cover more ground at the same time?" an agent asked hesitantly.
"We'll walk together," Vidax replied firmly, brushing tall grass aside as he kept moving. "We still don't know what dangers might be lurking around here."
The team followed closely, their steps quiet yet cautious. Minutes turned to an uneventful stretch of walking, and boredom began creeping in.They suddenly got to a location with no grassland, only a wide expanse of earth looking like a desert. Then, without warning, a system alert echoed in their minds:
[ **You have entered the Groundhog Territory. Beware of hostile actions.** ]
"Huh? Did I hear that right?" one of the agents muttered, perplexed. "Did the system just warn us about... groundhogs?"
"Yeah, seriously! How could harmless creatures like groundhogs pose any kind of threat?" another chimed in, suppressing a laugh.
"Silence!" Vidax commanded sharply. "Keep your guard up and prepare to use your abilities at a moment's notice. Remember, this isn't Earth—these groundhogs may not be the ones we're familiar with."
As the team fell silent, a subtle vibration rippled through the ground. The tremor grew stronger with each passing second.
"Could these groundhogs be... super-sized mutant ones or something? Powerful enough to shake the ground with their steps?" someone wondered aloud.
"Abilities, now!" Vidax ordered. He summoned a flame spirit with practiced ease, but something felt different this time. There was a unique connection, a bond he hadn't experienced before during the past year.
"I'll figure out what this means later... if we survive," he thought grimly, setting his curiosity aside for the time being.
All around him, the team sprang into action. Summoners called forth an array of spirits—each unique, reflecting their bloodline abilities. Those not part of the Viridian family revealed their own distinct powers, creating a dazzling spectacle of raw energy and summoning.
"Everyone, stop moving," Vidax commanded, his voice steady despite the tension. The team froze, their senses on high alert, ready for whatever was coming.
Moments later, the ground trembled once more as small holes began to appear around them. The team braced for an attack, their abilities primed for combat.
Then, from these holes emerged... *adorable groundhogs.*
The group stared in disbelief. These creatures looked exactly like Earth's groundhogs—small, fluffy, and completely nonthreatening. There was no visible distinction that marked them as dangerous.
"I knew groundhogs couldn't possibly be dangerous," the agent who had dismissed them earlier said smugly, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"Shush! Don't let your guard down," Vidax shot back, his tone sharp. "Their sudden appearance is suspicious—don't you realize that?"
Vidax's piercing gaze remained fixed on the seemingly harmless creatures, as though trying to uncover their true nature. For three tense minutes, neither the team nor the groundhogs made a move. Then, as if losing their patience, the groundhogs slapped their tiny paws against the earth. Instantly, the ground trembled violently, and a network of holes began to form—attempting to swallow the agents whole.
"Attack! Those hogs seem to have some kind of earth-bending ability," Vidax commanded, directing his flame spirit to strike.
But the groundhogs scattered before the attacks could land, diving into their burrows and disappearing from view. Vidax clenched his fists as frustration gnawed at him. From what he'd observed, these creatures didn't appear particularly strong. A normal, unawakened human might even stand a chance against them in a direct fight. Yet, the critters had no intention of engaging head-on. Instead, they relied on their ability to burrow, wreaking havoc from the safety of their underground hiding spots.
"Unfortunately for you, flame spirits aren't the only thing I can summon," Vidax thought, his mind already formulating a new plan. "Everyone with the ability to summon earth-type elemental spirits, do so now! Those who have earth-control abilities, get ready to use them!" he ordered, summoning another spirit.
This time, instead of the fiery-red flame spirit, Vidax summoned a more inconspicuous, yellow-colored earth spirit. As he activated the *Spirit Sharing* ability, he felt the bond between him and the spirit deepen. A surge of power coursed through him—stronger than he'd ever felt before. The system confirmed his transformation:
---
[ Name: Vidax Viridian ]
[ Age: 41 ]
[ Bloodline Legacy: Pele ]
[ Bloodline Ability: Spirit Summoning ]
[ Current Power Level: Mortal ]
[ Experience Points (EXP): 0 / 5000 ]
Attributes:
- Strength: [ 8 (+3) ]
- Agility: [ 7 (+2) ]
- Endurance: [ 8 (+5) ]
- Mana Reserves: [ 7 / 10 ]
Special Abilities:
- **God of Summons (Low Level)**
- **Spirit Sharing**
---
The prompt displayed his increased attributes—strength, agility, and endurance—while highlighting the mana consumed by the Spirit Sharing ability. Though the boost appeared modest, Vidax could clearly feel the enhanced power within himself.
"This feels... good," Vidax admitted with a faint smile. Setting his curiosity aside, he directed the earth spirit to locate the hidden groundhogs. His subordinates with earth-control abilities joined the effort, their combined focus shaking the ground violently. Mini craters formed around them, evidence of the groundhogs reacting defensively to their probing.
Yet, despite their efforts, the groundhogs stubbornly remained burrowed deep within the soil. Vidax quickly realized their approach was yielding no results. It was time to adapt.
"New tactics!" Vidax declared. "Everyone with earth-type summons and abilities—open holes in the ground around us. Reinforce the soil directly below us to prevent collapse. Those with other types of attacks, send them down the newly created holes. I don't believe these critters have the guts to stay hidden when faced with a concentrated assault. If they do... they'll be massacred."
His tone carried authority and determination, inspiring his team to action.
Finally sensing a real threat to their lives, the groundhogs emerged once more, their movements hinting at an impending rampage. But before they could act, Vidax's team unleashed their attacks, overwhelming the creatures with precision and force. None of them escaped unscathed.
[ **You have killed a groundhog. You have earned 1 EXP.** ]
[ **You have killed a groundhog. You have earned 1 EXP.** ]
[ +1, +1, +1 ]
The system notifications flooded Vidax's mind, marking each kill and the minimal experience points gained. He wasn't surprised that the creatures were so easily defeated—it had been within his expectations. What did catch his attention, however, was the abysmally low EXP they offered.
"It's strange," Vidax thought, a flicker of amusement crossing his mind. "In games, leveling up is faster at the lower levels. But... what am I thinking? This is reality, not some childhood video game," he berated himself with a shake of his head.
Suddenly, a groundhog leaped at him with surprising speed, its sharp claws aimed directly at his chest. Vidax reacted instinctively, throwing a powerful punch. The critter exploded on impact, its blood splattering across his clothes in a gruesome display.
He wiped off the crimson stains with a grimace, his thoughts clouded with doubt. "This space feels like a freebie," he mused. "These creatures are weak and brainless. Where's the danger those scientists warned us about?"
The smoothness of the encounter unsettled him. His team hadn't suffered a single casualty—a fortunate outcome, no doubt, but one that felt strangely out of place.
Before Vidax could dwell on the thought, another system notification chimed:
[ **Congratulations! You are one of the first hundred people to clear the first beginner level of Zone 497. You have been granted 500 EXP as a reward.** ]
"Beginner level?" Vidax muttered, his confusion giving way to clarity. "It makes sense now... This is just the starting point."
A flicker of excitement stirred within him as he glanced up at the sky. "This is getting more interesting," he thought. His mind wandered briefly to Blue. "I wonder... Would this have been enough to catch his attention? To finally pique his interest?"
As the system's words faded, Vidax and his team steeled themselves, ready to dive deeper into the unknown mysteries of