Chapter 90: A Dark Surprise

DING

[Talent's daily use available. Use: Yes/No]

With a sleepy grumble, he sat by the edge of his bed and pressed yes.

As the noise of the rattling needle echoed, he stretched his limbs and ruffled his hair before focusing on the wheel.

However, the items displayed didn't even allow him to get excited, much less wish for an SSR draw. Instead, his brows quivered, and his twitching lips parted in outrage.

"Are the demon kings and gods rigging my talent? All the items are trash! Where are my epic weapons and equipment?"

Tiamat's amused voice echoed from behind the wall to add insult to injury.

"I guarantee no one manipulated the wheel. Your luck is the trashiest, that's it."

As if pierced by her words, he held his chest and stumbled back.

Simultaneously, the wheel stopped and revealed today's incredible item.

[Congratulations on obtaining a master dish: Lobster Thermidor]

He held his throbbing forehead, feeling blood rush into his brain at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"I complained about food a lot, true, but don't waste my wheel rolls with it!"

The worst part? He didn't get that much. If it could allow him to vary his diet for a week, he wouldn't have complained, but two lobsters? They wouldn't even last until tomorrow.

Annoyed, he clicked his tongue and left his room, the promise of more fulfilling activities helping to distract him.

After descending the stairs, he went to his lord badge and taped it to upgrade the house.

He paid the 600 units of stones, 700 of wood, and 150 of iron without batting an eye before checking the requirements for the next level.

Materials required to level up: 800 units of stone, 900 units of wood, 200 units of iron and a population of 17 tier 2 citizens. Territory must reach the Iron I rank. Sёarᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

He frowned for a second before his lips curled into a smirk.

"The shortage of citizens won't block me after today!"

Without wasting time, he packed all his cores into a broad piece of fabric in the warehouse and then went to the long-unused demon den.

Burning air blasted a concentrated scent of sulfur into his nostrils as if to suffocate him the moment he pushed the building's intricate doors open. Yet, he only waved his hand to drive it aside.

Unlike the first time he came here, he was now much more resilient to fire. Therefore, he walked to a hidden trapdoor and touched it to level the building up.

After investing 1250 units of stones, 1650 of wood, and 130 of metal, he raised its level to seven.

A bright smile split his face next as he spun the fabric above his head and laughed excitedly.

"Nine hundred and one in a single session. Appear my future army!"

Before his words could linger, he hurled the fabric into the liquid flames swirling in the center and clenched his fists.

A moment later, demonic flames rose and swirled, a sea of onis and asuras stepping out of them to stand before him. After a quick check, he noticed that the formers had more strength and vitality than the latter but lost in versatility because of their lower agility.

'In gaming terms, onis are the tanks while asuras are fighters. But more importantly, look a these bad boys!'

His eyes sparkled, and his heartbeat raced in his chest as he counted no less than fifty djins among the demons. Some exuded fiery auras or the gentleness of water, like Ifrit and Ondine.

However, he also noticed a few tied to different elements like sand, wind, and thunder!

'I have a caster division now! With all the melee fighters, they'll bombard our enemies unhindered from the back.'

Despite his excitement, he shook his head.

'They won't be helpful before leveling up and training. I'll let Garduck teach them how to fight in formation first.'

After his usual welcoming speech, he sent them to his trustworthy military instructor without fear. After all, as combat units summoned from the demon den, their base loyalty was set at 60. Experience tales with m v|l -NovelFire.net

Meanwhile, he retrieved a core bigger than the others, one he had kept for last intentionally.

"I didn't get any new demon species with so many cores. This one has to summon something incredible, or I'll start thinking Tiamat is right about my trashy luck."

A wistful smile tugging at his lips, he observed the core glint a dark hue for a second as if to infuse his hopes in it before he yelled.

"Appear SSR demon of the third tier!"

He hurled the core with all his strength like a professional pitcher and almost jumped in joy as the flames reacted differently.

However, he planted his feet onto the ground, unwilling to scream victory too early since the reaction might be tied to the core's level rather than the summon's rarity.

ZOMB

A sharp hum engulfed the den as the temperature rose enough to make him sweat despite his scarlet scales' protection.

Yet, his eyes remained glued to the dancing flames, widening with each passing second as their colors shifted from green to a dreary inky dark.

After two seconds, they condensed, turning solid and spewing an... Armored knight?

'How? And why does he look so fierce with his dark armor?'

He scrutinised him from head to toe, confusion and interest sparkling in his eyes as the knight kneeled before him.

More than a dye, a pure condensation of waving darkness covered the lusterless metal, giving it an unsettling appearance. A broad sword as dark as the night and as heavy as a boulder hung on the knight's back, adding to the pressure he naturally exuded.

Uncomfortable yet convinced by his last summon's presence, he crossed his arms over his chest while waiting for the familiar notification to give him more information.

And a second later, it resounded in his ears.

[Congratulations on using a tainted core to summon the tier-three epic creature from the abyss: the abyssal spawn.]

His brows creased into a deep furrow as a sensation of wrongness clutched his heart.

'It makes no sense! How can a kobold have his core tainted? Or...' His pupils constricted, and his chest tightened as he lept back without thinking. 'It's Baal's doing! He tainted the core in case I survived the kobold army!'

Simultaneously, the kneeling knight's hands blurred to grip his broadsword's pommel, a red light flashing under his visor.