Chapter 71: Chapter 71: System's Temporary Hole

"I can't control it!" Elio cried out, more to himself than to Ember. The book seemed to have a life of its own, consuming cores ceaselessly. His body felt like a conduit for raw energy, every cell vibrating with the influx of power.

Ninety thousand, ninety-five thousand...

Elio could feel the power of the swift within his grasp. It was overwhelming, almost painful in its intensity. His mind raced with the possibilities, the sheer potential of what he was experiencing.

"Stop!" he pleaded, but it was in vain. The absorption continued, relentless and unstoppable.

One hundred thousand cores. The power of the swift was now at his disposal. Elio felt a final surge of power and excitement, but then... nothing. The counter reset, and the sensation of increasing power faded. Confusion replaced the exhilaration, leaving Elio bewildered.

"What's happening?" he murmured, perplexed. The book kept absorbing cores at a dizzying rate, but he no longer felt any change in himself. However, a new "core balance" appeared, a number that kept increasing at an alarming rate.

Suddenly, a realization hit Elio. He was level 4, which meant he could only invoke up to the swift. The elephant he had read about in the Genesis book, which required a million cores, was beyond his reach, even if he ended up getting more cores than needed.

The limitations of his current level suddenly felt like shackles, holding him back from the true extent of the power surrounding him. Also...

A new fear took hold of Elio. 'If the book stops absorbing at any point, I'm going to be crushed by the pressure,' he thought, panic threatening to overwhelm him.

"Don't stop!" he pleaded

Luckily the book still showed no signs of stopping. Elio continued "falling," the tunnel of cores extending ever deeper. The seemingly endless descent was both thrilling and terrifying. How deep did this mountain of cores go? And what would happen when he reached the bottom?

"Ember," Elio said, his voice tense with apprehension, "I think we're out of time." He could feel his palms growing sweaty, his heart rate accelerating as the reality of their situation sank in.

The salamander tensed on his shoulder, ready for battle. Her tiny body radiated heat, a comforting presence in the face of impending danger.

The roar of the Locus intensified with each passing second. Elio knew time was running out quickly. With his heart pounding frantically, he looked at Ember. The decision he had to make weighed heavily on him.

"Ember," he said, his voice cracking with emotion, "I need to summon the swift. I think its control over helium is our only chance." The words felt like lead in his mouth, the prospect of parting with his loyal familiar, even temporarily, causing a lump in his throat.

The salamander blinked once, slowly and deliberately. She understood. The depth of their connection was evident in that simple gesture, a silent communication born of shared trials and triumphs.

"I promise I'll summon you again," Elio continued, gently stroking Ember's head. His fingers trembled slightly, betraying his inner turmoil. "But now we need to climb 500 meters to the top of the wall, and my control isn't enough to achieve that."

Elio opened the book again, this time to the fourth page of invocations. He had the power of the swift at his disposal, and although he couldn't access higher-level invocations, he knew he had an advantage that no other Summoner in history had ever had.

With a final chirp of affirmation, Ember disappeared in a flash of light, returning to the book. Elio felt a void in his chest, a physical ache at the absence of his companion. But there was no time for regrets. The sound of approaching Locus spurred him into action.

With a quick motion, he touched the book to summon the swift. The small winged being appeared before him, its bright eyes fixed on Elio. Instantly, Elio felt the change. His control over helium refined, and a new magical force flowed through his veins. Twenty extra points of magical damage, perhaps an advantage he would desperately need in the coming minutes.

As the swift hovered before him, Elio took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. The roars of the Locus were getting closer, a cacophony of hunger and rage that threatened to overwhelm him. But with the swift by his side, he felt a glimmer of hope. This was his chance, perhaps his only chance, to survive and return to the world above.

"Alright," Elio muttered, his eyes scanning the turbulent sea of monsters above. "Let's see what you can do."