Ark was massive—there was no other way to describe it.

  After Erik showed me dozens of nightmare creatures that made my head spin, he zoomed the table out, revealing an ocean stretching endlessly in every direction. When I asked about La-Roc's size, the disembodied voice chimed in: approximately 1,800 spans across.

  After some frantic conversion math involving reaches, wings, and paces, I finally cracked the code. A span was roughly half a kilometer, a wing a meter, and a reach something like a foot.

  That made La-Roc around 800 to 900 kilometers end to end.

  Holy shit.

  "How far away is that mountain?" I pointed at the central peak, my voice barely a whisper.

  "Far enough that most people never see it up close," Erik said grimly.

  And there was nothing for thousands of kilometers in any direction. La-Roc wasn't just an island—it was a tropical Hawaii floating in the middle of absolute nowhere, surrounded by ocean as far as the eye could see. The only thing even remotely close to us was Sylvarus, which was another huge island thousands of kilometers East with a gigantic tower on it.

  To the west, across the Azure Span, loomed the Greatwood—a mega-continent so vast that only a fraction had ever been mapped.

  "Only a fraction?" I stared at the table, my mind reeling. "You mentioned it before; what's out there?"

  "Monsters," Cass said, yawning as she stretched. "And plants the size of castles. It's the place where you go for a picnic to be eaten by the scenery."

  To the east were the Central Lands—massive continents in their own right that dwarfed La-Roc in both size and importance. The seat of the Empire—the Sunspire Archipelago, or the Emerald Reaches, and countless others. All tropical, all teeming with life, they formed the cultural and population heart of Ark.

  Farther east lay the Ashenflow—another mega-continent that looked like someone had decided the Greatwood wasn't dangerous enough. Unlike the lush forests, this was a wasteland of fire and stone. Deserts, badlands, and volcanoes stretched across its surface like a hostile vacation destination.

  "Let me guess," I said dryly. "Also overrun with monsters?"

  "And mana beasts," Erik confirmed.

  Yet people still lived in both the Greatwood and Ashenflow. They braved the monsters, choosing daily death battles over the expensive, politically charged life in the Central Lands.

  "Wait," I said, processing this insanity. "People choose to live with monsters and murder-plants over politics?"

  "You've never met the nobility," Cass said grimly. "Trust me, the monsters are more honest about wanting to kill you."

  Nobility waged wars over territory and status, making it safer to gamble with monsters than other people. At least monsters were predictable—they just wanted to eat you. Politicians wanted to own your soul first.

  Erik leaned over the table, his finger tracing the western coastline of the Greatwood. "There's something else you should see."

  The map shimmered, zooming in on a section where two massive mountain peaks flanked an enormous coastline. Between them, like a jewel caught in stone fingers, sat a city that made my breath catch.

  "The Jewelled-City of Virexus," Erik said, his voice carrying reverence and wariness in equal measure. "Where Alexander went a few days ago."

  Even in the limited detail of the map, the city was stunning. Crystalline spires rose like frozen lightning between the mountain peaks, their surfaces catching and reflecting light that seemed to come from within. The entire settlement looked as big as La-Roc on the map’s recreation.

  "Holy shit," I whispered. "That's a city?"

  "Built into the mountains themselves," Erik continued. "The Longwood coastline stretches for thousands of kilometers, but Virexus is the only major settlement brave enough—or stupid enough—to plant itself there."

  "Why?" I asked, though part of me already dreaded the answer.

  Erik's expression darkened. "You can grab anyone off the street in Virexus and odds are they’re an Adept Runebinder or higher." He shook his head. "Exploring the Greatwood is the best way to get stronger and keep ahead of the monsters, but even someone like Alexander brings help."

  Cass leaned closer. "They say Virexus exists because it has to. Because someone needs to stand guard against whatever's in the deep forest. Someone needs to make sure it doesn’t get out, and the city is the only easy way in or out."

  I stared at the glowing city, beautiful and terrible in its isolation. "And people live there?"

  "The kind of people who hunt Class-C monsters before breakfast," Erik said grimly. "The kind who make Chas look average."

  A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the room’s temperature. If this world had places that made Chas look like amateur hour, I was in deeper trouble than I'd thought.

  "Remind me never to vacation there," I muttered.

  Erik's grin was sharp as my new spear. "Don't worry, Ben. If we ever need to go to Virexus, vacation will be the least of your concerns."

  "Technically, La-Roc and a few other island nations are part of the Emerald Reaches," Erik explained. "We trade with Merigold, the home of the Strikers, the most—but it's a very long trip."

  At Ark's poles were the Glacier Wastes—vast, frozen tundras barely explored and sparsely inhabited. The map displayed them with artistic vagueness, like even the cartographers had given up halfway through.

  I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. My brain felt like someone had tried to stuff an encyclopedia into a teacup.

  "I'm out of red coins," I muttered, admitting defeat after hours of information overload. At least I had a better grasp of the basics now. I could name regions, understood the insane scale of distances, and had a rough idea of what lay beyond La-Roc.

  One thing was crystal clear: I wasn't just a tourist anymore. I was trapped on a tropical death-island in the middle of Monster Ocean.

  "We should get food in the Tower Courtyard," Cass said, standing and stretching. "I think I fell asleep during your geography lecture."

  Even Erik looked groggy. "I still don't understand half of your questions. You were moving so fast. Is this how humans learn?"

  I blinked, surprised. "Sort of. We've got something similar on Earth—interactive maps—but nothing this detailed. Definitely not three-dimensional."

  "I'm too damn hungry to care," Cass cut in, pulling the door open.

  A rich, earthy aroma wafted into the room.

  I was out of my chair like a shot.

  Bounding down the stairs two at a time, I followed the scent into the shop below. Cyrus perched on a platform, carefully spooning coarse brown powder into a mug. He poured steaming water over it, stirred in honey, and inhaled deeply with obvious bliss.

  My heart nearly stopped. Coffee? Could it really be—

  No. Not coffee. Better.

  Cocoa.

  My eyes locked onto the jar of brown powder like a heat-seeking missile. This was it. This was how I'd make Doreen forgive me for the magical vomit incident.

  Without hesitation, I stomped over and slammed my blue coins onto the counter with maximum dramatic flair.

  "How much for the cocoa?"

  Cyrus nearly choked on his drink, sputtering and coughing. "Ahem! It's not for sale."

  "Why not?" I let a predatory grin spread across my face. There was no way in hell I was backing down.

  "Because it's... it's mine!" He clutched his mug like I was about to mug him.

  I leaned closer, going into full intimidation mode. "You liked my cinnamon buns and donuts, right?"

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Cyrus hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "I... think every Vildar I know did, Breaker."

  "Perfect." I smiled like a shark scenting blood. "Doreen asked me to make something unforgettable tonight. I'll give you half of whatever I make—hell, I'll let you try it first. She'll never even know."

  Cyrus's gaze flicked between the jar and my face. I could practically see his resolve cracking like ice in spring.

  "How unforgettable?" he asked finally.

  Victory was mine. "Ever heard of a brownie?"

  His confusion was adorable. "No?"

  "Oh, you sweet thing." My grin widened. "You're about to discover heaven."

  "That was... kind of awesome," Cass said as we stepped out of the shop. "I don't think I've ever seen a Vildar give away sweets."

  I hefted the jar of cocoa, feeling unreasonably pleased with myself. Almost die in the morning, acquire chocolate in the afternoon—just normal routine stuff now, apparently.

  "When you taste what I promised to make him, you'll understand," I replied as we headed toward the tower. "Brownies are basically edible crack."

  "What does 'ooey-gooey' mean?" Erik asked, his tone so formal he sounded like he was reading from a dictionary.

  "You'll find out tonight—if you can get past Doreen's guard duty," I said with a wink.

  His groan was audible from three blocks away.

  "She made me fix that door, you know," he muttered, shaking his head like a man haunted by tiny mousefolk tyranny.

  I burst out laughing. "I know! We saw you working on the frame when we went for our run. She's absolutely ruthless."

  "Ruthless is putting it lightly," Erik sighed. "I didn't expect her to go all-out."

  We walked in comfortable silence. Cass, driven by hunger, had already surged ahead, her pace more jog than walk.

  Erik glanced after her before turning back to me. "Ben, you've really shown me why humans make such good allies." His voice softened, and he hesitated. "You're still learning about our world, but you've already become a reliable force within it. My sister, she..."

  I cut him off gently, reading the worry in his eyes. "We'll both pass the exams together, Erik. I might not be Felix, but I damn well know how to study for a test."

  His expression relaxed like I'd lifted a weight from his shoulders. "Thank you."

  A hint of mischief replaced the seriousness. "If we hurry, I bet we can convince Cass to buy us lunch."

  I chuckled, matching his pace. For someone who looked like a stoic Viking statue, Erik had a surprising talent for playful moments. His care for Cass was obvious, and it warmed something deep in my chest.

  In an alien world that could have been infinitely worse, I'd found something unexpectedly precious: a family of sorts.

  Sure enough, when we arrived at the bustling courtyard, Cass was already demolishing skewers of meat and what looked suspiciously like pineapple. She handed us each one without a word—her mouth was too full for conversation.

  The smoky, grilled flavor—maybe lamb or goat—paired with the tart pineapple hit the spot after such a bizarre day. The tropical island sun beat down mercilessly, and I suddenly realized I was dying of thirst.

  "Hey, Cass, where can we get water?"

  Before she could answer, Erik handed me a large gourd bottle with a red strap. The thing had definitely not been in his hands moments ago.

  "Here. Keep this one," he said casually. "You should always carry water now that you have a mana sanctum."

  I froze mid-step. How the hell had I forgotten about the magical jewelry grafted to my ear?

  I popped the leather stopper and took a swig, nearly choking as icy water flooded my mouth. The chill was shocking in the heat.

  "Oh wow, that's cold." I held it out. "Anyone else?"

  Cass grabbed it for a quick drink before handing it back.

  "Now," I said, eyeing the bottle nervously, "how do I... do the thing?"

  "Pass mana into the earring and place the bottle inside," Erik said matter-of-factly, like that explained everything.

  I frowned. Wasn't I already feeding it mana? The earring had been quietly siphoning energy all afternoon, like keeping a pilot light burning.

  I searched for the faint thread connecting me to the device. It flared warmly as I pushed more energy into it, heat spreading across my ear like I was blushing. I closed my eyes, concentrating.

  Suddenly, I felt it—a presence, like standing in a dark room with a shelf directly in front of me. I couldn't see it, but I knew it was there.

  Tentatively, I imagined setting the gourd onto that invisible shelf.

  The sensation was bizarre—like my thoughts had physical weight.

  I opened my eyes. The gourd was gone.

  Not in my hands, not on the ground—just gone. And yet, I knew exactly where it was, sitting safely on that mental shelf inside a gemstone attached to my ear.

  "Thank you, Nana," I said, sending my cocoa jar to join the gourd. Another pulse brought the water back for a sip before storing it again. The cocoa appeared in my left hand, then my right, then back in storage.

  I wondered if I could shove a whole refrigerator in there.

  It didn't take long to notice a pattern—retrieval of items cost almost ten times more energy than storing them. While the cost was manageable, pulling out multiple items quickly could drain my tank fast.

  "Of course, you're already using it better than Erik," Cass said with a grin. "If he catches up to you—how embarrassing would that be?"

  "You both will," Erik replied with stoic resignation.

  The Citadel bustled with activity as we entered—boots on stone, murmured conversations, and occasional flashes of energy as hunters practiced or showed off. It was chaotic but purposeful, like every person was part of some massive, unspoken machine.

  I slipped the empty metal skewer into the earring and followed the others to the front desk. Gary greeted us with his usual mischievous grin.

  "Long time no see, Gary. I need a job."

  His smile widened, brimming with more mischief than I was comfortable with.

  "Well, Breaker. It's about time!" he declared loudly, drawing cheers from nearby hunters.

  Gary walked to a wall covered in papers arranged in a rough gradient of green, yellow, orange, and red.

  "What do the colors mean?"

  "Distance. Green is nearby, red is far—could even mean the Greatwood. Orange is spirit realms, which are usually... unpredictable."

  He returned with a green slip, dropping it on the counter with a flourish.

  E—Lumifrax—Greenmarch—Riverbend Prefecture—1S50R

  Pretty straightforward. I vaguely remembered Erik mentioning Lumifraxes... some kind of frog? The payout looked significant: one silver and fifty red coins.

  Cass whistled, reading over my shoulder. "That's a big payout. How many monsters?"

  "Enough to class the job up, Initiate," Gary said politely. "The Acolyte may access simple Class-E jobs before becoming a full Hunter, or an Aspirant."

  "Have fun with that one," Cass said, slapping my back.

  "You're not coming?" Sudden nervousness hit me. "You thought, 'Hey, the guy who just discovered magic should go track down giant frogs by himself'?"

  Gary laughed from behind his counter.

  "I need work too," Cass replied. "Until Chas gets back, I can't hand in my job bills, and I've got too many open already. With Felix gone, I need a partner."

  I stared at her, then looked at Erik, who was rubbing his temples.

  "Cass..." I gestured at myself. "What the fuck have we been doing the last few days?"

  She blinked, realization dawning. "I'm fucking tired, alright? Riverbend is near our farm, so we'll stay there tonight and head to the prefecture in the morning."

  "Ah, very well then," Gary said with exaggerated flourish. "Is your armor at the Winters Estate?"

  Cass nodded, and I raised my hand. "Oh, yeah—armor. Where can I get some of that?"

  “First, I'll authorize the job. Place your hands on the manascripts please,” We did, and after a flurry of stamps, he seemed satisfied. "You'll need to visit my brother Garren. Your Acolyte status entitles you to pick from his stores."

  Erik took the lead, guiding us through a maze of hallways that completely bypassed the Atrium. I hadn't realized that was possible—there were so many secrets in this Tower.

  "You'll like Garren," Cass said as we approached enormous double doors. "He's the normal one of the Garies."

  The doors swung open, revealing an armory on steroids.

  Vaulted ceilings loomed above organized chaos—weapons, armor, glowing vials, and runic bracers arranged in a system halfway between library and blacksmith's workshop. Hunters bustled around, haggling and testing gear with flashes of magical energy. The air crackled with static magic and the ring of metal.

  "Mister Crawford, nice to meet ya."

  We jumped at the sudden voice. Gary—or rather, Garren—looked exactly like his brother, except for the hunter's vest and a truly impressive black mullet.

  "Garren?"

  "Call me Gary," he grinned.

  "That won't get confusing at all." I chuckled. "I'm told you've got armor for me."

  "Sure as fuck do!" He motioned us deeper into organized chaos.

  Weapons lined the walls—blades of every size, including massive swords that looked too big to be practical, wicked recurve bows, hammers and maces in rainbow colors. Armor sets posed on mannequins, from sleek leather to hulking plate like Erik's, each piece marked with softly glowing glyphs.

  Garren stepped behind a counter and gestured theatrically. Energy flashed, leaving behind a striking set of black armor.

  "Acolyte armor set! Haven't made one of these in a while!"

  The armor was gorgeous in its simplicity. Black leather with a smooth, bark-like texture. Heavy boots, strapped pants, a reinforced tunic, and gloves with slightly curved fingers perfect for gripping. Subtle orange accents traced the edges without being flashy. A functional belt and short half-cape completed the ensemble—something a rider might use against rain.

  I ran my hand over the material, marveling at its texture. It buzzed faintly with mana, feeling more like Kevlar than leather, yet unmistakably made from creature hide.

  "Dendrobrux hide," Garren said, watching my reaction. "Tough as bark, flexible as leather. You're gonna look the part now. But it's on loan until you pay for it or earn it."

  "It looks... badass," I said, unable to suppress a grin.

  Erik clapped my back with a hearty laugh. "Not plate armor, but that's solid gear. Dendrobrux hide is closer to stone than leather."

  "Heading out right away, or should I send it to Doreen's?" Garren asked.

  "Job's in Riverbend," Cass answered. "Have someone drop it at the Winters Estate. We leave tomorrow."

  "Can't I just wear it now?" Trying on the armor had jumped to the top of my priority list.

  "Leather armor messes with mana regeneration, Breaker. Best to wear it only when hunting," Garren replied.

  "Plus, it's hotter than Gaia's ass out there," Cass added with a grin. "And putting on your armor for the first time is a big deal. Mother's going to want a feast."

  "Oh, I like feasts!"

  Garren smiled. "Come back heavier than you left."

  "And with stories to share," Cass added, almost ritualistically.

  I raised an eyebrow, but before I could ask, Garren waved us off.

  I sighed, watching an Aldertree man pack the awesome armor into a wooden case. As he moved to take it away, I grinned and brushed the corner with my hand. It vanished into my earring.

  That was surprisingly easy. Better to be prepared, no?

  "Oh no," I said with mock despair. "It takes so much mana to retrieve things. I simply don't have enough. I'll have to carry it myself. Still getting used to this earring."

  Garren's demeanor shifted, his gaze turning sharp and less casual. "A Mana Sanctum? That's a damned weird thing to have, Breaker." His voice carried an edge I didn't like. "I believe one was misplaced two days ago."

  The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.

  "Time to go," Erik said, grabbing my arm and leading us out of the armory with suspicious haste.

  As we made our way back through the Tower, the armory's noise fading behind us, icy dread settled in my stomach.

  "Did Diana steal this earring?" I asked. "I'm kind of new here, and I feel like that might have consequences."

  Erik glanced at me, his stoic mask firmly in place. "Everything Nana does is official. She always has paperwork to back it up. I wouldn't worry."

  "That's somehow more terrifying," I said, thinking about how Diana had manipulated everyone to get me committed to Sylvarus and the Monster Hunters.

  "Besides, you've got baking to do," he said with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

  I forced a laugh. "At least people appreciate my cooking."

  "Trust me, Doreen appreciates it most," Erik replied. "She just shows it by making our lives miserable."

  But as we walked toward the exit, I couldn't shake the feeling that Diana's "paperwork" might not be enough to save me if the wrong person started asking questions about missing magical artifacts.

  And tomorrow, I'd be hunting giant frogs in the wilderness, wearing slightly stolen armor, stored in a definitely stolen earring grafted to my ear.

  What could possibly go wrong?

  ? Summoner's Ascent [A System Apocalypse LitRPG] ?

  by Dice

  Apocalypse... Ashton returned back home, to just a few moments after he left.

  [The [Tutorial] has begun!]

  Summoner.

  System Apocalypse in a world trying its best to survive. Join Ashton in this Progression Fantasy to see if he'll outsmart the council this time around!

  Daily at 6pm GMT+2 for the foreseeable future, and will be roughly around 2000 words a chapter.