First Summoning

After all, in his past life, he was nothing more than a semi-shut-in who had never experienced any real combat. Despite his prowess in games, his physical combat ability was pitifully low, and he lacked any fighting experience. Consequently, his two previous attempts to venture into the forest to hunt for magic cores had failed without question.

This time, Donald learned from his previous two failures. Combining the outdoor survival knowledge he had gleaned from the internet in his past life, he prepared quite thoroughly. Not only had he spent several days practicing with his iron sword to make his swings more accurate and powerful, but he had also spent the last of his family's money to borrow equipment from a local hunter, adding a hardwood bow and a quiver of arrows to his gear.

He realized that for someone like him with poor close-quarters combat ability, a ranged weapon like a bow was undoubtedly a tool for both self-preservation and increasing his hunting success rate.

Rather than spending a long time practicing swordsmanship, given the condition of this body, it was better to master the bow—a weapon that was relatively easier to learn yet possessed decent attack power.

After all, he could not compare his strength or physical coordination to those strong swordsmen born for battle. Although the profession of an archer was not exactly suitable for him either, his current goal was to obtain magic cores, and archery only required a short period of practice to achieve a basic level of proficiency.

As for the issue of accuracy? It was simple: just shoot more arrows, wouldn't he? There would always be a lucky shot that hit the mark. If that still didn't work, he could always fall back on the longsword in his hand to fight!

The waiting time was agonizing. Donald's arms were already feeling sore and numb from holding the bow and staying ready to nock an arrow. Feeling that he couldn't go on like this, he had no choice but to gently lower the hardwood bow, place the arrows in front of him—ready to draw at a moment's notice—and then stretch his aching arms.

"Damn Horned Deer, so timid! Even when drinking water, they have to scout first, making this young master wait so long!"

Just as he was grumbling in his heart, he heard a faint rustling sound coming from the bushes near the stream ahead.

"It's here!"

Donald instantly cast aside all his complaints, drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed both the arrowhead and his gaze at the edge of the stream. At this moment, he was so focused that he seemed to have entered the state of a veteran hunter in an instant. In truth, this was all forced by necessity. After learning from his memories about the impoverished and difficult life the former Donald had endured over the years, he had decided to change his situation—at the very least, to reach a state of basic subsistence. Otherwise, it would be a waste of the opportunity he had been given, transmigrating from a lazy shut-in of twenty-some years into this dangerous world. At the very least, he had to do justice to his new life and the soul that had departed from this body.

Thus, Donald displayed a level of focus he had never possessed in either of his two lives. Holding the determination to succeed or perish, he was resolved to hunt a magic beast core and see if he could use his favorite game from his past life to make a name for himself.

Before long, a magnificent buck leading several does with slightly smaller antlers and seven or eight fawns with only small bumps on their foreheads pushed through the bushes and entered Donald's line of sight.

"Good fellow, no wonder they were so careful; they're traveling as a family!"

Donald understood, yet his mental state remained completely focused. Watching the herd of Horned Deer approach the stream ten paces away, led by the buck and pausing to scout every three steps, he pulled his bowstring tighter and tighter.

The habits of the Horned Deer were basically the same as their close relatives, the Wild Deer. They generally lived in groups with one strong male leading several females and their offspring. Only when they prepared to migrate due to seasonal changes would they form large herds of hundreds or thousands, led by the strongest male among them.

Donald's targets were the buck and a few of the does. The fawns were still too young, and their magic cores likely hadn't fully formed, so they held little value.

Although the Horned Deer had no offensive power, their speed in fleeing was something he could never hope to match. Donald knew he only had one chance; he had to strike while the deer were stationary at the water's edge. If he missed, with his beginner-level archery, he would have little chance of hitting a target moving at high speed.

Watching the herd reach the stream, Donald's palms broke into a sweat, and the tension in his heart was indescribable.

The caution of the herd made Donald, as a human, sigh in admiration. Upon reaching the water source, the buck did not drink first; instead, he led his mates to scout the surroundings, using his sensitive ears and eyes to scan for danger, allowing the fawns to drink first.

The innocent fawns ran to the water's edge as if cheering, playing and drinking their fill.

Finally, once the fawns had finished drinking, they were driven back behind their mothers by the buck. The does continued to scout, and only then did the buck lower his head to lap up the water with his tongue.

"Now!"

The taut bowstring was suddenly released. The wooden-shafted arrow with an iron tip pierced the air like a meteor, flying from Donald's hand.

Having finally fired the first shot, Donald had no time to relax; he hurriedly drew his bow again, nocking a second arrow that followed closely behind the first.

A cry rang out from one of the scouting does, followed by a spray of blood. A feathered arrow was lodged in the doe's hindquarters—the largest target on her body—and it was still wobbling.

The arrow had penetrated three inches into the flesh, a result of the shooter's lack of strength, but such an injury was enough. The doe's hind leg, the primary muscle for running, was injured; even if she could run, she wouldn't get far. With the clumsy iron sword in his hand, he would be able to claim this prey.

At the sound of the doe's cry, the buck immediately raised his head and led the herd away from the water like a gust of wind. The herd behind him scattered instantly. Aside from a few fawns that remained in a state of confusion, the other uninjured deer moved as if they had practiced it a thousand times, instantly clearing the dangerous, open area by the water. They were about to vanish into the cover of the bushes, and once they did, even the most experienced hunter would be unable to continue the pursuit.

However, at that very moment, another arrow appeared. Although the speed of the Horned Deer far exceeded that of an ordinary human, the shut-in's luck was simply off the charts this time. This second arrow, fired without any time to aim or build power, struck crookedly into the buck's neck. After the carotid artery was pierced, a large spray of blood erupted instantly.

The strongest buck in the herd only managed to run seven or eight yards before his strength failed him due to the massive blood loss, and he soon collapsed to the ground.

Only after firing the second arrow did Donald's tightly wound heart finally relax. He didn't even have time to check on his prey before he collapsed into the grass, drenched in sweat and gasping for air as if he had exhausted every ounce of his strength.

After all, in his past life, he was just an ordinary youth without the strength to truss a chicken, let alone hunt a beast as large as a Horned Deer with a bow and arrow.

The transition from a shut-in to a hunter was something Donald was not physically or mentally prepared for. If this body hadn't been significantly stronger and healthier than his previous one, he might not have even been able to pull the hardwood bow halfway, let alone hunt a magic beast!

After catching his breath in the grass where he had hidden, Donald regained some of his composure and excitedly scrambled up to check his spoils. One look was enough to fill his heart with joy.

The doe he had struck with the first arrow hadn't been hit very deeply, but because the arrow had damaged the tendons in her hind leg, she had lost the ability to move the joint. Dragging her body with three legs, she hadn't managed to get very far.

The buck, luckily struck in the carotid artery, had collapsed just outside the bushes he had come from. Blood covered the ground, and he lacked even the strength to breathe, his chest only rising and falling slightly; he was clearly near death.

"What incredible luck! It seems all the luck from my previous two attempts has accumulated for this one! Haha, two adult Horned Deer—that's two magic cores right there! Their fresh meat and hides together are worth at least two Silver Moons. I've finally escaped my destitute state!"

Donald laughed heartily as he scrambled up and ran forward.

He used the rope he had prepared to bind the doe and grabbed a handful of dry grass to press against the wound to slow the bleeding. After all, fresh prey was worth much more than a carcass; perhaps the doe wouldn't even be dead by the time he returned to town. As for the buck, its death was a foregone conclusion, so Donald didn't waste any extra effort. Once the blood had drained, he lashed together a simple sled using several sturdy branches and secured the buck to it with rope. He then dragged the sled with one hand while leading the limping doe with the other.

As for why he didn't carry the prey? With Donald's small frame—though it was much stronger than his previous shut-in physique—he couldn't carry a buck that weighed nearly twice as much as he did!

With the fruits of his labor, a joyful Donald only thought of leaving the forest as quickly as possible to return home. Once he extracted the magic cores, he would take the carcasses to the market to sell for money. Unfortunately, his seventeen-year-old body, which had yet to fully develop, was not up to the task. Having never done physical labor and suffering from mild malnutrition, combined with the fact that he had exhausted most of his energy on those two shots, he had only dragged the prey a few miles before he sat down on the ground, drenched in sweat.

"This is truly not a job for a human! Who would have thought that after all the trouble of hunting a magic beast, I'd collapse on the way back? This young master's lifelong reputation is ruined in one go!"

Completely drained of energy, Donald watched the limping doe, her antlers tied with rope, lower her head to sniff the cooling carcass of her mate on the makeshift sled, letting out an occasional mournful cry. He couldn't tell if she was grieving for her lost partner or crying out in pain from her leg injury.

Suddenly, Donald slapped his forehead and shouted.

"I'm such an idiot! Why didn't I think of summoning?"

He had suddenly remembered the purpose of his trip: wasn't it to hunt magic beast cores to test the function of the Book of Truth?

Now he was fretting over not having the strength to carry the prey out of the forest; he had truly become muddle-headed with excitement after hunting two magic beasts!

Ignoring the dangers of the forest, he dug out the still-warm, blood-streaked magic core from the buck's brain. Donald couldn't wait to issue a command to the artifact in his mind, preparing for his first summoning.

A pale golden phantom of a book unfolded before Donald's eyes, revealing a vast number of summoning icons on its pages.

Although he had the magic core, Donald, facing his first summoning, was momentarily at a loss for how to choose.

According to the detection results provided by the Book of Truth, a Tier 1 Horned Deer crystal core can summon all creatures listed at Tier 1 and below. This includes basic population units of various races, wild monster units with Tier 1 strength, and small animals below Tier 1.

Of course, it is also possible to summon items and building units, but summoning inanimate objects only requires ordinary energy crystals; there is no need to waste beast crystal cores containing soul fragments, which are capable of summoning living beings.

After much deliberation, Donald combined his current situation and made the most logical choice: a Tier 1 wild monster summon, a Jackal.

"In my name, emerge! Jackal!"

As Donald's words fell, a mysterious magic circle composed of faint light, resembling a starry sky, appeared out of thin air before him. After the light faded, an adult, large-sized Jackal, measuring six feet from head to tail, appeared in front of him. At the same time, the Horned Deer crystal core in his hand instantly turned into a stream of light and vanished from his palm.

Seeing the fierce, baring-fanged Jackal before him, Donald was startled at first, but upon seeing the creature bow its head in tame obedience, he was so moved he nearly wept with joy.

Ever since arriving in this world, he had harbored a latent sense of crisis. Although it wasn't apparent on the surface, he had been unable to sleep soundly any night, often waking up from nightmares.

Now that he possessed a magical ability beyond his previous life's understanding, he realized this world not only had knights and warriors but also mysterious and powerful mages. Among the branches of mages, there existed those known as Summoners who could call upon otherworldly creatures to fight for them.

As the heir to an aristocratic family with a history of several hundred years, despite his current destitute state, Donald's knowledge of the world was far superior to that of commoners. He knew he could easily pass himself off as a Summoner, using his identity as a mage and the miraculous power of the Book of Truth to protect himself, establish a foothold in this world, and perhaps even gain significant wealth and a noble status.

The miraculous manifestation of the Book of Truth's effects allowed Donald to cast aside the panic of his initial arrival and the cowardice of his former shut-in self, igniting both his own ambition and that inherited from the memories of the deceased Donald.

With a firm gaze, he whispered to himself.

"From today on, I am the young noble named Donald Melina. With such a magical ability, I will surely take your place to regain our noble status and fiefdom, and make the Merlin Family even more prosperous!"

Having made up his mind, Donald turned back and secured the rope of his makeshift cart onto the summoned Jackal. Although the harnessed Jackal remained as fierce as ever, bound by the summoner's command, it had no choice but to pull the cart with all its might, however unwillingly.

Donald, meanwhile, hummed a tune from this world, casually leading the lame female Horned Deer alongside. This was the utility of his choice to summon a Jackal.

Although the Jackal might not match the strength and intelligence of Orcish peons or Human peasants (Undead Acolytes and Elven Wisps were not suitable for pulling carts and could not bear the weight of the prey and the vehicle), it was among the largest of the Tier 1 wild monster units. In terms of attack power, the unarmed basic units of those two races could not compare to the sharp-clawed, fierce Jackal.

Being able to transport his prey while providing a certain level of protection, such a dual-purpose summoned creature—which only required a single Tier 1 crystal core to summon—was naturally far more cost-effective than using pure manual labor.

With the Jackal acting as both beast of burden and bodyguard, the sensitive and alert creature would be the first to warn its master of any nearby danger. This allowed Donald to walk through the outskirts of the Green Cloak Forest—a place quite dangerous for him—while contemplating his next move.

"With the power of the Book of Truth, my primary goal moving forward is to acquire as many beast crystal cores and Elemental Crystals as possible. As long as I have these two types of summoning materials to maintain the necessary summons, I will have the most basic means to establish myself in this world."

"With the help of summoned creatures, the next hunt for magical beasts will be even easier. I will stockpile the beast crystal cores as materials for future summons, and sell the remaining fur, bones, and meat for Gold Sol to improve my life or purchase Elemental Crystals."

"It is a pity that more powerful summoned creatures require higher-grade beast crystal cores. The outskirts of the Green Cloak Forest only contain low-level magical beasts of Tiers 1 to 3. The depths of the forest are complex and far too dangerous for me; I do not have the ability to enter them yet."

As he thought, he unknowingly reached the edge of the forest with the Jackal and the two pieces of prey. About two miles ahead lay Red Maple Town, where Donald lived.

From here, he could already see the smoke rising from the town through the Red Maple Forest ahead.

Because Donald had chosen to enter the forest via a small path behind Red Maple Town, rather than the main route used by regular Adventurers and hunters, he had not encountered anyone along the way, which kept the existence of his summoned creature a secret.

Seeing that he had arrived, Donald, however reluctant, had to unharness the Jackal and order it to hide in the forest to await his call.

"As a Tier 1 summoned creature, based on the energy contained in that strong male Horned Deer's crystal core, this Jackal can exist for over ten hours. If I finish processing the two pieces of prey and rest to recover enough strength, I can still enter the forest to hunt magical beasts again before the summoning time limit expires."

With this thought, Donald stopped complaining about his fatigue, pulled the cart and the prey with all his might, and headed toward the town.