"This is... a System!!!"
A tidal wave of shock crashed through Shangguan Mo's mind. He had been calm in the face of death, having already died once, but the unexpected activation of a system made his expression priceless.
Time was short. He couldn't afford to think. He had to grab this lifeline. "Hurry! Hurry! Hurry up!" he screamed internally, staring at the message that remained on [Activating System, Please Wait...].
His face was turning blue, a clear sign of severe oxygen deprivation. In another ten seconds, he would suffocate. Even with this body's swimming ability, he couldn't hold his breath for several minutes.
Perhaps hearing his plea, the system finally reacted. A synthesis interface appeared on the panel, along with a pop-up message box—a user manual filled with dense text. With no time to spare, Shangguan Mo skimmed it at lightning speed.
He quickly grasped the system's basic function. It could synthesize inanimate objects with living creatures. The resulting creature would become his summoning beast, possessing incredible abilities and 100% loyalty.
"No time to study this!" His gaze shot down to the synthesis formula at the bottom of the panel.
[Material] + [Creature] = [Summoning Beast]
All he needed were the required items, and he could get a summoning beast with special abilities! But in his current situation, going out meant death, and staying meant death. The only difference was when. He had no experience with synthesis and had no idea where to even start.
"Whatever, I'll just grab anything!" By now, his vision was darkening, the veins on his forehead bulging. He blindly grabbed two things from the riverbed, a final thought flashing through his nearly suffocated mind.
[Confirm Synthesis]
...
What he didn't know was that each synthesis consumed a significant amount of chakra. If the host had no chakra, it would consume their life force instead! So, after confirming, Shangguan Mo immediately lost consciousness. If he didn't get air in the next few seconds, he would still drown.
As he passed out, the system began to run at high speed.
[Stone] + [Earthworm] = ???[Compatibility] 70%[Material: Stone, Quality (White)][Creature: Earthworm, Rank (E)][Synthesis Success Rate] 90%[Warning! You are about to consume 100 points of chakra.][System has detected no chakra in your body. The synthesis will now automatically consume an equivalent amount of Life Points. Please be advised!][Synthesizing, Please Wait...][Synthesis Successful! You have obtained the E-Rank Summoning Beast—Earth Dragon Beast!]
On the riverbank, miles from Clear River Village.
The Jashinist cultist saw a torrent of ping-pong-sized bubbles rise to the surface, and his expectant expression froze. "Nani??? Won't he choke breathing like that?"
Then, he saw a violent disturbance underwater, as if a large fish was thrashing about. The surrounding water quickly became murky. "Interesting! Let's see how long this guy can last!" The cultist stabbed his scythe into the ground and crossed his arms, waiting with great interest.
Three minutes later, his face had turned extremely ugly. The water was now completely still. A terrible thought entered his mind. "That guy... couldn't have escaped, could he...?"
The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. No one could stay underwater for a full five minutes without surfacing, unless he was a ninja! And that scrawny kid who looked like he hadn't had a decent meal in his life, how could he be a ninja?
Splash! He dove into the water. A meter below the surface, he saw it: a dark, bottomless hole the width of a water bucket! "N-nani?"
When Shangguan Mo woke up again, he found himself in a dark, cold, and damp space that smelled strongly of earth. He frowned. "So dark? Did I die again? Am I in a womb this time?"
Suddenly, he felt the "ground" beneath him move. He shuddered. "What the... is that a fetal kick?"
As his heart pounded, he realized something. "That's not right. I can hear my own voice. I'm definitely not in a womb! Then where am I?"
He tried to feel his way around in the darkness. Slowly, he touched something cold and slimy. He instantly snatched his hand back, too scared to move.
Just then, the system panel appeared in his mind.
[Summoning Beast · Earth Dragon Beast]
Rank: E
Species: Invertebrate Annelid
Attribute: Earth
Abilities:
Earth Release: The Earth Dragon Beast has an affinity for earth and stone, allowing it to move through these environments without obstruction.
Petrification Defense (Passive): The Earth Dragon Beast's body contains rock components, giving it the defensive power of stone.
System Evaluation: A mutated Earth Dragon Beast synthesized from an ordinary earthworm and a stone. It possesses exceptional abilities among E-Rank summoning beasts. With its Earth Release, its survival capabilities are undoubtedly top-tier in the ninja world.
Shangguan Mo's eyes lit up. He finally understood. This creature had saved his life! Looking at the inky blackness of the underground world, he hesitated for a moment, then patted the ground beneath him and said softly, "Take me out of here, Earth Dragon Beast..."
Instantly, the giant creature beneath him began to move. Dirt and stones flew into his face, and he quickly lay flat again, feeling the environment around him changing rapidly. A minute later, he was bathed in bright light. The light was so dazzling that he instinctively squeezed his eyes shut, but he couldn't resist peeking at what was beneath him.
The sight gave him another shock. He was sitting on a three-meter-long, prehistoric earthworm as thick as an adult's thigh. Its brown body was covered in gray, slowly undulating rings. If an ordinary person saw it, they would probably faint on the spot. If not for the faint sense of affection coming from the beast, Shangguan Mo might have fallen off in fright.
"But this ugly thing... it saved my life!" Thinking this, he looked at the Earth Dragon Beast with a gaze full of gratitude and warmth, like looking at a rich, older woman who was no longer in her prime. "Thank you," he said softly.
The Earth Dragon Beast seemed to "hear" him and sent back a wave of joy, its thick mouthpart moving towards his face. Sensing its intention, a strange expression crossed Shangguan Mo's face. "Are you... trying to cuddle?"
-------
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