"Synthesis?"
The word hung in the air as the initial shock of the Beast Soul fade into the background. Verso focused his mind on the the word trying to understand what it meant and a new window expanded before his eyes.
---
[Synthesis]
Description: The Host may Synthesize acquired Beast Souls to reinforce, mutate and evolve a specific primary summon.
---
Verso stared at this description as his mind instantly started understanding the potential.
This wasn't just a power up for his summons but rather was a roadmap for their evolution. This was his way to evolve a weak primitive summon into something that could stand it's ground against Elite summons that he might have to deal with.
But before he went merging souls like a mad scientist, he had a new toy he wanted to inspect.
As he focused on the second soul he had just acquired. A blue window, identical to the ones he had seen before, popped into existence.
---
[✦Summon Window✦]
Name: Minor Stone Golem
Title: -
Rank: Primitive (0%)
Stats:
[Strength: 9]
[Agility: 7]
[Endurance: 7]
[Mana: 6]
Manifestation: [Hammer]
Abilities: [Energized Rush]
---
Verso's eyes widened as he scanned the numbers.
"This thing is almost at the absolute peak of Primitive."
He thought back to the Nameless Skeleton as a cold, logical thought crossed his mind.
'Should I just synthesize Lil' Bone into this guy?'
The Golem was objectively better summon in every measurable metric. It was stronger, tougher and faster. Unlike the skeleton who he could only use in it's manifested form, the golem would most likely be able to hold it's own ground against other beasts.
Verso hesitated for a heartbeat, then shook his head as a small self deprecating smile appeared on his lips.
"Nevermind... I have grown kind of fond of the little guy."
He wasn't ready to erase his first companion just for a minor stat boost as he gave up the thought and continued walking towards the center.
There was a specific reason why he was heading to the center of the crater. In the Shattered Wilds, the closer you got to the heart of the crater, the more golems you came across because of the concentration of mana.
Which meant that if he wanted to kill as many golems as possible the best place to be was the center of the crater.
Verso kept his eyes peeled open while walking, trying to spot any sort of movement among the floating boulders.
Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long as just a few dozen steps ahead, he saw a sight that would have made any new student turn and run away.
In front of him where four golems that were standing in a rough circle.
Their blue runes pulsed rhythmically and they seemed to be communicating in a series of low frequency vibrations that Verso could feel in his bones.
'That's too many for me to handle alone.' Verso thought, taking cover behind a jagged floating rock.
'But luckily, I'm not alone anymore.'
He reached into his summoning space.
"Come out."
Out of thin air, a dozen small grey rocks began to hover in the space beside him.
They swirled frantically before snapping together with heavy clacks until the six foot frame of a Stone Golem stood tall.
The only difference was the color of the runes on it's body which instead of being cold blue like the wild beasts was a vibrant, sun like yellow.
Verso manifested Lil' Bone as the ivory cleaver appearing in his hand. He looked at the group of four, who were still talking among themselves unaware of what was coming to them.
'Go!'
As he sent the mental command, the Yellow-Runed Golem didn't hesitate.
It started with a slow, heavy jog that quickly transitioned into a full on thundering charge. The wild golems spun around locking onto his summon as their runes lit up. Unfortunately for them it was too late.
"Charge through them!" Verso commanded, running directly behind his summon and using its massive rocky frame as a shield.
THUD.
The impact was violent. Verso's golem lowered its shoulder and slammed into the center of the group.
The sound of stone hitting stone was deafening. Two of the wild golems were caught squarely in the collision as they didn't just fall but instead shattered with their rocky limbs flying in every direction as they were plowed into the dirt.
Verso didn't waste a second of this chaos as he leaped from behind his golem's back, leaping toward the golem on the left.
The beast was too busy staring at the yellow runed golem to notice the human flying through the air.
Verso swung the ivory cleaver with everything he had.
SHATTER!
The blade bit deep into the golem's forehead, pulverizing the mana crystal in a single fluid strike as the beast slumped into a heap of rubble before it could even raise an arm.
Verso fell on the ground and performed a roll, popping up instantly as he locked onto the last standing golem.
This one was ready. It had pulled back its massive fist and its runes were glowing with a serious intensity.
"You guys won't catch me off guard ever again!"
Verso didn't retreat instead leaning into the punch.
Ducking the swing, he slashed upward as his cleaver carved through the golem's center splitting it in half.
He stood amidst the wreckage, his chest heaving because of the adrenaline running through his system.
The mechanical voice of the system had already told him that his summon had successfully slain one of the golems in the initial collision, but the second one hit was still alive.
Verso walked over to the pile of vibrating stones on the ground.
"Now, which one of you is the head?"
He watched the rocks closely and noticed that a few smaller stones were slowly crawling toward a specific boulder in the center.
Verso gave it a sharp kick, flipping it over to reveal a cracked but still glowing mana crystal.
"Caught you."
He used the pointed tip of the cleaver to drive downward, piercing straight through the stone.
[Primitive Beast Slain: Minor Stone Golem.]
[Attribute Crystal Dropped.]
"This must be a fucking joke."
Verso froze holding his cleaver as he heard the system's message echo in his head.