Bang!
The monster slammed into Zich with the force of a wrecking ball. He flew backward and rolled across the floor. Pain spread through his side, and blood leaked from his mouth.
He gritted his teeth and forced himself up, not wasting another second reeling in pain. He waved his hand and sent multiple Blood Arcs toward the Silverback.
Fwish! Fwish!
The attacks caused only minimal damage, but the repeated hits forced the monster to take a few steps back.
Realizing its master was in danger, Slimy tried to wrap around the Silverback's leg, but the monster kicked it into the wall. The slime splattered, reformed slowly, and shook weakly.
Zich's eyes moved across the corridor.
There were still four Silverbacks, and his mana was depleting fast. Maintaining two summons while using skills was draining him faster than he liked.
Realizing he had gotten carried away, he quickly unsummoned Blood Leech before it could be crushed completely. Slimy disappeared next, returning before another hit could land.
The sudden loss of targets made the Silverbacks roar as they turned their attention to the only person in the corridor.
"Bastards, catch me if you can!" Zich turned and sprinted back down the hallway he had already cleared, without a shred of shame on his face.
He was a strong believer of the phrase run today to fight another day.
Thud! Thud!
Heavy footsteps chased him from behind, causing the ground to tremble as if some ancient titan was pursuing him.
The moment he reached the large stone door near the previous section, he grabbed the side handle and pulled with all his strength. The door dragged across the floor with a harsh grinding sound.
A thick arm reached through the gap. However, he kicked it back and slammed the door shut, locking it.
BANG!
The Silverbacks smashed against the other side, making the door tremble. Whatever had built this dungeon had made it sturdy enough to hold them back, something Zich was very grateful for.
Zich leaned against the wall, breathing hard, his eyes bloodshot as he realized he had been a thin line away from becoming a corpse.
For the first time since entering the dungeon, he stopped smiling.
'I overestimated myself.'
The thought annoyed him, but it was the truth, and he was not foolish enough to deny it.
However, there was a difference between running away and giving up. Something about the setback lit a flame in his heart, making him more determined than ever.
Zich clenched his fist and opened his status with hesitation.
[Free Attribute Points: 15]
He stared at the number for a moment, then began allocating his points. He placed five into Intelligence, bringing his mana to 140.
The higher his mana reserve, the longer he could keep his summons active.
The remaining ten points, he allocated eight to Stamina, raising it from 2 to 10.
Zich still felt his ribs aching from the Silverback's attack. If he had been faster, he would not have taken that hit. Thinking about this, he placed the remaining two points into Agility, increasing it from 10 to 12.
"This is good enough for now, but if I want to deal with those monsters and reach the boss room, I'll need another summon."
His eyes flashed.
Since there were no more monsters here and it would take time before they respawned, Zich closed his eyes and entered the graveyard.
The familiar space appeared around him, quiet and cold. Twenty tomb slots stood before him, each holding the same type of spirit.
[Silver skinned ape]
Zich clicked his tongue, already having an idea of what kind of summon he would create.
[Ding! Creating summon.]
[Ding! Fusing 20 silver skinned apes!]
The tombs shook, but the reaction was far weaker than when Blood Leech was created. A few seconds later, a new tomb rose from the ground.
[Here lies Level 1 Silverback Ape Grunt]
A squat silver skinned ape, larger and bulkier than the juveniles, crawled out. It was not as big as the elite Silverbacks, but it was close. It had short arms, dull eyes, and held a simple wooden club.
[Silverback Ape Grunt LV 1]
[Rank: Normal]
[Detail: An ape born from the fusion of several of its kind.]
[Skill: Heavy Swing]
Zich's expression showed clear dissatisfaction as he looked at the summon. It looked similar to the others, the only difference being its slightly larger build.
"I might find a way to discard it later, but for now, it will do."
All he needed was something to hold the line.
After resting and recovering his mana, Zich returned to the dungeon hallway. Blood Leech, Slimy, and the new Silverback Grunt stood beside him.
"Alright... let's do this one more time."
Zich took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The moment it opened, the four elite Silverbacks turned toward him, their eyes flashing with aggression.
'Here we go again.'
Without hesitation, they lunged forward.
"Silverback Grunt, attack! Blood Leech, attack! Keep their attention on you!" Zich shouted.
Immediately, the grunt and Blood Leech dashed forward.
"Slimy, attack from a distance!"
The slime climbed the wall. Because of its sticky body, it clung to the surface, and once it was high enough, it began firing poison shots downward.
At the same time, the grunt clashed with one of the elite apes. It struck first, forcing the enemy back.
Seeing this, Zich's eyes lit up. "Use Heavy Swing!"
The grunt raised its club, now glowing faintly with silver light, and brought it down.
BANG!
The blow struck the ape's face, sending teeth and saliva flying.
BANG! BANG!
Zich did not need to give more commands. The grunt continued attacking, swinging again and again, overpowering its opponent with raw force.
That left three elite Silverbacks.
Blood Leech was currently holding one back, trading blows while slowly draining it.
Slimy continued firing poison from the wall, focusing on another ape's eyes.
The blinded ape roared in frustration, unable to reach its attacker.
Zich locked eyes with the last Silverback.
He gripped his rusty sword tightly and dashed forward.
[Blood Arc]
While moving, he slashed multiple times, sending several Blood Arcs toward the monster's legs and chest.
The attacks left shallow wounds, nothing serious.
Gritting his teeth, Zich tightened his grip.
"There has to be a way to make my attacks stronger."
In this world, skills required mana to activate. From his past life, Zich remembered a common tactic players used.
Overcharging.
Using more mana than required to strengthen attacks.
It was only a theory, but it was worth trying.
Zich tightened his grip on the sword once more and then...