Chapter 31: Within A Minute
The exit portal of the dungeon was at the top of the hill Leonard had slid down. Trying to outrun the wolves to reach it wasn’t feasible, especially with the little girl behind him.
Immediately, Leonard invested the attribute points he had gained after reaching Level 6. Along with the evolution points he had been saving.
[Lightning Strike - Level 6 → 7]
[Rank: Rare]
[Infuses your strike with low-affinity lightning and amplifies your strength by 260%.]
[Usage cost: 10 Mana.]
[Upgrade Lightning Strike to the next level: 640 Evolution Points]
Name: Leonard
Level: 6 [Experience: 0/650]
Bloodline: Primordial
Vitality: 18
Strength: 20
Agility: 17
Endurance: 20 → 23
Magic: 18 → 20
Mana: 180 → 200
Skills: Lightning Strike, Dimensional Storage
Attribute Points: 5 → 0
Evolution Points: 540 → 220
Traits: Accelerated Manaflow, Hardened Physique, Devoted Summons
Titles: Lumberjack, Inquisitor, One Man Army
When facing many enemies, his priority was to improve his endurance and his mana pool, which allowed him to fight for longer. As for Lightning Strike, he had been able to afford one upgrade of 320 evolution points before the price doubled yet again.
When Daisy realized that she had been freed from the wolf’s hold, she began to sob, holding onto his leg for dear life.
"B—Big bro! Please don’t let me become a snack!" She pleaded, her body shaking.
Her backpack had been torn apart by the wolf’s ruthless grip, but her body was unharmed. Fortunately, there was no danger of her bleeding out.
"Then stay back." Leonard replied.
He counted twenty wolves, with some larger than the rest. Without a doubt, the werewolf was going to prove the biggest obstacle.
Meeting his gaze, the Bloodthirsty Werewolf curled its jaws into a mocking grin.
The wolf that had dragged Daisy into the dungeon moved beside the werewolf. With Leonard’s axe still impaled in its body, he was left disarmed.
Surrounding their unarmed prey, the pack of wolves ominously stared, aiming to instill fear, before pouncing for the kill.
However, in the next moment, Leonard shocked them all. Spending 10 mana, he recalled Titanic Oath from the beast’s side straight into his grip.
When his skin made contact with the cold metal, he felt his strength surge by a staggering 12 points, now that he had reached Level 6.
Not taking kindly to the recall ability, the werewolf’s grin vanished. Walking forward, the beast let out a fearsome howl that shook the surroundings.
The pack obeyed at once. A part of them rushed towards Leonard like a tidal wave. They raced towards him from one side.
"Are they intending to play with us?" Leonard noticed that only five of the wolves charged at him, with one larger than the rest leading the pack.
Monsters in dungeons carried predators’ behaviors. Besides attacking in search of food or protecting their territory, they could also hunt purely for the sport of it, striving to hone their skills.
Luckily, even with Titanic Oath recovered, the werewolf still underestimated Leonard’s abilities. From the monster’s point of view, it was an adequate opportunity to let its subordinates gain experience.
Leonard didn’t linger and focused on the wolf that led the pack like a leader. The creature was twice the size of a normal Ferocious Wolf, its fur thick enough to withstand the blow of a normal blade.
With a roar, the beast broke away from the pack and lunged.
Leonard dodged to the side, but the leader’s paw was swift enough to leave a bloody mark across his leg.
He retaliated with a downward strike. The axe injured the beast, but the thick fur lessened the damage.
Failing to kill the monster with the first strike, and with the rest of the pack only a heartbeat away from ganging up on him, it appeared Leonard’s fate had been sealed.
Until he activated Lightning Strike, now Level 7. Titanic Oath shot upward with the speed of lightning, still carrying its freezing properties. The axe slit the wolf’s throat in one swift movement.
[You have defeated a Level 7 Elder Ferocious Wolf]
[You have gained 30 Experience]
"Big bro, behind you!" Daisy shouted in alarm.
Furious that their leader was slain, the lesser wolves tried to encircle Leonard.
If the beasts managed to surround him, they would cut off all remaining paths of retreat, guaranteeing his defeat.
Leonard reacted by activating Dimensional Storage and taking out his silver double-headed axe that he had gained from his battle with the vampire.
He wasn’t familiar with dual-wielding axes, but the addition of another weapon managed to momentarily halt the wolves, making them cautious about getting too close.
Meanwhile, the werewolf drew closer. While its subordinates were tasked with slowly wearing down Leonard, the True Boss took heavy footsteps toward the little girl, scraping its claws against the hard rock beneath, instilling terror.
"Bad doggy! Stay away!" Daisy sniffed. Her back was pressed against the steep hill she had fallen from, and her body was too weak to climb fast enough to escape.
"Targeting a defenseless child?! Face me instead, you spineless coward!" Leonard yelled as he fought off the wolves. He had leapt into the dungeon to save the girl. If she died, it would all be for naught!
The Bloodthirsty Werewolf ignored him. Licking its front fangs with its tongue, the monster’s eyes shone in yellowish frenzy light.
Raising its paw high, it slashed, fully intent on ending the girl’s life for good.
"M—Mommy!" Daisy closed her eyes and hugged her knees desperately. She just wanted to go home and be reunited with her family. She longed to feel the safety her parents provided, yet if the strike connected, she would never see them again!
But the attack never met its mark. Strangely, rather than the expected pain, she felt a soft, silky sensation brush past her body.
Daisy opened her eyes and saw the white plume that belonged to Valor. The looming knight had been summoned to protect her. He reached out and grasped the werewolf’s paw, stopping it in place.
Valor didn’t hesitate and slashed upwards with his free hand.
Possessing 200% of Leonard’s attributes with an additional 200% boost since the werewolf was a humanoid-type monster, the greatsword carved a deep gash across the monster’s face, spilling blood.
AWOOOO!
Howling in pain, the beast recoiled backward. The rest of the wolves who had been observing until now lashed out in defense of their leader.
The pressure Leonard was under doubled. Relying on Joker would have borne no results, so in order to save Daisy, he had summoned Valor, paying 100 mana.
Since the knight took 2 mana for every second he was in combat, it meant his mana pool was going to be drained within a minute.
"The werewolf, or at least the wolves, has to be killed within a minute. Otherwise, the chances of surviving will drop drastically." Leonard analyzed.
He noticed that the Bloodthirsty Werewolf was now hiding behind its own pack, covering its injury with a paw while its eyes flared with boundless hatred. Its goal was to overwhelm Leonard and Valor with sheer numbers before delivering the fatal strike.
"Kill as many as you can!" Leonard instructed his summon.
His eyes snapped toward the wolves that now charged with no trace of self-preservation.
"Bring it on!" He roared, meeting them head on.
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