"Rena, attack the right slime!" I called out.
My fingers grasped a rough arrow, Knocking it as the left slime swayed towards me.
We had been fighting for nearly 1 hour and became quite complacent and rushed forward, running into a pack of 3 slimes that moved faster than usual.
I narrowed my eyes, locking onto the red sphere inside its belly.
The pain in my arms from the pressure of the bow pulled my muscles as mana swelled at the tip of my arrow.
⟪Power Shot! - 30/35 MP⟫
My arrow tore through the air with a beautiful blue shimmer from the magic enhancement before penetrating the jelly body and core of the slime as it fell.
[You Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 9/10)]
[Rena Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 9/10)]
A slime lunged at Rena as I tried to Knock a second arrow, but my hand jittered from the stress of constant usage, the muscles cramping.
"Damn..."
Rena's body was like a dancer as the slime's green limb extended into a sharp spear, passing across her chest, almost tearing her clothes as she twisted herself and slammed down with both hands, crushing the slime.
[You Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 10/10)]
[Rena Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 10/10)]
"Phew... I'm so sweaty now..." Rena complained as she squatted down to pick up the small blue stone from the corpse.
This small thing was a magic core that could be sold for 1-3 copper coins, depending on the level and quality.
"This makes 5, hehe~ lucky!"
[Level Up]
A sound echoed in my mind as my [Status] panel opened on its own.
[Distribute Attributes]
There were a total of 5, and I knew where to put them for now.
[Name: Tendo Akira
Race: Vampire (Eros)
Level: 2
Class: Monster Tamer
HP: 64/64
MP: 31/35
STR: 7
VIT: 10 (Sealed)
INT: 7
AGI: 7
DEX: 10
DEF: 12
CHA: 163 (1,505 Sealed)
Bonus Attribute Points: 0]]
I increased my DEX by 3 and DEF by 2.
Because I wasn't the damage dealer but more of a support, taking less damage and increasing my chance to crit or handle the bow was more important.
"Aki... How should I add my stats?" Rena asked, standing beside me as she leaned forward, showing her [Status] page.
"I noticed that you are sometimes a little slow to reach the enemy despite having great power."
"Mm."
It was selfish of me, but I wanted her to become a tank or a heavy damage dealer who could take lots of damage.
"I am going to increase your Vitality by 4 to reach 30 and give you 8 more Health and 1 point into Agility, okay?"
[Name: Hoshikawa Rena
Race: Goblin? (Human)
Level: 2
Class: Goblin Warrior
Master: Akira Tendo
Bond: 40/100
HP: 110/110 (+50 From Akira)
MP: 100/110
STR: 25
VIT: 30
INT: 22
AGI: 21
DEX: 21
DEF: 30
CHA: 42
Bonus Attribute Points: 0]
When her VIT reached 30, mine also increased by 2 because of the 20% bonus I gained from being her master.
Another thing I learned was levelling up didn't restore Magic Power, so I should be careful about how much we use.
"Let's keep going."
"I don't think many more monsters will be on the first floor. Then we can take a short meal break."
Rena smiled at my words and seemed to be paying attention to her status page as we moved deeper into the dungeon.
The walls curved into dead ends and sharp pitfalls.
Sometimes, my enthusiastic back was pulled by Rena before I fell.
"Wait, Aki! There is a strange one!"
In the centre of the room was a huge platform with stone pillars on each corner with engravings of runes I couldn't understand.
Wobbling on the platform was a huge red slime jiggling about with four green slims just below.
I knelt as we hid in some tall grass.
"Rena, this battle might be tough. Can you take them all?"
She looked at me with sweat dripping down her brow, indicating her exhaustion and stress.
It hurt me to put this on her, but a few hits and I was dead.
The small ones hit me earlier and penetrated my chest, dealing 25 damage, but for Rena, it was only 7-10 damage a hit.
"Don't worry, Rena. I will go first. Do your best to attract them after they start rushing me."
I didn't look at her face.
The command was given, and she would act as my fingers pulled out three arrows, sliding one along the bow, Knocking it slowly with a slight creak. The others were put between my fingers.
Looking at the four slimes below, I took a deep breath.
My first arrow shot through the sky, the sound like a gentle whistle before it penetrated its target easily.
[You Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 1/20)]
[Rena Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 1/20)]
Something I used to practise with my mother after becoming enamoured with archery as a younger boy was shooting quickly or with two arrows.
My bow made a crude creak, the pressure of a full drawing of two arrows taking its durability to the limit.
The slimes rushed towards me, even the large red slime; I could feel the tension of my muscles, forcing myself to take one slow breath.
⟪Double Shot! - 29/35 MP⟫
*Twang!* *Whoosh-Swoosh!*
Two arrows shot from my bow, the force less than before, but the arrows beautifully wrapped around each other, crossing the distance in seconds before they pierced both slimes through the chest as they popped like a balloon.
Rena smashed the last one with her kanabo with a fierce face as the last green slime squeaked its death cry.
[You Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 2/20)]
[You Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 3/20)]
[You Gained 1 Experience! (Exp: 4/20)]
"Aki! Let's take the big guy!"
I couldn't agree more, moving closer but to the left to avoid it attacking both of us with the long tentacles of slime they could produce.
It was at that moment that my eyes opened wide.
The red slime was casting magic!
A huge fireball was slowly forming with a vortex over its head. As Rena rushed towards it, I stopped my movements.
"That is dangerous!"
Taking a deep breath as the flames continued to gather like dancing streams wrapping the ball.
I held my bow, grabbing 2 of my last 12 arrows before slowly Knocking them together, my eyes narrowing as Rena's kanabo bounced off the slime, knocking it backwards.
Adjust the angle.
There is no wind... direct target.
My muscles and fingers began to scream as small cuts formed along the creases.
I fully drew the bow with 2 arrows as a beautiful crimson mana swirled around the tip of both arrows.
The wounds began to ooze blood, and my skin started tearing as the Shot was finished.
[Skill Added] ⟪Double Power Shot 9/35 MP⟫
I released the arrows into the sky.
My target was its huge red core, no longer the size of a golf ball but bigger than a soccer ball.
"Rena, leap back and avoid the fireball!"