While Zachary's attention was locked onto the system screen, Cole couldn't look away from the battle unfolding in front of him.
"Woah…" he breathed, eyes wide as Barnacle clashed with the ogre.
The sound alone was insane—metal striking flesh, the ground cracking with each impact. It didn't look like a normal fight anymore.
It looked like something out of a nightmare.
Cole glanced back at Zachary, his expression filled with questions.
"…Is that summon magic?" he asked.
Zachary blinked, caught off guard for a split second. A small bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face.
"…Guess you could call it that," he said with a shrug.
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't the truth either.
Cole turned back immediately.
Barnacle had already moved.
It leaped into the air, sword raised high, its body cutting through the air with unnatural speed.
The ogre, already wounded, tried to react—
Too slow.
ROOOOAR!!
Its roar echoed violently as Barnacle's blade carved deep into its shoulder, metal slicing through flesh with precision.
But the ogre didn't fall.
Not yet.
With a sudden burst of force, it swung its massive arm—
Even though it looked half-paralyzed.
And it connected.
BOOM!
Barnacle was struck mid-air.
Its armored body was sent flying across the dungeon, crashing violently into a jagged wall.
The impact echoed as cracks spread through the stone.
The knight dropped to one knee.
Still intact.
But pushed back.
Then—
The system responded.
-[You have chosen the Undead 'Barnacle' to increase its stats tenfold]-
-[Undead Barnacle's stats]-
-[Strength: 3569 points]-
-[Agility: 2939 points]-
-[Recovery: 250 points]-
-[Durability: 100 points]-
-[Mana: 390 points]-
-[Casting speed: 450 points]-
Earlier, at the moment Barnacle flew in the air, Zachary pressed the option.
Zachary's eyes widened.
"…That's…" he whispered.
For a moment, he just stared.
His mind automatically started calculating, comparing—
But the numbers didn't make sense anymore.
"I need to go back to school," he muttered under his breath, letting out a small, disbelieving chuckle.
"My math is completely off…"
He looked back at Barnacle.
"…He's overpowered now."
Then—
Another message appeared.
-[Due to the increase, your chosen Undead's stats will now be locked]-
-[Its stats will not increase when the user's stats increase]-
-[The 'increase by tenfold' option's probability of being implemented will now decrease by 17%]-
-[Probability: 83%]-
Zachary's expression shifted slightly.
"…Locked?" he muttered.
'So there WAS a drawback'
He exhaled slowly, his gaze sharpening again.
"Fair trade," he said quietly.