I Became the Weakest Summon of the Genius Summoner

Chapter 2. Are you a witless fool?

Though my intelligence remained the same, my Sense stat plummeted.

Nonetheless, starting with a Sense stat of 15 was rare among both monsters and humans.

Recalling my memories, she had a habit of meticulously recording information about summoned creatures during her lifetime, and some of her notes were released posthumously, causing a stir.

I didn't memorize the released details about the summoned creatures, but I was sure the intelligence stat of a skeleton soldier wasn't this high.

The changes in intelligence seemed to also lead to a slight increase in magic power.

'It seems that the Sense stat, which shouldn't exist for a skeleton soldier, are a mix of my original abilities and those of the skeleton soldier.'

Sense stat is useful for detecting hidden dangers such as traps, poison fog, concealed locations, or for finding paths to lower levels in dungeons.

Only a very small number of people possessed it, and wherever they went, they were treated with high regard. Hunters with such stats usually lived as guides.

'I was like that too.'

With nothing urgent, I was analyzing each stat when suddenly she approached as if embracing me, causing my thoughts to pause momentarily.

"Ilwol? Are you really the one I summoned? Not only do you have 【Sense】 stat, but you also have four traits! And even 【Stealth】?"

She seemed unable to contain her excitement, grabbing my rib cage like a handle and shaking me back and forth.

I was momentarily flustered by how she was clearly observing my information.

"It's only natural that a summoned creature's information is shared with the master..."

Nodding, I continued my paused thoughts.

Traits 【Kleptomancy】 and 【100】 were abilities I had since I awakened during my lifetime.

Looking at the current status window, it seemed these abilities were added to the existing traits of the skeleton soldier.

Among them, trait 【100】 had never been explained by the system.

'I used to grumble, always wondering if I could find out what trait 【100】 was before I died, but it turns out I only learned it after death.'

'99 lives... It seems like dying once subtracts 1. So, what will happen if I die in this state?'

Will I be reborn as an entirely different summoned creature, or will I continue to exist as a skeleton? Such thoughts brought a strange feeling.

Being a skeleton... bones left behind by a dead life form. Something that should never move again.

For someone defying that natural order to ponder what would happen if I died... that was rather strange.

Anyway, the interesting point was how the trait 【Kleptomancy】 changed its application target.

=====

【Kleptomancy Lv.1】

- Steal skills randomly upon a monster's first defeat.

- 10% chance to steal a random trait upon repeated monster defeat.

=====

'Originally, it required defeating an awakener with a 20% chance to steal a skill...'

Though random, the first monster defeated would now certainly have a skill stolen, and there's a small chance of snatching a trait from subsequent kills.

Isn't that a cheat?

No...

Considering that my stats had turned to garbage, this level of enhancement might still be insufficient.

When I was human, with a probability as low as 20% and requiring the death of an awakener, I could never muster the courage to use it.

With its current 100% steal chance, if I had utilized my stealth ability, perhaps I could have lived an unparalleled villainous life.

Despite possessing such cheat abilities, what excited me the most was the existence of an attack skill I had never had in my hunter days.

Heavy Strike Lv.1

- Strike with all your might at 250% of attack power.

'Finally, I can use an attack skill too.'

As a hunter, one inevitably acquired new skills or traits, but due to my wretched luck, I never obtained an attack skill.

As that keyword resurfaced, fragments of forgotten memory emerged.

Embarking on dungeon explorations in the early days with only a stealth skill was quite the ordeal. Even for a guide, it was challenging.

250% attack power strike; a simple yet effective ability.

'Not bad. Among skills of the same type, it's among the more useful ones.'

Attack power is the result of strength, agility, stamina, magic power, and various factors combined.

Without such attack skills, I had to confront monsters with nothing but basic attacks, hitting them seven times when others would finish in two.

'How nostalgic... the struggles in the Goblin Dungeon...'

"This is amazing. Really, hehe..."

'Could it be that good...'

Her purple eyes, glowing softly like fireflies at dawn, gazed up at me with a radiant smile.

Though she seemed purely joyful and happy.

'It's likely the most challenging time for her right now...'

She wasn't always a summoner from the start.

Like most hunters, she awakened with a single attack skill and struggled for about half a year in low-level dungeons.

'Her mother died... slowly wasting away in the hospital...'

As dungeons appeared, and the concentration of mana gradually increased, non-awakeners occasionally died from mysterious illnesses.

Her mother was one such case.

Her only support, her mother, passed away, leading to a 'secondary awakening' from the shock.

Though she was a mage position as a summoner, she was also known to be quite skilled with a bow.

"Her first skill was... something like Danti's Blessing, right? Which increased bow attack power by 20% and penetration?"

While lost in past memories, she brought me back to reality.

"We'll head to the Goblin Dungeon tomorrow! Though, honestly, I've been going there for months, hehe."

She said while scratching the back of her head in apparent embarrassment.

But there was no need to feel embarrassed.

While I opposed overly cautious dungeon runs, reckless challenges were to be avoided.

"Yes. There's no need to overreach at this stage."

"Even though you're with me now, I want to visit somewhere familiar to adapt to what's different."

"Clack clack!"

I clattered my teeth in agreement with her sentiment.

'Isn't this the dungeon where her face was splashed with slime's acidic fluid?'

While she currently possessed skin as flawless as white jade.

In her previous life, after her secondary awakening, in her first dungeon run with her initial summoned creature, she suffered a large scar from a slime's acidic attack.

'I can't let that happen this time.'

The Goblin Dungeon was a low-rank dungeon where goblins, slimes, and herbivorous monsters known as mole crickets were active.

Typically, dungeons were named after their strongest monsters.

In this case, it meant goblins were the strongest there.

"Let's at least catch a mole cricket for some leveling up."

Presently, excluding intelligence and Sense stat, my current abilities were beneath even half the level of F-rank hunters.

A pitiful combat strength unable to guarantee a win in a one-on-one fight with a goblin.

'Strength is one thing, but agility is utter trash. A 2? It's like being a witless fool, sigh...'

"Don't worry, Ilwol. I'm stronger than I look, huh?"

'...'

"Why didn't you answer? You don't trust me or something? Geez, I'll have to show you something tomorrow!"

Yap! Yap!

She clumsily demonstrated punches and kicks, showcasing her inexperience.

"Whew..."

Finishing her awkward display, she took a deep breath with her palms out front, showcasing a sense of humor.

'So, she was this bright...'

In our past life, we spent quite a few dungeon raids together with our guild, but I rarely saw her smile, so I was surprised anew.

'The issue is with me. I need to think of starting from zero.'

Judging by the vibrant image she presented, it seemed she had come to terms with losing her mother.

"... It's been so long since I've talked like this..."

"..."

With her spirits temporarily dampened, she gazed into the air for a moment before continuing.

"For now, let's see how much these commands work on you."

For an hour, she commanded me to walk here and there, jump, hold items, or even massage her shoulders, testing out every idea she had.

Though we couldn't run due to space constraints, she seriously attempted various tests.

"Hm... Ilwol, you're incredibly weak, huh?!"

"..."

I had no words because it was true.

Composed of rigid bone material, grasping objects precisely was a struggle.

So, my already low strength failed me further.

"But that's okay! Ilwol has stealth. Even taking intelligence and magic power into account, attack power should be goblin level... If I initiate with a bow, sneak up and bash them with a club!"

"Clack clack-!"

I've tried materializing my only weapon from the inventory.

-----

Worn-out Wooden Club

- Attack Power +1

- Durability 10/20

-----

A wondrous attack power of +1.

Bloody hell...

As I stared stupidly at the club, Yeon-hee tilted her head briefly, then placed her hand on my club.

'Heh... The attack power is incredibly low, isn't it, what's this?'

It felt as if my entire existence was being appraised negatively, making me retract instinctively.

"Hi-hi— It's still okay. I've always gone solo, you know. At least with you, you'll help divide attention, which will be a big advantage."

"Clack clack-!"

A sound decision. The presence of someone to trust your back in battle changes everything.

One of her remarks stuck with me. Even if rated as the very lowest kind of dungeon, solo entries weren't common.

Due to her exceptional looks, unwanted pests must have clung to her, adding to her distrust of humans.

"Sigh... I should sleep for now. Since it's Friday tomorrow, it'll be crowded. We ought to sleep early."

Gazing at me absentmindedly, she continued with a slightly guilty expression.

"So, you should go rest for the night too. Understand?"