I Became the Weakest Summon of the Genius Summoner

Chapter 5. A Future That Can't Be Changed

The owner of the rune had just barely reached his bag, frantically looking around his surroundings.

While keeping an eye on him, I ran about 30 meters more when my stealth began to wear off.

(Let's go, Ilwol!)

Following Yeon-hee's urgent hand motion, I kept my body as low as possible to escape from their sight and sprinted again.

We only stopped once we had put a considerable distance between us and reached a safe zone.

"Pfft! Seriously, this is so fun, haha-"

Yeon-hee couldn't contain her laughter even while catching her breath, covering her mouth as she chuckled.

Rune of Vigor (Normal)

- Stamina +4

'It's really a basic rune, huh...'

Even though the stats were meager, it was better than nothing.

I examined the rune emitting a dark red light and then handed it to her.

"Pfft... *hiccup*... Huh? Ah, the rune!"

She looked at the rune with curiosity for quite a while, turning it over before handing it back to me.

"I think it's better if you hold onto this for now."

Nod-

Even if she wanted it, I was ready to give in without question, but thankfully, she transferred ownership to me.

I imagined the inventory's rune storage, and the rune dimmed and disappeared from my hand.

Stamina: 7(+4)

My stamina more than doubled instantly.

'At least it's a bit better now.'

"Just in case, let's head the opposite way from where those people were earlier."

Nod-

After moving for about another 20 minutes, we arrived at a place where mole crickets gathered in clusters.

"So cute..."

These dog-shaped monsters were gathered together, chomping on grass.

They looked very much like puppies from rural mixed-breed dogs, with a size akin to a medium-sized dog.

They were the only omnivorous monsters in the dungeon.

Even when approached, they wouldn't run away, instead sticking their tongues out cutely—making it quite difficult to bring oneself to kill them.

The task of determining whether one could kill a mole cricket was a practical test question for hunters, speaking for itself.

However, their front claws were very long and shovel-shaped, allowing them to hide underground like moles when attacked, so they had to be killed in one blow to avoid wasting time.

"Let's just leave the mole crickets alone."

'As expected... she's not killing them. She's been like this since she was young.'

As I stood watching, she spoke again.

"Just... attacking them while they're eating feels kind of..."

'Don't make excuses to the summoned beast.'

Mole crickets inhabit every dungeon, yet from my past life, I could not recall a time when I saw her kill those cute creatures.

But, sentimentality was reserved only for those beasts; she was merciless with the other monsters. I liked this side of her, and so I remained still.

"Let's just rest for a bit. Here, have a seat."

Patting beside her on a naturally formed stone seat, she motioned for me to join her.

'She's treating me like a complete baby.'

Yet, soon I found myself seated next to her quietly.

Gaze-

I felt her looking at me with fascination.

If it was before my death, having such a beautiful woman so close would have left me flustered, but I was now a skeleton, incapable of any physical reaction.

'Convenient at times like these.'

Today, I decided to focus on guarding our surroundings over reacting to her—being on mission meant I ought to be dedicated.

"Seriously amazing. No matter how I think about it, you're..."

...

"...like a person... too much so to be a monster..."

'Hm, that's not good...'

She peeked curiously at me, right in my skeletal face, seemingly unfazed by its appearance.

Pfft-

"Pffft—what am I even saying."

Although she stifled her giggle with her hand, seeing her like that didn't sit well with me.

'Hm... I've got to manage this well.'

As far as I knew, she had grown up in a troubled family environment leading to a deep mistrust of people.

Father, stepfather, uncle, brother.

Violence, alcohol, gambling, fraud.

Their wretched behavior—I felt dirty merely speaking about it.

Luckily, her mother had a good nature and imparted positive influence on her.

But after losing her mother, even her life in the guild wasn't particularly happy.

Her face horribly scarred, leading people to gossip behind her back, saying she was unlucky due to her monster-taming abilities, she must have known about it.

Despite that, she halted the dungeon break, risking her life.

Adhering as though her mother's words were her final wish, she persisted.

Anyway, if she were to find out I was human, she might never summon me again.

'That would be problematic... worse than death.'

I had once fantasized about communicating in writing, but cast that fantasy far away.

For now, I decided to pretend compliance with her commands as much as possible.

"Actually, that's why I like you more. I never had friends, but having one like you, always watching only me! Isn't it wonderful?"

....

'Surely I can only watch you. More importantly...'

I sensed someone coming.

It was moving so slowly above us on a thick branch, it seemed to target Yeon-hee specifically, writhing as it approached.

Slime.

A semi-transparent, amorphous monster.

Even from a thin branch, it managed to elongate its body and move toward us.

In about 30 seconds, it would be right above Yeon-hee's head.

I had always wondered how she got injured in such a simplistic dungeon.

'Surely... she wouldn't expect to be attacked from a tree branch in broad daylight.'

While cautioning against slimes dangling from cave ceilings appears in hunter theory exams, such a scenario wasn't widely known.

A tree-climbing slime? The creature, which typically prefers dark, damp areas appearing in broad daylight like this, was unanticipated.

'I thought the future had changed because of my presence, yet the events still occurred?'

I pondered the significance of my actions when my mind went cold.

'Huh! Ridiculous.'

Preventing the inevitable is my job.

So, let's handle the immediate task.

With my current capabilities, I was only able to shrug shoulders, nod, or lift arms without command.

While my mobility had somewhat improved with level gain, it was not significantly meaningful yet.

Desperately, I pointed upwards while making noise to alert her.

"Clack, clack!"

"Uh? Is there something above us?"

'Yes, look quickly. It's simple, right?'

Yet she glanced upwards momentarily, then shrugged.

"There's nothing there?"

'What?! Impossible?'

Turning my neck upwards creakingly, I saw the sly slime had elongated its body further onto the branch, hidden beyond my human sight yet clearly within my perception.

'Perhaps the talk of slimes possessing a five-year-old's intellect wasn't nonsense.'

It seemed to hide its body when I noisily pointed upward.

'Damn, I must move her quickly.'

Her friendly attitude didn't help as I pressed her arm, waving my hand in front of her face. She seemed lost watching the mole crickets, not intending to move anytime soon.

'With low strength, I can't budge her. For now, I need to block it...'

Unable to completely shield her from the acid with my skeletal arm, I pondered...

At that moment.

Slip— Squelch—

'It begins.'

The slime wriggled and spewed out acid in one large motion. Soon, it would discharge its filthy acid toward Yeon-hee's face.

Pyoop-pyoop-pyoot—

Splat-! Sizzle—

"Kyaah! What is—?"

Extending my right arm above her, I summoned three crude wooden sticks from my inventory, using my left arm to shield her head.

Initially intending to push her head aside, my pathetic strength only managed to make her bow forward.

Luckily, the acid landed solely on my arm and the sticks, sizzling, as I rapidly gestured toward the creature above her.

"Clack, clack!"

"Huh? S-Slime?!"

Quickly retreating, she nocked an arrow.

Seeing its lost chance, the slime began to hastily move onto the tree.

Thump—

Crack!

Squish—

An arrow burst through half the branch and lodged in the slime's body.

Yet, the slime, unless its core was destroyed, hardly suffered damage from physical attacks.

'For now, let's get it off the tree. Can I do it?'

Grasping the already sizzling twig in my hand:
Dagger Throw Lv.1
- Throwing dagger attack power +5%, Accuracy +20%
- Any thrown object accuracy +15%

'Not bad.'

Seeing such skillful composition, I wondered why goblins didn't make use of it. I threw the stick in my left hand at the branch.

Thwack!

'One more.'

Whirr—

Splinter!

The grazing stick barely broke the branch, sending the slime tumbling down.

Squelch—

Stamina: 5/7 (-2)

'Tch, losing 2 stamina just from touching some acid? What a pathetic body. Is it worse because it hit bone?'

A scenario of so-called bone-hit, in my case, was always in effect.

"Nice job, Ilwol! You finish it! Hit the black orb moving inside!"

Nod-

She fired another arrow at the fallen slime. With urgency, the slime moved its core to the opposite side, evading the attack.

Despite having no eyes, it keenly sensed the incoming threat's direction.

With the core moving lingering in the same spot, I swung the club high and struck the core 【with force】.

Magic Power: 0/6 (-1)

Although all my magic power was depleted, the effect was evident.

Having struck the core, the slime's liquid body splattered onto the ground, accompanied by the ever-familiar message.

- Defeated Slime (Normal).

- Gained a small amount of experience.

- Obtained a low-grade magic stone. Magic stone has been moved to the summoner inventory.

- Skill 【Kleptomancy】 activated.

- Stole a random skill from Slime (Normal).

- Acquired skill 【Acid Spurt】.

- Level up. Choose three attributes to raise.

'Damn!!'

Instinctively clenching a fist, I cheered internally.

While vigilance was still needed before exiting the dungeon, clearly, this change in situation stood testament to the fact: I altered her future.

'Great, I'll allocate stat points later.'

A small magic stone rose from the slime's body towards Yeon-hee, while I pocketed the split slime's core.

'This should fetch at least 1000 won.'

I handed her the slime core. She stowed it in a leather pouch and swiftly embraced me.

'...?'

"Heing... Thank you, Ilwol! If not for you, I might have been seriously hurt! You even warned me in advance and I... "

'...'

Creeeak—

'Wait, isn't she hugging me a tad too tightly?'

Just to be sure, I checked the status window again.

Stamina: 6/7(-1)

Despite my level increase restoring my stamina, having it drop again was undeniably due to her embrace.

"Clack-clack!"

"Ah! Sorry! That was dangerous! Are you okay?"

I opted to remain unresponsive, staying silent.

'At this moment, better act like a monster. I am a monster. I am a monster.'

Chanting internally, I observed her reaction.

Yet she didn't concern herself much with my reaction, as she was busy scrutinizing my acid-kissed right arm.

TL's Corner:
Death hug.
Will Clacky eventually evolve and become a death knight?
Will he get to experience Death by Snu-snu?