Chapter 21: Distributing the free points
Emmy and Sam sat opposite each other, discussing how to distribute their free stat points.
Sam advised Emmy to first balance all her stats, then prioritize Mana, followed by Vitality and Intelligence.
Player Name: Emmy
Level: 11
Strength: 29 (+)
Agility: 30 (+)
Mana: 35 (+)
Vitality: 25 (+)
Intelligence: 25 (+)
Free Points Available: 0
Mana Core: 40%
Contracts: Zephyr Snake (Pet)
Sam also distributed his free points, choosing to keep his stats balanced.
Player Name: Sam
Level: 22
Strength: 55 (+)
Agility: 55 (+)
Mana: 55 (+)
Vitality: 55 (+)
Intelligence: 54 (+)
Free Points Available: 0
Mana Core: 55% Complete
Contracts: Metal Slime (Pet)
After distributing their points, they continued forming their mana cores using the Dragon's Mana Core – Immortal Rank Technique(+Mana Control, +Mana Density, +Stability, ??@?#$@%), until 9:00 AM.
Sam stepped out of his room fully armored, with Emmy beside him. He had decided to keep Ira in dagger form.
In this form, Ira allowed him to access most active skills of the weapon, but not passive buffs like +Mana or +Sharpness. These depended entirely on Sam's own control—sharpness, weight, strength—it all came down to how well he synchronized with Ira.
Sam's group gathered and made their way downstairs to the meeting area.
All groups assembled on the ground floor before 9:30 AM, where they reviewed the final plan.
The non-fighters would remain on the first floor together for safety.
Ryan suggested a new strategy—splitting each group into smaller squads of ten, naming them, and staying connected via earpieces. The other teams quickly adopted the idea.
Once ready, shield bearers stepped to the front of their groups, and one by one, the squads began exiting the building.
Sam's group was smaller and exited through a side window in the mess hall.
"Everyone, don't engage them! Our group is small—rush forward and follow Max!"
Sam's plan was simple: let the larger groups handle the bulk of the zombies, while his group slipped through tight paths the others couldn't.
The hostel buildings were spaced out but close enough to move between quickly.
Sam led the charge, wielding Ira in glaive form, avoiding combat when possible. When surrounded, he used Mana Blade to carve a path.
The zombies on the ground floor had grown stronger—now at levels 12 to 18.
Shield bearers took the front lines, keeping the zombies at bay while others moved in to finish the kills. Archers, short on arrows, were ordered to fight with blades for now. Luna was tasked with collecting orbs.
Sam swung his glaive with ease thanks to his increased stats, clearing zombies in his path. Despite its weight, it now felt like an extension of his own strength.
Everyone used item skills sparingly, saving them for critical moments. They knew the real fight was waiting inside the building.
Lumi collected orbs in her mouth, dropping them into an empty quiver Sam had tied to his backpack. She avoided black orbs per his instructions, since they were now less useful.
After about half an hour of fighting, they reached their destination. A walk that would normally take 10 minutes had taken nearly 30 due to the constant battles.
Finding no open window, Sam broke one by throwing a hammer. Max and Peater used their shield skills to enter first, followed by Sonia and Bella, then George, Brook, Nathan, Chloe, Beth, and Emmy.
Once they were in, Sam leapt forward and activated Bulk Up and Mana Slash, swinging in a wide arc.
The mana slash cut through dozens of zombies, slicing 20–25 of them in half. He was left panting—he hadn't realized how powerful and draining the combination would be. The move had consumed nearly one-sixth of his total mana.
Taking a deep breath, Sam entered the building behind Max and Peater. Luna fluttered after them, carefully collecting orbs from the ground—excluding the black ones, which were now rarer due to the zombies' increased strength.
Inside, everyone had taken their positions. Shield users held the line while melee fighters and archers cleared enemies at range. Mana arrows were depleted, and normal arrows were now being used.
Luna, following Emmy's commands, also fought alongside them.
Surprisingly, the zombies inside were weaker than those outside—easier to slice through.
Sam had already fired all but five of his mana arrows, which remained stored in his chain.
Using the bow with aim assist had helped the archers improve rapidly. Even normal arrows now staggered zombies if not killing them outright.
After a chaotic but coordinated effort, they managed to finish the last of the zombies.
They shut the doors and searched for survivors in the mess hall.
They found five boys locked in a bathroom, weak and barely surviving on water.
Sam told Max to feed them, then slumped into a chair, exhausted.
That last combo had taken a heavy toll.
Emmy collapsed beside him, also catching her breath. Everyone was worn out from the intense fight and constant movement.
"Sam, I don't think they'll be much help…" Max approached.
"The zombies inside are still weak," Sam replied. "They need to adapt. Let them know they'll be fighting with us. I won't accept a 'no'."
Outside, other groups were close to clearing the remaining zombies.
Three lives had been lost in the battle.
Blake gave the order to finish off anyone who had turned.