The battle against the monkeys continues. I am currently casting magic left and right randomly as I have almost no control over the spells I am using, due to the level of my Magic Control skill being 1.

But, no worries. If I can't control my magic, then I'll just let it loose all over my enemies.

Dark Magic: Scattershot! Plus, Dark Domain: Tenta-Barrier!

Using a full on darkness attack, dark magical particles shot out from the magic circles and hit everything in front of us. Whereas multiple tentacles of darkness emerged from Dark Domain and proceeded to flail around, slicing every monkey that comes close to us with the sharp blades at their tips. Just like how I intended it to be.

The first few monkeys gets shot and hit by my attacks. However, they reacted quickly and begin dodging every shot from Scattershot, while also staying clear of the Tenta-Barrier. Giving us some distance to breathe in the process.

I immediately stopped using Dark Magic while carrying on with Tenta-Barrier, as I need to limit my usage of magic to prevent myself from being exhausted during this battle. And my goal is to buy time, which Tenta-Barrier is doing right now as the monkeys can't come close to—

I thought too soon...

These crazy monkeys... They're throwing their comrades at us!

Their throwing speed is so fast, Tenta-Barrier couldn't hit them in time!

Super Speed!

I dodged the incoming monkey projectiles with Kyuki on my shoulder, causing them to crash into the wall and ground. However, they remain unscathed due to their defense stats, as they quickly got up and begin attacking us with their fists.

Argh! Screw you, crazy monkeys!

I used Dark Magic, enchanting my fists in darkness and initiated in unarmed combat with the monkeys; evading their punches and then countering with my own.

With the Evasion skill and Intuition skill, I can instinctively sense their attacks and dodge them with lesser difficulties. Along with the Unarmed Combat Mastery skill, my punches to them are quite effective in damaging them. Although... because of their high Physical Defense stats, punching them feels as if I'm punching thick metal. Which hurts my knuckles by the way!

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Unarmed Combat Mastery LV 1] -> [Unarmed Combat Mastery LV 2]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Magic Combat Mastery LV 2] -> [Magic Combat Mastery LV 3]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Evasion LV 1] -> [Evasion LV 2]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Intuition LV 1] -> [Intuition LV 2]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Persistence LV 1] -> [Persistence LV 2]»

More monkeys keep getting thrown into the fray, as I continue to fight the ones who are already in it.

Their numbers are overwhelming. Even with my skills, I can't evade them all!

"Kyuu!"

A monkey attacked me from behind. Fortunately, Kyuki protected me with its Barrier Magic as I couldn't react to the attack in time.

Thanks, Kyuki.

Kyuu~

I need to focus... Not just on the enemies in front of me, but on the enemies behind and beside me as well.

Life Sense! Super Speed! And Super Strength!

With Life Sense, I can "see" the enemies outside of my field of vision. With Super Speed, I can move as fast as my enemies. And with Super Strength, I can hit harder than I can before. All that's left is for me to focus and try not to get hit as much as possible. Not just for my sake, but for Kyuki's sake as well!

A monkey jumped to strike me. I dodged its punch and slammed it against the wall. Others came attacking as well from behind. Sensing them, I ducked down, grabbed the legs of one of them and used their body to knock the others away, as I slammed the one I got ahold of onto the ground and used Guillotine Strike on it.

The large axe of darkness emerged and struck down onto its neck, but was unable to cut through completely due to its higher defense stats again, as the monkey on the ground growls angrily at me.

Arrrrggghhh! Just die already!

I raised my hands and slammed it down on the back of the axe, pushing the blade deeper into the monkey's neck which finally put an end to one of the monkeys, as its head gets decapitated.

Alright! One monkey down! 

*Krrrawwrrr!*

Scratch that. Many monkeys down! The poison is killing them. Some of them are beginning to drop like flies!

Hm?

Some...? Only some of the poisoned monkeys are dying. The rest are still fine. Even though they got poisoned at approximately the same time...

Why...?

........

Oh no... Don't tell me...

These guys... They obtained the Poison Resistance skill, didn't they!?

*Rrraaaawwwwrrr~*

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Thought Acceleration LV 2] -> [Thought Acceleration LV 3]»

Ahh... ahahahahahaha.... haaa......

You gotta be kidding me.

These guys obtained Poison Resistance. Resulting in only some of them to die because they probably didn't have enough points for it. Which also resulted in their numbers dwindling lesser than I expected.

For a bunch of crazy angry monkeys, these guys are too smart and organised!

They quickly thought of a way to block my poison snake attacks, along with a way to quickly snatch the snake corpses from my hands.

They quickly thought of a way to get pass the Tenta-Barrier, when they realised the speed of which each tentacle strikes.

And speaking of organised, they have a solid formation surrounding us. Despite the fact that the monkeys are growling angrily and seemingly want to attack us, they are holding their formation instead. Preventing us from escaping the area.

...Oh.

They have a leader commanding their actions, don't they?

*Gggaaawwwrrr~!*

I continue to fight off the attacking monkeys, killing them one by one at the very slow pace using Guillotine Strike as my main method, while more of them get thrown pass the Tenta-Barrier.

At this rate, the Tenta-Barrier is useless! But if I remove it now, that will give the monkeys access to flood us with their numbers.

"Kyuu!"

Dammit. It's hard to think while fighting, and it's hard to fight while thinking! I need a new plan quickly. One that can give us a glimmer of victory.

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Thought Acceleration LV 3] -> [Thought Acceleration LV 4]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Evasion LV 2] -> [Evasion LV 3]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Unarmed Combat Mastery LV 2] -> [Unarmed Combat Mastery LV 3]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Intuition LV 2] -> [Intuition LV 3]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Magic Control LV 1] -> [Magic Control LV 2]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Magic Vein LV 1] -> [Magic Vein LV 2]»

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Persistence LV 2] -> [Persistence LV 3]»

My skills are levelling up. Which is good and all, but it means nothing if I don't live through this battle. So think, me. Think! Wreck your brain if necessary. Thought Acceleration has reached level 4, so you have more time to think now!

If we are to survive this predicament, the best way of achieving that would be to escape this area. For that to happen, I'll need to break their formation and create a gap in it. And the best possible way to do that is...

Kyuki, listen up. I'm going to create a smokescreen to cover their view. Once that happens, leave me and go find their leader!

Kyuu!?

Their leader should be at the back where we can't see right now. Search for the leader and notify me of their location. I'll finish them off once you do that, so be ready!

Kyuu! Kyuu!!

Don't worry, Kyuki. I won't die. I don't want to die. I have so many things I want to do after all. And I can only do that once I'm out of this dungeon. So have faith in me and go search for their leader, as I have faith in you as well, Kyuki!

K-Kyuu!!!

The monkeys jumped at us from all directions. I evaded some of their punches and countered, while Kyuki blocks the rest with its Barrier Magic.

Within the next moment, I used Dark Magic: Scattershot and sprayed it everywhere on the ground near the monkeys. Making them back away to avoid the attack as a cloud of dust began to fill the battlefield.

Now, Kyuki! Go!

Kyuu!

Kyuki jumped off my shoulder and ran into the cloud to fulfill its mission. Whereas I begin making my preparations before the cloud of dust disperses.

Dark Domain: Doppelgänger, Shadow Web and Juggernaut Armour!!!

My clones of darkness emerged from the domain; the webs of darkness spread out and cover my surrounding; my entire body gets covered in an armour of darkness. And finally, I brought Tenta-Barrier closer to me for more defenses as this battle of mine is about to become a defensive one.

The cloud of dust is beginning to clear. But before that, I should apply Juggernaut Armour onto my clones as well.

Alright... done.

Now, is there anything else? No? Ok then...

All that's left is to fight the monkeys off until Kyuki finds their leader and inform me of their location.

If I can kill their leader, these monkeys will have no one to guide them. Making them unable to maintain their formation and would thus, allow me and Kyuki to escape.

So until then, I'll just have to survive.

For that, I'll need to stay calm and focus. I mustn't let the stress and pressure get to me, as doing so may result in my death.

«Proficiency Threshold Reached... Skill has Levelled Up: [Persistence LV 3] -> [Persistence LV 4]»

Speaking of death... I raised a death flag earlier, didn't I?