"Hey." I called to the person looking after us.

The incarnation begrudgingly tore her gaze from the battle, her expression unresigned and her nails digging into her palms.

"Unlock both of our shackles."

"What are you talking about?" She looked at me incredulously.

Jung Youngho didn't understand what we were talking about, but he could sense the change.

"I am going to help."

She looked angry, "You? So you can run away? Commander told me to stay here to look over you two, and I will keep my word."

"And you will watch with us as your commander dies?" My voice was harsh.

The incarnation flinched.

Their eyes swam with conflict.

Without saying anything more, I waited for her reply.

"I-I will," The incarnation's voice cracked, "I will unlock them."

She searched my eyes for any hint of sincerity, the last rope to the light in her desperation, "Please, save our commander."

When I thought about it, it was ridiculous. We weren't close, and far having done anything for each other, Jung Youngho and I were captives. 

If anything, there was animosity between us. Still, this was something I wanted to do.

"I will."

[You stats are being restored. Physique lv. 5 --> lv. 10, Strength lv. 5 --> lv. 20, Agility lv. 5 --> lv. 40, Magic Power lv. 5 --> lv. ?]

[Your skills can now be activated.]

The black handcuffs that felt heavy fell to the ground, and as I breathed in the fresh air, I felt liberated.

"Finally." Jung Youngho grumbled. "Let's get out of here."

"We're not going anywhere."

"Are you serious?" Jung Youngho looked offended.

I gestured to the base, "We're going over there."

I gave Jung Youngho a wry and pleading smile, "Please help me, Jung Youngho ahjussi."

"Those cursed words again..." Jung Youngho grumbled, but contrary to his words, he had taken out his halberd, smiling.

"Wh-what are you guys doing? You swore." The incarnation looked at us warily.

Really, what you're saying sounds ridiculous.

Instead of replying verbally, I decided to show her in terms of action.

So I began to run forward.

"Secretive plotter, Sorrowful Heart of Silver," I breathed out.

[Sorrowful Heart of Silver is listening.]

[The constellation, Secretive Plotter, is wondering what you are planning.]

"Please give me coins." I'm broke.

[The constellation, Secretive Plotter, is laughing and finds it interesting.]

[You have been sponsored 15 000 coins.]

[Sorrowful Heart of Silver is cheering you on.]

[1 300 coins have been sponsored.]

Invest 5 000 coins each in strength, physique, and agility.

[Strength lv. 20 --> lv. 30.]

[Your strength has become beyond superhuman.]

[Physique lv. 10 --> lv. 20.]

[Your body has become impervious to ordinary weapons.]

[Agility lv. 40 --> lv. 50.]

[The wind resides in your steps.]

[Remaining coins in possession: 1 300.]

I burst forward with renewed speed and strength, like becoming a comet.

From beside me, Jung Youngho cried out in alarm.

I leapt straight off the building.

[Skill, 'Dynamic Vision lv. 4' is activated.]

My vision widened and opened up. This skill, paired with Enhanced Reflexes and a high agility created a great synergy.

[Skill, 'Enhanced Reflexes lv. 4' is activated.]

[Skill, 'Dispel Evil lv. 2' is activated.]

I gathered it around me as I began my assault. It was useful against the undead, who had a darkness attribute.

[Exclusive Skill, 'Avatar lv. MAX' is activated.]

Although this was the first time I had consciously used this skill, it felt natural to me. I could feel my 'self' break into multiple pieces, with a common connection syncing up our minds. A few memories in my mind became blurrier as a result.

Things like looking at the clouds in the sky and wondering if it resembled a turtle, or reading a sign that said, 'public library', were infused in the avatars.

Is this what Han Sooyoung felt like when she used it?

Finally, I met my target as I slammed into the undead on the ground.

-Bam!-

A depression in the ground formed, knocking down all the nearby undead.

Only my hands, coated with the skill were needed to effectively deal with the undead. The skill, [Dispel evil] really did wonders.

Leaping up from a newly formed pit, I was greeted by the vast army of undead.

"Rooar!" They uselessly swung their sharpened nails.

A dagger? I'll take that.

Noticing one of the undead holding a chipped dagger, I rushed forward and kicked it out of its hands, the arm bursting, and gripped it in my hand.

On the battlefield, my avatars did the same. Because, my avatars did not only inherit my stats, minus my magic power, but some of my skills, too. That being said, I still didn't feel drained of my magic stat just yet, despite making many of them.

In my enlarged dynamic vision, I could see Anna Croft struggling against the 6th grade undead. None of my Avatars were close enough, having been helping the others.

And I was also blocked by a dense wave.

I had to hurry.

[Skill, 'Dagger Proficiency lv. 4' is activated.]

[Skill, 'Enhanced reflexes lv. 4' is activated.]

They weren't able to stop my advancing form as my dagger ran across each inch of flesh.

Just as that grade 6 undead was about to land another strike against Anna -

-Clang!-

I grunted, my legs digging into the ground and my arms trembled as I blocked the blow of the grade 6 undead.

"You-!" Anna Croft looked at me in surprise.

"Where do you need to go?" I gritted my teeth as I redirected the arm of the grade 6 undead that slammed into the ground next to me, creating another fracture. It wasn't the time for catching up with one another.

Anna quickly recovered her composure.

"I need to make it back to the base."

I swerved out of the way of another blow of the 6th grade undead and counterattacked. Black blood and mist spurted from the shallow cuts made by the dagger. It wasn't even enough to make the undead flinch.

This dagger is really bad.

But it was all I had on me at the moment.

"Where is my stuff?" I shouted at Anna Croft.

"It's currently still back at the base." Anna Croft was shakily drinking down a health potion in the faint time that she had a breather.

I had hoped Anna Croft had kept my bag that housed my items on her, but I guess not.

Although I had upgraded my stats, I was slowly getting tired. Perhaps I should have invested in my physique a little more.

Gathering all the strength I could in my leg coated with [dispel evil], I kicked the 6th grade undead.

It slid across the ground, perhaps for only a meter, but only slightly.

But that small distance was all I needed.

Quickly, I picked up Anna Croft, threw her over my shoulder, and began to run.

[Skill, 'Avatar Lv. MAX' has been activated.]

[Warning. The scenario is questioning the fairness of your skill.]

Only two more Avatars were summoned, even though I wanted to summon more. But what about my skill was unfair? I didn't ever see Han Sooyoung get penalized with her amount of avatars.

Grumbling mentally, my avatars quickly attempted to help carve out a path to the base.

"Grrww!!!"

...along with that 6th grade undead hot on my heels.

It was persistent, pitless eyes of black honed on my figure with a vengeance as it trampled the other 7th grade and 8th grade to death that had stumbled onto its path. My avatars were unfortunately part of that category.

The 6th grade wasn't slow either. I ran as quickly as I could, but the distance between us wasn't that large initially.

I needed to think fast.

Perhaps I should try 'that'?  I suddenly remembered another ability Han Sooyoung had.

[Skill, 'Avatar lv. MAX has been activated.]

[At the speed we are going at, that 6th grade will reach us in 2 or 4 seconds?]

[It will hit from the left, no, right, perhaps down?]

[Should I ask for more coins?]

[Ahhhh, we are going to fail!]

I instead felt a headache going on with the countless proliferating voices in my head, all giving non-useful advice. As quickly as I could, I turned my avatar skill off. It appeared there still needed some talent involved to select the right avatars and reach Han Sooyoung's level of [Predictive Plagiarism]. In my haste, I had made avatars that reflected upon my emotions at the current moment.

So how should I deal with the 6th grade behind me?  I slowly grew more anxious.

Seeing through the eyes of my other avatars, I soon realized that they were all wrapped up in their own fights and troubles, unable to help me. 

Jung Youngho was also starting to struggle against the undead. The faintest of probability sparks flickered across his halberd, and as I ran, I realized a sudden truth.

We probably weren't in the 1864th round anymore, and had to deal with the probability aftermath as foreigners to the scenario. So that was why Jung Youngho isn't as strong as before...although, there might be another reason to that as well.

But it gave me goosebumps as well.

How was I not affected by probability constraints? Who was buffering it for me? And what was the [??? Product] exactly?

I hadn't missed the messages, although having pushed them to the back of my mind.

The first time, when my incarnation body was about to be ripped to sheds from the fight between a nameless outergod and the <Star Stream>, I had been teleported into the [Fourth Wall].

And the second time was after the destruction of the absolute throne.

"Roarr!" The growl of the 6th grade undead upon me made me snap back to reality.

It isn't the time to be thinking about this.

The 6th grade undead unleashed a punch through the air as it finally caught up.

My skill that had always been active until now throbbed through my veins as I leapt out of the way with Anna Croft still being held.

[Skill, 'Enhanced Reflexes lv. 4' is strongly activated!]

I wished I had a footwork-related skill.

"Ugh!" My foot got caught by one of the cracks created upon the undead slamming their fists onto the floor.

Oh no-

Anna Croft from my back rose to block the blow.

-Crack!- Now, both her arms, including her newly healed arms, were broken and mangled. However, Anna Croft gritted her teeth and swallowed her pain.

The rest of the force from the blow sent us flying closer to the base. Recovering quickly, my legs skid across the ground and I reached the wall.

"...Get moving." Anna Croft weakly attempted to shout at my stunned form.

I nodded, and with a deep breath, I leapt. Within the air, I quickly summoned an avatar.

[Skill, 'Avatar lv. MAX' is activated.]

They quickly gave me a boost by throwing me upwards until I landed on the edge of the wall.

[You have desummoned your avatar.]

"Who are- Commander?!" The incarnations on the wall were flabbergasted by my entrance.

[The leader of the Base has returned. The defensive capabilities of all incarnations within range have increased by 50%. The attack strength of all incarnations within range has increased by 50%. All incarnations feel a boost to their morale.] 

Those kinds of buffs were ridiculous.

"Don't lose focus." Anna Croft barked, but her face was pale and her arms were trembling in pain.

Although the incarnations were worried, they focused on the battle, continuously repelling the waves of undead trying to cross over the wall.

"Do you still have any potions?" I quickly asked Anna Croft.

Through her sweat soaking her uniform, Anna's teeth were clenched as she shook her head. I grew more anxious. Did Anna Croft have any skills related to healing?

I quickly opened the dokkaebi bag to try and look for health potions.

"Don't...bother...We don't have time." Anna Croft was struggling to get out her words, "I must get to the top of the building there."

I watched as the mutated flight-related undead were being shot out of the sky around the highest point of the tower, which appeared to be drawing them in.

Was that place the 'core' of the base? I wasn't sure about the specifics.

All I knew was that the Anna Croft slung over my shoulders was huffing, trying to stay awake. 

I bounded off the wall, and just like what I did when I scaled the wall, summoned and desummoned avatars to get across through the air.

However, half-way there, the other residents of the sky had taken notice of my presence.

-ScREeCh!-

Their piercing cries made me wince as they dove toward my figure. 

"Things aren't ever that easy, huh." I mumbled under my breath, trying to shake off my uneasiness.

[Skill, 'Dynamic Vision lv. 4' is activated.]

[Skill, 'Enhanced Reflexes lv. 4' is activated.]

[Skill, 'Dispel evil lv. 2' is activated.]

Getting another boost from one of my avatars, I rushed through the air to meet the claws and maws of the grotesque undead.

However, just before impact, I summoned another avatar that kicked me toward another trajectory. Then the talons tore into my avatar, which scattered through the air.

"Gwwrrr?" The undead were all confused by their prey that suddenly changed motion.

I began to use the flying undead as footholds, even if those footholds tried to bite my limbs off.

Luckily all the undead that I encountered in the sky were only 8th grade and 7th grade.

The wind flew past my cheeks, and the sky was beginning to turn darker, heralding night. At that time, the undead of the dark attribute would gain a boost.

Therefore, we needed to sort out the situation before then.

-tap-

I had finally entered the open-air structure at the top of the building.

[The leader of the base has entered the 'core room'.]

[All incarnations have been boosted by 100% of their stats. They have become immune to mental attacks.]

[All enemies stats in range have been de-buffed by 20%.]

[The leader of the base may now command all actions of the incarnations in range.]

Then, the Anna Croft on my back who had been resting her head raised herself and gave her first command.

"Begin the second formation."

A/N: Exams are coming up for me (Oh boy!)

Therefore, I'm not sure if I'll be able to consistently update anymore. You have been warned! :3

(Hey, I think it's a feat that I have been able to update for 4 months with a stable update schedule lmao)

Edit: Changed the coins values around. SP has sponsored 10 000 --> 15 000 coins, and 5 000 coins have been used for 10 levels, leaving 2 300 --> 1 300 coins left in the balance