SS Awakening: My Monster Merging System!

Zich stayed on the ground for a few seconds, breathing through the pain that kept running across his body. His left sleeve was soaked with blood, and when he tried to move his arm, the sting made his teeth tighten.

Around the square, the undead began closing in slowly. They had watched him fall, and now they treated him like a corpse that only needed one more push.

On the rooftop, Helen suddenly pushed herself upright again. Her face was pale, but her eyes were fixed on the market square below.

"We have to go back," she said, already stepping forward.

Jayden grabbed her arm before she could really move. His voice came out cold and flat, with no room for argument.

"Going back now will only get you killed too."

Helen turned and glared at him hard. Her chest rose once with anger, and for a moment, it looked like she wanted to throw his hand away and jump down anyway.

Before she could open her mouth again, Varok suddenly shifted his gaze away from the square. His eyes narrowed toward the nearby rooftops.

Several black shapes climbed the walls of the nearby buildings, their armor scraping against stone with a dry sound. Varok kept staring without blinking, and the giant Velhari on the chimney also stopped once he saw the same movement.

Helen noticed it too, and her anger turned into a tight frown. The rooftop that had felt safe a moment ago now looked too open, and the old stones around them suddenly seemed easy for the undead to climb.

Jayden looked in the same direction, his face becoming serious.

"We are being boxed in."

Helen still did not answer at once. She only kept staring toward Zich below, her fingers tightening around the staff until her knuckles went white. Varok’s attention was focused on the rooftops, where the first undead shapes were already climbing higher toward their position.

At the same time, rusted archers appeared on the higher roofs around them. Their broken bows lifted in a loose line, the arrows all aimed at the rooftop where Jayden’s group stood.

The Velhari leader’s expression hardened. Their position was compromised; he could see it at a glance because the undead were not moving like random monsters anymore.

"Damn it," the giant Velhari cursed while smashing one undead away from the roof edge with a heavy strike. The undead flew sideways and broke apart against a chimney, but another had already climbed up from the side wall, taking its place.

"These things are unending!"

"What do you think? We are basically in their city!"

the short Velhari retorted. He stepped in and cut one down with both blades. Bone and rust scattered across the roof, yet more of them were already appearing from the surrounding buildings, climbing up the stone as if they were hellbent on getting rid of them.

The sudden turn of the undead toward them was alarming. So far, they had focused on carrying soul stones, so why had they suddenly turned their attention toward them?

"We need to leave," Varok said in a low yet firm tone.

Helen hesitated when she heard that, her gaze drifting toward the ground. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to jump down anyway, even if it meant landing straight into the tide below.

Down below, Zich was still on the ground, with the monsters already closing in around him. That sight made Helen’s breathing quicken because she knew he was still alive, but barely.

However, with the monsters closing in, his death would come much faster, and something about that made her stomach churn.

Jayden caught her arm before she could make any foolish mistakes.

Helen glared at him, anger already building on her face. Before she could snap back, Varok suddenly looked toward the nearby rooftops again. The next wave of undead had already started climbing higher.

Helen did not say a word. She only gave Zich one final look, her face showing clear anger and worry before she turned and ran along the rooftop with the others, as staying there would only trap all of them on the open roof.

Down below, Zich could not see any of it clearly. The undead were already closing in, and the square felt more suffocating with every breath he took.

Suddenly, the Blood Knight Commander’s Cloak flickered across his shoulders with dark red lines, as if it had finally taken in enough blood, pressure, and battle energy from the whole fight.

A message appeared in front of his retina.

[Blood Knight Commander’s Cloak has been fully charged.]

[Activating Crimson Overload.]

[Blood Knight Commander’s Cloak (Elite)]

[Attributes: Strength +35, Health +15]

[Special: Stores blood energy from damage dealt and received. Once fully charged, activates Crimson Overload for 12 seconds. During activation, Strength and Defense increase by 50%, attacks release blood shockwaves, HP regenerates from inflicted damage, and fear effects are suppressed. After the effect ends, the wearer suffers temporary weakness and reduced movement speed.]

Strength surged through his bones, and it felt as if he had never been injured or even started the fight at all.

When the undead saw his intense golden gaze and his cloak, which was now glowing with crimson lines, they instinctively flinched back in fear.

It was strange to see an undead feel fear, but currently it was happening right before his eyes.

Zich’s fingers flexed once against the ground, and he slowly pushed himself upright while the undead around him paused for half a second. Then he took another step forward.

Zich’s face was calm, but his eyes turned colder than before. The downside of the Commander’s Cloak was severe, and if he did not fully utilize it, the activation would be wasted.

He lifted his head and looked at the enemies, scoffing quietly in his mind. He only needed it to last long enough, and after that, the rest could be dealt with later, or not at all.

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