Chapter 4: Second Floor

After the Knight opened the door to the second floor he found that there wasn't much difference between the floor he was just at to this one, there are still stone walls, and blue torches lighting up the paths.

(Honestly, I feel I am in some big maze. I am kind of surprised I haven't come across any more adventurers. Now that I think about it, how am I gonna interact with them? I am sure they probably would slay me as soon as they see a soul knight making weird hand signals. Oh well, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.)

It didn't take long for this wandering knight to learn what this floor difference is compared to the first floor. He stumbled upon what seems to be an undead wolf as it had flesh oozing off of it and he could see part of its ribcage and unlike the goblins on the first floor who weren't very observant and would be prone to sneak attacks, as soon as he saw this wolf, it turned around and charged in his direction at twice the speed of the goblins catching him off guard biting into his leg.

-5...

*disease failed*

( oi, what the fuck? Disease? how do you infect a ball of energy surrounded by a suit of armor?!)

Even though the damage the wolf deals isn't much, he doesn't want to find out what the disease would do to him so he decides to play it safe and react to what the wolf does instead of going on the offensive. Doing this works out really well as even the wolf doesn't make a very complicated movement, it's fast but it mainly lunges at its prey over and over so it's easy to dodge when you get used to the pattern. After watching and dodging for some time he decided to make his attack after the next lunge.

*whoosh*

The wolf barely misses passing by the Knight exposing the neck and he takes full advantage of this and chops down with his shortsword severing its head in one blow.

23.... *crit 1.5x damage*

A golden number floated above the wolf with a notification of a crit.

(Sweet, I didn't expect to take it down with one blow. I wonder how much of that damage was actually necessary to kill it?)

*Level 3 zombie wolf defeated: 50 essence*

(Level 3? No wonder it was so easy, it's a good thing I was able to take care of that elite to make me over-leveled. I hope the monsters stay this easy so I can farm some souls for soul harvest.)

After slaying the wolf he continued down the path into he came into a four-way path.

(huh, well all the paths look the same. I guess I gotta choose the old fashioned way.)

The knight pulled out his dagger, laid it on the floor, and made it spin in a circle until it landed facing the left path. Afterward, he put his dagger back into his inventory and walks down the path the dagger chose for him.

(Let's see what is in store for me this way. I really hope I don't run across another elite monster, because I probably won't be as lucky this time and I for sure don't want to find out what happens when they defeat me.)

After going down this path for roughly 30 minutes without spotting anything and almost deciding to turn back he spots something that he didn't expect, burns marks on the walls, and some blood here and there on the floor.

(What happened here? It looks like someone was fighting using fire magic or something here, this is the first I have come across this, maybe there is an adventurer ahead.)

With renewed vigor, the Knight rushed forward in hope of finding an adventurer, forgetting they probably would try to kill him on sight.

After running for roughly 10 minutes he started to hear some crashes and what sounds to be some wolves as I can hear barks and growls.

"agh!!!"

The Knight felt relieved and concerned as what he heard is a female voice in anguish. Relieved that it's an adventurer, concerned for their well being. Not long after the cry in pain, he noticed a blonde-haired female surrounded by a group of 5 wolves. She is bleeding down her leg and arm and using her good arm to draw something in the air causing a word to light up and fire to shoot out at one of the wolves, unfortunately, it missed.

As the wolves were closing in on this unfortunate girl, she noticed behind them, a Soul Knight running up, and she felt her blood drain from her face drop, Soul Knight's weren't supposed to be on this floor, they don't normally show up until floor 5. The girl drops to her knees giving up as she ran out of mana and closed her eyes waiting to be torn apart.

*high pitched whine*

The attacks that were supposed to tear her apart never arrived and she heard one of the dogs whining as it got or something. She then opened her eyes to a startling scene. The Soul Knight whose energy was bright angry red, who was supposed to end her was now stabbing and slicing the Zombie wolves taking down one after another as it was in turn being bit into.

(Don't normally tower monsters normally avoid fighting each other?)

After a couple of minutes of the Knight putting down the wolves, it turned to the girl and starting walking towards her.

(oh god, it's gonna get me next...I'm too exhausted to run)

She closed her eyes starting to cry, but again, the blow never came and she nervously opened her to see the knight; with black rusty armor with calming deep blue colored energy showing on parts of its body where it should have been covered in armor, and deep blue colored energy showing where the eyes would be in its' rusty helmet; with its, a hand outstretched as if it was wanting to help her up.

(What??? Isn't supposed to be killing me right now?) the girl was extremely confused and didn't take the knights outstretched hand yet.

(Oh god, can she just take my hand already this is getting awkward.) The Knight then decided to flick her on the head to take her out of her daze so she can take his hand.

"Ouch" the girl rubbed her forehead as she was taken out of her daze and she reached out and put her hand in the Knight's and he lifted her up with ease. When she was on her feet she noticed the Knight just staring at her as if observing her. She was a voluptuous girl at 18 years old. She had massive peaks that threatened to spill out of her brown leather armor. She had curvy hips that put her black tights to the test and she had gorgeous golden hair that was in a ponytail reaching down to her mid-back. Her face was flawless as if someone sculpted her, and her eyes were bright blue able to melt even the coldest souls. She has had pointed ears.

(Could this girl be an elf?) the Knight thought as he appreciated this girl's sheer beauty in front of him.

"Thank you er... Knight-san" the girl thanked him bringing him out of his daze. He went to thank her when he remembered he can't speak but noticed that girl was still bleeding so he pointed to her injured parts in hope of reminding her of her state.

(What?... OH! Thank you, I forgot I was still bleeding...hehe.) the girl blushed in embarrassment. Then her finger started to glow gold as she wrote the word "Heal" in the air and pushed the energy towards her wounds, healing herself.

(Hmm? What kind of magic is that? Word casting?) the Knight pondered of what kind of magic she possessed but he noticed that she started falling so he caught her by her waist.

"hah... I'm fine... just.. mana exhaustion..." and then she collapsed passing out.

(Poor girl, it must have been exhausting being in that situation and something about mana exhaustion. I'll let protect her while she sleeps and hopefully, I can find out where exactly I am when she gets up)

He then sat and laid the girl down, using his lap as her pillow trying to make her as comfortable as possible as he protected her. Mysteriously, this lonely Knight who couldn't feel anymore once again felt a tinge of warmth in the depths of his soul and his energy that was at a calm blue right now for a brief moment had a tinge of gold before it left as if it were never there.