Picking Up The Pace
I start to feel a surge of energy travel through my body. It gives me a nice relaxing and confident feeling. Soon sparks start showing up throughout my body traveling around me. I take a step back to dodge and almost immediately I am out of the way of the Skeleton Hunter's attack. I feel a slight strength boost go throughout my body. Suddenly I can feel my detection range increase a little but more so its specific details become more noticed. I smile and start trying to increase my speed. My reflexes are getting better! Nowhere near juniors or seniors but I can somewhat keep up with Skeleton Hunter—enough to deflect most.
Although I am still slightly slower than Skeleton Hunter, I am fast enough that I can react to most of his attacks! Skeleton Hunter and my game changes from cat and mouse to our little dance as we start to flow about in the darkness. I still can't see anything but I can keep using detection!
After a little bit, I call out to Scarlet. "Scarlet! I need you to be ready to strike."
"Strike? I can barely keep up with the lightning surrounding you!" She calls back
"Don't worry, I am going to bring him into the light. I just need you to be ready to hit him! I can keep up with him but I won't be able to land any hits." I called out, trying to keep the focus on where Skeleton Hunter was.
After some more time, I was able to start leading him closer to the light. Skeleton Hunter was constantly attacking, making it so I was very limited in my options. All I could really do was dodge and deflect even with all these boosts! I guess I need to get a lot stronger. Inch by inch we get closer to the light in the center of the room. Once we are close enough I take a deep breath and brace myself. Just barely after I did that, the Skeleton Hunter managed to hit me, launching me back into the light. I roll backward and land on my feet in time to block another hit by him. This time though, he doesn't back off. He keeps pushing at me in the same spot keeping us both pinned.
Skeleton Hunter's pupil-like cold blue flame in his sockets stared right at me. He seemed to have a sense of determination to take me with him! Slowly he starts to overpower me and starts pushing me back. I see a silhouette appear behind him with bright red eyes, ready to slash him down. I look Skeleton Hunter in the eyes and smile. The Skeleton Hunter's eyes then shift from one of determination to slight confusion.
His eyes then seem to widen as he holds one blade to the side to try to block an attack. He just barely managed to block Scarlet's hit but he was going to go flying. Quickly I used flash step to change position and kicked him in the other side. Before I was able to kick him, he let go of my blade and used his other arm to hold my leg from fully hitting him but that just trapped him! I quickly jump and spin around allowing my other leg to get above him and swing down, effectively axe-kicking his head down to the floor. A loud rumble sounds through the room as he hits the floor.
Almost as if in sync, Scarlet barely moved her sword away and spun around in the air. On her way down, she sliced at Skeleton Hunter's neck and landed the hit! We both then jump back from him, expecting him to right back up to continue to fight us but instead, he just started to disappear as if turning into flowing sun particles.
"Congratulations! Boss Skeleton Hunter has been defeated." The system cheers.
"That's it?" I say in disbelief.
"'That's it?' What do you mean?! You almost died to that thing!" Scarlet exclaims.
'Whoops, shouldn't have said that out loud!' I think to myself. "Sorry, not what I mean. I meant to say 'That's it!' you know? Like 'we did it! Yay!'" I said to her.
"Well, at least it's done." She sighs.
I turn my attention to the disappearing Skeleton. He leaves behind four crystals. 'Wait, no skills?' I think disappointedly. I pick them up and it's two teleport out of the dungeon crystals and two teleport back to the next floor. I toss one each to Scarlet. I look around, I wish I had a watch or some clock on me. Then I could check the time and if I can keep going or not. I look over at the door leading to the next floor and then at the teleport crystal. I don't have much time to complete Mr. Fang's challenge. I grip the crystal a little harder.
"Well, that was fun! Shall we head back?" Scarlet asked.
Without answering I pull out my system and look at my skills.
"Skills -
Flash Step Level 1 [Evolutions 1/3]
Swordsman level 4 [Evolutions 0/1]
Dagger Master level 0 [Evolutions 0/1]
Detection level 4 [Evolutions 0/1]
Flash Strike Level 1 [Evolutions 0/1]
Slime Tentacles Level 0 [Evolutions 0/1]
Healing Constant [Weak] Level 2 [Evolutions 0/3]
Innate abilities:
Evolution"
I sigh. "You go ahead, I am going down the next floor."
I don't have time to be going back after each floor. I have to reach floor 5 before I go back!
"Wait a second!" Scarlet called out. "I'll go with."
Scarlet then jogs up next to me and we both walk to the door. The door had Skeleton and Slime-like creatures imprinted on it. After examining the door for a moment, we continue into the door, which leads to stairs going down. We continue with this floor as it has a mixture of Skeletons and slimes in it. Having fought these guys before, we were able to clear it quickly. We then found the boss's room and headed inside.
We walk in and blue torches light up the room.
"Warning: Boss Slime Bones has awakened." The system warns me.
This time we can see! I smile as a giant skeleton falls from the sky covered in slime. It's almost as if the slime is its 'flesh' of sorts. We then get ready for a fight. Slime Bones then sent tentacles after us. We quickly dodge them and continue our fight. Working together we hit it from all sides. It seems it holds the same abilities as the slime just that it can also slam down with its giant hands.
It's not too long before we can take down the giant slime skeleton. Thanks to the first two bosses, this guy was too much trouble! As it goes down, it disappears and drops crystals once again. In this fashion, we keep going down, floor by floor, getting used to each other's fighting styles and managing to work together to beat the floors!
We ended up fighting different creatures like Skeleton soldiers, and different variants of slime, namely specialized with different elements. The different element slimes were harder to fight, especially the ones with lightning magic. They were hard to catch.
Before long we made it to the door that leads to floor 5. This time the door has a Zombie-like creature engraved on the door. Well, at least it's not a slime or skeleton. I check my skills.
"Skills -
Flash Step Level 3 [Evolutions 1/3]
Swordsman level 5 [Max Level, Evolution available] [Evolutions 0/1]
Dagger Master level 0 [Evolutions 0/1]
Detection level 5 [Max Level, Evolution available] [Evolutions 0/1]
Flash Strike Level 1 [Evolutions 0/1]
Slime Tentacles Level 0 [Evolutions 0/1]
Healing Constant [Weak] Level 4 [Evolutions 0/3]
Innate abilities:
Evolution"
Before we go in, it would be best if I were to evolve my skills. "Let's take a break," I say breathlessly.
Going all those floors was exhausting, I am surprised we even beat that last boss considering we are quite tired! I then pull out some food and give some to Scarlet as we eat. 'System evolve available skills, please' I think as I eat.
"Evolving skills." The system says. "Skills evolved! New available skills:
New Sword Master [Evolution 1/1, Max Evolution.] [Allows you to become one of the best swordsmen, but requires a lot to level.]
New Hunter [Evolution 1/1, Max Evolution.] [Allows for a high range of detection and can detect monsters, loot, and various other things.]"
I take a sigh of relief. These will be helpful. I can even become one of the best swordsmen huh? Well, you don't have to tell me twice! That will be helpful. Especially if I want to reach floor 15 anytime within the next day or so. We then finish our food and prepare ourselves to leave. After we pack up we look at each other and nod. We then open the door and descend the staircase leading to what we can only assume will be full of Zombies.