Ryusei gritted her teeth as she weaved through the black spikes, her Quick Silver skill barely keeping her ahead of the onslaught. The summoned skeletons crawled out from the ground, their empty eye sockets glowing red as they clutched rusted swords and spears.
"Damn it, this thing fights dirty."
The Licht hovered ominously, its grimoire flipping pages as more black energy crackled around it.
Ryusei crashed against the stone floor, skidding to a stop as a sharp pain shot through her body. Gritting her teeth, she quickly rolled to the side just as another black spike erupted from the ground where she had been lying.
"Damn, it's fast..." she muttered, pushing herself up.
The skeletons clattered toward her, their rusted weapons raised high. Ryusei activated Shadow Manipulation, causing the shadows of the torches to stretch unnaturally. With a wave of her hand, she wrapped the shadows around one of the skeletons, forcing it to turn against its allies, slicing through one with its sword.
The Licht hovered, watching her with cold amusement, its grimoire flipping pages rapidly. The ground trembled as more black spikes erupted, forcing Ryusei to keep moving.
"Tch... I can't keep running forever."
She suddenly pivoted, grabbing a skeleton and hurling it directly at the Licht. The undead creature flailed as it collided with its master, momentarily disrupting the Licht's spellcasting.
"Now!"
Ryusei activated Quick Silver, dashing forward at blinding speed. Her Silverine Sword pulsed with light energy, and she swung down at the Licht only for its eyes to glow green.
A black wave of magic energy erupted outward, slamming into Ryusei before she could land her attack.
BOOM!
She was launched backward, hitting the ground hard, coughing from the impact. Her HP dropped dangerously low from the sheer force of the attack.
Ryusei groaned, pushing herself up on shaky arms. The Licht slowly floated toward her, its dark aura pulsating.
As Ryusei's light spears shot through the air, they pierced through the skeletons, shattering them instantly upon impact. The Licht shrieked, its dark energy flickering as one of the spears embedded itself into its floating, rotted ribcage.
"You're not getting another chance!"
Ryusei launched forward, her right fist crackling with cursed energy. The moment she was within striking distance, she slammed her fist into the Licht's chest, the Divergent Fist causing a delayed shockwave to ripple through its decayed form.
BOOM!
The Licht reeled backward, its green eyes flickering wildly. Ryusei didn't let up, she followed up with a relentless barrage of cursed-energy-infused punches, each hit tearing through the dark magic surrounding the monster.
The Licht let out a final shriek before its body crumbled into ash, leaving behind a dark grimoire that turned into particles of light and vanished.
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[You have defeated Mini Boss: Licht!]
[Level Up! You are now Level 25!]
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Ryusei exhaled, wiping the sweat from her brow as she watched the remaining skeletons collapse into dust.
"Finally..."
As the Licht disintegrated, a faint glow remained where its body once floated. From the ashes, a black robe with an armored right shoulder piece materialized before dropping onto the stone floor.
Ryusei walked over and picked it up, inspecting the tattered yet durable fabric.
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You have obtained: Shadows Death Mantle!
[A robe worn by cursed sorcerers. Enhances dark affinity and provides minor defense.]
[+5% resistance to dark magic.]
[+3 defense (right shoulder).]
[Ability: Shadow Veil – Slightly muffles presence when standing still in the dark.]
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Ryusei raised a brow. "Not bad."
She swung it over her shoulders, fastening the right armored pauldron into place. The fabric was surprisingly lightweight, and she could already feel the enhanced resistance to the lingering dark energy of the temple.
She clenched her fists, feeling stronger than before.
"Alright. Floor two... Let's see what you've got."
As Ryusei ascended to the second floor of the Shadow Temple, the air was thicker, and the torches along the walls flickered with an eerie violet hue.
She quickly popped open a health potion, drinking it in one gulp as her wounds mended.
She flexed her fingers, feeling her energy surge as she checked her updated skills.
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[Skill Level Up!]
[Cursed Energy Manipulation (Lv. 3 → Lv. 4)]
[Divergent Fist (Lv. 2 → Lv. 3)]
[Quick Silver (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]
[Light Spear (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]
[Shadow Manipulation (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]
[Shadow Fist (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]
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She smirked, tightening her new gloves as she advanced forwards.
Not long after, more skeleton knights emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing a deep violet, indicating they were much more stronger than the ones before.
Ryusei spun her blade in her grip, her stance lowering. "Time to see how much stronger I've gotten."
As Ryusei pushed forward, cutting down the last skeleton knight, she took a deep breath, watching its bones crumble to dust.
She wiped some sweat off her forehead before stepping toward the massive double doors at the end of the corridor. The doors were engraved with dark runes, pulsating with ominous energy.
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[Warning! You are about to enter the Floor 2 Boss Chamber.]
[Recommended Level: 27]
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"I'm still under leveled... but whatever, I'll just have to make it work."
She pushed the doors open, the heavy stone groaning as it revealed a massive chamber. Inside, purple torches flickered to life, illuminating a lone figure standing in the middle of the room.
A tall, armored wraith loomed before her, draped in a tattered dark cloak. Its face was hidden behind a horned helmet, and in its grip was a massive two-handed greatsword, glowing with cursed energy.
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[Name: Abyssal Knight]
[Level: 28]
[Type: Undead Warlord]
[Abilities: Dark Slash, Phantom Step, Death's Aura]
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Ryusei's grip on her sword tightened. "Alright then... Let's dance."
The Abyssal Knight lifted its blade.