Nature's beauty hides a lethal trap. As the sun dips below the horizon, the true predators of the second floor awaken.
Awakening and Revelations
Kael opened his eyes, his body still numb from the previous battle. He summoned the blue window that seemed to float within his mind.
STATUS WINDOW
NAME: KAEL MORSE
CLASS: HEALER
LEVEL: 10
STRENGTH: 24
DEXTERITY: 24
CONSTITUTION: 29
PERCEPTION: 19
Unallocated Points: 12
SKILLS:
• Weapon Mastery Lv. 6
• Shadow Step Lv. 5
• Assassin's Senses Lv. 3
• Assassin's Stealth Lv. 1
• Art of Healing Lv. 5
EQUIPMENT:
• Longsword – Rank D
His eyes narrowed at the numbers. He was strong. He was capable. But he was not yet strong enough. He dismissed the screen and gripped the teleportation scroll. A sharp crack and a flash of golden light followed. The world changed instantly.
The Second Floor
It was a forest.
The woods were dense, ancient, and pulsing with life. Tree trunks stood as wide as towers. The sky was filtered through leaves of an unreal green. The damp air filled his lungs with the musky scent of earth and moss. A voice, the same one from the portal, thundered through the air:
"TO CLEAR THE SECOND FLOOR, SURVIVE UNTIL SUNRISE."
Kael looked up. The sun was high and motionless in the sky. "It's already broad daylight..." He checked the time.
[17:45]
The blood in his veins turned to ice. The sun is going to set soon.
He took a sharp breath. A click echoed in his mind. "Assassin's Senses."
The world exploded in detail. The buzzing of insects, the flapping of wings, the rustling of leaves—everything existed within reach of his mind. The air vibrated, saturated with information. He followed with another command: "Assassin's Stealth."
Suddenly, his body vanished. His scent, his sound, and his light were gone. He was nothing but a breath. He walked invisibly between the roots of colossal oaks. His gaze fell upon golden fruits hanging from the branches. He jumped—propelled five meters high by his new power—and plucked his reward. The sweet and sour taste reminded him of his old life. It was simple and human.
But everything here seemed frozen. Even the sun refused to move.
The Dragon's Call
A voice suddenly scratched at his mind. "So, where are you at?"
Kael jumped, nearly falling from his branch. "Rhaziel? You scared me!"
"Level 10? Disappointing. I thought you would be at 50 by now."
"Excuse me? Are you joking?! I slaughtered an entire floor!"
"And you are proud of a tutorial?"
Kael grit his teeth. "I am progressing fast!"
"Not fast enough. The first mutation awaits you."
"Mutation?"
"Forget it." The dragon's tone changed, suddenly detached. "Your brother is doing well."
Kael went still. "Liam? You saw him?"
"I am with him. He wanted to go out. There was no more food."
"Go out?! But if they see you—"
"We only crossed paths with some miserable wretches. Oh, and a prostitute who seemed to know him."
"EXCUSE ME?! He's fourteen!"
"I am merely reporting the facts." A heavy silence followed. Then: "He fell."
Kael's heart dropped. "What?!"
"He fainted. I am taking care of him."
"Rhaziel?! RHAZIEL!!!"
Nothing. There was only silence and the furious pounding of his heart.
The Desperate Search
Kael leaped from the tree and sprinted through the forest. "Assassin's Senses!"
The world became a map once more. Every step was measured. Every breath was amplified. He searched again and again for a passage, a rift, or an exit. There was nothing. Just trees. Everywhere.
He arrived near a silver waterfall. The water looked perfect, almost divine. He knelt there, washing the dried blood from his face. His own reflection looked like a stranger's: gray hair, exhausted eyes, a gaze made of steel.
Hold on, Liam...
Suddenly, a sound. Three identical growls. Kael stood up and materialized his sword in a single motion. Three wolves emerged from the thickets. They had crimson fur and gaping maws.
Stealth is working... they don't see me.
"Weapon Mastery."
The violet aura enveloped him. He charged.
The Red Pack
The first wolf fell without a sound. A breeze of steel passed, and its head rolled. Kael pivoted and struck the second. His blade sank deep but got stuck in the bone.
A howl erupted. The third wolf lunged. Its fangs clamped onto his left hand.
CRACK.
"AAAHHH!"
The pain made his vision shake. He vanished. "Shadow Step!"
Momentum, then silence. He reappeared above the monster, fueled by rage. The sword plunged down.
SPLATCH.
The wolf died instantly. The system chimed:
[STEALTH +2 – LEVEL 3]
[ASSASSIN'S SENSES +2 – LEVEL 5]
Kael laughed weakly. "Not bad."
Then his face froze. The air around him was vibrating too much. Dozens... no, hundreds of similar heartbeats were approaching. An army of red wolves was emerging from between the tree trunks.
They stopped fifty meters away. They formed a crimson wall, watching him without moving. Kael gripped his weapon, ready for the assault.
"What are you waiting for?! Come on!"
Silence. Not a sound. Not a breath.
"Then I'm coming to you."
He leaped. His blade sliced a head clean off. The body collapsed. But the pack still did not move. They just watched. A shiver ran down his spine. What the hell is this...
Then he noticed the color of the sky. The sun was fading. It moved slowly at first, then far too fast. The golden tint turned blood-red, then a twilight black.
Kael looked up, breathless. In the distance, the moon was rising. One by one, the yellow eyes of the wolves lit up in the darkness.
The growling rose like a wave. A single, colossal howl made the entire forest vibrate. Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
"Damn it."