The shadow boss roared, its form flickering between a humanoid figure and a monstrous beast, its colossal scythe radiating dark energy. Rodensky and Emmanuel stood side by side, their breath visible in the cold air of the floor, their bloodlines pulsing with newfound strength.
"This one's different," Rodensky muttered, his gaze fixed on the shadow's glowing white eyes.
"Yeah," Emmanuel said, blood tendrils writhing around him like serpents. "But so are we."
---
The Battle Against the Shadow Boss
The boss swung its scythe in a wide arc, the sheer force of the attack splitting the ground and sending shockwaves through the misty battlefield. Rodensky leapt to the side, his agility boosted by his Elf bloodline, while Emmanuel braced himself, his blood tendrils forming a shield to absorb the impact.
"Keep it busy!" Rodensky shouted, darting behind the boss. He extended his hand, channeling the spirit energy of the surrounding trees. A surge of green light enveloped his sword as he struck at the boss's back, his enhanced speed allowing him to land multiple blows in quick succession.
The boss roared, its shadowy form flickering but holding firm.
"Not bad," Emmanuel said, grinning. "Now it's my turn!"
He slashed his palm, summoning a massive wave of blood energy that surged toward the boss, wrapping around its limbs and restricting its movements. The creature struggled, its scythe glowing brighter as it attempted to break free.
"We need to hit it harder!" Rodensky yelled, focusing his energy into a concentrated beam of light that struck the boss's chest.
The combined assault of Rodensky's spirit energy and Emmanuel's blood magic began to wear the boss down. Its form grew unstable, flickering more violently with each passing moment.
Finally, Emmanuel delivered the finishing blow. With a surge of strength, he drove his greatsword into the boss's core, channeling his blood magic through the blade. The boss let out one final roar before disintegrating into a cloud of shadowy particles, which dispersed into the air.
---
System Revelation
As the battlefield cleared, the familiar system voice echoed around them.
"Congratulations, challengers. You have cleared the third floor."
Two glowing messages appeared in front of them, their contents clear and concise:
"A new function has been added to the system. Now the challengers can see their stats, skills, bloodline, and level. To access this function, say Status Window."
"The challengers who have reached the fourth floor can decide to leave. However, they will not be able to return. Those who choose to stay will face greater challenges, and if they die, they will not be resurrected. Choose wisely."
Rodensky stared at the messages, his mind racing. "Stats and skills? That could change everything."
"And a choice to leave?" Emmanuel said, frowning. "Why does that feel like a trap?"
Rodensky shook his head. "It's not a trap. It's a warning. This isn't a game anymore. If we keep going, it's all or nothing."
Emmanuel's frown deepened, but then he grinned. "Well, we've made it this far. No point in turning back now, right?"
Rodensky smirked. "Right."
---
Exploring the New Function
"Let's try it out," Rodensky said. "Status Window."
A glowing blue screen materialized in front of him, displaying detailed information about his stats, skills, bloodline, and level:
---
Rodensky's Status
Level: 15
Class: Beast Tamer
Subclass: Nature's Whisperer
Bloodline: Elf
Stats:
Strength: 15
Agility: 25
Intelligence: 12
Stamina: 18
Skills:
Tame: Allows the user to form a bond with beasts, granting control and companionship.
Nature's Grace: Boosts agility and stamina when in natural environments.
Spirit Heal: Gradually restores health when near trees.
---
"Not bad," Rodensky said, swiping through the screen. "The Tame skill's finally here. Looks like I can start building my army."
Emmanuel activated his own status window, his grin widening as he read through it.
---
Emmanuel's Status
Level: 15
Class: Dragon Tamer
Subclass: Blood Dragon Warden
Bloodline: Vampire
Stats:
Strength: 25
Agility: 15
Intelligence: 12
Stamina: 18
Skills:
Tame: Allows the user to form a bond with dragons and other blood related creatures.
Blood Control: Grants the ability to manipulate blood for offensive and defensive purposes.
Skill Drain: 50% chance to steal a skill from an opponent when feeding on their blood.
---
"Looks like we're ready for some real action," Emmanuel said, dismissing his status window.
Rodensky nodded. "But first, we need to decide—do we stay or leave?"
---
The Fourth Floor Awaits
The portal to the fourth floor shimmered in front of them, its surface swirling with an ominous energy. The system voice echoed once more.
"Make your choice."
Rodensky and Emmanuel exchanged a look. Neither of them spoke, but the determination in their eyes was clear.
"Onward?" Emmanuel asked, a faint grin on his lips.
"Onward," Rodensky confirmed, stepping toward the portal.
As they entered, the fourth floor loomed ahead, its challenges promising to test their newfound skills and resolve to the limit.