Into the Unknown
The passage that opened before me was dark and filled with mystery, but I had no choice but to move forward. After defeating the Shadow Guards, I obtained the "Second Floor Key," which meant the tower was only just beginning.
"If the first floor was this difficult, what awaits me above?"
With steady steps, I walked toward the corridor. When I touched the dark door at its end, it suddenly vanished, and a mysterious force pulled me upward as if I were caught in a powerful current of energy.
I didn't feel like I was falling or rising; instead, it was as if I were being drawn through a tunnel of shadows—until I found myself standing on solid ground once again.
The Second Floor – Land of Shifting Darkness
Before my eyes stretched a vast land, but it was unlike anything I had seen before. This was not just another hallway in the tower; it was a world within the floor itself.
The sky was covered in dark mist, and the ground was black and cracked, as if a devastating earthquake had shattered it. But the most bizarre thing was the colossal towers rising from the earth, each one resembling a maze on its own.
A voice echoed in my mind—not my own, but something else, something coming from the depths of the tower.
[Second Trial: Overcome the Dark Maze. Time limit: 12 hours.]
"A maze?!"
I looked around, trying to understand my surroundings. There were no visible walls, but when I took a step forward, I collided with an invisible barrier. Then, a path appeared before me, branching into multiple corridors, each leading in a different direction.
"So, this isn't just a combat test… It's a test of intelligence and patience as well."
Entering the Maze – Deadly Traps
I started down the first passage, relying on "Hunter's Eye" to detect any threats ahead. It didn't take long before I noticed something strange—the walls were moving!
Every few minutes, the corridors would shift as if the maze itself was alive.
"If I don't move quickly, I'll be trapped here forever."
I took a deep breath and focused, attempting to use "Future Sight" for a brief moment to scout the correct path. The ability granted me quick glimpses of dead ends, helping me avoid mistakes.
But the shifting walls weren't the only threat…
Shadow Creatures – Soul Hunters
As I moved, I felt something watching me. It wasn't just a feeling—it was real.
From the surrounding shadows, mysterious creatures began to emerge. Their bodies were like black smoke, and their eyes glowed a fierce red. They had no distinct features, but they moved with terrifying speed.
"Shadow creatures… But they're different from the guards on the first floor."
When the first one attacked, I used "Shadow Step" to teleport behind it, but I was shocked to find that it wasn't affected. Instead, it reappeared in front of me as if it had never moved.
"They're not bound to space… They are part of the shadows themselves!"
Direct attacks weren't the solution, so I tried something else. Instead of dodging, I used "Shadow Pulse," the ability I had recently acquired. A powerful wave of energy burst from my body, forcing the creatures to retreat for a brief moment.
"This affects them!"
Realizing this gave me hope. Instead of avoiding them, I started facing them head-on, using Shadow Pulse to drive them back before delivering precise strikes to their energy cores, making them vanish into nothingness.
Reaching the Heart of the Maze
After an exhausting battle, I finally reached the maze's center. There stood a stone altar, atop which rested a strange statue resembling a winged being made of shadows. As I approached, the inscriptions on it glowed, and the voice echoed in my mind once again.
[You have completed the Second Floor Trial. Rewards earned:]
• +250 Energy Points
• New Ability: "Shadow Seal" – Allows you to impose shadow effects on enemies, slowing their movements and weakening their attacks.
• "Third Floor Key" – Grants access to the next level.
"What await's me up "