Volume 1, Chapter 29: Singing Triumphs, Entering the Seventh Floor
The second and third levels were still filled with ordinary monsters. Although their stats were significantly higher, they were still cut down like wheat by Lin Yu and his team. In less than half an hour, they successfully cleared these floors.
Upon entering the fourth level, Lin Yu felt a subtle pressure. This was proof that the monsters on this floor were significantly tougher than before.
"From the fourth level onwards, we encounter elite monsters. Based on my experience, there should be six elite monsters this time," Xiao Zhan warned from the side. Through the battles on the first three levels, their coordination had become much more fluid. Lin Yu and Xiao Xiao nodded, waiting for the monsters to appear.
Moments later, six undead monsters appeared before them, significantly larger than those on the previous levels. Each held a long spear.
[Undead Captain (Elite): Level 10.
HP: 18,500/18,500.
Energy: 250/250.
Attack: 170.
Defense: 80.
Skills: Copper Skin and Iron Bones, Spear Slash.
Description: A captain of the Abyss Trial, a force to be reckoned with!]
The attributes of these Undead Captains were clearly superior to those on the first three levels, rivaling even the Ghost Scorpion King.
"Lin Yu, you take the lead in drawing fire. Xiao Zhan and I will provide support," Xiao Xiao commanded. Having established a connection with both, she was the natural choice for leadership.
Lin Yu flew forward, his Sword of Light dancing and dealing consistent damage.
"-512!"
"-513!"
"-512!"
As Lin Yu struck, the six Undead Captains, possessing low intelligence, focused their aggression entirely on him.
"Miss!"
"Miss!"
"Miss!"
Their attacks, however, failed to make a dent in Lin Yu’s defenses. On the side of the hall, Xiao Xiao vanished the moment she saw Lin Yu draw their aggro. She reappeared behind one of the captains, her Ghost Scorpion Dagger carving a chunk of HP from its bar.
"-447!"
As a ranged mage, Xiao Zhan remained active as well. A Great Fireball landed in the middle of the group, raining damage down on them.
"-286!"
"-286!"
"-284!"
This was the power of a mage; compared to assassins and other classes, they were invaluable in group combat. Of course, mages had a fatal weakness: they were fragile and usually required a knight or tank to screen for them. Consequently, classes like mages and archers were expensive to play, as ordinary players often struggled to master them.
With their coordination, the Undead Captains, who would have been a nightmare for ordinary players, were wiped out in less than ten minutes. It was a pity that killing monsters in a dungeon yielded no experience; otherwise, Lin Yu would have reached level nine easily.
As for the fifth and sixth levels, they also contained elite monsters. Although their stats were higher—the Undead Commander on the sixth level having attack and defense values comparable to the Raging Treant King—the trio cleared them in just over half an hour.
In the sixth-level hall, looking at the suddenly appearing teleportation pillar, the trio felt a surge of excitement. Clearing the seventh level would grant them the hidden class transfer scrolls.
"Brother Yu, should we go in now or take a break?" Xiao Zhan asked, glancing at the central teleportation array. Having been thoroughly impressed by Lin Yu’s strength, he had started addressing him as "Brother Yu" and deferred to his judgment over his own sister's.
Xiao Xiao also looked toward Lin Yu, who had become the backbone of the group.
"Let's go in. I only have an hour of online time left, so it's best to finish this in one go," Lin Yu said, pulling his sword from the ground. He didn't want to risk wasting time, especially since the seventh level was expected to be a significant jump in difficulty.
With their decision made, they stepped into the teleportation array.
"Hum!"
After the familiar ringing in his ears, Lin Yu experienced a brief moment of darkness and dizziness. When he regained his footing and opened his eyes, the scenery had changed. The seventh floor was much smaller, only about the size of a basketball court.
Directly ahead stood a crystal coffin, flanked by two lifelike bronze statues of winged, snake-headed humanoids. Everything else was empty; the hall was deathly silent.
"Is the final boss in that crystal coffin?" Xiao Zhan whispered, swallowing hard as he looked at the silent container.
"Wait here, I'll go check," Lin Yu decided after a moment of thought. Given that Xiao Xiao and Xiao Zhan were "glass cannons" with low health, it was safer for him to investigate. If a boss were inside, they could be killed instantly.
As he approached, he frowned. The crystal coffin was empty. Just as he turned to examine the bronze statues, a cold chill brushed against his back. He looked toward Xiao Xiao and Xiao Zhan and roared, "Watch out!"
"Slash!"
Before he finished speaking, a small, hideous undead gnome appeared behind Xiao Zhan.
"-1498!"
A terrifying damage number flashed above Xiao Zhan's head. His health bar vanished in an instant, and before he could react, he transformed into a beam of light and disappeared. Being killed in a dungeon didn't result in a level loss, but it did result in an immediate exit from the instance.
"A stealth-based assassin!" Lin Yu felt his scalp tingle. Xiao Zhan had been one-shot. Xiao Xiao’s expression shifted, and she immediately teleported to Lin Yu’s side, staring grimly at the gnome.
[Undead Assassin (Black Iron Boss): Level 20.
HP: 88,000/88,000.
Energy: 750/750.
Attack: 720.
Defense: 108.
Crit Rate: 10%.
Skills: Stealth, Undead Stab, Haste.
Description: The final guardian of the Abyss Trial; his identity and power remain a mystery!]
"Over 700 attack power—no wonder he killed Xiao Zhan in one hit," Lin Yu noted, his eyes narrowing. Such attack power was extreme even for a level 20 monster, let alone for players under level 10. It was a complete suppression of strength. Fortunately, the creature lacked a "berserk" skill, which provided Lin Yu with a small measure of relief. Otherwise, clearing the dungeon would be nearly impossible.