Chapter Sixteen: The Demon's Gambit
The massive doors to the boss room groaned open, revealing a chamber of impossible size. The air was colder here, and the silence was absolute. In the center of the vast, open space, a single, imposing figure floated above a massive desk made of stone and spectral ink. It was the Librarian Wraith, a towering specter draped in a cloak of swirling pages, its hands clutching a glowing, ghostly tome. The air crackled with a malevolent, magical energy.
[System Alert: C-Rank Librarian Wraith]
[Danger Level: High]
"It's C-rank," Hyejin whispered, her voice trembling. "That's two ranks higher than the last boss."
Minwoo gripped his Scythe of the Plague, its blade feeling suddenly inadequate. "Stay behind me. Don't stop healing."
The Librarian Wraith let out a silent, chilling scream, and the books on the shelves behind it rose into the air, swirling like a deadly storm. Minwoo charged, weaving between the flying books, his high Agility his only shield. He slammed his scythe into the Wraith's form, but the ethereal body resisted the blow. The poison from the scythe activated, but the Wraith's health bar barely moved.
[Damage Dealt: 25 (Poison Effect Activated)]
The Librarian Wraith retaliated with a wave of dark energy from its tome, a punishing blast that sent Minwoo flying backward. He hit the stone floor with a sickening thud, his HP dropping precipitously.
[Health: -60 HP]
"Heal!" he screamed, scrambling to his feet. Hyejin's green light was a desperate beacon, mending his wounds just enough to keep him from falling. The battle was an impossible struggle. The Wraith was too fast, its attacks too powerful. His scythe was a feather against its might. He had to end this now.
Desperation took over. He focused his energy, preparing to use his last resort. The familiar divine power swelled within him, and he prepared to activate Echo of Light, his only hope of landing a decisive blow. But then, a red message flashed in his vision, a cruel reminder of his previous fight.
[Skill: Echo of Light (Cooldown: 24h)]
He froze. His last chance was gone. Panic, a cold, suffocating blanket, settled over him. He was out of options. The Wraith's silent, menacing laughter echoed in his mind.
Then, a different feeling, cold and dark, surged through him. It wasn't the divine light he had relied on. It was a primal, ancient power. He remembered the feeling of the Demon Lord's whispers, the taste of shadows. He had a different strength now, a dark contract he had made for his life. In this moment of total desperation, he didn't focus on the shadow. He focused on the raw, unholy energy of the Demon Lord within him.
[New Skill Acquired: Shadow Strike]
[Skill Activated: Shadow Strike]
[Warning: This skill will drain all remaining MP.]
A black, inky darkness, far deeper than any shadow, erupted from his body and enveloped his Scythe of the Plague. The cursed weapon was transformed, its blade becoming a jagged, shadowy claw. With a primal cry, he lunged forward. The Librarian Wraith, sensing the raw, forbidden power, tried to retreat, but it was too late. Minwoo's shadowy scythe tore through its form, and the ethereal body was not just damaged, but annihilated, erased from existence in a single, terrifying strike.
[System Message: C-Rank Librarian Wraith defeated.]
Minwoo's body went limp. He had used it all. The last of his MP, and with it, the last of his energy. He fell to the ground, his vision blurring, the taste of cold despair on his tongue. He had won, but the cost was absolute. The last thing he saw before the world went dark was a new, glowing chest appearing in the center of the room. He heard Hyejin's terrified scream, but he was too far gone to respond. He was a pawn, and he had just played the Demon's gambit.