Alex and Alice stared down the [Blood Valley Wraith] standing between them and the [Fountain of Blood].
Its grim smile widened as it took a stance, blood dripping from its wraith-like form.
"Do you think you can just take what is mine?" the Wraith taunted.
A status window appeared in front of Alex.
[Blood Valley Wraith - Superior Boss - Tier 5]
[Level: 225 + 100 (Blood Moon Buff)]
[HP: 4,000,000]
[Skills: Bloody Slash, Shadow Wraith, Moon Call, Fountain of Blood, Bloody Beam...]
...
Alex studied the status window with a grimace.
The Wraith was stronger than anything they had faced so far, with stats that would require all their strength to overcome.
"That's a lot of health," Alex muttered, glancing at Alice. "Be careful."
"You dare try to steal from me? The Fountain of Blood is not for your kind."
[The God of the Moon is really interested in your fight.]
And to make it worse, a panel appeared in front of Alex and Alice, making them gulp.
Without another word, it raised its hand, and a blood-red energy gathered in the air, swirling into a massive orb.
The ground beneath Alex and Alice quivered as monstrous shapes began to claw their way out of the very Fountain itself.
Blood Beasts emerged with terrifying roars.
"Not good," Alex growled, summoning his undead army, or at least the undead that had died.
Skeletons, Grand Skeletons, and Bony Knights materialized, their weapons at the ready as they charged toward the beasts.
The Wraith laughed darkly, its voice echoing in the distance.
Alex's undead fought valiantly, but it was clear that they were outmatched.
The Blood Beasts tore through them with ease, ripping apart the skeletons like paper.
The Grand Skeletons didn't last long either, their bones shattering under the ferocity of the Beasts' attacks.
Even the Bony Knights didn't stand a chance, their armored bodies torn apart by the beasts' claws and teeth.
Alex clenched his fists, the weight of the battle beginning to press on him.
His undead, despite their resilience, were being overrun.
"Fury of Thunder!" Alex shouted, thrusting his staff toward the sky.
Three massive lightning strikes ripped through the clouds, each hitting the area around the blood beasts.
The creatures howled as they were struck, but they weren't destroyed.
[Blood Beast has been stunned!]
Dozens of monsters were stunned, and the undead took advantage of that.
The Wraith only watched, its grin widening as it summoned more beasts.
"Fire Meteor!" Alex commanded next, pointing his staff at the monsters.
A massive meteor crashed down, exploding in a fiery ball of destruction.
The flames consumed the beasts, but once again, the Wraith remained unharmed.
Its malevolent presence only seemed to grow stronger.
Alice, from behind Alex, was already firing off arrows with precision.
Hundreds of arrows rained down upon the monsters, piercing their blood-soaked forms.
Despite her relentless barrage, the Blood Beasts and Wraith seemed unaffected.
"Keep it up, Alice!" Alex called out, but even his voice was filled with doubt.
The Wraith raised its hand, and with a sudden burst of power, it unleashed a Bloody Beam.
The beam shot across the battlefield, slicing through everything in its path.
One of Alex's undead knights was caught directly in its path and disintegrated instantly.
"Dammit," Alex cursed under his breath.
She had been watching the flow of battle and waiting for the right moment.
After sending hundreds upon hundreds of arrows to hit monsters previously, and also the wraith, she finally decides to try her luck in creating [Blood Arrows].
And...
Ding!
The crimson energy that formed around her bow surprised even Alice.
Thirteen arrows, each made of solidified blood, appeared in front of her.
They pulsed with power, their energy crackling.
"W-Wow," her eyes sparkled.
[Blood Arrows: Powerful arrows made out of the blood of monsters, enhancing their power, deals x5 of usual damage.]
"Here we go," Alice whispered.
She nocked one of the Blood Arrows and fired it with terrifying force that even knocked her back a little.
The arrow sped through the air, its trail a line of blood-red light.
The Wraith turned just as the arrow struck it directly in the face.
The impact was immense.
The Wraith staggered backward, its face disfigured by the blow.
It howled in pain as its head snapped to the side.
[Weak point hit with "Blood Arrow", dealing 1000% of damage.]
-723,923!
Even without Alex, her damage was terrifying!
The Wraith reeled from the damage, the air around it crackling with fury.
Alex grinned. "Nice one, Alice."
The Wraith, however, was far from finished.
It snarled, its form shifting as it prepared to strike again.
But Alex was ready to end it once and for all.
With a roar, he summoned all his power and slashed through the air with his dagger.
The Wraith's body wavered as it kept receiving spell after spell, arrow after arrow, and slash after slash.
"Begone!" Alex shouted.
He followed up with another Fury of Thunder, sending arcs of lightning cascading through the Wraith's form.
"You are... worthy of using the [Fountain of Blood]..."
The electricity coursed through the creature, and with one final scream, the Wraith collapsed to the ground, defeated.
His undead were also managing, no more monsters appearing from the [Fountain of Blood].
Alex let out a breath, staggering slightly. "That... was close."
Alice was already moving toward the Fountain of Blood. "Is it over?"
Alex nodded, his breath still shaky. "Yeah... for now."
[You have slain x583 "Blood Beasts", gained 4,109,000 experience points!] .net
[You have slain x436 "Blood Wolves", gained 3,582,940 experience points!]
Ding! Ding! Ding!
[You have leveled up to level 111!]
[You have leveled up to level 112... 113... 114!]
As the Wraith's body was now lying there on the ground, Alex knelt beside it, his palm pressing against it.
The extraction process began, and a panel appeared in front of him.
[You have extracted the "Bloody Slash (Epic)" skill!]
"Nice," Alex muttered, glancing at the panel. "Let's see what this can do."
But right as he was about to check the description, another panel appeared before him.
[Try synthesizing this skill with another one, it may yield formidable results.]
"Oh?" he raised his eyebrows, but he was tempted, "Eh, why not."