This is it, I realised. This is how it kills.

  No claws. No blades. Just the slow, silent theft of breath.

  I forced myself to stay calm, fighting the urge to gasp. Panic would only make it worse. Somewhere in the vast room, something shifted — not seen, only felt — and the air around my throat began to constrict, invisible fingers closing in.

  In pure panic I cash Mana Shield and it helped a bit, enough for me to cast Illusory Double. The spell did not last long, but I hoped it would draw the attention of whatever was out there. I activated Fleetstep and moved away.

  My priority was to find the monster.

  It took far too long to find it. By the time I did, my illusion had already faded, and the thing’s attention slid back to me.

  It was tall, more a shape than a body, a shadow wrapped in drifting mist. The outline wavered, never quite settling, and when I tried to focus on where its face should be, the details shifted away from my gaze. It didn’t walk. It flowed, gliding forward as the air around it bent and dulled.

  The room felt quieter the closer it came. Not silent — just muted, like sound itself was being smothered. The light dimmed without changing source, and my breath fogged in front of me even though the air wasn’t cold.

  My chest tightened. Fear crept in, slow and invasive, not sharp panic but something heavier

  I didn’t have time, but I still spared a fraction of a second to run through my spells.

  Sapping Bolt won out.

  I couldn’t have explained the choice in that moment. Later, maybe, I’d be able to put words to it. Right then, it wasn’t logic or planning, it was instinct and adrenaline.

  I cast it and released the bolt. It tore through the air and impacted the monster. It screamed in pain and I could see it was hurt but not defeated yet. I needed more and arch lash was an obvious finisher, at least I hoped.

  The lightning streaked to the monster, lighting it up… I took this time to use identify on it.

  I quickly turned my attention back to the Geist, that is ghost in germen or spirit… The Geist was struggling and obviously dying… I hope. If this thing had some miracle regeneration, then I was fucked.

  I sighed in relieve. This monster was difficult and I also noticed that I only had one to fight. This made me think that this monster and by extension the night monsters were far more dangerous.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  I did not look forward to fighting the next one and I decided to not choose this type of Monster in the third or fourth floors, if I managed to survive the next room.

  I walked to the door and stood in front of it.

  What am I going to face in this room?

  I pushed the door open and this time, the monsters didn’t hide. Two of them stood waiting just beyond the threshold.

  Their shapes were unmistakably canine but twisted into something wrong — massive frames of living darkness pulled tight over skeletal outlines. Long limbs bent at impossible angles, stretching and contracting as they shifted their weight. Their eyes glowed faintly, fixed on me with a hunger that primal and lethal.

  My mind took a few moments to steady itself, but thankfully the canines didn’t move. They simply watched me, unblinking, their attention locked on mine with unnerving focus.

  I had no doubt that the moment I took a step — forward or back — they would charge. And when they did, it would be fatal for me.

  I needed their attention off me. Like with the Geist, I cast Illusory Double — though I had serious doubts it would hold them for long. These things felt sharper, more aware, far more intelligent than the ghostlike wraith.

  Both pairs of glowing eyes snapped to the other me.

  I didn’t waste the opening. I moved back immediately, creating distance — precious space to cast without being torn apart mid-spell.

  Arc Lash surged from my staff, lightning ripping across the floor and slamming into the nearest hound. The energy chained to the second one as expected, weakening it, but not nearly as much as the primary target.

  The first canine collapsed into shadow, its form unravelling in a silent implosion.

  The second didn’t stop.

  It was slower now, its movements less fluid, but it kept advancing — deliberate, relentless. My heart hammered hard enough to drown out thought. Panic clawed at the edges of my focus, sharp and insistent.

  I forced myself to breathe.

  Running wasn’t an option.

  I planted my feet, raised my staff, and gathered mana, hoping I could finish this before it closed the remaining distance.

  I released sapping bolt and it connected. The canine convulsed and like the first one it began to unravel into shadows.

  I used Identify on the downed canines.

  I waited for the System to inform me that this room and hopefully the floor was done.

  I was extremely thankful that floor was done and decided to not choose the night monsters again. I had some idea of the monsters roaming the night, and that just had to be enough.

  I needed a few minutes to just breathe and let my nerves settle. The fighting was stressful — even knowing death here wasn’t permanent didn’t make it any easier. Fear still hit hard, and panic didn’t care about System rules.

  There were still two more floors left.

  The thought lingered as I steadied myself. The next floor wouldn’t be easier. Whatever waited above would hit harder, move faster, or force me to think in ways I hadn’t yet.

  I tightened my grip on my staff and looked toward the stairs.

  “One floor at a time,” I muttered.

  I walked to the door and the System gave me the option.

  “I choose current world monsters.”