“So what are we up against?” Steven asked. He was confident that the two of them could take on anything the first ten floors threw at them, but he still wanted to know what he was getting himself into. Even though he hadn’t increased his attributes, he was more sure of his abilities now than he was when he escaped from his Floor 1 challenge. Garth was also there to help back on Floor 1 if Steven could uphold his end of the bargain and help Garth out first. Help or no help, he was much better prepared to take on the Skeletal Blend, but they needed to save the girl first.

Steven was a bit surprised to find out that a non-special class had a bonus challenge, although no one ever told him that it couldn’t happen. Then again, no one ever told him there was a possibility for a bonus challenge at all. He assumed that having a unique class was unusual, as by definition it meant that was the only class of its kind. Maybe it was better than having a special class.

“Minotaur. About three meters tall with two battle axes. It had huge range. I think I’ve come up with a plan, but give me a few moments to think it through. I don’t want to fail. I don’t know if I could take it,” Garth said. He sat down with his back against the Red Eye with his eyes closed.

Steven wandered around the platform for a few minutes, then finally sat down on the edge with his feet dangling off. After several minutes, he was getting antsy and began peeling off parts of the wood and dropping them down into the water to watch the ripples. He had a realization, as he stared into his own reflection. They didn’t really need a plan. All Steven had to do was distract the monster while Garth got the girl and started the transfer out.

Then the girl and Garth would both be released. One from the death loop, the other from their guilt.

But why didn’t the girl’s family do that before. She even had a unique class, and could offer a lot to any group.

“Hey Garth,” Steven called out.

“Yes?”

“This whole situation doesn’t make sense. About the girl and her family. Why didn’t they save her? What’s the difference between a special class and a unique class?”

“I don’t know. The explanation at the time just made me as an excuse for losing a family member. A special class gains levels differently than a unique class. Unique classes gain levels the same way as the other classes. Common classes gain two attribute points for level. Uncommon gets three. One rarity tier higher gets an extra attribute per level, through rare, epic, and legendary. The attributes jump two points when they get to unique. Ah…” Garth trailed off.

Steven laid back on the wood and looked over at Garth. The man had gone silent for a few moments.

“I didn’t know all that about the classes, but I assume you came to the same conclusion I just did.” Steven said. He got up and returned to the Red Eye.

“Yes,” Garth said, standing and joining Steven. “She would get as strong as them in less time. Let’s go. You get its attention and take it away from the girl, I’ll stay by the eye with her. Try to hit the targets from my Light Shot. They increase damage done by ten percent. If you need me to start the transfer out, just yell transfer.”

Steven gave Garth a smile and two thumbs up when he tapped on the Red Eye. After a short moment of silent nothingness, the hairs on his body stood up when he heard a woman’s scream. He stood transfixed as he watched a giant minotaur slam two axes into the bare midsection of a woman lying on the ground, and the scream stopped.

The monster had brown skin only visible on its muscular arms and horned head. The rest of its body was covered by a coarse leather armor. Steven thought it strange for a half-man half-bull to wear leather.

“Go! She can’t respawn while we’re here,” Garth yelled, “We either win or leave and try again!”

The minotaur looked up at the sound and started advancing at Garth, who backed up several steps. Steven could hear it breathing hard, almost a snort. He took a quick look around their surroundings while it was occupied.

They were in a large cave close to 80 feet in diameter, lit by standing torches that were attached on top of large boulders littered around the floor. The Red Eye and mutilated body of the woman were near the middle of the cavernous room. He could see an opening to a smaller cave to his side. The ceiling was tall enough to not encumber the minotaur if it fully stretched out for an overhead chop.

Which it was currently trying to do, aimed at Garth who had been backed up against the cave wall. Steven cast Mimic Growth: Heater Shield on his left arm, and Mimic Growth: Shortsword on his right hand while sprinting towards the two.

He slashed the shortsword into the minotaur’s leg as it slammed its axes down in the place that Garth just occupied. Steven only managed a small gash into the meat. The armor and minotaurs actual hide prevented the sword from cutting deeper.

Garth skirted the cave wall for about 30 feet before firing rapid light shots at the minotaur, which backhanded an axe towards Steven’s chest. He ducked under the axe and slashed upwards with his sword, cutting a little deeper into its unarmored arm.

Steven jumped backwards to avoid the follow-up overhand chop from the other axe while multiple little targets appeared with a thud on the monster’s torso. The minotaur was fully facing Steven now, and he could see several small pockmarks where a Light Shot from Garth had hit a target.

“Try to hit it’s elbows!” Steven yelled. He ducked underneath a horizontal slash. As the axe whistled overhead he scrambled forward between the monster’s legs and raised up to a crouch behind it, stabbing his blade into the shallow gash caused by his first attack.

The minotaur roared and twisted, bringing both axes around in a wide arc. Steven had expected another backhand to duck under, and was clipped by both blades as he jumped backwards to avoid being trifurcated. He jumped backwards for several more paces and glanced down to see two long red gashes; one across his shoulders and the other across his pelvis. He panted hard at the pain and exertion, as the blood began to seep into his shirt and pants.

The minotaur roared again and lowered its head, bringing itself into a runners starting stance, horns pointing directly at him. After a split second, it burst forward at an incredible speed cracking the stone beneath its feet. Steven barely had time to react and threw himself to the side, sliding across the cold stone into a boulder. As it passed, he noticed the monster’s right side was covered in small yellow targets, including its arm.

“Garth, come here!”

“I’m not as fast as you, I could barely dodge its first attack.” Garth yelled as he ran to stand beside the boulder.

“You don’t need to be, just stay behind the boulder. It needs a single target,” said Steven as he picked himself up. The minotaur skid to a stop and was turning to face them, head still lowered. Steven dismissed both growths and planted his feet as Garth took shelter on the other side of the boulder.

Taking the bait, the minotaur charged again. This time Steven was ready for the burst of speed, and rolled to the left as the monster slammed its head into the boulder causing the entire cave to shake with a loud crash. Coming to his feet, he raised his hands above his head and swung them downward while he cast Mimic Growth: Greatsword on his right hand.

The sword gained the inertia of his swing and cleaved through the minotaur’s right arm as the slash hit a series of small targets left by Garth’s Light Shot. He dismissed the sword before it crashed into the floor and began to retreat as the monster stood to its full height and bellowed.

Steven looked over and couldn’t see Garth behind the boulder. He heard several light thuds after the minotaur’s echoing roar ended. The monster turned its back to Steven and began wildly swinging its remaining axe.

He ran forward and landed an absorption powered punch on the monster’s back, hoping to gain its attention. The punch left a fist sized hole a couple inches deep, but otherwise seemed to cause little harm as the minotaur continued its assault, ignoring Steven.

He heard a yelp and saw the top half of Garth’s torso flying across the cave trailing blood. It landed with a wet thud and rolled into the shadow of a boulder, Garth’s rod clanking to the stone ground nearby.

Steven stood in stunned silence as the minotaur roared and stomped down multiple times on the remains in front of it, splashing blood and gore across the stone. The smell was horrible. The monster snorted and turned towards Steven.

He had missed his chance at a big attack, but he noticed that the minotaur’s horns were crushed and the remaining arm was now covered in targets.

“It’s just you and me now, Bessie,” said Steven, stretching out his arms and popping his knuckles.