Getting Stronger

Ray held onto the Minotaur's horns as tightly as he could. Blood trickled down the side of his mouth, his body convulsing with electric shocks that pulsed like a heartbeat. Each jolt sent waves of agony through him, but he knew that the moment he let go, those massive horns would pierce straight through his body. He had to endure it.

The Minotaur dug its arms and legs into the ground, using its full strength to pin Ray further against the wall. Its short arms prevented it from reaching him, but it didn't need to—the sheer force alone was enough to crush him.

Just then, Gary, Monk, and Noir appeared from behind. Without hesitation, they leaped onto the Minotaur's back, climbing towards its neck. Gary, his sword burning with Ki, drove it downward with all his strength, aiming for the beast's thick neck. The blade shattered on impact.

Monk followed, his twin daggers flashing as he accelerated, using his Ki-enhanced legs to build momentum. He struck at the Minotaur's nape, but his blades bounced off uselessly, not even leaving a scratch.

Noir was the last to attack. The massive black wolf lunged, sinking her fangs into the Minotaur's flesh. Yet the beast barely reacted. Then, with a violent pulse of electricity, its body flared with energy, shocking both Noir and Ray. Noir yelped and leapt back, retreating from the pain.

"We have to run!" Gary shouted.

"We can't even hurt the thing!" Monk added, disbelief written all over his face.

Ray was surprised they hadn't bolted the second their plan failed. What made them stay? They had no chance of survival. If they left now, he wouldn't even blame them.

"The second I let go, it'll kill me. You two need to leave. Let Noir take you out of here!" Ray shouted.

"No! We're all getting out of here alive!" Gary insisted, determination blazing in his eyes. "This is my fault to begin with. I was the one who brought us here."

Ignoring their injuries, Gary and Monk gathered their Ki and slammed their bodies against the Minotaur, trying to knock it off balance. It was like trying to move a mountain. The beast didn't budge. Another surge of electricity exploded from its body, sending Gary and Monk flying through the air.

Undeterred, they got back up and tried again.

Watching them struggle, an odd emotion welled up inside Ray. They didn't deserve to die here. There were plenty of humans who did—but not them.

"YES!" Ray roared.

Suddenly, notification screens flooded his vision.

...

"YES!" he repeated, desperation fueling his voice.

Mana surged through his body, supplementing his Ki, expanding it. He transferred the newfound power into his hands, his grip tightening. As his strength grew, the Minotaur's electrical pulses began to weaken.

He was winning the struggle.

"Hey, are you seeing this?" Gary asked, eyes wide.

"Yeah, it looks like the Minotaur's getting weaker," Monk replied, equally shocked.

The Minotaur's physical strength hadn't diminished, but Ray's use of Mana Drain had stripped away its elemental power. He was using its own mana against it.

Just when it seemed like Ray was gaining the upper hand, the Minotaur reared its head back and bucked wildly, sending Ray flying. Before he hit the ground, Noir leapt, catching him mid-air and bringing him back to the others.

But now there was a major problem—Ray could no longer move. His body was paralyzed from the repeated electrical jolts. The only thing keeping him standing before had been the mana he was draining. Now, with that link severed, every nerve in his body screamed in agony.

A deep, guttural snort drew their attention. The Minotaur had regained some of its electrical power. Sparks flickered across its skin.

"We have to leave!" Gary said. "Let's take one of the tunnels!"

With Noir carrying Ray on her back, they sprinted toward one of the chamber's many exits. But before they could even make it halfway, the Minotaur moved—its speed vastly enhanced. It intercepted them with terrifying ease.

Then, lowering itself onto all fours, it charged.

They barely had time to react. They squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable end.

Clash!

The ground shook as though two giants had collided. The force nearly knocked them over.

Ray's eyes fluttered open, expecting to see another beast competing for a meal. But what he saw was something else entirely.

A human figure stood between them and the Minotaur, a black scimitar gripped in his hand. His armor—a dark leather set—was unmistakably crafted from beast materials. His boots, made from thick fur. His chest plate, fashioned from the hide of a powerful creature.

"Sir K!" Monk gasped.

Sir K had moved at an inhuman speed, positioning himself directly between them and the Minotaur. With a single motion, he parried the Minotaur's charge with his scimitar, halting its momentum. Then, in one fluid strike, he sliced downward, severing one of the Minotaur's horns.

The beast let out an enraged bellow, swiping at Sir K with its massive hand. It caught his leg, yanking him from the ground and slamming him into the stone floor. Blood sprayed from Sir K's mouth.

But even as he was pinned, Sir K remained composed. With a calculated strike, he severed one of the Minotaur's fingers, forcing it to release him. He rolled away, landing on his feet.

The Minotaur roared again, its body crackling with lightning. It lunged, aiming to finish Sir K in one final charge. Yet, just before impact, Sir K vanished.

The Minotaur halted, confused. Its prey had disappeared.

A heartbeat later, Sir K reappeared—already on the Minotaur's back. Before the beast could react, he drove his blade downward.

The black scimitar sliced through flesh and bone, cleaving the Minotaur's head clean off.

The beast's head rolled to the floor, its massive body collapsing soon after.

Sir K barely acknowledged the fallen creature. Without hesitation, he turned toward Ray and the others, his gaze unreadable as he started walking toward them.