Belziarde's Vengeance

The last chapter from Ghostnight! Thanks again!

*Thud*

A small earthquake seemed to shake the land as the heavy foot of the Daemon Minotaur landed on the adjacent street. It's thick gleaming axe rounded the corner and a hideous roar came as it spotted the arrayed three dozen Hunters in formation. They hefted their weapons, the white robed priest man in front.

"Oi! You, what's your level?" I yell at him as the Daemon Minotaur huffs and paws at the ground with a thick hoof. The priest hefts his mace with a shaky smile.

"Lvl. 7 and a half! Everyone here is Lvl. 5 and has experienced the stat boost! We got this!" His confidence is probably one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. In any other situation I would leave these idiots to die because the odds of them killing this thing seem so slim. But the System Reward is too important for Yin. Chances are there are things in this dungeon which are going to kill us at some point anyway. If we are to prevail, we need to fight here!"

"Let me in the party!" Yin shouts. The priest-like man smiles and Yin nods as she enters the party. Turning to Penelope, the pretty girl addresses the salary woman. "You join too! But stay out of the fight!"

"Got it!" Penelope says. "What about Mr. Lin?"

"I have my own party." I say to head off any more questions. "Okay! Everyone ready! Remember, you cannot block it's attacks! You have to dodge! Once its off balance try to take out its legs first! It's too tall, we'll have to hack it down to our size first!"

"That's not a bad plan! If we survive this, I owe you a drink!" He grins and turns back just as the Daemonic Minotaur charges, "You heard the man! Get out of the way!"

*Whump!*

"AHHHHHH!" Someone is too slow. The Eighth Servant of Belziarde stampedes through the midst of the three dozen men and sends one flying. He smashes into a nearby wall, moaning and groaning. "H-Help me…it broke…everything!"

The momentum stalls as these newbies realize what they're dealing with. Yin stares at me asking for permission.

"What are you waiting for! Get it!" I point at the Daemonic Minotaur's back. The girl I'm trying to teach pounds the dirt, her small feet kicking up bits of concrete as she puts the full speed of a Lvl. 10 Hunter to work. Her figures blurs, slim limbs dashing across the street. With a shriek, she explodes off the ground into the air and slams the tip of her sword into the Eighth Servant's back.

*Puchi*

The blade penetrates in, and I'm relieved. For a second, I was worried that the replica sword might not be able to get through this thing's tough muscle. However…

"Get away!" I yell a hasty warning as the blade stops, caught in a rib only halfway into the beast.

"GRAWWWWRRR!" The monstrous minotaur rears back to its full height, and shakes itself off. Yin's sword slips out and she's thrown away into the distance. Fortunately, with her level, she manages to land on her hands and feet. The Eight Servant reaches his hands into his back, trying to feel the wound. It's misshapen fingernails tear at its own skin causing it to howl even louder, "RAWWWWWWWWWWR!"

"Go for the legs, it's not going to be that easy!" My shot-calling does not go unnoticed. Now that Yin has drawn firstblood, these newbies are finally moving. "Wait for the charge! No wait!"

"I'm going in!" A guy with a nice looking spear tries to go for the Daemonic Minotaur while it's roaring in pain. However, as he enters its range, the beast's eyes grow crafty. Before he realizes it, the monstrous thing has already picked up its gigantic axe from the ground.

*Shing*

"Hurk!" The man crumples, hewn in two. One half falls and then the other.

*Thud*

*Thump*

"Oh crap!" The priest sees what's happened and all the confidence the men have gained fades away. The small salary woman in a black suit beside him hurriedly grabs his arm. However, the Daemonic Minotaur is already charging!

"GRAWWWRR!"

With a panicked expression the black-suited salary woman pushes the priest aside, throwing herself in the other direction. The Eight Servant thunders in-between them and this time, everyone manages to get out of the way. I see Yin getting up in the distance, readying herself to rejoin the fight. Good, she's okay!

"Go! Attack the legs now!"

The men move in at my behest, hacking and beating at the thing's stocky calves while it straightens from its blind charge.

"Back! Or die!"

They run backwards, moving almost in time with my command. Just in time too-

*Weng*

The Daemonic Minotaur's huge axe whirls around in a crescent. Despite the fact that the axe is almost as big as a man, the monster wields it like a toy. Suddenly, as it overbalances just slightly from the swing, Yin appears like a ghost in its shadow and strikes at the left hoof!

"GRAAAWR?!" The beast shudders as the blade of her katana slashes through the tendon of its ankle. Going down to one leg, Yin looks like she's considering finishing it-

"Not yet! It's not done yet!" I warn and she leaps backwards. The Daemonic Minotaur opens its eyes and stands back up, despite blood leaking from its left calf. Suddenly, I hear something come from behind me.

*Clack*

I whirl around, taking my eyes off the fight for just a moment. What was that? However, when I check, no one's there. Are there other monsters here? Quickly, I pull up the System map of the dungeon but there are no other lights nearby though I do spot a few dots far away in other parts of the city representing other Servants of Belziarde. They're blinking and I assume that means that other Hunters are engaging them. When I turn back to the fight in front, Penelope shouts in joy!

"Look! Reinforcements!" She points to the side-alley next to us. Unfortunately, the woman is right. There are many new Hunters streaming out onto the road.

"Hahaha we caught up to the Mini Boss! Come on! Let's get it!" A fresh-faced man who I haven't seen before leads his pack of baying men like jackals smelling blood. His brilliant blue eyes are striking against the bright Hawaiian shirt he's wearing. Waving a machete, he dashes in. "Quickly! The others will be here soon!"

"Damnit…" I mutter. Despite what Penelope thinks, this is not good news. Now that more people have arrived, there's going to be more competition for the last hit. "Yin! You good?"

"Y-Yea." The beautiful girl spins on the spot and sprints back to us like a ghost. "I think it's almost over!"

"I wouldn't be so sure…watch!" My words turn out to be prophetic. In a moment, as a third group of new Hunters appears on the left side of the road, the Daemonic Minotaur roars and raises its axe to the sky!

"GRAWWWRRR!"

*KRAAANG!*

Lightning bursts down and smites the axe. The beast's chilling eyes gleam red as flames erupt from its purplish fur.

System Notification:

Lvl. ??? Daemonic Minotaur has activated skill,

Belziarde's Vengeance!

Effects: ???...???!