Gacha Addict in a Matriarchal World-Chapter 134: Minotauros (7)
“Bring it on!”
The pink divine power emanating from the Sanctuary clinging tightly to my body, and the transparent aura not yet reinforced by conviction, intertwine and blaze like flames.
From the outside, it would look like I’m setting myself on fire while charging at the rampaging Minotauros. It is somewhat similar since I did use Dormant Explosion.
A brief silence flows over the battlefield, which has turned into chaos and pandemonium, just because I managed to land one strong backstab.
The focused gazes around me. Minotauros also looks this way and slowly assumes a stance.
-Bwoo!
Thud!
Minotauros lightly punches its own chest, flaunting its presence.
Its head is scorched black, black smoke constantly wafting from its nose and mouth, and one of its eyes has turned white like a cloudy glass bead.
However, despite everything, an unyielding, formidable spirit remained. No, it should be called a spirit of valor.
An unbroken will. Strength befitting it. And recognition for an opponent who risked his life.
Even having lost reason, unable to distinguish friend from foe, Minotauros still had honor…pride.
Though I had only read and heard about it from Lydia, seeing it first hand was a different experience.
Thus, while looking straight at Minotauros’s intense gaze, I lightly brought my dagger-wielding fist to my heart.
I don’t know the complex etiquettes of this world. But considering the sword etiquette I know and what Minotauros just displayed, I decided to follow suit.
However, whether this had any meaning or not, I could hear the sound of people holding their breaths around me.
“Gasp!”
“The Oath of the Heart…!”
“Here, of all places?”
What the hell is an Oath of the Heart, you damn otakus…
I wanted to say, but the mood was too good to ruin. Instead, I just shouted loudly.
“Step back! And reorganize the ranks! I don’t plan to die easily, but you can’t just stand there dazed after I’m down, right?”
The adventurers, locking eyes with each other, retreated as is.
Supporting the injured, and even those who tried to flee gritted their teeth and gripped their weapons with an air of determination.
“Seriously, whose fault is it that it came to this….”
“Shut up, you bitch! If we are going to fall apart just because of a momentary distraction, we would’ve been screwed anytime!”
Of course, one person did stir the pot, but she was quickly subdued with a smack on the back from a comrade.
Well. Honestly, I think the same. No matter how you look at it, causing such an uproar just because of one aggro is too much.
It’s no different from a newbie who just follows the strategy guide and then collapses in an unexpected situation…
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, except for the few mid-level adventurers who accompanied us as a safety measure, this is the first raid battle for most of the adventurers gathered here.
They’ve shed their beginner status, but just barely. They’ve never faced a truly formidable enemy.
If I had known it would be like this, I would have taken it easy at the start, I thought, sighing as I lowered the dagger I had held to my chest.
Before I knew it, the other adventurers had formed a circle around me and Minotauros.
The basic strategy is to surround and gang up from a distance, which is a given, but looking at it like this, it seems they’ve created a dueling ground centered around me and Minotauros, making me feel some kind of way.
Everyone around us steps back, and as I finish my sword salute and take my stance, Minotauros’s one remaining eye flashes menacingly.
Then it half-lowers its head so that its sharp horns are parallel to the ground, steps forward with one leg, and tenses all its muscles.
A stance that looks like it could charge at any moment. Come to think of it, didn’t they warn me to be careful of its linear breakthrough ability?
With a smirk, I lowered my stance as well. As if I were going to face Minotauros head-on.
Left hand with the Wrist Crossbow forward, right hand with the Dagger slightly pulled back.
Minotauros snorted with satisfaction. And then.
-Bwooooooo!!
Like an overly excited bull, it charged straight at me.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The force with which it pounded the ground was overwhelming, almost grinding it to dust. The solid ground revealed its innards, tracing Minotauros’s trajectory.
And that shocking visual made sense given its insane speed.
In the blink of an eye, it was closing in faster than the first floor’s Horned Rabbit. With that bulk and such speed, it was a weapon in itself.
…However, speed is my domain.
“Hoo.”
Taking a deep breath, I softly pushed off the ground. With each step, my body, receiving the full elasticity of my muscles, accelerated rapidly.
Already confident in its agility, my body was further enhanced by the Sanctuary’s effect and pushed to its limits by the power surge.
I guarantee that there are few here who can follow my movements with their eyes. Minotauros is probably no exception.
Tadak!
With a light sound, Minotauros approached me in a single step. It did not expect this, and its eyes widened in surprise.
I pulled the trigger of the wrist crossbow aimed at it.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A somewhat muffled sound echoed repeatedly.
The wrist crossbow, which had been enhanced twice, was now capable of not only increased power but also rapid fire. Although there were no more arrows until it was reloaded, three shots should be enough.
The speed of the arrow added to the running speed. Adding to that, the speed of the charging Minotaur made the force something beyond that of an ordinary crossbow.
Thanks to that, an ordinary arrow, not even magical, was able to pierce the thick hide of Minotauros.
-Boooaaaar!
I aimed for its eyes, but it shook its head at the last moment, resulting in two hits to the trapezius and one to the cheek.
All were blows that pierced the hide and tore the flesh, but Minotauros, as if it was nothing, bled profusely and charged at me with its horns.
If I were to be struck by those massive horns at the speed it was charging, my fragile body would undeniably become a Jonny Donut.
However, this was also part of the anticipated plan. Minotauros is known as a tough boss, after all.
“Haa!”
Aura circulates madly through my whole body. I explode part of it near my soles to make a great leap.
Pang!
The impact is enough to dent the ground. At the same time, the sensation in one foot vanishes, leaving only a faint numbness.
A glance down reveals blood flowing freely. But the foot isn’t completely torn off, so this much is fine.
Trusting in the Sanctuary’s healing power, I flip my body in midair. Simultaneously, I pull out a long rope from the Subspace Ring.
The bleeding from my foot draws a circle, scattering brilliantly, and Minotauros charges through it futilely like a bull excited by a red flag.
-Boouh…!
Minotauros belatedly realizes that I dodged its charge with a leap over its massive frame and looks back.
But it’s already too late. My rope had been launched long ago.
A rope tied in a lasso shape, I mainly used on the first floor. It was made to fit the size of the Iron Wolf, so it couldn’t catch the thick neck of Minotauros…
But it’s enough to snag those hefty horns.
Swish.
The lasso easily catches the large target. Pulling it hard, I changed direction in midair.
My body flies toward Minotauros. The creature, because of its running momentum, only turned its head but hasn’t stopped yet.
Twisting its body forcibly would just make it lose balance and fall.
In other words, for the next few seconds, it has to expose its defenseless back.
Even while flying, I curled my body and twisted my waist. Like a spring compressed to its limit.
And the moment I reached the horns where the lasso was hooked. I instantly released my twisted muscles and spun my body.
Bang!
The sound of air being sliced by the Unicorn Dagger. But that’s not enough. There is a difference in weight class.
So, I draw the circulating aura from within and concentrate it on the Dagger.
I’m not doing something grand like creating an Aura Sword. It’s just a brute act of pouring out aura recklessly.
It was an inefficient act of using the power of 10 to raise the force of 3, but right now, even that slight power was desperately needed.
“Haaaat!”
The pink flames, born from the holy power mingling with the aura’s flow, envelop the Dagger. Adding a rotational force to it.
Paaaat!
The intense flames from the Unicorn Dagger brightly illuminate the surrounding area. To be precise, that’s how it looks.
A blow containing all my strength strikes down.
Kaang!
In an instant, a circular shockwave causes a gale in the surrounding area.
The clash of the Unicorn’s Horn and Minotauros’s horn. The winner is almost predetermined.
“Heroic Lust…Non-virgin!”
Minotauros… No, Asterios, was a great warrior who had been revered as a hero for a long time.
And at that time, the tunnels they were digging served as a refuge for various war-weary races.
In a world where they couldn’t go out and were stuck digging all day, what could be the only entertainment?
Of course, it was sex.
Asterios had over seven wives, each from different races, making him an extremely lustful being.
In other words, he far exceeded the unicorn’s standards of an outcast.
Divine power and aura. Between them, a pure white light began to rise.
The Unicorn Dagger, under extreme stress, began to draw out its inherent power to the last drop.
Thus, as a pure white light filled my field of vision.
Crack!
With the sound of something breaking, one of Minotauros’s horns snapped.
-Bwoooooo!!!
The creature groaned in pain, forcing its arm to twist backward, reaching out.
I let go of the rope, dodging by kicking off the falling horn and shoulder in succession. Then, a large wound appeared right in front of me.
It was the first strike I landed. Thanks to that, a chunk of flesh from the back of its neck was blown away, revealing tough muscles and the white bone in between.
I raised the still-glowing Unicorn Dagger once more.
I could feel the time limit for Dormant Explosion approaching. This would probably be the final blow.
Gritting my teeth, I focused all the remaining strength I had.
Divine power and aura flared even more intensely, the white light remained blinding, and magic was added to it.
“Consume my blood and blaze. Intense Flame.”
Anyway, I’m going to be exhausted soon. I use all my remaining mana as fuel to unleash the maximum magic allowed to me.
A crimson magical flame adds to the quietly blazing holy power and aura. I straighten the perfectly heated pure white dagger.
And I strike down.
Crunch!
The sound of it slipping between the neck bones. And then.
Boom!
All the power concentrated in the Unicorn Dagger is released, causing a massive explosion.
Mana, Aura, Divine Power.
The three great abilities take the form of flames and transform into physical impact.
-Bwooooo!
Minotauros writhes in agony, twisting its arm so much that its shoulder dislocates.
But this is not the end. The power of the unicorn acts like poison to the enemy.
It was severely wounded by me from the start, one horn was cut off, and now its bones are being crushed.
No matter how tough it is, the poison will inevitably spread.
-……!
Suddenly, the stiffened arm could not crush my head and fell limp.
And then.
Thud!
Minotauros’s thick bone finally gave way and broke.
The torrent of power trapped inside it surged, shooting a massive pillar of fire into the sky. And then.
Boom!
Minotauros’s head landed on the ground.