NOVEL NEXT Chapter 77
Chapter: 77
This is the second time I’ve faced a Minotaur, huh?
The first match was my pitiful defeat.
Honestly, it was barely even a match.
It was outright violence.
With a single punch from the Minotaur, my shield shattered, followed by the collapse of my will, and all I could do was tremble in fear before death.
What about now?
Back then, I was just a tin can with level-up; now I’m a veteran gamer with maxed-out proficiency.
My overall stats have skyrocketed, and I’ve even mastered divine magic.
No need to mention my combat experience.
Plus, I just finished all the doping I can do, making it laughable to even compare it with when I broke through Ruel’s trial.
If this were a game, I wouldn’t have worried at all.
I used to beat Minotaurs even as a level 1 character, and with this spec, I could toy with them.
But is this reality to blame?
Or is it because of that previous crushing defeat?
My mind was a mess.
[Are you okay?]
‘What do you mean?’
[You’ve lost once, so you must be scared.]
‘Thinking about that time just makes me angry, Grandpa. Wanna see a rusty tin can again?’
<...>
As soon as I said that, Grandpa shut up.
I wasn’t even trying to bring it up, yet he went and mentioned it first.
That’s his karma, you know? I’m still holding onto that grudge.
Anyway, I may end up dunking the rusty tin can again, but that doesn’t mean I’m all good now.
Sigh.
…
It’s true; I’m scared.
I’m not some hardcore protagonist from a story.
When I first took the potion, if I hadn’t had skills, I wouldn’t have dared touch a second potion for fear of pain.
It was the same when I started training.
It was the skills that allowed me to rush ahead recklessly; without them, I’d have given up long ago.
It was the same when I first faced an Orc.
If it weren’t for overcoming fear, would I have been able to stay calm and respond? I doubt it.
It’s not much different now.
Facing that monster is still terrifying.
Moving like mad is exhausting.
But I can do it.
Because I have skills.
You know, people who get possessed in games usually trust their skills and move ahead, right?
I’m the same.
I believe overcoming fear will help eliminate my dread.
I believe my unwavering will won’t allow me to give up.
I believe my iron wall will stop the Minotaur’s attacks.
I take a step forward.
“I’m going.”
“Follow me, pitiful prince.”
I step out from the alley right in front of the Minotaur.
That massive figure.
Those blood-red eyes.
Its hot breath could almost scorch my skin.
And the axe that could slice me in half.
Taking a deep breath, I raised my shield.
“Hello♡ You disgusting, smelly, stupid head♡”
As the Minotaur’s eyes turned to me, I tightened my grip on my mace.
“Why are you looking at me like that, you sloppy piece of trash?♡ Are you a sadistic pervert who wants to be butchered?♡ Haha♡ I get it!♡ I’ll mash you up with my mace!♡”
With the ecstasy provided by the Mesugaki skill, the Minotaur roared and charged at me.
Damn it. For its size, it moves like a demon.
But.
This much is manageable.
CRASH!
I blocked the Minotaur’s axe with my shield.
The clanging sound of steel clashing echoed as we exchanged blows.
It’s strong. Damn strong.
The hand holding the shield. My arm. My shoulder. It feels like they’re about to break.
But hey, dumb head.
You know I haven’t even buffed yet, right?
‘The Lord sends His Apostle to the land…’
I silently recite the prayer.
One of the Holy Knight’s unique skills.
A magic created to protect the Lord’s people.
It increases stamina.
Boosts power.
Fosters strength in body and mind.
And invokes steadfast will.
The divine magic I, the Apostle of Armadi, can use is impressive enough to even amaze Bishop Johan, who doesn’t like me.
It’s enough to narrow the gap between me and the Minotaur.
What breaks the standoff between the Minotaur and me is Arthur.
The magic swordsman’s wind magic strikes the Minotaur’s face.
As the Minotaur stumbles back, I raise my mace and swing towards its thigh.
The Minotaur’s skin is thick, and its muscles are solid, but I don’t care.
How much level difference do we have?
No matter how high its defense is, a true damage hit still lands, right?
And the moment my mace comes down—
THWACK!
It felt good.
Was he filled with rage from the unexpected pain?
The Minotaur, already unsteady, turned its gaze toward Arthur.
As if it considers him the source of its suffering.
Hey. Where are you looking?
There’s a cute girl here I want to slap on the butt.
Dude, looking away now is totally a fail as a male.
Are you… are you a girl?
Mayhaps you are a strange-looking female.
Hmm… oh! You’re a blue-haired girl?
Then it’s understandable you’d look away from me.
But I can’t allow that.
Because I’m the tank.
“Hey, stupid head!♡”
Look at the enemy in front of you.
“Are you really not confident enough to break my shield?♡ Yup, with your sloppy axe, that’s impossible!♡”
Look at me mocking you.
“Coward!♡ Sloppy!♡ Idiot!♡”
Yeah.
Look at me, you dumbass.
Your enemy is me.
The enraged Minotaur charges to smash me.
I block one downward swing after another from the Minotaur with my shield.
I can’t even get a chance to attack.
Even if the buffs narrowed our gap, the advantage still lies with the Minotaur.
If one of its wild attacks hits, I’m done for.
So, I wait.
Holding my shield. Like a crocodile hiding underwater.
Waiting for my opponent to step into the river.
The Minotaur’s vitality is tough.
Among all monsters, it’s one of the toughest.
But tough doesn’t mean infinite.
This guy is still a living creature.
Not a ghost without a body. Not an undead who can’t tire.
Eventually, there’ll be an opening.
Isn’t that the same for me? Who knows?
While enduring, the Minotaur prepared for a massive attack.
It twisted its waist.
Pulled its arm back.
Trying to prove just how much muscle it has beneath its skin.
That attack is dangerous.
I can’t block it; I have to dodge or skip it, my iron wall shouts.
Grandpa tells me to rush in and interrupt its attack.
I know he’s right.
After all, how hard have I trained so far to not know that?
But my body, worn out from blocking the Minotaur’s attacks, resisted my will.
Blocking that attack with my shield is the best I can do.
As the Minotaur swings its massive attack toward me, my shield intercepts it, lifting me off the ground.
Ah, this feels familiar.
As that thought crosses my mind, I slam into the wall.
Damn. That hurts like hell.
As I cough a few times from the dust on the ground, I clutch my shaking legs and rise.
Before I can catch my breath, I see the Minotaur charging to crush me.
In my current state, I can’t block that attack.
Even if I lifted my shield, it would shatter.
Knowing that, I can relax only because of overcoming fear.
Armadi’s Mercy.
It’s a skill I don’t like having it linked to that incompetent, shoddy pervert of a god, but it’s undeniably effective.
The moment I use it, my condition returns to normal, easily letting me block the Minotaur’s attack.
I can see the Minotaur flinch.
Haha. What’s that? Did you think you had won?
Looks like you’re mistaken.
You dumbass. Want to hear something fun?
I can still use this Armadi’s Mercy at least ten more times!
I could use potions from my pocket to use it even more.
So, let’s see what you’ve got.
What’s tougher? The Minotaur’s life or me, the divine wheel?
“Bring it on!♡ You sloppy dumbhead!♡”
*
Lucy Allen stands firm. Even though her shield is bent.
Even though her armor is cracked.
Even though blood runs down her face, staining it red.
Even though her hair, typically tied up, has come undone and is a mess.
Even though she’s taken countless hits and screamed in pain.
She doesn’t crumble.
She stands tall, blocking the Minotaur and wearing her infuriating smile.
And what about the Minotaur?
That formidable foe we thought we could never defeat?
It’s lost the strength to even hold its axe.
Its legs, battered from countless attacks, struggle to merely stay upright.
The Minotaur has no strength left to keep up its offense.
Perhaps due to its pride as a monster, it forces itself to stand, but that’s all.
The fierce fear it once displayed is nowhere to be seen.
And the last shred of dignity the Minotaur held gets shattered the moment Lucy Allen swings her mace.
The Minotaur’s legs give way, and it kneels.
The overwhelming clash between the monster and the young lady begins as expected, resulting in the exact opposite outcome.
Towering over the Minotaur now is Lucy Allen, who gazes down at it, while the Minotaur looks up at her with eyes filled with fear.
Is that the bloodline of the Allen family?
The girl from a family that has produced countless heroes?
It’s not just talent, huh.
Having exceptional talent and more than that, she can turn into such a monster.
Haha. Now it’s even to the point where I find it somewhat admirable.
If a week ago someone told me I’d think this about Lucy Allen, I would’ve thought they were nuts.
Lucy Allen reaches the Minotaur and raises her mace high.
And the moment she brings it down, the Minotaur’s horn falls to the ground.
“Let’s go, pitiful prince.”
Wiping the blood off her face, Lucy Allen looks more trustworthy than ever.
*
[That was dangerous.]
‘You bet.’
Facing the Minotaur wasn’t exactly relaxing.
It really is incredibly tough.
That dumb head.
To put it simply, holding on was manageable.
With the various divine magics, Armadi’s Mercy, and other skills, I could hold on.
But the issue was the damage output.
Even with true damage, it barely reaches 5% of my attack power.
If it were a frail body like the last time with the skeleton, that’d be fine, but the Minotaur is notoriously tough.
If Arthur hadn’t created openings and struck its weak points with magic, it wouldn’t have been an easy victory.
Well, in any case, I won, and I leveled up!
That’s enough for me.
Don’t you think?
– Ding!
As I thought that and stepped into the safe zone, a message window popped up as if it had been waiting for me.
Having been startled once by Agra, I quickly averted my gaze to the message window.
[Quest Clear!]
Thankfully, this was just the incompetent, shoddy, pervert trash-like god’s doing.
That incapable god, who can’t even stop Agra’s curse, suddenly pops up and causes a stir!
Ugh, this is so irritating.
[Special Ticket from Stophe has been issued.]
Well, at least the rewards are given out properly, huh?
Then again, if they didn’t give this, that god wouldn’t be a god but a fraud. Sure.
Now, come on, give it to me. I’ll toss it in my pocket and rest.
[…]
[Confirmation that you have successfully fended off Agra’s touch.]
…Huh?
[Additional rewards have been issued.]
What’s this?
Why the sudden turn from that incompetent god?
This isn’t the type of god they are supposed to be?!