The three of us entered the fifth floor without any problems. At first glance, nothing seemed different—the monsters here were the same as those on the previous floors: goblins, kobolds, and dungeon lizards.
Our pace was steady, and every encounter ended quickly. Even Eriri and I, who had only started adventuring today, felt more confident now. "Is it just me, or does this floor feel... quieter than before?" Eriri asked, glancing around cautiously.
"You're right," I replied, scanning the dimly lit corridor ahead. "The number of monsters here is strangely low. Compared to the fourth floor, this almost feels too easy."
I could only think of one explanation for this eerie calm—the Minotaur. It must have wandered up from the lower floors, driven here by the Loki Familia's expedition. The thought of encountering it made my grip on the sword tighten. If my guess was correct, then the real challenge was waiting for us just ahead.
Eriri raised her pistol and nodded in agreement. "It's like the dungeon's holding its breath or something. Creepy…"
"I wonder if this is what they mean when they say the dungeon is alive," I muttered under my breath. The way the atmosphere shifted—the silence, the tension, the lack of monsters—it almost felt like the dungeon itself was preparing for something. As if it was watching us… waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Yeah, without any warning, the bull-headed man-beast—the Minotaur—appeared out of nowhere. How it managed to sneak up on us, I had no idea. But when it stood there before me, towering at nearly two and a half meters tall, muscles rippling beneath its dark red skin, I understood why adventurers feared it so much. Its crimson eyes glowed with primal rage, sharp fangs jutting from its mouth as it exhaled hot air through its nostrils. The Minotaur's entire body radiated raw strength and bloodlust, and just facing it head-on made my instincts scream in warning.
"Hiiii... why is there a Minotaur here!?" Bell shouted, his face turning pale as he stumbled a few steps back, gripping his dagger tightly with trembling hands. His voice cracked with panic, eyes darting between me and the towering monster.
Eriri, on the other hand, was completely speechless. Her hands froze midair, still holding her sketchpad, while her legs stiffened as if rooted to the ground. I could see the fear in her widened eyes—she could feel it too. The overwhelming pressure radiating from the Minotaur was nothing like the monsters we had fought before. It wasn't just strong—it was predatory, the kind of presence that made your instincts scream to run.
Something happened to Bell, and the reason he survived in the original story was because he ran for his life—instinctively, without hesitation—until he was cornered, giving Aiz enough time to come and save him. But my mistake was assuming we could simply do the same. Reality doesn't work that way. Everyone reacts differently when fear strikes.
Eriri stood frozen, her lips trembling but no words coming out. Her sketchpad slipped slightly from her grasp as overwhelming fear consumed her. She couldn't even take a single step back; it was as if the air itself had turned unbearably heavy around her.
This situation was far too much for someone like her—a girl who had grown up in a safe, modern society, suddenly thrown into a life-or-death battle. As for me, I felt the same surge of panic for a moment, but thanks to my skill, I managed to suppress it and regain focus before fear could take control.
And as if sensing that difference, the Minotaur's crimson eyes shifted—not toward me, nor toward Bell—but locked onto Eriri. Its massive frame loomed forward, and its lips twisted into a grotesque grin. The sound of its heavy, animalistic breathing echoed through the corridor. Even without human words, there was intelligence behind those eyes.
And then, the Minotaur moved—much faster than I had ever imagined a creature of its size could. Its massive arm swung down with terrifying speed, the air whistling as it cut through. The sheer force of the motion alone was enough to make my instincts scream in warning.
"Eriri!" I shouted, my body reacting before I could think. I dashed forward, gripping my sword tightly, and swung upward with all my strength, aiming to intercept the Minotaur's arm.
The impact was like hitting a steel wall. My sword didn't even leave a scratch on its skin—but it was enough. The force of my strike diverted the Minotaur's blow just enough that its massive hand slammed into the ground beside Eriri instead of crushing her outright.
The shockwave from the impact sent dust and debris flying everywhere, and Eriri stumbled back, trembling. My hands ached from the recoil, but I couldn't stop now. The Minotaur's crimson eyes remained fixed on its chosen prey—Eriri—and once again, it lunged forward, raising its arm to strike her down.
"Ugh…" I grunted, bracing myself as the Minotaur's massive arm came crashing down again. I barely managed to block the blow, the impact shaking through my entire body like thunder.
My grip tightened around the sword's hilt. I had to be grateful—this body's instincts and reflexes were incredible. Even if I didn't have years of combat experience, my movements felt natural, almost automatic.
For a brief second, I managed to hold my ground against this monstrous being, buying us a sliver of time. I turned my head slightly, shouting, "Bell! Grab Eriri and run! She's the one it's after!"
Bell froze for a heartbeat, but seeing Eriri still trembling in fear snapped him back to reality. He nodded quickly and rushed toward her, just as I raised my sword again to face the charging Minotaur.
I stood firmly in front of the Minotaur, tightening my grip on the sword. Its massive shadow loomed over me, each breath it took sounding like a growl from a beast ready to kill.
I could hear hurried footsteps behind me—Bell and Eriri were running. Good. That was all I needed to know.
The Minotaur's focus shifted fully onto me now, its crimson eyes burning with rage and hunger. I exhaled slowly, steadying my stance. If it wanted a fight, then I'd make sure it only saw me.
I knew my stats were far too puny to deal any real damage to the Minotaur. Still, I refused to back down. Every time it swung its massive arms, I barely managed to avoid them—each blow powerful enough to crack the dungeon floor.
I parried when I could, though the impact sent painful shocks up my arms. One clean hit from this monster, and I was certain I'd be half-dead on the spot.
Even so, I couldn't deny it—the movement from this Astolfo-copy body was incredible. My reflexes, balance, and agility were sharper than ever. It was the only reason I could keep up at all.
All I needed to do was hold on. Just a little longer. I had to trust that Aiz would appear soon—before my luck, or my stamina, ran out.
[author]
Each chapter is about 1,000-1,200 words, and I'll post whenever I reach that mark. Sundays are my day off, so no updates then.
[/author]