Do I wait for Aiz to come and save me… or should I turn around and run?
That question echoed endlessly in my head as I faced the towering monster before me. I wasn't fighting to win—no, not even close. This was pure survival. The air trembled with every roar it released when I succeeded in evading its attack.
I had already told Bell and Eriri to run, and by now, they should be far enough away. That was the only thing that kept me going. If I could just hold this beast off until Aiz arrived like in the original story, everything would be fine.
But even as that thought crossed my mind, another part of me whispered—What if she doesn't come?
The thought sent a chill down my spine. My legs felt heavy, my breathing ragged. Every second felt stretched into eternity. Yeah… it felt like I'd been fighting for a long time, but in truth, it had only been a few minutes.
"Damn it…" I muttered between breaths, sweat dripping down my face. "Just a bit longer… hold out a little more…"
The problem was—I couldn't just run away. Whether it was exhaustion or pride, I didn't know. My legs refused to move, and my body felt heavier with every passing second. The Minotaur was strong—far stronger than I had imagined. Each of its movements carried terrifying force, every swing sharper and more deliberate than before.
As the fight dragged on, its attacks seemed to grow even faster and heavier. I couldn't tell whether the Minotaur was getting stronger or if I was simply getting slower. My focus wavered, and my muscles screamed in pain. Even with the enhanced reflexes of this new body, I could feel my control slipping away, little by little.
I relied purely on instinct and desperation now. Where I once could dodge cleanly, my movements had become sluggish and delayed. My blade met its claws with a deafening clash, sparks bursting in all directions. The force of the impact rattled my arms so hard that I almost lost my grip on the sword.
Gritting my teeth, I twisted my body and pushed off the ground, using the recoil to propel myself backward. My boots scraped against the dungeon floor as I leapt away—air rushing past my ears—until I landed roughly a couple of meters away from the Minotaur.
I barely caught my breath. I could see there was some space between me and the minotaur.
ChatGPT said:
"This…!" I hissed through clenched teeth, realizing that this might finally be the time to back off. I had held out long enough, and if I stayed any longer, I'd be crushed for sure. My instincts screamed at me to move, to run. Honestly, it felt terrifying to turn my back on a monster like this, but with this body—my reflexes, my strength—I thought I could manage.
Without wasting a second, I spun around and dashed through the dimly lit corridor, my footsteps echoing across the dungeon floor. My heart pounded in rhythm with every step I took. I thought I was doing well… until I felt it again—the Minotaur's killing intent pressing against my back like a suffocating wave.
Out of reflex, I risked a glance over my shoulder—and what I saw nearly made my heart stop. The Minotaur wasn't chasing me normally. No, it had leapt, its massive body cutting through the air with terrifying speed and force. For a split second, it looked like something out of a superhero movie—like the Hulk mid-jump, about to slam into the ground with catastrophic strength.
Then it hit.
The Minotaur crashed down with an impact so violent that the entire dungeon trembled. The ground beneath me erupted, throwing shards of stone and debris everywhere. The shockwave nearly knocked me off balance, and several jagged rocks sliced against my arms and legs, stinging sharply. My footing became unstable—every step now felt like running across shifting rubble.
"Tch… an AOE attack?" I muttered bitterly, wincing as I tried to steady myself. "Seriously… and here I thought I was safe. Why does this monster feel way stronger than it did in the anime?!"
But the worst part? It wasn't over.
Before I could even recover, a terrifying pressure enveloped me again. I couldn't see it clearly through the dust and debris, but my instincts screamed louder than ever. Death was right there—looming over me.
Acting purely on instinct, I raised my sword and my arm in a guard stance, bracing myself.
A split second later, the Minotaur's massive arm swung down like a wrecking ball—striking me head-on with overwhelming force.
Different from before—this time, the Minotaur's attack struck me with terrifying force. Even though I managed to shield myself with both my sword and arms, the impact was so immense that my body, barely 164 centimeters tall, was sent flying through the air. It felt almost comical—like fate itself was laughing at me—before I slammed hard into the dungeon wall. The crash echoed, and a sharp, searing pain spread through my entire body. The damage wasn't just bad—it was brutal.
"Guaa…" I groaned, half-choking on my breath. This… this was the most intense pain I'd ever felt. My ribs screamed, my vision blurred, and for a moment, I thought I'd black out right there. Maybe the only reason I was still conscious was because of the passive effects of my skills. If this were my old, ordinary body from Earth, I would've fainted instantly.
But somehow, even through the pain, I clenched my teeth and forced myself to move. My fingers trembled as they gripped my sword, and with what strength I had left, I pushed myself up. My legs wobbled, my lungs burned, but I refused to stay down.
"Heh… Fine…" I muttered under my breath, forcing a weak grin as I could feel the Minotaur's presence looming closer. "You want me to fight to the death? Then I'll give you one."
I focused on its movement—especially its massive arms. That's where the real danger came from. As it lunged, I took a gamble, twisting my body to the side and spinning low to the ground. The Minotaur's arm grazed me, but that slight contact only added momentum to my turn. Using that spin, I poured every ounce of strength and pain-fueled adrenaline into one desperate counterattack.
Its mouth—always roaring, always taunting me—that was my target. I drove my sword upward, the blade cutting through the air before stabbing deep into the monster's maw. The Minotaur howled in agony, its roar echoing so loud that it shook my bones. For a moment, I thought I'd done it—actually hurt it. But the victory was short-lived. The Minotaur yanked the blade out with a furious roar, blood dripping from its mouth, and its glowing red eyes locked onto me.
I could barely stand. My weapon was gone. My body screamed to rest. Yet somehow, I still raised my fists and took a shaky stance.
"Ahaha… bring it on," I whispered, almost laughing at the absurdity. There was no way I could win now—but running was impossible. If I was going down, I'd face it head-on.
"ROOOAARRR!!"
The Minotaur charged again—but before its massive form could reach me, everything suddenly froze. Then, in an instant, its body split apart in a clean, precise slash. The explosion of blood and energy scattered through the air as the Minotaur collapsed into pieces.
And standing there—bathed in the dim blue light of the dungeon—was a woman. Petite, calm, and impossibly beautiful. Her blade gleamed faintly as she turned to glance at me with cold, composed eyes.
"That's a good attack," she said softly—her voice both cold, composed, amazed and strangely sweet.
For a moment, I couldn't even process what I was seeing. After all that pain, all that chaos, to suddenly be saved by her—it felt unreal. It felt like the goddess herself had descended into the dungeon.
"Ahaha…" I laughed weakly, half-delirious. "No wonder Bell fell head over heels after seeing you. You really do look like a goddess right now…"
Her eyes widened slightly, just before my knees gave out. My body finally reached its limit. The last thing I saw before my vision turned black was her golden hair swaying under the dungeon's dim light—my savior, Aiz Wallenstein.
[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.
Wow, the longest chapter I write....
[/author]