Chapter 23 - 23: Blood and Resolve
[+20ps]
The Minotaur's roar split the dungeon air like thunder.
Ethan's legs buckled, but he didn't fall.
Not yet.
Every nerve in his body screamed. His right arm hung uselessly at his side. Blood dripped from his mouth, staining the dungeon floor red. His vision blurred, but he could still see the monster in front of him—still standing. Still alive.
"Damn it..." he muttered. "Why won't you... just fall already?"[Warning: Critical Condition]
[HP: 7%]
[All major systems strained. Any further strain risks collapse.]He staggered back. Lili watched with her heart pounding in her chest, crouched behind a pillar. She wanted to scream for him to run. To survive.
But Ethan didn't move.
The Minotaur did.
With a thunderous stomp, it lunged forward. Its massive fists pounded the earth as it charged, ignoring its injuries—driven by berserk rage.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
Time seemed to slow.
I've pushed everything. Every skill. Every ounce of strength. This... is the endgame.[Hidden Skill Unlocked: Limit Break – Rank E]
[Effect: Break past current physical limits temporarily. Risk of permanent injury or death. Proceed?]"...Do it," Ethan whispered.[Activating Limit Break...]A dark blue light enveloped his body for a moment. Veins bulged, muscles tightened unnaturally. His senses sharpened to a painful degree. Pain became distant, his body consumed by raw power.
He moved.
Faster than before.
The Minotaur's massive arm swung downward like a meteor.
Ethan weaved between its legs, twisted, and jumped. The force of his leap cracked the stone beneath him. He landed on its back, dagger in hand.
"Fall...!"
He plunged the blade into the creature's neck.
Once.
Twice.
A third time.
It roared, thrashing violently, trying to shake him off. But Ethan clung tightly, his legs locking around the beast's shoulders.
He pulled out the dagger, glowing faintly from the overload of mana channeled into it—and aimed for the vital point at the base of the skull.
He drove it in with everything he had.
CRACK!
The Minotaur roared in agony. Its eyes rolled back.
Then, silence.
The beast staggered forward... one step... two...
And collapsed.
Dead.
Ethan fell with it, landing hard on the dungeon floor.
He lay there, unmoving, chest heaving. Blood soaked his clothes. His vision flickered.[Enemy defeated: Special Variant – Minotaur Class]
[Exp gained: Massive]
[Skill Potential Evolved: Combat Instinct – Rank D]
[Warning: Vital signs unstable. Entering recovery mode.]Lili rushed over, kneeling beside him.
"Hey! Are you okay?! Say something!"
He coughed. "Alive... barely."
"You idiot..." she whispered. "You almost died."
He gave her a tired smirk. "But I didn't."
Then his consciousness faded.
Back at the surface – Later
Ethan opened his eyes to find himself in a soft bed, bandaged head to toe. The ceiling was familiar.
Hestia's church.
The moment she saw him awake, Hestia rushed over, tears in her eyes.
"You dummy! You scared me half to death!" she cried, hugging him tightly. Her warmth wrapped around him, and for the first time since the fight, he felt at peace.
"...Sorry," he muttered weakly.
"You almost died in there!"
"I won..."
"That's not the point!!"
He chuckled, wincing from the pain. "Thanks... for patching me up."
Hestia's expression softened. "Always."[System Notice: Ethan has defeated a boss-tier monster.]
[Level-Up Available: Pending user confirmation.]Ethan looked at the glowing prompt.
But he closed it.
Not yet, he thought. I'm still not at my limit.
And with that, he drifted back into sleep—his resolve stronger than ever.
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