His mind told him, if he entered, he could find something related to the dungeon, like how the dungeon works.
'Forget it, I have no time now, and Olivia's condition is also uncertain.'
Emily was in a daze as nothing changed after the light disappeared; the monster she expected didn't come out.
Seeing her face made Alex chuckle, "Don't worry, I caught the monster. Let's go finish the dungeon."
"You already caught it?" Quartz asked in disbelief while Zold had already turned around, making his way out.
Alex then explained to them the monster he just captured.
It has a similar type of ability to Emily, capable of controlling and creating light. But the ability is less destructive, and the monster has more control over it.
Alex also thought it was possible the crystal had a special property that reacts to light. Or it's just how the monster uses its ability.
But he needs to spend time to make sure of this, and also to gain its loyalty before giving it to Emily.
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Needs further analysis
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They proceeded moving toward the final location in the labyrinth. It's an open area with a large inactive portal in the middle of it.
As they got close, the ground vibrated, and energy spread out, creating a shield that blocked them from exiting the area, practically creating the boss stage.
The portal then started activating; from inside, a creature came out.
The boss is a huge humanoid beast with a brown hide. It has a bull head with horns and holds a giant axe.
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Brutal Force & Axe Mastery
The Minotaur possesses extraordinary physical strength, allowing it to deliver bone-crushing blows with its giant two-handed axe.
This enhanced strength is complemented by its mastery over the axe, enabling precise and devastating attacks that can cleave through armor and bone alike.
The Minotaur's training and innate skill with its weapon make it a terrifying opponent in close combat.
"Groaaarrr," the Minotaur roared.
It leaped into the air, raising its axe high above its head.
Quartz moved forward, raising her shield upward.
The ground cracked under the weight, but it was not something Quartz could not block. Unfortunately, her shield could not last long; she could feel it starting to crack under its weight.
Emily started shooting, targeting the boss, but it barely left a bruise on his skin.
Electricity surged from Zold; he took out his dagger and started slashing.
Green blood spurted in the air as Zold slashed many times over at the same spot. Seizing the opportunity, Quartz's qi churned; she pushed forward, knocking the boss a few steps away.
Zold then appeared at the monster's side. He stabbed the dagger deep inside the wound he made, then zapped the boss, paralyzing and burning it from inside.
Through this, Alex crossed his arms; it's not that the boss was weak; it's that the group had become stronger, and they had already studied the boss's attack pattern before coming here.
Thankfully, the boss they got is a common one, not like what Alex faced in the goblin dungeon.
As they fought their way through the labyrinth, their control over qi became even more subtle, allowing them to concentrate the qi in their attacks, raising their damage considerably.
For example, Zold focused 70% of his qi on his dagger when slashing the Minotaur; after the wound opened and he stabbed, he focused it on his mana to enhance his abilities.
The Minotaur roared in pain, but it still could move its body. At this moment, Quartz followed up on the attack; she raised her longsword, trying to pierce the heart.
But just inches away from its heart, a huge energy shot out from the portal, imbuing the Minotaur and, at the same time, knocking the group back.
The Minotaur's veins protruded from his skin as it roared. Like a living snake, the vein moved, it pierced through his skin and started creating a cocoon surrounding the Minotaur.
Seeing this, Quartz clicked her tongue in annoyance; she wanted to finish the monster before it entered a new phase.
The cocoon looked grotesque as it kept throbbing like a heart.
Emily shot a barrage of bullets infused with qi, trying to tear the cocoon open. But it didn't give any results. The moment it got close, the bullet disappeared like it was teleported away.
It didn't take long for the cocoon to disperse. From inside, a large creature appeared.
The Minotaur's height grew, reaching three times the average human adult height; it stood on two legs, but the structure under the knee changed, it became angled and more muscular.
At a glance, everyone could tell the leg was specialized for jumping.
His fists also grew larger, almost the size of its head, with huge blood coming out from the backhand and knuckle.
It makes the Minotaur look like a hybrid with a kangaroo.
It's like the axe was fused into his hand.
The new beast moved in a blur toward Zold. Seeing this, Quartz threw her shield like a boomerang, blocking the path as Zold used his lightning to enhance his speed.
Electricity surged through the air as Zold appeared behind the mutated Minotaur. His hand held the dagger behind his head; with a streak of lightning, the dagger moved forward, targeting the creature's neck.
His dagger failed to even make a scratch on its new skin. The boss turned its head, its red eyes gleaming menacingly, locking onto Zold.
Swoosh, his fist shot forward like a cannon, piercing through the air.
But the moment it reached Zold, he had already disappeared, leaving only an afterimage.
Seeing this, Emily didn't waste time; her body turned into a fleck of light, as part of it condensed in her hand into something sharp, looking like a rapier.
With the speed of light, no one could follow what happened except for Alex. But even he only caught a blur of it.
'What an overpowered power,' Alex thought to himself.