The minotaur rushed at the group, brandishing two axes. Nightingale, Prezzo, and Malady jumped out of the way while Shin and Fuyumi ran forward to meet the minotaur's charge. Scottie turned around in a panic and instinctively followed Prezzo, jumping out of the way. Geoff got up from the ground and ran forward with Shin and Fuyumi.
Sparks flew as the minotaur's axes met Shin and Fuyumi's blades. While the front two arms were occupied, Geoff ran forward between them and swung his hammer upward in an uppercut. The minotaur's head recoiled backward from the impact. However, at the same time, it used its back arms to support the axe-wielding arms to push Shin and Fuyumi away. The arms moved back in an attempt to grab Geoff, but gusts of wind from the sides blasted the arms away.
"Get out of there!" The short artificer called out.
Geoff stepped backward while Fuyumi rushed back in. As she was running, she snapped her finger, creating a clone that ran in front of her. Her clone ran around to the back side of the minotaur, distracting two of its arms. The beast thrusted an arm forward, narrowly missing Fuyumi. While dodging, she ran her left hand down the length of the minotaur's forearm, covering it in ice.
"Now!"
Shin jumped up before swinging his sword downward with [Twilight], shattering the ice and covering the minotaur's arm in purple flashes of light.
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[(BOSS) Minotaur General Guthrix]
Level: 48 | HP: 43,764
[Status Ailments]
Blighted
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Shin landed on the ground and turned around, expecting to see the boss recoil in pain, but saw an axe coming right at him instead. He barely raised his sword in time to block the attack. However, the force from the swing sent Shin tumbling backward.
"Shin!"
Fuyumi and her clone turned their heads in response to hearing her partner knocked aside. She turned her head back to the minotaur when she heard the crackling of flames. A flaming axe narrowly missed the assassin's head as she dodged backward, disappearing into smoke.
"[Furious Winds]!"
Echoes of two voices called out in unison as the pages in their codexes fluttered. Two green magic circles formed beneath the giant minotaur. Green currents of wind swirled around the perimeter of the circle until they grew in size to form a tornado.
The tornado grew in size, completely covering the beast in wind energy. The boss roared in frustration, attempting to break free from the wind prison of a tornado. Its head peeked out of the winds, furiously looking around for the casters locking him in place. As its eyes met with Nightingale, its head was knocked back into the winds by a massive magical arrow from Malady. At the same time, Shin threw his sword into the tornado, thrashing it about with [Spatial Mastery]. The creature's blood mixed with the debris of the tornado, turning it into a bloody storm. Fuyumi's clone paced around the perimeter of the magic circle, preparing to strike.
The tornado's color turned red.
"Think that did the trick?" Scottie asked as he ran up to Geoff.
"Doubt it."
The red winds became accented with flames.
Nightingale lowered his hand in confusion.
"There shouldn't be flames in this spell…" He thought.
He looked to his left to find Prezzo with the same puzzled look on his face.
"Watch out!"
Prezzo vocalized his thoughts, warning his allies. The winds suddenly dissipated as searing-hot chains from the center of the magic circle whipped out. Fuyumi's clone was hit directly by the chain, turning into smoke. The wind from the immense force of the spinning chains scattered the smoke.
Upon seeing Fuyumi's doppelganger destroyed, everyone in the frontline ducked as the chain barely flew over their heads before it retracted. The dust and flames settled, revealing the battered minotaur. The area around it became hazy as waves of heat emanated from its surroundings like pavement on a hot summer day. Scars from the winds and sword cuts as well as purpled blighted spots covered the minotaur.
---------
[(BOSS) Minotaur General Guthrix]
Level: 48 | HP: 35,764
[Status Ailments]
Blighted
---------
"That's all we could manage?"
The green-haired artificer muttered as he glanced at the boss' health bar.
Chains wrapped around the wrists of the minotaur's back arms, unaffected by its own flames. It stretched its arms out toward its massive swords planted into the ground. The chains whipped out from its arms, attaching to the hilts of the swords. In one quick motion, the swords were lifted from the ground and pulled toward the minotaur, sending chunks of stone flying at the adventurers. The swords landed a short distance away from the boss. Fire erupted from the minotaur's chain, traveling up the links until it engulfed the sword in flames.
Fuyumi clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"How are we supposed to deal with this?"
The frontline walked around the boss, surrounding it. They observed its actions as the minotaur taunted the adventurers by flaring its nostrils.
The beast grew tired of its adversaries and lifted its back arms, swung them downward, and cracked its chains like a whip before charging at its biggest opponent. Geoff held his shield in front of him, sparks flying as the boss' axe clashed with him. The sword at the end of the chain snapped upward. Behind Geoff, a massive figure with a greatsword leapt off his back, deflecting the incoming sword out of the way. Scottie had to throw the weight of his body into the swing to have enough force to parry a sword the same size as him.
"[Reckless Swing]!"
Using the momentum from the swing, he twisted his body once more to create an enormous gash along the minotaur's nostrils. Scottie fell to the ground as he lost his balance.
---------
[(BOSS) Minotaur General Guthrix]
Level: 48 | HP: 33,329
[Status Ailments]
Blighted
---------
The beast's head was knocked backward from the force. Its back arms swept back before snapping forward like a fisherman casting a line. The chains skidded along the floor on opposite ends before lifting off the ground on a collision course with Geoff and Scottie.
"[Holy Shield]!"
A bubble-like dome of holy energy surrounded them as the chains and swords slammed into the shield, cracking the barrier.
Using its front arms, the boss swung its two axes down at the cracked barrier. The swing slowed down as the axeheads punctured the barrier. Geoff ran to Scottie. He raised his shield up to meet the axes.
"I owe you one!"
"Don't worry about it!"
On the floor, Scottie stared past his friend and his eyes met the minotaur's. He shuddered at the ferocity and rage in the beast's eyes. A figure with two blades came into his view. Shin, with Fuyumi's dagger in his left hand and his sword in his right, planted both blades into the minotaur's neck.
"[Elemental Flare]!"
---------
[Elemental Flare] - After imbuing your equipped weapon with [Elemental Mastery], release its energy all at once in an elemental explosion.
---------
A burst of ice and electricity erupted from the minotaur, shocking the beast and covering it in a cloudy mist of ice. It lost strength in its axe strike as it jerked its head back in agony. Shin jumped backward, ripping the blades out of the minotaur with [Spatial Mastery]. He threw Fuyumi's blade back to his right. Fuyumi emerged in a puff of black smoke, catching it mid-air as she lunged at the boss. She sank her dagger in its nape. Her dagger pierced and froze the armor. Fuyumi yanked her blade down, creating a deep gash down the entire length of the boss' back. Blood splurted from the cut flesh but instantly froze. She jumped backward the moment her feet touched the ground.
---------
[(BOSS) Minotaur General Guthrix]
Level: 48 | HP: 22,195
[Status Ailments]
Blighted, Brittle, Paralyzed
---------
"Thanks guys!"
Geoff thanked his party members with a relieved tone.
The minotaur attempted to turn around, but its movements were jittery as the effects of paralysis set in. It looked up to find a rain of arrows flying straight at it. The beast raised all four of its arms to protect its face.
Seeing an opportunity, Shin rushed forward to land a blow on the exposed back. As his sword was about to make contact, a barrier of flames blanketed the minotaur's flesh. Shin's swing was rendered useless as his sword bounced off the flames. The boss' back arms swung backward, its chain covered fist punched into Shin's right side. His body was sent flying and tumbling along the floor.
"Shin!" Fuyumi called out as she shifted her attention to Shin.
The rain of arrows ended, but Nightingale and Prezzo began slinging gusts of wind at the minotaur. Malady followed up with charged arrow shots. The massive creature dispelled the attacks, cutting through them with its axes. At the same time, its back arms began to flail flaming chains around wildly. Fuyumi and Scottie stood behind Geoff's shield. Flames began to shoot out from the gaps in the minotaur's armor.
Shin coughed up blood as he struggled to stand up. He stared down at his hands, his vision blurred.
"Fuck…" He cursed at his carelessness.
---------
[Shin]
Level: 38 | HP: 459
---------
He clenched his fist - looking up at his allies who were pinned in dangerous situations. He stood up, supporting himself with his sword. He slowly walked toward the fight with his left arm clutching his side.
"Shin! Stay back!" Fuyumi yelled.
Shin hesitated, stopping in his tracks. However, a prompt suddenly blocked his vision.
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[AUTOMATIC SKILL ACTIVATION: DEATH'S AMBITION]
[Death's Ambition] - When your health is under 10%, gain 35% attack and magic attack. Furthermore, the effectiveness of your skills are increased significantly.
---------
Shin continued forward. His walk turned into a jog, and eventually into a full-blown sprint as he rushed toward the boss. His eyes glowed, leaving a red trail as his speed increased the closer he got to the minotaur.
Shin stretched his arm out.
"[Collapse]."
A massive black hole opened up between his allies and the minotaur. The swords at the end of the chains were sucked into the center, immediately stopping them. The boss turned its attention to the red-haired Savant running straight at it, slamming its axe into the floor. Cracks formed rushing toward Shin. Pillars of fire erupted from the fissure. Shin quickly dodged the flames, narrowly sidestepping them. He casted [Elemental Mastery] and [Twilight] on his blighted blade, enveloping it in black flames before throwing it at the minotaur's torso.
"[Accelerate]."
The sword's speed increased rapidly as it flew through the air. The minotaur attempted to block the sword with its axes but it was too late. The sword lodged itself deep into the beast's chest. The boss cried out in anguish. Shin immediately caught up to his sword with [Swift Strike] and casted [Enhance] on his sword arm.
Shin screamed at the top of his lungs as he used all of his strength to twist the blade as he pulled the sword up and toward him in an arc. The sword traveled up through the boss and out of its body.
"[Elemental Flare]!"
A series of purple flashes emerged from the gash followed by an explosion of black flames. The minotaur could not be seen as the explosion completely covered the boss.
His party members watched in awe as the minotaur emerged from the flames, falling on its back.
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[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE DEFEATED THE GUARDIAN OF THE TENTH FLOOR]
You may exit Urumel and continue your adventure another time if you please.
---------
Its flesh was blighted, covered in spots, and seared by the flames. Its armor and weapons crumbled and melted. There was a massive slash across its torso. The boss was completely unrecognizable from the ferocious minotaur that once stood a few seconds ago.
On the other side of the flames, Shin collapsed. His party members rushed to his side. Nightingale shook Shin's body as he saw him begin to close his eyes.
"Hang in there, Shin!"
"Shin!"
Fuyumi grabbed his hand as she looked around at her allies in a panic.
"Does anyone have anything to help him?!"
The voices surrounding him began to fade as he lost consciousness.
She felt the weight in her hand disappear. Fuyumi looked down at her hands to find one last twinkle.