Ried's mind lept into his throat, his mind not responding, causing every fiber of to freeze in place. Normally,this should be about the time where his instinct and rationality urged and begged him to flee,as is his nature, but even these triggers failed him today. It was as if his body had already registered that he couldn't escape even if he wanted it.
"Sigh ! Just how stupid are you boy ? Challenging me with such, such week cultivation !"
It said flatly, approaching Reid in a nonchalant way. The creature towered over him, easily twice his height, its massive hooves leaving glowing imprints on the heated stones as it closed the distance between them.
'Challenge him? Me? '
Reid's mind finally responded, trying to make sense of the minotaur's words. He was confused, but all the confusion in the world couldn't mask what needed to be done in this situation, running away as soon as possible. His mind was already made , but ....
Ding!
[Tier two soul beast detected !]
Ding!
[ Mutated mana core detected! ]
Ding !
[ Mutated soul core detected! ]
Ding !
[ SPECIAL MISSION UNLOCKED ]
Ding!
[ Special mission ]
[Kill a tier two (2) soul beast ]
[Reward : 100 experience points ]
[Accept :Y/ N]
Ding !
[ A Special needs to be accepted before the soul beast is killed ]
---
Seeing this, Reid's brows furrowed, and when he tilted his head to look at the Minotaur walking leisurely towards him, he reaffirmed his resolve.There was no way he was accepting this mission, even though the experience points were tempting.
" Hey you ? Boy ??"
It suddenly called out, but Reid was too occupied trying to find the shortest route out of the clearing.
Seeing that he was being ignored by this weekling , the Minotaur snapped. It had never been this humiliated in its life.
Even when it was defeated in battle and forced to become a dungeon's gate guardian by an administrator, it had never felt this kind of shame.
How could it face it's ancestors in the afterlife after this?
" That boy needs to die ! I need to squash him in order to cleanse this shame ! "
Minotaurs were a proud race, born and bred to fight ever since they were able to clench a fist. To them, the greatest humiliation was loosing their freedom. But being ignored by their opponent in battle was even a higher humiliation a Minotaur could face. It was simply unacceptable, let alone being ignored by a supposedly week cultivator who didn't even know the depth of cultivation. A weekling who dared to challenge him and dismiss him at the same time like it was nothing .
This infuriated the Minotaur, to the point where old wounds resurfaced. Wounds healed by the river of time. Wounds of his defeat, where he accepted being a slave instead of bravely choosing death like his kin.
Recalling this, the Minotaur took off his twin blades, laying them to the ground,and clenched his fist, his green spirituality enveloping them like a boxing gloves.
"You don't deserve my blades, they'll just give you a quick death, and I, Ha ! Ha ! Ha !"
It paused before adding with a cruel, disgusting smile, sending shivers down Reid's spine
" I , I like playing with my food !! "
But before it could even lick it's lips, trying to scare Reid....
Zoooom !!
Reid ran with an electrifying speed, zooming away like a rocket slicing through the night sky. Leaving only a fleeting blur in his wake.
The Minotaur was taken aback.
" Is a spirit cultivator supposed to move that fast ! A week spirit Cultivator at that ? "
Yes, it had already sensed that Reid was a spirit cultivator, one that shouldn't be that fast at his level.
Then it also moved, it's pride taking another hit . He lunged forward, like a wolf pouncing on it's prey, blitzing towards Reid while leaving a trail of molten rocks under his feet.
BOOM !!
The ground shattered, looking so fragile in the hands of the Minotaur's raw strength. The impact alone was enough to send Reid flying back towards the clearing center.
Yes, the Minataur had reached Reid, but instead of striking him from behind, it lept over him and descended with it's fist onto the clearing tunnel,blocking one path of escape.
Then, without sparing Reid a glance,it sprinted to the rest of the tunnels and slammed them down, each blow like a wrecking ball demolishing a wall.
Horrified, Reid finally saw the difference between the soul beast before him and the spirit beasts he had slaughtered before.
" Interlect ? " Reid muttered with his voice trembling.
" The damn thing is smart ? Ooh this is just great. Just great !"
Then he laughed bitterly " Leave it to my luck to always make my life better !! "
Seeing Reid's sarcastic laughter, the Minotaur turned towards him, it's fist roughly glowing green with spiritual energy, creating a sight straight out of an anime.
The Minotaur stood tall, it's skin oily black, it's horns and hooves burning with a red flame while his hands burned green. As it moved, it's spiritual energy flactuated as green and red auras mingled, forming a veil of energy around the Minataur's body.
" You can run all you want bratt ! ,but you cannot escape , I have you right where I wanted you !! "
"I will make you regret challenging me !! "
Hearing it's taunt, Reid clenched his fist unconsciously, sweat trickling down his brow as he stared into the soul beast's taunting eyes.
His mind, which had been a chaotic mess when the Minataur first appeared was now as serene as a still lake at dawn.
Thinking of ways to survive, thinking about ways to escape the surfocating beast closing in .
BANG !!
Another fist almost tore his head off, leaving a huge creator as Reid darted to the side, adrenaling surging and putting him in a state of full focus. From the moment the soul beast shot forward, lept up into the air and shot down with it's burning fist. He saw it all.
" It's speed ! "
" It's momentum reduces when jumping, allowing me to dogde.
Wait .. wait .. wait .. it also only moves in a straight line.. could it be ? Can it only move at it's fastest when in a straight tragectory ? "
Reid decided to test this, waking up and taunting the soul beast.
"Are you sure you don't need those ? "
He pointed at the twin blades on the ground, instantly backing behind to draw some distant from the soul beast that was now fuming.
Crack !! Crack !!
The ground beneath the Flaming hooves of the Minataur cracked,it's body taking on a thrusting stance, ready to charge and ram into Reid's body.
It had finally had enough, deciding to end things and return to its post.
Thrumm !!!
It charged forward , so fast that he left the red and green spiritual energy around him vibrating on the cracked ground.
...
Reid saw the Minataur charging to him, it was approximately one metre away, but Reid's perception could see it clearly.
And so Reid side-stepped, waiting for the Minotaur's pummeled fist to hit the void where Reid initially was.
Or so Reid hoped .
He had miscalculated , it was a feint !!
It had seen through Reid's movements at the last moment.
Crackk !!!
It's fist landed with the force of a breaking dam, sending shockwaves throughout Reid's body as every bone in his chest broke.