"The big ones, huh?" Rui Yan said.
She rose to her feet, stretching her limbs, then smiled. "Thank the heavens I'm almost fully rested—because this is going to be fun."
"Dillard!" she called.
He appeared at her side instantly.
"Do you have enough energy to continue?" she asked.
"Yes," Dillard replied with a nod.
"Then let's get rid of these pesky cows and be done with this."
Dillard stepped behind her at once, the two standing back to back, settling into a battle stance.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The minotaurs crowding the tunnels scrambled aside, pressing themselves against the stone walls to make way.
From the darkness, massive figures emerged.
From the tunnel to Dillard's left came a towering minotaur crowned with red horns, its massive body bare of armor. In its hands burned a crimson club, flames licking along its length with every step.
From the tunnel to Dillard's right advanced another giant—this one bearing blue horns. A heavy blue hammer rested in its grip, and spiked blue armor encased its massive frame.
To Rui Yan's right, a third minotaur emerged. Its deep green horns gleamed beneath a suit of full-body spiked armor, jagged green vambraces covering its knuckles as it flexed its fists.
To her left walked the last one.
A minotaur with black horns, taller and broader than the others. It carried no weapon and wore no armor—its sheer physique alone radiated brute dominance.
"Think you can hold two?" Rui Yan asked.
"Eight minutes," Dillard replied.
"Good enough."
Rui Yan exhaled slowly and activated her class.
Ding!
[Class Activated]
A thick black notebook materialized in her left hand, sparks crackling through the air. Its cover bore the engraved head of a white dragon, bound by a pale seal etched with black musical notes.
In an instant, the notebook transformed.
It became a massive contrabass guitar, over seven feet long, its surface forged from overlapping white draconic scales that reflected the sapphire glow of the tunnel walls.
Planting her feet firmly, Rui Yan gripped the neck and swung the instrument in a wide arc.
Smash!
Nearby minotaurs were hurled into the walls, their bodies crumpling lifelessly upon impact.
Enraged, the giant minotaurs mooed, stomping their hooved feet as the ground trembled beneath them. In perfect unison, they lowered their heads, horns pointed forward.
Then they charged.
"I'm taking the green and black ones," Rui Yan said.
"But—"
"No buts."
The guitar in her hands shrank, fitting perfectly into her grasp. She turned toward the right tunnel and raised it.
[Sound Mania I Activated]
Her fingers danced across the strings.
A storm of visible sound arcs tore through the air.
Slice! Slice! Slice!
The attacks struck the black-horned minotaur—
Clang!
The sound waves shattered harmlessly against its body.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
The giant continued charging, unfazed.
"Hm? Perfect," Rui Yan murmured, increasing the intensity of her plucking.
Though the attacks caused no damage, they served their purpose. The black-horned minotaur's speed began to drop, its charge growing sluggish compared to the others.
That's it. Keep slowing down, she thought. My next move depends on this.
The green-horned minotaur surged forward, overtaking the black one. Fifteen meters away, the black-horned beast slammed its hands into the ground—
Boom!
It launched itself forward in a powerful leap.
Perfect.
The guitar dissolved into motes of light and reformed as a flute.
Rui Yan raised it to her lips, inhaled sharply, and blew.
A single piercing note ripped through the air.
A compressed, spinning sound wave burst forth, rapidly expanding into a massive rotating shield in front of her.
The airborne minotaur slammed into it horn-first—
Crack! Crash!
Its horn shattered into pieces before its head struck the sound wall.
Rui Yan took another breath and played again.
The spinning sound wave tilted sharply, redirecting its force.
The minotaur was hurled sideways—straight into the path of the charging green-horned giant.
Bang! Pierce!
The black-horned minotaur slammed into the green one, impaling itself upon its ally's horns.
---
A While Ago
"I'm taking the green and black ones," Rui Yan said.
"But—"
"No buts," she cut in abruptly.
"Hmph."
Dillard snorted quietly. Always hard-headed, he muttered under his breath.
Two absolute beasts, huh?
This is going to be tough… but whatever.
I just need to hold these giant cows for eight minutes—or more.
He activated his skills.
[Wyvern Speed Activated]
[Wyvern Strength Activated]
Power surged through his body. His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened, and the world seemed to slow.
Dillard sprinted toward the red-horned minotaur. Several meters away, he leapt upward and flipped midair, his legs snapping toward the ceiling before kicking off the stone—
—and rocketing downward.
His right fist cocked back.
Crack!
The punch smashed into the red-horned minotaur's spine. The giant slammed face-first into the ground, stone fracturing beneath its weight.
Dillard landed atop its back, feet planted firmly. Without hesitation, he pushed off, charging straight toward the blue-horned minotaur emerging from the opposite tunnel.
Approaching from the side, he clenched his fist.
[Wyvern Defense Activated]
His scales thickened, overlapping into a dense, hardened layer.
He drove his fist into the side of the minotaur's head.
Bang!
The blue-horned minotaur's head snapped sideways—but it continued staggering forward, its momentum carrying it down the tunnel.
Huh? Toward the miss?
"Not happening," Dillard growled.
He clenched both fists and charged, leaping high. Raising his arms overhead, teeth gritted, he brought them down with everything he had.
Bang!
The blow crushed into the minotaur's skull, slamming its head into the ground. The massive body skidded forward before finally coming to a halt.
Deactivating his skills, Dillard landed heavily, panting.
"T-These… huff… skills… hah… are way too draining…"
Something flickered at the edge of his vision.
Minotaur?
Not happening.
He reacted instantly.
[Wyvern Defense Activated]
[Wyvern Speed Activated]
A burning club swept in from the side.
Bang!
The blow smashed into him, sending him flying into the tunnel wall.
"Mooowww!"
The red-horned minotaur roared, its bellow almost mocking.
"I knew these giant cows were strong," Dillard growled as he forced himself upright, "but this? This is beyond just strong."
He clenched his fists.
"But my duty is to hold them down for a few minutes… and that's exactly what I'll do."
Planting his hands and feet against the wall, he pushed off, launching himself straight at the beast.
[Wyvern Strength Activated]
He threw a punch—
—but the minotaur swung its club, intercepting the blow.
Bang!
The impact blasted Dillard backward. He flipped midair, landing in a sliding skid before grinding to a stop.
"Ghh—!"
Without hesitation, he charged again.
The red-horned minotaur swung its club in a wide arc, launching a massive fireball down the tunnel.
Dillard dropped low, sliding across the stone and narrowly dodging the blazing projectile.
Planting his left hand on the ground, he sprang back up and drove a punch straight into the minotaur's stomach.
Boom!
The blow caved in its abdomen, the massive body bending into a crescent shape.
In one fluid motion, Dillard grabbed the minotaur's head and yanked it downward.
His knee shot up.
Crack!
The strike smashed into its face.
Gritting his teeth, muscles bulging, Dillard spun and hurled the giant away.
Slam!
The minotaur was flung into the air before crashing violently into the ground.
"Dillard jumped after it, raised his fist, and brought it down—"
—but the blow never landed.
A massive ice ball slammed into him from the side.
Bang!
Dillard crashed hard into the wall.
"Argh!" he roared. "What's with these elemental attacks?!"
He pushed himself up, eyes blazing.
"You want to see crazy?" he snarled. "Fine—then I'll show you—"
"Berserk Mode Activa—"
"Save your strength."
A calm, feminine voice cut him off.