Chapter 22: Blood and Grit
The ground trembled.
The special Minotaur's roar echoed like a war drum, shaking the dungeon walls and Ethan's very bones. This wasn't the average monster he'd studied in the anime. This was different—larger, its muscles bulging, its eyes blazing with unnatural rage.
A mutated, elite-type Minotaur.
Ethan's dagger felt small in his grip as he stared down the beast. The air grew heavier. The pressure...it was overwhelming.
[System Warning: Monster class exceeds Level 2. Estimated power—Level 3 threshold.]
[Caution advised: opponent surpasses your current stats.]
"Great," Ethan muttered under his breath. "Just my luck."
Behind him, Lili crouched near a broken pillar, eyes wide with terror, hands clutched around her bag. She didn't speak—too stunned to form words.
The Minotaur lowered its head—and charged.
BOOM!
Ethan sidestepped just in time, feeling the gust of wind from the beast's horn as it tore through the stone wall behind him like paper. The impact sent chunks flying, and he barely managed to raise his arm to shield his face.