Minotaur Ambush (1)

As I drew nearer to the scene, the thunderous roars of the minotaur reverberated with ferocity. Its onslaught, fueled by primal rage, painted a stark contrast to the solidarity of the demigods. In the face of imminent danger, they were bound together by a common purpose to protect the camp they could all call home.

However, I didn't feel any of that. I was still a stranger to this world, let alone this camp. I remained an outsider, a being in a world to which I did not belong. This feeling of detachment was not unfamiliar to me though, even in my previous life, I had always felt like an outsider. But that was who I was in the end.

I took cover behind a nearby stone to shield myself from the shrapnel that shot in every direction as the minotaur smashed the ground uncontrollably. Amidst the chaos, my gaze was drawn to a pair of figures, a boy and a girl, in a desperate struggle against the minotaur's relentless onslaught.

'They are here...'

The boy was the main character of "Rise of The Son of Zeus", Adriel Quill.

He had bright white hair that seemed to shimmer and eyes as blue as the vast expanse of the sky. His lean physique, standing tall at around 181 cm, spoke of strength, his defined muscles evident even through the tattered remnants of his shirt. His chiseled facial features were accompanied by his cloud-white skin.

'Having the genetics of Zeus himself must be crazy...'

The demigods' appearances bore the mark of their divine lineage, each possessing a beauty that set them apart from mere mortals. Yet, those descended from the Big Three bore a more distinctive look even among demigods.

Unlike the boy, who didn't show any sign of fear in his eyes, the terrified girl who was next to him and clinging to him was Amelia Elway, the female lead.

She had a petite yet fit figure, standing at a height of around 167 cm. Her cascading strands of grey hair framed her delicate features. Contrasted sharply against her obsidian-black eyes, her snow-white skin, like porcelain in its perfection, lent an air of purity and innocence to her image, a fragile beauty that should be protected at all costs.

She was the daughter of Athena, mostly known as the goddess of wisdom. Although the blood of the Big Three didn't flow through her veins, her beauty was on par with Eleanor.

As my gaze shifted from the two demigods to the minotaur, I noted a perceptible shift in the creature's movements. Its once fierce attacks had grown sluggish and uncoordinated. It wasn't able to deal with tens of demigods all at once. With each passing moment, the minotaur's strength waned, its form marred by a multitude of wounds. 

The demigods pressed their advantage against the ailing minotaur. However, what the demigods didn't know was that this minotaur had a hidden rage mode that was automatically triggered by the proximity of death. Normally, a single minotaur wouldn't pose any threat to the camp, but currently, the stronger demigods were all out on a mission or somewhere else, meaning the defense of the camp was severely lacking and couldn't really overcome a minotaur with rage mode on.

Of course, this unexpected situation was going to be suppressed by Adriel.

A sense of foreboding got to me as I sensed the imminent eruption of its rage mode. With a deafening roar that resonated across the battlefield, the creature unleashed its fury upon the demigods.

*Roar!*

As the minotaur's eyes blazed crimson with the fury of its rage mode, a wave of terror swept over the demigods who stood in its path. Caught off guard by the violent onslaught, many were unable to evade the creature's swift and devastating blows, bearing the brunt of its ferocious assault head-on. The sheer force of the minotaur's attacks sent them hurtling away.

The terror of the minotaur shattered the once unbreakable spirit of unity that had bound them together. Blinded by fear, many demigods escaped into the safe barriers of the camp in desperation, leaving their comrades in a life-or-death battle against the minotaur.

The minotaur approached those who weren't able to cross the safe borders of the camp. As the minotaur closed in with heavy steps, it exhaled out of its nose, billowing clouds of steam rising from its nostrils. Its red eyes were glowing with killing intent.

Amidst the battle, a snicker escaped my lips. It was quite an ironic twist.

'I guess their commitment to this camp they collectively embraced as home is as far as death comes knocking on the door.'

"Bunch of hypocrites..."

Now that the tables have turned around, it was time for the main character to shine. With a quiet resolve, he exchanged a few words with Amelia. In a swift motion, he seized a spear from the ground, his stance unwavering as he prepared to confront the minotaur head-on.

Despite the seemingly impossible odds stacked against him, at the end of the day, he was a hero. And a hero cannot back away even if the outcome seems bleak.

Adriel was like any other hero. He embodied the archetype of the quintessential hero, driven by an unyielding sense of goodwill and a noble desire to safeguard the lives of others at the expense of himself. He always tried to save everyone as he placed the well-being of others above his own. This was what he was: a cliche hero who wanted to save the world on impulse.

Although he didn't even know what he was trying to protect, he knew he had to protect it. So he fought for the sake of others every time. Just like now, he was determined to take on the minotaur to protect a camp he had no idea about and people he had never talked to.

'At least, unlike those hypocrites, he has the courage to stand by his beliefs.'

With a fierce battle cry, Adriel charged toward the minotaur from behind. Sensing the sudden attack, the minotaur whirled around, its eyes narrowing with a glint of arrogance as it beheld the desperate boy's audacious attempt to challenge it. Little did the minotaur realize, however, that coursing through Adriel's veins was the divine blood of Zeus himself, the king of the gods, a lineage of unparalleled power and divine authority that imbued him with immense strength and potential.

As Adriel's emotions erupted, a powerful surge of divine energy coursed through his veins, his muscles pulsed and his senses enhanced. A halo of crackling lightning enveloped him as his divine energy overflowed.

Empowered by the divine energy coursing through his veins, Adriel moved with great speed, his spear becoming an extension of his will as he launched a relentless assault upon the minotaur's legs and feet. With each thrust, the spear penetrated the creature's tough, metal-like skin with ease, creating gaping wounds that oozed black blood.

Despite the minotaur's best efforts to retaliate, its lumbering movements proved no match for Adriel's agility. With lightning-fast reflexes and fluid movements, he evaded the creature's clumsy attempts to ensnare him.

Adriel pressed on with his relentless assault with his spear that was installed with electricity. However, the minotaur was getting used to his moves and figuring out the pattern of his attacks, adapting to his movements with each passing moment. Soon, more punches from the minotaur started to connect with Adriel, leaving him less and less room to dodge.

With each blow that landed, Adriel found himself pushed to the brink of exhaustion, his muscles aching and his movements growing sluggish as he struggled to evade the minotaur's ruthless barrage. The momentum of his attacks began to falter, leaving him vulnerable. Eventually, the minotaur caught him off guard and smacked him with tremendous force. The impact blew him away, smashing him into a tree.

With a sickening thud, Adriel collided with a nearby tree, the impact jarring his senses and sending shockwaves of pain coursing through his battered body. Blood welled up in his mouth, staining his lips and trickling down his chin. Every attempt to move sent waves of agony rippling through his broken bones and aching muscles, rendering him unable to rise from the ground as his body denied his orders.

Adriel's gaze locked with the minotaur, which had already started to celebrate its victory. With a victorious snarl, the minotaur's attention shifted to the vulnerable figure of a girl, whose black eyes and innocent face were filled with terror. The minotaur exhaled steam from its nostrils as it pawed the forest floor with violent intent, readying itself to charge at Amelia.

Realizing what the minotaur was planning to do, Adirel's eyes shut open with urgency as he beheld the minotaur's malevolent intent. Adrial shouted at the top of his lungs, telling Amelia to run away, but it was to no avail. Yet, despite his fervent plea, her limbs remained ensnared in the grip of paralyzing terror, leaving her unable to move.

With every measured stride, the distance between the minotaur and Amelia diminished, casting a shadow of inevitability over the harrowing scene. The imminent clash threatened to extinguish Amelia's life in a single strike.

Being unable to move his body, Adirel could do nothing but witness everything unfold before his eyes. His eyes intently started at the awful scene as the minotaur closed in. His expression, etched with suffering, was devastated in the face of impending tragedy.

Powerless to intervene as Amelia teetered on the brink of death, in the throes of despair, Adriel's remaining divine energy discharged all at once, his emotions overriding all rational thought.

*Crack! Bang! Crack!*

*Bang! Crack!*

The once-clear sky swiftly succumbed to a blanket of ominous clouds. Then, with a sudden and terrifying spectacle, bolts of lightning descended from the sky, each one finding its mark upon the minotaur below. The searing power of the strikes scorched its flesh, the voltage frying the minotaur's insides. With a thunderous crash, the colossal beast collapsed, its form sprawled upon the ground.

*Thud*

The minotaur's massive frame convulsed sporadically, as its nerves were fired with electricity. After a while, twitching ceased, leaving behind an eerie stillness upon the battlefield. The air hung heavy with the weight of the silence. At the center of the battlefield lay the motionless form of the minotaur.

The relief of victory began to wash over him. He was able to save Amelia. As the adrenaline in his blood faded, Adriel felt the weight of exhaustion bearing down upon him, his weary eyes drooping down.

Yet, before he could succumb to the embrace of respite, a faint movement caught his attention, drawing his gaze back to the seemingly lifeless form of the minotaur. His instincts screamed out in warning. With mounting dread, Adriel watched in disbelief the supposedly defeated minotaur, which was still alive, struggling to stand up.