[FGO]: 5

"Ishtar, aren't you going to stop him? No matter how talented that child is, without receiving any blessings, how could he be a match for a mutated Minotaur? This Minotaur has probably reached the level of LV3, hasn't it?" Amaterasu glanced at the indifferent Ishtar.

"If he dies here, it proves he is of that level, not worth my time. If he dies, so be it," Ishtar replied coldly, her expression emotionless and ruthless.

Aphrodite seemed to want to speak. Her lips moved slightly, but she hesitated and ultimately stayed silent.

In the center, the dragon-horned goddess remained as composed as a mountain. Unseen by others, her crimson lips parted slightly, whispering in a voice only she could hear:

"Let me see your mettle, hero in the making…"

....

Conversely, the Minotaur seemed to remember the painful blow Ryou had inflicted on it earlier. As it looked at him, its killing intent visibly intensified.

Thump, thump, thump!

The Minotaur lowered its head and charged at Ryou with its horns aimed straight at him.

Ryou quickly grabbed a spear from the ground and planted it into the sand at an angle, the tip facing the charging Minotaur.

After setting up this simple defense, he immediately rolled to the side.

With a loud crack, the spear slightly pierced the Minotaur's abdomen but was caught by its muscles, then bent and broke under the tremendous force, leaving only a shallow wound.

The Minotaur abruptly stopped, nonchalantly pulling out the broken spear from its abdomen, snorting out a large puff of white steam from its nose as if showing disdain.

Tired of Ryou's evasive maneuvers, the Minotaur began closing in on him with huge strides.

Ryou bent his legs slightly, lowering his stance, his legs coiling like compressed springs, gathering strength.

Moo!

The Minotaur swung a fist at Ryou's head. Even before the punch landed, the wind pressure felt like blades cutting into his face.

Ryou quickly tilted his body to the left, pushing off with his right leg. He deftly somersaulted to the side, narrowly avoiding the Minotaur's iron fist. As he passed by the Minotaur's side, he slashed at its ankle with his sword.

Boom!

The Minotaur crashed to the ground, raising a massive wave of sand two meters high, shaking the entire arena.

Such terrifying power in that punch! But it's useless if it doesn't hit.

The Minotaur roared in anger, its massive fists pounding the ground incessantly, causing the entire arena to quake. Even the spectators were tossed about by the tremors.

However, Ryou moved like an agile monkey, dodging left and right, making the Minotaur's attacks futile while seizing every opportunity to inflict wounds on its joints.

The Minotaur's weakness in agility and flexibility was glaringly exposed.

At this moment, Ryou resembled a small boat sailing through a storm, seemingly in constant danger of capsizing, yet always managing to turn peril into safety at crucial moments.

The audience was captivated by Ryou's performance, dancing on the edge of a knife, and their cheers grew louder and louder.

Though the mutated Minotaur's defense had greatly increased, its soft joint areas could not withstand continuous attacks.

Once again, the Minotaur's joints buckled under its heavy weight, and it fell to its knees with a resounding crash.

A gleam of joy appeared in Ryou's eyes. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, he quickly stepped forward and thrust his sword fiercely into the Minotaur's enormous bull-eye.

Moo!

Blood splattered as the Minotaur let out an ear-splitting howl of pain, its eye being stabbed blind.

Ryou's face remained cold as he twisted the sword's hilt, attempting to cause greater damage, perhaps even to scramble its brain through the wound.

Seeing that Ryou was on the verge of victory, the audience erupted in excitement.

"Brother, kill that bastard!"

"Kill it! Make it into a steak!"

"Nice job, my man!"

Even the goddesses in the viewing stands seemed affected, their eyes filled with raw desire as they watched the seemingly frail figure in the arena.

Only the dragon-horned goddess wore a mysterious smile.

Even though it's a defective beast, underestimating it could be costly...

As Ryou tried to finish off the Minotaur, he was unaware of the astonishing changes occurring within its body.

The black 'mud' that had invaded its heart began to tremble as if alive, continuously squeezing out the Minotaur's life force and converting it into massive magical energy.

Roar!

The Minotaur suddenly let out an unusual beastly roar, and its body was enveloped in a blood-red magical glow.

A shocking sight unfolded—wounds all over the Minotaur's body, even the deep, bone-revealing cut on its ankle, began to heal at a visible rate! Only its blinded eye, with the short sword still embedded, remained as it was. Though the bleeding had stopped, the short sword seemed to have fused with its head.

Combined with the blood-red magical glow enveloping the Minotaur, it appeared even more formidable and ferocious.

This was a skill similar to 'Berserk Mode'...

Ryou was alarmed and hurriedly stepped back.

Misfortune compounded as he stumbled over a corpse in his panic, tripping and falling.

Although Ryou quickly got to his feet, it seemed too late.

Roar!

Just as Ryou regained his footing, he saw a massive, mountain-like shadow rushing towards him.

Oh no!

He instinctively crossed his arms in front of his chest for protection just as the Minotaur charged at him.

He was immediately lifted off the ground and carried forward by the Minotaur's horns.

Fortunately, due to his smaller size, the Minotaur's horns did not pierce Ryou's body; instead, they hoisted him up like a fork-lifting food.

Unfortunately, the Minotaur showed no sign of stopping, barreling forward like a heavy tank with Ryou impaled on its horns, only halting when it crashed into the coliseum wall.

The wall, made of one-meter square obsidian blocks to withstand such impacts, shattered under the Minotaur's immense force.

Debris flew like bullets, striking several spectators behind the wall. A few were knocked to the ground, and blood flowed down the steps of the stands, forming small waterfalls.

Chaos erupted as spectators near the wall screamed and fled, leaving a large space around the impact site.

Ishtar, on the viewing platform, looked furious and immediately ordered the Amazons to restore order.

The battle between man and beast continued in the arena.

Ryou could barely feel his back, and several of his ribs seemed to be broken. He wanted to pass out, but the pain kept him awake.

The Minotaur, dazed from crashing headfirst into the stone wall, struggled to free its horns embedded in the wall, unable to move.

This is the final chance!

Ryou knew this was his last opportunity to turn the tide. If the Minotaur freed itself, he would be reduced to a bloody pulp.

Steeling himself, Ryou bit down hard and, despite the excruciating pain, grabbed the hilt of the short sword embedded in the Minotaur's right eye.

"Die!!!"

The hilt was too short, forcing Ryou to grip part of the blade. His hand was immediately cut, blood pouring out, but he ignored the pain and frantically twisted the sword.

The pain in its eye jolted the Minotaur back to full consciousness. It roared in agony and fury, its legs pushing against the ground, trying to crush him against the wall.

Ryou felt his internal organs being crushed and pierced by his broken ribs.

Death seemed imminent, yet it only fueled his ferocity.

He roared back, no longer just twisting the sword but shaking it chaotically to inflict maximum damage on the Minotaur's brain.

Both man and beast seemed to be locked in a death frenzy, their minds consumed by a single thought: Kill!!!

Unbeknownst to him, as he suffered severe injuries, his body was undergoing significant changes...

Unbeknownst to him, Ryou felt a familiar surge of warmth rushing through his body. Unlike before, this time the surge was ten times more powerful in both scale and intensity!

His wounds were healing rapidly, and his body, like steel being repeatedly forged, grew stronger and stronger!

A faint magical glow began to emanate from his body. The strength in his arms increased exponentially, and the short sword embedded in the Minotaur's eye began to drill inwards like a slow but relentless electric drill.

The Minotaur finally sensed the lethal threat. It roared continuously, trying to slam Ryou against the wall while frantically striking him with its palms.

Ryou's body was already frail, and being pressed against the wall by the Minotaur's horns, the angle, and the horns' 'protection' made its strikes ineffective.

Not entirely ineffective, though—some of its blows hit the wall, some hit its horns, and a larger portion landed directly on its face.

The Minotaur, like it was in a state of penance, slapped its face repeatedly. This absurd scene brought a bizarre sense of amusement to the blood-soaked, brutal arena.

Ryou, however, had no intention of letting it off so easily. The Minotaur's blood splattered onto his face, fully awakening the dark and bloodthirsty side within him.

"Die! Die! Die!!!"

Ryou was no longer satisfied with merely twisting the sword to make it sink slowly. He suddenly clenched his fist and hammered it down on the sword's hilt as if it were an iron hammer.

Ignoring the injuries from the hilt stabbing his hand and the blade cutting his palm, Ryou's near-masochistic assault seemed to push the magical energy within his sword to its limit.

"Just die already!!!"

Ryou clasped his hands together and then hammered down on the hilt with all his might!

With his action, a black and white magical glow suddenly appeared, forming intricate magical circuits on his arm.

At the moment his hands made contact with the hilt, the black and white magic intertwined and surged through the hilt into the Minotaur's brain.

Then, with a loud bang, the Minotaur's enormous head exploded.

Thud! The headless body of the Minotaur collapsed and instantly turned to black ash, dispersing into the air. A large, dark, and more profound magical stone, the size of Ryou's head, fell to the ground.

Ryou landed lightly on the ground, raising his scarred and still bleeding right fist high.

At that moment, a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, shining directly on him, and draping him in a golden cloak of victory.

A hero...

At that moment, whether they were ordinary spectators, adventurers, or even the deities on the viewing platform, they all saw the seemingly frail figure in the arena merge with the image of the 'hero' from epic legends in their minds.

On the viewing platform, the black-haired goddess in a kimono could no longer maintain her calm and dignified Yamato Nadeshiko demeanor. Her red lips parted, and a broken paper fan lay at her feet.

"One billion, no, two billion Valis! I'll pay two billion Valis if you sell this child to me!" Amaterasu suddenly grabbed Ishtar's arm beside her, her eyes almost blazing with intensity.

Without the "blessing," Ryou was capable of independently slaying the mutated Minotaur, whose strength was almost equivalent to a level 3. Anyone with a discerning eye could see the immense and terrifying talent and potential within Nguyen Ryou.

It was a talent that could reach or even surpass the so-called ultimate weapon of Orario, the only level 7.

With this child, the Eastern faction could rise to prominence, Amaterasu calculated in her mind.

Unfortunately, someone didn't want her to get her way so easily.

"Only two billion? Haha... I'll offer five billion Valis, plus two level 3 children to transfer to your name. How about it, Ishtar? Ignore this pauper and sell the child to me!"

Although Aphrodite was speaking to Ishtar, her eyes were fixed on Ryou's figure, as if she wanted to devour him whole.

"Aphrodite, you...!" Amaterasu fumed.

"Sorry, dear. Who says money can't buy anything?" Aphrodite chuckled coquettishly.

Amaterasu was left speechless. Unlike Aphrodite, who had many lovers and supporters, she, though fond of mingling with various men, maintained a certain reserve and wasn't as open as Aphrodite. Naturally, her funds couldn't compare to Aphrodite's.

"You two must be crazy for men. I won't let go of such an excellent child so easily!" Ishtar said decisively.

Hearing her words, Aphrodite and Amaterasu's eyes lit up. Such an obvious hint was impossible to miss.

What they didn't know was that Ishtar was thinking with some regret that such an excellent child was unfortunately a boy. But that's fine, I'll just sell him for a good price... I'll use this money to close the gap between us... Just wait, Freya, I will pull you down from the throne of Orario's double kings! I'll prove that I'm the most charming goddess!

"I want this child," the Dragon-Horned Goddess, who had been almost invisible, said calmly.

The three goddesses' expressions changed simultaneously.

The once confident Ishtar immediately responded submissively, "As you command, Mother Goddess."

The Dragon-Horned Goddess nodded slightly. "I will compensate you, Ishtar-chan."

"Moreover, I will come to pick him up tomorrow..." the Dragon-Horned Goddess said to Ishtar, with a meaningful look.

Ista's face lit up with joy at the implication.

It seemed she wouldn't be resting tonight.

The Dragon-Horned Goddess smiled faintly, and with a wave of her black robe, she disappeared into thin air, without any trace of divine power fluctuation.

Looking at the now-empty central seat, Ishtar's face showed a hint of reverence.

"Hey, Ishtar, we're such good friends, surely you won't want to hog him all to yourself, right?" Aphrodite's voice was sweet as honey.

With the Dragon-Horned Goddess gone, the atmosphere among the three goddesses became lively again.

"Get lost! Such a fine specimen, of course, I want to enjoy him alone!" Ishtar said, feigning disdain.

"What's the fun in playing alone?" Aphrodite immediately clung to Ishtar's arm, pestering her persistently.

"Why don't the three of us do it together?" Aphrodite continued to pester, her eyes darting around until she saw Amaterasu's regretful expression, and her eyes lit up.

"Aphrodite, you lewd fox! If you're in heat, don't drag me into it!" Amaterasu's cheeks turned crimson with embarrassment.

"Hehe~ It's rare for us to meet, such an opportunity is hard to come by~ Besides, don't you want to personally experience this child's strength? In bed..." Aphrodite, having seen through the desire in Amaterasu's eyes, tempted her.

Amaterasu turned her head away, feeling guilty.

For a moment, the viewing platform was filled with lascivious and seductive remarks. If ordinary people heard this, they would be utterly shocked that this group of extremely beautiful goddesses behaved so wantonly and unrestrainedly!

Meanwhile, back in his cell, Ryou had no idea he was being traded like merchandise.

Lying on his bed, he took out a folded piece of paper from his chest.

This was given to him by the generous bald man before his death. After he defeated the Minotaur, he inadvertently discovered that the man was still holding on to his last breath.

The man used all his remaining strength to shakily pull out this neatly folded paper from his chest and handed it to Ryou. He seemed to want to say something but could only spit out blood mixed with bits of his internal organs.

Ryou took the paper, and the man held onto his hand tightly until he solemnly promised, "Leave it to me..."

Only then did the man release his grip and pass away.

Ryou slowly opened the blood-stained paper, revealing a drawing of a cute little girl and an address.

Letting out a long sigh, Ryou folded the paper and placed it into the storage space that came with his system, ensuring its safety.

Then, Ryou opened his system panel—

[ Name: Nguyen Ryou

 Race: Human

 Class: None

 Level: Unranked

 Basic Attributes:

 Strength: 15.1 (E-)

 Agility: 15.6 (E-)

 Endurance: 17.1 (E-)

 Magic: 10.2 (F) (For ordinary people, the average attribute excluding magic is 10. Below 10 is F-, above 15 and below 20 is E-, and so on)

Luck: ???

Class Skills: None

Possessed Skills:

Basic Cold Weapon Mastery (8%), Mana Burst E Level (11%)

Noble Phantasm:

Crying Warmonger B (Degraded) ]

This near-death experience significantly increased Ryou's basic attributes and skill proficiencies.

Additionally, the level of his Noble Phantasm—Crying Warmonger—also increased by one level. Although it was still in a degraded state, its level had risen to B.