Chapter 23: Chapter 21 – Roadblock

As water flows by my eyes, I see that we have teleported into a new environment. A dark and eerily horrifying place where the stone walls themselves are so old they are covered in moss.

Cloaking my hand in flames, “Ignition.”

*Bwoosh*

“Wah?!”

“Where are we?”

“Are you okay?”

Everyone seems to be nauseated by the teleportation.

“We’ve arrived,” I said.

“Already?”

Boland and the rest are confused but I heard relief coming out of their voice.

“Finally, I can’t believe we’re about to leave soon.”

“Yeah, and to think there was such a place in the South Gate.”

“If only we could tell others about it.”

‘Morale seems to be improving, that’s good.’

In this linear passage, I lead them with my hand torch. I wonder if we can smash the one that looks fragile. But I decided that that would be the last option.

“Oh, here. I think we can squeeze through here. Let’s go.”

It’s bright, the place on the other side. Catch me a glance at a wide area beyond this wall. I deactivated [Ignition].

“No doubt about it. That light must have come from the portal.”

Blue in hue and it’s shaking violently as it whirls.

“Get ready, everyone.”

“What’s the plan?” asked Galliano.

“Hmm, I want to have a guaranteed chance of us getting out of here alive. So, I will be the last one to enter the portal. You have to wait until the rest went through. Is that okay?”

“No problem.”

“You have an idea of what we’re facing up against?” asked Boland.

“…”

“I don’t know.”

Kurira once told me that she got different bosses when she went through this gate. So, it must be random. Either way, it’s not required for us to defeat it.

On the other side of the wall. The dimly lighted path on the right side seems to be the place where we should’ve come from while the other end… well, it’s the boss.

“That thing…” Boland narrowed his eyes down in nervousness as he catches the form of that beast, “What is that?”

A tall humanoid monster. I see a tail and two horns.

‘Minotaur?’

Such a monster changes its target whenever one annoys it.

‘Not the kind I should let others attack.’

“Change of plan. I’ll hold that thing off. You all should focus on getting to that portal.”

“What?”

“Lass, that’s reckless.”

Galliano grabbed my elbow as I was about to step, “Hey, we’re in this together.”

Chuckled as I get my arm off of him, nudging him a bit.

“I did promise you in getting out of here, no? And that is exactly what I’m doing now,” turning around, “And that applies to you all.”

Gripping my axe tight, “Trust me on this one.”

I take one more look at the rest of the old men and kept their names in mind. Taking their silence as a yes, I approach the Minotaur as I’m swinging the axe around, and when I’m close enough. I conjured, “Wall of Stone!”

*Broooomph*

One on the right.

“Wall of Stone!”

*Broooomph*

One on the left.

Now it sees me clearly.

“Scatter! You know what to do! Don’t let it see you!”

I charged the spell one more as I see the thing start running. I run towards it with my axe in the air and when I’m close enough, I raise a wall to block him.

“Wall of Stone!”

*Broooomph*

“Now go!”

The old men split to both the left and right path. But then suddenly, my stone wall made a crack.

*BOOM*

Rocks flying, as my wall was destroyed, a powerful burst of raging symphony rang in my head.

! {Boss Encounter}

~ {Botokka Makka Lv. 80}

‘What?’ narrowing my eyes down, ‘A named monster?’

“Ignition!”

! {Title Equipped: Fire Wielder}

~ {Activating Effects…}

Before the thing comes close, I quickly readied embers on the axe’s blade, “COMBUSTION!”

*BWOOOOOSH*

The minotaur burns, but it doesn’t seem to be doing much damage. It quickly lunges at me as my eyes peeled, “Then, how about this! Wall of Stone!”

*BOOM*

Directly puncturing its stomach.

The minotaur was stopped for a few moments, but I’m not gonna let it rest just like that. With another flame on the axe’s blade, “Combustion!”

*BWOOOOSH*

As the sea of flame disappeared, I could not find the minotaur anywhere.

“Wha?!”

But then I sensed something behind me. My eyes widened as I saw the minotaur up close. That thing… is not a Minotaur.

“Combu—”

*BAM*

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Striking me right on my cheekbone.

*Woooosh *BOOM*

{-788}

Thrown away straight to the wall I’ve built.

“Nngh!”

It hurts, and my ignition faded against my will.

“Teleportation, huh.”

Low-tier Teleportation magic usually has a massively long cooldown, ‘Assuming it’s the same thing, that monster shouldn’t be able to use it again for a while.’

Walking up to me menacingly.

"Have quite the pride, aren’t you?" raising my axe, “W-Wall of stone.”

*Broooomph*

Blocking its path.

*BOOOM*

‘Destroyed in one hit. figures.’

“Hey, hey, hey," Galliano rushes in to check on me, "You still there?"

Magical energy flows in my hand, I created a few white balls. Casting my new spell.

{Heal Array (Spell) / Tier 2 – Intermediate / Light / Create a sphere of light that can be connected to another created sphere to form a healing area once fully connected. At least 3 spheres are required for the healing area to be activated / Cooldown: None / Costs: 30 Mana}

The balls are circling on their own and create about 2-3 meters field in diameter with 5 balls, the healing effect is activated as soon as the thread is connected.

“Damn, where in the hell did you get all these spells?”

Grinning widely, “Hehe, cool, ain’t it?”

*Cough *Cough *Cough

Blood stuck in my throat. It tastes like shit. No time to rest, the thing is coming.

“Go, I can handle it.”

“Like hell, you can. Come on, we’re getting out of here together,” his face becomes serious as he looks at the monster, then he noticed me staring. He smiles, “Got a pride of my own as a man, you know,” he said as he offered his hand.

“Hmph, rare to see a man like that nowadays.”

I took his hand and stood up. Our eyes have locked onto the monster once again.

That thing felt as though it has styles. Not in a hurry of beating our asses, he slowly walks up to us at the speed of a snail. We can now see its appearance clearly. Hard flaring muscles made of bones with patched-up skins of different furry animals. It’s lowering its head.

“Get ready.”

*Groooooooooooooahh*

Like a bull, it dashes with its horns heading to its target. Not towards us, but Boland. The old man may notice it but I won’t let it get near him!

“Wall of Stone!”

*Broooomph*

 “Ignition!”

! {Title Equipped: Fire Wielder}

~ {Activating Effects…}

Closing the distance between the monster and me, I shouted as my axe’s blade created embers, “Combustion!”

*BWOOOOSH*

It burns once again, but just like before, the monster hardly took any damage from the flame. But that wasn’t the goal, I just needed to attract its attention.

“We have to get away before it can teleport again!”

Backing a bit, I raised a [Wall of Stone] in front of me to block its view even though it will smash it in an instant again.

! {Quest Updated}

~ {Creeps of Bones / Rank B / Objective: Bring all 7 Prisoners in your Raid Party to escape through the [Righteous End] portal / Reward: None / Penalty: [Permadeath] Upon death, you will have no chance to regain your life}

! {Quest Updated}

~ {Creeps of Bones / Rank B / Objective: Bring all 5 Prisoners in your Raid Party to escape through the [Righteous End] portal / Reward: None / Penalty: [Permadeath] Upon death, you will have no chance to regain your life}

! {Quest Updated}

! {Quest Updated}

Good, it looks like everyone managed to reach the portal. But then I heard the sound of impact from slashing. My eyes peeled after realizing that Boland is still on the other side, but even then, the monster should still have the aggro on me. But no, turns out, it’s not only Boland who’s fighting that monster. Galliano has also joined the fight.

“They should’ve gone to the portal, but whatever.”

“Wall of Stone!”

*BOOM*

The emerging wall struck the monster’s jaw and stagger it.

“We don’t have to fight that thing. Get to the portal now!”

Boland and Galliano ran as I follow them from behind. Tilting my head to see our back and the stone wall as I expected, is smashed.

*BOOM*

Gritted my teeth as I run as fast as I can.

[Stamina: 550/1600]

[Stamina: 500/1600]

But then, I did not expect that the monster’s teleportation cooldown is much shorter than I thought. Appearing right in front of me, casting its shadows on my entire body. I can’t see Boland or Galliano with the thing swinging its arm at me. But I heard their gentle voice, their scream. But suddenly, clashing thunder blasted everything.

*Crackle *Crackle *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Repelled by the giant shockwave, I flew several tens of meters away from the portal. Unable to land properly because of the momentum, which left me with further injuries.

[Health: 125/1000]

! {Quest Completed}

My eyes peeled.

! {Level UP}

! {Level UP}

! {Level UP}

A slight relief. Everyone made it.

‘I did it.’

Although it is quite a momentous occasion that made me smile for a moment, I don’t have the chance to celebrate it. A different-sounding symphony of electric music blasted in my head. Like a powerful storm that can sweep me away. It Intensifies as I lift my head to see. Another monster has arrived.

! {Ethereal Encounter}

~ {Avarice, Alpha and the Omega | Lv. ???}

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