Chapter 17

Interlude 4 While the hydra was in the air, the minotaur activated skills that increased its attack power and attack speed. The minotaur then adjusted its position, and before the hydra’s large body fell, it cut off the monster’s front left leg from the inside and leaped. KA-THOOOOOOOOOM! The ground shook violently as the hydra landed and fell over sideways. Losing its left leg had thrown off its balance. The minotaur touched down, ran across the still-shaking rock floor, approached the hydra, and quickly sliced through its dark-brown abdomen. Unlike with basilisks, the underbellies of hydras were extremely hard, but there were a number of spots where it was comparatively easy for a blade to cut through. The minotaur had accurately stabbed its sword through an extremely narrow section. It then shoved its right hand through the gap, ripped out the beast’s heart, and ate it. The hydra, which had been trying to use its heads and three remaining legs to pick itself back up, died instantly. A hydra’s heart was the foundation of its immortality, and it would not die even if its heart was removed. Cutting up the heart would also do nothing, as it would soon heal itself. The heart was indestructible in this way. For this reason, humans considered attacking the heart pointless. However, if you ate the heart whole instead of slicing it up, the hydra would die. Long ago, it was common for clans of dragons and giants to kill hydras by devouring their hearts. But humans of the modern era were not aware of this, and the minotaur had not been taught the method by anyone, either. It simply felt a great power from the hydra’s heart and decided it wanted to try and eat it. When it did so, the hydra died. That was how the minotaur learned of this technique. After the hydra died, a clump of dark-red meat the size of a child’s fist was left behind. The minotaur picked it up and placed it in its Bag. It was a valuable item called immortal flesh. Aboveground, it was used to make powerful recovery medicine. It was said to cure sick people on the verge of death and return youth to the old. Its effects were not permanent, but it was tremendously popular among wealthy elderly people. Also, because it was used as an ingredient for medicine made to restore youth and increase vitality, large sums of money and personal connections could be gained by selling it to women in the imperial palace. Unless they were strapped for money, though, adventurers who obtained this delicacy did not sell it. The reason for that was because, if consumed in a labyrinth, immortal flesh would have the temporary effect of both instantly restoring any lost body parts and protecting you from lethal damage. Adventurers called that the immortal effect. The immortal effect lasted for a very short amount of time, but it served as a final trump card for adventurers fighting on the bottom floor of the labyrinth. The minotaur left the stone room. Its mood had not improved. Sure enough, no matter how many hydras it killed, it would gain nothing. It would find no joy from that kind of battle. The metal dragon was a much better opponent. It was two or three times bigger than the hydras. Its three heads had two horns each, which it used to manipulate wind, water, and more. It could also create shock waves and had both extremely hot and cold breath. It would spread its semitransparent wings, which glowed with blue phosphorescent light, and fly around the spacious boss room raining down lightning from its three tails. Its scales were harder than hydra scales, and its resistance to magic and physical attacks was astronomical. To top it all off, it had high intellect, which allowed it to read the actions of its opponent. At first, the minotaur had absolutely no idea how to defeat it. If it were to fight the metal dragon now, however, even that battle would leave it feeling hollow. Give me a strong enemy. A strong enemy that will make me suffer. A strong enemy that will give me the strength to kill that human. That was what the minotaur wanted more than anything. Its hunger for a good battle became a boiling stream that coursed throughout its body and felt like it would erupt through the pores of its skin. What the minotaur did not know was that its wish was in the process of being granted.