The Minotaur
With a heavy clunk, the passage leading underground swung open.
Athena coughed against the acrid cloud of dust.
"Cough—cough!"
She squinted, turning to survey the labyrinth where she couldn't see so much as a handspan ahead.
"What in the world is this…"
"Shh."
I pressed a finger to my lips and swept the surroundings, killing even the sound of my own breathing.
A draft rose from below.
Descending into the underground where every footfall rang out with stark clarity, I raised Hephaestus's divine relic high.
Whoosh.
Fierce flames bloomed from the relic. Warm heat shimmered in the air, casting a modest light over our surroundings. It made a perfect torch and weapon in one, so I simply walked on.
"Shall I help?"
"Not a chance."
Athena asked quietly, but I shut her down at once.
"Got someone you need to put a collar on?"
"Tsk…"
Knowing full well how thoroughly the gods had made a mess of things in the myths, turning her down was the only sensible choice. And more than that, the memory of Athena first appearing and nearly collaring me like a dog still put me on edge.
"Then at least wait outside…"
"Quit the nonsense and just follow me for now."
After that I walked in silence. Only Athena's endless sighs and the sound of her footsteps trailing behind me reached my ears.
As I went, I moved my free hand to my waist.
Hestia's relic…
No enemy had shown itself yet, but I needed to be ready.
Shing.
I drew Hestia's blade and crossed it with the other weapon as I walked on.
The passage wound downward in a classic spiral. A labyrinth through and through.
"Athena. Memorize this carefully. If you lose the way, neither of us gets out."
"Is that why you brought me along?"
"Remember it well and I'll give you a reward."
Athena's face twisted.
"Planning to defile my body again…"
Woooooo!
At the sudden sound, Athena and I both froze in place. We stopped talking and stood dead still. Only the flames rippling along Hephaestus's Sword made a faint whisper of noise.
"What was that?"
"The Minotaur."
Athena's explanation wound my nerves tighter still. Every muscle in my body seemed to move of its own accord—the same kind of tension that came before releasing every scrap of pleasure at once during sex, only this time it was for battle.
"Are you truly certain you can face it?"
Athena asked me once more.
"A Cyclops is a racial named monster, but the Minotaur is a single-entity named…"
I clicked my tongue.
"I'll say it again—if I can't handle this myself, nothing gets solved."
I snapped the words out sharp.
"If I'm going to beat the gods, I need to be able to take something like that on my own at the bare minimum."
And besides, after all that sex, I was curious just how much stronger I'd become.
Thooom! Thoom!
The sound came from farther ahead—the call of a monster summoning me. As if answering it, I walked slowly forward.
"Homeron!"
"Shut it!"
My voice came out sharp on its own, raw with tension. My steps carried me deeper into the labyrinth's far darkness. The dark surged as if it meant to swallow me whole, as if it would kill me on the spot. Even so, I didn't stop. Past walls that seemed to loop the same spiral over and over, I pressed farther on.
THOOOOM!!
The sound came again at last.
And then—
"GROOOAAAAARRR!!"
A savage roar stabbed into my ears. Every hair on my body stood on end.
"It's coming!"
Athena cried out under her breath.
In the same instant—
KRAAAAAASH!!
Something smashed through the wall and charged straight at me. I leapt clear of the spot at once.
Tak! Taak!
I kicked off the shape that grazed past me by a hair, then kicked the wall again and soared high into the air. Pointing Hephaestus's Sword downward, I lit up the form below.
Compared to a Cyclops that stood dozens of meters tall, it was markedly smaller—roughly five meters, about two or three times a human's height. Even so, its agility, monstrous strength, and catastrophic destructive power were on an entirely different level.
THWAAANG!!
It smashed through another wall and charged toward me. Kicking off the wall and leaping, it came flying in to crush me in a single blow.
Shhhk!
I thrust my sword forward in a hurry.
CLANG!
But the Minotaur's hoof blocked it clean.
"Damn it!"
I kicked off the wall and shifted position—but every time I moved, the Minotaur tracked me with relentless agility, determined not to let me slip away.
I can't shake it!
I'd never faced an enemy like this. A fierce sense of crisis swept through my entire body.
You possess growth potential and physical abilities that far surpass human limits.
When wielding Hestia's divine relic, physical stats are enhanced by 1.8×.
Even holding Hestia's relic, it was still catching me.
The Minotaur drove its hoof forward.
THWAAANG!
"Ghk—!"
The blow slammed into my chest, and the sensation of ribs cracking shot through me. I began to fall slowly through the air.
"Homeron!"
Athena called up from below. I clenched my teeth and tightened my grip on Hephaestus's relic.
Temporarily strengthen the weapon you hold.
Hephaestus's Sword, flames already dancing along its edge—and Hestia's blade. Both divine relics began to shine at once. As the weapons strengthened in tandem, that power flooded through my entire body.
"You dare, you damned monster—!"
From midair I swung the blade hard and drove it into the wall. Using it like a sharp hook, I vaulted upward.
Shhhhk!
"GROAAAAAR!!"
Moving several times faster than before, I carved a diagonal slash across the Minotaur's chest. The beast crashed to the floor.
THOOOOM!!
"Ghk—! GRWOOARGH!"
Even as it groaned in raw agony, the Minotaur rose without a moment's hesitation.
Tak!
I landed and squared off against it, eyes locked.
"Homeron, are you all right?"
"Ghhhk—!"
I clutched the place where my ribs had broken. The pain was considerable.
I can't last long fighting like this!
I gritted my teeth. Already the Minotaur was back on its feet, ready to charge me at any second.
"Athena."
Tak!
I shoved her aside.
"Keep yourself out of sight. You're in the way."
"Is this really the time for jokes—"
"Does this look like a joke to you?!"
KRAAAASH!!
The Minotaur charged. I hurriedly crossed both blades and caught the blow.
Wham!
I leapt into the air again. The Minotaur stopped short mid-rush, then reared its horns high and swung them up at me.
Shhhk!
Pain flared. A groan tore from my mouth on its own. Blood burst from my chest where the horns had sliced as clean as any blade.
"Homeron!"
That goddess, honestly. Nothing but noise.
"I'm not dead!!"
I scraped Hephaestus's Sword along Hestia's relic. At the motion—like honing a blade—flames kindled along both edges.
FWOOOOSH!!
Gripping the two fire-wreathed swords, I spun through the air. Even as I fell, I never took my eyes off the Minotaur.
"Take this!!"
Shhhhk!
One of the Minotaur's horns went flying through the air. The beast screamed.
"GRWOOOOAR!!"
Even so, it seized the severed horn midair and brought it down on me without mercy.
KRAAANG!!
The horn slammed against my crossed blades.
"Ghk—!"
I dropped to one knee. I deliberately loosened the strength in both hands—then drove one blade straight into the Minotaur's gut.
Thuk!
"GRWOOAR!"
In that same instant the Minotaur yanked its arm free and blocked my strike with its palm. No choice left.
Slip…
I let go of Hephaestus's Sword. The only thing left in my hand was Hestia's blade—just one.
Time to use the second blessing I'd received from him.
Upon the strengthened weapon…
CRACK!!!
"Ghhhk—!"
"AAAAARGH!"
A scream came with the blow. For a split second I couldn't even grasp what had happened. Then it hit me—the Minotaur had driven its fist straight into my throat.
I'd nearly died. Only the passive skills reinforcing my body had saved me. Without them, it would have been over.
"Cough—cough!"
Sprawled on the floor, I coughed hard. Blood ran freely down. Hestia's relic had been knocked away as well—not a single weapon left in my hands.
"Grrrk. Grk."
The Minotaur made a sound almost like laughter as it walked toward me. I dragged in ragged breaths.
"This… I really am an idiot."
A laugh escaped me on its own.
"Forgetting that my greatest weapon was right here beside me the whole time."
I slowly lifted my head. Then I stretched a hand toward the Minotaur as it prepared to charge.
"Get lost, you cattle bastard."
Temporarily bind the target.
The Minotaur's body jerked to a sudden halt. I staggered to my feet.
"Should've done this from the start…"
I walked toward it and swept my other hand through the air.
Detect the target's weak points.
Flash.
A reddish glow appeared in my vision—standing out clearly at the Minotaur's nape. A vital point. One clean thrust would end it.
Shhhk!
I bent down and snatched up Hestia's blade. Only then did the Minotaur start moving again.
"GRWOOOOOOARRR!!!"
It charged with a roar. I hurled the blade forward.
Thuk!
It buried itself in the Minotaur's forehead—but the beast didn't stop.
Whoosh!
I rolled sideways across the ground. The Minotaur instantly corrected its course and came at me again.
Wham!
I wrenched Hephaestus's Sword free from where it was stuck in the earth and raised it high.
Temporarily strengthen the weapon you hold.
Power surged through my body once more. I kicked off the ground with every last scrap of strength I had. The Minotaur's head swung up toward me. I angled the sword on a diagonal.
"Die, you fucking bastard!!!"
THUUUK!
The Minotaur's eyes went wide. Blood sprayed in every direction, and then the strength drained from both its legs.
THOOOOM!!
The Minotaur toppled face-first onto the floor and died.
Thud.
I sank down beside it and dragged in breath after breath.
"Ghk—! Uhhhk!!"
With a raw cry I clutched my ribs and throat. I could barely move my body. I'd forced myself to keep going on the sword's enhanced power alone.
Step. Step.
And right then—at the sound of footsteps approaching—I turned my head.
Athena.
She was standing right in front of me.