Round two…

Despite the numerous cuts and all the stab wounds the Minotaur had sustained, it showed no signs of slowing. If anything, it was getting faster. Stronger. The only mercy was that its attacks remained mindless—pure rage fueling its every swing. Slaughtering everything in its way was its only goal.

And unfortunately, it was succeeding.

Faster!

Drawing on his Viron, Isaac summoned as many Blood Daggers as he could and sent them right at the Minotaur's back. The barrage, combined with the constant flurry of other attacks, staggered the beast, giving some survivors a chance to escape out of its way.

It was also all the time he needed to rejoin the battle for real.

Even as the Minotaur resumed its wild swings, Isaac ducked low and slid past its guard. Blood Draw ignited along his blade, and before the beast could realize what was happening, he struck its exposed leg.

Skin and flesh parted before the wave of blood. The monster's deafening roar shook the air, but that was all the strike achieved. Even after repeated slashes, the massive bone in its leg refused to break. Worse, the Minotaur finally spotted the source of its pain.

With its free hand, it swiped at him, hoping to turn him into paste.

Isaac dropped to the ground, the rush of air from the missed blow sending a chill down his spine. Still, there was no time to celebrate his momentary success. A second later, the black glaive came crashing down again, forcing him to roll away.

Then, the fist returned. It would have crushed him, too, if not for the sudden barrage of skills that hammered the Minotaur on its head. The flanking squad had also returned, targeting the wounded leg.

The onslaught made the beast stumble back, one hand rising to shield its eye. Some random skills must have hit it where it hurt.

Another opening.

Isaac sprang to his feet, dashing past the other survivors straight toward the Minotaur's uninjured leg. Another low-powered Blood Draw answered his call and washed over the limb, its power once more ending when it reached the bone.

Still, that was more than enough. The Minotaur almost couldn't move under the constant onslaught.

Time to end this.

Despite the pain, Isaac shifted forms, flying high beyond the beast's reach. There, he activated Hybrid mode and drew onto most of what remained inside his Bloodbank.

Eight crimson javelins manifested at his side, their dark surface dripping with blood.

Now!

At his command, his creations shot forward, launched one by one, faster than bullets. This should have been it, the end of the fight that had already claimed far too many lives.

Only… it could never be that easy.

Somehow, the Minotaur sensed the danger coming and, for a moment, ignored the survivors gnawing at its legs. With a roar, it swung its glaive, transforming it into a whirlwind of flames that met the blood javelins head-on.

One, two, three—gone within a second. The following projectiles would have been lost, too, if not for what happened next.

Three elements erupted beneath the Minotaur—ice, steel, and wood. The first two formed long spikes, stabbing through its feet. The last one, however, slithered like wooden serpents, coiling around its legs and yanking them back.

That was enough to shatter its fire shield, giving the remaining javelins a clear path to its chest. They plunged deep. Its pained roar was cathartic.

Not that Isaac let it distract him. The job wasn't over yet.

Thus, before the beast could recover, he dived and shifted mid-air. Blood spilled onto his blade, and using all the forward momentum, he drove it right where the Minotaur's heart should be. The original plan was to aim for the other eye, but his descent was a bit off.

Still, this should have ended it.

It didn't.

Even as Blood Draw drilled into the Minotaur's chest, toppling it onto its back, the monster refused to die. A fire ignited all over its body, and before Issac could even think of escaping, a massive, burning hand seized him and hurled him across the battlefield.

And so, for the second time this day, he hit the ground hard, skin burning raw. Not even his skills or the potion coursing through his veins could dull the pain. He felt his flesh peeling, his muscles turning to liquid fire.

No! He growled, forcing his charred limbs to obey. With another thought, he emptied Bloodbank. I'm not dying here.

Symphony of Blood roared to life, drowning out even his heartbeat. The rest of the world faded into silence as the new wild song playing in his veins dulled the agony into something distant. Still, he refused to look down on his battered body and instead staggered to his feet, breath ragged, vision swimming.

The Minotaur stood ahead, still wreathed in fire. Its skin had burned away, revealing the corded muscles beneath as it battled the remaining survivors. Isaac spotted James in the group, but Elaine and Tyler were nowhere to be seen.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

No.

His charred fingers tightened around the Root. The Symphony surged again, going beyond what he thought was possible. The remnants of his pain faded into the background, the worst of his injuries slowly knitting back together.

I see… He exhaled, his eyes narrowing.

Pulling on his remaining Viron, he allowed Blood Draw to spill over the Root. He didn't release it, though. For what he planned, it would have to wait a bit.

Let's go.

Once more, Isaac broke into a sprint, feeling the pain at the back of his mind grow stronger with each step. He scowled and let the Symphony consume him. It gladly did, giving him a short burst of power that allowed him to run even faster.

In seconds, the Minotaur was nearly within reach. The bad news? It saw him coming.

With a guttural snarl, the beast charged. Apparently, it hadn't forgotten the wounds he had carved into its back and chest.

Still, it was moving slower than before.

It doesn't matter.

As the monster swung its glaive, Isaac responded in kind, unleashing the first charge of Blood Draw.

The skill washed over the massive weapon, draining most of the momentum from the strike. A moment later, their blades met, but with the advantage on his side, Isaac deflected the attack and slipped past the beast's guard.

That was where the second and final charge of Blood Draw came into play.

With an upward slash, he released the skill mid-swing. A crimson wave tore through the air, slamming into the Minotaur's chest and washing over all the injuries left by the javelins and other abilities.

Again, that wasn't enough to kill it. And it quickly became obvious Isaac wasn't the only one to realize that.

The other survivors did, too.

Spears, daggers, and blades of different elements hit the Minotaur the moment his skill ran its course. At the same time, the ice, steel, and wood made a return and once more erupted under the beast's feet.

The flames around its body flickered as it stumbled back and fell on its back for the second time.

Isaac pounced, and the other survivors followed.

"Finish it!" Someone shouted as they hacked and slashed at the Minotaur's exposed flesh. It tried to lift its arms to defend, but those became targets, too. Within moments, they fell limp at its sides.

Meanwhile, Isaac ignored it all and approached the beast's head. The Symphony holding him together flickered, its song vanishing for a moment. He stumbled but didn't give in.

Not yet.

The Minotaur's remaining eye rolled toward him, unfocused but still burning with rage. It bared its teeth, giving him one final snarl.

Isaac snorted and raised Root of Blood high. Without hesitation, he plunged it into the yellow eye, cracking the brittle bone behind it. The Minotaur stilled.

The battle was over.

[Fire Minotaur (LVL. 20) slain.]

It wasn't the only notification that appeared before him, but he never got a chance to read the rest. With the Minotaur's death, Symphony of Blood retreated, and with it, the last barrier between him and the pain that had been held back for far too long.

Isaac dropped to his knees, his body—charred, battered, drained—had nothing left to give.

It's so cold…

Then, everything went black.

"Isaac!"

"Not bad, not bad at all. Well, for a base human, at least."

What? Isaac thought, trying to pry his eyes open. His mind felt sluggish as if moving through the mud. What's going on?

He remembered well the moment before he blacked out. All the pain and the cold swallowing his body and mind. Yet now, he felt none of that. Hell, he felt just like before the Breakout. Weak and always tired.

Where's my Viron? Root?

"There's no need to panic, little Host," the same male voice spoke again. It sounded amused. "You're okay. Or, at the very least, still alive."

Once more, Isaac tried to force his eyes open. He succeeded and sat up.

Crimson.

Crimson everywhere he looked. Crimson skies. And endless plains of crimson grass. There was nothing else before him. That said, at the very least, his body was intact—whole, healthy, even dressed in a fresh change of clothes. But beyond that, there was nothing.

Nothing except the voice.

"Here."

Isaac turned around at the sound, his gaze falling onto an unfamiliar man. Though maybe calling him a man was a bit of a stretch. The dark violet snake-like skin filled with intricate black shifting patterns definitely wasn't a feature of a human.

At least the alien had two legs, two arms, and a single head, so there was that. Though, for all he knew, other appendages might be hiding somewhere. Not that he could tell with the long black coat covering most of the being's body.

"Snap a picture. It will last you longer," the man said, his silver eyes glinting.

Isaac narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? Where are we?"

The stranger snapped his fingers. "Straight to the point, I like it." A large, plush armchair materialized out of nowhere, and he dropped into it with lazy ease. "My name? Hmm. That would be telling. For now, just call me Rakin. As for where are we? That's easy. Nowhere!"

Isaac frowned as he stood up. "That doesn't make any sense."

Rakin grinned. "That's the point, little Host!"

Did I just find James' long-lost brother? Isaac thought, his frown deepening. "Will you at least tell me why I am here?"

"I'm considering it." The alien chuckled. "Would you believe me if I said I just wanted to meet you?"

Not really, he thought, while asking out loud, "Why?"

"Many reasons, my young friend. But for now, let's just say I'm trying to follow procedures. Introductions, stable connection, trust-building. You understand, right?"

Isaac crossed his arms. "Not at all. I'm beginning to wonder if you're real and not just some annoying caricature of my teammate, my mind created."

Rakin snorted. "Amusing, but no. This is very real, and soon enough, you will understand what this is all about. You and the other Hosts. For now, I got what I wanted."

He stood up, and the chair vanished as if it had never existed. "Again, congrats on your win against the Guardian. Watched the entire fight, and while there is much room for improvement, it wasn't half bad."

Isaac took a step away from the alien. "You were watching?"

Rakin smirked. "Of course I was. How could I not? Following procedures, remember?" He chuckled again. "Anyway, I gotta go. Don't worry; we will see each other again very soon. Don't miss me too much. Bye!"

With a snap of his fingers, the world plunged into darkness.

For a moment, Isaac felt like he was free-falling through a void, but then, the darkness closed in on him and forced him back to sleep.

Just before it swallowed him completely, one final thought registered in his mind.

What the hell did I just witness?

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