Chapter 13 Finally Some Action Part 5
With renewed fervor coursing through his veins like liquid lightning, Zeke charged at the Minotaur, his feet pounding against the ground with thunderous impacts.
Clashing axe against double-bladed sword in a symphony of metal and flame, sparks flying with each strike like fallen stars.
'Jude's ability has an effect on physical abilities?' Zeke asked internally, feeling the surge of power that came with wielding the flame-forged weapon. He had noticed an improvement in his strength and agility since wielding the flame-made weapon, his movements flowing with newfound grace and power.
{Of course}
'It's not written in the ability description on his status window,' Zeke observed, parrying a devastating blow that would have cleaved a normal person in half.
{Not all the effects of an ability or trait are written on the screen. Some things are meant to be experienced, just like your immortality. It didn't mention unlimited human potential, or the fact that you adapt from damage—not Mahoraga-esque—but a training hastening if you will, helping you gain stats faster from physical training. Training is essentially tearing the muscle and rebuilding it, and also haven't you noticed that as you get pummeled your physical stats increase, even if it's minuscule, like 0.1? Someone with your level of biological control and awareness would definitely have sensed it.}
Zero lectured with the patience of an eternal teacher.
'You talk too much, you've missed the point of my question. You should take up a lecturing job,' Zeke said as he matched the Minotaur blow for blow, his movements becoming more fluid with each exchange.
But he was trading more injuries—that healed almost immediately with flesh knitting itself back together—to be able to match the beast's raw power.
With a tendril of shadow springing up to attack the Minotaur, the darkness coiling around its arm like a living thing, effectively distracting it, Zeke poured out his anger on the beast with calculated fury.
Taking the first small victory, he had left a deep wound on the part of the beast's shoulders that he had attacked repeatedly, finally breaking through its hide with a spray of dark blood that steamed in the cool air.
'So essentially you're saying that the description in a status window is not all there is to an ability, that seems lazy to me. Just give the description at once,' he spoke mentally to Zero while maintaining his combat rhythm.
Holding his double-edged sword with both hands, flames dancing along the twin blades, he looked towards the raging Minotaur with calculating eyes.
'I'm running out of mana, let's go for a nice run.'
{You do know I'm the one who writes the description so you'd know what they do.}
{And looking at the beast, he looks like he would soon resort to his Innate ability. You should team up with the brats to overpower his defense}
Zero advised Zeke.
'That's what I've been doing, bitch,' Zeke retorted, dodging a swing that would have taken his head clean off.
{Not those little tricks. You've read the description of Kai and Aaron's ability. You know that they can make a more powerful attack by expending more energy and you've used Jude's ability. They'd throw their most powered attack at the Minotaur. They'll soon run out of mana. Instead of wasting it, this would be a better solution}
Zeke smiled in acceptance, the expression sharp and predatory as he understood the tactical wisdom. He then looked to the trio, his voice carrying authority and his usual relaxed persona.
"No holding back, hit him with your full-powered kamehameha!"
He pointed towards the Minotaur with his flaming blade, the gesture both command and challenge.
From the golden portal came a giant lance, shimmering gold and radiating power that made the air itself hum with energy. The weapon was easily twice the size of the previous attacks, its surface covered in intricate patterns that seemed to shift and writhe in the light.
At the same time, Jude charged up a giant arrow, the projectile so large it almost seemed like he was about to fire off a spear. Sweat poured down his face from the exertion, but his eyes burned with unwavering determination.
Aaron, having no long-range powered option, chose a support role with characteristic selflessness. He poured all his remaining mana into strengthening his shadow chains, the tendrils growing thicker and darker as they bound the beast, holding him in place until the attacks landed.
The Minotaur was breaking free from the chains, his rage rising to volcanic levels.
These weaklings were getting annoying.
Especially the undying one.
Yes, he had noticed that his opponent had more than a durable body. He had attacked him with strength that would kill people of Zeke's strength level, but still Zeke remained, undying, with the same infuriating grin.
So in anger, he chose to use the ability he had gained from reaching his S-Ranked strength, a testament to the brutal battle he had to face. The memory of that struggle, of clawing his way to power through pain and determination, fueled his current rage.
Thanks to his traits, he survived, now he would use the reward of that perseverance to end these ants.
As for the undying rat, after killing the ones he protects, he would let him live in his despair as he—the Minotaur—lived free from that place.
Dying to them?
Please, he never had that thought. He either won or won. He would never go back to that place and he wouldn't accept death after his struggles.
So yes, he would win.
With that resolve burning in his chest like molten iron, he activated his Innate ability, stomping his foot on the ground with earth-shaking force, creating a shockwave that destroyed the chains binding him. The ground cracked in spider-web patterns, and the very air seemed to ripple with the release of power.
"Aiya," Zeke had a strained smile, his expression mixing admiration with concern.
Of all the times to use his ability, the beast chose this moment when the attacks were about to land, taking away their advantage through sheer timing.
The attacks still landed with devastating force, but the power of the attack had been reduced. The impacts sent shockwaves through the battlefield, kicking up dust and debris that momentarily obscured their vision.
The Minotaur, hit with the attack, stumbled backward, his massive form swaying like a felled tree. The wound that Zeke had given him widened, dark blood splattering across the ground in an arc that painted the earth crimson.
The beast looked towards Zeke with rage burning in his eyes like twin infernos and rushed towards him, his hooves pounding against the ground with the force of a freight train. He would incapacitate Zeke and then kill these weaklings he was trying to protect.
Seeing the beast charge towards him with unstoppable momentum, Zeke threw his double-bladed sword, the weapon spinning through the air with deadly precision. It did little to hurt the raging beast, as it swatted it away with its axe like an annoying fly, instead it seemed to annoy him all the more.
"Thanks for the gift, Nil," Zeke said as he'd copied the beast's ability, the word Nil being a jab at the beast for having no name and having the system saying Nil in the section that had its name.
He was ready for another round