"Arghhhh!"
I watched as black flames consumed minotaur. It screamed and rolled on the ground. But rather than fade, flames only got bigger and stronger. The reason for it was simple: It absorbed the soul and life energy of minotaur. I looked at bitterly.
"This skill is very powerful."
Lack of emotion in my voice disgusted me. I stabbed and ended minotaurs suffering. Creating even a small flame consumed a lot of magical energy. If my Magic Circulation skill haven't evolved I could only use it sparingly. But now magic stat was higher.
"Also I don't need to consume magic power to keep or enlarge it."
It absorbed other things in the area to expand. Coupled with my Destruction Incarnate skill, nobody would be able to escape from it.
"No."
I shouldn't be arrogant. Just like how this labyrinth could rebuild itself, there could also others with skills to resist it. An easy way to die is to get overconfident.
(Blood Stone 20 percent full.)
Monsters here seemed to fill it better compered to previous floor. I just hoped that I would be able to fill it until I am here.
"Does evolving takes time?"
(Cannot be calculated.)
I see. I would be actually suprised if it gave me an answer. For a system created by a Goddes, it is sure has a lot limits.
(Evolution time will be depending on two things: the quality of blood absorbed and User's condition.)
Did it get angry because I said it has limits? Huh. I chuckled to myself. My peaceful mood was broken when I heard a woman screaming.
"A woman?"
In a labyrinth filled by monsters? It screamed trap. Despite knowing that I moved where voice came from. While my sense of direction wasn't the best, I still had enchanted senses due being a demon. I also increased them using Demonic Beast's Outrage. Speeding with Lightning Clad, I created sonicbooms.
"Damn, she is behind that wall."
I didn't stop. Rather than stopping, I poured aura to my legs and spear. Roaring loudly I smashed through it in one move.
"Kyaaaa!"
Kyaa? What kind of anime bullshit is that? I looked at the woman who made that noise. While her appearance suprised me I moved quickly and threw my spear to monster behind her. It spilt into different shadows and scattered. She fell down. I called my spear back. While she said somethings I still could feel whatever that monster was around me. It wasn't a 3 dimensional being. It looked like claws and teeth made out of shadows. It popped from a wall and attacked me. I swung my spear and it scattered again.
"What is this? Do you know how to kill it?"
I asked to the woman.
"Please don't eat me!"
For fucks sake. What's with me and protecting woman in danger? Do I look like a knight in shining armor? I am a demon, opposite of it! I looked around and saw that it was about to attack her. I coated my spear with black flames. I wasn't sure it would work but when the fire touched it it crumbled. After changing its shape several times, it disappeared for good. I still had my guard up. I turned to woman. She was about 2 metres tall, not counting horns. Rather than human legs she had hooves and fur covering her legs. Her breasts were huge and spilled out of her dress. They were so big that I couldn't help but to notice. Despite that I tried to not ogle her. I turned around while pointing to her.
"Your clothes…"
Her face looked human except cow horns and ears being cow-like. I also saw a cow-like tail behind her.
"Damn, she thick."
Was what I thought. Not seeing a woman in tens of days seemed to be getting to me.
"Who are you?"
I asked to her after she fixed her clothes. She only mumbled and shook. Her saking didn't seemed to help me with her look. She seemed to be really afraid of me.
(Passive skill Predator is effecting her.)
System notified me.
"Is there a way to stop it?"
(You could limit your magic power to decrease the effect.)
I breathed in deeply. Closing my eyes, I slowly controlled my magic power. I limited my power to minimum. When I opened my eyes again her shaking stopped.
"My name is Nox. I am not going to hurt you."
Not now, at least. She gulped.
"I am Nidalia Brighthide."
A surname. From my understanding, higher monsters had surnames. Only reason I had a surname was because of a certain Goddess.
"Thank you for saving me."
She bowed and I looked away from her. Those things had their own gravitational field!
"Are you a minotaur?"
She nodded.
"I am princess of Brighthide tribe."
Okay, stop. Are you telling me that males looked like full on monsters while females looked mostly human? What kind of shitty sexual dimorphism is that? Who made this?
"You look different than other minotaurs I seen."
She seen taken back with what I said.
"My mother was a human."
Okay, I am willing to accept that. Though I didn't wanted to think how a 4 meters musclebound bull man did it with a human… It was mostly forced. Suddenly, I didn't felt that bad about killing those minotaurs.
"But why are you here?"
I felt like I needed to change the topic. She started to cry. Wait, why? Why did I do? Did I fucked up? I waited her to calm down for some time. She gradually calmed down.
"Sorry, did I said something wrong?"
She shook her head.
"I am sorry. Let me tell you my story. I am daughter of Brighthide Tribe's Chief Norma Brighthide and Adventurer Hilde Ariende. Our tribe lived here, in the Great Labyrinth of Nimbrelde. We weren't a war-like tribe so humans allowed us to live here. We even signed and accord with them. We lived in the peace for years until…"
She hiccuped. She seemed to be actually scared.
"… Calamity."
I felt something stuck in my throat. What the fuck, Lucy? It wasn't enough to release a Calamity on the Earth but here too?
"We don't know where he came from or what tribe he belonged to. He just came and nearly all pure-blooded minotaurs lost themselves. They attacked half-bloods and humans living here!"
She again started to cry.
"My father didn't lost himself. He…"
She hiccuped.
"… Tried to stop him but he just… he just…"
I put my hand in her shoulder.
"I am sorry. You can stop."
…
I caused this.
I caused this.
I caused this.
"I know about Calamity."
So I had to fix it.
So I had to fix it.
So I had to fix it.
"I will kill him. I don't know if that would relieve your pain."
Minotaurs I been killing were her tribesman. They just lost themselves because of Calamity.
"Be careful. I can't help you."
I walked. I felt like shit.
"Wait! I can help you!"
She shouted behind me.
"I have to help you! It is my tribe."
I didn't looked at her. I felt guilty about all of this.
"I killed your people before coming here. While moving forward, I will keep killing them. Will you still want to come with me?"
I heard she gritting her teeth. She clearly hesitated.
"Can you really kill the Calamity?"
Look her face. Look her face. Look her face. Face her. You caused all of this. I looked directly to her eyes. I saw sadness, anger and regret. Same feelings I felt when I faced Black Dog at Earth. Like how I felt guilty about Black Dog destroying my world she felt the same.
"Do you know how to kill a monster?"
She wondered the answer. I could see that she were looking for it. But I didn't wanted her answer. I didn't asked her this question. I asked to myself.
"You become an even bigger monster. And I am the biggest monster here."
She looked at my eyes.
"I understand that you killed them in self-defense. But with me here, I can't allow you to kill them anymore."
She looked at she were ready to fight. I could release my magic power but I didn't do that.
"How are you going to stop me?"
She looked like she wanted to say something.
"I have…had a magical item. If I could find it I can…"
She stopped.
(You can use the quest item.)
Golden bell appeared in my hand. Seeing it her eyes opened widely.
"My bell!"
I handed it to her.
"My mother was a spirit dancer. While I am not skilled as her I can put people to sleep. Or make them easier to knock out."
I sighed. I could easily sprint and lost her. I could just forget what she said to me and keep killing and absorbing minotaurs. But I didn't do that. Why? Because I am stupid.
"So she was around you, huh?"
Maybe she weren't forced. Maybe she was just kinky.
"Yeah. She taught me a lot of things."
She looked down. Her mother probably died when Calamity drove minotaurs crazy.
"Treasure her memories."
I said to herself. I reached my hand out and patted her head.
"I lost all of my memories about my family a long time ago. When you lost them… They don't return back."
I said bitterly as I walked. I looked back and saw her standing.
"What are you doing? Come here. Or do you want me to kill minotaurs?"
If I could avoid killing them, I would.
"Yes!"
She nodded her head while running.
"When I am with you, you won't need to fight against minotaurs!"