All twelve Minotaurs had been pierced clean through, completely stripped of their ability to move. Blood soaked the ground, dyeing it red.
Of course, the black Minotaur created by fusing the flesh of two others wasn't in good shape either. Seven or eight bloody holes riddled its body, and a massive gash had been torn open across its front, one that should have been fatal.
Even so, managing to fight twelve opponents head-on and end in mutual destruction was an undeniably terrifying feat.
Bell reached a conclusion.
"They're a lot stronger."
Judging by the results alone, this outcome far exceeded his original expectations.
'Wrath' had only applied a slight influence, yet it allowed the Minotaur he created to unleash power far beyond what its level should have allowed.
"'Chaos' really is something that deserves deeper development."
Bell didn't particularly care about how well the casually created Minotaur performed. What truly surprised him was 'Chaos' itself, an Authority built upon the foundation of the Seven Deadly Sins.
That offhand thought just now, 'I wonder what would happen if I fused two Minotaurs,' had been realized perfectly by this Authority.
Breaking through the limits of the world and turning the impossible into reality, that was the effect produced by 'Chaos.'
Of course, it could also be described as a distortion of order.
And yet, such a whimsical thought had been carried out flawlessly. The Minotaur that emerged wasn't just a crude amalgamation, but a reinforced version, perfectly fulfilling Bell's random idea and even refining it beyond his expectations.
"So for now, this is still just instinctive reaction and unconscious control?"
Bell felt that this Authority was something he needed to study more deeply. It truly was an outrageous power.
And he could sense that the potential applications of 'Chaos' were incredibly broad.
It wasn't limited to the distortion and fusion of living beings. There were other, even more unimaginable directions.
Things like space, time, fate, and even life itself could be manipulated. It was well beyond the ordinary scope.
Bell had originally intended to leave, but suddenly stopped.
"Oh? You're not dead yet?"
His gaze fell on the Minotaur he had created, a hint of surprise in his eyes. But something else caught his interest even more.
"Not only are you still alive, you even developed self-awareness after the fusion…?"
"Hm. Was this a miracle born from my unconscious operation, from an instinctive thought?"
"Interesting. Very interesting."
"Since you possess the will to live, I'll grant you the chance to do so. Consider it your reward for defeating those Minotaurs."
As his words fell, the severe wounds on the black Minotaur began healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Flesh and blood surged and wriggled, knitting themselves back together. Massive gashes rapidly shrank, while smaller wounds recovered completely.
All of this happened within just a few seconds.
The Minotaur knelt on one knee before Bell, reverence evident in its posture.
"Thud!"
Because of its size, the act of kneeling produced a heavy impact.
"Asterios thanks my lord."
"Asterios… is it?"
Hearing that name, Bell immediately realized the deeper identity of the Minotaur before him.
"So this really is fate."
He couldn't help but sigh.
Whenever Bell faced monsters in the dungeon, he would sever part of their soul, ensuring they had absolutely no chance of being reborn as 'Xenos.' He had no interest in creating future trouble for himself.
If a monster suddenly showed up one day and insisted on finishing a previous battle, that would be far too troublesome.
So Bell always took precautions when dealing with monsters.
Yet despite that, the Minotaur fated to exist still ended up being born by his own hand.
"My lord…"
Asterios didn't quite understand what Bell meant, and Bell had no intention of explaining.
"Don't worry about my words. Your birth wasn't something I intended, just the result of a passing whim. And as I said earlier, since you wished to live, I've granted you that right, in recognition of you defeating those Minotaurs."
"A monster with human reason… you share a common name with others like you: 'Xenos.'"
"There are many of your kind within the dungeon. Humans and sub-humans cannot accept your existence, so you'll have to seek recognition elsewhere. For example, from your own kind."
"My kind…"
Asterios hadn't expected others like him to exist. Curiosity flickered in his bull-like eyes.
"They have the bodies of monsters and the reason of humans, just like you. In the dungeon, they are weak, despised by both monsters and humans alike. Many are hunted, experimented on, and sold by humans."
Bell noticed the intense killing intent that surfaced in Asterios' eyes at those words. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. A good display of emotion.
"Humans don't truly acknowledge one another. There is no such thing as sympathy among them. Humans are creatures driven by curiosity, desire, and malice. What they do to 'Xenos' is simply their normal behavior."
"I once suggested that if you wanted to change how 'Xenos' are seen in the human world, you should erase seventy percent of Orario's humans. Only when they feel fear, only when safety and hope are stripped away, will humans understand compromise and acceptance for the sake of survival."
"But I quickly discarded that idea. I hate humans, and I hate adventurers. The thought of making 'Xenos' accepted by such things disgusts me."
"So I believe it's better to create a world of your own, while I still have the power to do so."
"Pure 'Xenos' aren't suited to mixing with such filth."
"Asterios, go and seek the meaning of your existence for yourself. And protect your kin. That is the task I give you. Will you accept it?"
Bell had never forgotten about the 'Xenos.' His earlier proposals had simply come from a lack of ability. Now that he possessed the power to truly address the issue, he could afford to propose far bolder solutions.
If 'Xenos' were feared and slaughtered by humans, then creating a new world was the answer. At least for Bell as he was now, that wasn't particularly difficult.
For now, he would let Asterios seek the answers of the 'Xenos' himself.
"My lord, it would be my honor."
Asterios understood his master's intent clearly. He would witness his kin's choices with his own eyes and convey his master's will to them.
"Then go."
Bell waved his hand, and a rift in space opened, swallowing Asterios and sending him elsewhere.
Bell then took out a notebook from his private space and wrote down a single line.
"Reference plan for resolving the Xenos issue: Create a new world."
With that, the 'Xenos' problem was officially added to Bell's list of future tasks.
After making the note, Bell put the notebook away.
He was still in the middle of challenging the dungeon, after all. He had no intention of forgetting that.