Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 535: Three-headed minotaur

Chapter 535: Three-headed minotaur

A complicated expression appeared on the faces of the four Sky Seed Depravitas after hearing the robotic voice of the A.I. Chip in their minds.

On the one hand, the good news was that they had discovered a member of The Darkness within their reach, someone from whom they could forcefully extract information to understand more about this Doomsday World. On the other hand, that entity was a Level 19 Sage, and tangling with a Sage was no small matter.

Although Vlad and Fafnir possessed physical bodies that could surpass the strength of a Level 19 being, raw might was only one aspect of a Sage’s arsenal. Once a life form reached the Sage level, its soul became powerful enough to awaken a new Gift—a Sage Ability—whose potential was nothing short of monstrous.

That wasn’t the end of it. A Sage could begin drawing upon the Laws, the fundamental principles of the cosmos. Of course, merely having the ability to sense the Laws didn’t mean one could master them overnight, much less channel their power. Yet even the smallest tap into their cosmic essence could raise a cultivator’s prowess to terrifying heights.

Furthermore, anyone who survived in a Doomsday World had to be far stronger than most of their peers. A realm teeming with endless carnage, insane creatures, and lethal environments demanded extreme fortitude—mental, physical, and otherwise. Those who lived through such conditions were invariably special.

All of these thoughts ran through the minds of the four Sky Seed Depravitas as they exchanged glances, silent nods communicating their steeled resolve. Determination and killing intent rose in their hearts, filling the cave chamber with suffocating tension.

Instantly, Vlad, Jormungandr, Ouroboros, and Fafnir suppressed their auras until no trace of their presence remained, employing the power of their A.I. Chips to dampen even their vital signals and scent. Their bodily functions slowed to the bare minimum, making them practically undetectable to conventional senses. Then, with one final exchange of meaningful looks, they vanished from the cave in a coordinated burst of speed.

...

A towering, three-headed minotaur-like creature trekked through a treacherous volcanic range, stepping effortlessly over molten rock. He stood a full ten meters tall, each of its three bull-like heads crowned with twisted horns that radiated heat and crackling energy. All six of his molten eyes glowed with feral power.

The creature’s muscular body was covered in jagged obsidian steel armor, glowing veins of magma-like energy coursing across his chest and limbs. On closer inspection, it was evident that this "armor" was no mere plating—it was an organic extension of the minotaur’s own flesh.

In both hands, the beast hefted colossal spiked war hammers that glowed with destructive power. Yet, despite his formidable appearance, he bore grievous wounds. A massive cut marred the center of his broad chest, while two more piercing injuries at its back nearly connected to the front. A lesser creature would have been crippled, writhing on the ground, but this minotaur’s raging vitality stood firm. He stalked onward, scanning the molten landscape for threats.

Satisfied for the moment that nothing lurked nearby, the three-headed minotaur stabbed one of his gargantuan war hammers into the volcanic soil. Then he reached out a massive clawed hand and submerged it in a pool of lava. The molten rock coursed into its body, merging with the glowing veins on its torso. A deep rumble akin to laughter reverberated from all three throats as the superheated energy began mending his open wounds.

In the midst of that healing process, the minotaur’s leftmost head suddenly snarled. Without hesitation, the creature jerked his left forearm sideways. A moment later, a small figure shot into view, nearly colliding with that giant limb.

Vlad’s eyes widened. Had the blow connected, it would have shattered many of his bones. But Vlad was no novice; with fluid martial skill, he rolled along the ground, narrowly evading the devastating strike, and reappeared directly in front of the towering beast.

A surge of fire and lightning gathered around Vlad’s arm, swirling in a violent storm of energy. He drove his fist toward the gaping wound in the creature’s chest.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!"

An explosion of flame and lightning erupted where Vlad’s punch struck, incinerating flesh and hurling the massive minotaur skyward. A grimace of pain twisted the beast’s central head, smoke rising from his scorched wound. Yet even as the brute snarled, the killing intent in his six eyes burned brighter. He refused to succumb to mere pain.

"KRA-KA-BOOM!"

However, before the three-headed minotaur could fight back, a sharp crack of thunder resounded above. A massive lightning-infused fire snake plummeted from the sky, slamming directly into the minotaur’s airborne body.

"BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!"

A second, thunderous blast shook the volcanic earth, raising clouds of ash and cinder that temporarily obscured the battlefield. The minotaur crashed into the ground, carving a deep crater. Yet, before the dust even settled, the beast erupted from the pit with a furious roar. His flesh was ragged and charred, yet no trace of surrender showed in its blazing eyes.

The three-headed creature’s eyes scanned the surroundings for the source of the spell and found a small yellow cat. Ignoring the pain, he locked onto the cat’s aura, preparing to charge.

Unfortunately for the minotaur, there was more to come. Another figure flashed upward with surprising speed from the same crater it had just vacated. This was a white werewolf-like being, yet draconic scales and chitinous exoskeleton plating covered much of its fur.

A destructive bloodline power swirled around the werewolf’s clawed hands. Exploiting the minotaur’s momentary distraction, the werewolf struck hard at the monster’s back—exactly where the old wounds lay.

"AHHHHHHHH!" All three of the beast’s heads howled in unison as a spray of dark, steaming blood erupted from each mouth. He hurtled through the air like a rag doll. In a daze, the minotaur’s six eyes flickered with confusion.

’Where did this strange group come from?’ He wondered, scarcely able to fathom how so many powerful enemies had appeared in an instant.

Yet the onslaught was far from over. As the minotaur crashed through a boiling pool of lava, something else surfaced.