Chapter 293 - 160: Battle Against the Ox-Head 2

The saber’s blade met the axe’s, and shockingly, there was no sound. The Great Saber sliced in as if through soft clay. If the Frenzied Skeleton hadn’t seen the danger and hastily withdrawn its axe, a chunk of it would have been sheared right off.

As the Undead pulled its axe back, the Demonized Minotaur shifted its blade, bringing it to its side in a defensive posture.

DANG!

The Power Skeleton’s small Hammer struck the flat of the blade. The Demonized Minotaur knocked it aside with force, not only sending the small Hammer flying but also slamming into the Power Skeleton, sending it flying as well.

The Demonized Minotaur took a few steps back, saber held ready. The brief exchange had made it realize that these Undead had some combat prowess. Still, it wasn’t afraid; the outcome of this battle was far from certain.

The Power Skeleton slammed against the wall and shattered into pieces, only to quickly reassemble itself. Meanwhile, the Frenzied Skeleton held its axe up to its eyes. Staring at the deep gash in the blade, it jumped up and down, seething with rage.

In that short amount of time, the Physical Skeleton’s Shield had already made a full recovery. There was no sign that it had just been nearly sliced in two by the sword. As it grew stronger, its recovery speed had also increased.

The Demonized Minotaur felt a chill. It strode forward, once again swinging its sword at the Shield. But just as the blade was about to connect, it abruptly changed direction and swung out horizontally.

A dark figure was sliced in two. The Demonized Minotaur immediately re-engaged the Frenzied Skeleton and Power Skeleton. The one it had cut, the Speed Skeleton, had been trying for a sneak attack. Now, it grabbed its own lower body and used one hand to crawl away, struggling to leave the battlefield.

He couldn’t believe his terrible luck. What a disastrous start. He’d been cut down the moment he joined the fight—cleanly sliced in two. And he hadn’t even managed to touch the minotaur.

The battle truly began. The five Tattooed Skeletons and the Demonized Minotaur were locked in a chaotic brawl.

The Demonized Minotaur had the clear upper hand, yet it couldn’t manage to finish off a single one of the Tattooed Skeletons. Their abilities to resurrect and grow gave them an unfair advantage. Any other Demonized Creatures would have been deader than dead by now.

It was unclear what material the Great Saber was made from, but it was extraordinarily sharp. Only the Shield of the Physical Skeleton could barely withstand its blows. Anything else it touched—be it a Weapon or an Undead itself—was instantly sliced apart. But the Demonized Minotaur itself wasn’t normal either. This beast wasn’t just tall and strong; it also possessed a Magic Ability. It could manipulate rock, forming it into Armor for defense or shaping it into giant fists to smash the Undead.

The five Tattooed Undead were caught in a desperate battle. Their Weapons were ineffective against the Demonized Minotaur’s rock Armor, and they had to constantly watch out for its Great Saber. They were terrified that a single misstep would lead to their heads being split in two—an injury from which they truly couldn’t be resurrected.

As the battle dragged on, the Demonized Minotaur had a growing sense that something was wrong. These things were getting stronger. Every last one of them was getting stronger!

The most startling change was with the Undead carrying the Shield. At the start of the fight, its Great Saber had easily sliced into the Shield, nearly cleaving it in two—and that was without even using its full strength. But now, its strikes were blocked by an earthen-yellow halo. Even at full Power, it could only leave a shallow gash.

The Demonized Minotaur was inwardly terrified. ’This Sword is no simple blade.’ It had been forged from special materials and had received an Enchantment from a Shaman Priest, making it nearly unstoppable. In most fights, it could easily shatter an enemy’s weapon and, while they were reeling from the shock, cut them down. But now, it was being blocked by a Shield!

And what was that earthen-yellow halo blocking his sword?

’Is it some kind of Magic Shield? Or is this Shield enchanted, too?’

But whatever the reason, the Shield was growing more and more Solid, to the point that the minotaur could barely damage it. The Undead wielding it always managed to appear at the critical moment, saving its companions from certain death, like a mobile wall.

Besides the shield-wielding Undead, the others were evolving as well. The one with the axe was much sturdier than when the fight began, and the crimson aura around it surged, wrapping it in what looked like roaring flames. It grew more and more frenzied; its Speed, Power, and agility were all constantly increasing. The single axe in its hands had become two, and as the battle raged, they grew larger and sharper.

When its axes now struck the Armor, they no longer just chipped off bits of rock, but could carve off a whole chunk.

Then there was the one with the Hammer. Its transformation was just as dramatic. Not only had it grown taller, but its one-handed Hammer had morphed into a long-handled, two-handed maul. The head of the Hammer had grown from smaller than a fist to the size of a human head. The increase in its Power was especially noticeable. At first, the minotaur had barely felt its blows. Now, a single strike was enough to send a shockwave through its internal organs.

The Fast Runner’s growth was the slowest, and it posed the least threat. It hadn’t grown taller; in fact, its bones seemed to have gotten thinner. Its Speed had increased, but its Attack Power was lacking. The swords it carried couldn’t damage his stone Armor.

Finally, and most insidiously, there was the Undead lurking in the shadows. The Demonized Minotaur had to focus most of its attention on this one. It always managed to seize an opportunity, launching a surprise attack at the most unexpected moments. The few wounds the minotaur had sustained were almost all its doing.