Ch.3838. The Industrial City of Vulcanus (5)

A five-meter-tall giant Minotaur struck a mid-level mage, shattering his defensive magic and crushing his body against a building.

With his neck twisted at an impossible angle, clearly dead to any observer, his body contorted in multiple places like some grotesque modern art piece.

[[[CURSED CITY, I HAVE RETURNED!!!]]]

The Minotaur roared with a voice filled with rage, hatred, and vengeance, loud enough to echo throughout the entire city.

And in this city, there were still many who remembered that voice.

“…Could it be?!”

“Is it him?! Has he truly returned?!!”

The largest slave rebellion in history, which until this incident had been the most devastating event with the highest casualty count.

This voice belonged to the Minotaur who had led that unforgettable uprising—the very reason why the city now prohibited the use of warrior-type demi-humans of mid-level or higher as slaves.

It was the same voice that had announced his intentions during the rebellion.

“Stop him! We must stop him at all costs!”

He alone had decimated the city defense corps’ elite unit, and with his tribal secret—a Barbarian advanced class skill passed down only within his tribe—he could empower dying dwarf slaves with his battle cry to decapitate legion soldiers.

[[[UOOOOOOOOOO!!!]]]

As if to prove this, he roared, empowering the revolutionary warriors, then charged toward the gathered crowd, swinging his twin battle axes.

Though called a one-handed axe, considering the 5-meter Minotaur’s size, it was so heavy that even a strong adult human male would struggle to lift it with both hands.

The axe’s form and weight alone were impressive, but it was also enhanced with multiple engraved runes and tempered with sacred blood—a weapon worthy of being treated as a holy relic by any religious order.

In terms of level, it was approximately Level 3, with all resources (weapon special ability points) invested purely in damage and durability enhancement—a simple but brutally effective weapon.

KWAAAANG!!!!

Wielded by a 5-meter chieftain-class (Grade 4) Minotaur, his charge became an unstoppable advance, the very embodiment of violence.

With each swing of his arm, humans before him were cut down like crops before a farmer’s scythe.

Those who collided with his overwhelming body were broken and sent flying, only to be beaten by slaves, or trampled under metal-shod hooves into well-tenderized pieces of meat.

Priests and paladins specialized in rear support were too inexperienced to step forward and couldn’t stop him—

“”””《Increase Mana》!!!!””””

“””《Lightning Lance》!!!”””

“”《Holy Judgment: Freeze》!””

Finally, mid-level priests and mages who had been waiting for an opportunity struck, casting magic attacks at the Minotaur after receiving magic damage enhancement buffs.

A massive lance of blue lightning struck the Minotaur, electrocuting him.

Immediately after, three consecutive pillars of cold energy fell from the sky, freezing him solid.

With the Minotaur’s entire body coated in ice—resembling an ice sculpture—they prepared to cast a powerful spell that required a long casting time to finish him off.

CRACK!

[[[■■■■■■■■———!!!]]]

“W-what—”

But the Minotaur was faster than they anticipated.

He broke free from the ice several times quicker than expected and charged at the mages with a roar closer to a monster’s howl than any language.

“《Magic Sh—(Magic Sh—”

—SLASH!

He cleaved a mid-level mage who was attempting to cast a defensive spell in two, then struck the upper portion of the diagonally-cut mage with the back of his axe, sending it flying toward the other mages.

WHOOSH!

The upper body of their former comrade flew at dangerous speed, forcing the priests to dodge—

“Ah—”

BOOM———!!!

One priest who had hastily thrown himself aside was struck precisely by a flying rock, wasting another life meaninglessly.

“””《Frost Wind》!!”””

“”《Paralyze Beam》!””

“”””《Pressure》!!””””

However, the act of kicking building debris at the priest inevitably created an opening.

The mages and priests didn’t miss the opportunity created by their comrade’s sacrifice and cast various spells.

While a Level 3 ice-element spell specialized in slowing movement staggered the Minotaur, a Level 3 spell with a high chance of inflicting the “Paralyze” status hit him repeatedly.

Five Level 3 spells, including magic that bypassed magic resistance and major debuff curses, successfully suppressed the Minotaur.

Additionally, a Level 2 universal spell called “Pressure” that could be used regardless of class was activated.

This universal spell, which pressed down from above, became increasingly difficult to resist when cast consecutively by multiple magic users.

The Minotaur, already in a terrible state, began to bend at the waist little by little.

Though the Minotaur had been acting with the power of a high-level warrior…

That was merely because his physical abilities had been dramatically enhanced.

In reality, his magic resistance and various passive skills weren’t much different from when he was alive, so his complete neutralization seemed certain—until that moment.

Creak…..creak…….CREAK……….!!!

[[[■■■■■■■■■———!!!]]]

Despite the crushing pressure that threatened to pulverize his body, the Minotaur somehow raised his head to look at the sky and let out a howl-like roar filled with resentment and hatred.

KUUUUUUUUUUUNG———!!!!!!

Suddenly, from the sky covered with red clouds, a pillar of blood-colored light struck down, engulfing the Minotaur—

[[[■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■——————!!!!!]]]

As the blood-red pillar of light began to fade, the Minotaur that emerged with a brave yet intimidating roar was……..

“W-what, what is that……..”

He had clearly and distinctly changed from before being swallowed by the light.

Already 1.6 times larger than an average 3-meter Minotaur, he now stood nearly 10 meters tall.

The gladiator-style armor he had been wearing was now adorned with golden decorations and red paint, making it even more magnificent.

But more than anything else, there was a clear sign that the Minotaur had become something different—

FLAP———!

It was the pair of red wings that had sprouted from his back, and the halo that appeared behind his head.

The wings, easily exceeding 6 meters in length, resembled avian wings—similar to what are commonly called angel wings.

These wings, positioned on his back as if their natural state was to be spread open, had a color like congealed blood….

One of their distinctive features was the flames burning at their tips, similar to the body of an “Avatar of Avenge.”

The halo behind his head wasn’t the definite form often depicted in modern media, but rather resembled red light emanating from a light source behind his head.

His eyes glowed entirely red, emitting light, while red sparks crackled across his entire body, blatantly revealing the manifestation of supernatural power.

Though called a Minotaur, this red angel—clearly transformed into some supernatural being—raised and swung his axe that had grown proportionally with his size—

KWAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAANG———!!!

That simple action was enough to devastate the entire area.

The axe, instinctively wrapped in aura, sliced through everything in sight, and no mortal could avoid this attack powerful enough to overturn the city.

After rampaging with pure brute force as if trying to destroy everything in the city, the Minotaur suddenly vanished along with the enslaved people when the red clouds dispersed and the sun rose………..

Only the completely destroyed industrial city remained as evidence that someone had been there.