The Minotaur roared again, the sound like thunder exploding through the chamber. The torches flickered, their green flames bending from the sheer force of its voice. Dust shook loose from the ceiling and drifted down like ash.
Keiz's heart pounded in his chest. His entire body trembled uncontrollably as he stared up at the towering beast. Its red eyes locked onto him like a predator that had already claimed its prey.
"This… this thing won't stop until I'm dead…"
The cleaver gleamed in the dim light, its stained edge catching the glow of the torches. Every time the Minotaur raised it, Keiz's body tensed, expecting his end.
He tried to crawl away, his right hand dragging across the floor, but the black substance moved again—wrapping around his torso and pulling him violently to the side just before the cleaver smashed down.
BOOM!
The ground split where he had been a second before.
Keiz coughed, dust filling his lungs. His eyes darted wildly between the Minotaur and the black tendrils that refused to let him stay still.
"…You… you're saving me again…"
He didn't understand it, but he couldn't deny the truth. Without the black substance, he would already be dead.
The Minotaur roared once more and charged, the ground trembling beneath its hooves. Its cleaver swung in a wide arc, powerful enough to slice through pillars like twigs.
Keiz's eyes widened in terror. "No—!"
But before he could move, the black substance lashed out. It wrapped tightly around his arm and dragged him backward with unnatural force. His body slammed against the floor, pain shooting through him, but the cleaver passed just above his head, carving a deep scar into the stone.
The impact threw up shards of rock, cutting into his skin. Warm blood trickled down his cheek.
Keiz gasped, clutching his chest. His mind was in chaos.
"What is this thing? Why… why is it protecting me?!"
The black substance pulsed faintly, as if alive. It coiled behind him like a shadow with form, writhing in anticipation.
The Minotaur snorted, frustrated. Steam gushed from its nostrils as it raised its cleaver again. This time it stomped forward with even greater force, determined to crush him.
Keiz's body locked up. He knew he couldn't move fast enough on his own. His right hand shook violently as he raised it in desperation.
"Protect me—!"
The words tore out of his throat before he even realized.
The black substance reacted instantly. It surged up his arm like liquid metal, spreading across his body. His skin burned as the darkness coated him, wrapping around his chest, shoulders, and legs. It hardened into armor-like plates, jagged and uneven, but strong.
Keiz gasped, his eyes wide as he looked at himself. The substance wasn't just shielding him anymore—it was wearing him.
"…Armor?"
The cleaver came down.
The black substance responded, moving his body for him. His legs bent and launched him sideways, avoiding the strike. His body moved faster than he could have ever done on his own.
BOOM!
The cleaver struck again, sparks flying as stone shattered.
Keiz stumbled, trying to regain balance. His mind was screaming that he hadn't jumped. That wasn't his strength. That wasn't his control.
"It's… moving me…"
The realization shook him, but he didn't have time to think. The Minotaur roared and swung horizontally, the cleaver slicing through the air toward him.
Keiz raised his right arm instinctively.
The black substance shot forward, shaping itself into a jagged black blade that extended from his arm. The cleaver struck against it with a deafening clang. Sparks erupted, and the ground beneath them cracked from the sheer force.
Keiz's entire body rattled. His knees buckled. The Minotaur's strength was overwhelming.
"I—I can't hold this—!"
But the black blade didn't break. The substance thickened, reinforcing itself, holding the cleaver back. The Minotaur snarled, pressing harder, but Keiz felt the black armor pushing back on its own.
The clash of strength continued, Keiz caught in the middle, his body trembling violently.
Then, the black substance surged forward. With a burst of force, it shoved the cleaver aside and lashed out, driving the jagged blade into the Minotaur's chest.
SHUNK!
The sound of tearing flesh filled the chamber.
The Minotaur bellowed in pain, staggering backward. Black liquid dripped from Keiz's arm-blade, sizzling as it hit the ground.
Keiz's eyes widened in horror.
"…I… I didn't attack. I didn't move…!"
His breath grew shallow. His heart raced. The black substance had acted completely on its own. It wasn't just protecting him anymore. It was fighting.
The Minotaur roared again, its crimson eyes blazing brighter. Blood gushed from its wound, but it still raised its cleaver, swinging it wildly in rage.
Keiz stumbled backward, his armor shifting his body automatically, dodging each strike with inhuman speed. The black blade lashed out repeatedly, slashing at the Minotaur's legs and arms.
The chamber shook with every impact. Stone pillars crumbled. Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Keiz's voice trembled. "This… this isn't me… This isn't my strength…!"
His mind raced. A part of him wanted to reject it, to rip the armor off, to scream that it wasn't his power.
But another part whispered—
If you stop now, you'll die.
The Minotaur charged again, swinging its cleaver downward with all its might.
The black substance surged, forcing Keiz to leap forward, closing the distance. His arm-blade extended, jagged and dripping with black liquid. With a violent thrust, it pierced through the Minotaur's chest, stabbing deep.
ROOOAAARRR!
The beast's scream shook the chamber as it staggered, dropping to one knee. Its massive cleaver clattered to the ground, the sound echoing like thunder.
Keiz stood before it, his right arm still embedded in its chest. His eyes shook, his breath ragged. He could feel the Minotaur's heartbeat pulsing through the blade, slowing… weakening.
The black substance pulsed violently, spreading further up his body, forming spikes along his back, his shoulders, his legs. It hissed and writhed like a living beast.
Keiz's reflection caught in a cracked piece of armor on the ground. His face was hidden beneath a jagged, black helm. His body was completely encased in monstrous, shadowy armor.
"…I… look like a…"
His voice trembled.
"…a monster."
The Minotaur groaned, its strength fading. With one final roar, it collapsed onto the floor, shaking the ground. Dust and debris rose into the air.
Silence followed.
Keiz stood motionless, his arm still transformed into a jagged blade. The Minotaur lay still at his feet, its lifeless body oozing blood that spread across the cracked stone floor.
The black substance slowly retracted, pulling back from his arm, his chest, his face. His armor melted away, dripping like ink, until it vanished completely.
Keiz fell to his knees, gasping for breath. His right hand shook violently as he stared at it, as if it still wasn't his.
"…What… what am I?"
The corpse of the Minotaur lay behind him, a testament to his survival. But Keiz didn't feel victorious. He felt hollow. Terrified.
He pressed his trembling hand against his chest.
"That wasn't me… none of it was me…"
The chamber was silent, save for his ragged breathing.
Behind him, the shadows shifted faintly. The black substance writhed quietly, unseen, like a predator biding its time.