The raging Minotauros didn't hesitate for even a moment—he lunged straight at Kaede.
One second he was dozens of meters away, and the next, he was right in front of her. His massive frame cast a crushing shadow over her, and the giant spiked club in his right hand rose high, howling through the air as it came crashing down.
But as the weapon descended at breakneck speed, Kaede only grinned. Sora-kuzure flashed from its sheath in the split-second before impact, the blade catching the monstrous strike head-on. The shockwave split the ground beneath their feet, black cracks spidering out several meters before halting.
Kaede was pleased. Even taking such a brutal hit, her body didn't falter. Before this, she would never have dared to take it head-on—she'd have used Soru to dodge instead. But the Mysterious-Grade Physique she'd stolen from the Minotauros had changed everything.
"Heh… my turn now!"
"GET LOST!"
That single exchange told Kaede everything she needed to know about their difference in strength.
With a roar, she unleashed her full power, forcing the Minotauros back in an instant.
"Cross Slash—Rend!"
Two arcs of sword energy—each carrying the Rend effect—tore through the air toward her foe.
Sensing the danger, the beast crossed his massive iron club before his chest.
CLANG!
The iron club shattered into jagged chunks. Staring at the stub of metal left in his grip, the Minotauros could hardly believe the weapon that had served him for years was destroyed in a single blow.
"No one told you not to get distracted in a fight?"
His whole body tensed. Instinct made him leap aside—just in time for a crescent-shaped slash to whistle past, spraying a fan of blood high into the air.
The pain snapped him fully alert. For the first time, he realized this opponent's strength was no less than the intruder who'd knocked him out earlier.
"MOOOO!"
He tossed the broken club aside, eyes blazing. Muscle after muscle bulged, his already-massive frame swelling into a living mountain. His crimson gaze burned with madness.
Kaede calmly sheathed Sora-kuzure.
"Come on, little bull. Let's dance."
Her taunt sent the Minotauros into a frenzy. His hooves scraped furrows in the stone—and then he vanished.
Gone. Kaede's eyes couldn't even track his movement. But her body moved on instinct—dropping low, arms raised to guard the right side of her head.
A shadow swallowed the light above her. A fist carrying the force of a mountain slammed down onto her forearm.
Even with her Mysterious-Grade Physique, the blow sent her flying. She could match his raw power, but his full-force punch was still a monster's strike.
Pain flared through her arm, nearly snapping the bone. But there was no time to complain—a dark shape tore through the dust toward her.
I let my guard down for one second and got sent flying… even if you're a jailer beast, I won't forgive that.
"BASTARD—GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!"
Every muscle in her body exploded with power. The sleeve of her right arm shredded as she drove all her strength into a single punch.
The two fists collided like colliding meteors.
The air shattered, sharp wind blades tearing at the surroundings. Cracks split the floor in a web of fractures.
And that was only the beginning. Both fighters vanished from sight, reappearing only in deafening explosions as their battle raged. The storm of their blows ripped apart walls, floors—everything.
Their forms blurred into shadowy phantoms, leaping dozens of meters in the blink of an eye.
Kaede's blood sang. She hadn't felt this alive in years—trapped in the steel cage of city life, suffocated both physically and mentally. Whether it was her wild nature or the martial dreams of her youth, she couldn't hold herself back now.
For the Minotauros, though, Kaede's strength was beyond anything he expected. They might seem evenly matched now, but he hadn't forgotten how easily she'd destroyed his club. If that slash had hit his body…
And the worst part? She was still getting stronger. Every aspect—speed, power, coordination—was improving mid-battle. It was like he was just her sparring partner.
"You really underestimate me, spacing out again? Fine—next move ends you."
The taunt made him snap. He knew he couldn't win, but the idea of her ending him in one strike was unbearable.
With a roar, he charged to tear her apart.
"Good! Come at me!"
Neither dodged. They slammed into each other head-on.
The impact dwarfed all their previous clashes.
The Minotauros smirked through the pain in his hands—he was still standing.
"Heh… three… two… one… fall."