LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

Chapter 185: Defeat the Minotaur

In the world of Zordrix, the skies were alive with shimmering light, a swirl of clouds and endless wind currents that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The people of this world—the Jaldir—were a race unlike any other.

Their skin was pale, like moonlight on water, and their limbs were long and graceful, but it was their wings that truly set them apart.

Each Jaldir possessed wings as vast as the sky itself, brilliant feathers of silver and gold that shimmered with the light of the twin suns that orbited their world.

They were a race born of the air, thriving in the high places, and their mastery of flight was unmatched in any realm.

The Jaldir lived among the sky cities—vast, floating metropolises that hovered above the clouds, suspended by ancient magic and the will of the wind itself.

It was in one such city, the majestic capital of Eryndor, that thousands of Jaldir had gathered around the grand screens that projected the survival game, where their chosen representative, the Skyclaw Brotherhood, was fighting for dominance.

Velros Skybreaker, the leader of the Skyclaw Brotherhood, had been the subject of their admiration for as long as they could remember.

A warrior born from their finest stock, Velros was a vision of what the Jaldir valued most: power, speed, and elegance.

His wings were the largest of any Jaldir in recorded history, spanning wide and catching the light of the suns as though he had woven stardust into his feathers.

The Skyclaw Brotherhood, his elite squad, was made up of the best warriors Zordrix had to offer—fierce, loyal, and as swift as the wind itself.

The cheers from the gathered crowd were deafening as they watched Velros and his Brotherhood wreak havoc on the Raging Pig Orcs.

The orcs stood no chance.

With every pass, the Skyclaw warriors swooped down from above, their talons gleaming like knives, cutting through the orcish ranks with precision and deadly efficiency.

The air was alive with the thrill of battle, and the people of Zordrix reveled in it.

"Look at them go!" one young Jaldir boy exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement as he watched Velros execute a flawless dive, tearing through two Pig Orcs before pulling up with the grace of a falcon.

"Velros is unstoppable!"

A Jaldir elder, standing nearby, nodded in agreement, his wings fluttering in approval.

"The Skyclaw Brotherhood is unmatched in combat. No creature bound to the ground can face them and live. The Pig Orcs never stood a chance."

"Long live the Brotherhood!" shouted another Jaldir woman, her fists clenched in excitement.

The crowd roared in response, their wings beating in unison, sending ripples of wind through the air.

At the heart of the gathering, a different Asura girl stood, narrating the events for the people of Zordrix.

Her voice was clear and melodic, amplified by a wind instrument that echoed her words across the entire city.

"Velros Skybreaker and his Skyclaw Brotherhood have once again proven their dominance over the landbound Pig Orcs," she announced, her voice ringing through the air.

"Their speed and agility are unmatched, their blades swift, their talons sharp. The Pig Orcs fall before them like leaves in a storm."

The crowd cheered even louder, their voices mingling with the sound of the wind that constantly flowed through their city.

They had no doubt in their minds that Velros and his team would emerge victorious, even as they faced the mysterious maze that had trapped so many others.

But when the screens showed Velros and his Brotherhood entering the maze and losing their ability to fly, the atmosphere shifted.

A murmur of concern rippled through the crowd.

The maze was unlike anything they had encountered before—a place where even their superior speed and flight would be rendered useless.

Inside, the walls were high, the paths narrow, and the very magic of the place prevented Velros and his team from soaring above the danger.

The young Jaldir boy from earlier looked worried, his wings drooping slightly. "Why can't they fly?" he asked, his voice small.

"It's the maze," the elder replied, his brow furrowed. "It's filled with magic that keeps them grounded. But do not fear, young one. Velros will find a way."

And find a way he did. When the Brotherhood regrouped, working as one to tear through the Raging Pig Orcs even within the confines of the maze, the crowd's energy returned tenfold.

The Jaldir cheered wildly, their faith restored.

They watched as the Brotherhood thrashed the Pig Orcs inside the maze, using their agility and teamwork to outmaneuver the beasts, even without the use of their wings.

"They're doing it!" shouted the boy, his face lighting up once again. "They're unstoppable, even on the ground!"

The Asura girl, her voice filled with excitement, narrated the scene.

"Velros Skybreaker leads his Brotherhood with flawless precision, even in the face of such adversity. The maze may have taken their wings, but it has not taken their spirit. They fight with the strength of the wind and the fury of the storm."

But then, as the screens shifted once again, showing the Skyclaw Brotherhood venturing deeper into the maze, a new figure appeared.

The image of the mighty Minotaur, the guardian of the maze, flickered onto the screens.

The crowd gasped, the energy in the air turning electric with tension.

The Minotaur was massive, its body covered in rippling muscle, its horns sharp and gleaming in the dim light of the maze.

Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, filled with malice and intelligence.

This was no mindless beast, but a creature that had ruled the maze for centuries, bending its magic to its will.

The Jaldir watched in silence, their breath held as Velros and the Skyclaw Brotherhood came face to face with this new challenge.

The warriors themselves seemed momentarily stunned by the Minotaur's sheer presence, but it didn't take long for Velros to give the signal.

They spread out, ready to strike.

"They'll take it down!" a Jaldir warrior shouted, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "No beast can stand against the Brotherhood!"

"Be careful," the elder warned, his voice low. "That creature is not like the others. It wields the maze's magic. They will need more than strength to defeat it."

The battle began with a fury that left the crowd breathless.

The Brotherhood attacked in waves, each warrior striking with a different weapon, each blow carefully calculated to avoid triggering the maze's restriction on repeated spells.

Their speed was unparalleled, and for a moment, it seemed like they would overwhelm the Minotaur.

But the beast was not easily bested.

The Minotaur moved with the precision of a seasoned fighter, parrying blows with its massive club, swatting away attacks with its horns, and using the very walls of the maze to its advantage.

It was quick, far quicker than something of its size had any right to be, and every time it took a hit, it seemed to grow stronger, its eyes glowing brighter with each wound.

Velros led the charge, his wings trailing behind him as he danced around the Minotaur, searching for an opening.

His blade slashed through the air, each striking a blur of silver light. His Brotherhood followed his lead, attacking from all angles, their movements coordinated and seamless.

The crowd in Zordrix watched in awe as the battle unfolded.

The screen showed Velros dodging a powerful swing from the Minotaur's club, only to dive in from behind, slicing across the creature's back with a strike that should have felled a lesser foe.

But the Minotaur barely flinched.

"It's… adapting," the Asura girl whispered into her wind instrument, her voice now tinged with concern. "The Minotaur… it's growing stronger."

The crowd gasped in unison.

The Minotaur's wounds began to heal, its muscles bulging, and it roared, a sound that shook the very foundations of the maze.

With a single, thunderous charge, it slammed its horns into one of the Skyclaw warriors, sending him crashing into the maze's walls.

For a moment, it seemed like all was lost. But Velros, ever the leader, refused to give up.

With a cry that echoed across the skies of Zordrix, he rallied his Brotherhood, coordinating a final, all-out assault.

"Strike now!" he commanded, his voice filled with fury and determination.

The Jaldir crowd erupted into cheers once more as the Brotherhood unleashed their full power.

Velros himself delivered the final blow, driving his blade deep into the Minotaur's chest.

The beast let out one last, deafening roar before collapsing to the ground, its body still and unmoving.

The people of Zordrix erupted into wild cheers, their wings fluttering with excitement. "They did it!" they shouted, their voices a chorus of triumph. "Velros has defeated the Minotaur!"

But even as the cheers filled the sky, something stirred on the screen.

The Asura girl's voice faltered, her eyes widening in disbelief as she saw the impossible.

The Minotaur's body, broken and bloodied, began to move once again.