Fire Mage-Chapter 630: Minotaur

Chapter 630: Minotaur

A strange connection began to take shape—a link forged between poison and soul. Charles’s consciousness—his very will—became bound to the serpent, enslaved by its dominion.

He no longer spoke or thought of his own accord. He had become a vessel.

The serpent, now in full control, turned its focus inward. Through Charles, it reached toward his Inner World, seeking his soul core. If it could seize it, it could use Charles as a gateway. Escape would be within its grasp.

But just as it prepared to breach that final barrier, something unexpected happened.

A flicker of purple light ignited deep within the serpent’s body. A fire—not physical, but memory-born—sparked to life.

The fire devoured savagely, like it had been starved for ages.

What was more surprising was that it didn’t burn flesh. Instead, it consumed thoughts. Countless years of its experiences and even the Serpent’s Identity itself.

The serpent’s memories began to combust, vanishing in searing violet flames. Unlike humans or mystics, it had no Inner World to retreat into—its consciousness was one with its body. And that made it vulnerable.

Rage consumed it.

The serpent let out a shriek, a piercing hiss that shook the very ground. Its venomous jaws opened wide, ready to snap the frail human in two.

But then—

Time stopped.

The world slowed. Then halted. Silence fell.

Charles’s half-lidded eyes suddenly contracted.

A spark burst in his pupil—crimson fire.

It spread like wildfire. In seconds, he was engulfed. The flames consumed his form, reshaping him into something no longer quite human.

It was something elemental-like being. A demon of living flame. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

As Charles reflected on recent events, a wave of relief washed over him. The situation had been dire, and he had narrowly escaped the Serpent’s control. Though the entity under its influence was only his alternate consciousness, the fact that the Serpent had breached his Inner World sent a chill down his spine. Had he fallen completely under its sway, the consequences would’ve been catastrophic.

Shaking off the lingering unease, Charles decided to assess the situation more thoroughly. Activating his Rune Eye, he focused on the colossal, frozen Serpent. Within seconds, his eye scanned the massive form, revealing over twenty potential weak points. Yet he dismissed most of them, zeroing in on just a few. Channeling the Intermediate Sword Aura and Rebirth Fire into his Moonfire Scimitar, he readied himself.

From his encounter with Professor, Charles had learned a crucial fact: only physical attacks could affect someone during Time Stop. Magic wouldn’t obey his will—except for the Rebirth Flame. But even that flame lacked the raw destructive power needed to inflict significant damage. It did, however, enable rebirth via the Rebirth Domain and enhanced his cognition and reflexes, making him move twenty times faster than normal.

While pondering his next move, Charles considered various tactics. He eventually devised a plan: infuse the Rebirth Flame into his weapon and bind it with Sword Aura. He theorized that this fusion would remain unaffected by the temporal stasis within Time Stop, granting it stability. He even toyed with the idea of merging Rebirth Flame with other spells to launch a surprise attack—but knew such a fusion required a deep understanding of flame manipulation.

With a resolute expression, Charles fixed his gaze on the Serpent’s left eye and propelled forward. Fiery crimson flames, entwined with brilliant reddish Sword Aura, flared along the Scimitar’s edge as he cut through the air. In a blink, he was before the Serpent’s massive head. Drawing the Scimitar back, he executed a precise thrust.

Though the motion appeared slow and deliberate, the accuracy was razor-sharp. Nothing resisted the blade as it pierced the Serpent’s left eye, the crimson flames boring deep into flesh.

Without pause, Charles withdrew his blade, angling it slightly so the blood dispersed mid-air. He shifted position and mirrored the attack on the other eye.

Like flowing water, the Scimitar glided forward and punctured the second eye. The Serpent, still unaware of its fate, had been completely blinded.

Not wasting a moment, Charles leapt back and leveled his blade at the Serpent’s hooded neck.

The neck of a snake is thinner and more flexible than the rest of its body. While this allows for hooding, it also makes it vulnerable. The thought passed in a flash as Charles identified the weak spot. Though the neck was covered in emerald-like scales hardened like stone, he didn’t hesitate. He slashed horizontally.

Even with the Intermediate Sword Aura, his blade only inflicted shallow cuts. But Charles pressed on. He knew Time Stop would end in thirty seconds—and that was more than enough.

With surgical precision, he launched a barrage of strikes at the Serpent’s neck. His Scimitar tore into scale and flesh, and droplets of crimson blood began floating mid-air in the stillness.

As Time Stop neared its end, the Serpent’s neck had turned into a grotesque display of wounds and gashes. Its once-pristine scales were now bathed in blood.

A moment later, the Serpent hissed violently, a high-pitched screech tearing through the air. Writhing in agony, its massive body thrashed as primal fury overtook its senses.

Charles didn’t flinch. With a wave, he summoned his Rebirth Domain. Shifting back into human form, he cast [Soul Heal] on himself, neutralizing the poison seeping through his veins.

Then, activating [Faceless Eye], he unleashed invisible threads in all directions. Thousands of them spilled from both hands, coiling around the Serpent’s enormous form like silken snares.

Simultaneously, he cast [Fire Rain], summoning a strange crimson cloud above.

Though blind, the Serpent tapped into its innate wisdom and sensed danger looming from the sky. Instinct kicked in—it turned and attempted to flee toward the waterfalls.

But the attempt was futile. The invisible threads clamped tighter, anchoring its colossal body. The more it struggled, the more it entangled itself in Charles’s web.

Undeterred, Charles manipulated the threads with mechanical precision, tightening their grip. Then he dashed forward at breakneck speed, launching a flurry of [Finger of Destruction] spells at every identified weak point.

With each second, the bindings strengthened, crushing the Serpent’s strength.

Meanwhile, the crimson cloud released its payload—fiery meteors rained down like vengeful spirits. Each ball of fire, forged from Chaos Flame, ignited the Serpent’s body, scorching flesh and scale alike.

The combined assault of flame and bindings proved merciless. The Serpent writhed, bellowed, and thrashed violently, but Charles had anticipated every move. There was no escape.

As the seconds slipped by, the mighty beast’s strength waned. Movements slowed. Roars faded. The threads continued to constrict until, with one final shudder, the Serpent collapsed—lifeless.

[15 Wisdom Points obtained!]

...

"Oh? That’s not bad," Charles muttered as he opened his status window and noted the increase—now 42 Wisdom Points.

"Genesis, use all accumulated wisdom essence and enhance my wisdom power," he instructed.

[Certainly, Host,] Genesis replied.

A surge of essence rushed into Charles’s Soul. His wisdom stat leapt from 226 to 268 in mere moments, ushering in a sweeping transformation within his Inner World.

"Still... the real reason I defeated that beast wasn’t just my strength. It was thanks to Time Stop," he sighed, dismantling the Serpent’s corpse. Within minutes, he retrieved a large, dark green magical crystal and stored it in his space ring. He also extracted venom from its fangs and saved a few sturdy scales.

With the task complete, Charles checked the quest icon. Barely a few minutes had passed.

After a final glance at the waterfall’s beauty, he took to the skies—this time making no effort to hide. Instead, he released his full wisdom presence in all directions, an overwhelming force radiating outward.

He summoned his [Fallen Angel’s Wings], blackish fire feathers unfurling with a faint ethereal glow.

With a powerful flap, Charles soared into the evening sky, gliding effortlessly. The wind whispered through his hair as his eyes scanned the vast land below, keenly searching for the final magical beast.

After a long search, he spotted something—a towering figure in the wilderness, standing firm like a guardian of the wild.

It stood over four meters tall, massive and solid on two powerful legs. Its muscular frame radiated primal power, its posture demanding attention.

Atop its shoulders rested a bull-like head, crowned with two enormous, curved horns that gleamed with menace. The sheen hinted at countless battles fought and survived. Eyes glowing with fiery crimson stared into the distance, exuding raw malice.

Thick, dark fur cloaked the creature’s frame, its savage grandeur unmistakable. Each limb bulged with corded muscle, ending in hooves that seemed capable of crushing stone. Its skin, the color of weathered earth, shimmered with diamond-like hardness.

In its massive hands, it held a strange metallic axe—its blade glinting ominously in the setting sun.

"Another Legend Rank Magical Beast?" Charles muttered, his expression hardening.

’It’s a Minotaur!’

Even after Charles moved closer, Minotaur didn’t notice him.

It was fully focused on chasing a wild boar, its large body charging through the wilderness with fierce determination, crashing into the trees and rocks.

’Oh? It is still unaware of my presence. Could it be it is not that smart?’ Charles furrowed and soon sent out his wisdom power to scan the minotaur’s body.

The Minotaur briefly stopped its chase, startled by the sudden feeling of an unknown force scanning it. Sensing something off, it slowly turned towards Charles’s direction, sniffing the air with sharp senses.

’Did it sense my presence?’ Charles quietly observed the creature while hovering in the sky.

In the meantime, the minotaur soon showed a confused look and then let out a deep roar, echoing through the wilderness as a warning to any threat.

After that, with heavy steps, the Minotaur went back to chasing the wild boar. Its strong body moved smoothly, cutting through thick bushes as it pushed itself to catch the prey. Each step showed its raw power, bringing it closer to the boar.