Getting spoiled in a woman dominating world Chapter 483: The First Companion [7]

*creekk*

A faint scrape of steel on stone resounded as Brandon pressed onward, clutching the sword tight in his right hand while its tip trailed softly across the floor with each fatigued step.

Trailing in his wake, numerous Minotaur corpses cluttered the hallway, their bull-headed forms twisted into bizarre positions from the utterly lopsided carnage.

Certain ones were sliced neatly in two. Others suffered decapitation or crushed ribcages.

Shattered axes and splintered spears were strewn amid the fallen bodies.

"Huff... Huff..."

A searing, profound throb pulsed from the stump of his left arm, where blood continued to ooze gradually, marking a thin path on the ground behind him.

Fresh gashes and bruises marred his chest and limbs from the nonstop combat.

Though every fiber of his being begged for respite, he pressed on without pause.

His eyes shifted forward to the massive, partially ajar door far ahead.

’That seems like a boss room,’ he mused darkly.

Layer upon layer of this cursed tower had fallen to his blade.

He’d rationed his ether meticulously, deploying it solely for critical bursts of physical augmentation. Yet even that thrift was nearing exhaustion.

Dizziness washed over him anew, blurring his sight briefly.

He halted briefly, bracing against the wall to regain balance. ’I wonder... where Rheanne might be.’

Shoving away from the wall, he resumed his advance, the vast half-open door looming bigger with each step.

Brandon’s hold on the sword grew firmer.

Drawing a steadying breath, he entered the chamber.

Shock widened his eyes upon spotting Rheanne pinned to the floor by a gigantic spear, the Minotaur king poised with its axe hovering over her head.

Huh?

In the blink of an eye, he surged ahead and swung at the Minotaur king.

*CLANG*

At the final instant, the king hoisted its axe, blocking the blow amid a burst of sparks. The collision’s power forced Brandon back a pace, yet he stood firm.

Positioned now between the Minotaur King and Rheanne, he tilted his head, peering back at her over his shoulder.

"Have you lost some weight?"

Spitting blood, Rheanne forced a feeble, agonized smile. "...Now is not the time for jokes."

Brandon lunged toward her, hoisting the sword once more to sever the spear pinning her and set her loose.

Suddenly, a lesser Minotaur charged in and hammered him with its colossal fist.

The strike landed with devastating might.

*THOOM* Brandon hurtled sideways, soaring through the room before slamming into a stone pillar.

The collision fractured the pillar, showering debris around him.

He clambered from the debris as blood dripped from his mouth’s edge.

"I will borrow your sword for a moment. Seems like they are not letting me free you." he muttered.

He bolted forward and seized Rheanne’s discarded silver sword from the ground nearby.

Clenching it in his right arm, he leaped at the Minotaur that had struck him.

The hulking bull-headed beast swung its massive fist once more, aiming to squash him flat.

With boosted power, Brandon launched off the floor, slamming his boot into the oncoming fist.

The clash rippled shock through his leg, but he rode the force to somersault over the Minotaur’s arm, spinning mid-flight.

He slashed downward, targeting the beast’s shoulder and throat.

Yet before the edge met flesh, another Minotaur intercepted from the flank, whipping its hefty axe in a wide sweep.

In the nick of time, Brandon twisted the silver blade in his left hand to deflect the assault.

CLANG!

Sparks erupted, hurling Brandon airborne backward. He smashed onto the stone floor with a thud, tumbling repeatedly before halting on his back.

Agony erupted across his frame, worst at his left arm’s stump.

New blood welled from the gash, blending with the dirt and grit beneath.

Propping up on his right arm, ’There are 14 Minotaurs here... And they even defeated Rheanne, who should be at SS-rank level.’

His eyes darted to her. ’My objective now should be rescuing her... I can’t win this alone with low ether.’

He charged toward Rheanne anew, only for two Minotaurs to intercept, brandishing their enormous axes.

Brandon hurled the borrowed sword from his right hand like a javelin, straight at the nearest one’s chest.

It pierced deep into the creature’s body, making it reel.

Simultaneously, he evaded the other’s axe by diving low into a slide, gliding between its legs.

Emerging behind, his stare sharpened intensely. ’Only ether skills are restricted in this domain. But I should be able to use discs since it’s not essentially an ether skill...’

A compact ether disc shimmered into existence hovering before him in the air.

His right foot pressed firmly against it, propelling him skyward with a mighty leap using the momentum.

In midair, he balled up his one good fist and channeled ether straight into it to boost his raw physical power.

With every ounce of force, he hammered downward.

THOOOOM!

The blow crashed onto the thick shaft of the enormous spear that pierced Rheanne.

Shards of dark fragments burst outward in all directions as the spear fragmented into countless sharp bits.

That punch's power shoved the splintered remnants even further into the ground, fully liberating Rheanne.

"Argh..." A sharp gasp escaped her lips when the pressure lifted abruptly, crimson blood surging from the gashes in her chest and back.

Brandon touched down next to her, extending his lone arm to pull her to her feet.

"How are you feeling?"

Though Rheanne hacked up blood, she forced a feeble, agonized grin. "...Better now."

Her attempt to rise failed as her legs buckled beneath her. Swiftly, Brandon steadied her with his right arm, bracing her body against his to prevent another fall.

She sagged against him, her hot blood trickling from the injuries onto his ragged attire.

Enraged roars thundered from the Minotaurs as they barreled forward once more.

Rheanne clenched her jaw and pushed her ether toward the injuries.

A faint golden glow danced around the punctures in her belly and back, staunching the flow of blood and temporarily mending the gravest harm.

With a shaky hand, she grabbed her silver sword from its spot on the ground where it had dropped before.

*CLANG*

Just in time, she hoisted the sword to deflect a devastating axe blow from the closest Minotaur.

The clash rattled her whole frame, igniting new waves of agony through her wounds, yet she maintained her guard.

Seizing the opening, Brandon darted to the side and scooped up the old sword.

He lifted his blade and asked, "How long can you hold on?"

She brushed the blood from her lips and gave a strained laugh. "With a hole in my stomach, I am not sure."

"I wonder if we are going to die fighting together."

Brandon surged ahead with boosted speed. "I don’t plan on dying yet."

The Minotaurs surrounded them from every direction.