I Next
What defines a miracle? Is it an outco gifted during monts of desperate hope? Or perhaps its the unexpected hope found on the brink of despair, defying all odds.
Ding dong!
The sound resonated fiercely in Raciels head, accompanied by a breathless ssage that popped up before his eyes. But there was no ti to read it.
Mooooo!
A scream echoed, an outcry of danger.
A gigantic fist ca crashing down.
!
Was this the end?
Instinctively, Raciel tightly shut his eyes and raised his hands in a futile attempt to protect himself from the inevitable. And then sothing incredible happened he blocked the Minotaurs colossal fist.
Thump-!
Huh?
An imnse shock surged through his arm. His shoulder joint nearly dislocated. It felt as though he had used his arm to stop a massive club, causing a painful sensation that could have easily resulted in a severe injury or, at the very least, a bruise.
But wait a second. Did he just block the descending fist of the Minotaur?
Am I already dead?
Was this a bewildering mix of sensations experienced in the mont of being punched to death? Or was he hallucinating as his life slipped away?
However, reality proved otherwise.
Huff?
The King Minotaur, Uruus, snorted loudly, and his hot breath hit Raciels cheek. Raciel winced in response and opened his eyes. What he saw astonished him.
Huh?
Uruuss massive face was right in front of his nose, glaring at him while snorting roughly. Again, the beasts breath enveloped him in its pungent odor.
Ugh, the sll.
An intense stench overwheld Raciel. There was no doubt about it this sensation was definitely not a hallucination or a misconception.
Huff! Huff!
Thud! Thud!
Uruus, panting heavily, pressed down with his fists.
Ugh!
The raised arms were straining under the trendous weight. It felt as though a massive rock was bearing down on him. But what he was holding up with his arms was
Huh?
Uruuss fists. Raciel was indeed blocking Uruuss fists with his arms. However, sothing else seed off.
Did this Minotaur shrink?
Uruuss fist had been as large as a rock before, unquestionably bigger than Raciels body. But now, it looked no bigger than a well-ripened lon.
Not only his fist. The massive figure standing over 7 ters tall? No, it was now just slightly taller than Raciel, with a back that wasnt significantly larger.
In other words
The size difference its gone.
What just happened? All Raciel did was struggle to survive and attempted sothing desperate consuming the red sunflower seed, exclusive to the Phantom Beasts.
But the Minotaur that was trying to kill has shrunk to a size similar to mine? Does that make any sense?
The first thought that ca to mind was that this event was strange and impossible. But at that mont, it beca evident that Uruus was not pleased with Raciels stunned reaction.
Huff! Mooooo-!
Uruus unclenched his fists, swiftly extending his palm to grab Raciels collar. In an instant, he lifted him effortlessly and flung him around like a ragdoll.
Ugh!
Boom-!
The impact of Raciel hitting the ground resembled that of an overturned dump truck. Not only that, half of the previously intact ship hull was now completely crushed beneath his back!
What just happened?
Raciel was baffled by the sudden turn of events. Uruus now appeared to be of similar size to him, but when he fell, his back crushed the ships hull. This realization led him to an astonishing thought.
Did I grow?
With urgency, Raciel raised his head and gazed at the night sky with the fleeting moon, the approaching Uruus, and sothing in between a red warning ssage.
Recalling the earlier ding dong notification, Raciel quickly scanned the ssages contents.
[WARNING!]
[You have unauthorizedly ingested the Red Sunflower Seed for Phantom Beasts!]
[The Red Sunflower Seed can cause extre and sudden side effects on the human body. If ingested, please consult with a doctor, pharmacist, or oriental dicine doctor.]
But Im in the wilderness?
His shoulders tensed unconsciously, but he forced himself to focus on the ssage.
[The red sunflower seed you consud has triggered an unstable gigantification effect.]
[You are not a Phantom Beast, but a human.]
[Therefore, the gigantification effect is limited to 3 minutes.]
[Serious side effects will occur after the termination of gigantification.]
[You will fall into a coma for 120 hours (5 days) after the end of the gigantification.]
[Current remaining gigantification duration: 2 minutes 37 seconds]
.
Putting the pieces together, Raciel ca to a realization. Thanks to the red sunflower seed, he had grown to a size similar to that of the Minotaur for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. But when that ti ends, he would fall into a coma for 5 days.
If I cant deal with the Minotaur within the next 2 minutes and 30 seconds, Im done for.
In this chaotic situation, he would beco utterly powerless. In other words, he was facing a 100% chance of death.
Aah!
The realization spurred him into action. Raciel forced himself to rise from the ground, enduring the pain from the earlier punch. He noticed that his increased size seed to be protecting him from fatal injuries.
It hurts, but I wont die from this!
Previously, even a slight touch from Uruus could have ant certain death or severe injuries. Now, even if he got hit, he could withstand the impact.
I rember high school!
There was a ti when he stood up to bullies. He asked them why he had to do as they ordered. He got beaten up quite badly. The feeling of confronting Uruus now forcibly recalled that past mory(?).
This will give PTSD, for sure!
Huff! Huff!
Raciel stood up, facing Uruus at their now similar eye level. The Minotaur looked bewildered, and the flow of its Qi, visible through the ridian Scanning option.
Now!
Ti was running out, and there was no room for hesitation. With approximately 2 minutes and 20 seconds remaining, Raciel swiftly lunged forward, bending his body to pick up the dropped thorn of Kozumi. Uruus responded with a resounding -Moo! and lowered his body, preparing for a headbutt.
A headbutt!
Realizing the Minotaurs intent, Raciel swiftly jumped off the deck and propelled himself into the air, avoiding the oncoming charge.
Crash-!
As fragnts of the splintered deck flew around, Raciel soared over Uruus, who was charging with his horns forward, and reached out to grab its tail. He landed and clung onto the rampaging beast from behind.
Moo!
Uruus retaliated, swinging its elbow towards Raciels face. The blow connected, causing a flash before Raciels eyes, and he tasted the tallic tang of blood.
Blood from my nose?
Seems like his nose was bleeding. But there was no ti to wipe it.
The remaining ti is 2 minutes 10 seconds!
Raciel hung on to the rampaging Uruus from behind. And he raised the hand that was holding the thorn. He thrust it down with all his might.
Thump!
Maybe it was because he had gotten bigger and heavier. The thorn pierced through the tough hide! It hit the hollow part behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle, diagonally cutting across the neck, right by the side of the throat, accurately hitting the Tianyou acupoint.
Huff!
But it was too shallow.
He could see the flow of mana passing through Uruus Tianyou acupoint via ridian Scanning. The tip of the thorn did not touch that flow. The reason was simple.
Damn, this crappy physical strength!
Despite growing in size and weight, his naturally weak muscular strength did not allow him to drive the thorn in deep enough.
Moo!
Uruus, feeling the sting of the thorn, began to struggle violently. But Raciel was determined to survive and refused to give up.
He climbed onto Uruuss back, straddling him, and wrapped his legs around the Minotaurs waist, holding on tightly like a rodeo rider.
Demian!
Raciel called out to Demian, the only one who could assist in the current situation. Demian responded to the cry and ca running. Raciel quickly instructed him:
Co! Woah! This thorn! Back! Hit!
Uruus continued his wild rampage, and Raciel desperately clung to his back, still holding the thorn to the celestial artery.
Had he understood his intention? Demian ca running with a limp. He threw himself.
Whoosh!
The sword in his hand shone coldly. He hit hard on the backside of the thorn Raciel was holding.
Crack!
The impact drove the thorn about 10 centiters deep into Uruuss thick cowhide. Finally, it properly pierced the Minotaurs celestial artery.
Muooooo!
Uruuss writhing intensified. But Raciel had no intention of stopping the procedure. Because he had to survive. Because he had to stop Uruuss rampage. Therefore, he first had to calm this guy down.
I need to incapacitate him. Killing him? No. Thats impossible for . Although the size is similar, I am still frail. Because this guy is stronger than . Ive just managed to pierce the skin with the thorn.
So, killing him would be tough. Especially, its absolutely impossible to kill this guy in about 2 minutes left. So, the remaining thod is?
I have to calm him down. Paralysis? No. Its impossible because he is so excited and running wild. I dont have the poison I used for the procedure on Anises tail. So, the best thing I can do now is to calm down his excited state and end the frenzy. Then I have a chance. Even if I faint, the remaining Demian and the rest of the guards will be able to stand up sohow.
He repeatedly made a cool calculation. In doing so, he saw the point. Demian and the guards, special duty guards, who are now watching him with shocked eyes on the other side. Thanks to him who bought ti while wrestling with Uruus, they seed to have sowhat recovered from the hit.
Thats enough.
If he calms the Uruus down, if he ends the frenzy, then they can take care of the rest.
I need to calm down the excitent of the nervous system. Lets reduce the excitability of the sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
With a clear conclusion in mind, Raciel knew what he needed to do.
Kozumi! Thorn!
Holding onto Uruus, he called out, and Kozumi responded promptly.
Koooo!
Pop! Pop!
Kozumi pulled out thorns one after another and threw them one by one at Raciel. As he caught them, Raciel swiftly stuck them into Uruuss body.
Cheonlyo-hyeol ()!
The thorn was carefully placed into the hollow area at the highest point of the shoulder bone, near the superior angle of the scapula.
Demian!
Without hesitation, Demian leaped into action. He swung down his sword with force, striking the thorn like a hamr. Thanks to his swift action, the thorn penetrated through the tough cowhide.
Muooooo!
Uruuss wild rampage intensified, but Raciel didnt stop there.
Gye-maek-hyeol ()! Demian!
Crack!
Another thorn was rcilessly stuck in a point diagonally down from the back of the ear, where Gye-maek-hyeol was located. Raciel saw the acupoint briefly glow as he continued to stick the thorns following the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao ridians acupoint flow.
Yepung!
Boom!
The next thorn found its place a little below Gye-maek-hyeol, and the following one was placed just above the auricular apex.
Gakson!
Crack!
Muooooooo!
Did he feel that he was doing sothing? Uruuss rampage beca even rougher. But Raciel also clung desperately. And he repeated to himself as if brainwashing himself.
This guy is a patient. A child patient who is throwing a tantrum because he doesnt want to get a shot. But the child is just a bit too robust. Thats all!
This ntal refra bolstered Raciels confidence, and a professional sense of duty erged within him.
Stay still and Ill give you candy!
Thunk!
The last thorn was aid at Imun-hyeol.
Following the direction from the ear to the face, Raciel fiercely stabbed the thorn into the hollow place right in front of the supratragic notch, where two ear creases et to form a valley. With a strong strike from Demian, the thorn was firmly pushed in.
The effects were evident.
Muuo!
Uruuss rampage ca to an abrupt halt. The bloodshot lines in his eyeballs faded, and his previously rapid breathing, muscular tension, and internal movents all beca calm. His heart rate, too, slowed down.
Thump-! Thump! Thump.
As Uruuss cardiovascular system, previously partially blocked by a blood clot, began to undergo changes, its coronary artery dilated, and the stagnant myocardial blood flow improved. The myocardiums oxygen demand significantly decreased, and the excruciating pain that had gripped its heart vanished as if washed away. Uruuss once fiercely gleaming eyes transford into a state of calm.
Mu, Muuuo?
The intense glare that Uruus had directed at Raciel, akin to that of an enemy, now slowly and surely softened into the gaze of gratitude, recognizing Raciel as its benefactor for treating its ailnt.
(To be Continued)
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