Lyerin stood tall upon the statue of the Stonehooves Tribe, his figure casting a long shadow in the waning light.


    "Heh!" he sneered.


    The Minotaur, now gargantuan and filled with rage, was prepared to destroy everything in its path, and Lyerin could see its massive body shaking with fury.


    The ground beneath it trembled, and the roar that escaped its monstrous maw echoed through the valley.


    Dust kicked up as its hooves mmed into the earth, and the eyes of everyone in the tribe were locked onto the beast.


    Without warning, Lyerin leaped from the statue, soaring through the air with grace that belied the danger of the situation.


    As he flew toward the towering Minotaur, the beast raised its immense club, muscles bulging as it prepared to deliver a devastating blow.


    The tension was palpable, and for a moment, the people of the Stonehooves Tribe held their breath, watching in silent horror as their leader flew directly into the monster''s path.


    But then, in a sh, Lyerin reached into his magic ring, and from within, he pulled out a small, inconspicuous object.


    With a swift shot, he hurled it toward the Minotaur, swoosh! aiming for its massive face.


    The beast, mid-roar, inhaled sharply, and the object—a small ball—burst into a cloud of thick, white smoke. The Minotaur, unphased at first, raised its club higher, ready to bring it crashing down upon Lyerin.


    "Since we can''t deal with it physically, we''ll just make it sleep!" Lyerin shouted, his voice cutting through the roar of the beast.


    The Minotaur''s enormous muscles tensed, and it seemed for a moment as though it would crush Lyerin where he stood. But then, a strange thing happened.


    The Minotaur''s roar began to fade, and its massive arms trembled.


    The club it held aloft wavered, then slowly, as if the strength was draining from its body, the beast began to lower its weapon. Its red eyes, once filled with rage, grew heavy.


    The Minotaur staggered, trying to fight off the drowsiness, but it was no use. The white smoke had taken effect.


    With a final, resounding thud, the Minotaur copsed onto the ground, sending a shockwave through the earth as its colossal body hit the dirt.


    Its breathing slowed, and soon, the only sound was the rhythmic rise and fall of its massive chest as it drifted into a deep, magical slumber.


    Lyerin, standing proudly in the middle of the chaos, raised his arms in triumph, his face lit up with a victorious grin. "Cheers on me, my girls!" he called out, his voice confident, almost cocky.


    Corora, Cornelia, Maria, Elena, Sophia, Lydia, Fiona, Emily, and Natalie exchanged uncertain nces.


    They had been filled with terror just moments ago, the sight of the Minotaur''s overwhelming power had shaken them to their core.


    Now, after witnessing Lyerin''s bold and somewhat reckless maneuver, they felt a strange mix of awe and confusion. It seemed too easy.


    Could he really have subdued such a monstrous beast with such a simple trick?


    Lyerin kept his arms raised, waiting for their response. "Well?" he asked, his voice taking on an edge of impatience. "I said, cheer!"


    Feeling the pressure of his gaze, the women awkwardly began to p and shout, their voices a bit hesitant at first.


    "W-Woo!" Corora began, forcing a smile as she pped. "L-Lyerin did it!"


    The others followed suit, their cheers weak and uncertain at first. "Amazing!" Cornelia added, her voicecking conviction. "He really... did it?"


    "Yeah... so strong!" Maria chimed in, her eyes darting nervously between the sleeping Minotaur and Lyerin. "Lyerin... really powerful!"


    "That was... impressive?" Sophia said, though it sounded more like a question than a statement.


    As the women continued their forced cheering, Lyerin lowered his arms, his expression softening slightly. But there was still a glint of something darker in his eyes. He turned to the rest of the tribe, who had been watching in stunned silence, their faces pale with fear.


    "And what about you lot?" Lyerin''s voice boomed across the gathered crowd. "You don''t want to cheer either? Or are you all too scared to show a little gratitude?"


    His tone was yful, but there was an unmistakable edge of threat lurking beneath the surface.


    The people of the Stonehooves Tribe looked at each other nervously, the fear in their eyes now mixed with a sense of urgency.


    None of them wanted to be the first to break the silence, but under Lyerin''s expectant gaze, they had no choice.


    "Y-Yeah!" someone finally shouted from the back of the crowd, their voice shaky but loud enough to be heard. "Lyerin saved us!"


    A murmur of agreement followed, and soon, the entire tribe was pping and shouting, their voices growing louder as they realized that hesitation might not be the best option.


    "Lyerin, the hero of the Stonehooves Tribe!" one man yelled, his voice a bit too enthusiastic, as though trying topensate for his earlier fear.


    "He defeated the Minotaur!" another woman added, pping her hands together and forcing a smile.


    "Yeah, no one can stand against Lyerin!" someone else chimed in, though there was a slight tremble in their voice.


    The cheering grew louder, but beneath the surface, there was an undeniable sense of dread.


    They had all seen the Minotaur''s terrifying power, and while Lyerin had somehow subdued it, none of them believed for a second that it was truly over.


    Yet, under the pressure of Lyerin''s gaze, they continued their forced celebrations.


    …


    Far above, in the shadowy realm of the six-armed watchers,ughter filled the air.


    The shadowy figures, each draped in an aura of malice, had been watching the scene unfold with growing amusement.


    "Did you hear that?" one of the six-armed creatures sneered, its voice dripping with contempt. "He really thinks this is over!"


    "Foolish humans," another shadow chimed in, itsughter echoing in the darkness. "They truly believe they''ve won just because they made the Minotaur sleep? Howughable!"


    "Does he not realize that this is only the beginning?" a third shadow hissed, its voice filled with derision. "The Minotaur is far from defeated. They''ve merely dyed the inevitable."


    "Many have tried that trick before," one of the figures added with a mocking tone. "Does the human Lyerin think he''s the first to try and make the beast sleep? Pathetic. He should know that the Minotaur''s strength lies in its fury, and this is only a temporary reprieve."


    "Exactly!" another shadow agreed, its voice gleeful. "Once the Minotaur awakens, it will be stronger than ever. The more it is angered, the more unstoppable it bes. And the next time it rises, it won''t be so easily subdued."


    Thergest of the shadows leaned forward, its six arms moving gracefully as it spoke with a deep, ominous tone.


    "Let them celebrate their little victory for now. Soon enough, they will realize the gravity of their mistake. The Minotaur will not only rise again—it wille back stronger, faster, and deadlier than before."


    "They''ve merely postponed their fate," one of the smaller shadows hissed. "Earth and its weaklings will be the first to fall in this game. Let the other worlds watch as Lyerin and his tribe are crushed beneath the weight of their own arrogance."


    Theirughter echoed through the darkened realm, a chorus of mocking voices that reveled in theing destruction.


    …


    Meanwhile, on Earth, the projection of the Asura girl reappeared, her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Lyerin, you say it''s no longer a problem?" she called out, her voice ringing across thends. "How amusing."


    Her gaze shifted toward the slumbering Minotaur, and a smirk yed across her lips. "The Minotaur is far from defeated. It''s only asleep, and when it wakes... well, let''s just say your little trick won''t work a second time."


    She turned her attention to the watching crowds of Earth, her voice rising with excitement.


    "People of Earth! Watch closely. Lyerin''s so-called victory will be short-lived. When the Minotaur awakens, it will be twice as strong, twice as fast, and twice as deadly! Let this be a lesson to all of you: there is no escape from the wrath of the Minotaur!"


    Her words sent a ripple of fear through the gathered crowds.


    The cheering in the Stonehooves Tribe felt hollow now, a temporary lull in a storm that was far from over.


    As the people of Earth watched in growing horror, the reality of their situation began to sink in—this was far from over.


    They could feel it!