Chapter 277 - Fighting Udaeus Part - 2
To the Loki Familia, every step Mahiro took seemed fraught with peril.
One misstep, and the bone spikes could skewer him.
By then, even their swiftest aid would come too late.
Having battled Udaeus many times, they knew well the challenge of facing it.
Ordinary monsters paled in comparison, existing in an entirely different league.
Sensing the approaching enemy, Udaeus grew frenzied.
Gripping its sword, it swept the weapon in a wide arc.
It was less a sword and more a colossal bone club.
Its sharpness mattered little—the sheer weight alone could crush anyone in its path.
A single swing carried enough force to reduce a person to pulp.
As the sword cleaved through the air, it whipped up a gust that scattered nearby gravel.
Udaeus's immense size made its attacks lightning-fast, but the movements of its main body were slower by comparison.
"Mahiro, what are you doing? Why aren't you dodging?" Tiona cried, her voice tight with anxiety as Udaeus's sword bore down and Mahiro stood his ground.
"Is he planning to block Udaeus's sword?" Riveria asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Idiot," Bete scoffed.
"With his speed, he could easily dodge and even strike Udaeus while it's recovering."
"One hit wouldn't kill it, but targeting the joints could slow it down. He's wasting a perfect chance."
The Loki Familia braced for combat, ready to step in if Mahiro faltered.
They knew Udaeus's strength all too well.
Even Gareth couldn't match it in raw power—and that was before Udaeus wielded a sword.
Now, its attacks were heavier than ever.
Boom!
The sword collided with Mahiro, unleashing a deafening crash.
At the moment of impact, Mahiro's figure hurtled backward.
He twisted in midair, landing heavily and skidding across the ground, leaving a long trail before coming to a stop.
"Captain, get ready!" Bete said.
"Wait," Finn replied, his gaze locked on the battlefield.
"Mahiro's just testing Udaeus's strength."
"What?" Bete asked, doubting his ears.
Testing Udaeus's strength? That was practically suicidal.
This wasn't some sparring match—one mistake could mean death.
"Think back to the 27th floor," Finn said.
"If Mahiro's fights with monster hordes were just for valis, he wouldn't push himself like this."
"He's honing his abilities."
Finn's keen eyes had pierced Mahiro's intent.
Turning to Bete, he continued, "You said it yourself—he could've dodged and countered."
"Mahiro's smart enough to know that. The only reason he'd take the hit is to train his stats."
The lone king of the labyrinth, a towering Monster Rex, was the perfect sparring partner for such a task.
"Look, he's unharmed!" Tiona exclaimed, relief washing over her.
"To take Udaeus's blow head-on and walk away unscathed? That's unreal," she added, awe in her voice.
Mahiro had been flung back by Udaeus's strike, clearly outmatched in raw strength.
Yet...
"That lunatic," Bete muttered, clicking his tongue.
"I didn't expect him to go this far," Riveria said with a sigh.
"Back on the 17th floor, he fought Goliath the same way."
The memory of that battle seemed to echo in the present.
"What a terrifying young man," Gareth said, feeling his age.
"To think of using the lone king of the labyrinth to hone his abilities at a time like this."
Back when the Loki Familia first faced Udaeus, they'd thrown every first-class adventurer into the fray, desperate to defeat it quickly.
Every second delayed risked lowering their odds of victory.
Yet Mahiro was doing the opposite.
Instead of rushing to slay Udaeus, he was leveraging its fearsome power to sharpen his skills.
Ais watched Mahiro, then glanced at Udaeus, her eyes gleaming with unspoken thoughts.
"Well, then," Mahiro said, dusting himself off after the clash.
He'd gauged Udaeus's strength.
In terms of raw power, Udaeus surpassed Level 6 adventurer.
Without his recent growth, even skillful deflection would've left him gravely injured from that blow.
"But that's not enough," Mahiro said, a faint, excited smile crossing his face as he eyed the monster.
"Show me what else you've got, or I'll have to end this."
Monster Rexes were rare resources.
Their magic stones, drop items, and the prestige of defeating one offered immense rewards.
Udaeus's strength, far above ordinary monster rex, made it a prime challenge.
But its immobility sealed its fate—Mahiro would bring it down.
His only hope now was that Udaeus had some unique ability to push him further.
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