Outcast Hunter

It was a battle of attrition. Leo and the minotaur began their fight, five minutes ago. If Leo were to rank the minotaur, he'd rank it as an A rank dungeon boss.

The minotaur's sword's skill isn't that great but, it's on par with Leo. Leo's been trying yo overpower the minotaur, however, he's the one that was being overwhelmed by its strength and agile movements.

"I've been fighting countless numbers of humans, but so far, you're the only worthy opponent, excluding 'that one guy'. Human, state your name!"

Leo parried its attack and strike back.

"Shouldn't you be a bit more polite, when asking for someone's name?"

Leo feints his attack, but the minotaur predicted that it's a feint, so it quickly closed the gap between them. Leo had raised his sword and the gap was too close, so striking the minotaur down was impossible. Leo had expected as much from the minotaur and used the hilt of the sword to hit the minotaur's head..

"Gruh!"

The minotaur was gonna grabbed him, buy Leo had stopped it when it was hit on its head by the hilt of Leo's sword.

"Truly amazing! Tell me your name human"

The minotaur lowered its tone down.

"Hmm, hmm. It's Leo"

"Leo, it really sounds strong and fierce!"

'Cold Weather'

Leo let out a deep exhale and his breath became.cold as ice. He's unleashing much air to turn the room into a cooler that can freeze anyone in just a few minutes.

"You're trying to hinder my movement? My skin's so thick it will take more than that!"

The room now was filled with cold air and even the minotaur's breath was cold.

It charged towards to Leo and swung its sword. Leo parried the attack and increased his speed.

'Hotfoot'

[Your agility had increased]

'Cloak'

[Your next attack will deal critical damage]

The minotaur also uses its skills.

'One Hit, One Kill' 'Madness'

The minotaur thrust its sword forward. Its body was covered in fury, or his madness that turns into armor and increased its attack damage.

'It used two skills. Now, what skill will my skill imitate?'

Leo used his sword and blocked his chest with his sword. He also used his feet to stopped the minotaur from pushing him into the room's wall.

The minotaur kicked Leo on his stomach and it stopped him from blocking the sword. However, the minotaur was not thrusting his sword anymore and lifted Leo using its horns. One of its horns had pierced his right and punched a hole to his kidney.

Leo spurts out blood and he was slammed to the ground.

Leo groaned in pain.

The minotaur stomped on his wound and Leo agonized over it.

[Madness has been copied by the mirror]

[The skill Madness is ready to use]

The minotaur picked Leo up from the ground and threw him to the wall.

He spurts even more blood and his HP was gradually losing.

"Leo human, don't let me down! Get up and kill me, like how that guy killed me!"

Leo's strength had been drastically drained and he was wobbling when he stood up.

'Madness'

[Imitating skill, Madness. Processing... 3,2,1]

"Show me how mad I am"

Leo muttered to himself.

"Did you say something?" The minotaur asked. After a fleeting second, the minotaur had began to sensed the changed in the atmosphere. "Wh-what?! You're using- ha, Torohahahahaa!"

It's not Leo's anger or madness that got turned into his magic armor and strength, but his excitement to fight the powerful monsters or humans.

The minotaur had laughed his eyes out and wiped his sweats, that was forming on his forehead.

Leo drank HP and MP potions and refilled back mostly of what was lost.

[One Shot, One Kill is ready to use]

"Ha, hahahahaha!"

The minotaur wondered why Leo suddenly laughed out loud.

"You gone mad?"

The minotaur charged and rushed closer to Leo.

'One Shot, one Kill'

"I'm surprised that you're still alive, after all that blood and things that I've done to you!"

[Imitation complete]

"I don't know how your skill works, but one thing I'm sure of, I'm gonna punched a hole to your kidney too"

Leo made an angry face and met the upcoming Minotaurus.

"Leo Human!"

'Don't make me yell something so cringe'

Leo just brows his arched up and clenched his fist, as hard as he can.

Both of them had thrown their swords' into the air and would fight bare-handed.

They exchanged blows from blows. The cold temperature had slowly affected the minotaur's movements. It's not as fast as it was before. Also, its strength had dropped.

[One Shot, One kill's effect had been activated]

'So, it's just starting kick up now'

They both hold each others' hands. Leo kicked the minotaur, not on its stomach, but its groin.

The minotaur became ill and touched his groin. The minotaur knelt in pain and Leo raised the minotaur, holding his horn and lifting it

"You should also feel the pain I've felt"

[One Shot, One Kill's final blow had been activated]

His clenched-tight fist had flung to its right flank and punched a hole on its kidney.

The minotaur growled in pain and was also spurting blood. The minotaur laid flat on the floor.

"Hmm, quite the thick skin you've got"

If a normal monster was punched by Leo, the same Leo gave to the minotaur, normal monsters would have instantly die or would have their body a hole.

"A stomp's next on the lost"

He raised his foot as high as he can and stomped on its wound, as hard and as painful as he can.

The minotaur spurts put a big amount of blood. It was rolling sideways in pain.

"T-truly... amazing! N-now... kill m- gruh, gruh!"

Leo stabbed its throat and stopped the minotaur from finishing its shit.

[Glowing Horn of Minotaurus]

--

Leo came out of the dungeon, bloodied, so the man standing and watching couldn't help but worry and wonder what happened.

"H-hey! Are you okay?! You're bleeding!"

'He's bleeding. That explains that he's really hunting, but where is his drops? Wait, does he have a..!'

Leo didn't bother taking the helping hand of the man to assist him to the most nearby healing and potions store.

"I think I have met a really strong guy"

---

'Ack! I feel like my inside's gonna come out'

His HP was almost fully restored, however, the wound is still there and it's aching and hurting him.

After restoring his HP and MP, Leo went straight to the merchant and sold all of the drops he'd collected.

Clearing the level 1 to 3 of the dungeon had consumed a lot of his time. However, the Plata he'd earned had gone up from 36 to 100+ Plata.

The merchant was surprised and astounded, when Leo brought put all of the drops he'd collected, especially, the place where Leo's putting, storing his items.

"A-a Universal Inventory?! There's only a small amount of humans with that kind!"

Leo decided to went back to the ninja's secret hideout, to rest and have his wound heal.

---

"What happened?! You've been in the dungeon?!"

Leo nodded his head and took all of the meats out and gave it to Leo.

"Black rabbit's meat?! You came here empty-handed, where'd this come from?!"

Kenkage, Gin, Kin and Mist the only ninjas inside the house. The others were sent again in a mission.

"That's a lot! We're having meat feast!"

Leo went to the dungeon by morning and he's back in the afternoon. Gin and Kin took the black rabbits' meat and prepared it for dinner.

Leo and Kenkage sat down to have a talk. Mist was outside he's standing on guard, in case others got a wind of their secret hideout.

"How far did you go?"

Kenkage asked.

Leo's careful not to move carelessly as he took a look at his wound.

"Level 3. I'll continue tomorrow and try 4, no, I might try even level 5"

Kenkage clenched both fist, but eventually calmed himself down.

"Your life, your rules. I can't and won't stop you. I'll just wish you a good luck tomorrow and make sure to come back"

If Leo thinks carefully and remember his father, Kenkage's around the same age as his father. That's why, such words, it felt warm and comfortable.

"It's not arrogance or anything like that, but I'm feeling confident that I will be able to bring the ancient monster's drop with me"

Gin and Kin were done preparing the meat, so they called the others to eat together.

-

The sun had risen and the birds are chirping. The cold wind of from the cloudy day had entered the window and gently touched his skin. He woke up, rose from his bed and looked through the window pane.

He washed his face and brushed his teeth. He had brought a toothbrush and a toothpaste with him. Brushing his teeth is a must for hum.

As for his breakfast, he will just buy something to eat whilst on his way to the dungeon.

---

Leo paid the fee for entering the level 4 and 5, but his Plata had been given back to him.

"Level 5's a no-go for a soloist. The minimum requirement of Predators should be 10. I can only allow you at level 4. Come back with 10 humans"

'Hmm... the reason must be what Kenkage told me. What a pain, I need to gather men or look for a group, who's going to level 5'

"I'll be back with 10 Predators"

Leo went back to the Town, to find Predators that are willing to join him. Whilst on his way, he stumbled upon a bunch of Predators that's on their way to the dungeon.

One of the Predators had spoken.

"Are we really going for the Ancient monster now?!"

Someone who looks like their leader had nodded his head.

The Predator that asked the question couldn't hide his excitement.

"That's awesome!"

Leo got wind of their conversation and called out to them.

"Uhh, wait!"

They stopped and looked at him.

"What?"

Their leader asked.

"You're hitting the level 5?"

"Yeah, why'd you ask, you wanna come?"

Leo scratched his head.

"I was wondering If I could"

The Predators took glances at each other.

"Sure!"

A smile filled with malice and dark intentions that ticks Leo's sensitive senses.

---

'Hmm..? He's back already? And he's with others' why is he with that group?!'

The Predator waved their hands to the man that was standing on guard in the dungeon's gate.

"We'll be going to Level 5 this time" their Leader called his men. "Hey, pay the fee!"

The man was in a hurry to pay the fee. He took the Plata out of the bag.

"Is he with you?"

The man was talking about Leo.

"Yeah, why? You have a problem with that?!"

"N-no problem with that. He hasn't cleared the level 4 of the dungeon, he need to clear it first"

The leader shifted to Leo.

"You haven't finished the level 4?! That's a problem, we can't bring you with us, if you have not!"

Leo took out the Plata out of his pocket and gave it to the guard.

"I'll finish the level 4 in 5 minutes"

The guard leaned closer to Leo and whispered something to him.

"Be careful of them"

Leo grinned.

"Yeah, I'll be careful"

~