The Minotaur emerged, its massive, muscular form casting an intimidating shadow as it sniffed the air, searching for prey. Nyx inhaled deeply and whispered to Helios, "I'll divert it with spells, while you pinpoint a weak spot and strike."

Helios nodded, resolve in his eyes. "Let's do this," he replied, as they stepped out from the stone hut to confront the Minotaur.

The colossal beast snorted, steam billowing from its nostrils, as it charged at them with alarming speed. "Finally, some fresh meat!" the Minotaur thundered, its voice deep and guttural.

Nyx swiftly conjured a dense wall of earth to obstruct the Minotaur's path. "This should hinder you," she shouted, her voice filled with bravery. The creature crashed into the barrier, briefly stunned but quickly recovering and tearing through it with its mighty arms and horns. "Your tricks won't stop me!" it bellowed.

Seizing the opportunity, Helios focused his psychokinetic powers on a nearby boulder. "Perhaps this will!" he exclaimed, lifting the boulder into the air and flinging it toward the Minotaur. The boulder collided with the beast's side, knocking it off balance. "This is your last warning!" Helios yelled, a trace of a smile on his face.

The Minotaur faltered, visibly hurt by the force of the boulder's collision. It glared at Helios, its eyes alight with fury. "For centuries, I have wandered this realm, devouring the souls of innumerable warriors who dared challenge me. Ignorant human...no. You're not merely human, are you? That scent...those garments...your hubris...you are a stranger to this world. I am Korthos, the Minotaur, an unyielding force of nature that has haunted the dreams of countless generations. So, tell me, reincarnate, do you still have the audacity to defy me?" it roared, lunging at Helios with renewed rage.

"You won't even get the chance!" Nyx yelled.

Nyx rapidly generated a deluge of water, directing it at the Minotaur, and then froze the water around its legs, trapping it in place. The Minotaur roared in frustration, struggling to break free from its icy confinement. But Helios held the minotaur still, using an ability called Telekinetic Grip, which could grasp or immobilize an opponent using telekinetic force.

Together, Nyx and Helios had managed to immobilize the Minotaur, giving them a chance to catch their breath and plan their next move. As the Minotaur continued to thrash about, trying to escape its icy prison, the duo knew they needed to come up with a strategy to defeat the beast once and for all.

Nyx glanced at Helios, who was visibly straining to maintain his telekinetic grip on the powerful creature. "We can't keep this up forever," she said. "We need to finish this."

Helios, his face contorted with effort, replied, "I agree. Let's combine our powers and give it everything we've got. A simultaneous strike might just be enough to take it down."

The Minotaur, still trapped and struggling, managed to let out a sinister laugh. "Remarkable," the Minotaur conceded, "but it's clear that you lack the skills necessary to defeat me. Once I break free from this pathetic ice trap, I'll rip the young man apart, limb by–"

"Actually, Minotaurs have four significant weaknesses that can be exploited. First, Labyrinth dependency: Minotaurs are typically associated with labyrinths. They may become disoriented, weakened, or lose their sense of direction when outside of a labyrinth or an intricate environment they're familiar with," DVN explained.

Surprisingly, the Minotaur began to perspire, despite being encased in ice. "Wait... how did you–"

"Second, Vulnerability to certain materials: Like some other mythical beings, minotaurs could be weak to specific materials that can inflict serious harm or even be lethal. For the minotaur, it's Tauranium—a rare, silver-like metal that emits a faint glow, causing minotaurs great pain and weakening their physical abilities when nearby," DVN went on.

The Minotaur wiped his brow and dropped his double-sided axe. "We can talk this–"

"Lastly, Poor eyesight and Compulsive behavior: Minotaurs may have limited vision, making it difficult for them to navigate their surroundings or detect enemies from afar. This is especially pronounced at night when they rely more on their sense of smell. Minotaurs also tend to have a specific compulsion that can be exploited by resourceful opponents. Each Minotaur has a different compulsion based on their personality," DVN stated.

The Minotaur's eyes widened in panic as it realized the extent of DVN's knowledge. "You... how could you possibly know all this?" it stammered, trying to sound defiant but clearly shaken.

Nyx smirked, an air of confidence surrounding her. "We're not your average adventurers, Korthos," she taunted. "We've done our research, and we're prepared to face you."

"Correction: Nyx contributed nothing to the research of the Minotaur," DVN clarified.

The Minotaur's eyes flicked between Nyx and DVN, its confusion and frustration growing. "You... you dare mock me?!" it roared, its anger returning in full force.

Helios, still struggling to maintain his telekinetic grip, glanced at Nyx and winked. "Well, since DVN has given us the inside scoop, how about we use that knowledge to our advantage?"

Nyx grinned, her eyes alight with excitement. "Sounds like a plan. Let's exploit those weaknesses and bring this beast down!"

"Exactly," Helios said, devising a plan. "With our combined knowledge and strength, Korthos doesn't stand a chance," he declared confidently, his grip on the Minotaur unwavering. "Now, let's finish what we started and end..."

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"Alternatively, you could just launch it across the forest and have it be someone else's problem. Assuming the impact doesn't kill him," DVN suggested.

Helios raised an eyebrow, considering DVN's suggestion. "You know, that might not be a bad idea," he said, smirking.

Nyx chuckled, shaking her head. "You can't be serious. We're just going to... punt the Minotaur into the distance?"

Helios shrugged. "Why not? It's a temporary solution, but it might buy us some time to come up with a better plan. I mean, it hasn't even been a day since we were brought here."

The Minotaur, overhearing their conversation, scowled. "You wouldn't dare," it growled, struggling against the ice and Helios's telekinetic grip.

Helios winked at Nyx. "Ready for some Minotaur-launching action?"

Nyx rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. "Alright, let's do it."

Together, they combined their powers, with Nyx using her magic to create a powerful gust of wind and Helios amplifying the force with his telekinesis.

"This isn't fair! I demand a proper battle! Cowards!" the Minotaur yelled, struggling helplessly in the air.

"Good luck with that impulsive nature and lousy vision!" Helios retorted, as they let go of the vortex, catapulting the Minotaur far into the distance.

As the Minotaur sailed through the sky, it let out an indignant bellow that slowly faded into the distance. Nyx and Helios watched with a mix of amusement and disbelief as the beast disappeared beyond the horizon.

"Well, that's one way to deal with a Minotaur," Nyx chuckled, dusting her hands off. "I hope it lands somewhere... soft."

Helios laughed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I'm not sure if that was the best solution, but at least we bought ourselves some time."

The two high-fived, celebrating their unconventional victory. As they turned to head back to the stone hut, DVN chimed in, "I must remind you, the Minotaur will eventually return, and it will likely be quite angry. I recommend using the time you've gained to devise a more permanent solution."

Nyx sighed. "He's right, you know. We can't just keep punting our problems away. Although, wasn't it DVN's idea in the first place?"

Helios grinned mischievously. "True, but for now, let's enjoy our moment of triumph. We can worry about Korthos when he comes back."

And with that, the trio returned to the stone hut, their spirits lifted despite the looming threat of Korthos's eventual return. They knew that they would have to face the Minotaur again, but for now, they had bought themselves some much-needed time to prepare and grow stronger.

But just as they turned back towards the hut, they heard a distant, furious roar. "You haven't seen the last of me!" the Minotaur's voice echoed through the woods. "I'll return, and I'll bring a map this time!"

Nyx and Helios exchanged amused glances, trying to stifle their laughter. "A map?" Nyx snorted. "I guess our friend Korthos has realized his poor sense of direction is a problem."

Helios chuckled. "At least he's taking initiative to improve. I mean, it's not every day you see a Minotaur try to adapt to a weakness."

As they entered the stone hut, DVN hovered behind them, its artificial voice betraying no emotion. "In the meantime, I suggest we gather information on the whereabouts of Tauranium and devise a method to permanently incapacitate Korthos. I have notified each of your respective Goddesses' of the current situation."

Nyx nodded in agreement. "Good idea, DVN. We'll need to be ready when he comes back, map and all."

Unknown to Helios and Nyx, DVN had no need to notify the Goddesses.

Because Tymora (Fortune) and Athena (War) were watching them from Elythria the whole time. Elythria was the realm where gods and goddesses resided, known for its divine beauty, ethereal landscapes, and the omnipotent presence of celestial beings.

The two goddesses sat on their respective thrones, conversing through VisioCommunica—a large, semi-transparent floating screen that functioned as the gods' version of a video call. They used the 'Eyes of Etheria' to observe the reincarnates, a video-only version of VisioCommunica.

As they watched Helios and Nyx deal with the Minotaur, Tymora and Athena exchanged knowing glances. "They're resourceful, these two," Athena remarked, impressed with their ingenuity.

Tymora nodded in agreement. "Yes, they have the potential to become the greatest Demon Lord Annihilators ever. But they still have much to learn and experience. We must continue to guide them, Athena."

Athena smiled. "Agreed, Tymora. We can only hope that they continue to grow and become the heroes this realm needs. Although, it seems like anti-heroes may be a better name for them."

Tymora chuckled. "Yes, they do have a certain flair for the unconventional. But sometimes, that's exactly what's needed to succeed."

As the two goddesses continued to watch, they couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement at the antics of the reincarnates. "I must admit, watching them punt the Minotaur like a 'football' was quite entertaining. At least, I think that's what their sport was called," Tymora said, a twinkle in her eye.

Athena nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Yes, and it seems like they have a good sense of humor to boot. But let's not forget the seriousness of the situation. I was a bit wary of giving them my Divine Compendium at first, but it seems to be taking a liking to them. I'm planning on having him direct them to Rivercross Village so they can reach the city of Arcadia. We should be able to blend into the crowd enough to see them personally. These are clearly not the heroic type so giving them direct orders to hunt Demon Lord Valtor will likely be more successful."

"Ah, the Demon Lord with the twin. That should be quite the adventure," Tymora said, grinning. "How long do you think we can keep Helios and Nyx hidden from the Council?"

"Hopefully, long enough to prove our method works. But Arcanis (God of Magic) probably knows already so we'll have to bribe him to stay quiet," Athena sighed.

Tymora raised an eyebrow. "Bribe Arcanis? What could we possibly offer the God of Magic?"

Athena smirked. "Well, according to rumors, Arcanis has a particular fondness for magical artifacts...and well-endowed women. I'm sure we can find something to entice him...ideally something that isn't us."

As they both laughed in agreement, their Celestial Protectors (essentially their bodyguards) exchanged worried glances.

"VisioCommunica: Connect with Aeonis," Tymora instructed.

Instantly, the hooded figure from earlier (the one that met the reincarnates) joined their conversation. It appeared that he was... gambling.

Tymora eyed the figure skeptically. "Aeonis, what are you doing?"

Aeonis glanced up, surprised. "Oh! Um, nothing important, just... addressing some divine affairs," he stammered, attempting to appear nonchalant.

Athena stared at him sternly. "You're gambling with the Demi-Gods, aren't you?"

Aeonis exhaled, appearing sheepish. "Well...yes, but it's only a small wager! And besides, your reincarnates are doing just fine without my help, right? A tiny bet won't harm anyone..."

Tymora and Athena shared a knowing look. "Fine, Aeonis. However, we expect you to stay attentive and committed to your responsibilities as a member of the Ethereal Watchers. If Wisdom discovers you're gambling once more, you might find your luck running out," Tymora warned.

Aeonis nodded, appearing somewhat ashamed. "Yes, understood. I'll...I'll cease immediately."

With that, the VisioCommunica call concluded, leaving Aeonis to confront his Demi-God opponents. Glancing at his cards, he couldn't help but quietly chuckle.

"Seems I'll have the last laugh after all," he whispered to himself before returning to his game.