Liam One was genuinely surprised by the precise hostility radiating from the minotaur and the specific accusation in its words.
According to the original Liam's memories, this creature was a complete stranger—they'd never encountered each other, never fought, never even been in the same region before today.
The confusion settled over him like a weight. The minotaur clearly possessed intelligence, articulate speech, and the capacity for strategic thought. This wasn't some mindless beast attacking anything that moved. The assault had been deliberate, personal, driven by what sounded like genuine grievance rather than territorial instinct or simple aggression.
Which meant there was a reason behind it. A history. A story.
Liam One wanted to know what that story was.
The creature sounded intelligent enough to answer questions, but it was currently too focused on trying to kill him to engage in productive conversation. That would need to change.
