Chapter 41: Chapter 39: Cerberus

Level ups done, equipment upgraded, we made our way through the dungeon better than ever. The usual Skeleton platoons were coming up, getting more numerous as we went in deeper, but that wasn’t enough to stop us anymore. If all the Skeleton troopers were as strong as the captains, maybe it’d itch a bit.

But before we could feel too proud of defeating enemies left and right, we had reached that place.

“This, has to be the boss room, right?”

A conspicuously large door, no, it’d be easier to call this a gate. Reina’s folks are pretty rich, with a mansion and all. This door is as big as their main gate. Otherwise said, it’s big enough to let a large truck through if opened.

“I hope the boss is a Skeleton too”

“But we can’t know what kind of monster is inside till we look”

Since we’re not in a game, there wouldn’t be any reason for it to be one. But if the thing in there was a big Skeleton, we’d certainly be more thankful.

“Whatever comes out, we’re gonna have to defeat it. So let’s believe in our strength and do this”

“Yep, if it’s this team, we’ll be fine!“

“Kotori’s cheering for everyone too!”

We’re ready as can be. In spirit, in strength, we’re in perfect form condition in both respects.

“Alright, yeah… let’s go!”

With great courage, we pushed open the thick gates, and stepped foot into the boss room.

“—!?”

A fierce presence knocked at us the moment we entered. Even in our old world, if you sharpened you senses, you could somehow sense something like a person’s presence… but this, I’ve never felt something this big. Rather than feel, it was more like I was slapped in the face by it.

Seems like the lord of this chamber doesn’t intend on staying hidden.

It’s a circular room, big enough that you could hold a pro baseball match in here. It was dark enough that you couldn’t see all the way to the back, but torches, spaced evenly on the walls, had automatically caught fire all at once.

“Hyaa!? W-what’s that… it’s way too big…”

“Yeah, that’s, a boss for you…”

Natsukawa-san and Asuna, acting vanguard on either side of me, both swallow hard. I wasn’t an exception. Seeing the boss’ giant frame illuminated by the flames came as not so little of a shock.

“… Cerberus”

That was the boss, I could only describe it as such. With the supple yet tight muscles of a doberman, it boasted the size of an elephant. Covered in crimson fur that looked as if it was on fire, thinking how similar the color scheme is to all those Red Dogs we’ve beaten, maybe this guy’s their evolved form?

And its most characteristic trait being, its three heads. Three sharp, ferocious faces lined up beside one another, tongues out making rough breaths, pairs of eyes glaring at us, it looked exactly like Earth’s depiction of the Hound of Hades

“Nii-san, this monster is clearly too different from anything we’ve fought before”

“I know. But if we can’t beat this guy, there’s no going ahead… there’s not going, back home”

Facing a beast surpassing even that Armor Bear, I can’t say I’m not afraid. Maybe we won’t even be a match. Someone could die too. On top of that, my sense of self-preservation is screaming at me.

But I won’t withdraw even one step.

“Yes, that’s right, you’re absolutely right Yuuto-kun. Everyone, we must do this”

To Class Rep’s words, everyone nods with strength.

“From its looks, it’s not too different from a Red Dog. But in size, it’s in a different league all together, so don’t panic if it charges. Sakura, Class Rep, if you guys can stop them with your defense magic, we’ll go for the kill”

“Yes, nii-san”

“If it’s slowing down, it will be better if we can lure it in. Korori, can you find out how it fights?”

“Ehm, it uhm… it goes blam! and shoots a lot of fire, so head’s up guys! And also, if it got serious, maybe all three heads will go at the same time!”

“If it’s a flame thrower, my ice should come in handy. It’ll likely decrease our offensive potential, but I’ll try focusing on everyone’s defense”

“Then the rest of us’ll just have to work harder then!”

“Yeah, like we practiced guys. Leave attacking to the vanguard, while the rear focuses on support”

At this time, as though its hunger had reached a peak, the Cerberus sluggishly rose and was about to begin its hunt. Its six bloodthirsty eyes piercing into the prey that is all of us.

Sorry, but I won’t be letting you have a single person standing here. Everyone’s definitely getting out of this alive.

So please, Goddess of white light, please grant me the power, the power of a Hero, the power to protect everyone—

Our death match with the Cerberus continues.

“Haa… haah… Almost, there…”

Its large, sharp fangs and claws have grazed me many times. My whole body is riddled with cuts, and its occasional fire breaths have scalded my skin. But even so, I’ve managed to avoid any direct blows, and with Sakura’s Healing Light cast down at practically miraculous timing, it never got to anything fatal. I can still move, still fight… But me, and everyone else, our exhaustion is severe. Nevertheless, We’ve damaged the Cerberus using all that energy. Slashes from me, Asuna and Natsukawa-san have been engraved on its body uncountable times, making it bloody all over. All three heads are exhaling hoarse breaths, revealing a color of fatigue.

Somehow, we’re all still standing. No one has collapsed yet. But we can’t relax. We’re at our limits just concentrating on the fight, and to make matters worse, the Cerberus is now in a state of a desperate wounded beast.

“—Souma-kun! Watch out, the boss’ mana is going up!”

The one shouting the warning was of course, Takanashi-san. With her Mana Analysis, she can kind of tell when an enemy’s magic gets invoked. It’s all thanks to this skill the we could know in advance when the Cerberus would shoot its flamethrower, and thus had success in defending against, or evading it.

So Takanashi-san raising her voice this time could only be that the Cerberus was attempting to do something different from usual. From around it, I somehow also sensed a slight presence… a presence of mana, I should rather call it.

“Guys, something’s up, get away!”

Tired as they are, Asuna and Natsukawa-san used their respective mobility boosting battle arts without blunder and withdrew. The moment they took distance from the frontlines, the Cerberus drew back its heads and released an extreme roar.

“—oOOOOohn!!”

Instantly, the red fur of the Cerberus dyed in black. Pitch black as if dipped entirely in black ink. Yet its blazing red pupils retained their original glow.

This is getting ugly— I thought instinctively.

“HEY, it’s coming! The fire’s—”

Overshadowing Takanashi-san’s words of warning, all three heads burst out flames. As if, as if it was spitting out every bit of it’s accumulated, seething anger towards us.

“Kuh, it’s going everywhere”

“How do we attack it now!”

The Cerberus bellows its flame in rage. No aim, no nothing, as if submerging everything in hellfire, it spat fire in every which way. As Natsukawa-san correctly observed, we have no way of approaching the layered walls of flame blazing before our eyes.

“GaAAAUuu!”

Instead of attacking, the Cerberus moves blankly ignored us as we have even lost a path of retreat in the torrent of flames. Naturally, it won’t burn in the slightest. The Cerberus nimbly crosses the blazing sea of fire.

Its destination being, none of us in the frontlines, but behind us. Damn, it was aiming for the support team.

“Class Rep![1]”

“I know— Eis Defan(Ice Wall)!!”

Aiming to put a stop to the rushing Cerberus, Class Rep used her latest ice attribute magic, an area-wide defense magic called Eis Defan. Its magnitude is leagues greater than the self-protection wall of ice made using Eis Shield. It is a giant ice barrier capable of holding at bay even a giant monster the likes of the Cerberus.

And up till now, it was because of this magic that the Cerberus had endured aiming for our rearguard.

“GAAa!!”

But there was no stopping that frenzied, jet-black beast. With immense force, the Cerberus slammed its body into the wall of ice. A large crack spiralled along its surface, and the wall seemed close to crumble.

Bent on demolishing the obstacle, the Cerberus spewed flamethrower from its two peripheral necks, and weighing itself on top, it beat the wall with its forepaws.

“KyaAAAAAAAA!!”

Along with Takanashi-san’s scream of desperation, Class Rep’s Eis Defan is pulverized. Nothing more obstructed the Cerberus.

The walls of flame surrounding us have yet to ease, forbidding any chance of counter-attack. We’re not even 10 meters apart, but a maze of scorch divides us. We have no more time either.

Shit, please, please let me make it. I’m getting there really soon so, please hold on!

“Aaa!? Sakura-chan, run! It’s after you!!”

As Takanashi-san called out, my spine froze. Beyond the flames, I saw the central head of the Cerberus sucking in a noticeably large amount of air. This is when my foreboding changed into conviction.

“SAKURAA—!!”

Something I’d never seen it do in the whole battle, the Cerberus gathered scorching blaze into a point, shooting it as a big fireball. Too fast. The fireball shot and hit at bulletspeed. A pillar of fire rose, grand enough to reach the tall ceiling of this room.

“S-Sakura… no…”

No way, I couldn’t say. I clearly saw how powerful that fireball was. It wasn’t something you could dodge by stepping a bit to the side. And Sakura only had her Lux Shield to defend with. There’s no way she could ward off that level of explosion with a simple shield of light.

“Sakura-chan! Sakura-chaan!”

“Don’t, Kotori! It’s dangerous going there!”

I hear the voices of Class Rep and Takanashi-san from the other side of the flames. It’s at least good that Sakura and those two were standing spaced out… It’s frustrating I can’t consider that lucky.

No, not that, that’s not it. That’s not what I mean.

“N-never…”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Right now, it isn’t the time to lament on my small-mindedness, nor my powerlessness.

“Never, forgive—”

It isn’t even time to grieve for the loss of my cherished little sister.

“— Just you, I’ll never forgive you!!”

Yes, now, right now was time for only revenge. Because I am her brother.

Cross Calibur      The unique Sacred Sword granted to the Hero by the White God.[2]

Just as those words flow into my brain, the Paladin’s Sword in my hands gush in light. I remember. This feeling, it’s the same one I had when I awakened as a Hero.

Yeah, right, that’s right… this was granted to me, to the Hero, my Innate Skill.

“HaAAAAAAAAaaa!!”

I make a swing with the brilliant, dazzling sword of silver. Just that, and the fire wall is cut away like butter.

And I have nothing more in my way.

“GoAAAa!”

Looks like it sensed my presence. The Cerberus turned all three of its heads in my direction. Bearing its fangs, it let out a howl of intimidation. No, not so much intimidation, as it was actually getting ready to attack.

Its thick, beastly paw, one that could easily squash a human body, flies towards me. Of course, garnished with sharp, extended claws. If that hit, it’d certainly work as a devastating blow but it was— so slow.

“Haa!”

I twist my body to dodge, and throw in a swing. As the blade of light passed through, the resilient meat that only gave fractions of an inch even with battle arts was now being cut like a heated knife on butter.

“GyoOAAAAAa!?”

The foreleg flies as my blade arcs into it, the Cerberus bellowing in excruciating pain. So even a monster cries if it loses a leg or two huh.

But I won’t let it be over with only that. This Cross Calibur won’t last forever. So I’ll end it now.

“UoOOOOoh— Tri Slash!!”

First, the head closest to that leg I sent off. The Tri Slashes that occur almost simultaneously shred its tongue, chop its snout, gouge its eyes. This head won’t be doing much anymore, but it needs to be finished off. With a Thrust between the eyes, I end its function.

“—GhAA!”

I guess using two solid battle arts would make time for the other heads to react. The central head gaped its maw and attempted to bite. A simple but valid counter-attack: closing in with the shortest distance and digging in with the fangs.

“Counter”

Seeing through the moment it was about to seal those jaws that could swallow a person whole, I stir my sword. The flat of the sword slams into the central head, making it swivel.

“KhoOOoo—GoAAAa!!”

Its remaining head didn’t try biting but attempted to shoot a fireball. It takes a large breath; the pre-attack action is too simple to understand. Looks like it wants to shoot immediately, so the size is smaller than the one shot at Sakura. It should be somewhat less powerful, but more than enough to barb-a-que someone whole.

But I won’t step back. If I did, I won’t beat this demon.

“Reflector”

Faced with a scorching fireball in my face, I cut. Not the beast, but the flame itself; it may seem weird to say, but I’ve already used this Cross Calibur to wipe away a wall of fire. That being so, there’s no way it can’t do the same for a fireball.

The fireball had split as if avoiding me, and feeling the remnants of explosion some ways behind my shoulders, I leap towards the head. Trampling over the middle head that I had hit with Counter, I swing the sword of light towards the one that shot the fireball.

The brilliant blade enters from the nose, going straight and deep, reaching all the way to the middle of the eyes.

“One, left!”

As I turn, the last one still kept its fangs ready even with two of its heads destroyed. With its mouth gaping, it looked as if wanting to bite again, but seeing the embers leaking from its teeth— I see, so its actually planning to use a flamethrower.

I can’t go betting on Counter or Reflector to cut through that powerful beam. I need to dodge here, but I don’t want to lose this distance. I probably have the stamina and mana to only attack one more time. Lame, I know, but my body has started creaking as if warning me of its approaching limit.

I can only attack once. I don’t have any spare energy to evade, find a weak spot, and attack from there on. Then, I’ll have to just go for it.

“Haa!!”

Just as I jump, the area under my feet inundates with a torrent of crimson. If I was a moment late in that instant decision, I’d be roast by now. But the fire hasn’t stopped. The Cerberus calmly saw me dodge by jumping, and angled its neck, bent on reducing me to ash with its unending fire breath.

“UoOOOOOOOooh—”

And as the swirl of flame closed in, I kicked the air and shot forward. I happen to know Hi Step. Its not much, but it is a technique that allows for mobility in mid air.

Marking a foot in the empty air, I reached it, the root of the Cerberus’ neck connecting to its final head.

“— Nero Lightning(Instant Flash)”

The Paladin’s Sword’s light dazzled brighter, glaring. This was no Slash and neither was it Tri Slash, but a new battle art. The luminescence of my sword extended itself into an overlapping blade of light purposed to slice away my enemy.

With that Paladin’s Sword that had become a sort of giant light saber, I swing at the Cerberus’ neck with the limits of my strength.

My head felt like it was going white from the torrent of light… But I somehow landed on my feet.

Then, as if its stores of energy were completely emptied, the light from the blade vanished. Along which, came the unbearable fatigue. Heavy, my body’s too heavy. I could collapse any second now.

“Fuh, haaa…”

After breathing deeply as if letting out large sighs, finally, my body regained a bit of vitality.

“… I did it, Sakura”

There stood the large Cerberus. Its peripheral heads hideously chopped up, and the one in the middle, completely sliced off. No doubt its dead.

But the gruesome corpse of the monster quickly morphed into light. Towards the death of this sworn enemy of mine, there was no deep kind of emotion, but only, what could perhaps be described as, a mechanical process of absorption. The largest amount of those brilliant particles of light to date had formed, and as usual, they were sucked into my body… leaving only the core at their origin. No trace of the fearsome monster remains.

Ah, over, it’s over now. I did it, I avenged Saku—

“—Really nii-san, always overdoing it”

“Wh-… O-oh it’s S-Sakura…”

I don’t care if the voice is a delusion. I honestly thought.

“I’m very sorry, it seems I caused you some worry… Nii-san look, I’m fine”

From the smog remaining from the flames, a large white sphere of light emerged. Repelling both scorch and soot, inside that beautiful and bizarre ball of light, I could make out a very familiar shape.

“Oracle Field(Heavenly Barrier), It seems to be an innate skill of the Saintess[3]”

I don’t care about the justification. For me, just Sakura, her being safe there, beyond the light, that was all that mattered.

________________________

[1] (a joke note, I’m too bored) Why does everyone not just use Ryouko, Class Rep just sounds awkward as fuck when I’m tranlating it.

It’s a culture thing, I get it. In old anime (and some modern crunchyroll loligagging) they used to translate stuff like Onii-chan into their names, like Kyousuke of something. But I don’t think that’s all that required nowadays.

Plus I bet a lot of weebs (not excluding myself) find the inclusion necessary as it gives a sense of the level of intimacy shared by the characters. That is not to say it can’t be done in English (I wouldn’t know, I’m just a lowly WN reading weeb) but it’s because we’re weebs that we require it.

But Class Rep. Class Rep tho. it’s Iinchou if anyone was wondering. I try to justify it in my head like, I’ve seen other TLers do it! or It’s just one extra syllable to say! or How else am I going to imagine a sexy-cool bespectacled bishoujo without calling her Class Rep!?

I try to do all that but it’s kinda getting ridiculous. Is it though? Aren’t I just stressed? I’ll lie down, then keep translating… Eh, since we’re on the subject of weeb stuff, Iinchou ends most sentences with —wa —da wa, hopefully someone finds that a good thing to know.

[2] So this is the same way they say White God in KnM… snicker

[3] For those not in the know (as in, aren’t reading Kuro no Maou), firstly, why(naze)!? Anyway, Oracle Field is like, a staple move from one of the main girls in KnM. And a little before, Nero Lightning, Nero is a character from there too. and he uses dem Light attributes with dat special sword too, also Instant Flash. A lot of parallels, Shaman is like an alternate(?) universe from the KnM stuff. So I’ll bet you, the reader, will have a greater appreciation for this if you read that one also. Yoshi is actually consistent with the TL schedule too, and doesn’t do month-long hiatuses!