Chapter 29

The situation quickly improved as the fleeing Vanguard members joined in.

The Demon Hounds, already significantly reduced in number, no longer outnumbered the Vanguard.

Most importantly, my exhausted Black Iron Vanguard finally got a chance to catch their breath.

Seeing my direct subordinates retreating with the wounded, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Are you okay?”

Abelin immediately reached out to me after driving off Cerberus.

“Can you stand?”

“Of course.”

“Of course? You were almost crushed to death.”

“Who? When did that happen? I don’t remember.”

“Still boasting… I guess I didn’t need to save you after all.”

“Just kidding.”

I grabbed Abelin’s hand and stood up, speaking clearly.

“Thanks. I feel like I’ve been thanking you a lot lately.”

“…As long as you know.”

Abelin wasn’t wrong.

A normal Cerberus could be defeated bare-handed, but that one was different.

“Grrr…!”

The fact that it was still unharmed even after Abelin’s sword pierced its cheek was proof.

We needed a special strategy to deal with a stronger and more intelligent foe.

But now, by my side…

“Hey, Silver Flash.”

“What, what? Why are you suddenly calling me by such an embarrassing title?”

“Let me ask you one thing. If this is possible, then the two of us taking it down isn’t out of the question.”

“Then ask quickly. Before it does something else.”

“You’re really fast, right?”

“…”

Abelin didn’t bother to reply.

No need to ask.

“Can you move faster than that thing?”

“Then let me ask you.”

Abelin squinted at me and retorted.

“Do you think I’m slower than that thing?”

“That’s the spirit!”

“Hmph…”

Abelin lightly tapped the ground twice with her foot.

As if to show it was sufficiently reinforced with mana, a sharp *pang pang* sound echoed with just a light step.

“Honestly, I’m not sure. But if it’s necessary to take it down, I’ll try.”

“Then our plan is simple. It’s been pulling back, looking for an opening. So…”

“Block its retreat first, you mean.”

“Exactly. No need to attack directly. Just slow its movements. Can you do it?”

“Wait a minute. From what I hear, this sounds like more work for me than for you.”

“True, I’m making you work hard. But you know?”

I grinned and added.

“Because only you can do it.”

“…Ugh.”

Abelin let out a short, incomprehensible groan, then slightly bent her knees.

“Let’s get started. I’ll go first!”

Abelin moved swiftly, leaving a faint afterimage, and soon positioned herself behind Cerberus.

Now it’s time to tighten the noose.

I picked up the great sword I had dropped when it pounced.

“You big brute. Time to settle this. Come on, let’s face each other head-on!”

As I charged with my sword, Cerberus howled and pulled its subordinate hounds in front to block the path.

“Just this won’t stop me!”

Only two swings.

Two swings of the sword were enough to clear the small fry.

As I got closer, Cerberus tried to escape with its agile movements again, but…

“Not letting you go!”

“Grr…?”

Cerberus had no choice but to stop abruptly when Abelin appeared in front of it.

It swung its massive forepaw at Abelin, but she dodged it easily with her quick movements.

“You’re just big, but slow.”

“Growl!”

Cerberus swung its forepaw several more times, but Abelin dodged each one effortlessly.

“Slow, too slow. I should’ve taken you on from the start.”

“Good, very good, Abelin! Just hold it a little longer!”

Seeing me getting closer, Cerberus grew visibly uneasy.

Finally, it decided to leap as far as it could.

But just as it thought it had escaped, it realized someone’s shadow loomed over it.

“Grr…!?”

“Kairon said just to distract, but… that’s not enough for me!”

From above Cerberus, Abelin swiftly stabbed its body with her sharp sword.

The relentless stabs left Cerberus defenseless, and it lost balance, crashing to the ground.

By the time it tried to get up…

“Finally.”

I was already too close for it to escape.

“Now, who’s the prey?”

“Grr… Graaah!”

Realizing it couldn’t escape, Cerberus charged at me, swinging its large, sharp claws.

But this time, there was no distraction, no one to protect.

Clang- Clang-

My sword and Cerberus’s claws clashed repeatedly.

The impact made it clear just how powerful this creature was.

But…

‘I can handle this!’

I channeled more mana throughout my body, infusing my sword with greater strength and speed.

At first, Cerberus seemed to push me back, but soon it was the one being driven back.

“Grr, grr…”

The once confident voice commanding the Demon Hounds was now reduced to pitiful whimpers.

It was scared.

Cerberus frantically swung its claws faster, but…

“Grrr…!”

When I swung my sword a bit wider, it tried to slip away…

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Bang-

Abelin’s kick, using her lightning speed, hit Cerberus’s body with an explosive sound.

“Where are you looking, you demon!”

As I swung my sword, Abelin’s attack made Cerberus flinch, and it hastily swung its claws to block my sword.

Ssssh-

“Grrroooaaah!!”

Finally, one of its forepaws was cleanly severed, and Cerberus howled in pain.

“Whimper, whine…”

It even licked the severed stump, crying pitifully.

The Vanguard members, having almost finished off the Demon Hounds, were dumbfounded by Cerberus’s cries.

“Is, is it crying now?”

“To think we were struggling against something like that…”

The pathetic sight of Cerberus boosted the morale of the fighting Vanguard.

Some squad leaders took advantage of the mood and shouted.

“Remember this moment! We can make even demons tremble in fear! If we unite, we can overcome any danger!”

“…Well said.”

“Indeed. Good words, but we mustn’t forget those who have already fallen. By the way…”

Cerberus seemed to have lost all will to fight, but Abelin remained vigilant, keeping her eyes on it.

“See that?”

“See what? Oh…”

The wound Cerberus was licking.

A new forepaw was slowly growing from the wound.

“We need to finish it before it recovers.”

“Then hurry up and finish it!”

Abelin and I moved without needing to say who would go first.

Cerberus tried to escape while licking its wound, but Abelin, already close, mercilessly drove her sword deeper into the bleeding wound.

“Grooaaah…!”

As Cerberus stretched its neck and let out a pitiful scream.

“It’s over, you wretched thing!”

I cleanly severed its neck, which it had stretched out for a clean cut, with my sword glowing blue with concentrated mana.

Thud-

“Ah, ahhh!”

The Vanguard members screamed in horror at the sight of Cerberus’s head flying and landing on the ground.

But the head, separated from the body, lay motionless with its tongue sticking out.

With that, the faint red light flowing from the rift in the otherworld completely faded.

Finally, the wave was over.

“We won!!”

The surviving members cheered.

The remaining few Demon Hounds, overwhelmed by the Vanguard’s loud cheers, cowered and were quickly dealt with, burning away.

“We made it through again, Kairon.”

“Yeah. Somehow. But…”

One strange thing caught my eye.

Normally, all demons burn away upon death.

But strangely, Cerberus’s corpse remained, emitting a faint red glow.

“It’s not disappearing?”

“I was thinking the same thing. Maybe it’s not dead?”

“It’s definitely stopped breathing.”

“Let me check.”

“Be careful…”

I slowly approached Cerberus’s limp body on the ground.

And the moment I touched it to check if its heart was still beating.

“Uh, uh…!?”

The red energy swirling around Cerberus’s body flowed into me.

Through my palm, into my body.