Volume 8 Chapter 30 Desperate Situation
With a roaring sound that shakes the earth, the three jaws clatter their teeth one after another.
The fangs that gouge and tear without hesitation, even if there are roads and buildings in the way, are bound to be fatal if taken directly.
After defeating the Hydra, the monster that is probably the most famous, Cerberus, was my next target.
"'Moon Blade (Cress).'"
Avoiding the bite, I run my sword through the offered neck. My blade, swung as if intending to cut off the head, cuts through the flickering fur that resembles blue flames and ends at the point of severing the flesh.
But it hasn't reached the bone.
The neck is harder than the Hydra's.
Rather, its front leg, swung forcefully, aims for my head. I dodge it while moving backward.
Because of the deactivation of the 'Flame Linker,' my firepower is insufficient. However, that is a secret technique that utilizes a special type of magic power. It was used to defeat Echidna and also against the Hydra.
If I continue to use it, I will be unable to move.
Now, Cerberus opened its mouth and tried to fill the surroundings with blue flames.
What's going on? I've never heard of Cerberus using a technique like this. Is this also a fabrication? It certainly seems like a technique a boss would use.
To prevent the flames from spreading, I respond by blowing them away with the pressure from my sword.
Echidna, Hydra, I have been fighting monsters relentlessly to come this far. After continuous battles, my arms feel heavy as I swing my sword.
But I cannot stop here.
The Magic Domain that unfolded in the heart of this city. The number of people trapped there is unimaginable.
Just by letting Cerberus escape, how many people will become sacrifices?
Magic and combat were far from their everyday lives, people who enjoyed their normal lives are now forced to experience absurd deaths. This should not be allowed.
The anger and anxiety when their normal lives were suddenly taken away cannot be expressed in words.
Don't mess around. I don't care how noble and grand your objective is, it doesn't give you the right to involve ordinary people.
"Gruaaah!"
Cerberus roared in anger, gathering magic power in its mouth.
Are you planning to release flames again?
Don't get ahead of yourself, you damn dog.
I draw my sword, compressing magic power faster and sharper than Cerberus.
And at the same time I step forward, I thrust the lightning-fast attack into its mouth.
"'Gilv (Thunder Sword).'"
The jade thrust pierced through Cerberus' throat alongside the compressed flames. The explosion swelled up in its mouth, causing Cerberus to fall backwards.
I jump up and surpass Cerberus.
Using the momentum of my jump, I twist my entire body and swing my sword towards its three heads.
"'Roa Cress (Wolf Moon Blade).'"
The slashing strikes drew beautiful yet fierce arcs, and I beheaded Cerberus in one fell swoop. Its long HP bar quickly depleted and disappeared.
"'Haa...haa...'"
I landed and let out a ragged breath.
That makes it the second one. Kanami should be handling Orthros, and Kou should be fighting too.
In other words, if there are any left, it would be either Chimera or Scylla -
Just as I was thinking that, my body reacted to the killing intent I felt from behind.
"'Huh?!'"
Without even confirming what it was, I leaped forward.
With a thunderous sound, the wind roared and immediately after, I heard the sound of the ground shattering.
What's this now?!
While taking a defensive stance, I turned around to look behind me, and I was left speechless by the presence there.
"'What...I don't understand...'"
What stood before me was a gigantic dog - Cerberus, with its three heads and a snake tail.
How foolish.
I'm sure I took down the previous one. I confirmed the disappearance of its HP bar, and its body vanished into light.
Moreover, this one attacked me from behind.
So, there is only one answer that can be drawn from this.
"'Could it be, a separate entity?'"
In response to that question, Cerberus only let out a growl that neither confirmed nor denied.
I have a bad premonition. Truly, a bad premonition that makes my spine tingle.
In response to the suspicion that crossed my mind, the answer came immediately.
'Yuusuke-sama! Can you hear me?'
It was Kanami's voice coming from the communication device. Unusual for her, a calm and composed person, it was a panicked voice.
The bad premonition, accompanied by a sense of touch, slowly begins to tighten around my neck.
"'Yes, I can hear you.'"
'I just defeated the two-headed dog on my end, but a new individual appeared without delay.'
It was exactly the same situation as mine.
'That's not all. Similar individuals are appearing and increasing in number all over the place!'
"'...'"
The worst possible development.
Damn it, they just keep coming...
It's not over with the monsters that appeared first. They keep multiplying no matter how many I defeat.
If it were just weaklings like goblins or orcs, there wouldn't be a problem. But if monsters of this level keep appearing endlessly, there won't be enough hands no matter what.
But is such a thing even possible?
The god Tsuchimikado fought and Echidna. They have already manifested the power of two divine beings. No matter how much the Spiritual Penetration Art (Shinrei) is, its cost should be considerable.
No matter how much preparation they make, resources are not infinite.
'My True Name' is an exception among exceptions.
If they take such an unreasonable approach, who knows what will happen to the magicians.
As I was trying to gather my thoughts, Cerberus, as if fed up, kicked the ground and pounced on me.
Anyway, if we don't come up with a plan, we will be crushed.
I clad myself in crimson magic power and activate 'Flame Linker' for just a moment.
"'Disappear!'"
Slash!!
Multiple overlapping slashes cut through the airborne Cerberus, reducing it to mere fragments.
In a matter of seconds, the activation, accompanied by the sensation of flames racing through, elicited a scream from my physical body.
In the face of such a situation, there was no room for expressing weakness.
Regardless, there had to be a reason for the appearance of this chaotic monster. If that could be pinpointed, it might be possible to stop it.
It was at that moment of contemplation.
I realized the naivety of my own thoughts.
The worst-case scenario I had anticipated was surpassed by an even worse one.
Or perhaps, the determination of Sakaki Tsuzuri, which far exceeded my expectations.
It materialized from beyond the sky.
"――Idiot."
The Magic Domain screamed like a death cry, crumbling. Just before complete destruction, only the essential functions were barely holding on.
Why would such a reckless method be chosen?
The answer was terribly simple.
From the beginning, the culprit thought it didn't matter what happened to her.
Inserting her own life into the core of the spell, she continued to activate magic until the moment her soul burned out.
In other words, an intentional magic berserk.
The spirit has already begun to move for the sole purpose of swallowing the life of the magician and annihilating everything within this realm.
There is a place deep within the emotional excitation that humans should not go to. It is a state of desperation.
Sakaki Tsuzuri, driven by the resolve to sacrifice her own life, intends to kill us. Her determination becomes evident when one looks up at the sky. Despite my instinctual urge to look away, I raise my gaze.
“syoaueawboawasuxaiaweawoieadbae”
From the dark, thick clouds, a human head descends.
However, it is difficult to determine if it truly is a human head.
It is massive, almost as if the moon itself had fallen.
The white head, resembling porcelain, bears red eyes and a black mouth, signifying its human nature. Uttering incomprehensible words, it slowly manifests from the clouds.
With a robust upper body and fingertips that appear blurry in the distance, it spreads its wings, seemingly covering the sky.
On the other side of the clouds, what can be seen through is a serpent's body that now seems foolish to consider its full length. It's no exaggeration to call it a dragon by this point.
That monster was the very end of this realm.
Prepared by the Game Master, a bona fide symbol of an inescapable game over.
In Greek mythology, it is the companion of Echidna, and the father of many monsters. It is regarded as the mightiest monster that even overcame the chief god Zeus.
——It's Typhon.
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