Hard Carried by My Sword

Chapter 267

Startled by the voice, Leon leaped several steps back, eyes sweeping every direction as his guard shot up.

“Who’s there?!” he shouted, with every reason to react that way.

He had experienced this, a voice echoing directly inside his mind, only once before, when facing the Death King. It wasn’t speech, or any sort of sound, for that matter.

What he was hearing was pure will, transmitted as a mental wave. This was a method of communication used only by higher beings.

And then, the head of Cerberus, which Five Star Chariot had smashed apart, began melting from the severed stump like molten lava. Fragments of shattered skull and meat rained down in chunks. Its body was so large that even the debris was considerable, yet the moment the pieces touched the ground, they seeped into the earth and vanished—absorbed completely, indistinguishable from soil.

El-Cid hummed, sounding intrigued.

—Hoh? That’s not regeneration. Restoration... No, overlaying...?

Overlaying? What’s that supposed to mean? Leon asked.

—A kind of descent or possession, if you will. You’ll understand when you see it.

Leon scowled at the cryptic answer and tightened his grip on the sword hilt, eyes fixed forward. From the neck stump, new flesh surged upward, forming bone structure, weaving thin, web-like veins across it, and growing rows of monstrous teeth capable of chewing through metal. Ten seconds was all it took to reconstruct an entire head.

Then, the voice came again. —Did you ask who I am, human?

From the newly formed head, a pair of eyes lit with a vicious glow. The intelligence within them was nothing like what he’d faced moments earlier. Leon’s instincts screamed the truth.

This voice... Could it be...

—I am the watch-hound of the Underworld, servant of mighty Hades, God of the Nether. With these three heads, I discern the living from the dead, and it is my duty to punish those who stray beyond their rightful realm.

Cerberus’s presence swelled, its intimidation several times heavier than before. Leon shivered from the chill, his back drenched from the cold sweat.

The creature he fought earlier had been powerful, but compared to this, it wasn’t even close. This was no incomplete divinity like the Death King. This was more like Apophis—a full, unrestrained divine entity.

And in the Nether Valley, a realm close to Cerberus’s origin, the restrictions that normally bound higher beings were loosened. Its divine essence flowed freely here.

I can’t beat this.

Leon swallowed hard before he even realized it. Cerberus seemed to recognize that reaction; all three mouths curled into a low, scraping chuckle.

It said, —Fear not, human. You have passed my trial.

“Trial...? What do you mean?” Leon asked.

—The one you fought just now was but my fragment. My true self has remained at the boundary of the Nether all this time.

He had thought the creature was appropriately formidable for a mythic beast, but to learn that wasn’t even its real body was more than dispiriting. frёewebnoѵēl.com

Leon’s brow furrowed as he said, “So you were toying with me.”

—If it displeased you, I apologize. But human, because you carry the blessing of an otherworldly god, I had no choice but to confirm it for myself.

“Otherworldly god’s... blessing?”

Leon blinked in confusion. Seeing that, Cerberus tilted all three heads.

—I sensed within you the power of Anubis, Duat’s god of death. It was far beyond what one gains from relics, so I wondered what connection you shared.

“Oh!”

Only now did Leon recall that moment. After defeating Nephren-Ka and freeing the corrupted Anubis, he had received a proclamation from the god of death himself.

“It is as you say, apostle. I erred, and it brought harm upon you. Yet you granted me grace. As guide of the dead, I, Anubis, must return a fitting gift.”

“Apostle who bears the sun, I grant you my blessing. With the sigils already etched upon your body and my protection, the dead will not dare approach you.”

He had forgotten, since it wasn’t a power he actively felt, but the blessing had indeed been spoken by a god himself. And Cerberus, as a being of equal divine class, could sense it.

Such blessings were not handed out on a whim. Even with mountains of offerings or deep karmic ties, fate itself rarely permitted a god to bestow such a thing.

Cerberus asked, —So, you remember?

“Well, yeah, now that you mention it... But what does that have to do with this situation?”

—It is a matter of trespassing of authority. Now that I’ve confirmed you do not belong to Anubis, there is no issue.

Cerberus completely lowered its battle stance and sat, gazing down at Leon as he continued, —Human, I wish to request something of you. Fulfill it, and I shall offer suitable compensation.

“A request? From someone like you... to me?”

—Indeed.

Cerberus spoke with solemn gravity. —Go to the center of this twisted land and destroy the connection between the Netherworld and this place. With that divine sword in your hand, it should be possible.

“What...?” Leon’s confusion burst forth before he could stop himself. “You’re asking me... to destroy this entire demon realm?”

—That is correct.

“But why?”

Leon had always understood the exodimensions as desolate, hostile realms constantly seeking a chance to invade. Yet Cerberus was asking him to close off the very foothold that linked this world to the Nether. His intuition told him Cerberus was genuinely earnest, which made it even stranger.

—Why, you ask? Is it not obvious?

Cerberus blinked all six eyes slowly. —Ah. I see that you have the wrong idea entirely, human.

“Wrong idea...?”

—The distortion in this land may appear to the damned of the Nether as an escape route, but to me, it is merely a hole in the corner of a prison I am tasked with guarding. I have even sent my fragments to catch escapees, but several have already slipped away.

The displeasure in its tone was undisguised. Even that alone was enough to make Leon’s chest tighten. A higher being’s emotional pressure was enough to crush weak minds outright. Leon could withstand it, but it was hardly comfortable.

“Is it not possible for you to close it yourself?” he asked.

—That is precisely why I ask you. My authority manifests only in the Nether. If I cross into your side, my power would magnify the distortion severalfold. If that happens, there will be no containing it.

Leon understood and found genuine weight in Cerberus’s words. He fell silent, lost in thought.

From the standpoint of the Underworld’s gatekeeper, the existence of a dimensional passage through which the dead could escape would, of course, be a nuisance. In ancient legends, Cerberus did not prevent the dead from entering the underworld but would never allow anyone who had died to leave.

That was its absolute duty. So, if several had already escaped, behind that calm demeanor, its fury must have been boiling to the crown of its heads.

—I see what you're thinking. Believe me, I want nothing more than to tear apart the mongrel who created this distortion, but losing my temper would be playing right into its hands.

“Probably.”

If Cerberus tore open the dimensional rift and manifested fully, the resulting flood of underworld spirits pouring into the world would benefit Britra immensely. Unexpectedly, the Underworld’s watchdog had understood the entire situation at a glance.

“Fine. I’ll take your request,” Leon agreed to the gatekeeper’s terms.

El-Cid’s earlier advice also nudged his decision.

—A full shutdown of the realm, hm. Not bad.

Really? Why didn’t you say so earlier?

—Well. It’s a way to accumulate karma far faster than just killing monsters. I only didn’t bring it up because the deeper layers probably hold things you can’t handle yet. But if that dog is asking you directly, that’s different.

Then it’s settled.

He had already planned to reach the inner depths anyway. Plus, to defeat Britra, he couldn’t afford to be picky with his methods. And the “reward” Cerberus promised didn’t hurt, either.

With a low growl of satisfaction, the beast answered, —My thanks, human. I will await you at the distortion’s center. Do not keep me waiting too long.

Leon raised an eyebrow and asked, “What, are you giving me a deadline?”

—A hundred years. For me, that is but a fleeting moment. But for you, I suppose it is rather lengthy.

“Lengthy...? That’s long enough for me to die of natural causes...”

—Heh. Is that so.

Letting out something like a scoff, Cerberus added, —If you should slay the escaped prisoners of the Nether along the way, I shall provide additional rewards. I look forward to your arrival.

Then Cerberus’s colossal body began to blur, then fade, until not even a trace remained. A creature weighing hundreds of tons evaporating like heat-haze was surreal. Only after it completely vanished did Leon finally ease his shoulders.

He lowered his sword and collapsed to the ground, letting the crashing fatigue wash over him. He had landed the final blow in one strike, but the recoil from using Corona had been severe.

“Master Leon,” Rodlin called.

“You’re back?”

Having already returned to his side, Rodlin made an offer.

“Shall I apply recovery magic? I cannot replenish your Aura, but I can accelerate the restoration of physical fatigue at a meaningful rate.”

“Well, sure. Go ahead.”

“As you command. Activating Refresh and Great Healing concurrently, duration twenty minutes.”

A soft glow flowed from her palms, enveloping Leon’s entire body in a slow, circulating warmth. His fatigue ebbed away in steady waves.

Though it wasn’t as potent as sacred spells, high-tier magic wasn’t too far behind. Leon closed his eyes and focused on recovery as he replayed the battle in his mind.

I should head back before going deeper.

There was something he wanted to ask William.

***

When Leon returned to the Nether Valley’s entrance and explained, William, who had been expressionless for the most part, opened his eyes wide.

“What? You spoke with that being?”

He clearly knew about Cerberus. Given William’s abilities, it would be strange if he had never attempted to reach the deeper layers. Encountering the beast wasn’t surprising.

“Have you spoken with Cerberus yourself?” Leon asked.

“No,” William shook his head slightly. “Oddly enough, whenever I attempted to approach the core, the beast blocked my way. I didn’t think I could defeat it, but I felt no killing intent, so I saw no need to warn you about it either.”

“But for me... Ah. That figures.”

Leon recalled what Cerberus had called a “trial.” The moment he destroyed one head, the true body appeared. It seemed he truly was a special case. William appeared to reach the same conclusion and gave Leon a curious look.

“To think the hound not only spoke to you but even requested the zone’s closure... as expected of the goddess’s agent.”

“Haha...”

Leon could only let out an awkward laugh, then changed the subject while glancing around. There was something he’d wanted to ask from the moment he returned. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

“Um... Albion?” he called.

“What is it?” Albion responded, as dignified and aloof as ever. She looked at him while gently stroking Karen’s head, resting on her lap.

Leon made a complicated face and asked, “What is going on here...?”

“What do you mean?”

Albion replied with feigned innocence. So, Leon had no choice but to be direct.

“I’m talking about Karen.”

Whether asleep or for some other reason, Karen lay sprawled across Albion’s lap, trembling faintly. Her whole body was flushed red, cold sweat forming on her skin. It didn’t look normal. Albion’s answer made everything click.

“Ah, my Guardian Knight, you mean.”

“What...?”

El-Cid spoke out loud a beat later. “Dragons can go senile, too...?”

A thick vein throbbed on Albion’s forehead as she replied, “You, shut up.”