Prologue H
TO GET STRONGER
After getting back to the city, Dionysus immediately noted some changes. One of the more obvious ones was that the humongous dome that was surrounding the city was gone. It seemed as if it actually was someone's ability at the end of the day.
Second of all, it seems that the city had calmed down quite a bit. The people and life within seemed to have gone back to normal. Finally, he didn't have a bullet shot at him pretty much as soon as he entered the city.
'Just the last one has me grateful.'
As Dionysus walked through the city, he made sure to tighten his vest and constantly dust it off as to show that he was a clean gentleman. It had always been a thing for Dionysus, to make sure that he came off as a gentleman. It helped him in many ways in life, whether it be to show to people that he wasn't looking for a fight, to live life as he wanted it, and to be more charming and charismatic.
In more ways than one, being a gentleman brought good stuff to the table.
As Dionysus continued to walk down the streets of the city, he was only searching for one person. That person would be the guy that nearly put him down, Cerberus. Although he was most definitely a threat that could put an end to his life, he needed to get stronger.
'I can't conquer two dungeons and have them be more than a week's distance away from one another, that just won't do.'
While it was most definitely possible, it wouldn't be any good convenience wise. To constantly be running so far every time that he wanted to head to his alternate dungeon, he just simply wasn't in the mood to do so.
To put it simply, he was being lazy.
However, the reason he was in this city was to dedicate time. To explain it as easily as possible, for one to advance through the stages of an ability took experience and circumstances. Although it wasn't guaranteed, one had a much higher chance of going up a stage when they were in a life or death type crisis. The reason for that would be because the emotions are greatly stimulated during those times of need, which might result in a person surpassing their present selves to deal with the situation.
Basically, the summary of his plan was that he was going to find Cerberus and fight him to the death, or at least pretend to. In reality, the second that his ability went up a stage, he would immediately run away from the fight. Although it wasn't guaranteed, it was very likely that Cerberus had actually awakened while already having a granted ability beforehand.
In other words, even going up a stage wouldn't save Dionysus from the wrath of such a man.
'Where would a guy like him be hanging out…'
From what Dionysus understood of Cerberus, he seemed like an energetic guy that would constantly be in the spotlight for many things. Dionysus also acknowledged that Cerberus most likely enjoyed fighting to the extreme, which was something he could not commit to.
After walking through the streets for a bit, Dionysus realized that he was going to get nowhere by doing this. After arriving upon such a decision, he decided to just walk up to some people that seemed as if they were a couple. They were currently sitting at the same table and drinking some of what seemed to be coffee.
"So, as I was sayi-!"
The woman got frightened, as it seemed as if Dionysus had appeared from thin air from her point of view.
"Excuse me for interrupting your lovely coffee time, but may I inquire as to where one might find fights in this city?"
The man stood up and looked at Dionysus with daring eyes.
"Now, now, no need to be upset. I'm simply trying to find a fi-"
The man threw a punch at Dionysus, who immediately side-stepped it and, in turn, took his palm and put it up against his cheek. After that, he immediately slammed his face into the table.
KSHH
'Ah, the cup of coffee shattered. Probably doesn't look too lovely down there, huh.'
Dionysus could see the coffee leaking off the table, but at this point he simply didn't care much for it all.
"Now then, let's not be too hasty, my good gentleman. I really did approach you and the fair maiden to ask you where someone might find a fight."
Dionysus, with absolutely no remorse and none coming anytime soon, continued to hold him down while a light smile floated on his face.
"PLEASE, MY EYES!"
Of course, the man probably didn't feel all too good down there.
"G-G-G-G-Guards! Someone get ahold of this man, please!"
Along with all of the already ongoing commotion, it seemed as if the woman was intent on making it even wilder.
"Now, now, my dear, no need to drag in the guards. Simply tell me where one such as myself can find a fight, and I'll be off."
Dionysus looked at her with kind eyes and a light smile, but she could, of course, see through the facade, what with her man being slammed into the table by him and whatnot.
"The only fighting is in the coliseum at the north end of the city. Let go of him, please!"
The woman was desperate, and Dionysus had gained his information, so he let go of the man and cleaned him up.
"See, cooperation wasn't that hard. I'd suggest cooperating more unless you want more accidents to occur."
Dionysus dusted himself off, and then left the couple to their own accord. As for him, he was heading off to the coliseum.
'Let's see if you're there, my good Cerberus.'
--- SEQUENCE 2 ---
After strolling through the city for around an hour or two, Dionysus finally arrived upon the large coliseum.
'It seems like the place where a person that likes to fight would be.'
Dionysus saw that it just had a large arch for an entrance, and there didn't seem to be any lines or anything. In fact, people were just walking in and out of the coliseum.
'I suppose I don't need to pay for anything.'
Dionysus tightened his vest and went on in, but the scene he saw was not one that he expected. There was the usual cheering of the people for the two contestants in the middle of the coliseum, but the real issue was Cerberus.
He thought that he would find Cerberus as a spectator, but not as an actual fighter. He had just walked out from one of the tunnels that led into the middle of the arena, and another guy walked out from the opposing tunnel.
'This might be interesting to watch.'
Dionysus began to walk towards the stands, and then promptly took a seat as close as he could to the arena. Cerberus and his opponent had just finally met in the middle of the arena, and it seemed as if the battle was getting ready to start at any moment.
WOOSH
Out of nowhere, the silhouette manifested in reality and blended in as Dionysus' shadow. Of course, if anybody looked close enough, they would see that it wasn't just a basic shadow, but nobody was going to be paying attention to him in the first place with a battle going on, and he could simply play it off as his ability.
'You here for a good view?'
"Yeah…"
Cerberus and his opponent began to distance themselves from one another, showing that the battle was beginning. After walking away far enough, both of them whirled around and looked at one another in the eyes.
"BEGIN!"
Dionysus heard a loud shout that came from somewhere in the coliseum. After looking around for a bit, he saw that there was a person sitting on a throne all the way at the top of the coliseum. He was surrounded by many people, and it was most likely that they were all bodyguards of some sort.
'...King?'
Dionysus didn't care that much about the man, but he thought it might be a good idea to just know that he existed.
DRRF
All of a sudden, a loud sound appeared from within the arena. Before Dionysus had even whirled his eyes around to look at what was going on, it seemed as if Cerberus had kicked off from the ground and was running at high speeds toward the opponent. Since Cerberus had lost a foot, it seemed he was making up for it by running on all four. Although, it would be all three in this scenario.
WPHM
However, something very odd happened. Just as Cerberus had arrived at the opponent and was about to send him flying with a drop kick to the stomach, the opponent seemingly changed the physique of his body. It was as if a hole had just appeared in him.
WOOSH
The force that cerberus had put into that kick caused the wind to get riled up, but it didn't make contact. Immediately after throwing that kick, Cerberus realized that he was vulnerable to a hit. He guarded his body with his hands, but it only covered the front.
WHPSHHH
"GAGH!"
Cerberus could quite literally feel the oxygen leaving him after the kick to his back, and he got sent flying high into the sky. He was at least thirty feet high in the sky before he finally stopped ascending and began to fall.
'Bastard…'
As Cerberus was falling, he could see that the guy below him was preparing a punch.
'Heh, looks like he wants to send me flying all the way to the other side of the city with this thing.'
Of course, Cerberus wouldn't just let it happen. Before he got even remotely close to making contact with the guy's fist, he ripped open a hole to his separate dimension and pulled himself inside of it.
"-!!!"
This was the type of battle where the opponent's ability was not revealed beforehand. Their abilities would have to be revealed through the battle. As of right now, the guy that was preparing the punch had a surprised look on his face as Cerberus had quite literally vanished from reality.
WHRRMM
The opponent heard something behind him, and could only assume that it was Cerberus. He immediately kicked behind him, but nothing hit. By the time he had swirled around to see what had happened, he saw that it was a hole that was just floating there.
Yet, there was nothing in it.
SLAM
All of a sudden, all he could feel was something coming into contact with his face in a very rough procedure before everything went black.
However, contrary to what he thought, he wasn't knocked out. It took him a few seconds to realize that he was still awake.
'Where am I?!'
The man finally realized that the sensation was one where his head was stuck in something.
"That's what happens when you let your guard down, bastard."
Cerberus said this while shooting some blood out of his nose. He had made the hole appear behind his opponent in a very obvious way to make sure that it would distract him. In reality, he wasn't going to pop up from that hole, but instead pop out of another one that appeared in front of the opponent.
After he had appeared through it, he simply gave the guy a nice punch, and that was why his head was currently stuck in the coliseum walls.
Without relenting in the least bit, Cerberus got on all three and dashed at the opponent like a mad dog.
DRUM
However, something unexpected happened. The opponent stomped on the ground below him right before Cerberus had arrived at him. The stomp was so powerful that the ground somewhat collapsed, which subsequently resulted in Cerberus losing his footing.
KSHH
Yet, this was all that the opponent needed to yank his head out of the wall. After he did that, he whirled around fast enough to see that Cerberus had already lined up a kick to his face.
"Heh…"
He changed his physique once again, and the result was…
CRACK
Both Cerberus' foot and the wall completely shattered. Cerberus was clearly in pain, but he knew he couldn��t stop moving. He began to pull his foot back and was thinking about jumping back to plan out another attack, although his opponent grabbing his ankle wasn't really helping the situation.
The opponent then placed his other hand on his ankle, and he began to twist them in opposite directions. Cerberus let out a yelp in pain, but he knew that he still couldn't stop moving. He began throwing punches, but the opponent kept changing his physique so that the punches would go through his body.
Cerberus' foot was starting to feel like a rubber-band if it was being stretched in two different directions at the same time. Along with that, just like a rubber-band, he felt that it was about ready to tear.
SMASH
Cerberus punched the ground, which immediately gave way to his fist.
'My view is somewhat obscured, but I should be fine.'
DRRGGG
Yet, at the very next moment, he was on the ground and unconscious. Cerberus stomped on his arm with his stub, which resulted in the arm shattering. He then lifted his foot from his grasp, and raised his hands in victory.
"WHOOOOOOOO!"
"FUCK YEAH!"
"ANOTHER FIGHT!"
The crowd cheered so loudly that Dionysus ordered the silhouette to cover his ears.
'I should've just stolen the mufflers from that dungeon…'
From Cerberus' opponent point of view, there was no way to know how the fight ended, but Dionysus saw it all perfectly from the side. The rocks were simply a distraction that Cerberus had used to make a hole to his dimension behind him. Once the hole was created, he made another one behind his opponent and simply threw a punch into it.
'His dimensional ability is somewhat similar to mine, perhaps I could use such a strategy for fights?'
Whatever the case was, the fight in the coliseum had been concluded, and Cerberus was the winner.