"I don't want to fight you. Why don't you just let us pass?" Cyd crouched gently in front of Cerberus, poking the nose of the firmest head with his right hand.
"Don't be so calm; you should have used up your scales!" Despite pressing its head stubbornly against the ground, Cerberus continued to struggle, flexing its limbs. "As soon as you let go, I'll tear you apart and scatter your remains everywhere."
"~ You caught me," Cyd chuckled. If Cerberus had only three heads, this would have been easier. But with over 50 heads, he had to use every dragon scale, turning this into a battle of attrition. Whoever held out longer would win, but he couldn't show weakness.
"But it looks like I have the upper hand." Cyd pressed Cerberus' nose harder.
"How long can you maintain control over so many scales at once?" Cerberus, struggling against Cyd's hand, whined.
Cyd blinked. Oddly enough, he wasn't tired. Hephaestus had crafted this Sacred Tool with dragon nerves, making it responsive to his thoughts. The precise control required to manage all these scales should be exhausting, but it wasn't. Moreover, the coordination of the scales felt too smooth, almost as if he was controlling his own limbs.
This had to be Hephaestus' doing, ensuring the scales acted independently, like when they shredded his clothes without permission. Though Hephaestus assured him the dragon was thoroughly dead, Cyd had his doubts...
Cyd stood, his expression somber. He could almost see a dragon's shadow behind his own.
[You finally noticed?] [The dragon isn't completely dead!]
A hoarse, smug voice echoed in Cyd's ear. He had been deceived—the dragon wasn't truly dead!
Cyd covered his face. "This is troublesome."
"It's too late to be scared now!" Cerberus thought Cyd's words were directed at him and grinned.
You should be dead already.
Cyd narrowed his eyes.
[I can't die completely! That greedy goddess wanted you to master this Sacred Tool without training, so she used my nerves. I was dormant, only acting on instinct. But thanks to you bringing me to the Underworld, I'm fully awake now!]
Cyd grimaced. [Spare me the lecture. You're noisy...]
Cerberus' massive body suddenly tilted to one side, causing the dragon's claws to pin its heads to slide. The ground beneath it was torn up!
Cyd's eyes widened. He leaped, shielding himself with both arms as Cerberus' paw slammed into him, sending him flying like a tennis ball.
"Oh no! The Styx River!" Cyd twisted midair, trying to change his trajectory. But Cerberus' strength was too great; he was heading straight for the river.
"Cyd!!!" Medusa dropped her package and swung her sickle, but it wasn't enough.
No time!
Medusa closed her eyes tightly.
[Don't worry, I said I wouldn't pretend to be dead ~]
The scales forming Cyd's cloak dispersed completely.
[Dragons fly!] The scales reassembled into wings on Cyd's back, halting his fall.
"Your reliable after all~" Cyd grabbed the sickle's handle as it flew towards him. "Medusa!"
Medusa focused, swinging the chains like a meteor hammer to fling Cyd back toward Cerberus.
"Human!!!" Cerberus roared, charging at Cyd in midair.
Cyd reached out, his wings forming a cone-shaped drill around him. "Extend!"
The jet-black dragon scales spun rapidly, generating strong winds that filled the space. Cerberus, eyes wide, didn't notice the tiny scales detaching and flying towards him like darts. By the time he realized, his many eyes had been completely obliterated.
"Finished."
The spinning drill pierced through Cerberus, blood gushing like a fountain from the massive wound.
"I made you sit down."
The drill disintegrated upon touching the ground, the scales reassembling into Cyd's cloak.
"—— ——"
Cerberus' massive form lay motionless, blood vaporizing into white clouds upon touching the ground.
"Looks poisonous," Cyd tilted his head, retrieving a water pouch from Medusa's abandoned package. He calmly filled it with Cerberus' blood, appearing like a tourist collecting mountain spring water.
"Naturally..." Cerberus' enormous body began to heal visibly, dog heads regrowing. "This is the Underworld. That wound can't kill me."
I've poked a hole through you from beginning to end...
"Do you want to fight again?" Cyd sighed, holding the water pouch carefully.
"No, you've defeated me. Only this time," Cerberus yawned, all 50 heads closing their eyes.
Cyd blinked, then shoved the water pouch into one of Cerberus' mouths. "Enjoy your drool ~"
"I really don't want to fight. Why don't you just let us pass?" Cyd crouched in front of Cerberus, poking the nose of the head that seemed most resolute.
"Don't act so calm; you should have run out of scales by now!" Despite pressing its head stubbornly against the ground, Cerberus continued to struggle, flexing its limbs. "As soon as you let go, I'll tear you apart and scatter your remains."
"~ You caught me," Cyd chuckled. If Cerberus had only three heads, this would have been easier. But with over 50 heads, he had to use every dragon scale, turning this into a battle of attrition. Whoever held out longer would win, but he couldn't show weakness.
"But it looks like I have the upper hand." Cyd pressed Cerberus' nose harder.
"How long can you maintain control over so many scales at once?" Cerberus, struggling against Cyd's hand, whined.
Cyd blinked. Oddly enough, he wasn't tired. Hephaestus had crafted this Sacred Tool with dragon nerves, making it responsive to his thoughts. The precise control required to manage all these scales should be exhausting, but it wasn't. Moreover, the coordination of the scales felt too smooth, almost as if he was controlling his own limbs.
This had to be Hephaestus' doing, ensuring the scales acted independently, like when they shredded his clothes without permission. Though Hephaestus assured him the dragon was thoroughly dead, Cyd had his doubts...
Cyd stood, his expression somber. He could almost see a dragon's shadow behind his own.
[You finally noticed?] [The old lady isn't completely dead!]
A hoarse, smug voice echoed in Cyd's ear. He had been deceived—the dragon wasn't truly dead!
Cyd covered his face. "This is troublesome."
"It's too late to be scared now!" Cerberus thought Cyd's words were directed at him and grinned.
You should be dead already.
Cyd narrowed his eyes.
[I can't die completely! That greedy goddess wanted you to master this Sacred Tool without training, so she used my nerves. I was dormant, only acting on instinct. But thanks to you bringing me to the Underworld, I'm fully awake now!]
Cyd grimaced. [Spare me the lecture. You're noisy...]
Cerberus' massive body suddenly tilted to one side, causing the dragon claws pinning its heads to slide. The ground beneath it was torn up!
Cyd's eyes widened. He leaped, shielding himself with both arms as Cerberus' paw slammed into him, sending him flying like a tennis ball.
"Oh no! The Styx River!" Cyd twisted midair, trying to change his trajectory. But Cerberus' strength was too great; he was heading straight for the river.
"Cyd!!!" Medusa dropped her package and swung her sickle, but it wasn't enough.
No time!
Medusa closed her eyes tightly.
[Don't worry, I said I wouldn't pretend to be dead ~]
The scales forming Cyd's cloak dispersed completely.
[Dragons fly!] The scales reassembled into wings on Cyd's back, halting his fall.
"Reliable after all~" Cyd grabbed the sickle's handle as it flew towards him. "Medusa!"
Medusa focused, swinging the chains like a meteor hammer to fling Cyd back towards Cerberus.
"Human!!!" Cerberus roared, charging at Cyd midair.
Cyd reached out, his wings forming a cone-shaped drill around him. "Extend!"
The jet-black dragon scales spun rapidly, generating strong winds that filled the space. Cerberus, eyes wide, didn't notice the tiny scales detaching and flying towards him like darts. By the time he realized, his many eyes had been completely obliterated.
"Finished."
The spinning drill pierced through Cerberus, blood gushing like a fountain from the massive wound.
"I made you sit down."
The drill disintegrated upon touching the ground, the scales reassembling into Cyd's cloak.
"—— ——"
Cerberus' massive form lay motionless, blood vaporizing into white clouds upon touching the ground.
"Looks poisonous," Cyd tilted his head, retrieving a water pouch from Medusa's abandoned package. He calmly filled it with Cerberus' blood, appearing like a tourist collecting mountain spring water.
Naturally, Cerberus' enormous body began to heal visibly, dog heads regrowing. "This is the Underworld. That wound can't kill me here."
I've poked a hole through you from beginning to end...
"Do you want to fight again?" Cyd sighed, holding the water pouch carefully.
"No, you've defeated me. Only this time," Cerberus yawned, all 50 heads closing their eyes.
Cyd blinked, then shoved the water pouch into one of Cerberus' mouths. "Enjoy your nap ~"