The Scorching dungeon ④

「Waa」

A Red Dragon’s head flies in the air.
The area is filled with the corpses of various demons as there is not a place to stand anymore.
I started my exploration at the third floor, currently I’m at the sixth floor.

「There’s too many」

I don’t stop my movement while muttering and send several monsters heads in the air.
Certainly there were a lot of monsters on the floors I cleared before.
However, the caves were vast and there was no place to rest.
But from the fourth floor the caves became extremely small and I found stairway to next floor quickly, the number of monsters further increased, it’s hard to find a place without any monsters, the place is filled from start to stairs with monsters.
Because of that, I can’t rest until I annihilate all the monsters.
The monsters attack each other while I dodge their attacks, so they make it somehow easier.
The monsters in the dungeon are different from the monsters outside, they don’t fight monsters of different species.
Most likely the monsters from dungeon and monsters from outside are totally different.

「Well, thinking about won’t help」

I cut the attacking Flame Bird down.
With this, all the monsters on this floor are dead.
Monsters that resist physical attacks did not show up since the fourth floor. Because this floor is only about 1 kilometer wide and has only one room, the exploration is easy.
Since I cut the monsters on the floor one by one, I’m quite tired.
Also, there are no treasure chests nor collection points, it doesn’t feel like dungeon at all.
Where does this dungeon end? At the very least spawn stronger monsters so I could have some fun.

I already want to return, but it’s still a day time so I will stay little longer.
When I go down the stairs, I see the same door I saw when I battled the troll.
Finally the boss, took long enough.

When I open the door and see the monster, I frown unconsciously.
A huge stature of five meters.
Three heads in one body.
It is a beast from the legends on Earth, the hound of hell.

「Cerberus」

Its name flows from my mouth naturally.
The moment I’m saying its name, all three heads direct their vision towards me.
When I saw their eyes, a pressure stronger than the Troll’s weighs on my body.
The corner of my mouth rises instinctively.

「Hou, you don’t fall on your knees after seeing our appearance」
「It has been over thousand years since that happened」
「We may enjoy this」

After seeing me, each head gave a happy speech.

「The monster talked?」
「Don’t lump us together with that fellow with empty brain」
「We are one of the thirteen monsters created by the Evil God」
「Amongst us only that stupid troll can’t talk」

Each head answers my question.
Apparently the troll I fought and this guy is different from ordinary monsters.
Still, an Evil God… Is that fellow responsible for all the abnormal occurrences?
Maa, it does not concern me.
Now I will simply enjoy this fight.

I draw the katana and assume a posture.

「Hou」
「This will be」
「Quite enjoyable」

「Narukami」

Slashing at the speed of light and cutting through the chest of Cerberus.
The blood flies out of the cut.
… No, this is not a blood, monsters don’t have blood.
This Cerberus is the same special existence as the Troll was.
Then, what is that?
I don’t know. However, I have somewhat bad feeling about this.
I kick the ground before the liquid touches my body and with a back step I get away.

「The Scorching」
「Flash of of ligh」
「Receive it!」
　
A beam of heat is shot at me, I dodge it by jumping in the air.
Furthermore, a second beam flies towards me.
I kick the ground and jump in the air again, after dodging a third beam flies towards me, I jump further in the air.
When I hit the ceiling, I push-off and assault the Cerberus head.

「Narukami」

With the momentum intact I charge and cut off the head on the right.
From the neck, a liquid spurts.
I don’t want to touch it, so I get away from the Cerberus.
The ground that the liquid touched melts.
Is that a poison? No, it may be an acid.
I don’t know its nature, but touching that liquid seems like a bad idea.

「Fumu, you were able to cut off our head」
「The last time we suffered such wound was from the Hero a thousand years ago」

Even though the head was cut off, the remaining two heads are having a pleasant conversation.
It’s almost like, a wound of this degree is not enough for it to care.
I understood why immediately.
An upsurge of meat flew from the neck section, after a few seconds a new head grown.

「Be careful, that sword has some powerful curse」 
「Hou, I thought the recovery was slow, is that the reason?」
「A curse that works against us, we should be more careful」
「However, I think it will be difficult to dodge the attacks of that speedy lass」
「Without a doubt. Then, there’s only one thing to do」
「To attack without giving her chance to counter」

With these words, the body of Cerberus blackens and rushes at me with unimaginable speed.
A dodge it to the side.

「Ha」
「You avoided that?」
「Try to dodge this!」

A fire came out of the Cerberus body it expands, takes an appearance of snake and it’s headed my way.
I dodge by jumping over it.
Cerberus charges at me again.
The amount of flames surrounding the Cerberus has changed, there’s more. It spreads forming a wall of flames.
No matter how I look at it, it is impossible to dodge.
Then －－
「Reppū-ha」
－－ I just need to break through the flames.
I thrust my katana and the wind flies towards the flames.
From that wind a tornado forms and drills a hole in the wall of flames.

「「「What!?」」」

I kick the ground and jump behind the Cerberus through the hole in the wall of flames, Cerberus let’s out a surprised shriek.

「Kūjin」

While in the air I slash at the neck of the middle head.

「Flame」

I use my polished magic and a scorching beam of flame is released from the ground towards Cerberus’ body.
It is possible to level up the magic skills, so I took my time and leveled up some low-grade magic skills.
The power is lower compared to higher grade spells, but it’s insignificant for me.
I sealed the wound after cutting the head off, it would be nice if it worked, but the reality doesn’t seem to be so sweet.

The hole in the body I opened with the Flame, closed in no time and a new head grows from the neck.
All wounds were recovered in few seconds.

「Heat Blast」

However, I didn’t just shut up and watched.
I activated advanced fire magic.
Three huge magic squares appeared in front of me.
From the squares, three huge fireballs were shot.

「Don’t underestimate us」
「Lass」
「That magic won’t work on us!」

Each head released heat from their mouths, it collides with my magic.
The power is fifty-fifty, It clashes somewhere in the middle between Cerberus and me.
However, the rivalry won’t last long. The Cerberus’ heat doesn’t fall, while my flames are becoming smaller.
If this continues, it’s definitely going to be pushed back.
I don’t have the slightest intention of letting that happen though.

「Kūjin」

I move besides Cerberus and cut off one head.
Although preferably I would like to cut off all heads at once, but the skills have an interval of few seconds before it can be used again.
However, cutting off one is sufficient.
One of the three fireballs overwhelmed the Cerberus’ beams and hits its body.
The impact carbonized half of the Cerberus’ body.
Only one head remains.
The plan is to cut off the remaining head before the recovery starts.

But the Cerberus won’t go down without a fight.
The last head takes a breath and fires a beam towards me.
I can’t avoid it. The recovery has already started.
I don’t have time to dodge.
I can only hold on.

「Reppū-ha」

I use wind and counter the beam.
In an instant a tornado forms from the katana.
In a few seconds, the wind broke through the heat.
In the meantime, I use the opening to pass under the heat.
The beam that was aimed at me passed without touching me.

「Impossible!?」

The last Cerberus’ head had surprised look, I calmly cut the last head.
With this, I cut off all the heads.
It would be nice if it ended with that…

「…」

I watch the Cerberus’ body as it recovers, I frown unconsciously.
I wonder how does this fellow dies?
I though that maybe if all three heads were cut off it may die, but as I watch the Cerberus who is not dead yet, I’m in deep thought on how to kill it.

「This might work?」

I put away the katana in item box in order to focus on magic.
I’m preparing to cast the highest-grade fire magic.
When I read the description of the spell, the range is vast and the power so tremendous, that if possible I didn’t want to use it.
When used indoor, the damage will be so enormous that it will certainly hit me too.
It will probably vanquish my body.
However, if it vanishes my own body, it will definitely kill the Cerberus.
Because I can’t come up with other method, this is the only way.
If it doesn’t defeat it… Well, at that time I will just keep cutting it until I become bored.
The problem is to cast before the Cerberus starts moving. If hope I have enough time to cast it before it starts moving. The damage Cerberus received this time should be enough.

「Damn you!」
「Lass!」
「We will erase you!」

Cerberus finished its recovery, it comes charging angry with black flames covering its body.
However, it’s too late.

「This is the end. Explosion」

While activating the magic, I take out the Troll’s club and use it as a shield.

「What!?」
「Impossible!?」
「That incantation!」
Immediately after, along with flash of light the space burst open.

「oooh」

A huge explosion engulfs the room along with myself.
Although I used the club as a shield, it didn’t prevent all.
My hands and feet are getting charred.
I grit my teeth and try to endure the pain.
Several minutes or tens of minutes. Actually only several seconds passed, while the flames burned my body, it felt like the time has stopped.
The explosion flame is soon settled. I don’t know if it’s possible to recover once your body is completely erased.
The body became unsupportable and I fall down at the place. I frown at this pain.
Simultaneously with my fall, the troll’s club that became charcoal, can no longer keep its shape and crumbles.
Since it became damaged so bad, it can’t be probably repaired anymore. The club was very convenient, it’s a little regrettable.

What happened to Cerberus? I want to move my head to check, but my body is not responding.
But, because the room is surrounded by light, I most likely defeated it.

Aa, that was fun…

Because of the intense pain and huge MP consumption, my consciousness fades.
I meant to take out the Communication Talisman to contact the girls, but my hands didn’t grow back yet, so it’s impossible to use.
Without being able to get in touch, but satisfied with my battle, I lose consciousness on the spot.