Chapter 14: The real Cerberus
Rex's heart sank as he saw the shadow of the real Cerberus materializing before him. Unlike the trio he'd just battled, this one was much larger, its nine heads towering over him, each set of crimson eyes glowing with a predatory hunger. The ground trembled beneath the beast's massive paws, dust swirling around them as if the very earth was alive with fear.
"That... is much bigger," Rex muttered, his throat dry. He was bruised and beaten from the last fight, barely hanging on, but this... this was a whole new level. He couldn't let it end here.
Cronus's voice echoed in his head. "Now thou facest the true might of Cerberus. A battle worthy of a Harbinger."
"Yeah, thanks for that," Rex shot back. His body ached, his Aether reserves were nearly dry, and his mind was racing to keep up with the situation. But there was no time to waste. This beast wasn't going to wait for him to catch his breath.
Rex clenched his fists, calling on the last remnants of his Aether. He focused on the creature in front of him, the pulse of danger clear in his mind. He had to assess this monster before making any move. Taking a deep breath, he activated God's Eyes for the first time.
The world around him shifted. Colors dulled, and time itself seemed to slow. Cerberus's massive frame was outlined in an ethereal light, and data poured into Rex's mind, stats, weaknesses, strengths. But what hit him hardest was the sheer disparity between their power.
Cerberus:(Guardian of the Underworld Gates)
Strength: 24
Agility: 26
Endurance: 25
Rex swallowed hard, his own stats flashing in comparison. The Cerberus was nearly twice as strong and fast as him. Panic flared briefly, but he forced it down. He couldn't afford to give in to fear. If he did, he was dead.
"Well, this is going to suck," Rex muttered, preparing himself for the fight of his life.
Cerberus didn't wait. With a deafening roar, it lunged forward, all nine heads snapping toward Rex with terrifying speed. The ground quaked as the beast closed the distance in the blink of an eye. Rex barely had time to dodge, throwing himself to the side, but one of the creature's heads grazed him, sending him tumbling across the cracked earth.
Pain shot through his body, but Rex forced himself to stand, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was outmatched, but he wasn't out of options. He'd fought worse odds before.
"I need to slow this thing down," he whispered to himself, wincing as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. His body screamed for rest, but he pushed on, Aether sparking faintly in his veins. The only way he stood a chance was by using everything he had.
Cerberus charged again, and this time, Rex was ready. He reached out, focusing all his remaining Aether into a time distortion. The world shimmered, and Cerberus slowed, its movements dragging through the air like it was wading through thick syrup. But the strain on Rex was immediate, his head spun, and he could feel his body weakening under the effort.
Still, he forced himself to act. He dashed toward the slowed Cerberus, aiming for one of its flanks. His fist, glowing with the last remnants of his power, slammed into the beast's side. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, but Cerberus hardly flinched. Even slowed, its hide was like iron.
Before Rex could pull away, Cerberus broke free from the time distortion, one of its heads snapping toward him with vicious speed. Rex barely had time to register the movement before he felt teeth sink into his side. A searing pain shot through him as Cerberus flung him across the battlefield like a rag doll.
He hit the ground hard, pain exploding in his chest. His vision blurred, and for a moment, all he could hear was the pounding of his heart in his ears. He struggled to push himself up, gasping for air as blood trickled down his side. The wound was bad, but not fatal yet.
"Thou must endure," Cronus's voice cut through the haze of pain, his tone more serious now. "This trial will push thee beyond thy limits."
"Yeah... no kidding," Rex grunted, coughing as he stood on shaky legs. His entire body screamed at him to stop, to just give up. But he couldn't. He wouldn't.
The beast's nine heads whipped around, growling in unison as it prepared to strike again. Rex kept his distance, darting between the canyon rocks to avoid the beast's powerful jaws. He couldn't let it pin him down, one bite, and he was done for. He knew he wouldn't survive a direct hit from something this strong.
"Alright, Rex, think," he muttered to himself, narrowly avoiding another lunge. "There's gotta be something I can use again"
"Thou art only a mortal with a single strategy, thinkest thou not out of the box"
"Damn you! If it keeps working, I'll keep using it till it fails"
"Good luck, Harbinger"
His eyes scanned the area as he ran, searching for anything, an environmental advantage, a weakness in the beast's attack pattern. He remembered the narrow canyon walls from before and an idea began to form in his mind. Cerberus was massive, and though it was fast, its size might actually work against it like.
"Gotcha," Rex said under his breath, formulating his plan.
Cerberus lunged again, but this time, Rex didn't dodge to the side. He sprinted directly toward one of the tighter passages between the cliffs, leading the massive creature into the rocky maze. He could hear the pounding of its paws behind him, feel the heat of its breath on his back as it chased him.
Rex ducked into the narrowest part of the canyon, sliding through just as Cerberus slammed into the entrance. The beast's hulking frame struggled to fit between the jagged cliffs, and its massive heads snarled and snapped in frustration. The walls were just barely wide enough to allow its heads through, but its body was too large to follow easily.
Endurance: 14
Intelligence: 11
Aether: 10/10
god's eyes(Level 2)
Ten ability points. He needed to be stronger, more capable in both body and mind to face these trials. After a moment of thought, he made his decision.
Strength +5
Intelligence +5
The energy rushed through him, filling his muscles with new power and sharpening his mind even further. Rex clenched his fists, feeling the surge of strength and clarity. He was more prepared than ever.
Then, a new message appeared:
You have gained 5 stat points.
Without hesitation, Rex poured those points into agility. It had saved him before, and he'd need it even more going forward.
Agility +5
Just as he was about to take a moment to rest, the world around him shifted. The crimson sky of Tartarus began to dissolve, and in the blink of an eye, Rex found himself back at the dodgeball stadium. Everything was the same as when he had left. It was as if no time had passed at all.
Confused, he quickly checked his stats. They had all increased.
Name: Rex Xander
Level: 2
XP to next level: 500/1500
Race: Human
Class: ???
Strength: 17
Agility: 18
Endurance: 14
Intelligence: 16
Aether: 15/15
Passive skills
god's eyes(Level 2)
Active skills: Time control(level 2) Time rewind(level 1)
"Cronus?" Rex asked cautiously.
"Ah, thou hast returned," Cronus said with a chuckle. "In this realm of Tartarus, time doth not pass in the mortal world. Thy trials exist outside the boundaries of ordinary time."
A/N: Now, everyone, I have a question. Is this be the real Cerberus?