27 Emissary of Hell

[Thornhollow Forest, UN Expedition Team ]

A Giant three headed dog lept in front of the Expedition Team. Cerberus cried out loud as it commanded the seventy hellhounds.

"Shit! They're too many, it seems like no end!"

"Shut your mouth Sergeant MacDonogh and keep firing!"

Loud bangs from the barrage of gunfire can be heard across the forest. The tungsten bullets of their M4 Carbine penetrated the body of the incoming Hellhounds.

The Marines tactically retreated everytime hellhounds passed twenty meters when suddenly, twenty hellhounds engulfed by red aura and burst into flame. Blazing spear-like objects appeared out from thin air and were fired towards the retreating soldiers.

"Magical Projectiles Incoming! Move back towards IFV's!" One of the Marines spotted multiple speeding flaming spears using his binoculars and warned his teammates.

The Marines did not hesitate and quickly ran towards their IFV's. With the help of their advanced exoskeleton suits, they reached the back of their IFV's in a few seconds.

"3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Braced for impact!"

Half of the magic projectiles hit the IFVs while others missed. Unlike human machines with FCS the hellhound projectiles were inaccurate as they moved while firing. Unfortunately, the frontline lost its fire power and the remaining fifty hellhounds broke the second line of defense.

"Fuck! Second line of defense has been breached! Board the IFVs!" Lieutenant Rina clenched her fist as she radioed the Marines who had yet boarded their IFV's.

"Graaahhhhhhh"

Before the remaining Marine could board the IFV's, Cerberus made a loud cry and the hellhounds began accelerating towards the strange humans.

"Covering fire!" Sergeant Nicholas drove the armored jeep and entered the battlefield while Private Vasques manned their mounted machine guns.

The Hellhound who was confused at the armored jeep's sudden appearance, began to chase it. They quickly boarded on IFV's and fled.

"Thanks sarge!," The Sector Two Leader opened his wrist terminal and set the frequency to all "okay, boys this is our time to shine!"

"Copy that sir!"

The Marines started their IFV Engines and drove towards the battlefield. Hail of bullets and explosive grenades can be seen as the 7.62mm coaxial machine guns and 30mm cannon blew the fifty running hellhound without damaging the Festina's Armored Jeep.

Sector One and Three also storm the hellhounds with their ammo and the center of the Thornhollow Forest looks like erupting volcanoes in the series of Marines assaults.

The Hellhounds didn't survive at the intense heat of the explosive grenades even though their defensive mechanisms could withstand a series of magic attacks.

As the deafening explosions began to fade, fragmented bones and intestines were all left from the hellhounds. Festina's armored jeep returned towards the Marines and started to plan about the Cerberus.

"Awooohhhhh" Cerberus was furious at the massacre of his underlings.

Unbeknownst to them, Cerberus rushed towards their place. It raised its large paws with sharp claws and tried to cut the metal beasts mounted by the strange humans.

"Holy shit! Move out!" The Drivers quickly executed their IFV's and fortunately they immediately dodged the incoming threat.

Cerberus' large paw hit the ground and the impact shook the entire forest creating a large crater. The Marines' eyes widened in surprise at what they saw. No matter how hard their IFV was, it would be crushed with only one blow from the Cerberus.

"Festina to Sector One. Surround the Cerberus, try harassing it with your cannons" Lieutenant Rina turned on her radio and gave a command to the Marines.

"Sector Two and Three, use your vehicles as bait to confuse this shitty big dog while Sector One draws the aggro," Lieutenant Rina drank her bottled water for a moment and continued "and we will find the Cerberus Blind spot"

"Affirmative El-ti!"

Each sector immediately drove their IFV's after they heard their instructions. Sector Two and Three rushed towards the Cerberus and began the operation. They encircled the giant black dog and when Sector One was in good position, they immediately fired at the Cerberus.

Cerberus felt the incoming danger and leaped away from the metal beasts. Its tail shone like Pikachu's Iron tail and struck the annoying metal beasts.

"The fuck! That was close!" One of the Marines shouted at the last minute maneuver of the Driver. They were lucky enough that they immediately avoided the Cerberus tail otherwise they would look like pressed pancakes from the impact.

Lieutenant Rina noticed that the Cerberus' additional two heads isn't only for display, it could also sense the incoming danger. Meaning, it might not have any blind spots.

"Prince Edward, do you know where the Cerberus blindspot is?" Lieutenant Rina turned towards the Prince and he nodded.

"Cerberus' belly was its blindspot but it's difficult to get there with your ay-ef-bis" Prince Edward shook his head indicating not to pursue the plan

Meanwhile, a black aura enveloped the Cerberus body and the whole area's temperature suddenly dropped. The whole surroundings are frozen from the black ice.

"What kind of magic is that?" Sergeant Satsuki was shocked at the black ice that covered the whole area.

"Dark Magic!" Prince Edward shouted. He couldn't believe he could see a real dark magic up-closed.

"I thought magic only consisted of six elements? What is this dark magic you're talking about?" Lieutenant Rina intently stared as she waited for the Prince's answer, but the Prince didn't talk, Ariel did.

"Yes but Dark Magic is not included in the main elements. This magic was banned a few hundred years ago after the demon race was banished," Ariel looked at the Prince waiting for approval, he nodded " This magic can imitate all elements except for void. It was the main attribute of the demon race and was black due to the addition of curses".

Lieutenant Rina recorded all the new information on her Wrist Terminal but before she could send the file to the Headquarters, it malfunctioned along with a sudden black spark outside their Armored Jeep.

"Two ... Festina ... Magic ...." Her Wrist Terminal rang but Lieutenant Rina could only hear static.

The Marines continued bombing the giant black dog but unlike before it was fewer. The limited ammunition messed them up.

"Graaaaaaaggagagag"

A black-colored thunderbolt came out from the Cerberus and hit one of Sector One's IFV. The barrel of their 30mm cannon melted and their IFV stopped as the fire began to Enugu the whole vehicle.

"Fucking Magic! Move! Move! Move!" The Marines came out from their burning vehicles. No one lost their lives but they were injured.

"Medic ! Medic !" A Marine called for a medic as one of his comrades was completely injured. The medic team quickly dragged the injured to the other IFV and began treating them with their first aid.

Cerberus once again enveloped with dark aura, twenty black sharp ice appeared out of thin air. It focuses on Festina's Armored Jeep.

"Sergeant Nicholas, another magic projectile incoming! Operate the jeep now!" Sergeant Nicholas immediately pushed the gas pedal but the armored jeep wheel got stuck from the frozen road.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Putang ina!" Private Vasques left the mounted machine gun and put his head on the armored jeep.

"Prepare for impa--" Lieutenant Rina didn't complete her command when Prince Edward suddenly opened the door.

"Prince Edward!" Ariel tried to stop the prince from coming out but he just smiled.

"I might not be useful against these Humans but I've always faced monstrosities like you. Prepare yourself, Cerberus" The Prince rushes with his sword and starts to chant his unique skill "Oh Void, bless me with your thousand blades. Sword Dance!"

'Sword Dance' is one of the unique skills that is only inherited by people who acquired the title of Sword Saint from their Sword Masters.

Prince Edward's sword brightly shone. Using his own weight, speed and strength from the sword skill he struck the fast approaching black speared ice. The ice was deflected back towards the Cerberus and pierced in one of its heads.

It happened so quickly that it did not immediately sink to everyone's brain. Their jaws dropped and eyes widened in shock at the Prince's elegant movements. He looked like he was dancing on the battlefield with his sword even the Cerberus stopped from shock.

"Festina to All Sector. Regroup! Regroup!" Lieutenant Rina was the first to recover and immediately radioed the Marines to regroup.

"Sergeant Nicholas, move out from the armored jeep. Assemble the PMR-1 and fire towards the belly of that monster"

Lieutenant Rina didn't want to waste the moment given by the Prince. She immediately gave orders to his colleagues.

"But we only have one remaining Nukereon barrel, most of all how I can get close to that monster's stomach"

Despite Sergeant Nicholas' argument, he still assembled the PMR-1 and moved out from the armored jeep. He couldn't disobey his superior's commands and he also knew that this was the only way.

"Sergeant Satsuki and me with the other Marines will confuse the Cerberus while you Sergeant Nicholas move towards its blind spot at the damage head. This is a gamble!" The Lieutenant's tone was serious as she moved out from the armored jeep.

"Gamble? El-ti I don't want to die yet" Sergeant Satsuki complained but the Lieutenant just looked at her with a fierce face "Okay Fine! How about Vasques?"

Sergeant Satsuki pointed to Private Vasques who simply ate his spaghetti despite the serious events.

"Private Vasques, take the armored jeep to a safe place and protect Ariel. Is that clear?"

"Roger that El-ti!" Private Vasques with ketchup on his mouth salutes to the Lieutenant's order. Sergeant Satsuki only facepalm from his helpless companion while Ariel innocently tilted her head, she didn't know what the two were talking about.

Meanwhile, Prince Edward continues to fight the Cerberus which blinded on its left head, he used this opportunity to inflict more damage on its blind spot. The prince was so fast that only his after image could be seen.

Cerberus was heavily breathing and gradually weakened. The Prince already knew the Cerberus attack pattern, he already encountered it before. When he saw the giant dog engulfed in a black aura, he knew it would cast its dark magic again.

"Not so fast, take this!" He rotates his sword and it glows red again as his sword dance skill is activated again. He gain his speed and cut one of the Cerberus joints from its foot.

"Graaaaaaaaah"

The cry of the giant dog can be heard. The skill it wasl trying to activate was canceled from the pain inflicted by the Prince's sword. In a few moments it finally collapsed. The Marines immediately noticed Cerberus' scream, and issued an order to return to bombing.

"Sector One One to all. Fire at Will!" Thunder-like explosions came out from the 30mm cannon barrel of Marine IFV's.

"Prince Edward, how's the Cerberus?" Both Lieutenant Rina and Sergeant Satsuki approached the Prince while carrying their M4 Carbine.

"I gave little damage to the Cerberus, it's your turn now to push the final blow" Lieutenant Rina nodded and delivered the message towards the running Sergeant. When Sergeant Nicholas reached the fallen cerberus , the lieutenant began her command.

"Deliver the Package now Sarge!"

Sergeant Nicholas activated his augmented body limiter while placing the Nukereon Barrel on PMR-1and started the railgun to charge.

"Thirty seconds before firing!"

Unfortunately, before the PMR-1 completely charged the Cerberus tried to stand up. It felt the danger from the strange human and envelope its body with black aura trying to activate its skill.

"Sarge! Watch out!" Lieutenant Rina shouted.

"Ten more seconds!"

Before the lieutenant could run, Prince Edward jumped towards the Cerberus. He casted his unique skill and "Void Magic Strength-up", using gravity and inertia, he cuts the Cerberus' middle head causing to interrupted its casting magic.

"3 ... 2 ... 1 ... Firing!"

The Railgun fired finally reached its maximum charge. A laser beam-like light pierced the Cerberus belly and the force of the destructive weapon created a large crater. Only a loud cry was heard from the dying Cerberus before it finally lost its breath.

"Phew ... That was close! First, was a giant snake and now a giant dog."

Sergeant Nicholas, tired from his overheating limiter, sits on the ground. He caught his breath, this was the second time he fired the PMR-1.