[Leon]
Right now, we are advancing deep into the western region using horses. Fenna has been scouting the skies and keeping track of our direction just so we wouldn't cross against the shadow devils. We are going for Cerberus after all.
Lately, we have been in danger a lot of times but we managed to pull through smoothly, but ever since that man in golden masked appeared, I'm starting to doubt everything.
I thought embarking on this great adventure would be fun but I had a deep realization. One of us could die and that would be it. Worse, it might be all of us.
I talked to the class pres about it, especially Garfurd and he just gives me a look that I should just be silent. But this time, I finally came unto my senses. I whip my horse to gallop faster than the group and block them on the front to stop them from proceeding.
Everyone of them looks surprised and quickly halted their horses.
"Yo, what the hell Leon?!" Says Rendon.
"Leon, you are wasting our precious time." Scaven adds.
As for the class pres, she is quiet but she stares at me as though she expects me to say anything first.
I take a deep breath and say, "sorry class pres, but it has occured to me, maybe we should return and not continue."
Rendon looks confused. "Huh? The hell, we already made it this far."
The class pres finally speaks, "I assume you have something in your mind."
I nod with slight hesitation, "the thing is, there are many things in this world that we don't know. If this Cerberus thing is as dangerous as they say, just like last time, we could get in trouble."
Rendon sighs, "you're getting cold feet now, huh? Leon. That isn't like you."
I then yell from the top of my lungs from rage, "how come you guys easily forgot?! Those masked men completely demolished us like we were nothing. Even Myla who just came out of nowhere overpowered us. Perhaps, it should be better if we return and have someone powerful go at it. After all, Sena already died. We can't have another one."
The class pres despite calm. She comes close to me with the horse and pats my shoulder. "Leon, I understand your concern but I'm not doing this because I feel like it. Rather, I have a duty. If we back out now who will protect the innocent people in this land."
"But class pres you might die."
"I aleady considered myself dead when we got transported in this world. Being given this duty is our responsibility. Now, if you won't move, we'll be going." The class pres and everyone else circumvent around me. They then advanced without me.
Looks like no one will be convinced until something serious will happen, huh?
Damn it!
Why were we the chosen students to be in this situation?! This sucks.
[Shira]
The people are counting on me. King Wilmer, Sir Noli, especially Sir Garfurd. After we slay the Cerberus from here, I will be heading to the East to look for him.
Master, I hope you made the right choice when you stayed there. Someday, we will cross paths again.
I heard from sir Noli that Cerberus leads the shadow devil army that will consume this continent into darkness. They will eat the souls of the innocents and then use their essence to multiply.
Before leaving Aren, we performed the great march to honor our Order on the streets, I can remember the smile of the children and the people as they look up to me. Which is why I can't falter now and listen to Leon. When they look up to me they see hope.
It is my duty to maintain the peace and I can't let them down. I was blessed with the blessings of the people, especially the crystal of bravery. It is said to be the representation of seven great cities that make up Aren, thus it represents its people.
If I fail, then why did I become a hero for? This is the chance where I will prove myself!
The people of Aren is within me. I will cherish it and use it as my strength to fight against any odds. I grab my paladium blade tightly and unsheath it as we advance across the barren wasteland of the west.
I have an Eye of Calling orb that is paired with Fenna, allowing me to communicate with her. "Fenna, have u found Cerberus?"
[Fenna]
The air is dusty and it's hard to get visuals despite I'm flying on a very high altitude. Right now, I'm riding a giant wooden bird toy and we are trying to locate the Cerberus.
To my surprise, the wind gets stronger causing the bird toy to fly erratically, and an errie bellow follows. It's getting stronger by any moment that I decide to cover my ears.
"What the hell is this noise?"
However, I have located it. Just on the distance on where my sight is, no doubt, that massive shadow, that's where the Cerberus is. Due to the dust, all I can see is a giant obscure shadow moving slowly.
To my surprise, black spears rain to my direction. It's coming from above me.
Using my skill, [Puppet Grow], I grow some nut cracker soldiers. They go around me and shield me from the black spears.
Looks like there are flying shadow devils as well. They look the same from the shadow devils found on the ground but their legs are longer and they have insect-like wings.
The flying shadow devils seem to be protecting the Cerberus and there are lots of them. They fly around like flies with their numbers.
They can also conjure dark spears on their hands.
Looks like next attack is incoming. I have my bird toy fly away quickly since we might actually get hit this time. They shoot their shot, and it looks like a rain of dark spears.
As we try to dodge away, there are too many of them that a few hits my bird. Two hits it head, five hits its body and three strikes its wings. My bird won't die even being hit by the spear since it's not a living thing. However, it's flight is affected since the wing got hit.
The bird shakes and our flight becomes unsteady that we dive right in towards the ground. As we do, I keep looking for something that I can use from my [Spatial Pocket]. This pocket can hold up to a hundred cube meters of space.
I grab a toy bed and use [Puppet Grow] on it. I then threw it below me where it grows unto the size of an actual bed and catches me.
Upon landing, I sigh from relief. As for the bird toy and my nut crackers, they land to the distance and broke apart. My system involves unlocking different toys and skills as I level up. I can also increase their stats and I was given a lot of it called toy stats in the beggining. It depends on how I distribute it.
I didn't give much care to my bird toy and nut cracker since they were a lot of them.
I can also build my own toys and design them if I can summon my [Toy Factory] skill. I can upgrade each parts.
As for my self defense, I don't have much skills to fight alone which is why I usually rely on my puppets.
Right now, while I'm on the bed, I'm hugging a heart-shaped pillow. A face shows up and starts talking. This is [Squiggly Level: 50], a certain type of monster from my system.
She is an assistant for my system and often organizes the toys inside the storage, informs me about upgrades and a lot of things. She also reminds me of things that I forget such as skills that I forgot to use.
For some reason, she calls me princess.
"Princess, are you in trouble perhaps?" She says in the cutest voice.
I just sigh. "Can't you tell?"
"Then shall we execute Black Widow?" Says Squiggly innocently.
"Out of the question." Black Widow is a toy spider which has the highest toy stats among my collection. It's higher than my level and is level 200.
It's my trump card but it has a drawback in which it will attack anyone even my allies. Until, I reach level 200, I still find it hard to use.
Right now, it seems the Cerberus is not around. There are no enemies. So Squiggly and I are alone in the middle of nowhere on a bed.
"Princess, princess, reminder to check Myla's burial site."
I see. I have one nut cracker digging up Myla's grave. By closing one of my eyes, I can see what the nut cracker sees hundreds of kilometers away.
This place is near the forest of Malvis. This is where we buried Myla around 3 years ago. I notice this place has already been dug out, but who? Did Julius dug it out? That seems unlikely if he was confident that no one knew except him.
Some other classmate must have. But anyone from the Righteous Order would have no intention of doing so. Perhaps, is it an ally of Julius? Or maybe just a pervert trying dig up her corpse?
What am I saying? No way there is one in my class that is strange. To my surprise, I can feel an odd presence approaching.
A person with a saggy pale skin and a face mask is walking on the distance.
Regardless, I already felt gross. It's mouth can be found on its forehead with a black messy hair. It has two crooked horn on its chin and its back is bent slightly. It's fingers are also oddly long like that of a knife.
The mouth on its forehead cackles eerily. "Hehe, found one hero."
No doubt, from its horrendous appearance, it's a demon. "Squiggly, activate our defense system!"
"On it, princess." Says Squiggly.
The demon snicker, "hey, hey hero, don't make this hard than it needs to be. Just sit there and be a good little girl."
For some reason, hearing it from that mouth makes me sick. It makes me all of the reason to go all out. However, before I can do anything, I notice my body feels stiff.
"Princess, princess, what's the matter?"
The demon shows what lies beneath the face mask and I'm frozen in place, probably from fear and a curse has been casted on me.
"Princess, I will activate the--"
To my surprise, Squiggly and my bed are returning to become ordinary toys. They then slowly vanish.
I fall on the ground unable to move. I can't even breath, let alone talk.
[Warning! System is shutting down!]
[The System will create a back up in the Ethereal Space so the data will avoid getting erased!]
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[Name: Fenna
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Worldly Titles: Null
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Level: Null
Health Points: ----
Mana Points: ----
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Strength: Null
Agility: Null
Defense: Null
Stamina: Null
Wisdom: Null
Mind: Null
Tolerance: Null ]
Right beside me is the Eye of Calling, I can hear the president's voice from it. "Fenna! Fenna! Are you okay? Please talk to me!"
Class pres! You have to leave since there is someone out here who can suppress our system. Damn it, it's no use.
I was being petrified from my legs to my body.
"Hahaha, looks like the Cursed Art of my family is true. We can suppress the ability of the heroes. Little girl, you were a good test subject. It's just unfortunate that you came across an Upper Class demon." He comes close to me and reaches out for my eyes and everything turns black.
[Shira]
"Fenna! Fenna! Talk to me!"
Damn it, she is not responding! Something must have happened to her. Worse case scenario, she must have caught up on something.
I yell out to them. "We need to hurry! Fenna, might be in trouble."
To our surprise, on the distance a giant shadow obscured by heavy dusts is moving across our field of vision. We then stop since it is coming on our direction.
Slowly, the giant shadow is revealing itself. It's a giant black hound with three demonic hound heads. It has spiked collar made of steel and it looks more like a fierce wolf with horns than a dog.
What's surprising is it's as tall as a eight story building, even more its presence which causes my arms to shake slightly.
All of us were quiet and were overwhelmed by fear.
"Hahaha, looks like there are humans here brother." Says the left head.
Their eyes are yellow with a weird star patterns as its iris, like the ones you see on tattoos. "Lord Kaveris says we should not spare any humans, so we shall destroy them."
The right head looks like it has special needs. "Woof, woof."
Right now, I haven't given them any orders since I'm not sure on what I should do, but the Cerberus raises its left head . "Carnival Hound!" Its voice resounds in the environment and a giant red gate appears out of nowhere.
Despite being scared, I shout. "Brace yourselves, everyone!"
Scaven simply nods. Everyone readies themselves, anticipating the Cerberus attack.