Chapter 3: Between Fangs and Light
Pain came in waves.
Golden lay half-curled against the cold stone, his breath shallow, uneven. Each inhale felt like shards of glass tearing through his chest. Warm blood seeped through his fingers no matter how tightly he pressed against the wound.
This is bad… this is really bad.
His thoughts were scattered, slipping away whenever the pain spiked. The world felt distant, muffled, like he was underwater. The violet sky above flickered at the edge of his vision.
Not far away, the Cerberus moved.
Each step it took sent tremors through the ground. Three heads turned slowly, noses flaring, eyes burning with a predatory intelligence that made Golden's stomach twist. He had never felt so small in his life.
I can't fight that… I can't even run!
Fear gripped him completely now. His legs refused to respond. His hands shook violently as blood continued to drip onto the black stone beneath him.
He had read so many novels.
Isekai stories where heroes gained powers instantly. Where a glowing panel appeared the moment they were in danger. Where survival was hard—but never this cruel.
Desperation took over.
"System…!" he croaked, voice barely louder than a whisper.
Nothing.
"System… open… please…"
Silence answered him.
Reality didn't care about tropes.
Golden let out a broken laugh that turned into a cough, fresh pain tearing through his chest. His vision blurred. So this is it? Dying like this?
Then—
A sharp pulse of light cut through the ruins.
Golden's eyes widened.
A unicorn stood at the edge of the battlefield.
Its body gleamed like polished silver, hooves crackling faintly with energy. Its mane flowed unnaturally, each strand glowing as if woven from light itself. Power radiated from it—pure, overwhelming, divine.
The Cerberus froze.
All three heads turned at once.
A low, thunderous growl echoed as lightning sparked between the two beings. Golden didn't need to understand this world to know one thing clearly:
They were enemies.
Mortal ones.
Golden's heart pounded harder. Pain momentarily faded beneath a single, desperate thought.
Unicorns heals any physical wound
It was stupid. Reckless. Based entirely on stories he had read back home.
But it was also the only hope he had.
The unicorn hadn't looked at him. It hadn't come for him. It was focused solely on the Cerberus. And that terrified him just as much.
Divine beings didn't save humans for free.
Blood pooled beneath Golden's back. His fingers were numb now. Cold crept into his limbs.
If I wait… I die.
His gaze locked onto the unicorn's mane. So close. Yet impossibly far.
I don't need its help… he thought weakly. Just… one strand.
The Cerberus roared, lightning erupting as it lunged. The unicorn answered with a blinding flash of light. The air screamed as divine power collided.
Golden felt it.
The opening.
His body screamed in protest as he pushed himself up. His knees buckled, nearly sending him back to the ground. Dizziness washed over him, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself forward.
Step by step.
Every movement tore at his chest. Every heartbeat threatened to knock him unconscious. He crawled when he couldn't walk, dragging himself across broken stone and dust.
This is a gamble, he realized. A stupid one.
If the unicorn noticed him—he might die instantly.
If the Cerberus turned—he would die instantly.
If he hesitated—he would bleed out.
There was no good choice.
Only one.
Golden lifted his trembling hand.
Lightning cracked overhead. The world shook. The unicorn's mane fluttered in the violent surge of power.
Now… or never.
He reached forward—