The Maw of Cerberus
The skeleton soldiers were in the middle of an update.
I had been studying sign language to communicate smoothly with them.
Then,
♬
[Workshop Owner Kim Cheolgeun]
A call came through.
“Yes, sir.”
“Hey, Doosik. I managed to repair the Maw of Cerberus.”
“Really?”
It was good news. The item was Unique-grade, after all.
“That’s huge! Thank you!”
“Tsk, but listen… this thing’s a little weird. Actually, it’s downright bizarre.”
The name alone had already felt off.
“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much.”
“Right? Even after nearly thirty years as a blacksmith, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s meant to be worn on the teeth, but it functions as a weapon.”
“Sorry, worn on the teeth?”
Bad expectations never miss.
As I’d suspected, the thing that looked like dentures was, in fact, dentures.
“Tch… It probably won’t sell, will it?”
“If you price it cheap, it’ll move. People can always use it as synthesis material. Still, you should come see it in person rather than just hearing about it.”
Truth be told, I hadn’t had any reason to take the Bentley out lately, and my body was itching for a drive.
“Understood.”
“See you in a bit, then.”
[Call Ended]
“Hah. Dentures, of all things.”
I would have been lying if I said I hadn’t hoped for something better, but I wasn’t too disappointed either.
It had been a strange item from the start.
Was I really supposed to wear it in my mouth and bite things with it?
Teeth as the equip slot?
A quick search on HuntRed for “mouth” or “teeth” as equip locations turned up nothing.
“I’ll just synthesize it later. Hansik, how long do you think the update will take?”
The eldest of the updating skeleton soldiers held up three fingers.
“Three hours? Perfect timing.”
Busan was only three hours away.
* * *
[Breath of Steel]
“Sir! I hope you’ve been well.”
“Ah, Doosik. You made it.”
“Summon.”
I called out my skeleton soldiers first.
The second and third, now patched with AI, no longer glitched out with that occasional vacant look.
They immediately began cleaning the workshop.
“Sir, what about ‘that’?”
Kim Cheolgeun pulled a box out from under the table.
“The aura it gives off is pretty unpleasant… so I kept it boxed up.”
“Is it that bad?”
“Open it and see for yourself.”
A sinister energy seemed to seep through the cracks of the box.
It was my item anyway.
No point getting scared.
I opened the box without hesitation.
“We’re screwed….”
The aura pouring out of it was downright evil.
Equip Slot: Teeth
The instinct of the hellhound that guards the gates of the underworld has taken root in these teeth. The wearer gains its ferocious power, but risks being dominated by that same instinct… [View More]
▶ [Submersion]: Succumbs to the hellhound’s instinct and becomes a dog. Movement speed +50%. Intelligence -50%.
▶ [Rabid]: Bites enemies on attack, inflicting Bleed (reduces enemy healing, deals damage over time).
▶ [Savage]: Strength +20, Agility +20, Physical Attack Power +30%.
▶ [Loyal Hound]: Licking wounds restores 5% HP per second.
Permanent and irreversible upon equipping.
The first option that caught my eye was [Submersion].
“What? It turns you into a dog?”
Kim Cheolgeun chuckled as if he had expected this reaction.
“Keh keh, told you it was a cursed item.”
I had never seen an option like this before.
And instead of the usual “Binds on equip,” it said “Permanent and irreversible upon equipping.”
“Wait, if it’s irreversible, doesn’t that mean the day you put it on, you’re a dog for life?”
The implications were staggering.
“It’d be perfect for forcing on someone you hate. Kidnap them, torture them, pry their mouth open, and slap it in—the moment it’s equipped, they’re a dog forever.”
“Hah… Unbelievable. This thing.”
Of course, the other options weren’t bad.
[Loyal Hound] in particular was excellent.
Restoring 5% HP per second was something even high-rank healers and paladin tanks would covet.
The real problems were the dog transformation and the permanent equip.
“Hmm… I’ll hold on to it for now. I need to think about how to use it. More importantly, sir, could you synthesize these first?”
I dumped the contents of Tigrial’s Bundle onto the table.
Thanks to my careful Tetris-style packing, there was even more than last time.
“Good heavens, where on earth do you keep finding all this?”
“Trade secret. This time I just want you to synthesize them into new items, sir.”
If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed.
Besides, I was planning to properly arm my skeleton soldiers.
I couldn’t keep sending them out with nothing but barnacles, could I?
It was about time we tried some low-level gates.
“The classics never fail. Shall we get started?”
“Please. Here are the magic stones.”
Hwoooooong— Flash—
Hwoooooong— Flash—
Despite the skeletons’ cleaning efforts, the workshop was quickly reduced to chaos by the synthesis vortexes.
I had told myself not to expect anything, but the human heart is a treacherous thing. Deep down, I was chanting, “Please, please, please.”
Yet no jackpot like the time I obtained Oculus’s Eye appeared.
I had to be content with a few extra Rare-grade items.
“All done. Pay me half the usual rate.”
“If you keep giving me discounts like this, are you even making any profit?”
“Haha, how could I not do this much for a regular who makes a month’s earnings in a single day?”
I handed over fifty low-grade magic stones.
The synthesis yielded a total of twenty pieces.
Surprisingly, few weapons came out.
There was one spear and two crossbows, both Rare-grade—quality over quantity.
One Rare shield as well.
The rest were armor, gauntlets, boots, helmets, pauldrons, belts, and so on.
I ordered the skeleton soldiers to sort the synthesized items by equip slot.
Then I placed the (Unique) Maw of Cerberus in the middle.
I figured I would let the skeletons decide democratically whether to use the Maw of Cerberus or not.
If they refused, I could always use it as synthesis fodder later.
“Skeleton soldiers, assemble.”
Clack.
They lined up in front of me.
I spoke the words I had prepared.
“You will soon be heading into battle. You can’t go in empty-handed.”
Tension rippled through their ranks.
“And all I expect from you is victory.”
Clack.
The skeleton soldiers simultaneously struck their left chests with their right hands.
“From this moment, you are to enter combat-ready status. First, locate a gate we can clear. Then select and equip items from here that will help you conquer that gate. Begin.”
Clack.
At my command, the skeletons assumed a posture of obedience before gathering around Hansik to put their heads together.
“Hoho, never seen anything like this before.”
“Honestly, this is my first time too.”
Kim Cheolgeun looked intrigued.
“Combat-ready status means they’re planning a strategy. I’ll step outside for a bit to respect your military secrecy.”
He was being considerate.
Even though he knew my ability, he had promised to keep his mouth shut, and he never pried into clients’ information.
That professionalism was genuinely admirable—and appreciated.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Not at all. Make yourselves at home. I’ll just step out for a few smokes. I’ve already made this month’s quota thanks to you, customer.”
He lit a cigarette and left the workshop.
From the entrance, I could hear the piano piece his son had been practicing.
I waited for the skeleton soldiers.
Each one was now an individual node in a collective-intelligence AI.
They accessed all kinds of information through their smartphones.
After gathering enough data, they held a heated discussion in sign language.
After a long while, they reached a consensus.
“All set?”
Hansik showed me a list of candidate gates on his smartphone’s notepad.
[(F) Gangwon-do Nomoksan Gate]
[(F) Gyeonggi-do Ilsan Lake Park Gate]
Two F-rank gates.
Exactly what I had expected.
The first two were well-known beginner hunting grounds.
Goblins, slimes, kobolds, and at worst hobgoblins spawned there, with bosses kept under hunter control.
Like Oryukdo, they were semi-permanent gates.
But one unexpected rank appeared.
[(D) Gyeongnam Changnyeong-gun Upo Wetland Gate]
“Upo Wetland?”
The Upo Wetland Gate in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province.
It was famous for its swampy terrain and the terrible stench that made hunters avoid it.
Even though it was only D-rank, no one wanted to clear it, and it had even experienced a gate break in the past.
Moreover, every monster there—including the boss—was skilled at using the swamp to escape.
“You’re saying we can hunt here? It’s D-rank, not even E-rank?”
As if he had been waiting for this, Hansik explained.
- We can lure and defeat the Upo Wetland mobs, Hydras, one by one.
- Skeleton soldiers are immune to the Hydra’s potent poison attacks!
The name “Hydra” came from the hydralisk in the classic game StarCraft.
These monsters spat venom like saliva, and most hunters absolutely loathed poison-type monsters.
The pain of being poisoned was said to be worse than being cut by a blade.
On top of that, Hydras had no valuable byproducts.
They were monsters with zero merit for risking a clear.
That was the Upo Wetland Gate.
I had been thinking of just hunting slimes, but the psychological difficulty had suddenly skyrocketed.
Still, if Hansik said it was possible, the odds were good—though doubt remained.
“But can you even deal damage to the Hydras?”
The skeleton soldiers were weak.
That was a fact.
Hydras, on the other hand, were D-rank.
- We’ll hunt them like stabbing an elephant with needles.
- Success probability: 82.5%
“Hmm.”
Even if it wasn’t 100%, it was a probability worth attempting.
“You’re sure?”
Clack.
The skeleton soldiers saluted crisply, striking their left chests.
- All you need to do, my lord, is resummon any of us who fall in battle.
“So you’re planning to use stat transfer.”
I could manage that much.
When a skeleton soldier died, its stats would transfer to the others nearby.
- Yes. In theory, we can stack the transfer up to seven times.
“Hmm, is that so?”
If I could solo the regular mobs of a D-rank gate, I would no longer be a useless hunter.
My stomach fluttered with excitement.
But I had no intention of taking unnecessary risks.
“What are the chances I get hurt?”
- You can wait at the gate entrance and run if things look dangerous.
“Hmm… Sounds doable. So what’s the equipment plan?”
[(Unique) Maw of Cerberus].
Would they actually use it?
- I will wield the [Sylphid’s Wind Crossbow] and [Agni’s Flame Crossbow], staying within ten meters of you to benefit from the Cursed Royal Guard Captain’s Cloak while serving as a ranged DPS. The second will take the spear and shield to draw aggro…
“And the third?”
- He will become a dog.
Eureka.
The Maw of Cerberus was part of their plan.
“So the third will equip the Maw of Cerberus?”
- Correct. That sort of thing is the youngest’s job.
The third skeleton looked glum.
But what could he do?
A strict hierarchy existed among the skeletons.
- Furthermore, thanks to the Royal Guard Captain’s Cloak effect, I will take any damage meant for you.
- It will be as if you have an extra life.
- We will risk our lives to protect you!
They were incredibly reassuring.
“Equip the items according to the plan.”
Clank, clank.
My mind was completely focused on the third skeleton.
‘What’s going to happen?’
He was going to “become a dog.”
This wasn’t the kind of “getting wasted and acting like a dog” situation.
He was going to turn into an actual dog. A real, barking, four-legged DOG.
The third skeleton hesitated for a moment with the Maw of Cerberus in his hands, then fitted it into his mouth.
A strange silence fell.
“What? Nothing’s happening—”
Suddenly, a strange sound came from his body.
Crack. Crackle.
The sound of bones twisting.
“!!”
A chill ran down my spine at the horror-movie scene.
First, his fingers thickened and lengthened, their tips sharpening into claws.
His spine twisted and elongated until he was standing on all fours.
“Shit….”
I stared with wide eyes, hand clamped over my mouth.
It didn’t end there.
The Maw of Cerberus gaped open, and a dog’s head burst out from within.
His entire body became covered in thick, sturdy bone, and spine-like spikes grew along his back.
Skeleton Soldier No. 3 has been submerged by the hellhound’s soul and turned into a dog.
“Grrr….”
The third skeleton growled lowly.
He was larger than a big dog—more like a wolf.
His vicious, razor-sharp teeth looked capable of chewing through stone.
His ferocious gaze was…
A beast incarnate.
“Insane… This is actually awesome….”
“Huff huff.”
At my words, the third skeleton began wagging his tail vigorously.
He had been completely submerged by the hellhound.
“Come here.”
He listened well.
“Sit. Paw. Bang.”
He didn’t even need training.
Potty training? Not an issue.
“Good boy.”
He had no fur, but when I petted him, he panted happily like a real dog.
His appearance wasn’t exactly cute, but his behavior was adorable.
“You remind me of Hodu.”
Come to think of it, the hard drive I had used to train the skeletons’ AI algorithms contained several videos of me playing with Hodu as a child.
Maybe he had learned from those.
His actions were exactly like Hodu’s.
“Huff huff.”
Our family’s childhood Golden Retriever.
The one who came to pick Mom up on the day I awakened.
After Hodu died, I had sworn I would never keep another dog because I was too sad…
The skeleton flopped onto his back, offering his belly for pets.
“Yeah, Hodu… Good to see you. From now on, your name is Hodu.”
“Lick lick.”
[Skeleton Star] has acknowledged the naming of Skeleton Soldier No. 3.
Skeleton Soldier No. 3 has evolved into a Named Skeleton Soldier.
The Named Skeleton Soldier <Hodu> has been granted the trait ‘Loyal Hound.’
‘Loyal Hound’ deals +200% damage to enemies that attack the master.
Hansik and the second skeleton, who had been watching with spear and shield, raised their hands in celebration.
Hansik wrote a new message.
- Adjusting success probability. 97.8%.