Erebos! The Hero Eater
Erebos! Erebos. A name straight out of some myth. And then I saw the title attached to it: Hero Eater. My gut told me instantly—this was the bastard who'd killed that veteran hero and stripped him of his hero status.
But what really threw me for a loop was the epithet below it. Bringer of Ruin. The Homeless God who'd sent me to this isekai had said this world was doomed to destruction. But he'd framed it like it was hundreds of years off, so I could just kick back and enjoy myself without a care.
Yet the thing in front of me—this Erebos creature, spewing black smoke like some monster or demon beast I couldn't quite pin down—radiated a terrifying aura that screamed the end was close. Way too close. When I'd first seen my own face, it had shocked me with its ferocious vibe. But this guy? Ferocious didn't cut it. It was pure horror.
Lizbet had frozen solid, clearly feeling the same dread as me. Als was sweating bullets, his face pale with shock.
"Grrrrowl!"
But then the bastard's next move caught us even more off guard. We'd been bracing to bolt, but instead of charging, it eyed us... and then launched itself like a startled cat, darting to the deepest corner of the boss room.
It crouched low, glaring at us with its two heads—six eyes on each—its body huddled tight. The thing was about my size, over two meters tall but shy of three, and seeing something that big act like a scaredy-cat pussy made the tension in my muscles ease up a bit.
"......That thing... no way it's a coward despite how it looks?"
As I muttered that, Lizbet's expression softened a touch, and Als gripped his sword tighter.
But we had no clue how strong it really was or how it'd offed a level 50+ veteran hero, so rushing in blind was suicide.
Right then, the magic circle on the boss room floor flared bright. A hazy shape materialized above it—just like the exit portal we'd seen when we entered the dungeon. A dimensional gate straight out of some RPG, with the outside world faintly visible through the blur. And it was just big enough for my bulk to squeeze through.
"Kraaaang!"
Erebos spotted it and bolted straight for the portal.
Als saw it move and charged after it.
"Ah, Als! No!"
"Liz! Stay at the entrance and get ready to harass it! Sema! We can't let that thing escape!"
I clocked what Als was thinking in that instant and yelled at Lizbet before sprinting alongside him.
"Lizbet! Be ready to run if shit hits the fan—hang back at the entrance like he said!"
Lizbet clutched her staff with both hands as I chased Als toward Erebos. Luckily, the magic circle was closer to us, so we beat it there and blocked the portal.
"Kieeeaaaa!"
"Haaaaah!!"
Als swung at the leaping Erebos, but his blade barely nicked its neck before grinding to a halt.
"Kieeea!"
Erebos swiped sideways with a front paw to shove Als aside. I scooped Als up in my forelegs and countered with a soccer kick to its paw. Thwack! Hoof met some weird texture—hard yet squishy—and we got blasted back, me still shielding Als.
Most demon beasts from the lower Cursed Mountain Range went down in one hit from that kick; I'd never felt real impact before. But this? It overpowered me raw. Damn coward was strong.
My hind leg muscles buzzed like they'd been zapped, and cold sweat dripped down my hide.
"Als! Sema!"
Lizbet unleashed magic from the entrance as we skidded back. Fire Shot, right? Six fist-sized fireballs arced like guided missiles, exploding on Erebos. It just squinted two eyes on the hit face—no real damage.
"Tch, no damage...!"
Lizbet grimaced but prepped another spell. Erebos locked eyes on her, rearing to strike. Als and I dove back in to draw its gaze.
"Lizbet! We need a big one! Charge your max firepower spell! Sema! Take the right flank!"
Als looped left toward its torso as I flanked right and aimed a soccer kick at its side.
'Cats and such always have soft bellies! Empty spot right there, you fuck!'
I poured max power into the kick, but its flank was tougher than expected—like kicking solid rubber. Als's sword didn't penetrate from the other side either.
"Kieeeaaaa!"
Erebos spun its massive body, swiping us both away. The impact hurled us into opposite walls with a boom.
"Guhk...!"
This hurt way more than I'd thought. My horse body had shrugged off wild boar demon beasts like they were nothing—this felt like my guts were churning up. The kind of hit that makes you puke blood in manga?
"Ngh...!"
Als jammed his sword into the ground, trembling as he rose. I'd worried his weaker build might shatter, but he seemed okay—just battered.
"Als!"
Lizbet's voice cracked with desperation. No wonder—this thing had slain a veteran hero. The situation was turning to shit, and she knew it.
"Als! We gotta run! We're outmatched!"
Her cry had me mapping escape routes in my head. But Als shouted something else.
"No way! If it gets out, it won't stop at minor damage! We hold it here!"
"B-but Als...!"
"I'm using Hero's Fighting Spirit...!"
Blue energy surged from Als's body. That had to be the Fighting Spirit.
"Als...! ...Got it! I'll prep Flame Blaster!"
Lizbet gripped her staff two-handed, eyes shut in concentration. Erebos ignored us and lunged for the portal again. Als erupted with blue aura and charged.
"Haaaaah!!"
Fighting Spirit. A warrior's buff energy. Als's speed matched my top sprint. He leaped high, slashing at Erebos's nape.
"Kyaaaaak!"
For the first time, its flesh parted under Als's blade. Black smoky liquid—not blood—oozed from the wound and evaporated.
"Kieeeak!"
Erebos swung at the threat, but Als landed and circled, slashing again.
"Hah!"
"Kyak!"
They danced like basketball players blocking the paint, tails chasing in a frenzy of claws and sword. Als's speed was near my max, but his footwork—kicking off the floor hard enough to crack it for insane pivots—was untouchable. He dodged paws and carved slices, black smoke leaking each time. But Erebos showed no fatigue.
Bam! A front paw slammed down over Als's head. He blocked with his sword, but the floor spiderwebbed, and he dropped to one knee. Sweat poured off him; his breaths came ragged.
"Hahk...! Hahk...!"
Just one or two minutes of trading blows. Weren't heroes supposed to have infinite energy? That sweat and heaving didn't scream infinite.
Then I recalled the guild handout: Heroes have infinite Esser, but stamina and endurance are separate. So even if Fighting Spirit was theoretically endless, his body couldn't sustain it forever?
That realization screamed danger. I started toward Als—
"It's ready! Als, get clear!"
Lizbet, at the entrance, had unfurled a massive red-glowing magic circle beneath her.
Als parried a paw and retreated to the opposite wall where I waited.
"Flame Blaster!!!!"
A floor-sized magic circle bloomed before her staff, unleashing a flamethrower torrent straight at Erebos. The beam didn't spread—pure, concentrated fire engulfed it.
"Kyaaaaaaaak!!!!!!"
Erebos shrieked and rolled on the floor. I grabbed Als and hauled ass to Lizbet's side. The flames raged for a bit, then tapered off as the circle shrank and vanished.
Erebos lay roasted—its twelve red eyes dimmed, smoke rising from its crispy black form. Like Erebos barbecue.
Did we... get it?
"Hah...! Hah...!"
Lizbet panted hard too. Must've burned a ton of Esser. Her staff-grip hand shook with exhaustion.
"Hah...! D-did... we kill it...?"
"Dunno..."
As Lizbet wondered aloud, Als—breath steadying—approached with sword raised. He went to stab its rear—
"Kyaaaaak!"
Its twelve eyes snapped open. Back leg lashed at Als; a black smoky orb spewed from its mouth at Lizbet.
Als sword-blocked and flew into the wall. Lizbet's face twisted in terror, frozen.
"Lizbet!!"
My body moved on instinct, shoving in front of her. The black smoky orb swallowed me whole.
Dizzy haze hit. Then blackness. I blacked out.