The Essence of Cerberus
The Underworld was not the hell most people pictured. It was a realm of peaceful darkness, an endless world of night. Quiet fields stretched on forever, dotted with pale, hazy souls wandering aimlessly across the grass. On one side of the plain, a colossal three-headed dog lay curled up, sleeping soundly.
It's insanely huge. The beast was the size of a small hill. The moment I saw it, I knew—this was the gatekeeper of the Underworld, Cerberus.
Do I really have to capture a monster like that?
Capturing Cerberus alive and dragging him back to the surface was the final labor needed to complete Heracles' Twelve Labors and return to reality. Only then would the Nemean Lion Gloves I'd received from Vanesha function properly as a relic. More importantly, subduing him would bring valuable byproducts. Cerberus's fangs, claws... anything from a mythical beast like him would be no ordinary item. After all, the Nemean Lion pelt and Hydra venom had both possessed incredible power. With Heracles' help, I was certain we'd secure them.
This is incredible.
Cerberus lay right in front of the Underworld's entrance, and behind him stretched a long line of souls that had passed through the gate, filling the entire plain. We had entered not through the official entrance but via Hermes' special route.
"All those are souls, I suppose," I said.
"It's amazing," Vanesha and Jeanne both murmured in awe at the endless procession of spirits.
"What are they doing over there?" Jeanne asked, her curiosity piqued by the activity at the end of the line.
Black-robed reapers wielding scythes were sorting the souls. Once classified, the spirits either wandered the fields or vanished to destinations unknown.
"They're deciding where each soul will reside based on its quality," Hermes explained. "The best souls go to Elysium, average ones remain here in the Asphodel Fields, and the worst fall to Tartarus."
Elysium was the paradise island. The Asphodel Fields served as a waiting area for reincarnation. Tartarus referred to the deepest abyss of the Underworld—a true hell where sinners endured eternal punishment.
The place Hermes had brought us to was indeed the Asphodel Fields. Yet he didn't set us down there. Instead, he kept moving.
"Now we'll go meet Lord Hades."
"Why?" Heracles asked.
"You need the owner's permission to borrow his dog."
Heracles closed his mouth, satisfied with the answer. After all, Cerberus was the watchdog Hades had raised.
Whoooosh—
Following Hermes on the wind, a black crystal palace emerged beyond the fields. It looked as if an enormous block of obsidian had been carved into a single, majestic structure. Hermes set us down before its gates.
"Have a safe journey."
"You're not coming inside?"
"Only those with official business may enter from this point."
Hermes pointed to a man dozing while leaning against the door. When we approached, the sleeping figure stirred, opened the door for us, and gestured for us to follow—his eyes still closed the entire time.
The God of Sleep, Hypnos.
Like a sleepwalker, Hypnos guided us inside while still dozing. We followed the crystal corridors until a dark entrance appeared before us.
"...Haaawn."
Hypnos yawned once, then shuffled back to his original spot.
"I suppose that means we should go in?"
"Seems like it."
Inside lay an audience chamber made entirely of black crystal. Upon the throne sat a dignified man with jet-black hair and a long, flowing beard.
"You are welcome here."
The god who ruled the Underworld. This was Hades.
*
"What business brings you to my domain?"
"I have come to request permission to take your pet Cerberus to the surface," Heracles declared.
Hades stood on equal footing with Zeus—the chief deity of an entire realm. Perhaps that was why even Heracles, who showed no respect to other gods, maintained proper etiquette before him. Though whether boldly announcing he would drag away another god's dog truly counted as etiquette was debatable.
"You wish to take Cerberus to the surface world?"
"Yes. That is the labor Zeus has imposed upon me."
Hades rested his chin on his hand, an amused expression crossing his face.
"If you believe you can, then by all means, try."
He responded as if he'd heard a mildly entertaining joke.
So that's how he pulled it off so easily.
I'd wondered how Heracles had managed to beat Hades' dog and haul it away. Now I understood. Like a shut-in who never left his room and knew nothing of the outside world, Hades had no idea who Heracles truly was. If he had, he never would have granted permission so lightly.
Still, it made sense. No one would normally imagine the Underworld's gatekeeper falling to a mere human. Heracles might be a demigod, but he was still fundamentally human.
"Then I will take your words as permission granted."
"You may take him. If you are able."
Having secured Hades' approval to capture Cerberus alive, we left the palace.
"That was faster than I expected?" Hermes, waiting outside, looked surprised to see us return so quickly.
"We received permission."
"Did you? Then let's go."
Carried along by Hermes' winds, we returned to the Underworld gate where Cerberus waited.
—Grrrrrrrrr...
The massive black dog with three heads crouched before the gate.
Is this what an S-rank Gate boss feels like?
Seen up close, Cerberus was vastly more imposing. It felt like standing before a small mountain. The creature was easily the size of the Hydra.
Hermes once again set us down and watched from a distance. He was only a guide; the Twelve Labors were ours to complete.
—Grrrr...
Sensing our presence, Cerberus opened its eyes. Six red orbs burned with black demonic flames. When it rose, the ground itself seemed to lift with it, radiating overwhelming pressure.
Fwoosh. Fwoosh.
Black flames flickered like serpent tongues from all three muzzles.
In the next instant, Jeanne unleashed her holy power directly at the beast.
Flash—!
Startled by the brilliant light, Cerberus flinched and squeezed its eyes shut.
—KHUAAAANG!
It let out a pained howl. To a creature of pure demonic energy, Jeanne's holy power was pure poison.
Bang—!
I summoned Napoleon's Rifle and fired a test shot at its hide. The magic bullet bounced off without leaving a mark.
As expected.
It might not match the Nemean Lion, but as its sibling, Cerberus possessed equally ridiculous defense. The flames roaring from its three muzzles prevented any bullet from getting close. This also made testing the Hydra venom difficult. Even if I infused the bullets with it, the poison wouldn't take effect unless it entered the beast's bloodstream.
I had no means of piercing that tough outer shell.
Not by myself, at least.
Slice—
A small gash suddenly appeared on Cerberus's flank, blood welling up.
Slice, slice—
The cuts didn't stop. Legs, paws, neck, sides—fresh wounds opened across its entire body.
—KUUUAAAANG!
The enraged Cerberus thrashed wildly, jaws snapping at empty air. But its massive, lumbering attacks could never catch a ghost.
Vanesha was darting around the beast, her scissors leaving precise cuts wherever she passed. Those scissors could slice through even the Nemean Lion's pelt. Of course, simple cuts alone wouldn't inflict meaningful damage, but...
Bang—!
A violet magic bullet drove straight into one of Vanesha's fresh cuts. It was little more than a sting, but it was enough.
—Grrrrk...!
The rampaging beast's movements began to slow.
Using Hydra's Venom
The blue magic bullet at the muzzle took on a purple hue.
Bang—!
It struck another of Vanesha's cuts.
—Kuuuung...!
Cerberus staggered. The flames pouring from its mouths flickered unsteadily.
It worked!
The Hydra venom had successfully entered through the wounds. Even a mythical beast could not resist its poison. Yet Cerberus was still Cerberus. It felt pain, but it refused to fall. It charged straight at me.
—KHUUUAAANG!
Flash!
Jeanne unleashed her holy power again, but the beast charged blindly even with its eyes closed.
Boom—!
Boom—!
Boom—!
The pressure was like an entire mountain rushing toward us.
Then—
Crash!
The charging Cerberus toppled onto the field.
—...!
Its right foreleg was caught in Heracles' massive arm. He climbed onto the fallen beast and locked his arms around its neck.
—Grrrrk!
One of the three heads foamed at the mouth, eyes rolling back.
—Keng! Keng!
—KHUUUAAANG!
The other two heads barked furiously, spinning the body in circles. The tail whipped wildly and the beast rolled across the ground, but it couldn't shake Heracles off.
Flash!
As time passed, the combination of holy light and Hydra venom continued to weaken Cerberus further.
—Grrrrk...!
—Woof! Woof!
Finally, choked unconscious one head at a time by Heracles, Cerberus collapsed completely.
THUD—!
The sight of the mighty gatekeeper falling left Hermes and the Underworld reapers utterly stunned.
Heracles really does possess monstrous strength. He was probably the only one capable of choking Cerberus into submission.
That said...
The poison works, but it has its limits.
Cerberus was a mythical beast that itself wielded deadly venom. Ordinary doses of poison couldn't fell it. While my version was potent, it still fell short of the original Hydra venom. Simply slowing the creature down so quickly was already an impressive feat.
"Thank you both for your hard work," I said.
"You have done well too, my benefactor."
"Seojun-nim, thank you for your efforts."
Heracles approached, dragging the unconscious Cerberus by one leg.
"Let's return to Hades' palace."
"Uh... yeah. Right."
The still-dazed Hermes transported us back to the palace.
Whoooosh—
*
"As promised, I have captured Cerberus alive."
"......"
Hades stared blankly at Heracles, who had dragged the unconscious beast before the throne. It was the look of someone witnessing something utterly incomprehensible. Even an ancient god like Hades had never seen his own gatekeeper subdued like this.
"May I take him to the surface?"
"...Do as you wish. But you must return him afterward."
"Understood."
As Heracles prepared to drag Cerberus away, Hades rose from his throne.
"One moment."
?
While we watched curiously, Hades waved his hand. Darkness surged forth, creating fresh cuts across Cerberus's body.
Shhhhh—
The red blood that flowed from the wounds gathered in the air.
"Since you have defeated my gatekeeper, a gift is in order."
The blood was collected into a transparent glass vial.
"It is an essence containing Cerberus's power. However, accepting this means you cannot harm the beast itself."
In other words, we were not to take its teeth, claws, or any physical parts. In Greek mythology, victors could claim all spoils from the defeated. Hades had substituted that right with this vial of blood containing the beast's energy.
Heracles looked at the vial and shook his head.
"I have no need of it. You take it all."
"Are you certain?"
When I asked in surprise, Heracles gave a silent nod.
"The magical power of beasts holds no value for me."
......
Hades' gaze shifted to me.
"Will you accept it?"
"Yes."
◈ Contains the concentrated power of the Underworld's guardian
◈ Grants the Underworld's blessing upon consumption
◈ Prevents further harm to Cerberus
The glass vial filled with swirling red blood settled gently into my hand.