This is the story of a magician and an elf girl.

"... Do you understand? This is the difference between him and you... Jack."

"…You are reading my mind… That's scary…"

"...I am a goddess...It is no big deal for me to see through people's thoughts...People will definitely feel impatient and tormented when facing difficulties and problems. Whether a person can overcome these trials depends entirely on the experience and ability of the person concerned. I am very worried about the current situation of you adventurers...I am afraid that you cannot even overcome the bad weather..."

"..."

Jack knew that Athena was right. The adventurers were already very tired and it was unclear whether they could last until next week at this rate.

What's more, they didn't even have a chance of winning, yet they still wanted to challenge the man who once looked down on the three-headed dog of hell.

"Take a rest... Thinking can also make you tired... Today's words... Jack... You must keep them in mind, okay?"

"Ah... I understand..."

Athena, who could see that Jack was very tired, also entered the tent. Wendy, who was leaning on his shoulder, fell asleep without realizing it. Wright leaned on the handle of his long sword and said, "Watching the night is a daily routine for the werewolves. Go to sleep first."

"...Frankly speaking, I feel much more at ease with you here. Thank you, Light."

Light smiled cheerfully, knowing full well that humans were creatures that got tired easily, so it was natural for them to be complacent about this matter, and he would be able to handle anything that happened properly.

Jack, confidently leaving the vigilance to the other party, lay down in his sleeping bag and closed his heavy eyelids. He felt as if he was about to lose consciousness and his body naturally began to fall asleep.

At the same time, he also dreamed about things in the past.

Whether it was the encounter with the elf girl or the battle with her, it was all very beneficial experience for Jack now - if he had not met her, Jack would have lost himself and might have disappeared in the wild desert.

It was even more impossible for him to meet the woman he liked, or even confess his love to her and accept her kindness. For Jack, meeting Wendy was the most beautiful memory in the world.

However, the more beautiful the memories, the more painful the consequences will be.

Once lost, it cannot be recovered and it is an experience that will definitely make people sink into darkness.

This time, can you protect your girlfriend, your friends, your companions, your elders? This time... you will lose all of them. Even so, will you continue to fight?

Of course, you don't have a choice after all.

All of this, once you take that step, there is no turning back.

"Jack...Jack! Wake up...wake up! Jack!"

"... Um... Wendy... have you had breakfast yet..."

"No! Enemy attack! My skills sensed the reactions of most of the life forms!! You were too relaxed! Wright had already fallen asleep!"

"What... is that guy... in which direction?!"

Wendy, shaking Jack, immediately spread the danger she had detected. The adventurers, who were ready for battle and mental preparation, woke up from their sleep. The weapons in their hands reflected their tense expressions and stiff eyes. Athena, who immediately entered the battle state, asked, "Calm down, Wendy. Report the distance and direction. What is the specific number?"

"Uh... this... almost - there are more than a hundred in each direction... there is only about one kilometer left..."

""! ""

Before Jack and Athena could give any instructions, the adventurers had already formed a circle and dispatched adventurers of different professions to guard various directions. Archers served as backup, while warriors and tanks served as vanguards so that they could respond immediately if any situation occurred.

"Archers, activate the Farsight skill. Tanks, be ready to activate the Barrier skill against magic attacks. Warriors, attack when the time is right. Never underestimate the enemy's strength. They may be highly intelligent or be controlled by someone. This is a good opportunity. I have said before that as long as the situation meets the conditions for the mission, we can write the commission on the spot. You can get a lot of experience points if you complete it."

"My Lady Goddess, I..."

"Jack and Wendy, please wait in the air. If anything happens, you will take immediate action. I believe that you can handle the situation perfectly. Okay?"

"Sure, let's go, Wendy."

"...No, no...Wait a minute, don't jump to conclusions so quickly. What I want to say is...the enemy's appearance...seems a little strange...It's as if they suddenly appeared, maybe-"

“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, boom, boom!”

The scorching fireball illuminated the sky, and the falling sparks were like meteors with long tails. The monsters that emerged from the rain had bypassed Wendy's surveillance network at some point. Their terrifying appearances and the roars of beasts kept echoing around them. With fire in their mouths, they had enough firepower to flatten the area. Knowing that the power could not be judged by common sense, Jack gave orders faster than anyone else: "What are you waiting for! Quick! Deploy the barrier!!"

"!"

The tanks that were already prepared immediately deployed a magic barrier. The magic membrane that cut off the connection with the outside world covered the top of the adventurers. The fireballs, which completely ignored the raindrops and puddles, hit directly in front of the barrier.

"Bang!"

A huge shock wave passed through his body, and the flames burning the barrier eroded it bit by bit. If he was hit one more time, I'm afraid...

"How could it be... that is... the... body of the Hellhound..."

"The body of the Hellhound...wait...Goddess, what does that mean..."

"It's just as it says... Those monsters are the incarnations of the legendary three-headed hellhound Cerberus! A true adventurer killer! A monster among monsters that even the heroes couldn't get rid of! Wait... Hera is dead... but it's still here... How could it be... Could it be that after the magician gained the power to change cause and effect... he used Hera's power to awaken Cerberus..."

""! ""

Athena couldn't believe it but could only think this way. She couldn't imagine that there was anyone else in the world who could summon the monsters from hell to this world again except him.

The Hellhound's clone has the ability to evade skills and fire attacks that can corrode barriers. The adventurers, terrified by the mere thought of it, slowly retreated. Only Jack continued to ask Athena for information about the monster: "What else! Tell me! There is no time! Athena! What is that guy's weakness! How can we defeat him!"

"The... the Hellhound's clone is a monster among monsters. After the blood of the original body comes into contact with the outside air, it only takes three seconds to evolve from an embryo to a larva. It can strengthen its own power by devouring the power of its own kind. The more you defeat them... the stronger they become. In addition, they have incredible regenerative abilities, as well as the outer garment of hellfire, and shared skills..."

"Weakness! What is the weakness?!"

"No! To adventurers, it is an ultimate life form with no weaknesses! To be honest, it only has two parts: the heart and the brain! But..."

"That's enough! You all heard it! Guys! It's time to fight! Teams start to attack! Don't disrupt the formation! Fight as you did during training!"