Enjoy the chapter!

A blazing hound is an evolved version of the Cerberus. Like the Cerberus, it has 3 heads. Unlike the Cerberus, it has much sturdier skin and body, and that his whole body is burning. This monster is ranked at borderline SSS for students, and it is very dangerous to fight without strong ranged units or water mages.

That’s the final boss of the portal, it seemed, since the portal disappeared after it came out, challenging us with a roar. Ashley was frozen in fear, her face turning while, while we grimly prepared our weapons. It roared again, before firing a huge fireball at us.

Senpai was already guarding, but Ashley frantically threw all 3 barriers she was holding. They blocked the fireball, which instantly broke 2 of them. The final barrier withstood from the explosion, although most of the force and heat still leaked through.

With the sudden development, Senpai instantly took charge, “Rigel! Call for the others! Just use the flare, and get my katana! Clint, Nobody, spilt up to the left and right! We need to survive for 10 minutes! Ashley, scan the area while we fight, and prepare barriers if we need them!” Just as she finished, the hound charged at her. Nobody and I took a side of the blazing hound each, while I fired the mana shots and Nobody activating the ball, sending it charging towards the hound with its spinning blade.

But due to the fire on the beast, the ball melted, and exploded beside the blazing hound. It staggered the hound, but we lost the ball. My shots barely did anything more than skin damage too, with the shots being too weak to even penetrate its skin. With the hound staggered, Senpai rapidly gave additional commands.

“Clint, use your sword to guard if he attacks you! Attack with your pistol! Nobody, prepare the knives to stagger the hound!” Senpai shouted, rushing back into the fight. The knives she was referring to was a weapon we made, it was a floating knife that can propel at very high speeds, and it will explode if it is breaks down from various ways, which includes getting melted down. She then dashed forwards, focusing mana in her sword. She dodged a paw swipe from the hound, and swung down towards the ground. “Mega Buster!”

It was the skill she had used against me at my first fight, but this time, compared to the time she used against me, was a full force attack. The ground instantly exploded and the blazing hound flew away, crashing onto the ground. But even before we could even have a chance to cheer it got back up.

And in trade, Senpai had suffered some burns, even when she had attacked from quite a distance.

The hound charged again, but Senpai smoothly parried the attack and kicked the hound away, her shoes starting to burn from the flames. Ashley quickly healed her, but the burns was unaffected. With no water based heals, there was little she could do to cure the burns.

I fired a few more shots, but like the previous attacks, it did nothing. It ignored me though, and charged at Senpai again. Its left head started to breathe fire at Senpai, but Ashley’s barrier blocked the flames as Senpai quickly stepped back. It rammed through the barrier, instantly shattering it and sending some of the shards to cut into both itself and Senpai. She quickly dodged by quickly, but steadily jumping to the side, and focused mana on the top of her sword. The hound continued charging towards Ashley, but she quickly threw out a barrier while falling backwards. And while it was blocked just momentarily, Senpai lunged. The distance was far from reachable, but a white beam shot out, and struck the hound, sending it flying. ()

Taking the chance, I quickly ran towards the crying Ashley, and carried her away while Senpai ran past me towards the hound.

“Ashley, we need to help each other to survive, okay?” I said as I let her down with a smile. “There’s nothing to be scared of, we will protect you.” She was still crying, but she also nodded.

The blazing hound tried to fire another giant fireball, but as it gathered fire in its mouths, Nobody shot a knife at it, which exploded on contact and broke its concentration, causing the charged fireballs to explode in its mouth. It didn’t do much damage though, but the attack is stopped.

The hound raged as it breathed a constant stream of fire while running towards Nobody and Senpai, both who had to turn and run to avoid the flames. I stopped my charge, and fired a few shots towards the hound, which caused him to stop breathing flames as the middle head coughed out some blood.

The innards of the hound is still vulnerable, both me and the hound realized, but only he took advantage of that information as he stopped his roars. Even so, the flames had stopped for now, as it decided to do a head on rush towards us. The flames covering its body burned even more fiercely and erratically, with miniature fireballs flying out of it.

“Everyone, behind the trees!” I shouted frantically as I fired a few more shots towards the hound, before retreating to the forest myself. With the amount of flames around it, the forest fire that had already started spread further and faster, and there were barely any places we could hide. While Ashley, Senpai and I managed to run into the woods, Nobody had to launch himself away using his knives as a last ditch attempt, barely dodging the hound.

I hope he’s alright.

“Ashley, here!” I heard Senpai call out to the side, as I readied my weapons. The hound walked out, growling angrily at me. After Nobody flew off, It had ran through a tree, and another, before finally crashing into the third, which stopped his charge. The forest was burning behind it, and the flames were rapidly moving towards my direction. It leapt forwards, its paw flying in an arc towards me, and I barely blocked it, as I was forced to a crouch even with both my weapons crossed. My skin boiled the flames burnt close to me, but I had no way out as it forced its paw down on me. And then, it opened its mouth, and a fireball started to form.

“Eat this!” Suddenly, Senpai shouted, and a white beam shot out from the forest, striking the hound.

All would be good if the fireball wasn’t being charged. As it is, I was blasted off from the explosion and blacked out.

“Damn it~” I laughed as I got up. The plan to use my knives to suddenly accelerate while holding it went well. The problem was the landing. I was bleeding through various wounds that appeared as I crashed through the tree.

At least I could locate the others quite easily. The burning forest is standing out quite well. In fact, there seemed to be an unnatural raincloud coming in from the direction of the academy.

I threw both my knives, and let the fly around behind me as I gripped the iron rod, which quickly shifted into a bow. I had only 3 arrows on me, but in this case it was far more than enough. I quickly ran towards the direction of the fire.

“Clint!” I heard Ashley shout, and ran towards the direction. I reached them quickly, to see Ashley desperately healing Clint, and Kuro-sama was fighting the hound alone, the burns on her body turning worse by the second as she fought. All around us, the forest fire is spreading beautifully.

I drew the bow, took aim, and fired.

With a loud snap, the bowstring cut into my hand, causing me to howl in pain as I dropped the bow, but the arrow was fired. Ashley ran over instantly, and started healing the cut in my arm. It was somewhat horrifying, as it looked like someone slashed my arm.

I thanked the person who developed the heal spell.

Clint was already up when I got up, but he was too tired to even stand, or speak, as he leaned on his sword. Kuro-sama was still on the one on one duel against the hound, with her sword barely a lump of steel at this point. I bought some time for her, but it forced me out of the battle longer than the time I got for her. Ashley still healed her occasionally, but at this point, she was lying on the ground with a palm facing Kuro-sama. She had entered a state of mana exhaustion, and was already unconscious.

It seemed all hopeless, except for the rain that is coming really close. Just a minute more.

I sent both knives towards the hound, both which exploded on it, and dashed forwards with my sword.

Actually I wasn’t so heroic, I was dragging my body towards the hound myself. My condition wasn’t much better than Clint’s or Ashley’s.

At the very least, even if I can’t contribute to the battle… the bandages had fallen off! I want to see it!

That’s when the hound casted another fireball. It was far smaller, but the charge time was non-existant. Kuro-sama instantly stepped to the side to dodge it.

But then both of us realized that it was flying towards Ashley and Clint.

Clint.

He was standing in front of the downed Ashley, with both his arms open.

Both of us had a sorrowful look. There was nothing we could do but to see the fireball fly towards Clint, eventually killing him. Even the sky seems to be crying.

Wait. The sky crying.

Rain!

“Shield Barrier!” A paladin suddenly rushed out and casted a blocking spell. He reached the fireball just before it hit Clint, a shield shaped barrier appeared diagonally to divert the fireball, although it exploded on it. Most of the force and the heat was diverted, but Clint was still blasted away, landing in a soft gelatin substance that suddenly appeared.

“Leader~ Your breasts are showing~” Rigel laughed as he dropped down from above the trees. I snapped back towards Kuro-sama… but I was too late, Rigel covered her with a black army coat already.

DAMN IIIIITTTTTTT

“[Water spear]!” The mage shouted as he stepped out of the woods, completing his incantation. A spear made of water appeared above the blazing hound, and flew into it, exploding into waves of water.

“” Kuro-sama said, as she held her prized black katana. Multiple dark streaks appeared around the hound, and with a quick flash, the hound was launched into the air, multiple deep wounds on its body. “” The hound was suspended in mid-air, unable to even move, and with a downwards cut, the hound was split into two parts.

And the battle ended like that.

“Leader~ that’s why you should always bring your katana~” The mage said lazily as they walked back.

“Hahahahaha! Leader wanted to show her techniques to her cute little kouhai!” Rigel said, laughing as he carried Clint, who was unconscious, over his shoulder. The mage, Albert and the paladin, Kyle both laughed. Kyle was pulling the dead body of the Cerberus and blazing hound, as well as a few of the hellhound heads which they had retrieved. I had the rest on me as I followed them.

With Albert’s healing waters, he had cured all the burns we had. In fact, if Albert had been here this whole time, the battle would have ended in less than 2 minutes, even with the weak weapons.

Kuro-sama growled at her two teammates, but they simply laughed it off as they led the way back. She couldn’t do anything to them at the moment, as she had Ashley in her arms. She had her coat fully on, covering her front as well. Damn you, Clint. I was so busy getting worried about you that I forgot to casually take a peek.

Albert didn’t bother to remove the raincloud, so when we reached the edge of the forest, many first year students ran out of the forest to find cover. Albert had casually waved towards them, but they didn’t know that the rain was from him anyways.

We casually entered the guild hall, and Kyle went to the receptionist while we waited. There were many first years who were still running into the guild hall at this point. It seemed that the raincloud was still there.

Well, Albert tried to incite chaos by telling everyone that he created the cloud. Nobody believed him, of course, until he snapped his fingers and dispelled the clouds.

He screamed as a few 5th and 6th year students dragged him outside.

“Um… the guild representative is ready to meet you all now…” The receptionist walked out and told us while we looked at Albert. Rigel was smiling and waving towards the exit as we followed the receptionist.

“Come in.” A familiar voice said, while Kuro-sama entered the room rudely. The person inside didn’t seem to care, though.

The person behind the table had green, extremely messy hair. There were bags under his eyes, and he was looking at us with that tired look. “What is it?”

“Sir, the Blazing hound I just told you a few minutes ago?” The receptionist meekly said.

“Right, right. Come in. Oh, it’s Clint. Good to meet you.” He said absentmindedly, it seems that he recognize Clint, somehow, but he isn’t in the right state of mind to answer any of our questions anyways.

Not that he had any intent to. “Clint, up to C rank. Ashley and this insignificant guy, up to D rank. Congrats. Kuro, I’ll drop your attitude demerit by one point by bringing them back safely and telling us about the portals. Good that you are now S ranked again. Rigel, nice to know that you’re 4% of the way to SSS now. And Kyle, I’ll give you SS rank in adventurers. Now get out.”

And we were pushed out of the room instantly. The meeting didn’t even last half a minute. Did he even notice that Ashley and Clint were unconscious?

We were led to a changing room, where they provided us with clean, plain clothes to replace our burnt up clothes. As we were changing, Albert came into the room pouting, and started complaining so loudly that Clint woke up.

“Nobody…? Where are we?” He asked as he shook his head.

[Healing water] Albert quickly casted at him without even looking over.

“It’s all over. We’re in heaven. We are changing out of our clothes to prepare for the initiation to heaven.”

“…Ah. Sorry, mom, dad, and Carla.” He said with a regretful look.

I can’t believe this guy.

“I was joking, you know.”

“Oh.” He looked away in embarrassment as he realized how easily he fell into that prank. “But...I really felt… dead...I think?”

Rigel nodded as he walked over, “Of course.” He then held his arms open, “Ashley, I will protect you! Remember me!”

Clint is desperately looking for a hole at this point. Sorry, Clint, it’s just too funny when he put it like that.

Eventually he managed to change into the clean clothes, and we met up with Ashley and Clint. Ashley was apparently unaware of Clint’s heroic deeds.

Just as I thought that, her eyes met with Clint’s and she turned away, blushing.

It seemed that she was aware.

“Kuro~ I’m hungry~” Rigel said, as he walked towards Kuro-sama.

“Then choose where you want to eat?” She asked, while cocking her head to the side.

“But… I want to eat you~”

Kuro-sama blushed, “You idiot! Don’t say something like that! Don’t force me to punch you!”

It is the first time I seen Kuro-sama blushing like that. It wasn’t bad, in fact. It gave a whole new different taste to see someone so fierce to be so harmless.

“Tsk tsk. Without your uniform, your ferocity is non-exis…tant…” Rigel stopped as he saw the glare on Kuro-sama’s face. He turned towards us, smiling as he waved us goodbye, “I will watch over all of you in heav-GAH!”

“He was an honorable guy.” I muttered.

“A nice guy.” That was Kyle.

“A respectable guy.” And that was Albert.

“Damn you all! Let’s go already!” Senpai shouted with a beet red face while pulling Clint and Ashley (Neither could face each other at this point) away.

“”””Ahahahahaha!”””” All 4 of us laughed like madmen as we followed Kuro-sama.