Chapter 37: Wind God Manual & Battle Continues

Alice, now fully transformed, felt the power coursing through her veins. The Cerberus, sensing the change in her, hesitated for a moment, its three heads growling uncertainly.

Alice took a deep breath, feeling the winds of the world respond to her call. The blood and grime of the room seemed to fade away as she drew upon the ancient power within her.

She moved with a grace and speed that left afterimages, her flowing steps blending seamlessly with the wind escape technique.

The Cerberus snapped at her, but she was already gone, her new agility allowing her to dodge effortlessly. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a flurry of dagger throws toward the beast, each one infused with a deadly precision.

The Cerberus roared in pain as the daggers found their mark, but it was far from defeated.

Drawing upon the wind, Alice unleashed poison shards that swirled around her like a deadly storm, embedding themselves in the Cerberus's thick hide.

The beast staggered, its movements becoming more sluggish as the poison took effect. But even with these powerful techniques, the Cerberus's resilience was formidable.

Alice knew she had to use everything at her disposal. She activated her hidden weapons, a series of blades and projectiles concealed within her clothing.

With a graceful yet deadly dance, she unleashed them upon the Cerberus, each strike aimed at its vital points. The beast howled in agony, but it still stood, its three heads snapping and gnashing in fury.

Despite her newfound power, Alice found herself struggling to gain the upper hand. The Cerberus was relentless, its monstrous strength pushing her to her limits.

As the battle raged on, a part of her felt a strange sense of exhilaration, but another part was growing weary. The transformation had given her immense power, but it was also taxing her body.

In a final, desperate move, Alice summoned all the energy she had left. She concentrated it into a single, devastating attack, channeling the power of the wind through her entire being.

With a fierce cry, she shouted, "Wind God Manual: First Form - Wind Obeys!" The very air around her seemed to come alive, swirling and whipping into a frenzy.

Alice's eyes blazed with determination as she focused the wind into her sword. "Wind Slash!" she screamed, unleashing a powerful arc of wind energy that sliced through the air with a sharp, whistling sound.

The attack struck the Cerberus with devastating force, cutting through its thick hide and leaving a deep, gaping wound.

The Cerberus let out a final, anguished howl before collapsing to the ground. The monstrous creature lay still, defeated at last. Alice stood over it, breathing heavily but victorious. The room, once filled with the sounds of battle, fell silent.

Marquis Raynes, still watching with a twisted grin, clapped slowly. "Impressive, truly impressive. But it seems even the legendary bloodline of Fenrir has its limits," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Still, I must thank you for this entertaining spectacle. It's been far too long since I've seen such power in action."

Meanwhile, in Ruchir's room, the atmosphere was tense, the air thick with the scent of blood and the low growl of the blood Cerberus. The creature, with its three heads and dripping fangs, circled him, eyes glowing with a hellish light. Ruchir's heart pounded, but he focused, his mind a whirlwind of strategies.

"Binding Sigil," he muttered, his brush moving with precise, swift strokes. Golden light erupted from the ground, forming intricate patterns that surged towards the Cerberus. The creature roared, its movements momentarily halted as the sigil's magic took hold.

Ruchir wasted no time. "Flame Script," he intoned, drawing fiery symbols in the air. Flames burst forth, engulfing the Cerberus in a searing inferno. The beast howled in agony, but it quickly shook off the flames, its eyes burning with rage.

The Cerberus lunged at him, but Ruchir was already moving. "Wind Script: Gale Force!" he cried, summoning a powerful gust of wind that pushed the creature back, its massive paws skidding across the blood-slicked floor. The wind whipped around the room, creating a barrier that slowed the Cerberus's advance.

Undeterred, the beast charged again, its three heads snapping viciously. Ruchir leaped aside, narrowly avoiding the deadly jaws. "Force Beam," he shouted, directing a concentrated beam of energy at the Cerberus. The blast struck the creature squarely in the chest, sending it sprawling backwards.

But the Cerberus was relentless. It recovered swiftly, shaking off the attack with a snarl. Ruchir gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He needed to find a way to subdue the beast, and fast.

"Ice Shard," he called, his brush dancing across the air. Shards of ice materialized, launching themselves at the Cerberus.

The icy projectiles embedded in its flesh, eliciting another pained roar. The beast, however, seemed only more enraged, its wounds steaming as the ice melted against its fiery blood.

Ruchir's eyes narrowed. He needed something more. "Tri Seal," he invoked, crafting three complex symbols that hovered in the air before shooting towards the Cerberus.

The seals attached to the beast, each one glowing with a different hue. For a moment, the Cerberus seemed immobilized, its movements sluggish and restrained.

Taking advantage of the momentary reprieve, Ruchir readied his final attack. He drew his sword, its blade gleaming with a cold light. "This ends now," he whispered, steeling himself for the decisive blow.

With a swift, practiced motion, Ruchir moved into position. The Cerberus, struggling against the seals, snapped and snarled but could not break free. "Swordsmanship: Final Strike!" Ruchir declared, his voice ringing with determination.

He lunged forward, his sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. The blade glowed as it absorbed the remnants of his magical energy, channeling it into a single, devastating strike. Ruchir's movements were fluid, almost graceful, as he closed the distance between him and the Cerberus.

The beast, sensing the impending danger, thrashed violently. One of its heads managed to break free from the binding, snapping at Ruchir with vicious intent.

But Ruchir was faster. He twisted his body, avoiding the jaws by mere inches, and brought his sword down in a powerful arc.

The blade struck the Cerberus with a thunderous impact, cleaving through its thick hide and sinking deep into its flesh.

The room was filled with the sound of the beast's final, anguished roar. Ruchir pushed forward, driving his sword deeper, until the light in the Cerberus's eyes began to fade.

With a final, desperate lunge, the Cerberus's remaining heads snapped at Ruchir. He pulled his sword free and leaped back, narrowly avoiding the creature's last attack. The beast collapsed to the ground, its massive body twitching before finally lying still.

Ruchir stood over the defeated Cerberus, his chest heaving with exertion. He wiped sweat from his brow, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. The room, once filled with the sounds of battle, was now eerily quiet.

He looked down at his sword, its blade stained with the Cerberus's blood. "It's over," he murmured, though a part of him knew the fight was far from finished. There were more challenges ahead, more battles to be fought. But for now, he had survived.

The strategic use of his calligraphy skills and elemental attacks had brought him victory. Each move, each spell, had been calculated to counter the Cerberus's ferocity.

His Binding Sigil had halted its advance, the Flame Script had tested its resilience, and the Wind Script had kept it at bay. The Force Beam and Ice Shard had weakened it, while the Tri Seal had immobilized it long enough for his final, decisive strike.

Ruchir took a deep breath, centering himself. He knew he couldn't rest for long. Marquis Raynes and the other blood Cerberuses were still out there, and his friends were likely facing their own battles. He sheathed his sword, the weight of it reassuring at his side.

Meanwhile, in another chamber, Scholar Dwayne faced off against his own blood Cerberus. The beast, a hulking mass of muscle and sinew, growled menacingly, its three heads dripping with saliva. Dwayne tightened his grip on his sword, the weight of the steel a familiar comfort in his hands.

With a swift movement, he launched his first attack. "Steel Arc Sword Technique: First Form—Arc Cut!" he shouted, his blade slicing through the air in a graceful arc.

The strike connected with the Cerberus, drawing a deep gash across its flank. The beast howled in pain, but it quickly retaliated, one of its heads snapping at Dwayne with lightning speed. 

Dwayne barely managed to dodge, feeling the rush of air as the Cerberus's jaws closed just inches from his face. He countered immediately, summoning his next technique. "Steel Arc Sword Technique: Second Form—Stainless Slash!"

His sword glowed with a brilliant light as he executed a rapid series of slashes, each one aimed at a vital point on the Cerberus.

The beast reeled from the onslaught, its roars echoing through the chamber. Blood splattered across the stone floor, but the Cerberus was far from defeated.

It lunged at Dwayne with renewed ferocity, one of its heads managing to sink its teeth into his shoulder. 

Dwayne gritted his teeth against the pain, feeling the warm trickle of blood down his arm. He couldn't afford to be distracted. With a fierce cry, he summoned the third form of his technique. "Steel Arc Sword Technique: Third Form—Giant Steel Spikes!" .

The ground around the Cerberus erupted in massive steel spikes, piercing the creature from all sides. The beast howled in agony, thrashing wildly as it tried to free itself from the deadly trap.

For a moment, it seemed as though Dwayne had gained the upper hand. But the Cerberus, driven by sheer fury, broke free from the spikes, its wounds only serving to fuel its rage. It charged at Dwayne, its three heads snapping and snarling with terrifying speed.

Dwayne's eyes narrowed. He knew he had to end this quickly. Summoning every ounce of his strength, he called upon the final form of his technique. "Steel Arc Sword Technique: Fourth Form—Giant Steel Pillars!"

His sword glowed brighter than ever, and with a mighty swing, he drove it into the ground. Enormous steel pillars shot up from the earth, encasing the Cerberus and immobilizing it completely.

The beast struggled against the steel prison, its roars filling the chamber. Dwayne seized the opportunity, leaping forward and delivering a final, devastating blow.

His sword cleaved through the Cerberus's central head, silencing its roar forever.

The other two heads soon followed, and with a final shudder, the beast collapsed to the ground.

Dwayne stood over the defeated Cerberus, his chest heaving with exertion. Blood dripped from his shoulder, the wound throbbing painfully.

He glanced down at his sword, noticing with dismay that the blade was showing signs of breaking. Cracks ran along its length, and he knew it wouldn't survive another battle like this.

As he took a moment to catch his breath, he felt a sharp sting on his scalp. Reaching up, he found a deep gash where one of the Cerberus's claws had nearly torn his scalp off.

The pain was intense, but he pushed it aside. There was no time to dwell on injuries. He had to move on, had to ensure the safety of his comrades.

With a final, determined glance at the fallen Cerberus, Dwayne sheathed his damaged sword and turned to leave the chamber. The battle had taken its toll, but he was still standing. And as long as he could stand, he would continue to fight.