A/N: Chapter 5 of Mystical Eye of a Savage Hound. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own OC. Revenge of the Sword Clan's Hound belongs to the rightful owner.

Chapter 5: Beelzebub

Near the Uncharted Boundary…

Why is a creature that should be in the seventh ridge in the first? Mt. Le Rouge et Le Noir is separated by ridges and each ridge houses different types of demonic creatures and vary in strength. The exam took place somewhere within the first ridge where the ranking of the creatures are lower than an A. Once a hunter hunts around the seventh or higher number ridges that is when the territory nears the Barbarians, and even dangerous creatures such as Cerberus.

Then something caught my attention and it was the fresh looking wounds all over the demonic creature's body. My eyes glazed over the body and noticed a couple of sticks stemming out from the hide, signifying that those were arrows and the thought that clicked was the barbarian tribes living on the other side of the mountain, they were very well verse in using bows and arrows when hunting prey or driving off enemies.

So someone or perhaps the whole tribe hunted this creature and it fled into Baskerville territory… doesn't seem like there's any pursuers. My eyes lit up and a nasty grin spread across my face. Cerberus was a literal golden goose, my ultimate ticket I couldn't afford to lose. A wonderful opportunity has dropped into my lap! An A+ ranked creature that's already received some fatal wounds wandering into our territory, I have to bring it in with everything at my disposal!

Unbeknownst to the members of the Baskerville family I had been hiding my skills thoroughly, being very careful as to not draw any more attention as I already had. My mastery of the sword reached the stage of a high sword expert, a level far beyond any of the other children my age. Pouring mana into my sword I carefully drew a couple strange scars in the air, sharp tooth-like trajectory that looked similar to three fangs. This is known as the Baskerville Third Fang. Each trajectory represents the number of fangs: ie. One trajectory is the Baskerville First Fang, two trajectories is the Baskerville Second Fang, etc. According to legends, the highest number of fangs a powerful hound could possibly produce is ten, also known as the Baskerville Tenth Fang. Hugo, the Clan Head, is a master of the Baskerville Seventh Fang and no other hound has ever come close to achieving that many fangs yet.

My current level is one where the other hounds would only reach during adulthood. Once preparations were completed I rushed towards the monster. All three heads watched my approach and rushed as well, their teeth and claws clashing against my sword technique. I wasn't as proficient as Vikir back in the day, but my sword techniques were polished enough that there were rare moments where I made unnecessary movements when killing. And this time I will not allow such a thing to happen. An injured Cerberus was still a mighty creature that can deal fatal wounds to unsuspecting opponents.

But I was also blessed from the River Styx with a strengthened body, the weapons I wield were enough to deal damage. I remained aware at all times when fighting this kind of opponent, when I was dealing damage against one head another would try and bite me. Another perk I had was the experience dealing with the Baskerville Trident, so dealing with three individual opponents because of the constant bullying and harassment came to fruition. What's also interesting that I noticed was that the swordsmanship and trident tactics the triplets used were inspired by Cerberus' fighting style.

Therefore I began recognizing the patters and adapted. I continued my attack, using the Baskerville Third Fang to inflict as much damage on the already wounded body, or to block potential bites and scratches. However, a moment of carelessness appeared as one of Cerberus' heads managed to break my sword with its fangs. Then my left side exploded in pain as it swatted with a paw, laying into my flesh with its razor sharp claws. My ears were ringing as I flew from the tremendous force, my back soon making contact with the thick trunk of a tree. Blood escaped my mouth as I fell to the ground with a yelp.

The head on attack cause me to black out for a few minutes, and when I came to I struggled to sit back up against the same tree I crashed into, waiting for my vision to come back to focus. My uniform was torn, and my broken sword lay on the ground where it was knocked out of my grip. Cerberus himself prowled forward, all eyes focused on me.

What the– My left arm…! I looked down immediately to see the appendage twitching and aching at a weird angle, a grisly flesh wound from where Cerberus scratched me evident from torn hole in the sleeve. It didn't seem to have been torn off, but I knew I wouldn't be able to use it during this fight. For me to only get injured this much from an already injured opponent, the effects of my strengthened body could be seen as miraculous.

Cerberus pounced when it felt as though I had rested for too long, demolishing the tree thoroughly as I scrambled out of the way. I knew I survived one hit, but to attempt fate and survive a second one would be suicidal. What a difficult predicament I found myself in as Cerberus turned around to face me, but even a veteran hunter will always look for the best course forward. My eyes quickly shifted between my sword and my enemy, but deep down I knew I wouldn't be fast enough to pick up the broken weapon; not that it would amount to anything anymore, I'll ask the instructor for a new weapon when appropriate.

No other choice. It's time to execute the third strategy…retreat! Pouring the rest of my energy into my legs I turned and sprinted away down the forest path, bounding down the path like a sprinting rabbit. From behind I could hear the pounding of large paws against the ground, and knew that Cerberus would never let its prey escape, especially prey that were heavily wounded.

Had it not been for the deep, ghastly wound on its side I would've already been caught and killed, might have to give the Barbarians from over the mountains my thanks. That is…assuming I survive this exam! The wind whistle shrilly past my ears as I continued to run through the forest, legs and blood pumping in tandem. When was the last time I had to run so hard? Knowing that it was dangerous to let my mind wander I couldn't help but remember a couple of old missions I had to run, sometimes I rarely got any sleep before getting sent back out; between espionage, assassinations, and other dirty work, the young hounds were taught to always be on their feet, thinking steps way ahead of the enemies were always faster.

I was jostled out of my thoughts when the familiar silver wired fence came into view, the danger sign with the crossbones plastered on its front and back. I did not falter on my approach, maintaining my speed despite my injuries, and vaulted over the top. Clearing it I continued to make my way to the area I had spent days preparing. Cerberus didn't even bother jumping, deciding to just rip and tear and demolish the portion of wired fencing before it like the rampaging beast that it is. I lured it further inside, keeping my eyes peeled for what I was looking for.

Finally I spotted a pile of sticks at the base of a tree, the indicator that the prepared area was near. By this point I swore I could feel Cerberus' breath hitting my ankles, which I'd rather feel than its many teeth and claws.

Now! Quietly keeping a mental count in my head I launched forward, somersaulting such that all I could see is an open maul filled with carnivorous knifes ready to shred me to bits. But that never came through as one of the beast's paws slammed down on a piece of ground with small rocks in the shape of an 'X'. Immediately Cerberus sank on its right side, the ground collapsing underneath its weight. I myself hit the ground on my back and slid, grimacing as I came to a halt.

I laid there panting quickly to get some air back into my lungs, hearing the beast's howl of agony. It has finally being captured within my own version of the Cradle, its paw pierced with the many pikes instead of swords. Honestly I was surprised that the traps I set up to catch a pack of helhounds would end up serving its purpose of capturing the ultimate prize. And just like how Cerberus is also a dog-type monster, the blood bean extract I smeared generously on each spearhead should work like poison.

"Gack! Gack! Gack!" Two of the three heads soon retched, green slime exiting their mouths and dribbled on the ground. Soon both the left and right heads drooped to the ground, unresponsive as the poison has taken hold. Only the middle head was left to command its body, and it turned its eyes on me with anger evident on its face.

"I expected a high-ranking demonic creature such as yourself will still stay standing, one hit isn't going to cut it in taking you down." I picked up an extra-long spear I left leaning against the trunk of the tree, pouring some of my mana into it; while preparing the holes I made extras as a precaution to close combat battles. Since I didn't want to waste them I've left one or two leaning against some trees near the holes.

I threw the weapon quickly, watching as Cerberus merely ducked and the stick bounced harmlessly against its thick neck. It roared as if I had mocked it and it raised its paw, blood dripping from where it had been punctured. It took slow steps towards me, taking into account the injuries and two dead weights.

One. Two. Three. Four. I began to mentally count, watching as it inched closer and closer. By its seventh step, it trembled before me, we were just inches apart. Then finally the poisonous green ooze bubbled from below and the beast finally fell in silence.

"Hmmm exactly seven steps. The rumors were true." I spoke, looking at the dead creature before me. I glanced at the spear I had thrown earlier, the one that bounced off the neck. "Too bad you didn't recognize that that weapon was different, because I didn't coat it with bloody beans. When you get bitten once, by the poisonous fang of a bloody mamba, you'll have difficulty walking seven steps." How lucky I am to have stashed a piece of the broken fang when I was younger…even luckier that it still retained some of its poison for so long.

Soon the light blue hue that exits the body of demonic creatures once it has been slayed collected in the palm of my hand. Seems that all three heads of Cerberus have finally died, and the experience is mine for the taking. More importantly is how to drag such a huge carcass back for evaluation. The cause of death will be clear, so perhaps the Guardian Knight who watched me sharpen the spears during my preparations will testify for me.

However as I ponder it, another thought crossed my mind. Being the gatekeeper-type monster Cerberus has a habit of protecting its territory. There must be something it was guarding, a 'dungeon' to be exact. It's a strange space that holds treasure beyond comprehension, sometimes even wealth. And because of these rewards, it also attracts very powerful demonic creatures who turn them into their nests. I just slayed the gatekeeper, so there's a high chance its dungeon is empty.

Let me just cover myself with this beast's scent….so gross… I carefully lathered myself in Cerberus' shit with a look of disgust on my face before heading off in search for the dungeon; the cleaners are going to have a field day getting this stain out of my uniform. This way other demonic creatures who were weary of confronting Cerberus will also steer clear of me. If it weren't for a couple signs: dry crumbling dirt, rotten leaves, big footsteps along with the drool, I wouldn't have been able to reach my destination.

I found myself standing before a gigantic cavern, a reddish hue indicating a small amount of miasma, greeting me. Steeling my resolve I allowed myself to enter, wearily taking note of the smell of decay and mana which is unheard of. The light from the moon that was at the entrance began to dwindle and I was plunged into darkness. What a deep cavern where even the light couldn't even penetrate. My blood began to roar in my ears as I continued further, excited to know what treasure was hidden within.

Deep within the Dungeon….

There was silence around me, other than the sounds of my footstep that echoes. Glancing up I took noticed of ruby veins running along the surface, indicating its connection to the Red Fang Mountain, a branch of Mt. Le Rouge et Le Noir. Soon the dullish, red color brightened, signaling that I was nearing the inside of the chamber. Walking through the opening and shielding my eyes from the glow, I was greeted with what appeared to be a giant red gem hovering over an altar.

"It's pretty bright inside the dungeon, as opposed to the tunnel. Must be a contraption somewhere that releases it by absorbing the mana and sending it to the ruby." I mused to myself as I approached the center where the large ruby was.

"Hmm? Someone came before me?" When I was close enough I noticed a skeletal remain leaning against the pillar, a dirty rag lay across its legs, and a wrinkled sheet of paper by its feet. There were splashes of dark brownish liquid on the stone altar, remnants of blood that have long since dried over time. Kneeling down in front of the corpse my eyes noticed the injuries all over the body, the inconsistent marks told me that the weapon was wildly swung in a hacking manner; that could also lead to why the blood splatters weren't consistent either.

I picked up the piece of parchment paper, scanning the words carefully:

To whomever reads this,

Right now, my name doesn't matter so it can be anything. To save you the trouble, I'll just call myself the vague name of 'Cain'. I see no reason to go out of my way to stain this pure white sheet of paper with my real name.

"This penmanship looks familiar, handed down in the Baskerville Clan for generations…" I mused, pausing in my reading to look at the words. The writing was pristine and proper, but then there was a portion that looked like messy and scrawled, then it came back to its pristine state. "Does that mean that this guys is also a Baskerville hound?" Shaking my head I continued to read, curious to know more about this guy.

I am recording this because I wish for the people who come after to not make the same mistakes I did. My household's legends say that this place is an ancient dungeon, and my younger brother Abel, stumbled upon it. We overcame innumerable trials as we raided the dungeon. We, having killed myriads of monsters and making it to this stone chamber, came across the ultimate riddle here.

And this riddle had tied us down here for a long time…for three years! With this dismal riddle standing between my younger brother and I, we pondered for a long time. And we both arrived at a single conclusion. Since we were twins, when conceived in our mother's womb, we were once one, but by the time we were born we had split in two.

Hence, to leave this dungeon with what we wished for, we must both become one again. That meant… that of the two of us, only one could leave with the ting we coveted, no? In the end, after a long arduous battle, I killed my brother. Without mercy. Now only one person remains in the stone chamber.

But even now, nothing has changed within this shithole! This chamber! The two of us have now definitely been made one! And yet I still can't obtain anything?! I killed my younger brother, I murdered him all for the sake of the riddle!

After an eternity of regret, I decided to leave this place, a torn and broken man. If there are any brave descendants who come here, I want to tell you this one thing. Leave this place immediately. You'll gain nothing of value within this accursed place. All it does is drive people mad with greed.

"Hmmm….so this poor guy is the younger brother. And they spent three years here, then the treasure must be really something…" I glanced at the corpse, letting the paper flutter out of my grasp and onto the dirty floor. "Now about that riddle, must be somewhere within this chamber…." I approached the altar, and noticed etchings on the surface. Bingo.

[What entered was once one, but within has become two. Only as one may they leave.]

"That explains how the twins decided to kill each other. But he's telling me that even though I got here after overcoming everything, there's jack all reward? I'm not even a twin in this life, Vikir was my brother so that also means we aren't technically twins. But it's all in the technicalities."

Since I was given the same riddle even without a twin, it could also mean that Cain and Abel interpreted the words incorrectly; that incorrect analysis of the riddle led them to a foregone conclusion and a loss of life. The gears within my head was turning as I glanced between the entrance, Abel's corpse, and the ruby gem. A dungeon that cannot be raided does not exist.

"Hmm?" Thanks to the illumination of the gem at my back I noticed my shadow looming over the skeletal corpse; I never paid attention because my shadow wasn't present when I was reading the letter, and now it has shown itself. Then it all clicked, and I felt a small smile stretch across my face. Cain and Abel were a pair of unlucky brothers who stumbled across this dungeon.

"Because there were two of them, they were stuck in their preconceptions and were unable to solve the riddle. The dark tunnel, with the bright stone chamber, why it gave the answer to the riddle itself. When we entered the dungeon we were one within the pitch-black tunnel, but the moment we reached the bright stone chamber, we become two because of the light illuminated by the ruby. So then the conclusion is clear. If we wish for the darkness to come again, the final stage of the chamber should be unlocked. My shadow is the final answer."

Pulling a fist back I shattered the ruby gem where it was, watching as thousands of pieces of the ruby fell to the ground. Soon the reddish hue came together like a smoky mist. There was a click and I watched with excitement as a secret room made itself known to me.

"So this is what the brothers killed over, the dungeon's demonic relic." I whispered in awe, my eyes feasting upon what looked like a sword stuck in a smaller altar. Around the hilt there were three glowing red lights, reminiscent of the Demon Constellation's eyes. I approached carefully and read the words that were etched in the stone:

[Only the bloodline from the Baskerville Clan can draw Beelzebub]

"Beelzebub?! What a great find!" In a book on Mythology, there was an illustration that captivated the attention of young hounds. The Fly of Gluttony, Beelzebub. In the ancient myths of the Unprecedented Great Demons who invaded the continent, there were seven calamities that descended upon mankind. They came to be known as the Demon Constellations, and they were nothing any had ever seen or fought and survived.

In order to put a stop to them from wreaking more havoc on mankind, the leaders of the seven great clans each stepped up and faced one of the Demon Constellations in a one-on-one battle. At that time, the demon that the Baskerville Clan's head faced was the Fly Beelzebub, any records of the other Demons and where their remains are are kept in other territories or countries. After the battle, the remains of the subjugated Beelzebub were sealed within the hound's territory and away from public eye; the Clan head of the time forbid anyone from actively searching for the remains, worried that if it fell into the wrong hands it would be disastrous. However, the demonic energy that the fly continuously spewed while confined within the dungeon attracted other demonic monsters in the surrounding area…or at least that was how the legend went, but no one in the current age believes it and thought of it as a make believe child's tale.

"However, that legend was actually true, and in the future, this sword ultimately fell into the hands of the demon. And brings death to innumerable humans on the battlefield, so many died to this blade, none could vanquish it. This time though," I grinned and reached out with my right hand with confidence, grasping the hilt of the demonic sword. "this time, something like that won't happen. Because this sword shall be mine."

The air around us was stifling and I brought out my left hand in hopes of pulling the sword out as if it were Excalibur. The ground rumbled and I watched as the sword split into many threads of demonic energy, aiming for my right hand. I quickly gripped my forearm to steady it from shaking, watching as many veins popped along the surface. Soon the threads disappeared underneath the skin, and then a few minutes later a massive sword appeared; it felt like it was an extension of myself, the three red gems around the knuckles reminded me of Beelzebub's three eyes.

"A sword made from the remains of this Demon Constellation. Excellent choice. Not knowing that Beelzebub was right in our territory from my past life and obtaining it during the exam was quite the unexpected windfall." I held my hand up close to my face, looking at the intimidating red and black sword in admiration. "This second life is becoming more and more thrilling. I wonder just how strong I'll become."