Chapter 3 — Anthony

Exe grabbed onto Anthony's chains, and Anthony took off toward the ogre.

CRASH.

Anthony rose onto his back paws and slammed into it, his front claws digging in as he mauled its face.

Exe ran up the ogre's body while Tenka stayed perched on my head.

He came down in a downward spiral and sliced the ogre's head in half.

Exe kicked off, ripped his scythe free, then backflipped onto Anthony.

They both looked at it.

Then—

The ogre started healing, like the damage meant nothing.

Anthony got annoyed and charged again, headbutting the ogre.

As Anthony took a step back, Exe shouted, "HEY—RELAX!"

He gripped the chains, trying to guide Anthony.

"We got this! Chill!"

Anthony pushed back and growled like he was talking to Exe.

I caught my breath, waiting for a strike or opening so I could deal a lethal blow.

Exe called out to me, "Let me handle this!"

I shouted from the shadows, "I'll wait for an opportunity then."

The shadows consumed me as if I belonged there.

Exe guided Anthony into another charge, lining himself up to jump—

But the ogre grabbed Anthony by the head and slammed them both down.

Anthony bit and mauled while the ogre hammered its fist into his face.

I dropped from the shadows and drove my blade down, pinning the arm that was beating Anthony's face so he could get free.

The ogre pushed me off.

I hid behind a pillar that had formed during the room's expansion.

Exe came from the side, slicing the ogre's Achilles heel and forcing it to kneel.

Then he grabbed Anthony's chain.

The ogre slowly healed itself and started getting back up.

Exe climbed the chain to get back on top of Anthony.

I called out from behind the pillar.

"It's healing too fast!"

After I said that, I slipped away from the ogre's reach and ran up the wall to keep a safe distance.

The ogre grabbed the pillar and used it as a weapon.

Exe leaned into Anthony's ear and whispered, "Let's go for its legs this time."

Anthony snarled at Exe.

"Hey, listen to me," Exe said. "I got this."

Anthony breathed through his nose and took off toward the ogre as it prepared its swing.

They charged head-on.

Right before the ogre's attack landed, Tenka jumped out of Exe's jumper and grabbed onto the scythe.

One of her blue eyes flickered.

The scythe grew larger and larger before meeting the swing.

Exe smiled.

"Thanks, Tenka."

Exe broke the pillar while Anthony grabbed one of the ogre's legs and started mauling it, yanking the ogre around.

I tried to make a lethal strike at its head, but the ogre was still alive and ready to fight.

Before I could make contact, it swung hard and knocked me into a wall.

Then it started bashing Anthony's head with its fist.

Exe got up and slashed the ogre's wrist.

Its arms went limp like a ragdoll.

Anthony pulled back and released the ogre, thinking it was enough.

But the ogre started to stand.

Then it laughed at Anthony.

"Puny doggy."

Exe's grip on the chain tightened.

With his other hand, he rubbed the top of Anthony's mane.

"Calm down, buddy. I can feel you getting riled up… come back to me."

Anthony started to grow.

He didn't answer Exe.

He growled, stomped his feet, and circled the ogre sideways, watching it up and down.

I climbed out of the rubble and dusted off my dress.

"I'm going to kill Drago."

Then I heard Anthony charge.

Exe tried to restrain him.

"HEY! ANTHONY! COME BACK!"

Anthony kept biting and ripping pieces off the ogre.

His eyes started to flare.

His shoulders began to expand.

I ran toward Exe.

"What's going on with him this time?!"

"I don't know!" Exe shouted. "He never got this mad before!"

"WAAAAH!"

Exe held onto the chains as Anthony pulled and crunched on the ogre while it kept healing.

The ogre stood in place and laughed.

Anthony jerked the ogre's body back and forth while heat from hellfire gathered in his mouth.

I froze.

Two more heads began forming from his widening shoulders.

I called out to Exe.

"GET OFF HIM! IT'S DANGEROUS!"

Exe's smile twisted.

"NO—KILL HIM, ANTHONY!"

The left shoulder sprouted a head with the same facial features as Anthony, but with purple eyes.

Miasma spilled from its mouth.

I took a step back.

The miasma from the left head was volatile, screaming with a burning sound.

Then Anthony's right shoulder sprouted another head.

Black flames poured from its mouth.

Exe cheered him on.

"Kill him! KILL HIM!"

The ogre tried to move, but the side heads grabbed its arms.

Anthony's main head grabbed onto its face and chest.

Moments later, the ogre's body started to melt while Anthony kept his grip on it.

I walked up to Exe as the ogre stopped moving.

It was lifeless.

Anthony finally released his grip.

I looked at Exe.

"Hey, you ready to go?"

Exe looked down while holding the chains.

"Yeah, gimme a sec—"

Anthony suddenly ran around the room.

Exe held onto the chains for dear life.

"HEY! ANTHONY, COME BACK!"

Anthony didn't listen.

He was about to run me over.

I flipped to the side and regained my balance.

Ren and Fubuki finally woke up and spoke to Exe while he was still hanging on.

"Yeah, just open it already!" he shouted.

Ren grabbed the scythe with her mouth and tossed it high.

Fubuki jumped off Anthony, then kicked the scythe toward me.

It came flying fast.

I caught it.

Ren and Fubuki jumped off Anthony and came toward me.

I flipped while twirling the scythe in my hands.

Ren jumped on.

Fubuki grabbed on.

I looked at them while getting ready to land on my feet.

"Are you two ready?"

Their eyes glowed.

I snapped my wrist and used my hips to make the scythe spin in place, letting Ren and Fubuki handle the rest.

As Ren and Fubuki worked on opening the portal, I moved to help Exe control Anthony.

I took off, leaving the girls to do their job, and grabbed one of Anthony's chains.

I swung over to Exe as he tried to steer Anthony.

I landed beside him.

"What's the problem?"

"He's carrying too much momentum right now!" Exe shouted. "He can't stop moving!"

Anthony jumped and kicked off the walls, shaking all three heads as he roared.

Exe petted him.

"Calm down, buddy. He's gone already."

Anthony whimpered and started firing each element from his heads.

I grabbed the chains tight and pulled hard.

"HEY!"

Anthony stopped.

Then he turned, ready to jump another way, but I yanked the chain hard and forced him to change direction.

Exe looked concerned.

"I can still control him… but I gotta be rough?"

I gave him the chains.

He took control again.

Exe pulled the chains hard and started redirecting Anthony's momentum.

A moment later, the portal opened.

Exe yanked the chains and steered Anthony toward it.

We got closer.

Then I grabbed Exe and pulled him off Anthony as Anthony ran through the portal back home.

We both fell to the ground, and Exe landed on top of me.

I groaned and pushed him off.

"Get off already!"

Exe rolled over and thumped onto the floor.

He got up, rubbed his eyes, and saw the portal starting to close.

Ren and Fubuki closed it, then fell to the floor, slumped over and tired.

Exe picked them up gently.

"Good job, girls."

Then he stuffed them back into his jumper.

I looked at Exe while returning my Ichor moon blades.

"You really care for those creatures, huh?"

Exe smiled as he looked at Ren and Fubuki.

"I trust them with my life."

Tenka climbed up and wrapped herself around his neck.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulder as we walked toward the door leading to the fourth floor.

"I'm glad you trust them that much… and from here on out, I'll start listening to your warnings."

I took a breath and stopped in the middle of the staircase.

Exe looked at me.

"You showed me something interesting today… and once again, I'm sorry."

Exe grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

"As long as you understand now, we're good."

We continued climbing the stairs.

While I was dealing with this dungeon…

My home had already become a battlefield.

Back at the castle—

My mother and father were still fighting for their lives, surrounded by adventurers… and the Hero.

My mother held my father's hand.

"I hope Luna and Exe are okay…"

My father looked at her.

"Why are you acting like you're done?"

He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"We're just getting started."

His eyes turned purple.

"Miasma Art… Demon King's Legacy."