Reincarnated as a Princess's Pet: With Trash Stats, but SSS-Rank Skill-Chapter 88: Cerberus’ Ambush
Darkness completely enveloped them.
The only sound was the slow flow of filthy water.
And their steps, heavy and wet.
The ground was covered in a disgusting mixture.
Rotting food scraps, all kinds of waste.
And something worse. Body parts.
Flesh. Bones. Some still fresh.
The smell was unbearable.
Dorian grimaced.
"Good thing Varis didn’t come with us..."
He shook his head.
"He’d be puking by now, and no potion would help him."
Sophie walked with her hair on end. One hand covering her nose. The other pressed against her chest, holding back nausea.
"...I can’t believe I’m doing this..."
Her voice came out strained.
Neros let out a laugh.
"You need more adventures, little sis."
He shrugged.
"You’ll get over the disgust eventually."
Sophie shot him a death glare.
"I hope you fall in there, right next to that crap floating beside you."
She pointed at the dark water.
Neros just smiled wider.
Abby didn’t join the conversation. She walked in silence.
Her eyes scanned every corner of the sewers, tense.
"...I just want to know if my brother is okay..."
Her voice was low. Almost a whisper.
Max walked in front. Alert. Watching every turn. Every shadow.
"These sewers are a maze."
Moonlight looked up.
"What’s a maze?"
Dorian answered without hesitation.
"A place with a lot of paths."
He pointed ahead.
"And where it’s easy to get lost."
Moonlight nodded.
"...like here."
Max didn’t respond.
But his gaze stayed sharp.
They turned into a narrower corridor.
The air grew even heavier.
And then they saw them.
Too many doors and bars.
These were the cells where prisoners were kept.
The atmosphere shifted. Uncomfortable.
Max slowed slightly.
"This is where I fought Dante’s zombies."
His voice was dry.
Abby walked past without looking. Without stopping.
But her body tensed. She knew exactly where her cell was. And she avoided it.
The group kept moving.
Sophie made a face.
"...it smells worse and worse..."
Max looked ahead.
"We’re getting pretty close to our target."
A pause.
"Up ahead is Cerberus’ chamber."
He stopped for a second.
"Be ready. Just in case."
Moonlight stepped a little closer, noticing the unease on Max’s face.
"Father, what are you thinking?"
Max didn’t stop looking forward.
"...that this is starting to feel too easy."
The group tensed.
"If I were Dante..."
He narrowed his eyes.
"I’d be waiting here."
He gestured around them.
"In the sewers, with an army of zombies."
He crossed his arms, thinking.
"We know he knows we’re familiar with this place."
Neros lightly spun his weapon.
"Relax, Max."
He smiled.
"Anything that moves..."
The blade of his sword gleamed faintly.
"I’ll cut it down."
Max didn’t respond. But he nodded.
They kept moving. Until they saw them.
Stone stairs.
Leading up. To the surface. To the hall where Cerberus’ corpse lay.
Max raised his hand. They stopped.
Held breaths. Exchanged glances.
Then, he gave the signal.
They climbed. Carefully.
Ready for whatever was waiting above.
***
Max was the first to peek out. He pushed the hatch open carefully, making a faint creak. He paused for a second. Frowning.
"...it’s open..."
He climbed up slowly, every movement measured. Ready to react in case it was a trap.
His eyes scanned the hall. Fast and precise.
The giant dog’s corpse was still there. Lying in the center. Motionless. Intact.
Exactly the same as the last time he had been in that room.
Around it, the remains were still there. Bodies. Flesh. Nothing had changed. Nothing seemed out of place.
And yet, no one was there.
Max narrowed his eyes.
Everything felt too clean. Too still.
He raised his hand, signaling for the others to come up.
One by one, the group climbed out.
Sophie was among the first. The moment she stepped onto the floor, she took a deep breath.
"...not exactly a great smell..."
She made a face.
"But it’s definitely better than down there."
Dorian let out a sigh, already fed up.
"that’s enough..."
He snapped his fingers.
A soft wave of magic passed over the group, cleaning the filth and stench from their bodies.
Sophie opened her eyes, relieved.
"thank you..."
Moonlight smiled.
"thank you, Dorian."
Abby let out a small laugh.
"that’s why we brought you, not Varis."
Neros didn’t laugh. He stood still, looking around. His expression changed.
"I don’t like this place..."
His voice was low.
"...something’s off. I can feel multiple presences."
Max was already on guard. His body tensed.
And then, a mist appeared.
White and dense.
Crawling along the ground. Rising. Covering everything.
Lamia frowned.
"...this is like my magic..."
The mist closed in around them.
Visibility dropped within seconds.
And then, they heard laughter.
Multiple voices. From every direction. Distorted.
It was an ambush.
Sophie flinched.
"I don’t like that..."
But there was no time.
Fireballs. Dozens of them. Shot from all directions through the mist. Straight at them.
Max reacted instantly. His shield glowed, releasing a pulse. Its effect activated.
The flames collided with a massive magical barrier that formed around the group. The projectiles stopped—suspended for a second.
Then they reversed.
Fired back toward their casters.
Screams. Burning flesh. Bodies slamming into walls. The dry crack of bones breaking.
And the group remained untouched. Not a single scratch.
The fire slowly died down. The mist remained. Heavy.
Max stepped forward.
"Stay on guard."
His voice was firm.
"It’s time to fight."
Everyone tensed. Ready.
But then, they felt it.
A breath.
Wet. Rotten.
Falling over them from above.
The laughter continued. Closer now.
Sophie froze. Something dropped onto her back. Thick and sticky. Her body trembled.
"...no..."
She swallowed hard.
"...I don’t want to look..."
Neros was already moving. He jumped. A clean slash.
Something heavy fell beside them. Hitting the ground with a wet sound.
The mist parted slightly—just enough to see it.
A dog’s head.
Gigantic. Drooling. Dead eyes. Jaw hanging open.
One of Cerberus’ heads.
Separated from its body. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
Rolling slowly.
And behind them—a crack.
The group turned.
And saw it.
The monster’s dead body—standing.
Massive. Rotting. Torn flesh. Exposed bones.
Three necks.
Two heads still attached.
Staring at them from up close.
Lucifero’s hound.
Now a zombie.
And it was hungry.
