Chapter 9: The Ferocity of the Demon Dog Slayer

The plot slipped once more into its familiar rhythm—a group of young people began to frolic and make mischief, cracking open beers. In America, the legal age for drinking is set at twenty-one, and those younger are strictly forbidden from indulging. Yet this prohibition only serves to fuel the rebellious instincts of countless teenagers, who take pride in sneaking drinks. No party feels complete without a bit of alcohol, as if their manhood could only be proven through such defiance.

Steve punctured a beer can with his pocketknife, tipped his head back, and drank it dry, goading Nancy into joining him. After taking a swig, Nancy, perhaps fearing her secret would be exposed by her best friend, insisted that Barbara have a beer as well. Barbara objected vehemently, but under her friend’s persuasion, she finally took up the knife to open a can—only to slice her finger in the process.

Hidden in the thicket across the way, Lin Xiao observed the five intently. It was Barbara’s cut finger, after all, that caught the attention of the Demon Dog, leading to her being dragged into the Upside Down and killed. Judging from the number of Demon Dogs last time, and the events of the second season, the Upside Down harbored far more than just the main beast; the creature that seized Barbara might not have been the true Demon King.

This was precisely why Lin Xiao dared to come—one, to observe the monsters’ movements, and two, if the opportunity arose, to enter the Upside Down again, hunt demon dogs, harvest source energy, and level up quickly.

The revelry grew wilder until the group plunged into the pool for a midnight swim. By the time Barbara returned with her hand bandaged, they all headed into the house. A short while later, Lin Xiao glanced up and saw Nancy at Steve’s window, peeling off her wet clothes.

Nancy earned her infamous nickname for this very reason: while she was upstairs with Steve, her best friend below was snatched by a creature and killed in the Upside Down, provoking widespread outrage.

Originally, Jonathan would have been there, taking photos—until a classmate caught him, infuriating Steve and the others enough to smash his camera. Lin Xiao had no such inclination; not only had he left his camera behind, but he also quietly retrieved his Interstellar Destruction Axe from his inventory, waiting for the monster’s appearance.

Soon enough, Barbara stepped out alone and sat at the pool’s edge, trailing her fingers through the water. She wasn’t naive; she surely knew what her friend was doing upstairs, and her mood was heavy with disappointment.

A few drops of blood from Barbara’s wounded finger fell into the pool. Moments later, the surrounding streetlights began to flicker.

It was time.

Lin Xiao, with his god’s-eye view, knew exactly what the change in lighting signified. Each time the Demon Dog or Demon King appeared, the electricity became unstable; the lights would flicker unpredictably. To avoid being blinded, he quietly summoned magic to his eyes, sharpening his vision until the night was nearly as clear as day.

Bang!

A thunderous crash split the night. The streetlights outside went dark. A narrow fissure cracked open at the bottom of the pool, from which a grotesque creature emerged, its long, spindly hands snatching Barbara from the pool’s edge.

A demon dog—not the Demon King! Lin Xiao recognized instantly that the monster attacking Barbara was one he’d slain before, not the final boss.

The spatial rift swiftly began to seal shut. With no time to lose, Lin Xiao resolved to enter the Upside Down once again.

Now!

Leap!

Charge and Slash!

Bursting from the shrubbery, he activated his Leap skill, clearing four or five meters and closing in on the pool, then triggered Charge and Slash. He dove straight into the rift the monster had torn open.

Crash!

His feet hit the ground hard. To his surprise, he had landed at the bottom of the pool—not in the real world, but in the Upside Down. There was no water here; everything was rusted and overgrown with slime and moss, the walls slick and repulsive.

“Help! Somebody help me!”

Three or four meters away, Barbara was pinned to the ground, being savagely torn at by a demon dog. She screamed in terror and, seeing Lin Xiao arrive, cried out desperately for help.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao hefted the Interstellar Destruction Axe and lunged at the demon dog. Thank heavens it wasn’t the Demon King, only one of its minions.

This demon dog was noticeably larger than the one he had hunted previously. If the earlier demon dogs were the size of German Shepherds, this one was more akin to a Tibetan Mastiff—an intimidating foe.

Yet Lin Xiao was undaunted. His own strength had grown, and he had a pair of boots that increased his speed, not to mention a secret weapon that would certainly surprise this beast.

He swept the axe-blade at the demon dog. The larger creature reared up, blocking the strike with its forelimbs—its hide was far tougher than any ordinary beast.

A tremendous force jolted through the axe, forcing Lin Xiao back several steps. He was astonished; this demon dog was significantly stronger than those he’d faced before. It seemed he was no match for it.

Enraged by the attack, the demon dog released Barbara and leapt at Lin Xiao with terrifying speed, its elongated forelimbs slashing through the air with a chilling whoosh.

“So strong!”

Lin Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. He raised his guard, unwilling to underestimate the beast any longer. Instantly, he activated his retreat skill, leaping back three meters to press himself against the pool wall, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Barbara, trembling with fear, watched from the sidelines. She wanted to escape, but the pool walls were too slick to climb, and the ladder was near Lin Xiao—on the other side of the monster. She didn’t dare make a move.

Missing its mark, the demon dog unfurled its grotesque maw and roared, advancing on Lin Xiao with four long limbs, its mouth full of razor-sharp teeth—a truly horrifying sight.

“You think I’m afraid of you? I’m a bona fide demon dog slayer!”

Lin Xiao bellowed defiantly, raising his axe and charging with another skillful slash.

[Demon Dog Slayer: Title LV1. When facing canine monsters, attack power increases by 10%. Roaring loudly can temporarily stun the opponent, causing confusion.]

Sure enough, the demon dog was startled by his roar, hesitating and freezing in place, unsure whether to attack.

Seizing the moment, Lin Xiao closed in and switched to an aerial slash, swinging his axe up from below like a baseball bat. The blow struck the demon dog squarely, launching it into the air.

He leapt after it, bringing the axe down with brutal force on the creature’s neck. The 10% attack bonus allowed the blade to slice cleanly through the demon dog’s hide, severing muscle and bone, and its grotesque head thudded to the ground.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for slaying LV1 demon dog. Source energy +4.]
[Ding! Host has saved a character fated to die, altering the narrative. Reward: one ordinary one-star miniature can.]

Lin Xiao landed, flicking blood from his axe. These larger demon dogs were becoming a real challenge; the final, fully evolved beast would surely be even more formidable.

Still, there were gains to be had. This demon dog yielded four points of source energy, double that of a normal one—like killing two at once.

“Byers, what is this place?”

A voice startled Lin Xiao just as he was about to open the miniature can. He turned to see Barbara, his classmate, who had been dragged into this world and was now regarding him with wide, curious eyes.

Barbara could hardly help her curiosity. This quiet, bullied classmate had just fought with remarkable courage, not only arriving in time but also saving her life. Who was he, really?