Fallen off the Cliff by My Lover After Becoming a Hero

Click...

A sharp sound echoed in my ears as I carefully set the lock aside.

Whoosh... whimper... groan...

I fixed my gaze on the cage, where several canine-like beasts were sound asleep. Slowly and cautiously, I tiptoed backward.

Phew...

I let out a deep sigh.

This is going to give me a heart attack.

Despite the chilly weather, cold sweat trickled down my forehead. I wiped it off with my sleeve, ignored the faint trembling in my hands, and moved toward the next cage.

My condition is worse than I thought.

Initially, things went relatively smoothly, likely because most of the cages nearby held slaves rather than beasts.

But as I ventured further outward, the creatures confined within became increasingly terrifying.

The mounting pressure and fatigue soon took their toll. My head started spinning, and a persistent ringing buzzed in my ears.

Click.

Another one done...

Gritting my teeth, I shook my head in an attempt to dispel the dizziness.

Damn it... I already took the medicine.

Dragging my exhausted body toward the next cage, I muttered complaints under my breath.

I never expected the medicine to cure me instantly... my health has always been fragile.

So, I added a few extra doses of the strong stuff.

Click, click, click...

Damn it, what's wrong with my hands?

Even with the boost from the stimulant, they were still trembling uncontrollably.

Unbeknownst to me, my vision wasn't steady either. If I let my focus slip even slightly, the lock in front of me would blur into a double image.

Damn it... Get a grip!

I blinked hard, forcing myself to concentrate. Eventually, I managed to steady myself and, with a satisfying click, unlocked the next cage.

Huff... huff...

I was gasping for air.

It's not enough.

This number of cages is nowhere near sufficient.

Turning back, I cast a glance at the unlocked cages. My eyes swept over the group of captives and beasts inside.

I arrived here sixteen days ago, but how long have they been trapped? Exhaustion and starvation had already reduced them to shadows of their former selves. With just this number, it wouldn't make even the slightest impact.

...Figures. My gaze shifted naturally to the most prominent and eye-catching cage in the area.

It had to be that one. Even while crouched low, its massive form loomed like a mountain. Its thick mane couldn't conceal the bulging muscles beneath. The rise and fall of its breathing revealed glimpses of razor-sharp fangs, faintly smeared with what seemed to be blood.

Gulp. I swallowed hard. My body froze in place.

Logically, a sleeping beast shouldn't exude such an oppressive aura. But this one had a history. I remembered how just a few days ago, it broke out of its cage with brute strength, turning a serpent-man into its meal in mere moments.

Fear crept up my spine, a cold shiver locking my legs in place. My mind, at some point, had been taken over by a single thought: Give up.

Turn back? My emotions screamed yes, but reason knew better—the situation demanded urgency.

If I didn't let this thing out, I'd lose my life here too!

Clicking my tongue softly, I clenched my fist and forced my stiff legs forward. Each step felt like walking on thin ice.

Every step strained my nerves to their limits. Every step hammered my consciousness like a drum.

Clenching my teeth, I pushed all my strength into muffling any sound, inching forward with deliberate caution.

Closer. Closer still. The trembling of my vision made the beast's massive silhouette seem to swell ever larger until, finally...

The ringing in my ears. The sound of its breathing. The pounding of my heartbeat.

Thud.

All of it crescendoed the moment I reached the cage's door.

Thump-thump! Thump-thump! From a distance, it hadn't seemed like much...

But up close... this thing... Was it really this colossal?