Sylvara's Rebirth: A New Dawn for Abel novel Chapter 16

**Title: The Third Signature by Mark Twain**

**Chapter 16: Took Down the Three-headed Dog**

Veyric’s hands throbbed, red and raw from the relentless pounding against the gate. Each strike echoed his frustration, but the gate remained stubbornly closed, refusing to yield to his desperation.

Sylvara cast a sidelong glance at him, her expression cool and unimpressed. “Stop wasting your energy, Veyric. They’re not going to open it for us. If you’re scared, just close your eyes. If that three-headed dog gets a bite in, it’ll sting for a moment, then it’s all over for you.”

Her words were laced with a casual bravado that Veyric found infuriating. “This is the Fifth Military Academy! How can they just leave us out here like this?” he shouted, fatigue etched across his features. His bloodshot eyes reflected his anger, and his fists were clenched tight, a testament to his mounting frustration. “They don’t deserve to be called a military academy. They have no courage as soldiers at all.”

Without missing a beat, Sylvara reached out and playfully smacked the back of his head. “Relax. It’s just a rabid dog. What’s the big deal?”

Veyric froze, taken aback. He had never been on the receiving end of such a gesture before, and it left him momentarily speechless.

Suddenly, right in front of them, the grotesque three-headed dog dug its claws into the ground, its muscles coiling like springs before it launched itself at them with terrifying speed.

Sylvara, quick to react, shoved Veyric behind her. “Hey, do you think this thing would taste good?” she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

The dog’s monstrous roar jolted Veyric back to the present, and he shouted at her, his voice nearly drowned out by the creature’s growl. “Are you out of your mind? We’re not talking about eating it! It wants to eat us!”

To Veyric’s surprise, Sylvara didn’t seem the least bit intimidated. A grin spread across her face as she twisted his words. “So it sees us as a snack. But maybe, to us, it could be a treat too, right?”

Before the apocalypse had turned their world upside down, dogs were a symbol of companionship—soft, cuddly creatures that brought joy. But in this grim Interstellar Era, they had morphed into terrifying beasts. The thought of not eating it seemed almost wasteful, a strange notion that rattled in Veyric’s mind.

His eyes widened in disbelief. “What trash planet did you come from? How can you be this clueless? You really think it’s food? Seriously?”

“Yep. I’m from a trash planet. I’ve never tasted it, so how would I know it’s not good?” Sylvara chuckled, her laughter ringing out even as the three-headed dog lunged closer, drool dripping from its jaws.

Veyric, feeling a surge of protectiveness, realized he couldn’t allow a girl to stand in front of him, defending him. Even if the gates of the academy remained shut, he had to take action.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled Sylvara behind him, focusing every ounce of his mental energy into his fists. He closed his eyes, visualizing the beast’s wide-open jaws, and swung his fist with all his might.

From her vantage point behind him, Sylvara tilted her head, observing him with a mix of admiration and concern. She acknowledged that while he had guts, he lacked the raw strength she had hoped for.

Yet, she couldn’t let him face this danger alone. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she whispered urgently, “Hey, be careful.”

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