Cerberus

Cerberus is Chu Cheng's dark-red custom mecha and the machine associated with his Hades persona. Built for aggressive frontline combat, it couples an alloy blade with the extremely destructive Hellfire Cannon.

History

Sparring among the Divine Monarchs

Cerberus first appears in DreamNet when Chu Cheng, Lan Jue, and Hua Li challenge Lan Qing. It attacks Coeus at close range with an enormous alloy sword, but Coeus isolates it in a storm of phantom strikes and defeats it before turning on the remaining Monarchs. Because the encounter is simulated, the damage does not establish the destruction of Chu Cheng's physical custom machine. (Chapters 222–224)

The Hellfire gamble

In the Divine Monarchs' DreamNet showdown against the Star Alliance, Cerberus hides with its systems dark and later advances under a cloaking field supplied by an external gem. Chu Cheng converts one arm into the Hellfire Cannon and commits all of the machine's energy to a shot at the Wheel of Fortune. Charging forces Cerberus to remain still, so he accepts Starlord's counterattack rather than spoil the shot. The blast interrupts the enemy's control attempt, while Cerberus is reduced to molten slag inside the simulation. (Chapters 274–278)

Subsequent DreamNet rounds instantiate Cerberus again. Chu Cheng fights Thunderclap to a damaging stalemate and later deploys the machine on the upper lane alongside the other Monarchs. These later appearances confirm that the earlier destruction was match-state destruction in DreamNet, not the permanent loss of the underlying mecha. (Chapters 280–287)

Abilities and properties

• Cerberus is configured for frontline fighting and explosive power, using heat-suffused armor and a massive alloy sword at close range. (Chapter 222)
• One arm can disassemble and re-form as the Hellfire Cannon, a heavy long-range weapon capable of melting large sections of an enemy mecha even with a grazing hit. (Chapters 276, 282, 286)
• A fully charged Hellfire shot can produce devastating area damage and interrupt a fortified objective. (Chapters 276–278)
• Charging and firing the cannon requires Cerberus to remain completely still. Moving can spoil the shot and risks residual blowback to the machine, leaving the pilot exposed to counterattack. (Chapter 277)
• The stealth field used in the Star Alliance match belongs to a separate cloaking gem; it is tactical equipment carried for that operation, not an intrinsic Cerberus ability. (Chapter 276)
• Destruction within DreamNet ends that simulated deployment but does not prove physical destruction; later matches load Cerberus again. (Chapters 277–287)

Ownership and custody