"Well, well, well. If it isn't Lucas, the trash who couldn't awaken. Who else would it be?"
"Leslie," I muttered under my breath, the anger and pain from what her father did at my house threatening to break free. But I held it back. This was a store, not a battlefield—and I was just the attendant.
"What do you want here?" I asked with a snort.
"Hmph, I didn't know this is how your store treats its customers," a cold voice came from behind Leslie.
Lucas frowned. His eyes shifted toward the speaker, noticing for the first time the guy who had entered with the three girls.
The newcomer wore a green robe with the words Beast Tamer Academy written in a circle on his chest. In the center was the head of a Golden-Horned Lion—the Academy's symbol.
Each year in the Academy had its own uniform color :
Year 1: Black Robes
Year 2: Green Robes
Year 3: White Robes
Year 4: Silver Robes
This guy was clearly a Year 2 student.
"I'm sorry," Lucas said flatly. "We don't treat customers like that... but her case is different." He tried to sound polite, though a trace of disdain lingered in his voice.
The guy turned to Leslie with a smirk. "So, you know him?"
Leslie snorted. "He's the trash son of my father's brother. Failed to awaken."
"Oh, I see—he's the cousin your father mentioned," the guy smiled.
"Hmph. Don't associate me with a useless piece of trash. He's not my cousin," Leslie snapped.
One of the girls giggled. "Of course not! Leslie awakened with a B-rank talent. She's in another league."
Lucas clenched his fists under the counter, his patience wearing thin. "You—"
Before he could finish, his boss stepped out of the office.
"What's with all the commotion?" Mr. Martin barked.
"A Year 2 student from the Academy," the man whispered.
Mr. Martin's eyes widened at the sight of the green robe. His tone and posture changed instantly.
A Year 2 student, he thought. He could be useful to my daughter.
"Youth Tamer, what seems to be the problem?" Mr. Martin asked, smiling as he approached.
"Are you the manager?" the student asked.
"I own the store."
The student—Steven—smiled. "Your attendant here insulted my companions the moment we entered."
"What? Lucas! How dare you insult customers—especially a student from the Beast Tamer Academy?! Apologize now!" Mr. Martin snapped.
Lucas remained silent, his jaw tight, veins bulging along his neck as he tried absorbing the humiliation.
Steven frowned at his lack of response.
"You—"
Mr. Martin turned back to Steven. "Young Tamer, are you here to make a purchase?"
"My friends are. I'm just accompanying them—they'll soon be joining the Academy."
This is the perfect opportunity, Mr. Martin thought. Maybe I can link him with my daughter.
"I'd be happy to assist your friends myself."
"No need," Leslie cut in, her voice sly. "I want him to assist us."
"Good idea," Mr. Martin said. "Lucas, help them. Consider it your apology."
Leslie grinned in satisfaction.
Lucas grabbed a basket barely containing his anger.
Leslie whispered something to her friends, who giggled.
"Follow us," she said with a smirk.
Lucas muttered, "Part of the job," and trailed behind.
She pointed to a jar of red bean-shaped pet food. "How much is this?"
Lucas snorted. "Didn't know you were blind and Can't see the price tags?"
"You— It's you and your sister who are blind!" she snapped, knocking the jar down.
Lucas caught it before it hit the ground. Then he noticed more pet food scattered—the girls had knocked them over.
He glanced back. Mr. Martin was still fawning over Steven.
More jars hit the floor. Lucas scoffed. "I should've known the family of thieves were also property destroyers."
"You—!" Leslie stormed over, her face twisted in fury. "Who are you calling a thief?!" She raised her hand to slap him.
Lucas caught her wrist mid-air. "Don't get ahead of yourself." He swung her hand aside and slapped her across the face.
She staggered.
"That's for calling my sister blind," Lucas said coldly.
Her friends gasped.
Leslie and Kendrick younger by a year yet they often forgot Lucas was still their elder.
"You piece of shit! How dare you!" Leslie screamed, keeping her distance now.
"That's what I thought. Scared cat," Lucas said. "Thought you awakened? Then why are y—"
A sharp pain exploded in his side.
"AHHH!" Blood shot from Lucas's mouth as he was hurled into a shelf, which collapsed beneath the impact.
"My pet food!" Mr. Martin screamed.
Lucas coughed blood. "You bastard..." he groaned, trying to rise.
BAM!
Steven's foot slammed into his chest. Lucas flew into another shelf. More blood.
"My shelf! My stock!"
Steven sneered, pinning Lucas to the floor with his foot. "A worthless, mundane human should know his place. You're not in our league."
"Leslie—go return his slap."
Tears in her eyes, Leslie approached.
Lucas gritted his teeth, trying to move. Steven pressed harder.
"AHHH!" He screamed. His bone cracked. Shards of glass pierced his back.
Desperate, Lucas grabbed a shard and stabbed at Steven's knee—only for it to bounce off harmlessly.
SLAP!
"This is for calling my family thieves."
SLAP!
"And for calling us destroyers."
SLAP! SLAP!
"And that's for slapping me, you filthy trash!"
Steven removed his foot. "Mr. Martin, I'll pay for the damages", he said coldly.
"Ah! Mr. Steven, you're too generous!" Mr. Martin beamed, not sparing Lucas a glance. "Lucas, go get the vacuum tongue beast and clean this mess."
Lucas slowly stood, blood on his lips. He chuckled darkly and walked toward the exit.
"You idiot! The pen is in the back!" Mr. Martin yelled.
Lucas ignored him.
"You walk out that door, you're fired!"
Lucas chuckled. "You spineless bastard. Don't overestimate yourself—I quit your useless job."
He slammed the door behind him.
As he walked out, he brushed shoulders with someone.
"Luna", he thought, recognizing her. She didn't even glance at him.
A hand suddenly grabbed his arm. "Lucas! What happened to you?" Mrs. Martin asked, voice full of concern.
He snapped his arm away. "Ask your spineless husband. I'm sure he'll twist it in their favor. I don't care."
Mrs. Martin froze, watching him limp away.
"Mom! Come in already. Don't waste your time with him!" Luna yelled.
After walking quite a distance away from the store his anger subsided a little.
"Damn", Lucas thought. I shouldn't have snapped at her. She's not like her husband.
He had used her to vent the burning rage inside him but he was now ashamed.
He wandered down the lonely street with only a few people on it.
A man walked a two-horned beast-dog, its stubby tail wagging lazily. A couple strolled hand in hand ahead. Lucas limped behind them, hands in his pockets, blood drying on his lip.
There's still time before Maya gets out of school. I'll head to the Beast Tamer Association first, he thought, trying to push the pain down.
But then—
The sunny afternoon twisted into black. It wasn't just a cloud cover—this was darkness, like night had swallowed the world in a breath.
"What the—?" Lucas muttered.
A deafening BOOM echoed overhead.
The sky split.
Not lightning. Not thunder.
It tore—ripped open like fragile paper—revealing a vast, swirling void beyond.
The couple ahead screamed. In the next second, they were gone—sucked into the crack.
The beast-dog yelped. Its master clawed at the ground, soon they were gone.
Lucas felt the pull. A massive force yanked at his body. He grabbed a nearby streetlight.
"No! No, no, no! It can't end like this!"
The pole groaned weakly under the pulling force and it snapped.
"MAYAAAA!" he screamed as he was pulled in
—and the world disappeared.