"Arghhhhhh!"
Tristan's roar reverberated through the arena, a primal sound that seemed to shake the very foundation of the digital battleground.
His tattoos, intricate and glowing with a sinister light, pulsed with energy as he commanded his beastmere—a towering gorilla-like creature with fists the size of boulders.
The beast's massive hands slammed into the arena walls for the fifth time, sending cracks spidering across the reinforced structure. Dust and debris cascaded from the ceiling, and the crowd roared in awe and terror.
"Go Tristan, go!" Marie's voice was sharp with excitement, her red hair whipping around her face as she leaned closer to the holographic screen. "Crush him into digital bones!"
Kenny, however, remained calm, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. Since touching the dragon's egg during his first travels to the beast realm, his mind had been razor-sharp, allowing him to perceive details others missed.
He watched the fight unfold with a detached clarity, his gaze flickering between Tristan's brute force and Serbrus's calculated movements.
"Why are you cheering for a loser?"
Kenny's voice was calm but cutting, drawing Marie's attention away from the screen.
Marie's eyes narrowed, and she turned to face him, her hands planted on her hips.
"You're definitely an idiot. I mean, I know you're smart and all, but can't you see the obvious?"
"Oh, I'm the idiot?"
Kenny retorted, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
"Guess we'll see in a bit."
The commentator's voice boomed over the arena, echoing through the speakers.
"What's this? Tristan's beastmere is so strong it's cracking the arena! Will Serbrus penetrate his defense before they destroy the entire server?"
On the battlefield, Tristan grinned beneath the shadow of his gorilla-like beast. He was confident—too confident.
Mentally, he commanded the beast to lunge forward, its massive hands reaching for Serbrus's beastmere, a sleek, four-legged creature that moved with eerie grace.
But the creature was too fast, darting out of reach each time Tristan thought he had it cornered.
"Stand still already!"
Tristan bellowed, his voice dripping with frustration. "Do you only know how to run?"
The taunt seemed to work. Serbrus's beastmere turned sharply, its colorless form blurring as it charged directly at Tristan's gorilla. The gorilla raised a massive palm to intercept, and the impact was thunderous, a collision that made the arena tremble. The force of the hit sent the gorilla staggering, its anchored legs straining to keep it upright.
Serbrus's voice cut through the chaos, calm and deliberate as if casting a spell.
"Full throttle now."
Instantly, his beastmere exploded with power, its form vibrating into a blur of motion. The gorilla responded by wrapping both hands around the creature, trying to crush it, but the vibrations surged through its body, destabilizing its form.
Tristan waved his hands frantically, trying to steady his beastmere, but it was too late. The anchors holding the gorilla in place began to lift off the ground, the vibrations shaking it to its core.
"Haha! See, it's over, Serbrus! I have—"
Tristan's triumphant declaration was cut short. He had been so focused on the clash of beasts that he failed to notice the opening in his defense—a gap wide enough for Serbrus to exploit.
A cold voice spoke from behind him, slicing through the air like a blade.
"You talk a lot."
[#!]
Tristan froze, his heart skipping a beat. Before he could react, he felt a searing pain in his chest. He looked down to find a bloody hand protruding from his torso.
Their bodies were digital constructs, simulations created by the server, so instead of dying, Tristan's form shattered into particles, disintegrating into nothingness.
Marie's mouth fell open. "What... how did..."
Even the crowd, momentarily stunned into silence, erupted into cheers as Serbrus's stood firmly.
The blade, Skypiercer slowly returned from the ground in a dramatic flourish, ready to be claimed by the victor.
The professor, ever the opportunist, was quick to claim credit.
"That was easy to predict, of course. Serbrus's battle experience is simply too vast."
Kenny rolled his eyes. As someone who had accurately predicted the outcome, he knew it had nothing to do with experience. Marie turned to him, her skepticism evident.
"Wow, you're finally hitting the top tier in the bookworm realm. How did you know?"
Kenny leaned back, assuming a smug posture. He liked praise.
"Oh, that was easy. From the beginning, everything Serbrus did was an act."
Marie raised an eyebrow.
"An act?"
Kenny nodded. "The way he stepped back, avoiding direct clashes, when in reality he was his own ace. Not to mention, he only had one tattoo while his opponent had many. It's obvious he's been developing his personal strength instead of relying on his beast."
Marie sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"When are we ever going to join an organization or even get a mini beast?"
Her words made Kenny freeze. As far as he was concerned he already had one—not just a mini beast, but a titan-level creature, far beyond the elemental class. Marie didn't know this, though. She was his best friend, the one person who always made him smile. He briefly wondered if he should tell her.
"Hey..."
Her voice softened as she nudged him.
"You're making that face again. What is it? You're hiding something, remember, no secrets between us."
Kenny hesitated, scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah... you see, the thing is..."
He wanted to say something but soon abruptly changed direction.
"Dad's having another banquet for Rufus again."
The plan worked and Marie's sneer was unmistakable, her brows furrowed in irritation.
"That brother of yours is truly something. Another banquet? I just hate him so much... ugh."
Kenny chuckled, though his laughter was tinged with bitterness.
"Yeah he gets the banquet while I get punished. Typical."
Marie suddenly grinned, her mood shifting. "Look on the bright side. At least you'll get to see your girlfriend, Rin."
Kenny's face turned bright red, and he shook his head vehemently. "W-what are you talking about? Rin's not my girlfriend. She's into the tall, handsome, and strong guys, not nerds."
Marie laughed, enjoying his flustered reaction. She slapped his back with surprising force, nearly knocking the wind out of him.
"Come on, dream a little. I heard we'll be having a joint class tomorrow. You'll finally get to see her again, hmm?"
She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.
Kenny's heart skipped two beats, and he quickly looked away, hoping Marie wouldn't notice the blush creeping up his neck. He nearly blurted out, "Tomorrow?"