Ryder stood at the edge of the arena, his fists clenched and eyes sharp. The moment the signal was given, he summoned his wind Lycaon. His opponent, a tall, lanky boy, quickly called forth two bird-type monsters that swooped down from above.
Without missing a beat, Ryder commanded his wolf to attack. The wolf moved with speed and precision, leaping into the air to swipe at the birds. One was taken down instantly, crashing into the ground. The other tried to circle around, but Ryder kept his focus, pushing forward.
His opponent looked nervous, scrambling for a new plan, but it was too late. Ryder's lycaon lunged at the second bird, knocking it out of the sky with a quick strike. The match ended almost as fast as it began, the crowd letting out a brief cheer as the referee called it.
With a grin, Ryder leaves the arena to rejoin the group, already talking excitedly about his victory.
Now that the battles are over, the group starts preparing to leave the arena. Adrian, full of renewed confidence, takes this moment to suggest a celebration.
"So, what do you say we all head out? I know a great place to grab drinks, maybe even get to know each other a little better," Adrian says with a smile, his eyes lingering on Mercury as if hoping for her approval.
Mercury barely lifts her head, glancing at him briefly before returning her gaze to the crowd. Before she can muster a reply, Eratz stepped in.
"I pass, I think I'd rather do what Mercury does, hit up more arenas. If it's allowed, then I would like to do more battles."
Mercury's eyes flicked toward him, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.
"Now you're talking my language. Want me to show you some? I know the best spots for a starter."
Ryder's face lights up with enthusiasm, quickly chiming in.
"I'm all for it! One match is nothing, I've got more in me."
Adrian's confident expression falters for just a second, but he quickly covers it up, not wanting to seem out of place.
"Well… sure, I'll come too. We're all in this together, right?" His tone is forced, trying to maintain the cool image he so desperately wanted to project.
But Mercury, without skipping a beat, shoots him a teasing smile.
"Actually, why don't you help Ryder? I mean, you're right, we're the elders, so we should help the new recruits, right?," she says smoothly.
For a moment, Adrian's face betrays his shock.
"Wait… but you... but why..."
Mercury nods nonchalantly, her smirk widening.
"Yeah, why not? He could use a hand, and we'll cover more ground if we split up. Let's do that, I go with Eratz and you go with Ryder."
Adrian's mind races, trying to process the subtle sting in her words. She didn't usually ask for his help, she wouldn't even answer to his innuendos. It was the first time she associated with him as elder, and it was to stay with Eratz, him again.
Something was different, and it was starting to nag at him. He glances at Eratz, then back to Mercury. The realization sinks in slowly, there was something between them, something dangerous.
Still, with no one opposing Mercury, Adrian forced a grin.
"... Alright, I go with the guy, how could I say no to you?"
"Great, good luck on your way too, Ryder. Let's meet again here tonight."
As the day progressed, Eratz teared through the arenas with Mercury by his side, and he quickly melted in the universe of arena battle like in his element.
His fights were fast, brutal, spectacular, every opponent he faced ended unconscious. Much like his selection, there's no real challenge for him, the only difference, and sadly for the other challengers, was that he was a little overwhelmed by the joy of battling in official matches, with a real public, with official records, so he always too much energy and destroyed whoever had the misfortune of putting a little resistance.
During one match, Eratz faced a tougher opponent, someone who, like him, was fighting with beastification. A worthy challenge, and a trigger for Eratz. He summoned his Thunder Lycaon, and together, they massacred the opponent's beasts before burying him in a 2v1 relentless assault.
It was only the first day, but Eratz already caught the attention of many people.
As the evening settled in, the group gathered back at the arena, the adrenaline from the day's battles was still fresh. Eratz had just finished his final match for the day, walking out to a crowd that cheered louder after another instant win.
His body oozed with energy, the toll the battles he had fought felt like a warmth up, but the daily limit had been reached.
As he reached his friends, Zara, was the first to show her surprise, with wide eyes and an astonished laugh.
"Twelve wins in one day? You just matched Mercury's regimen like it's nothing."
Mercury gave a wide smirk, patting Eratz lightly on the back.
"Well, I couldn't expect less from you, partner." she said, the teasing tone in her voice unmistakable.
Ryder, though tired, couldn't contain his surprise.
"Twelve matches? Man, I barely made it through four... how do you guys do to fight for so long?"
Adrian, who had been unusually quiet throughout the evening, stood off to the side, arms crossed and brooding.
His confidence had taken a huge hit, though he tried his best to hide it behind a nonchalant expression.
As the group began to make their way out of the arena, Mercury suddenly turned to Eratz.
"So, how about we get you that phone now?" she asked, her tone light but carrying a hint of insistence.
"Phone? I told you earlier, I'm as rich as an honest pastor."
Mercury chuckled.
"Eratz, you do know we get paid for every match, right?" she said, her voice laced with mock exasperation.
Eratz's confusion only deepened.
"...We get paid?"
"Fifty Dyns per win," Mercury explained with a shrug, enjoying his cluelessness. "You won twelve matches today. That means you earned 600 Dyns. After the 10% arena fee, you should have about... 540 Dyns normally."
Eratz's eyes widened, his jaw practically dropping.
"Five hundred and forty Dyns? You mean to tell me I made more today than I ever did in a month working as a delivery boy?"
Mercury chuckled, leaning against the nearby wall, arms crossed.
"Delivery boy? That's an interesting story I want to hear. Welcome to the life of a pro beast master and quick money. Come on, let's go check your earnings."
They made their way to the machines where beast masters could check their stats and earnings. The dimly lit hallway buzzed with activity as other fighters and staff passed by, but Eratz's mind was fixated on what Mercury had just told him. Could it really be that easy?
At the machine, Eratz swiped his card, and the screen blinked to life.
Sure enough, his total was displayed: 540 Dyns.
He stared at the number in shock, unable to process how quickly everything had changed. Together, him and his family could make 75 a day, and now he had exploded their record.
"I... I can't believe it," he whispered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Mercury, leaning over his shoulder, glanced at the screen before nudging him with her elbow.
"Well, there it is, your first paycheck. What are you gonna do with all that money? Maybe a drink to celebrate?"
Eratz laughed softly, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I guess drinks really will be on me for a long time," he chuckled.
However, Mercury straightened up, a spark in her eye.
"Good. Let's go celebrate. There's a great place not too far from here. We could use a drink."
For a moment, Eratz paused. His mind was thinking about how he'd finally get to celebrate his first day as a professional beast master, how he'd share the moment with the people who had supported him the most, those who made this moment possible.
His aunt, uncle, and Colin. They were struggling with their new lives and had put everything on him, and now, he had something real to show them.
"I... actually," Eratz began, his voice quieter now. He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little awkward. "I really want to head home. I wasn't expecting to make this much money today, and I want to show it to my family."
Mercury's smirk faltered, just for a second. A flash of disappointment crossed her face, subtle but there.
She quickly masked it, shrugging nonchalantly.
"... Ah, the family man. I should've known," she teased, though her voice had lost some of its usual edge.
"Why don't you come with me?" he suggested suddenly.
Mercury blinked, clearly caught off-guard by the invitation.
"We can all celebrate together. My aunt and uncle would love to meet you, and you could bring Milo too."
For a moment, Mercury stood there, processing his words, her usual teasing demeanor dropping slightly.
But then, she smiled, though it was softer than before, almost wistful.
"That's sweet of you, but you need to read the mood, you don't present a girl to your family so casually," she said, her voice quieter now. "But… I was a little inconsiderate, I think you should celebrate with your family first. They're the ones who deserve this moment. It's better that way."
Eratz was a little taken aback by her words, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was holding something back.
"Are you sure? I mean, I would like them to know there's really hope, and I want them to meet the people who help me and Colin... And I feel like if I start drinking with you, with our history of training, I'm not going home until midnight."
Mercury chuckled, her smile returning, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"You're really an idiot... but You're not wrong. The first drink you have to celebrate something should go until you drop dead. I think it's safer for you to have that first moment with them."
A brief silence passed between them, both of them standing there, caught in the strange balance of familiarity and distance.
Eratz wanted to push further, to insist that she come, but something about the way she said it made him realize she wouldn't join either way.
"Well, in that case," Eratz said, his tone lightening, "we'll do it tomorrow. You choose the place, and I'll cover everything."
Mercury's eyes widened in surprise, her smile returning. "You're serious?"
"Completely," Eratz replied with a grin. "You pick the spot, and I'll be there. Your rules, my pocket."
For a moment, Mercury looked at him, her expression softening.
She seemed to relax, as though something had been lifted from her shoulders. "Alright then," she said, a playful glint returning to her eyes. "But I warn you, you'll regret letting me pick."
Eratz chuckled, shaking his head.
"I'll be ready."
The two of them exchanged a long look, Mercury's gaze lingering for a second longer, and then, almost abruptly, she looked away.
"Well," she muttered, stepping back and waving a hand dismissively. "That's a plan then, no turning back... And don't forget to buy that phone."
Eratz smiled as he watched her walk away. He looked back down at the screen, the 540 dyns still glowing on the display.
Everything was falling into place, faster than he'd ever imagined.
As he stood there, staring at the sum of money, he couldn't help but think about how much his life had changed in such a short time.
It was only the beginning, but he knew he was on the right path. The doors to the stars were opening, and everything he had worked for was finally paying off.
But as Eratz's world was brightening, elsewhere, things were growing darker.
Far away, in another city, the atmosphere was drastically different.
A large crowd stood silent, their faces filled with shock.
Among them were Genova's teachers, Rowan, the academy's director, Lisa, and Crystal.
They were all staring at the arena with wide eyes, their disbelief palpable.
The speaker's voice echoed through the arena as the winner of the final match of the first round of the tournament was announced.
The screen displayed the image of a young girl with an ice bird perched gracefully on her shoulder, stood tall, waving at the spectators, barely sparing a glance at her opponent.
Meanwhile, on the ground, bruised and on all fours, Kenny's shaky eyes stared at the floor.