Chapter 10 : the beast's bargain

The alpha hound’s violet flames licked the edges of the garden, casting eerie shadows across shattered stone and upturned soil. Its eyes glowed like molten amethyst, focused solely on Ryo. Even the knights, seasoned and battle-hardened, instinctively stepped back, their weapons shaking.

Ryo’s chest burned, his mark flaring brighter than ever. He took a deep breath, forcing his fear down. Every fiber of his body screamed to run, but he couldn’t—not now.

“Rose, are you ok ? ” he shouted, sprinting toward the woman who was shocked by his previous action, golden arrows still hovered around her like a crown of thorns, her hands shook from exhaustion.

The alpha lunged with a roar, the force sending a wave of air that knocked Ryo and Rose back several meters. They rolled, feeling the heat of its flame brushing against their face. Its claws tore into the ground, leaving molten tracks in their wake.

Gordon swung his war hammer with a grin, colliding with one of the alpha’s smaller hounds that tried to flank Ryo. “Not on my watch!” He smashed the beast into the ground, sending it flying like a ragdoll.

Norton darted forward, his hands glowing green as he patched up wounded knights mid-battle. “Stay focused! Don’t get cocky!” he warned, eyes flicking nervously toward the alpha.

Ryo steadied himself, his mark spreading across his chest like wildfire. He could feel the Beast inside him straining, urging him to let go of control.

Let it out. Feel the power. Show them what you are.

With a roar, he surged forward, striking the alpha’s flank. The monster turned instantly, jaws snapping shut inches from his face. Blue flames licked across the impact point, sizzling and evaporating into the air. Ryo’s fist met its side again, sending a shockwave of pain through his arm, but the alpha didn’t falter.

“Harder!” the Beast hissed, its voice entwined with his own.

Ryo clenched his teeth, channeling all his energy into a single strike. A pulse of blue light erupted from his chest, enveloping his fists, arms, and even part of his torso. He slammed into the alpha, the impact resonating like a thunderclap. The beast staggered, its violet flames flickering, and for the first time, Ryo saw hesitation in its eyes.

“Keep pushing!” Gordon called, swinging his hammer to crush another hound that tried to leap at Ryo.

Amos charged in, his translucent eyes blazing, swinging his axe in a deadly arc. The blade pierced another mana hound, its boomerang motion returning to his hand in one seamless flow.

Rose’s golden arrows shot from the ground like pillars, impaling any hound daring to approach her perimeter. Her groan of pain echoed across the garden as her mark burned brighter, but she refused to stop.

She has to keep going.

From above, the fuchsia-haired girl on the flying spider swooped closer, her gaze locked on Ryo. “You won’t escape me,” she murmured. The spider’s legs scraped against the walls as it descended, preparing to snatch him again.

Ryo’s eyes narrowed.
I’m not running this time. He felt the Beast inside him surge, his senses sharpening, his reflexes heightening. In one fluid motion, he dodged the spider’s talons, leapt onto a crumbling wall, and launched himself toward the girl.

The alpha growled, sensing Ryo’s shift in focus. It swung its massive head, jaws snapping, flames spilling from its mouth. But Ryo was already moving, weaving through the chaos.

This battle was far from over.

Something is wrong the Beast whispered, an alpha would never stray so far from its own lands. Something must have drawn it here—or rather, someone.

“Hey, kid. Let me take control for a minute, I’d like to speak to this fellow.”

“And what now?”

“Do as I say. Up to now, have I ever deceived you?”

Ryo hesitated. He didn’t know how to give up control—or what if the Beast never let him be himself again?
“I’ll give you back control of your body later. Trust me, human.”

The shadow of the Beast stretched across the ground. Ryo exhaled deeply and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he was standing in the same hall he had seen after his nightmare in the hospital.

All he could do now was pray that the monster wouldn’t wreak havoc like its kin.

---

Ryo’s pupils slit like those of a beast, and the deep, guttural voice of the creature came from his mouth instead of his own.

“How strange it is to be human. I never realized he was this small.” His gaze drifted to Elowen. “Looking at him, perhaps I should have chosen a larger one.”

His eyes then locked on the monster before him.
“I thought as much—this strength isn’t human. To which pack do you belong?” asked the alpha.

“I belong to no pack, my friend. I merely infected this boy and decided to explore. But tell me, what are you doing so far from your lands?”

“We were driven out by humans. One of my generals told me it was the Sunwhispers who were partly responsible for our forced exile.

"Is that true?” he asked, turning toward Rose.

She blinked in confusion, not understanding the question—the language of the mana hounds was lost to her.

“Our… surprising guest informs me that the reason for this conflict is that you and your family drove them from their home.”

“Absolutely not! The Sunwhispers would never do such a thing!” she exclaimed.

“Where did you get that information?”

“From one of our own. He, too, infected a human body, just as you have, to spy and learn. On his last visit, he reported that the Sunwhispers gave the order to drive us out. We came to demand reparation.”

“I doubt that family ever gave such an order. I’ve spied on them myself and assure you they are guilty of no such thing. Moreover, I can tell when a human lies.” He pointed at Rose. “She did not lie. Her family is not responsible for your exile.”

“However… she has lied to Ryo more than once.”

“I see,” the beast declared. “That is most unfortunate. And what’s worse—I no longer know where my spy is. He has been missing for months, and once he inhabits a human body, I can no longer sense his scent.”

“I’ll try to find him for you. What is the name of the human he infected?”

“Ara. A man with brown hair.”

“Very well. I’ll track down this Ara for you. Safe travels, my friend.

“forgive the misunderstanding if there's one—but since we've slain so many of your kind and destroy your house during the night, we consider the debt settled for now. And as for my fallen comrades, pray you never cross our path again, humans.”

”We were only defending ourselves" screamed Elowen, behind the beast.

"Shut it" say the beast in Ryo's body.

The pack vanished into a thick mist.
“You can come back now, kid.”

And Ryo resurfaced.
It didn’t lie… incredible.

When he turned, every eye was fixed on him. Sweat trickled down his forehead.

Lady Rose collapsed into her brother’s arms, drained by the battle. It was then that Andrea and the other maids emerged from a hidden trapdoor.

“I think they’re gone—oh my God, Lady Rose!”

The brunette rushed toward her mistress, paying no heed to Ryo’s bloodstained face.

Amos stepped forward and lifted the unconscious young woman into his arms.
“I’ll take her to Ilyade.”

In the next instant, the young man sprinted away at lightning speed, leaving behind nothing but a trail of dust swept up in a violent gust of wind.