Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 66: Edge of Evolution



The air in the director's hotel room was thick. Eliza and Melcin stood before the director.

The director, seated in a leather chair by the window, stared at them, her face unreadable but her eyes cold.

"I hope you both understand, the full extent of what you've done to this academy."

Eliza's heart raced, but she held her ground, though the desperation flickered in her eyes.

"You led the charge in Eratz's expulsion," the director continued, her gaze settling on Eliza. "And look where that's gotten us. Genova is losing its prestige with the student you pointed as our ace, while the boy you threw out is rising to prominence."

Eliza swallowed hard. Her voice came out steadier than she felt.

"We... we did what we believed was right at the time. Eratz was a..."

"A cheater?" the director cut her off, her tone like ice. "You keep saying that. But are we sure it's the whole story? How come he was just a cheater but as soon as he's outside he shines again?"

Melcin, pale and visibly sweating, stammered.

"Director, I-I was only trying to protect the academy's reputation."

The director's glare sharpened.

"You were protecting your own prejudices, Melcin. You acted out of bias, and now we're paying the price."

Melcin's breath caught, but he had no defense left.

The director's voice grew even colder.

"You are suspended, effective immediately. The board will review your role here. Consider your career hanging by a thread."

Melcin's mouth opened in shock, but no words came.

Eliza, standing beside him, felt the pressure mounting. She couldn't let it end like this, not for her.

"I-I know things look bad," Eliza said, her voice trembling slightly, "but I can fix this."

The director's gaze turned back to her, unimpressed.

"And how exactly do you plan to fix this?"

Eliza took a breath, her mind racing. She knew this was her last chance.

"We... we need someone strong to restore Genova's reputation," she said, her voice picking up speed. "If we can't bring Eratz back, then we should focus on Mercury. She's rising fast in the pro ranks."

The director raised an eyebrow.

"Mercury? The girl you mentioned a few days ago? She wasn't even a student here. What makes you think she'd join us?"

Eliza's desperation seeped through her words now, her voice pleading but determined.

"She's young, ambitious. If we offer her the right opportunities, something she can't get elsewhere, she'll consider it. We just need to be smart. If we get Mercury, we can show the world that Genova still produces the best talent."

"And you think this will be enough to save the academy?" the director asked.

Eliza's pulse quickened. She could feel the director's judgment bearing down on her, but she couldn't stop now.

"Yes. And... and if we get Mercury, it might even open the door to Eratz. I saw something... and I think there's a connection between them. If we can bring her in, maybe he'll follow."

The director leaned back, considering her words, her fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. "You believe bringing in Mercury will lead to Eratz?"

Eliza nodded, though her throat felt dry.

"I do. This is our best chance."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the director mulled over Eliza's desperate plea. After a long moment, she finally spoke.

"You have one chance, Eliza. Convince Mercury to join us, or find another way to fix this mess. But if you fail..."

"I won't fail," Eliza said, her voice firmer now, though inside she felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff.

In the Crescent Moon Agency gym, the atmosphere was electric. The room was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing and the crackle of energy as Eratz, Mercury, Ryder, Kaida, and Catarina pushed their limits in their advanced beastification training.

Kaida stood at the center of the room, her eyes scanning the group as they prepared for the next step. As the most experienced in this field, she played the role of the teacher.

"This isn't like basic beastification," she said. "You're not just borrowing power. Advanced beastification is about merging with your beast, its mind, its instincts. You become one with

it."

She stepped forward, summoning her beast, her form shifting as her body became infused with primal energy. Her body covered with glowing red marks, her muscles rippled, her eyes glowing with a fierce intensity, and her entire being seemed to pulse with power.

"This is advanced beastification," she continued. "This is like a fusion of body and mind. Become your beast."

Ryder, eager to improve, summoned his lightning bird. He felt the familiar surge of power course through him as he entered a basic beastification. His body crackled with electricity, his

movements faster, sharper.

But it wasn't enough.

Kaida frowned, watching him closely.

"You're lacking bro," she said bluntly. "You're treating your body like a vessel for your besst.

You need to let it become part of you, to fuse with you."

Ryder gritted his teeth, trying to push deeper, but the barrier remained.

Catarina, her cat-like ears twitching playfully, grinned from the side.

"Nya, you've got to live with the beastification," she teased, flicking her tail. "I don't turn mine off, even when I'm not fighting. That's how you keep the connection strong." Mercury stepped forward next, summoning her Seraph. She felt the power flow through her as she entered a soft beastification, her movements becoming more fluid and feline.

But as she tried to deepen the connection, flashes of her defeat in the tournament crept into her mind, causing her to falter.

"This isn't enough... Not with this level," she muttered, frustration boiling in her voice. "We need stronger monsters if we want to really evolve."

Ryder nodded in agreement.

"We need to push faster, the regional league is really something. It feels like we're on the edge of something, but we're not breaking through."

Eratz stepped forward.

"Victoria mentioned we'll be leaving the city soon. We'll be exploring on our own other regions for our battles. This will be the opportunity to hunt stronger monsters, so let's focus

on this beastification with our current beasts."

Mercury frowned.

"Wait... But that means we'll split up, right? We've only just started training together."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"It's temporary," Eratz assured her. "We'll meet back at the agency every two weeks. It will

be fun seeing how far we've come. But for now, we need to focus on mastering this technique.

It's the only way we'll be ready."

Kaida, her fiery temper softened, gave a nod of approval.

"You've got the right idea, mate. Let's make these next days count."

The next few hours were grueling. The team pushed themselves harder than they ever had

before, trying to hold their beastified forms for longer periods.

The energy surged through them, wild and uncontrolled, making it difficult to maintain the transformation.

"You're leaking too much energy," Kaida observed, watching Eratz as he struggled to maintain his form. "You need to focus on the weakest form possible in your transformed

state. Pull it back."

Eratz, his brow furrowed, and suddenly had an idea. He resumed his beastification as usual but this time, he with the aetheri.

As he connected with the aetheri, his aura flared brightly, but he began to slowly pull it back, focusing on containing the energy.

It was like trying to hold a specific amount of water in his hands, but with each breath, he gained more control. The light dimmed, the energy becoming more focused, more precise. The room went silent as they watched him. Kaida's eyes widened in disbelief.

"The... Fuck... how did you do that so quickly?"

Eratz, panting slightly, smiled.

"Is that it?"

Kaida shook her head in shock.

"Is that it? ... in a single day? That's not supposed to be easy so quickly, what the hell? How

did you manage that so quickly?"

"... Nothing much, I'm built different?"

She fired off a barrage of questions, her voice a mixture of awe and curiosity.

"Stop being a clown, seriously, what are you? How did you know when to stop? Did you do

that before? What's your training regimen?"

Eratz chuckled.

The others watched, amazed. Mercury felt a slow burst of adrenaline watching him and felt

her determination ignite.

"If he can do it on the first day..., then I'll be the first one with the field spell," she smiled.

For the rest of the day, the team pushed themselves relentlessly, each trying to maintain their beastified forms while keeping their energy in check.

It was exhausting, but by the end of the session, they had all managed to hold their forms for

longer than before.

Though their control wasn't perfect yet, they were making progress. And with each step forward, they were one step closer to mastering the advanced techniques they needed to exist

in the new division.

As they sat together, their bodies tired but their spirits high, Mercury looked around at her teammates, a fire burning in her eyes.

"We're going to show everyone what Crescent Moon is capable of."

Kaida grinned.

"That's the spirit."