Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 144: New Edge



In a dense forest, the silence was disturbed by the sound of frantic footsteps pounding against the forest ground.

The undergrowth rustled violently as three figures sprinted through the trees, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Behind them, the beast charged. It was a massive, lumbering creature, with dark, matted fur that glistened with an oily sheen.

Its red eyes glowed menacingly, and its maw, filled with jagged, yellowed teeth, gaped wide as it roared, the sound reverberating through the forest.

Sharp, black claws tore through the ground, leaving deep gouges in the earth as it chased them, moving with a speed unnatural for its size.

A girl, her brown hair flying wildly behind her, glanced back, her face pale with terror.

"We won't make it!" she screamed, her voice cracking. "It's too fast!"

A young boy, barely older than her, groaned, clutching his side as he struggled to keep up. His eyes were wide with fear and regret.

"We shouldn't have come here!" he panted. "The guide warned us it was too dangerous!"

The third figure, a blond teenager, suddenly skidded to a stop, with an expression of determination mixed with fear. He clenched his teeth, turning to face the beast.

"Keep running!" he shouted to the others. "I'll hold it off!"

The girl hesitated.

"No! We can't leave you here!" she yelled in despair.

He shot them a stern look, his jaw set.

"I'm the team leader! You have to listen to me! It's my fault we came here, let me deal with it!" he barked.

The second boy gulped, torn between fear and loyalty. He took a deep breath, his hand tightening around the girl.

"Alright," he said, his voice strained. "But we're coming back with weapons!" He shouted, giving one last look at the blond teenager before pulling the girl with him as they sprinted away.

The blond boy nodded, taking a shaky breath as he turned back to face the oncoming monster. His legs felt like jelly, but he forced himself to stand tall, even as the beast's shadow loomed over him.

He was terrified, every instinct in his body screaming at him to run. But he stayed, his heart pounding in his chest like a war drum.

The beast lunged, its red eyes blazing as it barreled toward him. For a split second, the boy's resolve faltered. He could feel the hot breath of the creature, smell the rancid stench of its maw, and a wave of regret washed over him.

Then, he saw the light.

An enormous bolt of lightning, struck the ground with a deafening crack, engulfing the beast in a blinding explosion of light.

The air sizzled with raw, electric energy, and the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the forest, shaking the ground beneath the boy's feet.

The force of the lightning knocked him off his feet, and he fell onto his bottom, instinctively covering his face with his hands. He could feel the electric charge in the air, prickling against his skin. The roar of the beast turned into a gurgled whimper before it fell silent.

When the blinding light faded, the forest was eerily quiet. The boy slowly lowered his hands, his eyes wide with shock. The massive creature lay crumpled on the ground, smoke rising from its charred fur, its body twitching slightly before going still.

And standing atop the unconscious beast, was Eratz.

He straightened, the remnants of electric sparks dancing across his body. He turned his head, his eyes meeting the boy's with a calm, almost amused expression.

"Don't worry, I am the weapon."

Alarmed by the chaos, the boy and girl burst back through the trees, panting heavily, the branches scraping against their arms as they ran.

As they stepped into the clearing, their eyes fell on the scene before them. The massive beast lay still, smoke curling from its charred fur, and standing atop it was a man they recognized immediately.

The girl's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. She grabbed the boy's arm, pointing shakily.

"It's... It's..." she whispered in disbelief. "The Pharaoh!"

The boy flinched, his eyes wide as he took a step back. He swallowed hard, staring at the figure in front of him.

"The Pharaoh," he repeated, almost reverently.

Eratz's fame had skyrocketed since his victory at the Greenridge finals. He was no longer just a beast master, he was a phenomenon.

His battles had become the most-watched clips online, analyzed and rewatched by fans and experts alike. People talked about him in cafes, in schools, and on the streets. His face was plastered on posters, and his name trended on every social media platform.

Soon, his popularity became overwhelming. His apartment location was leaked online, and within days, crowds of fans and paparazzi began gathering outside.

They flooded the streets, hoping for a glimpse of the legendary Pharaoh. The constant attention became unbearable, not just for Eratz but for his family as well.

It wasn't long before they were forced to move, relocating to a larger, more secure house in a

quiet neighborhood, tucked away from the noise and bustle of the city.

It was a two-story residence with sleek, modern architecture, surrounded by a high fence draped in ivy and tall trees providing privacy.

With five bedrooms in total, it had a sleek, modern design, with large windows that filled the space with natural light. The backyard featured a private swimming pool, a hot tub, and a deck perfect for family gatherings.

The open-plan living room and kitchen created a warm, inviting space for everyone to relax.

The cost of the new house nearly made Roger collapse on the spot, but when he heard about another consequence of Eratz's post-finals fame, Cassie actually had to perform CPR, much to

Eratz's horror.

The popularity of the finals brought a flood of new opportunities. and Crescent Moon aces found themselves drowning in sponsorship offers, ranging from energy drinks to luxury

fashion brands.

Eratz's face was everywhere: on billboards, in commercials, his name boosting product sales

almost overnight.

With his sudden influx of wealth, he could finally give his family the best life possible. It was a far cry from the struggle they once knew, a complete transformation from hardship to

comfort.

They could finally say it, they were becoming rich, they were having the best life, and it was

only the beginning.

As the reigning regional champion, his only real rivals now were other regional champions, the elite beast masters from across the country.

For the first time in a year, he had something precious: free time. His battles became national events, everyone wanted to see if the next challenger could put an end to the Pharaoh's

winning streak.

Everything seemed perfect. He had a wonderful family, an energetic illegitimate son, a non- official but acknowledged future wife, who had been training on her endurance for a while now for some reason, and he had wealth beyond what he had ever imagined and a reputation that made him a household name.

But despite all of it, despite the fame, the love, and the success, something still nagged at him. It was a quiet, lingering thought at the back of his mind, a single problem he couldn't

ignore.

In the agency gym, Eratz stood arms crossed, a look of mild disappointment on his face.

At his feet, a young trainee was slumped on the ground, breathing heavily. The boy's beast, a small, insectoid creature with razor-sharp legs, was already disappearing, dissolving into a

puff of blue light.

Around them, the gym buzzed with quiet murmurs. Mercury broke into a wide grin and

started clapping.

"Well done, Eratz! You're making this look way too easy!"

Eratz scratched the back of his neck, giving a worried smile.

"Nothing special," he murmured. "I'm just warming up... I just breathed... seriously, I didn't

even started... how is that over?"

Raya was sitting on a bench nearby, casually nodding her head. Kaida stretched her arms overhead, loosening her shoulders, while Catarina and Ryder watched on the front row. The other trainees clustered together, whispering in awe.

The young trainee, still catching his breath, looked up at Eratz with wide, star-struck eyes.

"I knew I had no hope of winning," he admitted, a shaky smile spreading across his face. "But

wow... that's the Pharaoh for you."

Eratz rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh.

"This was supposed to be a fight," he muttered. "What's going on here?"

Zara approached, flipping through a stack of papers on her clipboard. She glanced down at the

boy, then back up at Eratz with a resigned smile.

"Fedrian is one of our strongest rookies," she explained. "But... well, you're... you. So,

obviously..."

Fedrian scrambled to his feet, bowing quickly.

"I'm sorry!" he blurted out. "I thought I could put up a better fight. I really did."

Eratz scratched the back of his neck.

"It's... fine," he sighed. "The problem is, I didn't even have to use my beasts. We can't keep

training like this."

Kaida chuckled.

"Makes sense," she said with a grin. "The level among the regional champions is pretty

insane. I saw that each of your battles was a real spectacle. Guess we'll have to fight each other

if we want a real challenge."

Catarina and Ryder exchanged a look, then glanced at Raya, who smiled as if she had noticed

them.

"Maybe... we can trust the rookies a little longer," Ryder said nervously, scratching his cheek. "Yeah, fresh flesh is best flesh," Catarina agreed, nodding quickly.

Zara crossed her arms, her face serious.

"This isn't good in the long term," she said, glancing around at the group. "We need more talent at the national level. With the next season approaching, our roster's performance has caught a lot of attention, and with your popularity, we might really get selected to the final

stage for any agency." Everyone leaned in, listening intently.

"You guys are selected for a promotion on the national level, but there's more for Eratz and Raya. You guys are being studied by the league for another rank-up," Zara continued. "Thanks to the hype surrounding your undefeated streak, and Raya's unique style, there's speculation that if both of you can perform just as well in the national league, you might get tested for the continental tier sooner than expected."

The gym erupted in applause. Kaida whistled, while Catarina clapped enthusiastically, her

eyes wide with excitement. Even the trainees, usually reserved, couldn't hide their

admiration.

Raya tilted her head.

"I'm honored," she said softly. "But... I was a rookie not too long ago. Is it really wise to push

for such a quick promotion?"

Eratz rolled his eyes, exhaling loudly.

"Yeah, this is going way too fast now. And this whole 'invincibility' hype is getting out of

hand," he muttered. "They're treating me like I can't lose, so the moment I'll lose the entire world's going to come crashing down on me. I know it."

Ryder stepped forward, giving him a supportive grin.

"Oh, come on, man. You're so strong, you might just end up defeating everyone in the

national league."

Eratz snorted, shaking his head.

"Right now, if you put me up against someone on the continental tier, I'd probably lose," he

admitted. "I'm strong, sure, but this level of hype is just ridiculous."

Catarina giggled, nudging him playfully.

"You're different, though, Eratz. Look at me, for example. People say I'm good, they even call

me now Miss Fortune, like if I was lucky to be that strong..."

Kaida smirked.

"That might not be a compliment, Catarina."

Ryder chimed in, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, for me, they just swapped out Gentleman for Paladin... what's wrong with them?"

Catarina ignored them, turning back to Eratz.

"But seriously, I'm nowhere near your level. How do you even manage it?"

Eratz gave a half-smile.

"It's simple," he said dryly. "It's a secret technique called 'Don't make your strongest beast a

kinck'. That's why I'm strong."

Catarina rolled her eyes.

"Null and void. Nyan!" she shot back, sticking out her tongue.

Eratz sighed, his expression growing serious.

"My biggest concern right now is the way I've been winning lately. It's always coming down

to Raijinara, and my Field Spell... oh, and one time with this new mode I got from Raya."

Raya nodded enthusiastically, a small, proud smile playing on her lips. Kaida raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Bro, that's OP."

Eratz let out a sigh, shaking his head.

"My other beasts aren't getting the same result. They're becoming less effective, and I need

to improve fast before meeting another Raya."

The others exchanged knowing glances. They could understand his desire to push past their

limits, to rise above his current level, it always has been his philosophy.

"This is exactly the kind of reflection I'd expect from our ace," the door swung open, and

Victoria entered the gym with her usual smile.

Every trainee stood up straight, showing respect, Victoria greeted the group with a nod, hern/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

eyes landing on Eratz.

She stepped to the center of the room, surveying the fighters with a keen gaze. "I have an announcement to make," she began, her tone firm. "Now that we've officially registered Raya, our roster is almost complete. With two high-level fighters, we will finally be able to enter the team battles."