Dominion of The Beast Masters

Leonidas' piercing blue eyes locked onto Nyx. He didn't move for a moment, but the air around him seemed to grow heavier.

Then, slowly, he stood, his presence towering as he began to pace around the table.

"Why am I so certain?" His voice was low, almost a growl, but it carried with it a chilling authority. "Do you think I waste my time on fantasies, Nyx? That I send my best into the wild on whims?"

Nyx began trembling on her chair, convinced that his pace would conclude with a punch on her face.

But Leonidas was eerily calm.

He stopped, turning to face her, his golden hair catching the light like a crown.

"There has been an outburst of mutated beasts, normal creatures stronger than ever before. Coincidentally," he continued, his voice growing colder, "some abnormalities began at the exact same time as the sightings of the unique beasts we hunt. Devastation of nature, more natural catastrophe..."

The room was dead silent as his words sank in. Leonidas' gaze swept over the aces, his sharp features making his contempt clear.

"These beasts are real," he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "And they are no even our goal. The more something exists, the more common it becomes. But if you can use the full extent of these beasts' essence, then you can reach something bigger... the..."

Suddenly, Leonidas paused.

His hand slept into his pocket to retrieve his phone. His expression darkened as he glanced at the screen.

For a moment, he said nothing, and the aces watched in confused silence. Finally, he looked up, his voice clipped.

"This meeting is over," he announced. "The beasts exists, so don't disappoint me."

Without another word, he turned and strode from the room. The remaining aces exchanged wary glances, but none dared to speak.

The quiet click of Leonidas' polished shoes echoed through the sleek hallways of Infinite Twilight's headquarters.

Staff members paused and lowered their heads as he passed, unwilling to meet his piercing gaze.

Reaching the end of the corridor, he opened the door to his office and stepped inside.

The space was a reflection of its owner: imposing, elegant, and utterly commanding.

The walls were lined with dark mahogany, accented by shelves of ancient texts and artifacts.

The centerpiece was an enormous black desk, empty save for a single tablet.

Behind it, a high-backed leather chair faced the floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a panoramic view of the rain-soaked city.

Leonidas closed the door behind him, his expression sharp.

"What is this about?" he demanded.

A playful, melodic voice responded, its tone laced with mockery.

"Just making sure my emotional ally doesn't spill any unnecessary details."

The chair turned slowly, revealing a woman with long, dark silver hair cascading over her shoulders, wearing a sleek, black gown that clung to her body, accented with intricate emerald patterns along the neckline and sleeves.

A high slit revealed elegant, crossed legs clad in black stockings, while her heeled boots shimmered with subtle detail.

She leaned back, her green eyes gleaming with both amusement and malice.

It was Kallistra.

"You've always been so dramatic, Leo," she said, her voice soft but teasing. "But I have to admit, watching you lash out on your pawns is so entertaining."

Leonidas' gaze narrowed, his hands resting on the edge of his desk as he leaned forward slightly.

"I don't have time for games, Kallistra. Why are you here?"

The atmosphere was thick with tension, the only sound the rhythmic patter of rain against the glass.

"I wanted to check on my favorites, of course," Kallistra said lightly, brushing an invisible speck of dust from her gown. "Sia… and little Arin. I needed to see how they're doing. You could even think of me as a concerned… debt collector."

Leonidas didn't flinch, though his jaw tightened at her mocking tone. The room grew heavy with an unspoken challenge. Finally, he exhaled, breaking the silence.

"Sia struggles to fully control her beast," Leonidas admitted, his voice steady and cold. "And Arin has yet to locate any significant targets. They've made no meaningful progress."

Kallistra leaned forward slightly, her elbow resting on the armrest as she cradled her chin in her hand.

Her emerald eyes bore into him, sharp and calculating.

"Is that so?" she murmured, her voice low and dangerous. "Tell me, Leonidas, is this the truth… or just an excuse to delay our agreement?"

Leonidas' gaze remained unwavering, his expression cold.

"You know me better than to question my resolve," he said firmly. "This is the truth. The project faces challenges, but no deal has been violated."

Kallistra studied him for a long moment, the room growing still as the two locked eyes. Then, with a soft sigh, she leaned back in the chair, the tension easing only slightly.

"So much potential," she said almost wistfully. "But in the end, it seems half an Ishtarian simply can't do the work of a full one."

Leonidas' hands pressed against the desk, his posture stiffening.

"If that's all, Kallistra, you can leave now."

She smiled faintly, shaking her head.

"Ah, but there's one more thing. Sia." Her tone grew sharper, cutting through the room like a blade. "I heard she lost a regional-level tournament, even with my little… gift. Curious, isn't it? How does a so-called prodigy fail so miserably with all the cards in hand?"

Leonidas didn't respond immediately, his piercing blue eyes studying her carefully. The tension thickened, the room silent save for the rain outside.

Finally, he brushed the comment aside with a calm yet firm tone.

"She lost because she doesn't yet control the beast. Her opponent's beast dominated it. That's the only reason." He straightened, adding, "Her only saving grace is that her opponent went on to win the league. Nothing more."

Kallistra's smirk deepened as her gaze shifted to the rain streaking down the window. Her voice was soft, almost musing.

"A calamity beast… dominated by what?"

The words hung in the air, their weight palpable. The office felt colder, the tension coiling tighter as the two locked in an unspoken battle of two predators.

In the meeting room, the atmosphere was heavy with a mix of concern and silence after Leonidas' departure.

The aces exchanged uneasy glances, their individual personalities barely contained under the weight of the earlier conversation.

Then, the door creaked open.

Rex entered with a serious gaze, his tall frame and commanding presence immediately drawing attention.

His sharp, intimidating aura filled the room. All eyes turned to him.

But before anyone could speak, Sia stood abruptly, her sharp tone cutting through the tension.

"Rex, where have you been?"

Rex's eyes wandered to the distance, his face unreadable as he replied in a calm voice.

"I was busy."

Iris, chewing her gum, raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What's more important than the director's meeting?"

Rex, maintaining his stoic demeanor, replied flatly.

"There's no point coming to a meeting when you're busy doing something very important."

'Like hiding until this scary man leaves.'

He thought.

Arin stood next, walking toward him with her calm and collected demeanor.

"It's been a while, Rex," she greeted softly.

Rex glanced down at her, his expression softening slightly.

"Arin," he said calmly. "You doing okay?"

The others exchanged puzzled looks, clearly not expecting Rex to act so casually. Sia narrowed her eyes, her thoughts racing.

'Rex... You've been absent for a long time, and now you're saying you were doing something more important than the director's meeting… hold on…'

Rex noticed Sia's intense gaze and felt his heart race.

'Damn… Did she figure it out? I even watered my face and clothes to make it look like I was outside…'

Sia's voice broke his internal panic.

"You're sweating," she said firmly. "So you must have come from very far… and you used your speed to come here and tell us what you found."

The room grew silent as all eyes locked on Rex.

'Roll with it.'

Rex nodded solemnly.

"Yes. I've been roaming in my country. There have been reports of three formidable monsters rampaging in the wild, injuring several beast masters who tried to tame them. I've been searching for them."

Another silence followed. Rex stood rigid, his eyes focused.

'Are they going to blame me? I ignored those reports, thinking I'd handle them tomorrow, but then my favorite team lost the finals, and I locked myself in my room for days…'

Devak broke the silence with a nod of approval. Discover hidden content at m,v l'e|m-p| y r

"As expected from the ace of the agency. You're very efficient, Rex."

The others chimed in, one after another, complimenting him for his dedication and effort. Even Nyx, usually bored and dismissive, gave him a nod of respect.

Rex blinked, his face frozen in a serious expression.

'What just happened?'

Then Sia turned to the group with a determined look.

"In the end, Rex is the first to have found a calamity beast. That's where we'll start. We're going to follow Rex."

The room erupted in agreement, with everyone expressing their readiness to begin the hunt. Rex stood motionless, his face carefully neutral, but inside, his thoughts spiraled.

'Calamity what?'

Sia's eyes shone with resolve as she addressed everyone.

"Let's move. This hunt begins now."

The group began gathering their things, their energy shifting toward action. Rex, however, didn't move, his gaze distant.

'My idol comes to town tomorrow… You can't do this to me…'