Dominion of The Beast Masters

The halls of Genova Academy were unusually tense. Students whispered in clusters, their faces drawn with worry. All eyes seemed to follow Kian wherever he went, though the young Pandora strode confidently through the corridors, oblivious to the unease surrounding him.

"What's with everyone today?"

Kian asked, glancing at Lila, who shrugged.

"No idea," she said, looking around at the unusually quiet crowd. "Feels like they've all gone weird. Do we have something on our faces or what?"

Before either could speculate further, a voice broke through the murmurs.

"It's simple," came a sickly sweet tone.

Kenny emerged from the shadows, his wide, unsettling grin plastered across his face. His teeth gleamed unnaturally, and his eyes glinted with a twisted glee.

"They're just worried about you, Kian. Isn't that sweet?"

Kian turned, his confident demeanor unshaken.

"And why would they be worried? I can beat anyone here."

Kenny chuckled, the sound low and syrupy, almost too calm. He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that still carried through the silent hallway.

"Oh, come now, young Pandora," he cooed, his tone mockingly reassuring, like a predator lulling its prey into a false sense of safety. "You shouldn't overestimate yourself. After all, you're quite the jewel of this academy. It's only natural they'd take an interest in someone as… precious as you."

Lila stepped forward, her fists clenched.

"Back off, weirdo. Your creepy act isn't scaring anyone."

Kenny's grin widened, impossibly so.

"Weirdo? Me? Oh, Lila, I'm just being friendly. I can't help it if some people… misunderstand."

He straightened, his eyes never leaving Kian.

"Don't worry, though. I'm no one special. Just someone who likes you. A lot."

His tone dipped into something darker as he added,

"Young Pandora."

With that, Kenny turned on his heel and walked away, his wide smile lingering in the minds of everyone present. The uneasy silence in the hallway gave way to nervous murmurs as the students exchanged troubled glances.

A few decided then and there to go to the director about Kenny's behavior, their instincts warning them that something was deeply wrong.

The following day, Lisa stormed into Rowan's office, her face pale and her voice trembling with urgency. Read new chapters at M V L

"You have to stop this fight," she said, practically pleading. "Professor, you can't let it happen. You know what kind of person Kenny is. He shouldn't be allowed near Kian and Lila!"

Rowan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Lisa, do you think I don't know that? But this isn't as simple as canceling a match. There are other factors at play."

Lisa's voice rose, her desperation turning to anger.

"Other factors? Are you serious? This is Eratz's family! After everything, you're really going to ignore this? Letting this match happen is just another way to prove how little you care about him!"

Rowan's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained silent as Lisa's tirade continued.

"You, me, and the rest of this academy turned our backs on him. And now you're doing it again, this time to his siblings. Kian and Lila don't deserve this, and you know it. If you won't do anything, I will. I'll tell Eratz everything."

She spun on her heel, ready to leave, but Rowan's calm voice stopped her in her tracks.

"You're right."

Lisa froze, her hand hovering over the doorknob. She turned slowly, confusion etched across her face.

"What?"

Rowan leaned back in his chair, folding his hands neatly in front of him.

"You're right. They are Eratz's siblings. And that's exactly why I hesitate to intervene."

Lisa's confusion deepened.

"What are you talking about?"

Rowan's tone remained calm, but there was a weight to his words.

"If I cancel this match, we're acknowledging that we're letting a problem run unchecked. But letting it happen… letting Kenny face him… will be the best lesson for everyone involved. Including Kenny."

Lisa's face contorted with rage.

"Are you saying you're willing to sacrifice Kian for some stupid lesson?"

Rowan shook his head.

"Not Kian."

He met her furious gaze, his voice steady.

"Just trust me. I know what I saw, and I'm confident in the result."

Lisa trembled, her fists clenched at her sides. She stared at Rowan for a long moment before turning and leaving the room without another word.

Time passed quickly, and soon the tournament at Genova Academy began. The initial matches were simple, low-stakes battles that allowed the younger or less experienced students to showcase their progress.

The audience cheered as participants clashed with basic elemental techniques and summoned their elemental spirits. It was a lively start, but while the crowd enjoyed the spectacle, the teachers and director sat in dead silence. To them, this level of competition for first and second years at a prestigious academy bordered on comedy.

The tension hit a peak when it was time for Kian to face Kenny.

Both stood on the battleground, a palpable energy filling the air. Kenny's unsettling grin returned, his satisfaction clear as he took in the crowd.

"Back here again," Kenny said, his voice dripping with malice. "There's always a second chance for everything, fight, success… Even vengeance."

Kian remained unfazed.

"I don't care about your second chances," he said flatly. "You're just another victim in a list I'll forget."

Kenny's grin widened, and he laughed, a sound that sent shivers down the spines of the audience.

"You'll care soon enough," Kenny sneered. "It'll be funny when my stepping stone is built on this bloodline."

He spread his arms, and the air around him seemed to crackle with power. Elemental spirits of fire, water, and wind began to swirl around him, their energy pulsing brightly.

Then, with a dramatic flourish, Kenny summoned his beasts: a pack of small but varied creatures. The students gasped. Most of the first and some second years only had elemental spirits, but Kenny was proving why he had once stood above them all.

"Mock me, will you?" Kenny's voice rose. "Mock me like the fools you are! I trained harder than any of you could imagine after what happened. And now…"

In the stands, Lisa's hands clenched into fists, her face tight with anger. Beside her, Clara looked nervously at Kian. Kian, however, stood unbothered, raising a single finger in response to Kenny's display.

Kenny's voice grew louder, addressing the crowd.

"Look at me! I'm the proof that resilience pays off! A resurrection! This is my moment!"

The teachers and the director kept their faces impassive as they observed. Kenny turned back to Kian, his voice sharp.

"Attack!"

The beasts charged as Kenny commanded them forward. But before they could reach Kian, a single purple beam shot from his finger, piercing Kenny's shoulder. Kenny staggered, clutching his wound.

The beasts continued their advance, but just as they neared, a barrier of fire and lightning erupted around Kian. The beasts collided with the barrier and disintegrated on contact, their energy returning to Kenny.

The arena fell silent, save for Kenny's sharp intake of breath. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"What was that?" he muttered, staring at Kian.

Kian smirked.

"All this noise for that?" he said mockingly.

Kenny's face twisted with anger and confusion.

"It's a trick! I was too hurried. Watch this!"

He summoned his beasts again, driving them toward Kian with desperation. The result was the same. The beasts dissolved upon hitting the barrier, their energy siphoned back into Kenny.

Again and again, Kenny tried, his commands growing more frantic with each failed attempt. His breaths came quicker, and his movements became erratic.

"Why isn't it working?" Kenny cried, his voice breaking.

Kian's smirk deepened.

"Ah, it's finally taking effect."

Kenny's eyes darted around, panic setting in.

"What do you mean?"

Kian raised his finger again, pointing at Kenny's shoulder.

"The beam I shot? It wasn't just an attack. It was poison. It's devouring you, slowly and thoroughly." His voice dripped with mockery. "And since you're probably as weak as everyone here, it's enough. You're fucked."

Kenny's reaction was immediate and visceral. He lashed out wildly, sending elemental blasts toward Kian, all of which fizzled against the barrier. He tried to summon his beasts again, only to watch them fall apart.

He rushed forward, only to stumble and burn himself against the barrier's edges. Spitting and cursing, he crawled, his body shaking as he tried to push through the pain and the poison.

The students were stunned. Lisa was dumbfounded, her mouth slightly open as she watched the scene unfold. Only Lila remained unsurprised, her arms crossed as she leaned back casually.

Rowan, watching from above, spoke calmly.

"They remind me of Eratz," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "Both of them. Kian and Lila. The way they think, the way they improve… it's creative and relentless. That barrier Kian is using? It's through his elemental beasts, just as Eratz mastered control over his fire beast. Kenny isn't weak, he's just unlucky to have been against this family all this time." He paused, his tone almost reverent. "In the end, blood matters."

On the battlefield, Kenny's movements slowed. His legs shook uncontrollably, and his breaths came in ragged gasps.

"Why…" he rasped, falling to his knees. His vision blurred as he looked up at Kian. "How? I was stronger than anyone before… I'm stronger than any student now…" His voice cracked as tears filled his eyes. "Why am I always defeated ?"

In his final moments of consciousness, the answer came to him. Kian stood tall, his presence unshaken.

"It's always them," Kenny thought bitterly, his vision fading. "His family... These damn people."

He collapsed, unconscious, as the referee raised Kian's hand in victory. The crowd erupted into cheers, but the shock of what they had witnessed lingered.

Kian had won, and Kenny's second chance had been completely crushed by the brother of the man who introduced him to hell.