Dominion of The Beast Masters

Kenny's reaction was immediate and venomous. His fists clenched, his face twisted with anger as he lashed out.

"You think I'm the only one to blame?" he spat. "It's easy for you, sitting up there, acting all high and mighty. Do you know what it's like? To be mocked, humiliated, treated like garbage by everyone around you?"

Rowan remained silent, his expression unreadable, as Kenny's tirade continued.

"Eratz this, Eratz that," Kenny sneered. "Like he's some untouchable god. Everyone loves him, but they forget what he was. I wasn't the only one who made mistakes back then. You want me to bow down and kiss his feet? Admit I'm the monster?"

His voice cracked with a mix of fury and desperation.

"I'm not the only one who's screwed up! Why should I have to grovel while he gets to be the hero?"

Rowan sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly, as if the tension had left him completely.

"If that's how you feel," Rowan said quietly, "then there's no reason for me to help you."

The calmness in Rowan's tone seemed to strike Kenny harder than any shout or reprimand. His face fell, his bravado crumbling as panic set in.

"Wait! No, no, please," Kenny stammered, his voice suddenly desperate. "I'm sorry, I… I didn't mean it like that. I… I'm just lost, okay? I don't know what to do anymore. Everything's a mess, and I… I don't know how to fix it."

Rowan leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto Kenny.

"You don't know how to apologize?" Rowan asked, his voice calm but sharp.

Kenny froze, realizing the trap he had walked into. He stumbled over his words, his hands gesturing wildly.

"No, I mean… I… I just don't know where to start. Eratz is… he's so far. What do I even say to someone like that? I…" His voice trailed off as Rowan's gaze remained fixed on him.

Taking a shaky breath, Kenny corrected himself. Enjoy exclusive content from M V L

"I don't know how to do it. Please… tell me what to do."

Rowan leaned back in his chair, his expression softening slightly, though the weight of his words remained heavy.

"This is your last chance," Rowan said firmly. "Genova is organizing a major event to showcase its growth and gain recognition. We're setting up exhibition matches against some of the biggest organizations. If things go well, there's a strong chance you'll face Golden Cosmos."

Kenny's eyes widened, the mention of Golden Cosmos pulling him back into focus. The silence that followed was heavy.

"You have a choice," Rowan continued. "You can prove your honesty there. Apologize to Eratz and show to everyone that you are ready to change, or you can fall back into the pit you've been digging for yourself. But understand this, Kenny. If you fail there too, you will lose everything. No more excuses."

The two of them sat in silence, the weight of Rowan's ultimatum pressing down on the room. Kenny's mind raced, torn between fear, anger, and the faintest glimmer of hope.

For now, he could only nod, his voice caught in his throat as Rowan's words echoed in his mind.

A few days later, Eratz emerged victorious once again, this time from another grueling continental-level match. The victory cemented his reputation as an incoming legend, a tamer whose name was spreading in the world.

Later that evening, he stood on a high cliff overlooking the ocean, the vast expanse reflecting the waning sunlight. The wind ruffled his hair as he held his phone to his ear, speaking with Zara.

"How are Mercury and Milo?" he asked, his voice steady but tinged with concern.

Zara sighed audibly on the other end.

"Mercury's been holding up, but… she's adamant about keeping this a secret from Milo. She thinks it's better if he doesn't know anything. At least not yet. Same for everyone except for Victoria."

Eratz was silent for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. The sound of the waves crashing below filled the pause. Zara's voice broke through the quiet.

"Eratz? Are you there?" she asked, her tone cautious.

"Zara," he said slowly, his voice distant. "Let's say I became the strongest man in the world. In a world where strong beasts make the free roaming of tamers mandatory, a world where the threads are becoming... Dangerous… what would happen if I killed a random person?"

The line went dead silent for a beat before Zara's voice came back, sharp and alarmed.

"What the hell are you talking about? That's insane, Eratz! You can't... you shouldn't even think about something like that! Do you have any idea what that would mean? You'd lose everything! Your reputation, your career, your… your life! And for what? You want to be a murderer, Eratz?! Because of one man? Is this the kind of person you are??"

Eratz didn't respond immediately. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, his expression unreadable. Zara's voice grew more frantic.

"Look, I know this whole thing with their father is awful, but it's still their father. It's not your decision to make. Mercury wouldn't want you to…"

"That's the problem," Eratz murmured, almost to himself. His voice was barely audible over the wind. "He's not related to me. To me…"

"What?" Zara asked, her panic giving way to confusion. "What did you say?"

Eratz shook his head slightly, his tone shifting back to its usual calm.

"Nothing. It was a stupid thing to say. Forget I mentioned it."

"Eratz..." Zara began, but he cut her off.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice steady but final. "We'll talk later."

Before she could respond, he ended the call.

The conversation lingered in his mind as he looked out over the vast, churning sea.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep shades of orange and purple.

Eratz dialed a different number. When the call connected, his voice was firm.

"I want to talk."

The response on the other end was brief but affirmative.

"At the agency," he added. "After everyone leaves."

The call ended as quickly as it began. Eratz tilted his head back, tossing the phone high into the air.

A sleek, winged beast swooped down from above, catching the device effortlessly in its talons before disappearing into the twilight sky.

Standing alone on the cliff, Eratz exhaled deeply. The unique beasts, the thing he felt beyond, Kallistra and Tamara, and now Mercury and Colin's father.

The weight of the world seemed to press heavier on his shoulders, but his resolve only hardened.

The time for waiting was over. He needed to act, and soon.