The Psychopathic Beast Emperor

Bahamut, Sel with Ren on his head, Exildra, Apollonia, and Rakia stood side-by-side and listened to Elder Hakar speak at length. Rakia and Apollonia appeared indifferent to the news, making Bahamut turn to them.

"Are you inner disciples?" He asked, making them look at him like he’d asked a taboo question. Even Ren, Sel, and Exildra couldn’t help but snicker.

"You really don’t know?" Sel finally asked, seeing that Bahamut was getting more confused by the second.

"Isn’t it obvious?" Bahamut shot back with a click of his tongue.

"Sigh... Senior Rakia and Apollonia are Core Disciples," Sel said with a nod of his head.

"They are what?! How?" Bahamut’s eyes widened at the news.

"Core Disciples..." Ren said in a flat tone.

"I thought core disciples didn’t live in the Citadel."

"We are new core disciples with very few missions and achievements under us. That is why we are still here. We have eight more missions to complete, and that would be the last time you see us in the Citadel," Rakia answered with a smile.

"By that... you mean, Sel wouldn’t..."

"Shut the fuck up!" Sel quickly grabbed Bahamut’s mouth with a pale face. "This idiot..."

"Sel what?" Apollonia asked with narrowed eyes.

"Mmmmmmmmm!" Bahamut struggled like a man fighting for his life, his arms flailing as Sel’s hand clamped tightly over his mouth. Sel’s usually calm face was gone, replaced with pure, unfiltered panic.

"Sel... what?" Apollonia repeated, her sharp golden eyes narrowing slightly as her wings shifted behind her. Rakia folded her arms, already sensing something entertaining. Exildra simply watched in amusement, and Ren... The bunny was already grinning.

Sel forced out a laugh. A very fake one.

"Haha... It’s nothing."

"Mmmmm!"

Bahamut jerked harder, nearly breaking free. Sel tightened his grip instantly.

"Nothing at all," Sel continued, voice strained but trying to remain calm. "He’s just... being stupid."

Rakia raised a brow.

"That didn’t look like stupidity."

"That was stupidity," Sel replied quickly.

"Mmm—MMM!"

Bahamut bit down hard.

"FUCK!"

Sel yanked his hand back, shaking it violently.

"You bastard!"

"YOU LIKE HER!"

Bahamut shouted at full volume, pointing dramatically at Sel as if he’d just exposed a world secret.

Everywhere became deathly silent. Even passersby turned to look at them. Sel froze, his expression paling even more. Rakia blinked in shock... she had expected something close, but not the actual thing. Exildra covered her mouth and turned her head, but she was already shaking. Ren rolled on the ground, laughing so hard it looked like he would choke on dust and dirt.

As for Apollonia, she didn’t move or show any expression. She turned her head very slowly, her gaze passing sharply over Bahamut and landing on the main culprit, Sel.

"Is that true?"

Sel’s soul nearly left his body as he answered too fast.

"No." His answer was very obvious to everyone. Bahamut, seeing this, inhaled deeply.

"Oh, it’s VERY tr..."

"SHUT UP!"

Sel lunged and tackled Bahamut to the ground, trying to cover his mouth again, but Bahamut twisted like a snake, rolling them both across the courtyard floor.

"You were staring at her wings yesterday!"

"I WAS NOT!"

"You literally sighed when she walked past!"

"THAT WAS FATIGUE!"

"YOU SAID HER NAME IN YOUR SLEEP!"

"I DO NOT SLEEP TALK!"

"I heard it."

Ren raised a paw lazily. Sel stopped and slowly turned to Ren with dark eyes and a horrific expression that would make any kid collapse in fear.

"...You what?"

Ren nodded seriously.

"’Apollonia... wait... don’t fly away...’"

Exildra lost it and burst out laughing with tears streaming down her face. Rakia turned away, shoulders shaking. As for Bahamut? He was already dying on the ground, laughing. Sel’s face was as red as red could be.

"You’re all dead," he muttered.

"Sel."

Apollonia’s voice cut through everything, calm, controlled, and deadly.

Sel stiffened. He turned slowly.

"Yes?"

She looked at him, long and hard, searching.

"Explain."

Sel’s brain went completely blank. For the first time since they met him, Sel had no answer. Then suddenly, he straightened, coughed once, and returned to his usual calm expression like nothing had happened.

"I want to train with you."

Silence.

"What?"

"I said," Sel continued smoothly, as if he hadn’t just been exposed, "I want to train with you before you leave the Citadel."

Bahamut stared at him.

"This guy."

Apollonia narrowed her eyes.

"That’s it?"

"Yes."

"Nothing else?"

"No."

After a long pause...

"Fine," Apollonia said at last. "We will train."

Sel nodded once.

"Good."

Bahamut slowly stood up, walked over, and placed a hand on Sel’s shoulder.

"...You are a coward."

Sel didn’t even look at him.

"I am alive."

Ren snorted.

"Barely."

Exildra leaned into Bahamut, whispering with a grin,

"He’s doomed."

Bahamut nodded seriously.

"Oh, absolutely doomed."

Behind them, Rakia glanced between Sel and Apollonia, then smiled faintly.

"...This evaluation is going to be very interesting."

...

The training grounds trembled faintly under their presence.

Dust swirled in slow circles, disturbed by the sheer pressure radiating from the three figures standing apart from one another.

Bahamut rolled his shoulders, his bare torso flexing as faint veins pulsed beneath his skin. His blindfold was tied firmly, yet his head tilted slightly, locked onto Ren.

Sel stood a few steps to his right, equally bare-chested, his breathing calm, controlled. His posture was relaxed... but deceptive. Every muscle in his body was primed like a coiled spring.

Between them stood Ren, in his five-foot-tall form, and yet nothing about him felt harmless. His four marks glowed with a strange, unseen light, pulsing like a heartbeat that didn’t belong to this world. His red eyes, now tinged with black, narrowed slightly as he observed the two of them. The air distorted faintly around him. Tier 2.

Bahamut cracked his neck.

"No holding back."

Sel nodded.

"We go all out."

Ren’s nose twitched, and he grinned.

"Try not to die."

BOOM!

The ground shattered beneath Bahamut’s feet as he launched forward first, a blur of raw force and speed. At the same instant, Sel vanished.

Ren didn’t move. He simply stood there waiting. Bahamut’s fist came first, fast and brutal, tearing through the air with enough force to rupture it. Ren tilted his head slightly, making the punch miss. A shockwave blasted past him, ripping a trench through the earth behind.

Before Bahamut could react, Sel appeared right above. A downward axe kick descended like a guillotine. Ren’s ears flicked, and he stepped back.

The kick slammed into the ground.

BOOM!

The earth cratered.

"Too slow," Ren muttered.

Bahamut twisted mid-motion, his leg sweeping low with monstrous force.

Ren hopped, but that was the trap. Sel reappeared mid-air as his fist drove straight for Ren’s ribs.

PAH!

It made contact. For the first time, Ren moved back.

"Oh?" Ren’s eyes lit up. "That had some weight."

He disappeared.

"Above!" Sel shouted.

Bahamut didn’t hesitate. He crossed his arms.

BOOM!

Ren’s kick crashed down like a meteor, slamming Bahamut into the ground and cracking it open. A shockwave blasted outward as dust exploded into the air. Sel lunged through the dust without hesitation.

His fist shot forward, but Ren caught it.

"Got you."

Sel’s eyes sharpened.

"Did you?"

Bahamut burst out from below. His clawed hand shot up and grabbed Ren’s ankle.

"NOW!"

Sel twisted his body. His knee slammed into Ren’s side.

CRACK!

For a split second, Ren’s body bent, but he smiled.

"Nice combo."

A pulse of chaotic energy exploded from his body.

BOOM!

Both Bahamut and Sel were blasted away violently, skidding across the ground.

Ren stretched his neck slowly.

"You’re finally starting to feel like a fight."

Bahamut rose first. Blood trickled down his forehead. He grinned widely and manically. Sel stood next, wiping his mouth.

"...He’s holding back."

Ren chuckled.

"Of course I am."

The ground beneath him cracked as the air twisted. His shadow stretched unnaturally, taking on a monstrous, humanoid shape behind him.

"Come on," Ren said softly.

"Show me something worth breaking."

Bahamut’s aura flared, dark red, violent, and unstable. His muscles tensed, veins glowing faintly. Sel exhaled slowly as his presence shifted, calm but deadly.

Without another word, they moved... this time, faster. Bahamut appeared behind Ren, his fist aimed at his spine. Sel appeared in front, with a straight punch aimed at Ren’s throat. Ren didn’t dodge but blocked both at the same time. Shockwaves exploded in opposite directions as the ground beneath all three collapsed.

Ren’s grin widened.

"Better."

He pushed.

BOOOOM!!!

Both Bahamut and Sel were sent flying like ragdolls, crashing and tumbling across the battlefield. Dust filled the place and slowly settled as they both stood up again. Bahamut laughed low.

Sel adjusted his stance, his eyes sharper than ever. Ren rolled his shoulders.

"...Again."