The Psychopathic Beast Emperor

Sel was currently meditating on the roof of their residence when a voice sounded in his head.

"Head to the southern edge of the outer district, and you will find a pathway leading to a stream with a forest across it. Stop Bahamut from losing his mind completely. Hurry now! I will get the others..." The voice sounded hurried, and he instantly recognized it as Elder Silvia’s voice. Hearing that Bahamut was involved, he knew instantly that he’d gone rogue as he had on their mission. But from the way Elder Silvia sounded...

"It has gotten worse..." Sel whispered as he jumped down from the roof about 12 feet. His eyes shimmered with green light as he shot forward at speed, generating a slight gale in his wake.

’Hope he hasn’t done anything irreversible...’

...

Sel had reached the southern edge pretty fast. His eyes glinted faintly and narrowed as a small dagger materialized in his hand. He took to the pathway, his senses spread out for any sudden attack. His footsteps sounded loud as he walked through the silent place. Soon, he heard the sound of running water.

’I’m close!’

Following the sound, Sel finally reached the opening where the stream flowed gently and untouched by the chaos Bahamut brought... yet. His eyes narrowed sharply as he looked around. His eyes caught something lying just at the bank of the stream. He quickly moved towards and saw that it was Bahamut’s blindfold. At the same time, he heard a very loud scream, raw and primal... cut short. A chill passed through his spine as he got goosebumps.

He knew what that scream meant: Death. Someone or some people had died. Looking around at the footsteps, he realized that Bahamut was fighting multiple people.

Sel got up instantly and jumped across the stream. The moment his feet landed, he rolled to the side, dodging a sharp tree branch that got stuck in a tree across the stream. He raised his head instantly, but there was nothing there, meaning that the attack wasn’t for him. It was just a stray. He got up, his senses pushed to the max, and the dagger... now exchanged for a spear. With the sharp head of the spear facing downwards, Sel sprinted forward. His senses had picked up something twelve meters ahead.

On his way there, he stepped into a pool of blood. Looking down, he saw a badly mangled body beyond recognition. He visibly shivered, looking at the deep claw marks on the body. They looked more dangerous than the ghoul’s claws.

"Bahamut... What have you become?" Sel muttered as he got up, crouched low, and moved inside. He had walked a good distance when his senses screamed at him. Sel twisted his body abruptly and held his spear in front of him at the same time, blocking a claw of red nails. His eyes widened at the being in front of him with crimson eyes, black sclera, and a wide smile, with his mouth dripping with blood and a few pieces of meat stuck in his teeth.

"Bahamut?!"

"New food?"

Sel’s expression turned grim as he jumped back. Bahamut had really killed those people, and worse of all... He’d eaten them. He had truly become a monster, an unrecognizable monster. Sel was caught between disbelief and sorrow.

"What’s with that face? Don’t you want to become my food?" Bahamut said in a mocking tone that creeped the very soul of Sel. A heavy wave of death intent and brutality washed over him, making his legs almost give way. The current Bahamut was familiar yet unfamiliar. He had become a monster, but Sel could tell that this new Bahamut was who he was actually supposed to be... A brutal monster.

"Bahamut... I know you are in there. Forgive me for this..." Sel muttered as he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Bahamut was standing in front of him with his unnerving smile and a claw heading for his face. Sel saw everything in slow motion, but he wasn’t happy with it. His friend had lost his mind. What angered him the most was that those who caused this were no more.

His eyes turned emerald and glowed as he flashed out of the way.

BOOM!

The wind generated from the attack destroyed a tree, while deep claw marks appeared on the ground. If that attack had gotten him, Sel would be no more. Sel shivered at the thought, but he wasn’t in the mood to waste time. He shot towards Bahamut with his spear.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as his body shot forward, spear drawn in a perfect line, his posture low, precise, and efficient. Bahamut’s head tilted slightly, his grin stretching wider.

"Fast..."

CLANG!!!

The spear struck. Bahamut’s elongated red nails intercepted it mid-thrust, the impact sending a violent shockwave through the clearing as the surrounding trees trembled. Sel’s eyes sharpened.

Bahamut had stopped his fast spear with one hand. This was an attack that was fully powered by his concept. Even if his concept was still new, it was in no way weak.

Bahamut leaned in, his crimson eyes glinting with madness.

"Mine now." His other hand shot forward with sharp speed.

SHINK!

Sel twisted his body at the last possible moment, the claw grazing past his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood as he pivoted and drove his knee into Bahamut’s ribs.

BOOM!

The hit landed solidly, but nothing happened. Bahamut didn’t budge. Instead, he laughed.

"Is that it?"

Sel’s expression hardened as he released the spear instantly, flipping backward just as Bahamut’s claws ripped through the space his head had been a split second before.

CRASH!

The ground exploded. Sel landed lightly, sliding back as his hand extended. A spear appeared in his hand instantly, surprising Bahamut. Looking in his hand, he noticed that there was no spear in his hand. Sel had recalled his spear!

This was something only possible with marked artifacts. All of Sel’s weapons in his storage ring were marked artifacts, bound to him, so he could recall them when he lost them, but they had a range. At the moment, if it was beyond ten meters, he would have to go take it himself, or lose it forever.

His aura flared faintly green as the halo behind him flickered into existence.

"I won’t hold back..."

Bahamut’s voice dropped as his smile turned wider. He crouched low, like a beast ready to pounce.

"Seems my food is tired of playing."

BOOM!!!

Sel’s senses screamed as Bahamut vanished from his position.

LEFT!

He twisted. The spear intercepted the claw again, but this time the force behind it was monstrous. Sel’s arms trembled as he was driven backward, his feet carving trenches into the ground. Bahamut pressed forward relentlessly, his attacks coming faster now... wild, savage, and almost unpredictable.

He was fighting like a beast.

SHIK! SHIK! SHIK!

Claws rained down like a storm. Sel blocked, deflected, and redirected. His movements were precise, minimal, and controlled, but the pressure kept increasing. Bahamut was getting faster and stronger with each attack.

His grin widened as his body blurred.

"Keep up!"

BOOM!

A sudden kick slammed into Sel’s side. He was launched, crashing through two trees before forcefully planting his spear into the ground to stop himself. Blood dripped from the corner of his lips.

"Damn it!"

Before he could recover, Bahamut was already there.

"Too slow."

Sel’s eyes flashed, and he vanished just as Bahamut’s claw tore through the space he occupied, reappearing above him mid-air with his spear raised high.

"Fall!"

He drove it down with everything he had.

BOOOOM!!!

The impact shattered the ground, forming a deep crater as dust and debris exploded outward. For a moment, there was silence. Sel panted, gripping his spear tightly, and called out.

"Bahamut?"

A chuckle echoed from below, low and twisted.

"That tickled."

Sel’s eyes widened.

CRACK!

A hand shot out of the dust, grabbing the spear.

YANK!

Sel was pulled down violently. Bahamut’s head smashed into his face in a brutal headbutt. His vision blurred instantly as he was thrown across the clearing like a rag doll. He rolled, coughed, and forced himself up, just in time to see Bahamut already rushing him again.

No breathing space!

Sel gritted his teeth.

"Focus!"

His eyes glowed brighter, and the world slowed. Every movement became clear, predictable, and readable. Bahamut’s claw came from the right... Sel sidestepped. A second came from below... He pivoted. A third from behind... He ducked and spun. His spear moved like an extension of his body now.

SHINK!

He struck, the blade piercing Bahamut’s shoulder. Blood splattered, and for a split second, there was stillness. Sel’s breath caught as he realized that it was far from over. Bahamut grabbed the spear shaft and smiled.

"Found you."

His head snapped forward with another brutal headbutt. Sel’s grip broke as his body staggered. Bahamut’s knee followed immediately.

It slammed into Sel’s stomach, lifting him off the ground. Sel choked, his body folding...