Interstellar Beast Master

Chapter 53: Terror Incident III

Ariana sat perched on the table, legs swinging freely as she faced Damian, who sat beside Lyra, doing his best not to reveal how uncomfortable he was.

Lyra’s Blue Slime buzzed excitedly through the air, swirling around Kitsuul. She moved gracefully, four silver platforms of energy hovering beneath her paws, silver eyes glowing with life as she gazed out at the seemingly endless stretch of Ebonreach Metropolis.

Damian gave Ariana a nod, signaling he was listening. But the Trial Guardian huffed over the pounding music, springing up on the table with renewed flair.

"If informative talk isn’t going to keep us entertained during this celebration... then we’re switching to games instead. How about... never have I ever? Drinks up, everyone!"

Her voice was bubbly, yet laced with a hint of mischief and malice, claiming the atmosphere with effortless charisma as she walked atop the long table, commanding attention.

"Never have I ever... entered an Entropic Rift."

A harmless enough question—yet in the next breath, nearly everyone in the private suite raised their glasses and drank.

Except for Lyra Veyrin and Damian.

Even Serena took a sip from a glass of water, silent but participating.

Ariana grinned brightly. Becca raised her hand and caught the mic Ariana tossed with a flick of the wrist, her eyes glittering with mischief.

"Hmm... never have I ever slept with another Beast Master."

...!

The words landed like a slap. Ariana cackled and downed her drink without hesitation.

Alex and several others followed suit. Glasses lifted. Drinks swallowed. Only Lyra, Serena, and Damian remained still.

"Oh my..."

Ariana covered her mouth with faux shock as Serena’s brow creased.

Lyra looked downward shyly, while Becca launched the mic toward Damian.

It flew at his face, and he caught it on instinct, eyes narrowing as he glanced around at the smug, curious expressions of the Glassbloods. Ariana gestured at him while offering her glass for a refill.

"Come on, keep the icebreaker going. Get to know your new friends in ZENTHRA. Never have you ever...?"

They wanted him to play along. He looked at them all, lifted the mic, and spoke calmly.

"Never have I ever killed another human or Beast Master unless it was self-defense."

...!

He lowered the mic, scanning the room.

Ariana smiled with eyes that didn’t match her lips and downed her drink without blinking.

Becca shrugged and brought her drink to her mouth. "One or multiple? Oh well..."

Others followed, drinking without hesitation. As if the question was nothing. As if killing didn’t matter unless it made a scene.

Serena touched her glass, paused, and left it. Lyra stared down at hers—then did the same.

"Haha! Trying to bring down the mood, Therion? I’ll take it from here!"

Ariana beckoned for the mic. Damian tossed it to her.

And—

BOOM!

An explosive crack echoed from a private suite across Club Skyspire.

"Oh?"

Everyone turned. Gazes locked toward the sound.

Flames and shattered glass filled the space beyond. Blood painted the floors. Several Glassbloods lay sprawled or skewered. In the center of the wreckage stood a towering, three-meter-tall Porcupine Interstellar Beast. Its quills vibrated like tuned spears—and then launched outward again.

BOOM!

More destruction. More screams. Multiple suites struck.

Damian’s eyes flared silver. Everything slowed. He could see it all.

His hand moved.

BOOM!

A black-glinting quill the size of a spear hung inches from Lyra Veyrin’s forehead. His hand gripped it, trembling from the force.

A soft blue glow had started to envelop her. But even with it, would her skull have survived the impact?

His heart pounded. He felt it in his bones as he looked ahead.

"That’s a Symbiotic Resonance Interstellar Beast!"

His voice cut through the chaos. Trial Guardians’ beasts surged to high alert.

Spears embedded themselves into the lounge. Becca screamed, her shoulder skewered into the couch.

Above, Serena’s Void Serpent emerged, massive and hissing, as her gaze locked on the burning suite.

More beasts began to appear. Not from the Guardians.

From the invaders.

And atop them—humans dressed in dark, tattered gear.

Ariana’s eyes sharpened as her Winged Peacock Lion leapt to her side. She spat the words like venom.

"Vagrant Beast Masters."

Vagrant Beast Masters.

They attacked with precision, ripping into Club Skyspire’s luxury with brutal resolve. Death and injury already riddled the space.

Ariana roared.

"Let’s fucking show these Filthy Strays what the Trial Guardians of ZENTHRA are made of!"

WAA!

But then...

One of the Vagrants darted into a nearby suite, dark and silent.

Moments later, they emerged holding an unconscious woman—barely clothed, face dazed, skin pale with the shimmer of multiple stimulants in her bloodstream.

A tiny Lightning Eagle flitted at her side, nudging her with frantic energy.

The Vagrant holding her looked furious.

Protective.

From behind him, a shout boomed.

"You fucking Strays! You want to take my plaything? Come the fuck down!"

A blazing roar followed.

A Beast Master, or more likely, a Guardian from a rival Beast Corporation, rose on a massive, flaming Crimson Eel. Fire spiraled around him, his gaze wild with fury.

The Vagrant Beast Masters didn’t stay. With the girl in tow, they moved quickly, leaving destruction behind as they prepared to escape.

Damian watched it all, silver eyes gleaming as if he were watching a film slow to a crawl.

The chaos split into questions.

Who was in the right? Who was in the wrong?

A drugged Beast Master, held in a private suite.

Vagrant Beast Masters—her allies—coming to rescue her.

But in doing so, they unleashed a monster that killed indiscriminately- Glassbloods, lesser Beast Masters, even a few Synthesized Interstellar Beasts.

Where did the line fall?

Kitsuul jumped onto his shoulder, her gaze fierce.

The Vagrants were fleeing.

But then... a pressure fell over everything.

A deep, thunderous voice echoed through the rooftop.

Outside the 250-floor skyscraper, Club Skyspire’s perch, an immense shadow loomed.

A Rhino-Bat Interstellar Beast flapped its colossal wings, lifting into the sky.

"Who," the voice asked, heavy and cold, "is ruining one of my favorite clubs now?"

...!

Damian shuddered.

There.

In the distance.

Guardian Vex Talon was rising from the clouds.