Chapter 13 - Greed Has a Price
The ancient shrine trembled.
Stone dust drifted from the ceiling.
Kai slowly turned toward the entrance.
Twenty-three students stepped through the glowing gateway.
Leading them was Lucien Ashcroft.
His Storm Eagle circled overhead before landing proudly on his shoulder.
Lucien's eyes immediately fell upon the kneeling Mirror Guardian and the glowing rewards floating beside Kai.
His smile widened.
"So..."
"I knew you were hiding something."
The other students looked around in amazement.
"An ancient ruin..."
"There must be priceless treasures here!"
One noble student whispered excitedly,
"If we report this, our families will be rewarded."
Lucien raised a hand.
"No."
"We're taking everything."
Kai frowned.
"The shrine has already chosen its successor."
Lucien laughed.
"A successor?"
He slowly clapped.
"The weakest student suddenly talks like a hero."
He pointed toward Kai.
"Hand over every treasure."
"And I'll let you leave."
Kai calmly shook his head.
"They aren't yours."
Lucien's expression turned cold.
"I wasn't asking."
---
The Mirror Guardian remained kneeling.
Its crystal core flickered weakly after the battle.
The ancient construct spoke in a fading voice.
"Trial complete..."
"Rewards belong... to the victor..."
Lucien glanced at the guardian with contempt.
"A broken puppet shouldn't speak."
Without warning, he ordered,
"Storm Eagle!"
A bolt of lightning shot toward the guardian.
Kai's eyes widened.
"No!"
The Crimson Flame Fox dashed forward.
Flame Claw!
The flames collided with the lightning.
The explosion echoed throughout the shrine.
The guardian survived...
But another crack spread across its damaged core.
The old construct lowered its head.
"Thank... you..."
---
The students laughed.
"He's protecting a machine?"
"What an idiot."
Lucien sneered.
"You'd rather save a pile of rocks than yourself?"
Kai tightened his grip on his spear.
"It protected this shrine for over three thousand years."
"It deserves respect."
For the first time...
Several students looked uncertain.
---
Lucien grew impatient.
"Enough."
"Take him down."
Six students rushed forward with their contracted beasts.
A Rock Ape.
A Wind Wolf.
Two Iron Boars.
A Thorn Viper.
A Crystal Hare.
Kai took a deep breath.
"We're surrounded."
The fox looked up at him.
"Trust me?"
Kai smiled.
"Always."
The fox's eyes gleamed.
"Then don't move."
It vanished.
A silver blur raced across the shrine.
Instead of attacking the beasts...
It darted between the students themselves.
One tripped over another.
A Beast Tamer accidentally gave the wrong command.
The Wind Wolf collided with the Rock Ape.
The Iron Boars charged in opposite directions.
Chaos erupted.
Kai immediately understood.
The fox wasn't trying to overpower stronger opponents.
It was breaking their coordination.
"Now!"
Kai leapt into action.
Using his spear like a staff, he swept one student off his feet.
He disarmed another.
Within moments, six opponents lay on the ground, groaning.
The remaining students instinctively stepped back.
---
Lucien's smile disappeared.
"So..."
"You've been hiding your real ability."
Kai calmly answered,
"No."
"You simply never bothered to look."
The words struck harder than any punch.
Several students remembered how they had mocked Kai since the Awakening Ceremony.
Had they underestimated him all along?
---
Lucien's face twisted with anger.
"Fine."
"I'll do it myself."
The Storm Eagle spread its wings.
Lightning crackled around the arena.
A powerful pressure swept through the shrine.
The fox lowered its body.
Its crimson eyes narrowed.
Kai could feel the battle ahead would be unlike anything they had faced before.
Just then...
The Book of Infinite Beasts appeared.
Golden words flashed across the page.
---
Emergency Choice
The Mirror Guardian is nearing destruction.
Choose one:
A. Absorb the Shrine's remaining energy to strengthen your beast immediately.
B. Use the energy to save the Mirror Guardian, sacrificing your chance at immediate power.
Warning: This decision will permanently influence your future path as a Beast Sovereign.
---
Kai looked at the ancient guardian.
For over three thousand years, it had faithfully protected the shrine.
Now it waited silently.
Not begging.
Not pleading.
Simply accepting its fate.
Kai closed the Book.
His decision was made.
"I won't become stronger..."
"...by abandoning someone who protected others for millennia."
The shrine suddenly filled with brilliant silver light.
The Book responded to Kai's choice.
A new message slowly appeared.
Hidden Requirement Fulfilled
The heart of a true Beast Sovereign has been acknowledged.