Outside, the engine of Celia's four-seater convertible hummed low and smooth, the sound rich and controlled, like a predator that didn't need to roar to prove its strength. The metallic body reflected the morning light in sharp streaks, the polished surface almost too clean for a vehicle meant to be driven.
Arceus paused for half a second before stepping in.
Then climbed into the passenger seat.
He pulled the seatbelt across his chest, the fabric brushing against his blazer with a soft scrape, his fingers adjusting it once, then again, more out of habit than necessity.
It's a Cragan…
The thought came instantly.
His eyes moved over the dashboard, the stitching, the interface panel glowing faintly with premium clarity.
Even the entry model is worth 2 million…
His jaw tightened slightly.
This one… at least 4… maybe 5 million credits.
He didn't say it out loud.
Didn't ask.
Didn't comment.
Instead, he sat there, one leg crossing over the other awkwardly, trying to appear composed while something in his chest shifted quietly, not envy exactly, but awareness.
Of distance.
Of difference.
Of worlds.
Beside him, Celia didn't seem to notice.
Or maybe she did and chose not to show it.
She pressed the accelerator.
The car moved.
Smooth.
Effortless.
The city began to slide past them.
Buildings gave way to wider spaces, the density thinning gradually as the concrete edges softened into greenery. Roads stretched longer, quieter, less crowded, until eventually the urban noise faded into something distant and muted.
Arceus leaned back slightly, watching the scenery change through the window.
He didn't speak.
Neither did she.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
But it wasn't empty either.
It carried something unspoken.
***
Eventually, they turned.
Off the main road.
Onto something narrower.
Private.
The tires rolled over a smoother surface, the sound shifting subtly as rows of peach blossom trees appeared on either side, their pale petals drifting gently in the air, some falling onto the road, some brushing lightly against the car as it passed.
The scene felt… curated.
Deliberate.
Like nature had been arranged.
At the end of the road—
A villa stood.
White stone walls.
Bronze accents.
Not flashy.
Not excessive.
But—
Expensive.
In a way that didn't need to prove itself.
Celia parked.
The engine quieted.
And the world seemed to settle with it.
They stepped out.
Arceus adjusted his blazer instinctively again, a small movement, grounding himself as he followed her through the ornate gate.
The courtyard opened up before them.
Wide.
Still.
The air carried the faint rustle of leaves, the distant chirping of birds hidden somewhere in the trees, and beneath it all—
Tension.
Alive.
Because in the center—
There was movement.
Violent.
Precise.
Two figures.
Locked in combat.
A middle-aged woman stood poised, her salt-streaked hair pulled tightly into a high bun, her posture upright, balanced, each movement controlled down to the smallest detail. Her eyes were sharp, cold, like someone who had long since learned to measure people in seconds.
Opposite her—
A young man.
Lean.
Confident.
Sleeves rolled.
His silver-ash hair caught the light as he moved, his stance aggressive, forward-leaning, carrying the reckless edge of someone who trusted his own strength.
And between them—
Beasts.
Lightning Jaguars.
One—
Massive.
Its body larger than the car they had just arrived in, muscles rippling under its fur as electricity crackled faintly along its frame, the air around it humming with pressure.
The other—
Smaller.
Younger.
But fierce.
It lunged repeatedly, claws striking, fangs bared, only to be swatted aside again and again, its attacks relentless but ineffective.
Arceus's pupils narrowed.
Without intention.
Without control.
Lines shimmered faintly in his vision.
***
Lightning Jaguar
Grade: Rare
Level: 46
Lightning Jaguar
Grade: Rare
Level: 32
***
His brows furrowed.
Not at the levels.
At the grade.
"Rare…" he muttered under his breath.
His thoughts shifted instantly.
Calculated.
Compared.
Direwolves… Legendary… Level 50 potential.
Tempest… Epic… Level 40.
Then—
These.
Rare.
And yet—
Level 46.
Level 32.
The pressure alone from their presence made the air feel charged, like static clinging to his skin.
His fingers twitched slightly.
That shouldn't…
The system's logic didn't align.
So… grade isn't everything.
The realization settled slowly.
There was something more.
Something deeper.
Something he hadn't seen yet.
His focus snapped back.
Because the fight escalated.
The young man surged forward, his body moving in sync with the smaller Jaguar, his fist crackling with visible electricity as he closed the distance.
A human.
Channeling power.
Not just commanding.
Participating.
Arceus's eyes sharpened.
So this is what a real tamer looks like…
The woman responded.
Effortlessly.
She moved.
Her body lifted into the air, leg rising high, her posture flawless even mid-motion, the larger Jaguar shifting in tandem, intercepting, pushing the smaller one away in a single, overwhelming movement.
Then—
The young man's attention broke.
Just for a fraction.
His eyes flicked toward the gate.
Toward Celia.
"Celia?"
That was enough.
"Where are you looking, you brat?!"
The woman's voice cracked like thunder.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
The young man's face changed instantly.
Too late.
Her heel came down.
Fast.
Precise.
It struck his forehead with a dull, brutal impact.
Crack.
His body hit the ground hard.
Blood spilled.
Bright.
Startling.
"Argh—!"
The sound tore out of him—
Then stopped.
Because in the next second—
The wound closed.
Seamlessly.
As if it had never existed.
At the same time—
The younger Jaguar yelped, its forehead splitting open, the injury transferring, mirroring the damage that had just been dealt.
Arceus's breath hitched slightly.
Damage transfer…
His mind recorded it.
Stored it.
Analyzed it.
Before he could process further—
Movement rushed in.
Guards.
Medics.
Black uniforms.
Efficient.
Silent.
The injured Jaguar was lifted carefully, its massive body placed onto a reinforced stretcher, its tail twitching weakly as it was carried away.
The courtyard returned to stillness.
But the tension didn't leave.
Arceus stood beside Celia.
Silent.
Observing.
Waiting.
The two tamers approached.
Each step measured.
Each gaze sharp.
Celia moved first.
She bowed slightly.
Respectful.
Controlled.
"Auntie. It's been a while."
The woman nodded.
Once.
Her eyes unreadable.
"You are here."
Then—
Her gaze shifted.
To Arceus.
It lingered.
Measured.
"Who is this young man?"
Celia didn't hesitate.
"He is a friend," she said calmly. "He wants to register as a Hunter. I brought him here for advice."
A pause followed.
Heavy.
The woman's gaze sharpened slightly.
Then—
"You don't have a shred of mana in you."
It wasn't a question.
It was a statement.
Flat.
Final.
Celia nodded before Arceus could respond.
"Yes. He doesn't."
Her tone remained steady.
"That's exactly why I brought him."
A slight emphasis.
"You know hunters like that."
The implication lingered.
Quiet.
Political.
Connections.
Exceptions.
Systems within systems.
Arceus stepped forward.
One step.
Then bowed.
Short.
Firm.
Respectful.
"Vanessa," he said, his voice controlled, steady despite the weight of the moment, "I am a plainfolk."
A breath.
"But I still wish to become a hunter."
Silence.
Then—
Laughter.
Sharp.
Unrestrained.
Jack Will.
"So you don't have mana…" he said, his lips curling as he stepped forward slightly, amusement clear in his tone, "and you want to be a Hunter?"
The words carried mockery.
Not subtle.
Not hidden.
Arceus didn't flinch.
Didn't react outwardly.
He lifted his head.
Met his gaze.
"I'm already raising a beast," he said calmly. "It will take time."
A pause.
"But it will grow."
His voice didn't rise.
Didn't harden.
It remained steady.
"I don't need mental commands to guide what I've raised with my own hands."
Another breath.
"I can become a tamer."
Jack stared at him.
For a second.
Then—
Laughed.
Louder.
"Hahaha!"
He tilted his head back slightly.
"Celia… where did you dig up this fool?"
The words landed.
Heavy.
Deliberate.
And for the first time—
Celia's expression changed.
Sharply.
"Jack."
Her voice cut through the air.
Cold.
Precise.
"Don't."
A step forward.
Her gaze locked onto him.
"Don't you dare talk like that about my friend."
The courtyard stilled again.
Jack's smile faltered.
Just slightly.
But enough to be noticed.
And beside her—
Arceus blinked.
Surprised.
Not by the insult.
But by her response.