Ryan lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
His body ached with every breath.
The pain from the earlier strike still lingered.
His finger tightened slightly.
" I lost ".
He slowly sat up and summarized the battle.: every decision, every movement.
Then, only he realizes that the main opponent has never been the rabbit.
"It was his father".
"Ryan, come down for dinner!" His mother's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
"coming"..... Ryan replied absentmindedly.
Ryan pushed himself off the bed and walked downstairs.
The smell of warm food filled the air.
His mother standing by the table watches and called out .
"you are late"
Ryan did not respond immediately.
He quietly takes his seat .
Marcus was seated , eating as if nothing has happened .
His expression was calm. Too calm.
He glanced at Ryan , who sat there lost in thought .
A faint grin appeared on his face .
still thinking about it? he asked .
Ryan paused.
I was watching the wrong thing. He said quietly.
A faint mile appeared on Marcus' face.
"Good,"
Then tell me, what should you be watching?
Ryan's fist clenched slightly.
"The one controlling the beast"
Silence fell over the table for a moment.
Marcus nodded once.
Remember that the one controlling the beast is far more dangerous than the beast himself.
Wild had always been the survival of the fittest.
"No one fights fair".
The city is just a safe zone. Beyond it lay the territory of the beast, and those who controlled them are far more dangerous.
Something stirred in his chest.
Not fear but anticipation.
Do you know why we train this early Marcus asked.
Ryan didn't answer but his gaze turned sharp.
The world isn't as simple as you think Marcus continued.
"What you saw today… those rabbits…"
"They are at the very bottom."
Ryan's gaze shifted slightly.
Beast are ranked Marcus continued.
From unranked.....to emperor and beyond that.
Ryan fingers tightened slightly.
Emperor .....he remembered the dragon.
"What about beyond emperor?"Ryan asked with eagerness on his face.
Marcus paused for a moment before replying.
"Beyond Emperor… are Legendary and Mythical beasts."
His tone grew slightly deeper.
"But no one has ever truly seen… or survived an encounter with a Mythical beast."
Ryan fell silent for a moment.
His thoughts lingered on those words…
Mythical beast
Ryan paused slightly.
"What about humans?"he asked.
Marcus glanced at him.
"Humans are ranked too," he said calmly.
Then how do we measure the strength of human? Ryan asked.
Marcus leaned back slightly.
"Through ranks," he said.
"Bronze… Silver… Gold… Diamond…"
His eyes sharpened faintly.
"Each step represents a different level of control, experience… and power."
"A Bronze can barely command a beast."
"A Silver begins to understand."
"A Gold dominates the battlefield."
"And a Diamond…"
He paused.
"…is called a powerhouse."
Ryan hesitated.
"…What rank are you?"
Marcus leaned forward slightly, a faint smile on his lips.
"Do you really want to know?"
Ryan nodded frantically with eagerness on his face.
Come here,
Marcus gestured with his hand.
Ryan immediately moved there.
"Come closer," Marcus said.
Ryan stepped forward without hesitation.
His eyes were fixed on Marcus, filled with anticipation.
Marcus leaned in slightly…
and flicked Ryan's forehead.
Tap.
"Ouch!"
Ryan stumbled back, holding his forehead, his expression stunned.
"You let your guard down," Marcus said with a smirk.
"Seeing the smirk on his father's face, Ryan felt a surge of embarrassment."
"Dad!" he shouted.
Cynthia watched all of this with a smile in her eyes but as their argument grew her smile began to turn colder.
"The air suddenly turned heavy."
"An invisible pressure filled the room."
"Both Ryan and Marcus stiffened instinctively.
In the next instant, both of them shot back to their seats.
Sweat dripped down their foreheads as they silently resumed eating.
"Finish your food," Cynthia said calmly.
Her tone was gentle… but neither of them dared to disobey.
Silence filled the room.
After a while, Marcus finally spoke.
"Tomorrow… be ready."
Ryan looked up.
Marcus's gaze was calm, but there was no trace of his usual playfulness.
"For the next three years, you'll train with me."
A brief pause.
"I'll break you… and rebuild you."
Ryan's pupils shrank slightly.
Three years…?
His grip tightened under the table.
Excitement… fear… anticipation…
All of it surged within him at once.
"What am I even preparing for…?" he asked.
Marcus didn't answer immediately.
His gaze shifted slightly, as if looking beyond the walls of the room.
"A world where strength decides everything," he said at last.
"Where nations rise… and fall… based on power alone."
Ryan's heart skipped a beat.
This was far bigger than he had imagined.
Marcus stood up and turned away.
"Rest well," he said calmly.
"Because tomorrow…"
He paused for a moment.
"…your real training begins."
Ryan clenched his fists silently.
Tomorrow… his life would change forever.
Ryan clenched his fists silently.
Tomorrow… his life would change forever