Part A: Arrival at the Track
The large outdoor track and field area buzzed with energy. A massive crowd of students surrounded the javelin practice zone, all facing the same direction with electric excitement, their collective chatter creating a wall of sound.
Zero and Ryo walked toward the crowded area, curiosity on their faces. "Whoa, what's going on over there?" Ryo asked.
Students stood shoulder to shoulder, craning their necks to see something at the center, the energy palpable and infectious.
"Did you see that throw?!" one student exclaimed.
"He's incredible!" another agreed.
Zero and Ryo navigated through the crowd, weaving between people, muttering excuses as they pushed forward. When they finally broke through to the front of the crowd, they could see what had captured everyone's attention.
A tall, athletic young man stood on the field holding a javelin. This was Kaiden—confident posture, muscular build, clearly a senior student. He wore athletic gear and a distinctive dragon-emblem pendant around his neck that caught the light.
Zero leaned toward a boy standing next to him, pointing at Kaiden. "Hey, who's that guy?"
The boy's eyes lit up with admiration. "You don't know? That's Kaiden!" He gestured excitedly toward the field. "He's the three-time state champion in javelin throw!" His voice carried reverence as he continued, "He's a final-year student here, and get this—he's also a B-Rank Hunter!" He grinned widely. "Today he's trying to break his own record!"
Zero and Ryo exchanged glances, their interest piqued. "A B-Rank Hunter? That's impressive..." Ryo murmured.
B-Rank... Zero thought, watching Kaiden prepare. That's way higher than I could manage...
Kaiden took his position on the field, javelin in hand, his stance professional and practiced. The wind rustled softly as the crowd fell silent, watching with bated breath.
His eyes narrowed with concentration, muscles tensing. Then he began his approach, building momentum with powerful strides that shook the ground. He released the javelin with explosive force, his entire body channeling into the throw.
The javelin flew at incredible speed, creating a visible air pressure trail, literally cutting through the wind with a whistling sound. The crowd gasped and cheered simultaneously, their voices rising in appreciation.
"WHOOOOA!"
Zero and Ryo stared with wide eyes, genuinely impressed. "That was incredible!" Ryo breathed.
But Zero's expression shifted slightly—his observant eyes had caught something. Wait... what was that?
A split-second memory flashed through his mind: Kaiden's dragon pendant glowing red during the throw, pulsing with energy at the moment of release.
As Kaiden retrieved another javelin and set up for his next attempt, Zero watched intently, focusing specifically on the pendant this time, ignoring everything else. Let me see if...
As Kaiden threw, the dragon pendant flared red once more, unmistakable now that Zero was looking for it. There it is again!
He watched through three more throws, and each time the pattern repeated—the pendant glowed red at the exact moment of release, consistent and deliberate.
That's not a coincidence. Every single throw...
Zero turned to Ryo, leaning close and speaking quietly. "Hey, Ryo..." He gestured discretely toward Kaiden's pendant. "Have you noticed his necklace? The dragon emblem?"
Ryo squinted toward Kaiden, uncertain. "His necklace? What about it?"
"Watch it during his next throw," Zero instructed, keeping his voice low. "It glows red every time."
Ryo focused intently on the pendant as Kaiden prepared another throw. When Kaiden released the javelin, the glow was unmistakable. Ryo's eyes widened in realization. "I... I saw it!"
His face became thoughtful, processing what this meant. "That emblem... I think he might have a beast pet." He spoke quietly, sharing his knowledge. "Some Hunters can transform their contracted beasts into different forms—like jewelry, accessories, or talismans. When they need the beast's power, they can channel it through the transformed object without fully summoning it."
Zero nodded, pieces falling into place. "Yeah, I've heard about that before. Masters can change their beasts' forms..." His face shifted to disappointment and frustration. "So then... he's cheating."
He let out a frustrated sigh, looking at the cheering crowd who had no idea what they were really witnessing. "And everyone's just..."
Suddenly, Kaiden's head snapped toward them, stopping mid-motion. His expression was furious, having somehow overheard them despite the crowd noise and distance.
"Hey! You bastards over there!"
All noise stopped. Everyone turned to look at who Kaiden was addressing.
He pointed accusingly, his voice carrying across the field with authority. "I heard you! Did you just call me a cheater?!"
Zero and Ryo froze, suddenly the center of unwanted attention.
Kaiden strode toward the crowd, javelin still in hand, radiating intimidation with each step. "What, you think this is some kind of play? Some kind of act?!" He stopped in front of them, towering over Zero and Ryo, his athletic build and senior status making him physically imposing. "If you think it's so easy, why don't you try it yourself?!"
He grabbed the dragon emblem, holding it up for them to see. "And about this dragon emblem—it's my family treasure!" His expression mixed pride with anger. "That's why I wear it! It just expels some aura during physical exertion. It's completely useless for enhancement!"
He crossed his arms, looking down at them with contempt. "Go ahead, crybabies. Have a try. Show me what you've got."
Without warning, Ryo placed his hands on Zero's back and shoved him toward Kaiden. "Wha—?!"
Ryo leaned close to Zero's ear, voice low and encouraging. "Go! Show them that power you used before in the fight!"
Zero stumbled forward, now standing awkwardly between the crowd and Kaiden. "Ryo, what are you—"
Kaiden's expression became smugly confident, knowing Zero couldn't possibly match him. "Oh? So you're accepting the challenge?" He extended a javelin toward Zero with exaggerated courtesy, dripping with condescension. "Here. Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
Part D: Zero's First Attempt
Zero reluctantly accepted the javelin, gripping the shaft awkwardly. He was clearly not experienced with this. He moved to the designated throwing area, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on him, sweat beading on his forehead. I've never thrown a javelin in my life...
He tried to mimic Kaiden's stance, but it was clearly unpracticed, awkward. He started running, building momentum, but his form was all wrong. When he released with all his might, the javelin arced through the air but barely traveled any distance before falling pathetically—maybe fifteen meters at most.
Kaiden doubled over, laughing uproariously. "BAHAHAHA! Is that it?! Is that ALL you've got?!"
Students covered their mouths, trying not to laugh, some smiling sympathetically, caught between amusement and pity.
Zero's face burned red with humiliation, unable to meet anyone's eyes. This is humiliating...
Still chuckling, Kaiden picked up another javelin and extended it with mock generosity. "Here, I'll give you one more chance. Maybe you were just nervous. Come on, try again. I'm feeling generous."
Zero accepted it, his jaw clenching with determination. I won't embarrass myself again... He walked back to the throwing area, gripping the javelin tighter this time. His expression became serious, focused. I'll show him... I'll use everything I've got!
Part E: The Shattered Javelin
Zero began his approach with intensity, faster this time, channeling his inner strength. Energy began swirling around him—subtle at first, like heat waves distorting the air. His hand clenched the javelin shaft with overwhelming force.
He planted his foot and hurled the javelin with every ounce of power he possessed. For a split second, the javelin moved forward with incredible force—
Then it exploded into fragments mid-air, unable to withstand the force applied to it. Shards of the destroyed javelin scattered across the field, clattering to the ground.
The entire crowd froze. Mouths hung open. Eyes went wide. Complete silence descended like a blanket.
Zero stared at his empty hand in disbelief. "I... I didn't mean to..."
Kaiden's face transformed from smug superiority to absolute rage. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST DO?!"
He charged across the field, fury radiating from every step, and in one swift motion seized Zero's shirt collar with both hands, yanking him off the ground. "Do you have ANY idea how much that costs?!"
He shook Zero violently, screaming in his face. "Those are professional-grade javelins! How are you going to pay for that?!"
Zero's voice came out strained, struggling to breathe. "I'm—agh—I'm sorry! I'll pay you back!" He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I'll cover it in installments! I promise! I didn't mean to—"
"Installments?! INSTALLMENTS?!"
With both hands, Kaiden threw Zero with tremendous force. Zero's body launched backward, sailing through the air like a ragdoll before slamming into the ground hard, tumbling and rolling across the dirt. He landed at least twenty meters away from where he'd been thrown.
Zero lay on the ground gasping, his body wracked with pain, wheezing as he tried to breathe. He attempted to push himself up, arms shaking, barely able to support his weight. Using every ounce of strength, he managed to get to his knees, then slowly, painfully, to his feet.
His mind screamed at him to run, to escape before this escalated further. I need to get out of here... before this gets worse... He took a stumbling step away from the field, trying to quietly leave.
But Kaiden's voice boomed across the field, stopping him in his tracks. "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!"
His face was twisted with fury and insulted pride. "You lowly creatures wanted to know about my beast, didn't you?!" He ripped the dragon emblem from his neck, holding it aloft, the chain snapping. "Fine! You want to see it?!"
He crushed the pendant in his fist, and red energy exploded outward. "THEN FACE IT! COME OUT, CRETAN!"
Part F: The Beast Revealed
Brilliant red light erupted from the shattered pendant, expanding rapidly. Students threw their arms up to protect themselves from the blinding light, screaming in alarm.
Within the red light, an enormous shadow began to take shape, rumbling like thunder. A colossal white bull materialized—pure white fur, massive horns, eyes glowing red with fury. It was the size of a large van, radiating divine power that pressed down on everyone present.
The beast stood on the field, pawing the ground, steam snorting from its nostrils. Its presence was overwhelming, divine, terrifying.
Students screamed and scrambled backward, trying to get away. "IT'S HUGE!" "GET BACK!" "IS THAT REALLY A BEAST?!"
Zero stared up at the massive creature, his face showing terror and disbelief. "That's... that's a divine beast..."
The Cretan Bull's glowing red eyes fixed directly on Zero. It lowered its head, horns pointing forward, and launched forward with explosive speed, the ground cracking beneath its hooves with each thundering step.
Pure terror flooded Zero's features. His body wouldn't move—frozen by fear. It's coming straight at me!
Through sheer willpower, Zero managed to break free from his paralysis and assumed a defensive stance—one arm raised across his body defensively, the other hand held out toward the charging bull, palm forward in a desperate, universal human reflex when facing danger.
"STOP!"
The massive beast thundered toward him, only meters away now. The ground shook with each hoofbeat. Zero squeezed his eyes shut, every muscle in his body tensed, waiting for the devastating collision. This is it...!
The Cretan Bull was right there—one meter away. Its massive horns were aimed directly at Zero's body. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
Then the world went white.
Chapter 5, Scene 2: The Awakeningbif darkness.
Part A: The Collision
The massive Cretan Bull charged forward, hooves thundering against the ground. Zero stood frozen in his defensive stance, one arm raised protectively, the other hand held out in a futile "stop" gesture. The bull's glowing red eyes were fixed on him, its massive horns mere centimeters from his body.
This was the instant of collision.
A blinding white light erupted from the point of impact, consuming everything. The entire scene was overwhelmed by brilliant, radiant white that made it impossible to see anything at all.
Students threw their arms up, turning away from the intense light that penetrated even closed eyelids. "AAAAH!" "TOO BRIGHT!"
The light was so intense that nothing could be seen—just pure, blinding white filling the entire space with overwhelming radiance.
Gradually, the white brilliance started to dim, allowing shapes to emerge from the glare. As vision cleared, a dark silhouette became visible—something sharp, jagged, rising from the ground.
Part B: The Spikes
The scene came into focus, and what it revealed was impossible.
Zero stood exactly where he had been, completely unharmed. But surrounding him, erupting from the earth in a protective circle, were massive jagged spikes—stone-like formations that pierced upward like twisted spears.
The spikes were dark and ominous—a swirling mixture of deep purple and black, like shadowed obsidian or cursed stone. Their surfaces seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it, and sharp, deadly points glistened with an otherworldly sheen.
The massive white bull hung suspended on several of these spikes. Multiple stone points had pierced completely through its chest, stopping its charge completely. The beast's eyes were wide with shock and pain, something dripping from the wounds with a steady rhythm.
Zero remained in his exact defensive stance, as if he'd never moved. His expression was blank, almost vacant—as though he wasn't fully conscious of what had just happened.
Students stared in absolute disbelief, mouths hanging open, unable to process what they were seeing. "What... what just happened?!" "Those spikes... where did they come from?!"
One of the dark purple-black spikes had pierced completely through the bull's chest. White light began seeping from the wound around the spike, hissing as it leaked out. The Cretan Bull's outer layer—which appeared hard like rock or stone—began to crack around the wounds, fissures spreading across its white surface with sharp cracking sounds.
Chunks of the bull's outer stone-like layer broke off and fell to the ground, shattering into fragments. As more of the outer layer fell away, brilliant white light poured from the bull's body like liquid radiance.
The dark spikes embedded in the bull's chest suddenly pulsed and expanded, growing thicker and pushing deeper. The beast's eyes rolled back in its head, mouth opening in a silent scream of agony as its front legs gave out beneath it.
The massive creature crashed forward, its enormous body slamming into the ground with devastating force. The impact created a shockwave that rippled outward, dust and debris exploding upward as the entire athletic field trembled. The watching crowd staggered, losing balance from the ground shaking beneath them.
"WHOA!" "EARTHQUAKE?!"
Amidst all the chaos—the collapsed bull, the shaking ground, the panicking crowd—Zero remained standing in the exact same spot, completely still, as if rooted to the earth itself.
Part C: The Crimson Eyes
Zero's expression was blank, emotionless—but something had changed. Something fundamental had shifted.
His eyes opened wider, and they were no longer their normal color. Instead, they burned with intense crimson light—like blood-red flames, fierce and utterly inhuman. The glow pulsed with power, casting red light across his face, the air around him shimmering with heat.
His mouth moved, but the voice that emerged carried an otherworldly quality—deeper, resonant, commanding in a way that made people's bones vibrate.
"You creature..." His glowing red eyes fixed on the collapsed bull with burning intensity. "You DARED to charge at me?" His voice became imperious, absolute—the voice of something far beyond human. "Now face me here."
The massive beast, still impaled on the spikes, began moving. Its body trembled with effort as the wound in its chest where the spikes pierced began to close. The white stone-like layer regenerated, sealing the wound with a sealing sound.
With a roar of fury, the Cretan Bull tore itself free from the spikes and rose to its feet, eyes blazing with renewed rage. The previously massive hole in its chest was now much smaller—barely a scar. The beast had recovered significantly.
Steam poured from the bull's nostrils as it pawed the ground, lowering its horns for another devastating charge. Then it exploded into motion, charging at Zero once more with even greater fury than before, hooves pounding the earth.
Part D: The Devastating Punch
Despite the charging beast, Zero's expression didn't change. His glowing red eyes tracked the bull's approach with eerie calm. Instead of defending or dodging, Zero deliberately stepped INTO the bull's path.
In one fluid motion, Zero pulled his right arm back, fist clenched, preparing to strike. The bull's massive head was right there—horns aimed at Zero's body. But Zero's fist was already in motion.
His fist drove directly into the bull's chest—specifically into the partially healed wound where the spikes had pierced.
The moment fist met flesh, Zero's hand erupted with dazzling light. A brilliant glow flared around the impact point, as if his fist had ignited the very stone. The stone-like surface of the bull's chest around Zero's fist began to crack and shimmer, the cracks glowing with inner light as if the stone was transforming into pure radiance.
White-hot energy rippled outward from the impact point in waves, spreading across the bull's body like liquid light. The glowing effect became almost supernatural—an ethereal aura that seemed to amplify the force of Zero's blow, making the air itself shimmer and distort.
Zero's entire arm was driven deep into the bull's chest, the glowing energy pulsing around the wound. The Cretan Bull's eyes went wide with shock and pain, its charge completely stopped.
The sheer force of the punch created visible pressure waves in the air, distorting everything around the impact zone. The earth beneath Zero and the bull fractured from the pressure, cracks spreading outward in a spiderweb pattern. The pulsing glow from the punch lit up the entire area in an otherworldly spectacle—everything bathed in surreal white-gold light.
The massive beast's body started moving backward, repelled by the force of the blow. The Cretan Bull staggered back several steps, legs unsteady, unable to maintain its balance.
Zero slowly pulled his fist from the bull's chest, the wound glowing with residual energy.
Part E: The Water Transformation
The Cretan Bull's solid form started to shimmer and distort, becoming translucent. Its entire body dissolved into water—its form breaking apart into flowing, liquid waves that splashed and rose into the air, defying gravity, spiraling around Zero in a growing vortex.
The water formed a massive tornado with Zero at its center, completely encasing him in a swirling prison of liquid that spiraled upward with tremendous force.
From within the water, the bull's voice resonated—but the words were strange, otherworldly, not in any human language: "⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛!"
The watching students looked at each other in complete bewilderment. "What... what language is that?!" "I can't understand a word!"
Even Kaiden, the bull's master, looked stunned. "I've never heard it speak before..."
From within the water tornado, Zero's voice responded—speaking the same unknown language fluently: "⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛, ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛."
Ryo's jaw dropped in shock. "Zero... he's speaking beast language?! How is that possible?!"
The crowd murmured in confusion and fear. "No one can speak beast language! It's impossible!" "What IS he?!"
Within the tornado, the pressurized water began forming into sharp, blade-like projectiles—dozens of them that shot toward Zero from all directions, spinning at high velocity like flying knives, cutting through the air with deadly precision.
Despite the deadly barrage, Zero remained completely calm, his glowing red eyes tracking the incoming attacks without fear.
Part F: The Cosmic Aura
A new presence began manifesting around Zero—something dark, vast, incomprehensible. From Zero's body, a strange aura began to seep out—it was black, but within the darkness, points of light shimmered like distant stars. It resembled the cosmos itself, vast and infinite.
The black-and-starlight aura expanded rapidly, pushing against the water tornado from the inside. The cosmic energy began consuming the water, drawing it inward like a black hole absorbing light. The entire water tornado became wrapped in Zero's cosmic aura—black energy with twinkling starlight completely enveloping the liquid prison.
From within the water, the bull's voice cried out in fear and pain: "⬛⬛! ⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛?!"
The black starlit energy began contracting, pulling everything—the water, the bull—inward toward Zero. The Cretan Bull's form materialized within the water, its face contorted in terror and agony as it screamed: "⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛!!!"
The cosmic aura completely swallowed the water tornado and the bull within it, everything being drawn into Zero's body—or perhaps into something beyond him. The energy created a spiraling vortex like a miniature galaxy, with Zero at its center, water and light spiraling inward.
The bull's voice became distant, muffled, then silent as it was consumed entirely by the cosmic energy. In one final flash, the water, the bull, and the cosmic aura all vanished—absorbed completely.
Part G: The Aftermath
The athletic field fell completely silent. The tornado was gone. The bull was gone. Only Zero remained standing in the center of the field, his arms at his sides, his red eyes still glowing but beginning to fade.
The oppressive darkness lifted, natural light returning to the field. The black starlit energy surrounding Zero gradually dissipated, dissolving into nothing like morning mist. The crimson glow in Zero's eyes dimmed, flickering like dying flames, then extinguished completely. His eyes returned to their normal color.
His blank, otherworldly expression broke. Confusion and exhaustion flooded his features. "What... what just...?"
His body suddenly went limp. His legs buckled beneath him, and he pitched forward, falling toward the ground, completely unconscious. His body crashed to the dirt with a heavy thud.
A panoramic view would show Zero lying unconscious in the center of the athletic field, the ground scarred with cracks around him, the dark spikes crumbled to dust, and shocked students staring in complete silence, unable to process what they'd just witnessed.
Ryo suddenly broke free from his shock and ran toward Zero. "ZERO!"
He dropped to his knees beside Zero's unconscious body, shaking his shoulder desperately. "Zero! Zero, wake up!"
Zero lay completely still, eyes closed, breathing shallow. He was alive, but deeply unconscious.
Kaiden stood frozen in place, staring at where his beast had vanished, his face showing disbelief, fear, and confusion. "My... my Cretan... it's... gone?"
The spell of silence broke as students began whispering frantically. "What WAS that?!" "Did he... absorb the beast?!" "Those eyes... they were glowing red!"
From a bird's eye view, the scene was clear: Zero unconscious on the ground, Ryo kneeling beside him, Kaiden standing in shock, and the massive crowd of students surrounding them in a wide circle, all bearing witness to something impossible.
Despite everything that had just happened, Zero's unconscious face looked strangely peaceful—almost as if he were simply sleeping.