**Part A: The Opening Move**
The massive D-Rank boss loomed over Zero, its serpentine tail coiled and ready to strike, glowing red eyes locked onto its prey with predatory focus. A hissing sound escaped from the creature as it prepared to attack.
The creature's massive blue tail lashed out with devastating speed, aimed directly at Zero, cutting through the air with a whistling whoosh.
Zero's eyes widened, his body moving on pure instinct. *Move!*
He launched himself into the air, jumping with everything he had, and his hands caught one of the reinforced steel bars embedded in the dome's ceiling. The serpent tail crashed into the ground where Zero had been standing a split-second ago, creating a crater with an explosive boom.
Hanging from the ceiling bar, Zero swung his body, building momentum. He released his grip, launching himself toward the monster's head, and landed perfectly on top of the creature's shark-like head, crouching for balance.
Zero drew the standard-issue sword provided for the assessment—a simple but sharp blade that sang as it left its sheath. He gripped the weapon with both hands, raising it high above his head. "Here goes nothing!"
He plunged the blade directly into one of the monster's glowing red eyes.
The creature's entire body convulsed, its mouth opening in a screeching scream of pain as dark green-black blood sprayed from the wounded eye.
---
**Part B: The Counterattack**
The boss thrashed its head wildly, trying to shake Zero off. Zero's feet slipped—he couldn't maintain his hold. "Whoa!"
He tumbled through the air, falling toward the ground, and crashed onto the arena floor. But he immediately rolled with the impact and in one fluid motion pushed himself back up, already running.
As he sprinted, his thoughts raced with strategic planning. *Thanks to Crec, I know monster anatomy. Weak spots. Vulnerable points.*
He charged at full speed toward the wounded, thrashing creature. The boss held one hand over its bleeding eye socket while its other hand began to glow with magical energy.
The creature's mouth moved, speaking in an ancient, guttural language: "⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛! ⬛⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛!"
In the observation room, the operators looked at each other in confusion. "What... what language is that?"
But Zero's eyes widened in recognition. He understood every word. *"Melting Land"?! It's casting a spell!*
The arena floor beneath Zero started glowing red-hot. He changed direction mid-run, leaping toward the ceiling bars again. "Not good!"
Molten lava burst upward from the arena floor in multiple locations, erupting with tremendous force. Zero caught the steel bar just as the ground below became a sea of bubbling, molten rock. Extreme heat radiated upward as the entire floor transformed into a deadly landscape.
Hanging from the bar, Zero quickly secured his sword in the sheath on his back and looked around, assessing his limited options. *The ground's unusable. I need to strike from above!*
He swung and released, propelling himself toward the monster with tremendous force. While flying through the air, he drew his sword in one smooth motion and landed on a small platform of stone that hadn't been consumed by lava, directly in front of the creature.
Without hesitation, he charged at the monster's serpentine lower body, targeting the base of the creature's tail where it connected to the upper body. *If I can take out its balance...!*
He executed a spinning slash aimed at the tail's connection point. The blade connected with the serpent tail with tremendous force—
Instead of cutting through, the sword shattered into pieces against the monster's steel-like scales.
Zero stared at the broken blade in his hand, eyes wide with disbelief. "What?!"
The creature's scales were revealed to be harder than steel, completely undamaged and gleaming in the lava light.
---
**Part C: The Devastating Blow**
The serpent tail suddenly coiled and struck like a massive fist. It slammed into Zero's body with overwhelming force. "GAAAH!"
Zero's body was hurled through the air like a ragdoll, flying across the entire length of the arena before he slammed into the far wall with bone-crushing impact. His body slid down the wall, leaving a trail behind him, before he collapsed into a heap at the base.
Close-up, Zero's face showed cuts, bruises, blood trickling from his mouth. His breathing was ragged and wheezing. He placed his hand against the wall, trying to push himself up, his entire body trembling, but his legs buckled. He couldn't stand.
He doubled over and vomited blood onto the ground, the sound harsh and wet. Unable to stand, he slumped back against the wall, sitting in defeat as his vision blurred. The monster in the distance became indistinct.
---
**Part D: Ryuji's Despair**
In the control room, Ryuji stood at the observation window, hands pressed against the glass, watching Zero's defeat. In fury and self-blame, he slammed his fist down on the control console. "DAMN IT!"
His expression twisted with rage and guilt. "This is my fault!" He gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles white. "I should have examined the new domes myself! Personally verified every system!"
His head dropped, unable to watch anymore. "I can't... I can't watch him die..."
The entire operating team stood in grim silence, helpless witnesses to what seemed like inevitable tragedy.
---
**Part E: The Finishing Blow**
The creature's wounded eye had already begun regenerating. It extended its hand, magical energy swirling and glowing. A massive golden trident materialized in the monster's hand, crackling with electricity.
The boss lifted the weapon high, aiming at Zero's distant, helpless form. The creature's muscles tensed. This was the killing blow.
Zero's lips barely moved, his voice a faint whisper. "...Crec... can you... help...?"
---
**Part F: Crec's Arrival**
Suddenly, space itself seemed to tear open in front of Zero. Cosmic energy exploded outward with a tremendous boom. The cosmic bull Crec appeared from nowhere, his starlit body magnificent and imposing.
Crec positioned himself between Zero and the monster, massive and defiant, his hooves slamming down with authority.
The boss launched the golden trident with devastating force. The weapon flew through the air like a bolt of lightning, electricity trailing behind it.
Crec reared up and slammed both front hooves into the ground with earth-shaking force. From the point of impact, a massive wall of stone erupted upward—a mountain of rock forming in an instant.
The golden trident crashed into the stone wall and lodged deep but didn't break through. The attack was blocked.
Without pausing, Crec lowered his head and charged forward at full speed. His cosmic body smashed through the stone wall he'd just created, pulverizing it as he passed. Rock fragments flew in all directions as Crec burst through.
The bull charged directly at the D-Rank boss with unstoppable momentum, his thundering hoofbeats shaking the entire arena.
The creature quickly positioned its hands, trying to catch Crec's horns. "⬛⬛⬛!"
The monster's massive hands closed around Crec's cosmic horns with a gripping sound. From the monster's perspective, it was like trying to stop a needle with giant hands—the force was unstoppable.
Crec's horns continued forward, piercing through the monster's hands. The boss's eyes widened in pain and disbelief. "⬛⬛⬛?!"
With a violent upward motion of his head, Crec launched the massive creature into the air. The D-Rank boss flew through the air, completely overpowered, before slamming into the ground with devastating force. The arena floor cracked and splintered from the impact of the monster's massive body.
---
**Part G: The Execution**
Crec walked toward the downed creature with deliberate, powerful steps. The boss attempted to push itself up, wounded and weakened, but Crec placed one massive hoof on the creature's chest, pinning it down.
The creature struggled futilely, unable to escape Crec's weight. The cosmic bull lifted his head high, horns pointing toward the ceiling—a pose of dominance.
With decisive force, Crec drove both horns straight down into the monster's chest. The cosmic horns pierced completely through the creature's steel-like scales and into its vital organs.
Dark, viscous blood—almost black with a green tint—flooded out from the wounds. The creature's body convulsed violently, then went still. The glowing red eyes faded to nothing, the light of life extinguished.
The D-Rank boss lay completely still, defeated.
---
**Part H: The Champion's Pose**
Crec stood atop the fallen monster like a warrior on a conquered cliff. His cosmic body—black with countless points of starlight—gleamed magnificently. The bull's head was raised high in triumph, horns pointing skyward.
Dark green-black blood dripped from Crec's cosmic horns, falling onto his starlit body below in a steady rhythm. The image was iconic—a champion standing over his defeated enemy, radiating power and dominance.
---
**Part I: Control Room Shock**
In the observation room, every single person stood motionless, mouths hanging open in complete shock.
One operator finally found his voice. "That... that beast just..."
Another continued, "...killed a D-Rank boss... without a scratch..."
Even Ryuji stared in absolute amazement. *What IS that creature?*
Staff Member 2 spoke in a hushed, reverent tone. "It's like... watching whales fight. We're just humans witnessing something beyond us..."
Every eye in the control room was fixed on Crec's magnificent form.
"That's not a normal beast. That can't be..."
Ryuji suddenly shook his head, priorities realigning. "Zero! We need to save Zero!"
---
**Part J: The Rescue**
He spun toward the operating team, urgency in his voice. "Restore the system! Now!"
The team sprang into action, frantically working at their consoles with frantic beeping. Screens flickered back to life as equipment powered up.
Not waiting for the system to fully restore, Ryuji ran toward the door leading to the arena. He reached the sealed arena entrance, pressing his hands against it. "Zero! Can you hear me?!"
His voice echoed into the arena through the small gaps in the door. "We're going to save you! Just hold on a little longer!"
---
**Part K: Crec's Healing**
The cosmic bull turned away from his fallen enemy and walked toward Zero's crumpled form against the wall. He arrived at Zero's side and carefully lowered himself to sit beside his master.
The cosmic bull's body suddenly intensified in brightness, stars within his form shining more brilliantly. Beautiful, aurora-like energy began emanating from Crec's body—waves of light in cosmic colors that shimmered and flowed.
The radiant energy flowed from Crec toward Zero, surrounding his injured body. Zero suddenly convulsed, coughing violently, then leaned forward and vomited a large amount of blood—but this time, the blood was darkened, contaminated.
His eyes slowly opened, consciousness returning. "...Crec...?"
His vision focused on the cosmic bull sitting faithfully at his side, still emanating healing energy. With trembling hand, Zero reached up and placed his palm on Crec's head. The bull affectionately licked Zero's hand with his tongue, a gesture of loyalty and care.
Despite his pain, Zero smiled softly. "Thank you... my friend..."
The aurora energy intensified around Zero. His wounds began visibly closing, healing with supernatural speed.
In the control room, all systems came back online completely with a loud beep. The sealed door to the arena disengaged its locks with heavy clanking sounds and started sliding open, hydraulics hissing.
Zero's head turned toward the sound. He realized people were coming. *They're coming... they'll see Crec!*
With effort, he spoke. "Crec... return."
The cosmic bull nodded in understanding. "Rest well, Master."
The magnificent bull dissolved into particles of starlight, vanishing completely.
The arena entrance opened completely, light flooding in from outside.
---
**Part L: The Aftermath**
Ryuji led the charge into the arena, followed by operators and medical staff, their footsteps pounding against the floor. They arrived to find Zero sitting against the wall—not unconscious, not dying, but simply... sitting.
The entire rescue team skidded to a halt, stunned.
Zero pushed himself to his feet smoothly, showing no signs of injury. Close-up, his face was clean, unmarked. All wounds had vanished. Even his clothes, while torn, showed no blood.
A medic stepped forward, scanner in hand. "But... you were critically injured! How...?"
The medic waved a medical scanner over Zero's body, and the scanner's screen showed completely normal vital signs—no internal damage, no fractures, nothing.
The operators and staff looked at each other in complete bewilderment. "His readings are... perfect?"
"It was that beast! The cosmic bull! It must have healed him!"
"A beast that can kill a D-Rank boss and heal its master? What rank IS that creature?!"
Ryuji walked forward, stopping directly in front of Zero. He took both of Zero's hands in his own, looking him directly in the eyes. "Zero, I'm so sorry. This was my fault—"
Zero shook his head, cutting Ryuji off. "No." His expression was serious, thoughtful beyond his years. "It was my responsibility. I'm the one who will be entering dangerous situations." He looked down at his hands, then back at Ryuji. "I need to be ready for everything. For anything."
His voice carried a weight of understanding. "It was my own fault that I forgot something important." He clenched his fist. "If a dagger is pointed at your heart, it needs to be sharp enough to pierce through when the moment comes." His eyes showed resolve rather than fear. "I wasn't sharp enough. That's on me."
Despite the seriousness, Ryuji couldn't help but smile slightly. "You're reading too many novels, kid." He placed a firm but friendly hand on Zero's shoulder. "But... I'm glad you're alright."
He straightened up, resuming his official demeanor. "Since you're fine, let's handle the formalities." He motioned toward the door. "Wait in my office. I'll process your assessment results and bring you your Hunter card."
Zero gave a respectful nod. "Thank you, Ryuji-san."
He began walking toward the arena exit, leaving the scene of his near-death experience behind. The entire team watched Zero walk away, still processing everything they witnessed.
One operator whispered, "That kid... he's something else."
Ryuji stared at Zero's retreating figure, his expression complex—concerned, impressed, curious. *That beast... that power... What are you, Zero?*
---
# Chapter 7, Scene 2: Ryuji's Office
**Part A: The Wait**
Zero sat in one of the chairs in Ryuji's office, waiting patiently as the clock ticked steadily. The room was quiet, giving him time to think.
He stared at his hands, flexing his fingers, still processing everything that happened. *I almost died...* His expression became more thoughtful. *If Crec hadn't been there...*
He made a fist, determination replacing fear. *I need to get stronger. Strong enough to survive on my own.*
The office door opened, and Ryuji entered carrying a small case. Zero immediately rose to his feet respectfully. "Ryuji-san."
Ryuji moved to his desk and sat down, placing the case on the surface. "Sit, sit. Let's make this official." Zero returned to his chair as Ryuji opened the case with a soft click.
He looked at Zero with a mixture of authority and concern. "What I'm about to say is important. Listen carefully."
Zero sat up straighter, giving Ryuji his full attention. "I'm listening."
Close-up of Ryuji's face showed an expression grave and significant. Whatever he was about to say would change everything.
"What I'm about to tell you..."