Gruig's body began to tremble. His breathing deepened, turning into guttural growls that echoed through the empty training yard. A faint ripple of curse energy spread from his feet, black and violet sparks crawling up his skin like living lightning. The ground cracked beneath him.
"Wait—what's happening to him?" Lazry asked, stepping back instinctively as the air thickened with the smell of blood and sulfur.
Butler Winston's eyes widened. "No… it can't be… he's not—he can't be doing this at his age."
Gruig grinned, his teeth sharpening as his spine began to arch unnaturally. "Watch closely," he said between grunts, his voice breaking with strain and excitement. "I've… finally completed it."
His skin rippled. Human flesh gave way to patches of coarse, black fur. His fingers cracked and stretched, nails elongating into thick, clawed digits.
The bones in his legs snapped audibly, bending backward into beast-like limbs. His face twisted, contorting between human and hound, jaw elongating as his teeth grew sharper, his eyes rolling white before settling into six faintly glowing orbs that mirrored his curse beast's.
"Stop it—Gruig!" Winston shouted, but Gruig only laughed, the sound guttural and wild.
"This is it! The Curse Beast Merge! My body—my curse energy—it's synchronizing!"
Veins bulged across his arms and neck, pulsing with violet light.
The wind howled around him, carrying the stench of burning fur and metal. His torso remained human, his chest rising and falling heavily, his muscles trembling under strain, but from the waist down he was no longer human. His legs, tail, and lower back were those of a bulldog-like beast, raw and powerful.
A thick, whip-like tail lashed out, slamming into the dirt and sending a shockwave through the ground.
"I thought it was impossible," Gruig muttered through heavy breaths, his eyes flickering with excitement and pain. "I've been training in secret, every night under the black moon… and finally, I did it. The merge succeeded."
Winston could barely breathe. "At fourteen? Impossible. You're a monster."
Gruig chuckled. "You will not be the first to call me that."
Winston turned to Lazry, voice trembling. "Young master, do you have any idea what he's done? The Curse Beast Merge is a forbidden practice among most conjurers. Only veteran Curse Beast Conjurers who've already achieved perfect synchronization with their beasts can even attempt it. It took me two years—two full years—to master the basics. And this boy, this… kid, has achieved it before he's even reached adulthood!"
He shook his head, his hands trembling. "And not only that—the technique he used earlier… The Black Moon Flame Energy Ball. That's a Lycannis family secret, one of their highest-level flame manipulation techniques! Even the elders rarely grant permission to learn it. He's a prodigy—no, something worse. Something dangerous."
Lazry frowned, still staring at Gruig's monstrous figure. He can't believe it. He tried for months to even feel resonance with his past conjured beasts back then. Now, this kid easily turned to this!?
He clenched his fists. "—he's making me look like a fool."
Gruig smirked, his new beast-like features twisting his face into something terrifying. "Feeling small, senior? Don't worry. It's natural. After all, not everyone is born for greatness."
Winston leaned closer to Lazry, his voice low and urgent. "Young master… we should withdraw. Forfeit and nullify the challenge before it's too late. This boy isn't someone we can handle right now."
Lazry turned to him, startled. "What?"
"Listen to me," Winston insisted. "That Merge—if he's completed it, his strength has skyrocketed. Even if your beast is very rare, it doesn't matter. Once a beast acknowledges a weak master, its level is bound to the master's infusion level. His merge puts him at least at seventh or eighth infusion star. Your beast might only be fourth now."
Lazry froze. His mind went blank for a moment before realization hit him like a blow. "Wait… so even though my beast is very rare… it's weaker because of me?"
Winston nodded grimly. "Exactly. And that boy—he's not just merging. He's controlling his curse flow perfectly. It's not just power; it's synchronization."
Gruig laughed again, flexing his beast-like arms as dark energy swirled around his claws. "Oh hohoho… Look at your faces. Don't tell me you're thinking of backing out now?"
Lazry's throat tightened. In his heart, he wanted to nod. Every instinct screamed at him to step back, to run, to get away from this monster in human form. But his body refused to move. His muscles were frozen.
Then, a sound echoed in his head.
[ Ding!
[ Status: Completed.
[ Level Three: Stay and do nothing while Gruig tries to tame your beast for 15 seconds. ]
[ Reward: Master-level control of your nameless legendary devouring beast. ]
"What?" Lazry muttered. "Yes…go faster…"
He looked at his unmoving hands. His legs wouldn't budge. The system was forcing him to stand still.
Gruig tilted his head. "Right, I have to tame this within 25 seconds, huh? I probably have ten left. Let's end this quickly, " he said despite not having a system.
"Wait!" Winston shouted, taking a step forward, but Lazry's gaze snapped to him—furious, desperate, eyes burning with warning.
Don't move, his eyes said.
But inside, Lazry was different. He was screaming with all his might.
Please, Winston. Stop him! Please! I can't move! I can't even lift a finger! Damn it, please! I'm begging you! Don't just stand there! Do something! He'll kill it—he'll kill my beast! My companion! Please! Please stop him!
His thoughts spiraled, pounding in his head like a storm. He wanted to run forward, to throw himself between Gruig and his black dog, but he was chained by the invisible rule of the system. Every second felt like eternity. He could only watch.
The black dog with six glowing eyes stood still, sniffing the air, unaware of the danger it was in. Its fur bristled slightly, catching the residue of Gruig's curse energy.
Gruig grinned, crouched low like a predator ready to pounce. "Let's see how loyal your beast really is."
He inhaled deeply, his claws glowing with crimson light. The ground beneath him cracked again as curse energy spiraled upward like a tornado.
"Moon Claw!" he roared.
A blast of dark energy shot forward, splitting into sharp wind slashes shaped like crescent moons. They tore through the air with a screech, cutting the ground in long lines as they raced toward the six-eyed dog.
"Stop!" Winston shouted again, reaching out, but it was too late.
The dog turned too slowly, one of its glowing eyes flickering in confusion. Lazry's breath hitched. His heart pounded against his ribs.
"No… no… please…"
The wind howled. The slashes glowed brighter.
Lazry's body shook as he finally realized—he truly couldn't do anything. The system wasn't going to let him move until twenty-five seconds were up. His beast was helpless, and he was helpless too.
"Damn it! Move! Move, you useless body!" he screamed in his mind, tears burning his eyes.
The slashes were almost upon the dog now. The air itself felt like it was splitting apart. Gruig's monstrous grin widened, full of cruelty and triumph.
Winston's voice echoed in the distance, distorted and desperate.
And then—
Lazry closed his eyes. He couldn't do it! He just couldn't! He couldn't bear to watch what came next.