Days passed for Rio,
as he mingled with the villagers, as if trying to forget his superhuman strength.
The tattoos on his body faded, the fire in his eyes lessened,
and a human smile gradually returned.
It was as if he was trying to hold himself together amidst a quiet life, even though a danger still lurks within him.
As for Lloyd… he began to control the beast within him, little by little.
It was no longer just an instinct that surged; he began to train to control his power,
fighting other monsters in the forests and snowy regions,
testing his limits… and discovering new facets of his strength every day.
One quiet night,
when the snowy winds were light,
Lloyd was wandering through the highlands and distant forests.
By chance, he arrived at a new southern village he had never visited before.
But this village was no ordinary one.
The people there weren't just humans…
They were transforming into predators:
Snakes slithering swiftly, huge bears roaring, tigers and wolves, even eagles soaring in the sky.
All of them a mixture of human and beast, but the predator was clear in their eyes.
Lloyd felt a shiver run through him… He wasn't afraid of the humans, but of the power that lay within them.
It was as if this village was teaching him an early lesson:
In the predatory world of snow, no one can survive if they don't know how to control the beast within.
Lloyd began to move through the village, observing their movements,
and observing himself… Would the human within him remain? Or would the beast overwhelm everything?
Lloyd began walking slowly among the villagers. Every step on the icy ground was cautious, every movement watched by the sharp gazes of predators.
He approached a young man who seemed more aware than the others and asked,
"What is this place? What happened here?"
The young man took a deep breath and began to explain:
"This large village… was the victim of a gas bomb three centuries ago. It exploded here, killing many…"
Lloyd was stunned by this information.
The young man continued,
"The gases contained a deadly poison… those who inhaled it would lose consciousness… but when they opened their eyes, they acquired the genes of a predator."
Lloyd turned sharply to the young man, curiosity and astonishment mingling in his eyes.
The young man went on,
"The wolf species, for example, have an amazing ability known as the ambush. Those who are lucky might survive… and those who aren't… die after the first strike."
Lloyd shook his head slowly, trying to process what he'd heard.
Then he remembered the attack the bear he'd encountered earlier in the forest had suffered… He began to suspect that this bear wasn't just an ordinary beast, but one from this village… one of the lucky ones who had acquired the predator's power, and perhaps had tricked him when he gained it.
Quietly but firmly, Lloyd asked the young man,
"Are these genes acquired? I mean, can anyone acquire them simply by defeating the predator?"
The young man smiled calmly and said,
"Yes… that's possible."
At that moment… Lloyd shuddered inwardly.
Everything became clear:
He wasn't born with this power;
He had acquired the predator's genes.
After discovering the truth about the predator's genes, Lloyd met the young man who helped him understand the village.
"I'm Mizuno Kaino," the young man said with a calm smile. "And I'll show you how to live here if you want to stay."
From that day forward, Lloyd lived with him in the town, a place unlike any village he had ever known, and he had to adapt to a life he had never imagined.
Days passed, and Lloyd grew accustomed to the nature of the beasts, learning how they interacted with one another and how predators behaved in hunting and daily life.
He began going out with Mizuno and the group on group hunting trips, each assuming their predator's form, galloping through the forest or among the hills, pursuing prey or avoiding conflict, as if it were a ritual passed down for centuries.
During these days, Lloyd was not only learning about hunting, but also about controlling the beast within him, testing his strength, understanding his limitations, and gradually beginning to forge his new identity, a hybrid of human and beast. Mizuno Kaino was always by his side, guiding him, teaching him, and warning him against mistakes that could lead to losing control, reminding him that the predatory world of snow has no mercy on the weak, and that every wrong step could be his last.