Present Day
The boss stormed through the dimly lit corridors, muttering, "Why can't they handle one person?" His frustration simmered just below his gritted teeth.
"Sir…" a subordinate beside him stammered, "that person isn't… ordinary."
The boss stopped mid-stride, his glare like a blade slicing into the man's trembling form. "Neither is this business," he sneered, leaning in. "Or have you suddenly grown a conscience?" With a shove, he sent the man stumbling back before striding into the main chamber.
Inside, the caged mystical beasts thrashed and whimpered, their terror thickening the air. Even the slaves, beaten and broken, huddled together, their gazes locked onto the dark tunnel.
"What the hell is wrong with the beasts?" the boss snapped.
One of his men cracked a whip against a large creature's cage, but instead of retaliating, it shrank into the shadows, eyes fixed on the entrance. The boss snatched the whip and lashed the bars himself, but even the feral wyvern cowered, pressing itself against the cold steel.
"Boss…" the nervous subordinate swallowed hard. "What about the person—he's almost here."
The boss sneered. "What do you think we're going to do? We'll kill the damn bastard ruining our business!" But even as he spoke, the distant screams of his men cut through the air, echoing from the tunnel like a death knell.
The beasts fell silent. The slaves didn't even dare breathe.
Then—nothing.
The silence was heavier than any noise before it.
The boss's fingers twitched. This isn't normal. His mind whirred through possibilities—mercenaries, bounty hunters, assassins. But deep down, a primal instinct whispered: It's none of those.
Then something rolled out of the darkness. A severed head. It stopped at his feet, eyes still frozen in terror.
The boss looked down, unphased, then lifted his gaze as a figure emerged from the shadows.
An older man. Black hair streaked with gray. A simple tunic, worn trousers, boots. A presence that made the air itself grow heavy.
Subaru.
His calm, piercing eyes drifted across the room, studying the cages, the slaves, the blood. Then, with a faint smirk, he spoke.
"Quite a gloomy place you have here. Smells like piss, fear, and bad decisions."
The boss curled his lip. "You've got some nerve walking in here alone, old man."
Subaru strolled past a cage, glancing at a whimpering chimera. "Oh, I'm not alone. You brought company." He gestured to the scattered corpses outside the tunnel. "They just… didn't make it very far."
The boss's eye twitched. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
Subaru sighed, tilting his head. "You kidnapped a child today. I'm feeling generous, so I'll make this simple. Hand him over, and I'll let you and your men—well, what's left of them—walk away."
The boss chuckled, a low, mocking sound. "Or what? You think one old man can take on all of us?"
Subaru exhaled through his nose. "See, that's the problem with you bottom-feeders. Always thinking numbers will save you." He glanced at the surrounding guards. "All I see are corpses that don't know they're dead yet."
The boss's patience snapped. "Kill him."
The men surged forward.
Subaru barely moved. A flicker—then a blur.
The first wave of attackers froze mid-charge. Heads tumbled from their shoulders, their bodies collapsing like marionettes with cut strings.
Blood sprayed.
The second wave hesitated.
Subaru wiped his sleeve across his face, sighing. "Really? That was it? If this is all you've got, I'm almost embarrassed for you."
The remaining men trembled. One dropped his sword. Another took a step back.
The boss's knuckles turned white. "What the hell are you all doing?! Attack!"
No one moved.
Subaru chuckled, shaking his head. "Look at them. They know." His voice dropped, almost amused. "They see it, even if you don't. You were dead the moment I walked in."
A man turned to run. Subaru didn't even glance at him. A flash of steel—his head hit the ground before his body even realized it had been cut.
Another man tried to scream. His throat was slit before a sound could leave.
The slaughter was instant.
The boss's breathing turned ragged. His men—the ones who had laughed, beaten slaves, and cracked whips just minutes ago—were reduced to limp bodies in a sea of red.
Subaru stepped forward, his boots splashing in the warm puddles. "I warned you. Really did. But you people always have to do things the hard way."
The boss stumbled back, hitting a cage. The dire wolf inside didn't snarl. Didn't snap. It just watched—like everything else in the room—because even beasts knew when a predator higher on the chain had arrived.
The slaves watched in horrified awe, but none were harmed; Subaru passed by them without a second glance. The mystic beasts, silent and submissive, cowered in their cages as though in reverence.
Soon, only the boss remained. Bloodied, shaking, but standing. He clenched his fists, eyes burning with rage. Subaru cocked his head, raising an eyebrow.
"Why aren't you running?" Subaru asked, a slight smirk curling on his lips. "You've seen what happens to the others, right?"
The boss didn't respond. His mind raced. Panic clawed at his throat, but his body refused to move. His fingers twitched toward his belt.
Subaru's eyes flickered downward. "Ah. There it is. The last, desperate trick."
Without another word, the boss ripped out a vial and downed it in one gulp. The moment the liquid hit his throat, his body convulsed. Flesh twisted. Bones cracked. His veins bulged, darkening as his body stretched into something monstrous. Muscles expanded grotesquely, his skin hardening into thick brown armor. His jaw distended, revealing rows of serrated teeth, and his eyes burned like molten fire.
Subaru watched the transformation with mild interest, arms crossed.
"Well," Subaru said, nodding in approval. "I have to admit… you definitely look better this way. Before? A bit of an eyesore."
The boss let out an ear-splitting roar and lunged, a clawed hand swiping with monstrous speed.
Subaru tilted his head slightly, stepping aside like he was dodging a lazy breeze.
"Really?" he sighed. "You take a super-drug, become a giant brute, and this is what you do? Just swing like an angry toddler?"
The boss growled and swung again, harder. Subaru barely moved, the attack missing by mere inches. He sighed dramatically, shaking his head.
"Y'know, I expected more. Something creative. A little razzle-dazzle. Maybe some fire breath? No? Just mindless smashing?"
The boss let out a feral snarl and launched a punch. This time, Subaru didn't dodge. He caught the boss's massive fist with one hand.
The entire room trembled.
The slaves flinched. The caged beasts let out whimpers. The force of the impact sent cracks crawling up the stone walls—except Subaru didn't budge an inch.
Subaru looked at the massive hand he was holding, then back at the boss. "Is that all?"
Before the monster could react, Subaru drove his knee into its stomach.
BOOM.
The boss's body exploded backward, slamming into the wall so hard that it caved in around him. Dust and debris rained from above.
Subaru rolled his shoulders. "Come on. You drank the fancy juice, do something."
The boss staggered out of the rubble, snarling. His skin was cracked, dark blood dripping from his mouth.
Subaru grinned. "Oh? Still standing? Not bad. Alright, let's see what you've got."
With a monstrous roar, the boss lunged again, moving faster than before. He twisted mid-air, using his tail like a whip. Subaru dodged the first hit, but the tail came around again, aiming straight for his skull.
Subaru's arm blurred.
CRACK.
The tail—twice as thick as a tree trunk—snapped like a twig. The boss howled in agony, staggering backward.
Subaru sighed. "Did you really think that would work? You don't get it, do you?"
The boss, panting, bared his fangs. "I—"
Subaru disappeared.
In the blink of an eye, he was in front of the monster, fist cocked back.
"You're already dead."
BOOM.
The punch connected. The boss's entire body folded around Subaru's fist before he was sent rocketing across the chamber. He smashed through several pillars, each impact shaking the ground like an earthquake. His limp form landed in a heap, twitching.
Subaru cracked his knuckles, approaching. "So? Had enough? Or do I need to keep playing with my food?"
The boss groaned, trying to push himself up.
Subaru knelt beside him, voice quiet. "You feel it, don't you? The fear. The realization." He leaned in, whispering, "That you were never the predator in this room."
The boss coughed, spitting blood.
Subaru clicked his tongue. "Y'know, I was really hoping you'd put up more of a fight. Guess I overestimated you. That's on me." He raised his fist for the final blow.
Then—
A whoosh of fire.
Subaru turned just in time to block the incoming flames, his hand slicing through the blaze effortlessly. As the fire died down, a new voice cut through the smoke.
"Now, now, Subaru," the voice drawled playfully. "No need to be too rough."
Zephyr stepped into the light, golden eyes gleaming with amusement.
Subaru's expression darkened. "I thought I told you never to show your face around me."
Zephyr smiled lazily, unfazed. "Ah, but you say a lot of things. Some of them I choose to ignore."
Subaru flexed his fingers. "You know, I was this close to having a good night. And now you show up."
Zephyr shrugged. "Apologies for the interruption. But I'll be taking that man off your hands." He snapped his fingers. From behind him, an injured Raphael was dragged forward, unconscious.
Subaru's eyes flickered dangerously.
Zephyr smirked. "Relax. He's alive. For now."
Subaru looked at the boss's limp form, then back at Zephyr. Without a word, he grabbed the boss by the collar and threw him. Zephyr caught him effortlessly.
Subaru's voice was ice. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood."
Zephyr grinned. "Oh, I know." Then, in a flash, he and the boss vanished.
The moment they were gone, Subaru turned to Raphael, kneeling beside him. His pulse was weak but steady.
Subaru chuckled. "You've crossed paths with him, huh? Bad luck, kid."
Carefully lifting Raphael, Subaru approached the cages. With one sweep of his hand, the locks shattered, chains falling away like dust.
The slaves hesitated, their eyes flicking between Subaru and their broken shackles.
"This is your chance," Subaru announced. "Free the rest and get out of here."
He threw a small, glowing orb, which landed in the center of the cage, pulsing with warmth. The slaves flinched, unsure, but Subaru's voice softened, if only slightly.
"If you have nowhere to go, wait here. Someone will come to give you a new life."
The slaves exchanged glances. Fear lingered in their eyes, but a spark of something else—hope—began to form.
Subaru turned away, Raphael held securely in his arms. He didn't look back as he walked toward the exit.
The beasts, the slaves, the ruins of the slaughter—all left behind.
He glanced down at the unconscious boy, his expression unreadable.
"This kid… he's been through hell." His grip tightened slightly. "But whatever he's carrying inside him… it's strong."
His eyes darkened, a rare flicker of something almost human in them.
Then, without another word, Subaru disappeared into the night.