Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 10: Predator



The street fell silent, the crowd frozen in shock after Eratz had knocked out one of the delinquents.

The remaining members were stunned, their bravado slipping away as they looked at their fallen comrade.

The fire dog, the beast of the boy Eratz had just taken down, growled angrily and charged at Eratz. Its flames flared wildly, and its eyes blazed with fury.

Yet, as it met Eratz's gaze, something shifted. An almost tangible pressure seemed to press down from Eratz, a suffocating, primal force that radiated sheer dominance.

It was as if Eratz had become an apex predator, his presence exuding an aura so overwhelming that it seemed to distort the air around him.

The fire dog's eyes widened in sheer terror, its flames flickering erratically.

The beast's growl faltered, its steps unsteady. Trembling with fear, it retreated, lowering its head and backing away in a submissive gesture.

"Good doggo."

The delinquent leader, seething with rage, stepped forward.

"Who the hell are you? What's your deal?"

Eratz remained calm, his voice calm and measured.

"Just man in mission who saw an opportunity. I'm here to assist the bakery owner in exchange for a few pastries."

The delinquents exchanged angry looks. "So you're playing the hero? Nice try, but you're messing with the wrong crew. We were just teaching this kid a lesson for not knowing his place." the other member clenched his fist.

The boy who had been beaten, his clothes disheveled and face bruised, looked at Eratz with a mix of gratitude and embarrassment.

"Please... Don't interfere. I can handle it."

Eratz sighed, his expression almost annoyed.

"Well, it was only a proposal, what do you expect to do when you're eating the ground anyway? Whatever, if you're sure you want to handle it yourself, I'll be on my way."

The leader's face twisted with anger.

"No way. You're not just walking away. You've made a mess of us, so we're fucking you up now."

The crowd murmured nervously, and someone shouted,

"They've called the police!"

The leader's eyes narrowed.

"Who called the police?!.... Fuck this, we... we... oh..." A cruel grin spread across his face. "Hey, bastard, How about a 2 vs 2 match? That way, the police won't get involved."

He glared at Eratz.

"And when we win, I'll make sure you suffer."

Eratz's eyes gleamed with interest.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"A 2 vs 2 match? Against you?"

A smile graced his face. He had been training a lot but for his debuts as a professional he was starving to test his skills on a normal opponent, and the first offering came so easily. "Fine by me."

The crowd moved to a nearby public court. It was an open area, a bit like a basketball court with faded lines and cracked pavement, surrounded by old bleachers and a few spectators leaning over the barriers.

The air was vibrant with excitement as spectators gathered to watch the battle.

The boy, still shaken but determined, stood with Eratz on one side. Opposite them were the delinquent leader and his goon, a large and imposing young man.

Eratz summoned a single beast, a swift, black creature with piercing eyes and a graceful build. It looked like a mix of a lizard and a peacock.

The boy's raccoon, clearly injured from the earlier skirmish, could barely move, leaving Eratz's beast to face off against the delinquent leader and his partner.

The crowd watched anxiously, Eratz, however, appeared relaxed and intrigued, his gaze sharp as he assessed the battleground.

The battle began with the delinquent leader's thunderbird soaring into the air, crackling with electric energy. His goon's water duck darted forward, sending jets of water toward Eratz's beast.

In a blink, Eratz appeared in front of the leader, his movement so quick it seemed like he had teleported.

The leader's eyes widened in shock, world seemed to have frozen, with Eratz with a terrible smile suspended above him, doom in his fist, just before Eratz's punch landed with a resounding thud, sending him flying out of the battleground and crashing onto the pavement.

Eyes widened in disbelief as the leader lay dazed on the ground.

Cracking his fingers, Eratz looked around at the stunned faces, with an expression of amusement.

"I've been training to fight directly the other tamer because in beast master battles, a direct attack on the tamer is allowed. And if I knock out the opponent, their beast gets disoriented." The crowd gasped collectively, their astonishment turning into an uproar of cheers and shouts.

"Whoa!" someone exclaimed.

"Did you see that speed?" another person shouted.

The thunderbird, seeing its master knocked out, hesitated in mid air. Eratz's beast seized the moment, spitting a toxic ball that knocked out the thunderbird and left it struggling on the

ground.

The spectators were stunned, their amazement growing as they watched Eratz's speed and

skill.

Eratz turned to the second delinquent, who was now visibly terrified. The delinquent's eyes darted around in fear as he took a nervous step back.

Eratz approached him with a casual stride.

"Look up," he instructed, pointing toward the delinquent's feet.

The delinquent's eyes followed Eratz's gesture. Just as he looked at his feet, Eratz's fist slammed into his nose, sending him flying.

"I told you to look up."

The crowd erupted into cheers, their voices merging into a cacophony of admiration and

excitement.

"Incredible!" someone yelled.

"What the hell is this guy?!"

"Is this allowed to fight like this?"

"Yeah, I think, just not that way."

The water duck, seeing its partner defeated and sensing Eratz's chilling aura, recoiled in fear,

its body trembling with terror.

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as Eratz's victory became clear. The boy he had teamed up with stood in stunned silence, his mouth agape.

Colin, who had been watching anxiously, rushed over and hugged Eratz tightly. "That was amazing! You're really a super hero!"

Eratz, who only wished to try his power on another human, smiled down at her, gently

ruffling her hair.

"Yes, Colin. I just wanted to help... Because I'm a hero, a good hero."

Later, near the bakery of the old man, the owner approached with a grateful smile, handing

Eratz several boxes of pastries.

"Thank you so much for your help. Here's a little something for you."

Eratz took the boxes with a nod, holding them carefully. Colin stood beside him, holding a

few boxes too, her excitement barely contained.

As they prepared to leave, the boy from earlier, approached them, curiosity and stupefaction

on his face.

"Wait! Sorry to disturb you, I'm Ryder. I need to know... Who are you? How did you do that?"

Eratz shrugged, a casual grin on his face. "We're just newcomers in town. We helped out

because we're on a mission for pastries."

"And because you're a hero?"

"And because I'm a hero, Colin."

Ryder's eyes widened even more. "Seriously? But you were amazing out there! How did you

move so fast? And where did you learn to fight like that?"

Eratz shrugged casually.

"Nothing special, push ups, sits ups, and plenty of injection."

Ryder looked frustrated but continued.

"But... why did you step in? I could... I could have defended myself... If it was on one on one."

Eratz gave him a playful, teasing look. "Well, I wanted to see what the city had for me, and

I'm not really dissatisfied."

Ryder blinked, clearly not satisfied with the answer.

"Come on, there's got to be more to it than that. You seemed so... so strong."

"It's not a big deal, you're sounding like a fanboy man. But thanks, now that I know this

place, You might see me again if the mood strikes. But right now, I've got to get going."

Ryder's eyes softened a little.

"Well, I hope I'll see you again then, thanks for helping me out. I owe you one."

Eratz waved it off casually.

"Well, this wasn't what I meant when I said I wasn't looking for women."

Ryder watched as Eratz and Colin walked away, the latter chattering excitedly about their

family's reaction.

Ryder's mind raced, trying to grasp the full extent of what he'd witnessed.

"Seriously... What the hell is this guy?"