One day had passed since the Beast Slayers raided the Rogue branch. The city was calming down, though rumors still buzzed through the streets.
Amid the bustle, Luxe stepped out of the semi-modern market with a bag of groceries in hand. He crossed the street toward a coffee shop called Lucker.
His phone suddenly rang. Luxe answered it.
"Hey, finally you picked up, Luxe! Where have you been?! Did you see the news last night? Where are you right now?!" Steve's voice came through in a rush, urgent.
"Ah… sorry. I slept most of yesterday. I'm heading to Lucker. You mean the raid on that Rogue branch?" Luxe replied calmly.
"Sleeping all day? Are you kidding me! And that's not all… wait—are you at Lucker? Don't go anywhere, I'm coming over!" Steve blurted, then cut the call.
Luxe waited in front of the café, smiling faintly as he glanced at his gear.
"My scythe's been registered… and the Swift Boots are finished. Light, but sturdy."
"Luxe!" Steve called from a distance, waving. His eyes immediately landed on Luxe's boots.
"Wow! Where did you get those? Did you make them?"
"No," Luxe chuckled. "A blacksmith made them, but the materials were mine. Where have you been, Steve? Come on, let's go in."
Steve nodded eagerly. "Alright!"
They stepped into Lucker; the smell of roasted beans welcomed them—warm, calming after the market's chaos. They ordered drinks and sat at a back table. The café was lively but relaxed, the aroma of coffee filling the air.
Steve leaned in and opened the conversation.
"Hey, you know about that raid, right? During the Beast Wave, there was apparently a mysterious Beast that helped. Lots of rumors… someone among the Beast Users might be involved."
Luxe nodded briefly, keeping his face calm. Thankfully, only his eyes had shown on the news, he thought.
"Yeah, I know."
Steve dropped his voice. "Now it's getting louder because Ivy told the Association she glimpsed the head of that Beast. She said the eyes were black-and-white… it wore a knight's helmet. There was a black-and-white aura around its head."
"Haa… what?" Luxe stiffened, surprised. So Ivy really did see Prism Ward's head during the Beast Wave…"Wait, does that mean she didn't see Miravore?"
Steve kept going. "You know, a few days before the Rogue Slayers attacked the city, there was that raid video showing a Beast Slayer team being interrupted by Prism Ward—the Duke-tier Beast!"
"Yeah… I know," Luxe answered quickly, trying to stay neutral.
"The Association even showed that footage to Ivy. She said it looked similar, but she wasn't sure it was actually Prism Ward."
Luxe exhaled quietly, a little relieved. At least Ivy wasn't certain.
"But," Steve tapped the table, eyes flashing, "after that raid, when reinforcements arrived, Prism Ward disappeared. The Association concluded Prism Ward must have been tamed by someone!"
Luxe forced down his expression and sipped his drink as the waiter arrived with their orders.
"So what if Prism Ward was tamed?" Luxe asked, feigning indifference.
Steve's eyes went wide; he almost snapped. "Are you insane?! That's a Duke Beast! It's extremely rare for anyone to own a Duke-tier pet!"
Luxe's throat tightened.
Steve continued, animated. "Sure, some resonate with King-tier beasts—for example Ivy resonates with the Frost Queen. But her pet's highest tier is Lord!"
He added quickly, "Maybe Moore resonates with a King too, but as far as I know his pets top out at Lord as well."
Luxe tried to cut in, calm. "Well, there are a few top Beast Slayers who have Duke-tier pets, right?"
Steve nodded, quick to agree. "There are. But just a handful—countable on one hand, Luxe!"
Luxe arched an eyebrow. "Still, they exist. Even some King-tier beasts are tamed, aren't they?"
"Yes—but even rarer. The problem now is: if Prism Ward has been tamed, who tamed it? Prism Ward isn't in the Association's database, nor in any of the guilds' databases. That makes them nervous… they fear Prism Ward could fall into Rogue hands."
Luxe spoke carefully. "But isn't it a good sign? If the Beast that helped during the Beast Wave actually aided the Beast Slayers, then its owner likely isn't a Rogue. They helped us, not attacked us."
Steve leaned closer. "That's exactly why the Association is both relieved and worried. From recordings and witness statements, it clearly helped our side."
He paused, drank, then fixed Luxe with a sharp look. "But…" his voice lowered, "that complication is what makes this messy."
He leaned in further. "When I registered my Tigrix Rex—even though it was still a baby—they almost refused to believe it. They said they would confiscate it for 'research'."
Luxe frowned. "You mean they actually wanted to examine Tigrix? Or was that just talk?"
Steve's expression went dour. "I don't know. Maybe it was real, maybe it was an excuse. Luckily my father's connections kept them from seizing it. In the end Tigrix Rex got registered."
Luxe asked quietly, "So you're saying… the Association sometimes takes other people's Beasts?"
Steve let out a long breath and looked down for a moment before meeting Luxe's eyes. "Officially? No. They always say it's for research, for safety. But in practice, when a rare Beast appears without a clear origin, they'll find a reason to 'study' it. And 'study' can mean confiscation."
He tapped the table with his finger, serious. "If not for my father, Tigrix Rex might've been taken. Fortunately it was officially registered."
Luxe thought to himself, Good call—Prism Ward must never be registered. And if Miravore couldn't shapeshift, I would never have dared to register it.
Steve checked his watch and stood up, suddenly in a rush. "Alright, I have to get to my father's office." He downed the rest of his drink and smiled. "Hey—how about we raid together tonight at Pinefall Sector 3? I heard there are more Beasts there than in other sectors."
Luxe glanced at Steve. "A raid? Tonight?"
Steve nodded confidently. "Yes. Things are calming; the Rogues are under pressure. It should be fine. Besides, I want Tigrix to level up—if he stays in baby form I'll fall behind."
He chuckled, eyes bright with excitement. "A raid will help him grow faster—maybe even evolve."
Luxe sighed, then gave a faint smile. "Alright… besides, my scythe's registered." He rolled the subspace ring on his finger; the dark metal gleamed faintly under the café light.
Steve grinned. "Perfect. See you tonight at Pinefall Sector 3."
They left the café. The midday streets bustled with vendors and pedestrians—an ordinary contrast to their serious conversation.
"See you tonight," Steve said, waving before heading off.
Luxe gave a slight nod as they parted.
Meanwhile, in a dark room lit only by the pulsing red of an essence crystal, a Rogue leader slammed his fist onto the table.
"How did our branch get wiped out?!
And one of our elites has disappeared until now!
Information leaked—there must be a traitor among us!"
The room fell quiet under the tension.
One of the other leaders smirked and produced a Pocket Screen; its green light pulsed.
"Relax. Sooner or later we'll find the traitor."
He pointed to a blinking signal on the screen.
"What matters more… tonight, a Lord Beast has been detected in Pinefall Sector 3."
On the display, a large blip pulsed with layered, chaotic readings.
"Grimthorn Stag…" a Rogue Slayer whispered, face paling.
The leader smiled thinly. "We'll send in several elites. That Beast will be ours… and we'll use it to strike the Association back!"