The corridor stretched endlessly, lit only by the faint blue glow of inscriptions carved into the floor. Rows of iron cages lined the walls, each containing a creature—scaled, furred, or feathered—radiating power in their own unique way.
Dick sauntered, his footsteps echoing against the stone. Every cage bore a plaque etched with a Beast's name, breed, affinity, personality, evolutionary line and rank. He skimmed the glowing words, half-interested, half-numb.
There were dozens of them, each different in size, color, and temperament. Some slept quietly. Others growled low, their eyes burning through the bars. The deeper he went, the stronger their presence became.
Evalyn's voice echoed in his head:
"You may only choose from the D-rank Beasts. Anything higher will kill you before you can tame it. A Beast's Particle count must never exceed your own, or the contract will reverse, and you'll become the Beast's slave."
It was needlessly complex. Dick didn't care much for power or contracts. His goal was simple.
Find a way to die.
However, to achieve death—to break the Death God's blessing—he knew personal strength would become essential. Not only would he need to override his new body's instincts with his own, but he'd have to gain somehow enough power to rival the will of a god. Or he'd need to find the will to live…
Impossible.
A Beast had no direct influence on personal strength; it could only serve as an aid in battle. Which is why finding a Beast that would not hinder his plans was essential.
He stopped at one of the cages. Inside coiled a small but muscular serpent, its scales translucent like polished glass. Two delicate fins ran along its back, shimmering faintly as it breathed through rhythmic, pulsing gills.
Name: Cutie
Sex: Female
Breed: Bijou Leviark
Affinity: Water
Personality: Calm, loyal, territorial, and protects its master without hesitation
Evolutionary Line: Bijou Leviark - D rank → Abyssal Leviark - S rank
Dick crouched to meet its gaze. The creature lifted its head, eyes the color of the deep sea. He could feel its aura, resonating with his own. The pull of kinship between them was undeniable.
A perfect match. Too perfect.
Dick sighed and straightened, brushing the dust from his newly restitched and magically cleaned cloak.
"Sorry, Cutie. You'd pair too well with me."
I don't need a Beast that will protect me once I break the blessing.
He turned and continued down the hall, leaving the serpent's longing gaze behind.
The next cage he stopped at contained a bizarre-looking bird. It was small, no bigger than a baseball. It had bright yellow feathers with streaks of black lightning etched along its wings. The strange part about the bird was its beak and eyes. They were made entirely of crackling electricity.
Name: Voltwing
Sex: Male
Breed: Storm Finch
Affinity: Lightning
Personality: Energetic, mischievous, and fiercely independent. It tests potential masters by shocking them; loyalty must be earned through resilience.
Evolutionary Line: Storm Finch - D rank → Tempest Raptor - C rank → Skyborne Thundralis - A rank
Dick sighed as the overenthusiastic Storm Finch darted around its cage, sparks crackling with every flap of its wings.
"Not this one either," he said. "Getting shocked sounds… extremely unpleasant. Especially since I'm basically made of water now."
Still, something about Voltwing caught his attention. It's evolutionary line.
Unlike the Bijou Leviark, which evolved directly into the S-rank Abyssal Leviark, the Storm Finch's path branched twice, ending not in an S-rank, but an A-rank form.
He rubbed his chin, eyes trailing the glowing plaques as he continued deeper into the chamber.
"What's the max rank, anyway?" he murmured to himself. "S seems logical. Every Beast I've seen so far caps at A, except the Leviark…"
His gaze drifted down the dim corridor.
"I'm guessing Deviants follow the same system. D, C, B… all the way to S."
The moment came quietly.
Dick had almost stopped looking when a shape that didn't belong among the cages of snarling monsters caught his eye.
A dog.
It wasn't massive or glowing or covered in fangs like the others. Just an ordinary black dog, about the size of a German Shepherd. Its fur was long, unkempt, and faintly shimmered under the inscription lights. Hollow eyes stared from behind closed lids. Unlike the others, it wasn't growling or restless. It was… sleeping.
Dick stepped closer, crouching before the cage. His gaze slid to the glowing plaque beside it.
Name: Unknown
Sex: Male
Breed: Unknown
Affinity: Nothing
Personality: Lazy, nonchalant
Evolutionary Line: Unknown
Rank: D
He blinked.
"Nothing?" A faint laugh escaped him. "How can something have no affinity?"
Then his grin turned sharp.
"This is perfect."
No affinity, no ambition, lazy, and probably wouldn't even care if its owner died.
Without thinking, he pressed the small red rune that read Release. The protective barrier fizzled out with a low hum.
Inside, the dog stirred, but only to roll over and snore louder.
"Figures."
He knelt beside it, careful not to wake the creature fully, and tried to recall Evalyn's words.
Forming a bond… right. Place your hand on the Beast, then open the Locker near your heart. Every Deviant has a space in their soul where their Beast resides. Otherwise known as a locker.
He hesitated only a moment before laying his palm gently on the creature's flank. Its fur was cool, softer than he expected.
Okay. Find the Locker.
He closed his eyes, searching inward. Within the vast ocean of his body's Particles, he felt something small, tucked behind his heart. A circular vault no larger than a coin.
Found it.
"Open."
The word was a whisper, but power rippled through him. The Locker door swung wide, and a stream of blue Particles surged out, racing through his veins to his hand. They sank into the dog's body, vanishing beneath black fur.
The creature stirred again, one eye half-opening to meet his. Its gaze was ancient, dull, but aware. It regarded him lazily, as though mildly inconvenienced by existence itself.
Then it yawned utterly unbothered and shifted to get more comfortable before closing its eye again.
Dick arched a brow.
"Oh? Real nonchalant, huh?"
He gritted his teeth and pulled. His Particles coiled around the creature's foreign energy, twining together like two mismatched heartbeats trying to sync. Then, with a final tug, both streams were dragged back into his chest. The Locker sealed shut with a heavy thrum.
For a moment, Dick couldn't breathe. His vision blurred, his pulse syncing with another rhythm that wasn't his own. He could feel the faint, steady breathing, a flick of an ear, and the slow, dreamlike rhythm of the dog's heart.
When he opened his eyes, the cage was empty. The dog had vanished, dissolved into drifting motes of black light that faded into him.
He exhaled shakily, rubbing his chest.
It felt strange, heavy, and uncomfortable but not painful.
It was as if his body no longer belonged to one person.
But two.