"Uh…"
Auston's words, delivered with extreme arrogance, left the meeting room in a state of utter silence once again. The human leaders had no idea how to respond.
Before them stood two beings of undeniable power: one, a towering beast capable of transforming into a red-haired man; the other, a young boy—Fenrir—whose appearance seemed entirely ordinary, yet he commanded such a massive force of creatures that his extraordinary nature could not be denied.
The leaders of Glory Base struggled to reconcile their limited understanding with the claims made by these beings. Could simply learning someone's name really lead to instant death or a horrifying transformation into some kind of monster?
These humans, whose understanding of extraordinary powers was limited to their rudimentary use of flesh harvested from the god-beasts, could not possibly comprehend the nature of epic beings like Muria or his subordinates. To them, Auston's warning sounded more like an attempt to intimidate than a statement of fact.
Humans are naturally skeptical of the unknown. Until someone makes the fatal mistake of testing the limits, they remain doubtful.
"You don't believe me, do you? It doesn't matter." Auston sneered, his gaze scanning the room. "You don't have to believe me. All you need to do is obey His Highness's commands. Do what you're told, and leave the rest to us."
"That's enough, Auston. Step back."
With a wave of Muria's hand, the previously arrogant Auston instantly became obedient, returning to his usual reserved demeanor.
"My subordinate has some… character flaws, a product of his species. I hope you can forgive his tone," Muria said with a polite smile, turning back to the room. "That being said, what he said is largely true. I'll soon begin making some significant changes to your world, and I'll need your cooperation."
"What do you need from us, sir?" one of the leaders asked, sensing the true purpose of this meeting. "And what kind of changes are you planning?"
"First and foremost, I will modify your God Machines."
"Modify our God Machines?" The leaders exchanged confused glances.
"Your God Machines are built on solid principles, but the core material you're using has serious flaws—ones that can't be ignored. This needs to be corrected."
"What flaws are you referring to, sir?" asked a man in a researcher's uniform. Though he spoke with a calm demeanor, his restrained frustration was evident.
"The third form of the God Machine, what you call the 'Forbidden Devourer Form,' should not be considered forbidden. That form should be a regular part of combat operations, yet for you, it's nothing more than a theoretical possibility."
"That's true. Do you have a solution for this issue?"
"Yes. You're currently using active, processed flesh from the god-beasts as the core material for your God Machines, correct?"
"Yes, we've taken measures to control it, but complete control is still beyond our current technology. That's why the Devourer Form is classified as forbidden."
"With a change in core material, this issue can be resolved. Previously, you had no choice but to use god-beast flesh. But now, I can provide you with an alternative."
"Are you suggesting we use the flesh of your subordinates to create new God Machines?" The researcher's eyes lit up with excitement as he glanced at Auston, standing behind Muria.
The towering dragons, with their immense size and apparent vitality, must possess flesh with extraordinary regenerative properties.
"You dare look at me like that, insect?" Auston's fiery eyes narrowed dangerously, and a wave of oppressive heat radiated from his body. "One more glance like that, and I'll burn you to ash."
The researcher's excitement quickly turned to dread. He lowered his gaze, breaking eye contact with the furious dragon, before turning his attention back to Muria for help.
"That's not necessary," Muria said, breaking the tense atmosphere with a dismissive wave. "I'll convert some god-beasts into new materials for you to use."
The room fell silent, stunned by Muria's calm statement.
"You can… convert god-beasts?" one of the leaders asked hesitantly, unable to fully grasp what Muria was suggesting.
"I can forcibly transform them."
"May we observe this process?"
"Of course."
…
A massive god-beast, over ten meters long, lay trembling on the ground. Its gray-white exoskeleton and thick, horned head gave it a fearsome appearance, while a mane of white fur cascaded down its neck.
Despite its impressive features, this so-called "Apex Predator" of the wastelands now cowered in fear, completely subdued by the dragons that surrounded it.
"This one's so small. You think His Highness will be satisfied with this?" a blue dragon muttered, casting a disdainful glance at the quivering creature.
"There aren't any larger ones nearby," a black dragon replied, scratching his thick, scaled neck with a claw. "We can bring this one back for now while we search further afield."
"Fine."
…
"This is a 'Father Beast'!"
The awe-struck voice of a base officer rang out as he stood before a large containment facility housing the captured god-beast. His face was flushed with excitement, his breath quickened by the sight.
"This is incredible! Your subordinates captured a Father Beast! I never imagined it was possible!"
Standing behind the elated officer, Muria calmly observed the restrained creature. "If I recall correctly, this particular beast has breached your base's defenses three times during past beast tides, resulting in the deaths of nearly a hundred God Machine users."
The blue dragon that had carried the so-called Father Beast snorted disdainfully. "This thing? It barely has the courage to move, and you humans gave it such an impressive title? Pathetic."
"Enough." Muria silenced the dragon with a single wave of his hand, preventing any further embarrassment to the humans present. He stepped forward, climbing atop the containment structure that housed the beast.
As he stood over the Father Beast, the once-proud creature raised its head with great difficulty, meeting Muria's gaze. Its aged, weary eyes reflected the countless battles it had endured.
The moment their eyes met, Muria's gaze turned golden, glowing with an intense, radiant light. The Father Beast immediately recoiled, its instincts screaming in terror. It tried to avert its gaze, but it was already too late.
Through Muria's eyes, the beast glimpsed a towering figure bathed in sunlight, surrounded by storms of lightning—a being of such overwhelming majesty that it could not comprehend.
The flood of information was too much for its limited mind to process. Its consciousness dissolved, its body convulsed violently. Within seconds, the mighty Father Beast collapsed, completely lifeless.
"What… just happened?"
To the humans observing from below, all they had witnessed was a brief exchange of glances. Then, inexplicably, the Father Beast began thrashing wildly, as though gripped by unimaginable terror.
The containment unit creaked under the strain of the creature's violent struggles. Blood sprayed as its armored exoskeleton cracked and shattered.
But mere moments later, the thrashing ceased. The Father Beast's limbs fell limp, its body slumped in defeat, appearing lifeless.
______
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