Renji arrived at school earlier than usual, heading straight to the faculty office. Today was the day he'd finally receive his deployment card. Since the academy had already confirmed his beastline affinity as E-Rank, all that was left was to register for his first official gate entry.
"Here's your card," the teacher said casually, sliding the small metallic badge across the desk.
Renji accepted it, but instead of just pocketing it, his eyes flashed faintly blue—activating his Heavenly Eyes.
System Scan Activated
Name: Josh Andrew
Beast Type: Ant-Type
Renji blinked in surprise. It worked on him. A grin spread across his face. But then another thought crossed his mind, chilling his excitement. Strange… why didn't it work on Mr. Ain?
He slipped the card into his pocket and left the office, deciding not to overthink it. By mid-morning, he was already on the bus headed for the outskirts of the city—where the shimmering gates towered like fractured glass in the sky.
When he arrived, two armored guards stood at the entrance of the glowing portal, checking each student's card carefully.
Renji stepped forward, showed his card, and one of the guards scanned it with a handheld device. The machine beeped green.
"You're clear. Proceed."
Renji exhaled slowly, clenching his fists as he stared into the swirling vortex of the E-Rank Gate.
My first real step inside a dungeon…
And with that, he walked through.
Renji stepped through the shimmering gate, the world bending around him until he landed softly on a field of green.
At first glance, it was beautiful—too beautiful. Vast plains stretched endlessly before him, covered in moss that squished beneath his boots. Towering stalks of crystal-like flowers loomed overhead, each one larger than a tree, their petals glowing faintly with unnatural light. Vines twisted up their stems like snakes, pulsing faintly as if carrying lifeblood. The air was thick, humid, and heavy with the scent of nectar mixed with decay. It was like walking into a garden abandoned by gods—paradise twisted just enough to feel wrong.
Renji moved cautiously, every step deliberate. For three whole minutes, nothing came. No rustling of enemies. No hint of predators. Just silence—oppressive silence.
Too quiet.
His instincts screamed, and without hesitation, Renji activated both Void Sense and Echo Sense.
The world shifted instantly. Color drained from his sight, replaced by stark shades of black and white. Time seemed to slow, sound painting the outlines of everything—the pulse of vines, the faint scuttling beneath the moss, the flutter of wings overhead.
And then he saw them.
Hidden among the giant flowers, clinging perfectly still against the glowing petals, were shapes that blended seamlessly into the garden. Camouflage so natural he wouldn't have spotted them with his eyes alone. But through Void Sense, they were outlined like shadows in the night.
The moment Renji locked onto them, they moved.
With a shriek, the first one lunged downward, scythe-like arms slashing toward him. Renji reacted on instinct, throwing a sharp strike forward—but the mantis twisted midair, dodging with inhuman speed, and its blade whistled down toward his head.
Two more dropped from the flowers, their movements a blur.
Renji could sense them all—each movement, each twitch of their wings—but his body felt heavy, too slow to keep up. The scythe came closer, ready to cleave him in half.
"Damn it—!"
Without thinking, he unleashed Viper Aura Armor.
A surge of beast essence flared around him, emerald scales of energy snapping into place just in time. The mantis' blade struck against the aura with a metallic clang, sparks flying.
Renji gritted his teeth, refusing to flinch. His eyes burned with focus as he channeled another skill—Alpha Aura.
A wave of oppressive intent exploded from him, invisible but suffocating. The air grew heavy, and the mantises faltered. Their insectoid heads twitched, wings buzzing erratically, their movements stuttering as fear crept into their instincts.
Renji's lips curled into a sharp grin. "Got you."
He activated Adaptive Evolution.
Energy rushed through his veins, his body shifting, muscles burning as his speed sharpened, honed. His sluggish reactions melted away, his limbs moving faster than before.
The nearest mantis lunged again—but this time, Renji was faster. He ducked under the scythe, his fist glowing faintly with beast essence, and slammed it upward into the creature's head.
Crack!
Its skull shattered under the impact, ichor spraying the moss. The others snapped out of their fear, shrieking as they rushed forward, scythes raised.
Renji didn't back down. His senses painted their every move, and his enhanced body moved with deadly precision. A twist, a strike, another blow—one by one, the camouflaged predators fell, their lifeless bodies thudding into the moss.
And then, silence returned.
Renji exhaled slowly, fists trembling, but not from fear. From exhilaration. He was alive. Stronger. Evolving.