Two sets of footsteps echoed through the dimly lit hall, their sound stretching unnaturally long as though the space itself was swallowing the noise.
The air was cold. Thick. Heavy with something unseen.
Then a deep voice tore through the silence.
"Aeon. Follow me. And don't touch anything."
Dr. Nathan didn't slow his pace as he spoke. With a brief gesture of his hand, he signaled to the two scientists stationed near the entrance. They exchanged glances, hesitation flickering across their faces, before bowing slightly and making their way out.
As they passed, their whispers followed behind them.
"That must be the rumored son of Zei."
"The one with the same pure lightning element… just like a beast."
Their voices faded as the heavy doors sealed shut.
Aeon paid them no mind.
He took a cautious step forward, golden eyes reflecting the faint glow of the hall as his gaze fixed on the sight before him.
"This is just as elder sister described…" he muttered softly, his voice tinged with wonder.
The hall opened up into a massive chamber. Rows of pod-like structures lined the walls—pear-shaped, tall, and sealed with thick, ash-gray glass. Faint streams of light pulsed through tubes connected to each pod, like veins carrying liquid thunder.
Aeon tilted his head slightly.
"The pods are… pear-shaped?" he said, genuinely confused. "I thought they were straight."
Then his brows furrowed.
"And the air…" He inhaled deeply, eyes widening. "It's thick with mana. Why is that, Dr. Nathan?"
Dr. Nathan slowed to a stop.
After a brief pause, he answered calmly, "Because this is the Beast Fusion Hall. The process requires an enormous amount of mana."
He raised a finger, gesturing toward the glowing lines overhead.
"Look at the lights. They're stabilizers. Without them, the mana density here would crush an ordinary human."
Aeon followed his finger obediently, his curiosity undimmed.
"And those," Dr. Nathan continued, "are standard beast crystals. Even dormant, they contain vast reserves of mana."
He stopped mid-sentence.
Turning slowly, Dr. Nathan fixed Aeon with a scrutinizing gaze. A faint frown formed behind his glasses.
"Didn't your father explain all this to you?"
A soft chuckle escaped Aeon's lips.
"Yes, he did," Aeon replied casually. "But I wanted to hear it from someone else too. Just in case."
"Hehehe."
Dr. Nathan's frown eased slightly.
"Cheeky kid," he muttered under his breath.
They stopped before a larger pod—its glass darker, thicker, and humming faintly. Dr. Nathan placed his palm against its surface.
At once, a translucent system interface flickered to life.
Aeon's eyes sparkled.
"It's cooler in real life," he said honestly.
He leaned closer, studying the pod with fascination.
"It's bigger… and looks fresher too." He paused, then smiled faintly. "So this is where gods are made. Just like Dad said."
Dr. Nathan glanced sideways at the boy.
You don't know how lucky you are, he thought.
Many never chose. Many were handed scraps—unstable beasts, failed crystals, half-dead remnants deemed "sufficient." Children broken before they ever had a chance.
But this boy…
Dr. Nathan straightened.
"I'm done setting up the machine," he said aloud. "You may choose your beast."
He hesitated for half a breath before adding, "All available options here are mythic grade."
Aeon's posture shifted instantly.
He stepped forward as the interface lowered to his level, rows of rotating beast projections appearing before him.
"No… too short."
Swipe.
"Too big."
Swipe.
"Not my style."
Lightning beasts of every form flashed past—serpents, avians, horned titans, humanoid figures crackling with raw electricity.
Aeon's lips curled upward.
"I don't want what my father has," he murmured. "I want better."
Greed glinted briefly in his golden eyes.
After a few seconds, he stopped.
"This one."
His voice was firm.
Dr. Nathan glanced at the selection—and froze.
A lightning-based Fyr.
His fingers tightened slightly.
Latent madness really does run in this bloodline, he thought grimly. A Fyr… aggressive, volatile, dominant.
The risk of losing control had not just doubled—it had tripled.
And worse—
The beast's will would not dilute.
It would overwrite.
Zei… you madman, Dr. Nathan thought bitterly. You changed the boy's innate element, stripped away his natural restraint… and now this?
He exhaled slowly.
"It's not my business," he muttered, forcing a dry chuckle as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm just the one pulling the lever."
He pressed a command.
Deep within the hall, a hidden vault opened.
The moment the beast crystal emerged, the air changed.
Mana surged violently.
The crystal hovered midair—golden, radiant, alive. Yellow lightning danced erratically across its surface, each spark sharp enough to sting the eyes.
"It's… shining," Aeon whispered. "Why is it so bright?"
"Because it's mythic," Dr. Nathan replied. "The higher the grade, the greater the potency."
He input another command.
The crystal began to melt—not into liquid, but into flowing energy—streaming into transparent tubes connected to the pod.
Aeon stepped forward instinctively.
"Move in front of the pod," Dr. Nathan ordered.
His voice faded into the background.
Aeon's full attention was locked on the transformation.
Unbeknownst to him, the lightning surrounding the crystal grew unstable.
Then—
It reacted.
The sparks surged violently toward Aeon's presence… before abruptly calming.
The lightning slowed.
Aligned.
Submitted.
Dr. Nathan's eyes narrowed.
"…Interesting," he murmured, watching closely.
Very interesting.