The night shift was usually the quietest.
Inside the five-star hotel, soft piano music drifted through the lobby while expensive chandeliers painted the marble floor with warm golden light. Two waiters stood near one of the dining tables, watching the last few guests enjoy their meals.
One of them lazily balanced an empty wine glass on the edge of the table.
"Man..." he sighed. "I honestly thought working at a five-star hotel would be way more exciting."
His coworker didn't even look up from polishing cutlery.
"Oh?"
"Don't get me wrong, the salary is amazing." He shrugged. "But nothing interesting ever happens. Where are the Yakuza? The mafia? Evil billionaires plotting world domination? This place is disappointingly normal."
His friend laughed.
"Speak for yourself. I had a pretty interesting evening."
That immediately caught his attention.
"No way. Seriously? What happened?"
"You remember Ms. Bennett?"
"The food critic?" He nearly dropped the wine glass. "Hold on... that Ms. Bennett? The one restaurants pray they'll never meet?"
"The very same."
"...How are you still employed?"
"I ask myself that too."
The waiter leaned closer.
"She came in claiming she wanted dinner."
"Claiming?"
"Mhm. She also asked me for the keys to the roof."
"The roof?"
"Exactly."
"And you...?"
"...Let's just say she left a tip generous enough to make me temporarily forget hotel policy."
The other waiter stared.
"You sold her the keys?"
"I prefer the term loaned."
"You absolute criminal."
"I'm a businessman."
He chuckled before lowering his voice.
"But here's the weird part."
"What?"
"Later I went to check the rooftop."
"And?"
"It was empty."
"So?"
"So nobody saw them leave."
The second waiter frowned.
"What do you mean nobody?"
"I mean nobody. Security cameras never caught them coming back down. The elevators logged nothing. The stairwell was empty."
A chill ran down the listener's spine.
"So..."
"So unless Ms. Bennett learned how to fly..."
Neither of them finished the sentence.
Suddenly the second waiter straightened.
"Hey."
"What?"
"Look alive."
The first waiter glanced toward the entrance.
A man had just stepped through the revolving doors.
His charcoal suit looked expensive enough to pay off several mortgages. A polished silver watch rested around his wrist, catching the chandelier light every few seconds.
"...Is that a Rolex?"
"No clue."
"But whatever it is..."
"...it costs more than my apartment."
The receptionist hurried over, fixing her uniform as she walked.
"Evening, boys," she whispered to the waiters. "I just switched shifts, what's—"
She noticed the newcomer.
Instantly her posture became perfect.
"Good evening, sir." She bowed politely. "How may I help you tonight?"
Before the gentleman could answer, the woman standing beside him stepped forward.
Unlike him, she wore a perfectly fitted black business suit. Her expression was sharp enough to cut glass.
She gently placed a business card onto the counter.
"We'd like two rooms."
The gentleman quietly cleared his throat.
"Two?"
The woman blinked.
"Sir?"
"You planned on staying separately?"
"Naturally."
"And how exactly do you intend to attend to me from another room?"
She hesitated.
"...You make a fair point."
Turning back toward the receptionist, she smiled professionally.
"One room, then."
"Certainly."
"It should have a pleasant view."
"The city?"
She thought for a second.
"...Actually no. Somewhere overlooking the park."
The receptionist nodded.
"I believe Room 245 would suit your preferences perfectly."
"Excellent."
The woman paused.
"Oh... and we'd also like access to the rooftop."
The receptionist offered an apologetic smile.
"I'm terribly sorry, but that area is off limits. We've had several unfortunate accidents over the years and hotel policy—"
"Excuse me."
The secretary's voice suddenly turned icy.
"Do you know who you're speaking to?"
The receptionist swallowed.
"You dare refuse—"
Jingle.
Everyone looked toward the sound.
One of the waiters had casually picked up a ring of rooftop keys while pretending to rearrange the counter.
For only a brief second...
...their eyes met.
The gentleman smiled faintly.
He placed a hand on his secretary's shoulder.
"It's fine."
"But sir—"
"I said it's fine."
He turned back toward the receptionist.
"Have a pleasant evening."
"You as well, sir."
As they walked away, the gentleman passed directly beside the waiter.
He stopped.
Reached up.
Adjusted the young man's crooked bow tie.
"Your bow is crooked."
"...Ah... thank you, sir."
The gentleman continued walking without another word.
Only after he disappeared around the corner did the waiter quietly slide a thick roll of cash deeper into his pocket.
His friend stared.
"...You're unbelievable."
"What?"
"You sold another key."
"I didn't sell anything."
"You absolutely did."
"I simply accepted compensation for correcting an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction."
"...Business-minded, huh?"
"Exactly."
The receptionist sighed from behind the counter.
"This is the second ridiculously important guest tonight."
"No kidding."
"I wouldn't even be surprised if the president checked in next."
The three laughed.
After a moment, one waiter picked up the forgotten business card.
His expression changed immediately.
"...Guys."
"What?"
He slowly turned the card around.
Printed in elegant silver letters were the words:
Louis Marcel
Chairman — Marcel International Holdings
Silence filled the lobby.
"...Louis Marcel?"
"...One of the richest men in the world?"
"If he's here..."
The receptionist looked toward the elevators.
"...Something big is happening tonight."
Meanwhile Louis and his servant made their way to the room and just like they asked it had a good view, the servant handed him a pair of binoculars. After looking for a moment the man smirked.
"The Espositos are quite noisy tonight."
"Do you think this has anything to do Jack."
"Do you even need to ask, he's my son I'm not surprised."
"Former son."
"Well after what he's down tonight he's proven he is a true Marcel."
"I see."
"Now let's head to the roof and see how things play out."
"Yes sir."
The moment Mike stepped into Priscilla's room, his eyes were drawn to the enormous monitor mounted against the far wall.
It displayed the mansion grounds in remarkable clarity from multiple angles. Guards lay scattered everywhere, walls had collapsed into piles of rubble, and dust filled the night air.
Most alarming of all...
A gigantic bear and a dragon-like creature were tearing through the estate.
"...Is that... a bear?"
Priscilla didn't even bother looking up from the screen.
"Yep."
Mike blinked.
"...And is that Mr. Esposito?"
"Mhm."
"..."
He looked back at the monitor.
The dragon spread its wings, taking to the sky before breathing a torrent of flames. The inferno washed over the enormous bear, momentarily obscuring it.
When the fire cleared...
The bear simply walked through it.
Mike slowly pointed at the screen.
"...How is any of this normal?"
"It isn't."
"No seriously."
"I know."
He pointed again.
"Mr. Esposito is flying."
"Yep."
"He just breathed fire."
"Also true."
"He's wearing scales."
"Mhm."
"..."
Mike turned toward her.
"I feel like you've skipped several chapters of explanation."
Priscilla finally laughed.
"I probably have."
She walked over to a cabinet before retrieving a strange crystal, the very same one Mike had touched earlier that day.
It shimmered faintly beneath the room's lights.
"See this?"
Mike nodded.
"I remember."
"This crystal is the reason our family is... unusual."
"That's putting it lightly."
"It connects our world with another."
"...Another world?"
"One filled with creatures most people believe only exist in myths."
Mike slowly raised an eyebrow.
"...Dragons?"
"Among other things."
"So your family makes contracts with monsters?"
"Essentially."
Mike looked back toward the screen where another explosion shook the battlefield.
"...And everyone just accepts this?"
"No."
"...Fair enough."
Priscilla smiled.
"When members of the Esposito family come of age, we touch this crystal."
"And then?"
"If we're compatible with something on the other side..."
She placed a hand over the crystal.
"...it answers."
Mike looked at the crystal thoughtfully.
"So that's what happened earlier."
"Mhm."
"But..."
He frowned.
"I didn't transform."
"No."
"You said the crystal reacted though."
"It did."
"It glowed."
"It did."
"I fainted."
"You definitely did."
"...But nothing happened afterwards."
Priscilla folded her arms.
"That's exactly the mystery."
She glanced at him before looking back at the battle outside.
"My Oracle keeps insisting you're important."
"Oracle?"
"You'll see."
She pointed toward the monitor.
"Before that, let's talk about Veronica."
Mike nodded.
"...Okay."
"You remember how I mentioned our contracts reflect something about who we are?"
"I think so."
"Well..."
She smiled mischievously.
"...Veronica's contract is hilarious."
Mike tilted his head.
"Hilarious?"
"You see..."
She tried to hold back a laugh.
"When we were little..."
"...Veronica had what we called a Mama Bear Complex."
Mike blinked.
"...A what?"
"A Mama Bear Complex."
"...You're serious?"
She nodded vigorously.
"I've never been more serious."
"What exactly does that mean?"
"It means no matter what game we played..."
"...she somehow became the mother."
Mike frowned.
"...Every game?"
"Every game."
"If we played house?"
"She was the mom."
"If we played adventurers?"
"She packed lunches."
"If we played knights?"
"She reminded us to wear scarves because we'd catch colds."
Mike covered his mouth to stop himself laughing.
"No way..."
"I'm not finished."
Priscilla continued with a completely straight face.
"If someone scraped their knee..."
"She panicked."
"If someone skipped lunch..."
"She panicked."
"If someone sneezed..."
"She panicked."
Mike finally lost the battle.
A laugh escaped him.
"I'm sorry..."
He wiped his eyes.
"I just can't picture Veronica acting like that."
"You'd be surprised."
Priscilla laughed along with him.
"So imagine our surprise..."
"...when the creature that answered her contract..."
She pointed toward the monitor.
"...was a bear."
Mike looked back at the screen.
"...That is incredibly ironic."
"Right?"
"So..."
He watched the gigantic creature casually rip an entire stone balcony from the mansion.
"...Why is everyone so scared?"
"It's just a bear."
Priscilla slowly turned to him.
"...Just a bear?"
"..."
"...Should I not have said that?"
"No."
She sighed dramatically.
"Mike..."
"The creature Veronica contracted isn't an ordinary bear."
"I guessed as much."
"It isn't even an extraordinary bear."
"...Now I'm scared."
"You should be."
She zoomed one of the camera feeds until Veronica filled almost the entire screen.
"That..."
"...is a Behemoth Bear."
Mike stared.
"...Cool name."
"It gets worse."
"There are different kinds?"
She nodded.
"There are several species."
"...And Veronica..."
She took a deep breath.
"...formed a contract with the most dangerous one."
Mike's smile slowly disappeared.
"...How dangerous?"
Priscilla looked at him.
"Imagine something so enormous..."
"...that volcanic eruptions are required simply for it to move its limbs."
Silence.
"..."
Mike blinked once.
"...Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"No."
"I definitely didn't."
She smiled.
"Their bodies are so large that entire civilizations have mistaken sleeping Behemoth Bears for continents."
Mike stared at her.
"...Continents?"
"Mhm."
"...Not islands?"
"No."
"...Continents?"
"Yes."
He slowly rubbed his forehead.
"I feel like you're exaggerating."
"I wish I was."
"But..."
He frowned.
"...Wouldn't people notice eventually?"
"They hibernate."
"So?"
"For thousands of years."
"..."
"..."
Mike looked back at the monitor.
"...How many people have accidentally lived on one?"
Priscilla shrugged.
"...Probably more than anyone wants to admit."
Mike shivered.
"That's horrifying."
"It is."
He watched Veronica roar, shaking the entire mansion.
"So..."
"...Mr. Esposito is fighting..."
"...that?"
"Yes."
"But he's a dragon."
"He is."
"Dragons breathe fire."
"They do."
"They fly."
"Correct."
"They're supposed to be apex predators."
"They are."
"..."
"...Then why does it look like he's losing?"
Priscilla gave a helpless smile.
"Because Behemoth Bears hunt dragons."
Mike froze.
"...They what?"
"They pluck them out of the sky."
"..."
"...Like birds?"
"Mhm."
"..."
Mike slowly looked toward the heavens visible through the window.
"...Remind me never to visit the other side."
Priscilla burst into laughter.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
Priscilla gently set the crystal back onto the table.
The three-eyed tautara perched on her shoulder tilted its head before hopping onto the tabletop, all three of its eyes fixed on the crystal with obvious curiosity.
Mike stared at it.
"You know... having three eyes somehow isn't getting any less creepy."
The little reptile blinked all three eyes in succession.
Priscilla giggled.
"He likes you."
"I don't think the feeling's mutual."
"He's harmless."
"That's exactly what people say before someone gets bitten."
She rolled her eyes.
"Just touch the crystal."
Mike let out a slow breath.
"Here goes nothing."
He reached forward.
The instant his fingers brushed the crystal—
It answered.
A brilliant light blossomed from its center, but unlike before, this light wasn't merely white.
It shimmered with countless colors.
Nebulas.
Galaxies.
Entire star fields seemed trapped beneath its surface.
Priscilla's eyes widened.
"...Beautiful."
The glow reflected in her pupils.
"It looks like..."
"...space."
Mike barely heard her.
The room suddenly felt distant.
His body became strangely weightless.
The voices around him stretched and warped.
"Mike?"
Priscilla rushed toward him.
"Mike!"
Her voice sounded as though it were underwater.
His vision blurred.
Darkness swallowed everything.
...
...
When Mike opened his eyes again...
He wasn't standing inside the mansion anymore.
Space surrounded him.
Not empty darkness...
But an endless ocean of stars.
Entire galaxies drifted past like leaves floating down a river.
Nebulas bloomed in impossible colors.
Clusters of worlds revolved around suns larger than imagination itself.
Yet despite standing in something so overwhelmingly vast...
Mike felt...
Comfortable.
As though...
He belonged here.
A strange sense of authority settled over him.
Not forced.
Not earned.
Simply...
Natural.
His eyes wandered across the endless cosmos before stopping on a tiny speck far away.
"...Hm?"
He squinted.
The universe folded.
Without wind...
Without motion...
Without even realizing he'd moved...
The distance simply ceased to exist.
One moment the figure was impossibly far away.
The next—
He stood before it.
"...Chelsea?"
The little golden retriever froze.
Then her tail became a blur.
She sprinted toward him.
"Woof! Woof!"
Mike knelt instinctively.
"Chelsea."
She crashed into him happily, licking his hands while whining excitedly.
He chuckled.
"Easy there."
Although all he heard were ordinary barks...
He somehow understood every word.
Mike! You're okay!
"I am."
He scratched beneath her chin.
"And you're doing well too."
Chelsea closed her eyes happily.
Just then...
Someone politely cleared their throat.
Mike looked up.
His smile faded.
Sitting upon a magnificent throne was a familiar being.
Stars swirled within her eyes.
Her long hair flowed like living chaos itself.
Entire galaxies were woven into her dress.
Above her head floated what first appeared to be a halo...
Until Mike realized...
It was an entire solar system revolving around her.
His lips moved before he could stop them.
"...The World Spirit."
The woman smiled warmly.
She rose from her throne.
With each step she took...
She seemed...
Smaller.
Not weaker.
Simply...
Closer to something a human mind could comprehend.
By the time she stood before Mike...
She gently lowered herself onto one knee.
"This is the second time you've honored my realm with your presence..."
She bowed her head.
"...Your Highness."
Mike blinked.
"...Second?"
"What?"
"The second time you've visited."
"...I've never been here before."
The World Spirit studied him quietly.
"...I see."
Understanding crossed her face.
"The memory erasure succeeded."
Mike frowned.
"...Memory erasure?"
"Allow me."
She reached toward him.
One slender finger rested gently against his temple.
"Return."
The world dissolved.
Memories flooded back.
The crystal.
This place.
Speaking with the World Spirit.
Everything.
Mike inhaled sharply.
"...I'm back."
"It was only moments ago from my perspective."
He rubbed his forehead.
"So that's why everything felt familiar..."
The World Spirit smiled.
"Welcome back, Your Highness."
Mike looked around.
"Well..."
He stretched lazily.
"Since I'm already here..."
"...I might as well finish a few things."
He snapped his fingers.
A transparent cube materialized before him.
Inside...
The battle at the Esposito mansion unfolded from every possible angle.
Explosions.
Collapsed buildings.
The enormous bear.
The dragon.
Everything.
The World Spirit approached respectfully.
"My King..."
"I have a request."
Mike kept watching the battle.
"You need authorization."
She nodded.
"Yes."
"To allow Chelsea access to her Mythical Transformation."
"...Correct."
Mike smiled faintly.
"The creature she becomes isn't permitted to exist in this world."
"Exactly."
"So the World's Laws rejected it."
"Yes."
Mike thought quietly.
"As long as she remains outside ordinary observation..."
"...there shouldn't be any issue."
The World Spirit hesitated.
"The creature's existence alone makes concealment almost impossible."
Mike looked toward Chelsea.
She had been watching silently the entire time.
Something about him...
Had changed.
His expression.
His posture.
Even his eyes.
They reminded her of the ancient races from her previous world.
Elves.
Dragons.
Beings who had lived long enough to watch kingdoms rise and fall.
Yet...
He still smelled like Mike.
He walked over before kneeling beside her.
"Chelsea."
She wagged her tail uncertainly.
Mike smiled.
"I'm lending you something."
He gently pressed a finger against her forehead.
Immediately...
Silver mist poured from the point of contact.
"Chelsea."
"I grant you..."
"...the Mist of Concealment."
The mist wrapped around her body like a living cloak.
"So long as you remain within its embrace..."
"No ordinary eyes shall perceive your true form."
Chelsea stared at him.
"...Thank you."
Mike's expression softened.
"Good girl."
He scratched beneath her chin.
"When all this is over..."
"...I'll buy you some treats."
Her entire body began wagging.
Mike laughed.
"There she is."
He snapped once more.
A glowing portal opened behind her.
Chelsea paused before entering.
She looked back one last time.
For reasons she couldn't explain...
She suddenly wanted to protect him.
Then she stepped through.
The portal closed.
Mike turned back toward the floating cube.
"...Now then."
"Let's see how everyone else is doing."
The portal closed behind Chelsea.
---
The moment her paws touched solid ground again, the sounds of battle rushed back into her ears.
Boom!
A tree exploded into splinters a few meters away.
Chelsea instinctively ducked as another spell screamed overhead, bathing the park in eerie violet light.
The battlefield had become unrecognizable.
Deep craters scarred the earth.
Countless trees had been uprooted.
The smell of burnt wood lingered in the air.
Scattered across the park lay unconscious cats, their bodies rising and falling as they breathed.
Only one figure remained standing.
Nike.
She was breathing heavily, her fur singed in several places as she narrowly avoided another barrage of magical blasts.
Above her, Akumu floated with an amused smile.
Four enormous wings stretched proudly from his back while dozens of glowing magic circles revolved around him like planets.
"You surprise me, Demon Lord."
Another spell formed in his palm.
"You've survived far longer than I expected."
Nike leapt sideways as a beam of darkness carved a trench through the ground where she'd been standing.
She landed awkwardly before forcing herself upright.
"...Still talking..."
she muttered between breaths.
"...Guess that means you're not as strong as you pretend to be."
Akumu chuckled.
"Trying to provoke me?"
"No."
Nike smirked despite her exhaustion.
"I'm just buying time."
"Oh?"
Akumu glanced around.
"The Hero and her companions abandoned you the moment I revealed my true strength."
His smile widened.
"Rather fitting, wouldn't you agree?"
"They're probably halfway home by now."
"They always did prefer wagging their tails to fighting."
Nike gritted her teeth.
"Where are they?"
"Chelsea..."
"Bruce..."
"Please tell me you haven't run..."
Before she could think further—
A cold breeze swept across the battlefield.
Everyone froze.
The temperature dropped noticeably.
Mist.
Thin wisps of white fog drifted lazily between the shattered trees.
Akumu frowned.
"...Fog?"
Within seconds...
The entire park began disappearing beneath an ever-thickening blanket of silver mist.
Visibility shrank.
Twenty meters.
Ten.
Five.
Akumu waved a hand, creating a sphere of wind.
The mist refused to disperse.
"...Interesting."
Nike slowly looked around.
"...Chelsea?"
Then—
A familiar voice echoed through the fog.
"Hey, Nike."
Chelsea.
"Good job holding on."
"We'll take it from here."
Nike spun toward the sound.
"...Chelsea?"
"I can't see you!"
A silhouette emerged.
Large.
Far too large.
At first...
Nike assumed it was one of the park's ancient oak trees.
Then...
It moved.
A gigantic paw stepped forward.
The ground trembled beneath its weight.
Another paw followed.
Akumu's expression finally changed.
"...What?"
He raised one hand.
A brilliant orb of light shot skyward, illuminating the mist.
The spell reached the silhouette.
Two enormous crimson eyes reflected the light.
Akumu narrowed his eyes.
"...Just another beast?"
Then...
Another pair opened.
Higher.
Farther apart.
Then...
A third.
Silence.
A deep growl rolled across the park like distant thunder.
The clouds covering the moon slowly drifted apart.
Moonlight poured into the clearing.
Piece by piece...
The creature revealed itself.
Three colossal heads.
Each crowned with wolf-like ears.
Three pairs of glowing crimson eyes.
A mane darker than midnight.
A body so immense that the surrounding trees barely reached its shoulders.
Its paws alone were larger than cars.
Its tails lazily swept behind it, flattening bushes without effort.
Nike's pupils shrank.
"...No..."
Akumu unconsciously took a step backward.
"...Impossible."
The creature finally stepped completely out of the mist.
The earth groaned beneath its weight.
Chelsea stood atop its broad back.
The silver mist curled around them like a royal cloak.
Neither Nike nor Akumu spoke.
They couldn't.
Because both recognized the creature immediately.
Not from experience...
But from stories.
Ancient stories.
Stories heroes whispered to children around campfires.
Stories that always ended the same way.
"If you ever meet one..."
"Do not fight."
"Run."
Or...
"Pray it hasn't noticed you."
Standing before them...
Wrapped in impossible mist...
Was one of the oldest mythical beasts known across countless worlds.
Cerberus.
The Guardian of the Underworld.
Chelsea smiled sheepishly from atop the middle head.
"...Um..."
"Sorry we're late."
Nike's mouth hung open.
"...Chelsea?"
The middle head turned slightly.
"Woof."
"...Yeah..."
"It's still me."
Nike stared for several seconds before shaking herself.
"...Of course."
"You disappear for five minutes..."
"...and somehow come back riding a Cerberus."
Chelsea tilted her head.
"...Actually..."
"I am the Cerberus."
Nike blinked.
"..."
"...What?"
Chelsea laughed awkwardly.
"It's a long story."
One of the left heads yawned loudly.
The right head cracked its neck.
The center head fixed its gaze on Akumu.
The owl mage's confident smile had completely vanished.
"...Interesting."
He slowly closed his spellbook.
"I've heard tales..."
"...but I never imagined I'd witness such a creature."
One of Cerberus' three mouths slowly curled upward.
A low growl escaped.
It wasn't threatening.
It was...
Excited.
Akumu smiled in return.
"So."
"The hunt becomes worthwhile after all."
The air between them grew heavy.
Even the mist seemed to pause.
Neither side moved.
Neither side blinked.
Then—
Cerberus lowered itself into a hunting stance.
Akumu spread all four wings.
Magic circles bloomed behind him like a second night sky.
The final clash...
Was about to begin.
Meanwhile, back at the Esposito mansion...
The battle had long since descended into instinct.
There were no tactics.
No careful planning.
No restraint.
Only two colossal beasts driven by primal fury.
The dragon beat its enormous wings, scattering broken roof tiles and clouds of dust before launching itself high into the night sky. Moonlight gleamed against its black scales as it climbed higher and higher until it became little more than a silhouette against the stars.
The Behemoth Bear below followed every movement.
Its glowing crimson eyes never left its opponent.
A deep growl rumbled from somewhere deep within its chest, shaking the cracked courtyard beneath its feet.
Then—
The dragon folded its wings.
Like a falling meteor, it plummeted straight toward the earth.
The sheer speed of its descent ignited the air around it. Flames trailed behind its body as gravity and momentum combined into one devastating attack.
"It's diving!" Lucy shouted.
The bear answered with a deafening roar.
Standing upright on its hind legs, it planted both feet firmly into the shattered ground before swinging one massive paw upward.
The collision was instantaneous.
BOOM!!
The impact sent hurricane-force winds racing across the estate.
Nearby trees bent violently before several were uprooted entirely.
A crater exploded beneath the bear's feet as the ground caved under the tremendous force.
Dust swallowed everything.
No one could see who had won the exchange.
Then—
A tremendous crash echoed from within the cloud.
The dragon burst through the dust first.
Not by choice.
The Behemoth Bear had seized it.
With terrifying strength, the bear slammed the dragon into the ground, causing another violent tremor to ripple through the estate.
Before the dragon could recover, the bear lunged forward again.
Its enormous jaws clamped firmly around the dragon's tail.
"What is she doing...?" Mike whispered.
No one answered.
The bear twisted its body.
The dragon's gigantic frame left the ground as though it weighed nothing more than a rag doll.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The dragon's body carved trenches into the earth as it was swung from side to side before finally being hurled into an ancient oak tree.
CRAAASH!!
The centuries-old tree snapped at its base before crashing into the mansion gardens.
Silence followed.
The dragon remained motionless.
Heavy breaths escaped the Behemoth Bear.
Molten saliva dripped from between its teeth, hissing as it struck the earth.
For just a moment...
It seemed the battle was over.
Then...
The dragon stirred.
Its wings spread slowly.
With one powerful flap, it lifted itself back into the air before stopping several dozen metres away.
Smoke curled from its nostrils.
Its chest expanded.
Then Mike noticed it.
"...It's glowing."
Deep within the dragon's throat, orange light flickered to life.
The glow intensified with every passing second.
Priscilla's eyes widened.
"No..."
She shot to her feet so quickly her chair toppled behind her.
"Is Dad about to use a full-power fireball?"
Her voice cracked.
"No!"
"Dad, don't!!"
Her desperate cry echoed through the communicator.
Unfortunately...
There was no longer anyone left to hear it.
The dragon's pupils had narrowed into slits.
Reason had long since abandoned both combatants.
The Behemoth Bear understood exactly what was coming.
Without hesitation, it lowered itself.
Its massive claws dug deep into the earth.
Stone cracked.
Soil erupted around its limbs.
The ground itself seemed to embrace the enormous beast as it rooted itself firmly in place.
It wasn't merely standing anymore.
It had become part of the earth itself.
Then...
The bear slowly opened its jaws.
An orange glow answered the dragon's own.
Deep within its stomach, molten light pulsed.
Like magma rising through a volcano, the glow climbed steadily upward until it reached the creature's throat.
The heat distorted the air around its face.
Mike instinctively stepped backwards.
"...This can't be good."
Priscilla didn't hesitate.
"EVERYONE TAKE COVER!!"
She dived beneath the nearest table.
Mike followed a heartbeat later.
Outside...
For one endless second...
Everything became still.
The dragon hovered in the air.
The bear stood rooted to the earth.
Both monsters stared directly at one another.
Then...
They fired.
A pillar of blazing fire erupted from the dragon's mouth.
At the same instant, the Behemoth Bear unleashed its own molten breath.
The attacks met halfway.
For a fraction of a second...
The world disappeared.
A flash brighter than the midday sun swallowed the estate.
Even those who shut their eyes could still see white.
Then came the sound.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The explosion tore across the city.
A violent shockwave flattened gardens, shattered windows and stripped leaves from every nearby tree.
The mansion groaned beneath the pressure.
Inside, furniture skidded across polished floors.
Books flew from shelves.
Paintings crashed onto the ground.
Priscilla gripped the legs of the table as everything around her shook violently.
Outside...
The earth itself rebelled.
The explosion birthed an earthquake powerful enough to throw people from their feet.
Lucy collapsed onto one knee.
Carla caught herself with a hand before she fell completely.
Even the Behemoth Bear staggered backwards.
Across the city...
People jolted awake.
Lights flickered on one house after another.
Families stumbled outside in confusion as the ground continued to rumble beneath them.
"What was that?!"
"An earthquake?"
"But there aren't earthquakes here!"
Dogs barked.
Car alarms screamed.
Birds exploded into the night sky.
Back at the mansion...
The Behemoth Bear growled.
Slowly, it regained its balance.
Then, with another deafening roar, it lifted both forepaws high above its head before slamming them into the ground.
The impact echoed for kilometres.
THOOOOM!!
Almost immediately...
The trembling ceased.
The earth became still once again.
Inside the mansion, Priscilla cautiously crawled out from beneath the table.
Dust floated lazily through the room.
"...Is everyone okay?"
The only replies she received were pained groans and exhausted grunts.
---
Meanwhile...
On the rooftop of the five-star hotel...
Louis Marcel had been watching the battle with quiet interest.
The moment the shockwave struck, his chair tipped backwards.
"What the—"
He lost his balance.
For one terrifying instant, he hung over the edge of the building.
His secretary reacted instantly.
Grabbing his arm with surprising strength, she pulled him back onto the rooftop.
Louis adjusted his suit as though nothing had happened.
"...Thank you."
"My duty, sir."
Even so...
For the briefest moment...
The wealthy businessman looked genuinely shaken.
---
Back at the mansion...
The Behemoth Bear stood over the battlefield, breathing heavily.
Instead of saliva...
Molten lava dripped from the corners of its mouth, splashing onto the earth below with angry hisses.
Across from it...
Mr. Esposito collapsed onto one knee.
The black scales covering his body slowly receded.
His wings dissolved into glowing embers before disappearing entirely.
Fatigue replaced adrenaline.
Every muscle in his body screamed in protest.
The bear noticed.
Its enormous shadow fell over him.
Slowly...
It raised one massive paw.
Then brought it crashing down.
BOOM!!
Earth exploded in every direction.
When the bear lifted its paw...
Only a crater remained.
"...Dad!"
Edward's voice rang out.
Several metres away, blue lightning crackled violently around him.
His breathing was ragged as he held his father over one shoulder.
"I got you."
Mr. Esposito coughed before climbing back onto his feet.
He rolled one aching shoulder.
"Alright..."
A grin spread across his face.
"Time for round two."
Edward stared at him.
"What?!"
"Dad, you can barely stand!"
"How are you planning to fight that thing?"
Mr. Esposito cracked his neck.
"Let me at it."
"I fear no man."
Edward pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Well that's clearly not a man."
He pointed toward the mountain-sized bear.
"That's a walking volcano capable of starting and stopping earthquakes."
"I'm pretty sure you can't beat it."
"Even on a good day."
Before Mr. Esposito could answer...
Green vines burst from the shattered ground.
They wrapped gently—but firmly—around his waist.
He froze.
A familiar voice drifted across the battlefield.
"He's right, honey."
"You rest."
"I'll take it from here."
With a heavy sigh...
The old dragon finally nodded.
"...Fine."
Everyone turned.
Mrs. Esposito stepped forward.
Calm.
Elegant.
As though she were walking through a garden instead of a battlefield.
She stopped a few metres before the Behemoth Bear.
Then...
To everyone's complete disbelief...
She opened her arms.
A warm smile spread across her face.
"Veronica, baby..."
"Mommy missed you."
"Come give her a hug."
The Behemoth Bear answered with a low, predatory growl.
It dropped onto all fours.
Muscles tensed.
Then it lunged.
Before it could take more than a single step...
Dozens of thick vines burst from the earth.
They wrapped tightly around its forelegs.
The enormous beast lost its balance.
CRASH!!
Its face slammed into the ground hard enough to shake the courtyard.
Mrs. Esposito simply walked over.
She knelt beside the colossal creature.
Ignoring its growls completely...
She gently rested a hand against its nose.
"There you are..."
Her fingers slowly stroked the rough fur.
The bear struggled.
It twisted.
Pulled.
Growled.
But every time it tried to rise...
More vines emerged from the earth, lovingly—but firmly—holding it down.
As one final act of defiance...
The beast opened its jaws.
Orange light flared once more.
Molten energy surged up its throat.
Mrs. Esposito didn't move.
A torrent of molten fire erupted from the bear's mouth.
Instantly...
A forest exploded into existence before her.
Towering trees rose from the earth in seconds, forming a living shield.
The molten blast crashed into them.
Tree after tree melted away.
Burning trunks toppled one after another.
The force of the explosion finally hurled the bear backwards.
It rolled across the shattered courtyard before digging its claws into the earth to stop itself.
Slowly...
It rose once again.
Ready to charge.
Then—
Tch.
The sound wasn't loud.
It wasn't explosive.
It was merely the sharp click of a tongue.
Yet...
It was probably the loudest tongue click known to man.
It froze the Behemoth Bear where it stood.
Mrs. Esposito was no longer smiling.
A deep frown rested on her face.
The disappointment in her eyes was far more terrifying than the dragon's flames or the bear's roar.
Even from the safety of the control room...
Priscilla shivered.
"Ooh..."
"You've done it now, Veronica."
She folded her arms.
"We always teased you for having a Mama Bear complex..."
A nervous smile crossed her lips.
"But Mother..."
She looked back at the monitor.
"...is much worse."
"She's Mother Nature herself..."
"...and you just made Mother Nature angry."
Mrs. Esposito's fingers snapped.
The sound was soft.
Yet the effect was anything but.
A tiny emerald orb appeared above her fingertip, no larger than a marble. It pulsed gently, bathing her face in green light before beginning to swell. Slowly at first... then rapidly.
One meter.
Ten.
Fifty.
The glowing sphere expanded in every direction until it engulfed the mansion grounds. Trees, fountains, shattered walls, unconscious guards, the towering behemoth bear—everything vanished behind an emerald veil.
Outside...
Silence.
---
High atop the hotel rooftop, Louis Marcel lowered his binoculars.
"...There it is."
His secretary blinked.
The battlefield had disappeared.
Not literally.
The mansion still stood exactly where it always had.
Its windows were intact.
Its gardens looked pristine.
Nothing suggested that moments earlier dragons and continent-sized bears had nearly torn the estate apart.
"What happened?" she asked quietly.
Louis slipped the binoculars under one arm.
"A pocket dimension."
He sounded almost disappointed.
"I was hoping to watch the conclusion."
The secretary continued staring.
"So... none of this is visible anymore?"
"Not to ordinary people."
Louis rested both hands on the rooftop railing.
"To anyone passing by, the Esposito estate looks perfectly normal."
Below them, cars continued driving.
Streetlights glowed peacefully.
A couple walked past the front gates, laughing to themselves, blissfully unaware that only a few hundred meters away monsters capable of leveling mountains were tearing each other apart.
"It truly is an impressive ability."
The secretary couldn't hide the admiration in her voice.
Louis nodded.
"It is."
He looked toward the glowing dome.
"That ability is one of the reasons the Espositos have survived for so long."
He smiled faintly.
"The public cannot fear what it never sees."
She frowned thoughtfully.
"Then... why did we still feel that earthquake?"
Louis chuckled.
"Because even perfection has limits."
He tapped the railing with one finger.
"I imagine Mrs. Esposito wasn't expecting two apex contracts to unleash their full power simultaneously."
His gaze remained fixed on the barrier.
"The moment she realized the collateral damage... she isolated the battlefield."
The secretary folded her arms.
"So she's incredibly powerful."
"Exceptionally."
Louis answered without hesitation.
"Unfortunately..."
His expression hardened.
"...she's also the easiest member of the family to kill."
The secretary looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"Unlike her husband..."
He held up one finger.
"...she cannot become a dragon."
A second finger.
"Unlike Edward, she possesses no enhanced senses or physical abilities."
A third.
"And unlike Veronica..."
He smiled.
"...she certainly isn't a walking volcano disguised as a bear."
The secretary couldn't help laughing.
"When you put it like that..."
"Mrs. Esposito is physically ordinary."
He spoke as though reading from a report.
"Her strength comes entirely from her authority over nature."
He glanced toward the city skyline.
"Against beasts..."
"Against armies..."
"Against natural disasters..."
"She is nearly invincible."
He paused.
"But place a sniper two kilometers away before she realizes she's under attack..."
He shrugged.
"...and nature cannot stop a bullet it never knew existed."
The secretary slowly nodded.
"So she's a glass cannon."
"The greatest one I've ever seen."
Louis sighed.
"And don't even get me started on her daughter."
"The girl with the lizard?"
"Oracle Tautara."
Louis corrected automatically.
"If the intelligence reports are accurate..."
"...she possesses telepathy."
"...limited precognition."
"...and predictive calculations bordering on omniscience."
The secretary's eyes widened.
"That sounds broken."
"It is."
Louis answered.
"She can likely predict your next sentence."
"...yet physically she's just another teenager."
He gave a dry laugh.
"What an absurd family."
The secretary smiled.
"Like mother, like daughter."
Louis nodded once.
"Precisely."
He looked one last time toward the shimmering dome before turning away.
"Our entertainment is over."
She looked surprised.
"We're leaving?"
"I can't observe anything through that barrier."
He adjusted his suit jacket.
"And unlike my son..."
"...I don't gamble."
Without another word he walked toward the stairwell.
His secretary hurried after him.
Behind them, the emerald dome continued glowing beneath the moonlight like a second moon resting upon the earth.
---
Inside the Naturescape
The world changed.
One moment everyone had been standing in a battlefield of shattered stone and burning debris.
The next...
They stood inside a forest so vast it seemed endless.
Towering trees stretched toward a sky of emerald leaves. Rivers wound peacefully between carpets of flowers. Birds sang from unseen branches.
For one impossible second...
Everything felt calm.
Then the forest attacked.
A chorus of howls erupted from every direction.
Wolves burst from the undergrowth like gray arrows, their glowing eyes locked onto a single target.
The bear.
One leapt onto Veronica's shoulder.
Another sank its fangs into her foreleg.
Three more lunged for her back.
The giant bear roared, the sound shaking the forest itself, before swinging a paw large enough to uproot houses.
Several wolves were launched through the trees.
Others simply took their place.
"There are too many..." Edward muttered.
The wolves came without fear.
Without hesitation.
Without end.
"They aren't protecting her..."
Priscilla whispered.
"They're obeying Mother."
A massive python burst from beneath the roots, coiling around the bear's hind legs.
An eagle descended from above, claws raking across her eyes.
Boars rammed her knees.
Bears fought bears.
Even insects joined the assault.
Thousands.
Millions.
Nature itself had declared Veronica an intruder.
The behemoth staggered beneath the relentless tide.
She crushed wolves beneath her paws.
Tore vines apart.
Sent entire flocks scattering with every roar.
Yet every creature she defeated was replaced by another.
Then...
Something cold brushed across her leg.
A cobra.
It raised its hood.
Its emerald eyes met the bear's blazing crimson ones.
Hiss.
Twin streams of venom shot directly into Veronica's eyes.
The bear screamed.
The roar echoed through the entire forest.
She clawed desperately at her face.
Trees splintered.
Earth cracked.
Entire sections of forest collapsed beneath her frantic thrashing.
Mrs. Esposito simply watched.
Her expression remained unreadable.
"The wild can be cruel."
She spoke quietly.
"But tonight..."
"...it is merely following its mother."
The poisoned bear thrashed violently.
Every swing of its massive paws flattened dozens of trees, yet the forest refused to yield. Vines erupted from the earth like living chains, coiling around Veronica's forelegs before anchoring themselves deep beneath the soil.
The bear roared.
The ground trembled.
With a violent pull she tore the vines apart.
Only for twice as many to replace them.
"...She's actually overpowering Mother's vines," Priscilla whispered.
Even through the monitor she could feel the strain.
Veronica planted all four paws firmly into the earth and lowered her head.
Edward's ears twitched.
"Dad..."
"I know."
Both father and son recognized the signs.
The orange glow returned.
It began as a faint ember beneath the bear's ribs.
Then it spread.
Like molten rivers flowing beneath her skin, brilliant veins of orange climbed her neck before gathering inside her throat.
"Lava breath..."
Mr. Esposito muttered.
"She's going to melt the whole forest."
Mrs. Esposito simply raised one hand.
The river answered.
Water abandoned its riverbed.
Ignoring gravity entirely, it climbed into the sky like a translucent dragon before spiraling around Veronica's head.
The bear released her attack.
A torrent of molten rock exploded forward.
The water collided with it instantly.
The forest vanished behind a wall of white steam.
The sound was deafening.
Hissing.
Boiling.
Explosions echoed as magma cooled into black stone.
The torrent never made it past the river.
More water surged forward.
It wrapped around the bear's jaws.
Around her neck.
Around her entire head.
Veronica struggled.
The massive creature clawed desperately at the water, but every drop she dispersed was replaced by another.
"It's... drowning her..."
Mike murmured from beside Priscilla.
"It isn't ordinary water."
Priscilla never looked away from the screen.
"It's every river in this forest obeying one command."
The bear's movements slowed.
Mrs. Esposito finally spoke.
"No one withstands my Naturescape forever."
Her voice carried through the entire forest.
"You are fortunate, Veronica."
"If I wished..."
"...I could simply ask the ocean to embrace you."
The water released its grip.
The bear collapsed onto one knee, coughing molten lava onto the forest floor.
Steam rose from her mouth.
She hadn't been defeated.
Only exhausted.
Mrs. Esposito turned her head slightly.
"Edward."
The tiger immediately straightened.
"I think our little bear needs a nap."
A grin spread across Edward's face.
"Yes, Mother."
He dropped onto all fours.
Lightning danced across his body.
Bones shifted.
Muscles swelled.
Orange fur burst from beneath his skin while black stripes gradually transformed into glowing streaks of blue-white electricity.
Within seconds...
The young man was gone.
A magnificent storm tiger stood where he had been.
Its eyes flashed with lightning.
Its whiskers crackled with static.
Without hesitation it leapt.
One tree.
Then another.
Then another.
Each leap carried it higher into the emerald canopy.
Until finally—
It disappeared into the clouds.
Silence followed.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
Nothing.
No movement.
No sound.
Then...
BOOM!
The sky split open.
A single bolt of lightning descended like divine judgment.
It struck Veronica squarely between the shoulders.
The explosion vaporized nearby trees.
The earth blackened instantly.
The bear convulsed violently before crashing face-first into the ground.
Smoke curled from her singed fur.
Far above...
Thunder rolled across the heavens.
Edward's victorious roar echoed through the clouds themselves.
Priscilla smiled.
"He never gets tired of showing off."
Mrs. Esposito began walking toward the fallen bear.
Each step was slow.
Measured.
Calm.
Then—
A claw twitched.
Her smile faded.
"The stubborn child..."
Veronica's eye snapped open.
Still glowing crimson.
With an enraged roar the bear lunged.
Mrs. Esposito didn't move.
Before Veronica could reach her—
CRACK!
Another lightning bolt descended.
The bear slammed into the ground.
She growled.
Forced herself back onto her feet.
CRACK!
A second bolt.
She stumbled again.
Still...
She rose.
CRACK!
The third strike illuminated the entire forest.
Smoke poured from Veronica's fur.
Even then...
She refused to stay down.
Mr. Esposito folded his arms proudly.
"That's my daughter."
His wife shot him a glance.
"You say that as though it's a good thing."
"...Fair point."
The Behemoth Bear suddenly stopped struggling.
The vines still coiled tightly around its limbs.
Lightning continued to dance within the storm clouds overhead.
Edward's final strike was moments away.
Yet...
Something changed.
The bear lowered its center of gravity.
Its massive paws dug deep into the earth until the ground cracked beneath their weight.
A deep orange glow pulsed beneath its fur.
Like molten blood flowing through ancient veins, streams of fiery light spread across its enormous body before pouring into the ground itself.
The earth answered.
Cracks raced across the forest floor in every direction.
They glowed with the same volcanic orange.
The entire Naturescape trembled.
High above, Priscilla's eyes widened.
"No..."
She lurched forward against the branches supporting her.
"Mom! It's going to—"
She never finished.
The world shattered.
---
One moment she was suspended high above an endless forest.
The next—
She was sitting on the floor of her bedroom.
"...Huh?"
Priscilla blinked.
The monitor.
The bed.
The overturned chair.
Everything had returned.
Around her, the rest of the household appeared just as confused.
Edward stumbled into the room, still covered in soot.
Mr. Esposito landed ungracefully on one knee.
Several servants looked around in complete bewilderment.
Everyone had been expelled from the Naturescape.
Everyone...
Except Mrs. Esposito.
"...Mom."
Priscilla's voice became barely more than a whisper.
---
Elsewhere inside the mansion—
Lucy blinked.
Carla frowned.
A second ago they'd been standing atop enormous tree branches.
Now...
They stood inside one of the mansion's guest rooms.
Unfortunately...
Someone else occupied it.
Jack Marcel.
He looked around wildly.
"What the—"
He never finished.
Carla's foot slammed into his stomach.
The impact folded him in half before launching him across the room.
He bounced off the wall with a grunt.
Before he could recover, Carla was already moving.
The wooden floor cracked beneath her feet as she lunged again, fist cocked back.
Jack's pupils shrank.
His body exploded into white steam.
Carla's punch tore through the cloud.
"Hsssss!"
She immediately jerked her hand back.
The vapor was scalding.
Her knuckles reddened instantly.
Several feet away, the mist condensed once more into Jack's human form.
He brushed imaginary dust from his sleeve before glaring toward the ceiling.
"That damn woman..."
He clicked his tongue.
"I was this close to escaping."
His eyes narrowed.
"Why did she have to drag me into her Naturescape?"
Only then did he notice Carla.
Her expression promised violence.
Jack sighed.
"...No matter."
His body slowly dissolved around the edges as wisps of steam curled from his shoulders.
"You've been quite the nuisance."
His smile returned.
"So tell me..."
"Would you rather I suffocate you..."
"...or become a poisonous gas and slowly—"
"SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS! HIYAAAA!"
Lucy shot across the room like a missile.
Jack had just enough time to look down.
"...Wait wha—"
THUD!
The kick landed with horrifying precision.
Silence.
Complete...
Absolute...
Silence.
Jack's face turned ghostly white.
His eyes bulged.
Every muscle in his body locked.
The color drained from his lips.
Then...
He slowly collapsed to his knees.
Both hands instinctively clutched between his legs.
"...Damn..."
His voice cracked.
"...You..."
Even Carla winced in sympathy.
"...Ouch."
Lucy dusted off her skirt proudly.
"Critical hit."
Jack remained frozen.
His soul looked ready to leave his body.
Lucy reached into her coat.
"Sleep tight."
A tranquilizer pistol clicked into her hand.
She fired.
Pfft!
Jack's instincts finally returned.
His body dissolved into steam just before the dart struck.
The cloud of mist slipped beneath the bedroom door.
Lucy stared for half a second.
"...After him!"
Carla was already sprinting.
"Right!"
The two women disappeared into the hallway after the fleeing cloud of steam.
---
Meanwhile...
Inside the collapsing Naturescape—
Paradise was gone.
The towering forests...
Gone.
The crystal rivers...
Gone.
The songs of birds had been replaced by the roar of erupting volcanoes.
The earth resembled the surface of a dying world.
Great fissures carved through the land.
Rivers of molten lava crawled between smoking craters.
Ash drifted like black snow.
Mrs. Esposito soared overhead atop a magnificent giant eagle.
The creature banked sharply.
A column of lava erupted where it had been only a heartbeat earlier.
Another geyser burst to life.
Then another.
The battlefield itself had become hostile.
Mrs. Esposito narrowed her eyes.
"So..."
"You've decided to fight the forest..."
"...with the birth of a volcano."
A deafening rumble answered her.
The sunlight vanished.
No...
It wasn't the sunlight.
A shadow had swallowed it.
The eagle cried out.
Mrs. Esposito slowly looked upward.
Her calm expression finally faltered.
The Behemoth Bear...
Had grown again.
It no longer resembled an animal.
It resembled a mountain that had awakened.
Clouds curled around its shoulders.
Its head rose so high it disappeared into smoke and ash.
Each breath escaped like the eruption of a furnace.
Then...
It opened its jaws.
Mrs. Esposito followed its gaze downward.
Her heart sank.
Every crater below...
Every single one...
Glowed orange.
Each was ready to erupt simultaneously.
Above her—
The bear.
Below—
A sea of volcanoes.
For the first time since the battle began...
There was nowhere left to run.
The orange glow climbed the bear's throat.
Its jaws blazed like the mouth of the sun.
Mrs. Esposito tightened her grip on the eagle's feathers.
"...Veronica."
There was sadness in her voice.
"...You've completely lost yourself."
The bear fired.
A pillar of incandescent magma consumed the sky.
Light swallowed everything.
And Mrs. Esposito disappeared within it.