Lord Of Beasts

They quietly filed into the spacious briefing room near the centre of the aircraft.

A long, polished table occupied most of the cabin, surrounded by comfortable leather seats that looked far too luxurious for people who had spent the last twenty-four hours fighting for their lives.

Ethan froze momentarily upon entering, his instincts picking up on something. But he then continued as normal, easing himself into a chair with a quiet grunt, careful not to jostle his broken arm.

Elara sat beside him, while Rowan, Kaela, Darius, Liora, Seraphina, Dave, and the Bulldozer filled the remaining seats.

At the far end of the table sat Harold.

His posture remained perfectly straight, his hands folded neatly together as though he’d been waiting there for hours rather than arriving only minutes earlier. But Ethan was the only one who, upon stepping into the room, felt the hidden presence.

”Why’s that detective guy with you?”

His voice echoed through the otherwise quiet cabin.

”I was hoping I’d never have to see him again,” he added under his breath.

Harold smiled, but everyone else was confused as to what Ethan was talking about.

But it all made sense once the detective casually emerged from the corner where he’d somehow concealed himself so perfectly that not a single other person in the room had noticed him.

It was as though he’d simply stepped out from the darkness itself.

The only other person who might have been able to sense him was Dave, with his unique ability to perceive mana with his eyes, but he was too busy meditating. Ethan had managed to get the man out of his shell in the gate, but he had reverted to his closed-off self.

As for Holt, he adjusted the collar of his familiar brown trench coat before tipping the brim of his detective’s hat.

”Good afternoon, Mr Crowe.”

His curious smile hadn’t changed in the slightest.

”I must admit,” he said pleasantly, ”I’m rather impressed.”

Lucas Holt wasn’t sure how the blue-eyed man had even sensed him, but that only fascinated him further.

”I guess it’s only right that you can sense a beast like me.”

Ethan locked eyes with Holt’s amber eyes, and there was a tense silence as they stared at each other until he eventually spoke.

”I’d say it’s nice seeing you again, but I’d be lying.”

The detective chuckled.

”Oh? I’m quite offended by that.”

Around the table, the others exchanged confused glances.

”You two know each other?” Kaela asked.

”Unfortunately,” Ethan answered.

”I thought our meeting was quite enlightening.”

Ethan rolled his eyes.

’Enlightening my ass. It was basically a forced interrogation.’

The last time they’d spoken, the detective already seemed to know more about Ethan’s Title than he did. And since he seemed to have had a Conditional Title, he was trying to gauge if he was a secret S Rank.

Turns out he truly was an E Rank, or at least had been at that time.

Now that he was showing his face again, Ethan was sure the inquisitive man had more that he sought to uncover.

’Man, I’m too tired to play these mental games with this weirdo.’

Ethan slouched and put his hands behind his head.

Meanwhile, Holt calmly pulled out a chair beside Harold before taking a seat, his movements slow and relaxed. He had the kind of confidence possessed by someone who never needed to raise their voice or fists.

Harold glanced between the two.

”I’m pleased you’ve already been acquainted.”

”I’m not,” Ethan muttered.

That earned a faint smile from several people around the table.

The detective simply ignored the remark, his sharp amber eyes remaining fixed on Ethan with unsettling intensity. It wasn’t hostile or accusatory, but simply curious. It was like a scientist examining a phenomenon that refused to follow established rules.

And recognising that is what unnerved Ethan.

’I can’t read him at all, and that’s the scariest part.’

His gaze drifted between Harold and the detective, who were among the busiest and most influential figures in the country, if not the world. For the two of them to leave everything behind and personally board this aircraft...

It meant whatever discussion awaited them couldn’t have been handled through reports or paperwork.

His stomach sank slightly.

’Yeah, there’s no way this is just a debrief.’

Both Gate Takeovers had occurred while Ethan was in the gate. And Darius and Elara, who had also been in both gates, had entered gates previously without something like that happening. That was without factoring in that both times were related to beasts, which Ethan’s abilities very clearly centred around.

It was a no-brainer, and he was sure they had connected the dots already.

’They would be idiots if they hadn’t.’

Ethan let out a weary sigh and asked directly, ”This is an interrogation, isn’t it?”

Neither Harold nor the detective answered immediately, though the silence itself was answer enough. That’s when the Association Head spoke again, glossing over his question.

”Before we discuss anything else, I need a complete account of what happened inside that Gate, without missing a single detail.”

His gaze swept across the room.

The detective beside him remained silent, a notebook resting on his knee. He hadn’t written a single word yet, instead watching every subtle movement and expression around the table.

Ethan immediately noticed.

’Typical detective, assuming everything’s a lie until he can prove otherwise.’

Harold nodded toward Darius first, seeing him as the most reliable out of the lot, and also because they both came from a military background.

”Start from the beginning.”

For nearly an hour, everyone pieced together the impossible Gate. Each person’s experience overlapped with another’s until the full picture slowly emerged.

They started with Phase One, where each of them had been separated the moment they entered and faced different beasts. Then came Phase Two, where they were in smaller groups and faced a bigger obstacle.

And last, but definitely not least, was Phase Three.

They continued to provide their recollections of what had happened, but once they were done, all eyes were on Ethan again...