Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 226: On the Edge



The medic teams rushed onto the battlefield. The aftermath of the breathtaking 3v3 battle left both sides reeling.

Mercury, Raya, and Catarina, but also Elara were carried off the field on stretchers.

Braun, watching his teammate from the side, spat out a broken tooth into his hand. He examined it with a mix of irritation and disdain before tossing it aside.

"Tch. Annoying," he muttered. "I couldn't fight properly with that many brats."

Rylas yawned lazily, his usual slowliness returning.

"Well... at least they got a point," he said with a shrug. "It sucks for Ela, but they deserve it."

Tamara, standing with her arms crossed, said nothing. Her gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, her expression unreadable.

Arvad's voice broke the tense silence.

"This might not be as good as anticipated," he said, glancing at the scoreboard. "They got one point, sure, but we only need one more to win. And those last two..." He paused, rubbing his chin. "Two city-level kids in the next match? That looks like free points."

Victor sighed heavily, his arms crossed.

"There's still one problem," he said.

The group followed his gaze to the Golden Cosmos bench. The remaining team members gathered around their fallen fighters, checking on their condition, and among them stood the biggest problem.

Morgiana, silent until now, spoke in her usual measured tone.

"The Pharaoh," she said simply.

Braun and Rylas returned to the bench, not battered enough to need a medical check. Victor glanced at Braun and shook his head.

"We should have kept you for that last battle," he said. "This is a big problem now."

Rylas yawned, waving a hand dismissively.

"Don't berate yourself like that, Victor. You're the third wheel here. You'll be fine."

Arvad snorted in agreement, leaning back with his arms crossed.

"The Pharaoh is special," he admitted. "But if we're being honest, his closest comparison was that blind swordsman, Raya. If he fights like her, he won't..." He trailed off, crossing his arms tightly. After a moment, he sighed and continued.

"Never mind. The real priority is scoring that one point. Forget the Pharaoh; focus on the three pawns."

On Infinite Twilight's side, Leonidas leaned back in his chair, his gaze narrowing as he observed the score.

"Isn't there a risk that Tamara might use him to hunt down all the legendaries to stop us? Isn't that possible?"

Kallistra, seated with her usual calm attitude, brushed a strand of silver-gray hair over her shoulder and replied.

"You're breaking records for long jumps, Leonidas, but look at Tamara's face..."

She gestured subtly toward the World Star bench, where Tamara stood with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable but tense.

"That's enough win for me."

Leonidas followed her gaze, his sharp eyes lingering on Tamara. He said nothing more, though his fingers drummed thoughtfully against the armrest of his chair.

Meanwhile, the arena's staff moved swiftly to reconstruct the battlefield, a monumental task after the devastation caused by the 3v3 battle.

The atmosphere was electric with murmurs and whispers from the crowd, who were still buzzing from the spectacular clash. The 4-1 score loomed like a death sentence for Golden Cosmos, and the audience's anticipation for the final battle was palpable.

Across the world, reactions poured in from those watching the event remotely.

In their home, Kian and Lila sat together on a plush couch, their eyes glued to the screen. Their expressions were eager, almost gleeful.

"This will teach him to choose them over us," Lila said with a smirk, her tone laced with spite.

Kian nodded in agreement, both rooting against their brother.

A few feet away, Liora was sitting silently in the sofa. She watched the screen from a distance, her expression unreadable, though her hands trembled slightly.

Outside, Marcus leaned against the wall of the house, a cigarette between his fingers. Smoke curled lazily into the night sky as he exhaled, his gaze distant.

He had refused to watch the match, decided to completely cut ties with his estranged son.

Back in the arena, the final battle was looming. Mercury, Catarina, Raya, and Ryder were under the care of the Golden Cosmos medical team.

Though their wounds were tended to, their bruised egos and bodies bore the weight of their earlier clash.

Sitting among their teammates, they watched the arena staff reconstruct the battlefield.

"I couldn't do anything," Mercury murmured, her voice heavy with regret. She rested a hand over her bandaged ribs, her eyes fixed on the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Ryder interjected with a weak laugh. "I didn't even get a punch in." He shook his head, his tone self-deprecating. "At least you all put on a show. I just got obliterated. That's one way to make a debut on the highest level, huh?"

Catarina chuckled lightly, though it was tinged with bitterness.

"Wrecked so bad," she echoed, her tail flicking lazily. "Is this always how it feels? World tier matches? I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't pause a little bit on the growth."

Raya sighed, leaning back against the bench as she gingerly patted her bandaged shoulder. Her smile was faint but genuine.

"I knew we would only be challengers, but I didn't expect this difference in power."

Kaida groaned, her head tilted back as she rubbed her temples.

"What the fuck... Those guys aren't humans. They're beasts. Absolute monsters. We're

screwed against 4 of them."

Colin and Milo sat silently. Their heads hung low, shoulders slumped. They exchanged no words, but their guilt was palpable.

They knew they were the reason everything was already lost.

Eratz, standing next to the group, was very quiet. His gaze remained fixed on the arena as the staff finished resetting the field.

The team's murmurs about their slim chances of victory didn't seem to reach him, but their glances did. One by one, their eyes drifted to him, the question hanging heavy in the air.

Mercury broke the silence, her voice tentative.

"Is it really over?" She rubbed her bandaged side. "Or is there something else? Something you

-can do?"

All eyes were on him now. Colin and Milo shifted slightly, their heads lifting just enough to catch a glimpse of Eratz. Kaida folded her arms, her brow furrowing. Everyone was silent,

glued to his response.

Eratz didn't answer immediately. His hands stilled, gripping a piece of shattered stone.

His frown deepened, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might confirm their fears.

Then, he turned to them.

"We're not losing this," he said firmly.

The weight of his words hung in the air. Everyone looked at him, wondering if he had a plan or

if it was just a moment of determination, but he looked at them with an strange calm gaze.

"You did a great job," he continued. "Thanks to what you did, sacrificing Ryder to take Tamara out and earning that single point... there's a new outcome for us."

His words silenced any lingering doubts. The team watched him in silence, his conviction spreading through them like a ripple.

They didn't know how, but Eratz's confidence gave them something they desperately needed:

hope.

With the arena's reconstruction over, the final battle could finally begin.

Arvad, Morgiana, Fredrin, and Victor stepped forward for World Star. Across the battlefield, Eratz, Kaida, Colin, and Milo prepared themselves for the ultimate showdown. The stakes could not be higher: World Star held a decisive 4-1 lead, and one more victory would seal the match. But the sole presence of Eratz, the Pharaoh, created an air of

uncertainty.

He was the wildcard, the one factor that kept the outcome unpredictable.

Eratz's gaze was focused on their opponents as he addressed his team.

"Kaida," he began, "use your field with as much power as possible. No holding back."

Kaida, with a little uncertainty nodded.

"Colin," Eratz continued, turning to his cousin, "your flames, on me. Both heal and attack. I'll

ha'dle it."

Colin's eyes widened briefly, but she nodded quickly.

"Milo," Eratz said. "Heal constantly. Focus on the three of you. Don't worry about me."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Milo nodded, though his expression remained tense.

Eratz took a step back, observing their faces. He noticed the apprehension in their eyes and

smiled faintly.

"Relax," he said, his voice steady. "You're stronger than this. I'm just being extra cautious."

There was a moment of silence as they absorbed his words. Then Eratz turned to Colin.

"Cluld you lend me your hairband?" he said.

Colin blinked in surprise but quickly untied the band from her hair and handed it to him. Eratz

tied his hair into a long ponytail, securing it tightly. He turned his back to them, and for the

first time, his back seemed larger than ever, even for Kaida.

"Keep your eyes wide open," he said.

The arena fell silent as the announcer's voice boomed through the coliseum, signaling the

start of the match.

The atmosphere was electric, the crowd holding its collective breath as the fighters took their positions. Even those watching on screens from far away sat in tense anticipation.

On the World Star side, Fredrin, a tall Ishtarian with slightly blond hair and a trimmed beard,

crossed his arms.

He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk on his lips.

"Nailed it," he muttered, watching Eratz step forward. Eratz began walking alone toward the World Star team.