A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

I hopped onto Anzu, settling into the elegant saddle strapped to his back. The craftsmanship was exquisite—clearly custom-made for a divine beast. I had to admit, excitement buzzed through me.

Then an idea hit me.

"Uh, hey, Enlil… would it be okay if I took a selfie with Anzu?" I asked, hopeful.

Enlil raised an eyebrow. "A selfie? I don't see why not. Anzu enjoys photos. I actually have a full photobook of him—did a whole photoshoot together once. Promotion purposes."

I blinked. "Wait… Anzu has a photobook?"

Enlil nodded, completely serious.

Well, that was unexpected.

Grinning, I pulled out my phone and snapped a selfie with Anzu. Right on cue, Anzu spread his wings wide, exuding pure majesty. And—hold up—was he smiling?

CLICK.

Another memory for my Mythigram. I'd definitely be posting this later. Too bad Enlil didn't have an account—I would've tagged him.

As if reading my mind, Enlil smirked. "We don't use your kind of social platform here in the Heavens. Ours is more… exclusive. Only divine beings and celestial creatures of heaven can join." He crossed his arms, clearly proud.

"Right," I muttered. Celestial social media. Of course.

Enlil gave a lazy wave as Anzu leapt into the air, wings beating powerfully as we soared away from the Seventh Heavens.

The moment we broke through the clouds, I felt it—pure, unfiltered thrill. Anzu was fast. The wind whipped against my face, the world blurring below us as we sliced through the sky like a shooting star.

I couldn't resist—I pulled out my phone and hit record, capturing the moment. Me, flying on the back of a divine beast? This was gold. Since I couldn't ride a dragon (yet), riding Anzu was the next best thing. Definitely something to brag about later.

I spread my arms wide, savoring the moment. The wind rushed past me, cool and exhilarating, as Anzu soared through the sky with ease. The freedom was intoxicating—like nothing I'd ever felt before.

My grin stretched wider, and for a second, I forgot about everything else. It was just me, Anzu, and the vast sky.

Anzu let out a loud, rumbling roar. The sound carried through the air, reverberating with such power that it almost felt like the sky itself responded. A shimmering portal suddenly appeared before us, its edges swirling with cosmic energy. Without hesitation, we shot toward it, the portal engulfing us in an instant.

Time bent and twisted around us as we shot through the portal.

Moments later, we emerged on the other side and found ourselves hovering just outside the Ziggurat. Anzu landed smoothly, his massive wings folding back with a soft rustle.

He lowered himself, signaling for me to dismount.

"Thanks, buddy," I said, patting his head before hopping off. He purred softly, his golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

"I wish I could keep you as my pet, but Enlil would probably have my head," I chuckled, imagining the god's reaction.

Anzu responded by licking my face, his tongue warm and surprisingly gentle. The smell that hit me was a strange mixture of meat and fresh mint—bizarre, but oddly comforting.

"Hey, that tickles!" I laughed, wiping the wetness off my cheek.

With a playful nudge, Anzu gently shoved me toward the entrance of the Ziggurat. "Okay, okay, I'm going," I muttered, amused by the giant creature's insistence.

Just before stepping inside, I had a thought.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my secret stash of beef jerky. It was a small indulgence, saved for moments when I needed a snack.

I tossed it to Anzu, and without missing a beat, he caught it in mid-air. He chewed it down with a contented roar, his wings flicking in delight.

"Goodbye, Anzu. Fly safe," I said, giving him one last wave.

Anzu let out a final roar, spread his wings wide, and took off into the sky, disappearing into the distance. I watched him go, a mix of awe and envy swirling inside me. I'd never had a divine pet before.

Maybe I should ask for one as a reward next time. I smirked at the thought.

As Anzu disappeared into the sky, the thrill of flying lingered for just a moment before reality settled back in. I had another issue waiting for me inside the Ziggurat.

Shaking off my brief moment of longing, I turned and headed into the Ziggurat.

The building loomed large before me, its ancient stone walls steeped in magical energy.

Stepping through the entrance, I was greeted by the familiar sight of the CCC Book Mall, where Amaterasu, Agnos, and Jiuge were busy with their own affairs.

They didn't seem to have noticed my absence, which was kind of impressive, considering the weirdness of the whole situation.

But the moment I walked in, their attention snapped to me. Jiuge looked up first, her expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

"W-what the? Why are you coming from that direction?" Her tails froze mid-swish, clearly baffled.

Agnos, who had been sipping his tea, twitched his ears and glanced over at me. "You smell like a divine beast," he commented, his eyes narrowing as he studied me with that typical feline scrutiny. "Where have you been?"

I blinked, taken aback by how easily he could pick up on that.

"Uh, I went for a ride," I said, trying to sound casual, though it felt like I was glossing over something bigger. "Nothing too crazy."

Amaterasu raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Her golden eyes flicked from me to the space around me, as if she was processing something deeper.

I wasn't sure what to make of her silence, but she didn't press the issue.

Agnos wasn't so easily satisfied. He leaned forward, his sharp gaze never leaving me. "You're lying," he said, his voice a low growl. "Where exactly did you go?"

I let out a small sigh.

It wasn't like I could hide the truth from them for long, but the last thing I needed was them digging into everything. "I said, I went for a ride. Just got back from, uh, the Heavens. No big deal."

Jiuge's eyes widened. "Wait, Heavens? As in the divine heavens?" She stared at me, her eyes darting between me and the entrance. "What kind of meeting is that?"

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "It was just a... discussion. Nothing that concerns you. Yet."

I didn't really know how to explain it without giving away more than I intended. Especially not with the whole traitor situation still hanging over me.

Agnos studied me for a long moment, then took another sip of his tea.

"I'm not buying it, but whatever. It's not like I care about your 'little discussion.' But you've definitely been up to something."

He raised an eyebrow. "And don't think I didn't notice you smell different. I've never met anyone who smells like divine beasts. Divine beasts don't just leave their scent on people for no reason. You either made a friend or got yourself into trouble—maybe both."

I couldn't help but smirk. "I guess I'm just full of surprises today," I said, my tone light. "But seriously, I've got enough on my plate without dealing with more questions."

Jiuge, still confused but clearly intrigued, tapped her foot. "Yeah, whatever. You're weird, but I guess that's nothing new." She gave a shrug and turned back to her books.

"Maybe I'm not the only one who's weird," I muttered under my breath, though I didn't have much time to dwell on it.

As much as I wanted to relax, I knew finding the traitor problem was far from solved.