Me And My Pet Mico

The Local Hub

"This is the place I was talking about," Kendrick, one of Arth's bodyguards, said, gesturing toward the local hub.

It was the same rundown warehouse where Zarn and Mico had watched a beast fight just the day before. The structure remained unchanged—its rusted beams and flickering lights casting long shadows over the slum dwellers who loitered within. Some were placing bets, others were drinking, exchanging information, or engaging in casual street brawls. The ever-present beast fights carried on, drawing eager spectators into tight circles around makeshift arenas.

The fight between Mico and the Frail Calling Phoenix had been halted earlier. Letting beasts of their caliber clash in an open street was too dangerous—the damage would have been catastrophic. So, Kendrick had led them here, following a slum map displayed on his holographic smartwatch. Unlike the streets, the local hub had an enclosed battle stage designed specifically for controlled beast fights.

Zarn's expression darkened.

"What? Don't tell me you've chickened out now that there's an audience," Arth taunted, flashing a smug grin.

That grin faded the moment Zarn's gaze met his—calm, unreadable, indifferent.

"I just didn't expect the fight to be held here," Zarn replied. "But thinking about it… there really isn't anywhere else in the slums suited for something like this. I guess I was just hoping you'd have a more private spot in mind."

Arth tilted his head, studying him. "You don't like crowds?"

"Not really. It's just that when I win, I'd rather not have a whole audience watching." Zarn's voice was casual, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable. "Then again, this works too. At least now I don't have to worry about you backing out."

Arth's lips parted, but before he could respond, Kendrick stepped in.

"I have to agree with you," the bodyguard said, then added smoothly, "The first part, not the second." He cast Arth a knowing glance before shifting his attention back to Zarn. "If your beast is as strong as I suspect, then showing its full power in front of an audience might be more trouble than it's worth—for you."

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Arth's face, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he turned back to Kendrick. "So, how do you plan to clear this place?"

Kendrick smiled faintly. "Leave that to me."

Minutes later, the once-crowded hall had emptied out. The local boss had given the order, and no one dared oppose him. Now, only Zarn, Arth, their beasts, and the two bodyguards remained.

At the center of the abandoned warehouse, the beast arena loomed. The scorched ground bore the scars of countless battles, the air thick with the lingering scent of burnt embers and dust.

Mico and the Frail Calling Phoenix stepped into the ring. Flames crackled around their bodies, their shared fire-attribute nature making the air shimmer with heat.

The phoenix flared its wings, releasing a magnificent burst of golden fire that illuminated the dim surroundings. Embers cascaded from its plumage like falling stars—a breathtaking spectacle designed to intimidate.

Yet, behind the dazzling display, uncertainty stirred.

Its sharp eyes fixated on Mico—this beast unlike any it had ever encountered. The phoenix prided itself on knowing its own kind, on recognizing fire-wielding creatures of similar status. Yet Mico… Mico was an anomaly.

There was no trace of recognition. No ancestral familiarity. No connection to anything the phoenix had ever known.

And that made it uneasy.

Across from it, Mico stood still. No theatrics. No show of power. Just an unwavering, measured gaze—calm, absolute, indifferent. It wasn't arrogance, nor was it dismissiveness. It was something far more unsettling: certainty.

Not a challenge. Not a test. Merely an amusement.

The phoenix's flames crackled louder as it spread its wings wider, attempting to drown out the quiet pressure emanating from Mico. But the weight of that gaze pressed down on it, sinking into its core like an anchor in deep waters.

It should feel superior. It was a Mythic beast—an entity of fire and rebirth.

Yet, for the first time in its existence… it felt as if it was the one being studied.

Outside the arena, Zarn and Arth stood at opposite ends, their eyes locked on the confrontation unfolding before them.

The stage was set. The beasts were ready.

Now for the fight.

A tense silence fell over the battlefield as Mico and the Frail Calling Phoenix locked eyes. The air between them wavered with heat, each breath thick with the promise of imminent destruction. The dim glow of the enclosed arena was drowned out by the rising embers, flickering in an invisible dance of dominance.

The phoenix struck first.

With a powerful beat of its wings, a golden inferno exploded outward, rushing forward like a tidal wave of fire. The flames roared, swallowing the arena in an instant, turning the air to molten heat. The intensity of the blaze distorted the very space around it, a testament to the legendary might of a mythical beast.

Yet, as the fire surged toward him, Mico did not move. Not yet.

Then, just as the inferno was about to consume him, he leaped forward—into the fire.

His body cut through the golden flames like a blade through water. The ever-present blue fire that wreathed him flared hungrily, devouring the golden inferno before it could even touch him. The brilliant flames flickered, fought back—then vanished into nothing, swallowed by the superior heat of Mico's unnatural fire.

The phoenix's eyes widened in disbelief.

In a blur, Mico was already upon it. His claws raked through the air, carving a streak of pure blue fire that sliced through the phoenix's protective aura. A shrill cry escaped the bird as it flapped its wings frantically, instincts screaming at it to retreat. That attack—seemingly simple—had pierced through its defenses.

Panic surged through the phoenix. It had no time to think, only react.

Its Senar surged to its limits, and with a single powerful flap of its wings, it hurled itself backward, out of Mico's range. But in its desperation, it had not accounted for its surroundings. The force of its escape sent it hurtling upwards—straight into the arena's force barrier.

The moment its flames touched the barrier, the energy field warped and shattered.

The Local Hub's beast arena was never meant to contain a battle of this level. The flames of a mythical beast had burned through its containment like paper, and as the phoenix passed through the breach, the entire barrier destabilized, flickering wildly before collapsing entirely.

On the ground, Mico had already shifted. He watched the phoenix ascend, his body coiled with restrained power. Then, with a single push, he launched himself after it.

Mid-leap, a fireball formed at his maw, pulsing with deep blue flames before he fired.

The fireball streaked through the air, closing in on the phoenix at terrifying speed.

The phoenix noticed.

Just one fireball? Am I being underestimated?

A sharp cry tore from its throat as it dived downward toward the approaching attack. Mid-flight, it twisted into a rapid spin, golden flames spiraling around it like a miniature tornado—armor of fire meant to shield it from the blow.

Then—

BOOM!

The fireball collided.

A shockwave of flames erupted, golden and blue intertwining before exploding outward. The sheer force of the blast shattered what little remained of the barrier, shaking the very foundation of the warehouse.

Through the chaos, Mico emerged, cutting through the explosion like a specter of fire and death. His claws, wreathed in azure flames, slashed forward.

The phoenix barely saw it coming.

Then, pain—a bolt of pain ran through it's body.

A scorching claw mark carved across its chest, the force of the strike sending it spiraling further into the air, carried by the remnants of the blast.

Silence followed the destruction.

Mico landed with effortless grace, his piercing eyes already locked onto the phoenix above. His attack had struck—but the battle was not yet over.

Hovering in the air, the phoenix wavered, wings beating unsteadily as it finally glanced down at its injury.

A claw wound, burned black at the edges.

Flames had burned a Fire Phoenix.

A rare occurrence.

Arth's breath hitched as he stared at his tamed beast.

"Impossible!"