my beast change system

Athena

The gentle glow of the morning sun warms my skin as I slowly wake up. Stretching my body, I let out a soft yawn, rubbing my temples. As my vision clears, I notice Owen already awake, glancing around anxiously.

"Morning, Owen," I murmur, my voice still heavy with sleep.

"He's gone," he says, his tone carrying a hint of disappointment.

"Who is?" I ask, blinking away the last remnants of drowsiness.

"Nate… he left us here," he responds, his voice tinged with doubt and frustration.

I pause, considering the possibility, but deep down, I refuse to believe it. "He's not gone," I state firmly.

Owen scoffs. "How sure are you?"

"Because…" I begin, but then hesitate. Do I even know him well enough to say that? After a brief pause, I gather my thoughts. "He said he'd join our team."

"And that I will."

A voice cuts through the sky, and both Owen and I snap our heads up. Nate descends from above, his Evil Charm form shrouding him in an ominous presence.

"The first thing about a team is trust," he says as he lands gracefully, his form shifting back to his human self.

Owen, frozen in place, stares in disbelief before finally finding his voice. "You… you… YOU TURNED INTO A BEAST?!" His voice cracks with a mixture of fear and shock.

Nate meets my gaze, his eyes cold. Oops. I might've forgotten to mention that little detail to Owen yesterday… But to be fair, there was food involved.

"Big deal," Nate says nonchalantly. "It's not like people in the capital can't turn into beasts."

"Actually… no one can," I correct him.

His expression shifts. "As in… no one?"

I nod, crossing my arms.

---

Owen

At first, I thought Nate was just some kind of beast tamer, but after witnessing his transformation, everything I thought I knew about this world—and about him—has completely changed. The craziest part? Athena isn't even remotely surprised.

Narrowing my eyes, I demand, "Nate, what are you? An enemy or a friend?"

He studies me for a moment before smirking. "Well, you can decide that once you get to know me."

Then, with absolutely no hesitation, he asks, "So, do the two of you bathe together?"

My mind goes blank for a second. "What?!"

Athena and I shake our heads in perfect sync, both equally disturbed by the question.

"Alright then," Nate says as if nothing weird just happened. "My beasts will show you your bathing areas while the ogre prepares food for us."

With that, his creatures emerge from his shadow. "Thunder Cheetah, escort Owen. Ignil, take Athena. Knight, gather wood, and Ignil, light the fire for the chef to cook our meal."

The beasts nod in understanding. Athena follows Ignil without a second thought, but I hesitate. Am I the only one being cautious of this guy?

---

Tenkanshirayuki

Chains bind my wrists and ankles, heavy with the weight of suppression. The magic canceller embedded in them ensures no one here can use their powers. I stand in line with other prisoners, each one shackled just like me. This is our reality now.

As I reach the front of the line, I'm handed a plate—barely enough food to sustain a grown person. This is how they break you.

Most who enter this place lose hope, accepting their fate. But not me.

In just a few days, I'll be out of here.

---

Nate

Right… who knew Owen could be such a lady? The guy's been bathing for over an hour now. His injuries are healed, so it's not like he's taking time to mend them. If this is how long he takes to clean up, we might have to camp here again.

Meanwhile, my ogre is busy preparing a meal, and damn, the smell is heavenly—like something straight out of a five-star restaurant.

Athena's voice drifts from the woods. "What's that incredible smell?"

She steps into the clearing, followed by Ignil, whose mane is no longer engulfed in flames.

"What happened to you?" I whisper to Ignil. He looks absolutely miserable. Without a word, he retreats into my shadow, completely defeated. Did Athena really put him through that much torture?

Owen returns soon after, looking equally captivated by the scent of the food, Thunder Cheetah following closely behind.

The ogre serves the three of us while pouring a portion into a massive bowl for the beasts. As we dig in, I can't help but think—I should've hired this guy ages ago.

"Do we head to your palace first or to the guild?" I ask between bites.

"The guild," Owen answers curtly.

"Won't they fight you for showing up there?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Not quite…" His tone turns cold, as if he's trying to avoid something.

I decide not to push. If he doesn't want to talk about it, that's his business. Besides, something else is nagging at me—my system hasn't appeared in a while. I wonder what's up with that…

---

Athena

With our meal finished, we begin our journey back to the capital. Nate walks alongside his beasts, while Owen keeps his eyes peeled for any potential threats.

"So, Nate… what was that black energy that covered both you and Athena during the fight?" Owen suddenly asks.

"It was a seal," Nate replies simply. "It restricted Athena's mana to only a fraction of what she could actually control."

Owen's expression darkens. "Then… can you make one that brings out someone's true potential in mana?"

Nate halts mid-step, placing a hand on his chin as he considers it. "Come to think of it… I think I can't."

His beasts collectively lower their heads in embarrassment. If I had to guess, they were probably thinking: Why didn't you just say that while we were walking?

Judging by Owen's exasperated look, he's thinking the same thing.

We continue our journey in silence, leaving the dense forest behind. As we step into the open fields, Nate suddenly stops, his eyes wide as he takes in the scenery.

The sky stretches vast and blue, dotted with small, fluffy clouds. The land is alive with vibrant, unthreatening creatures roaming freely.

"Wow," he breathes, marveling at the outside world.

I watch him for a moment before smiling. "Come on, the capital is just a few minutes away." With that, I take off running, Owen quickly following suit.

Nate lingers for a moment longer before glancing at his beasts. A grin spreads across his face.

"Let's go, guys," he says, joining us, his beasts close behind.

This is the beginning of something wonderful… and painful.

With Owen, Nate, and his beasts by my side, I can't shake the feeling that everything—somehow—will work out.