Taming Beasts in a Ruined World

"Someone has escaped from the dungeon!"

The shout echoed through the cold stone corridor. A guard caught a fleeting glimpse of Yanlu's figure in the distance before panic seized him.

Two arrows flashed through the dim torchlight. Elara stood several steps ahead, her bow drawn taut, fingers loose in fluid motion. The arrows whistled through the air, embedding themselves precisely in the guard's throat. He didn't even have time to scream before collapsing.

"Drink!"

Alina's soft cry followed, low but full of power. Her fist slammed into another guard's abdomen with a heavy thud, folding him in half. Before he could fall, her other fist snapped upward, striking his chin. The man's body lifted off the ground before crashing into the wall, sliding limply to the floor.

The guards fell one after another. Yanlu hadn't even drawn her blade yet, walking calmly between the fallen bodies toward the dungeon gate.

Just as the heavy iron door came into view, a deep, commanding voice cut through the silence.

"Who dares to cause trouble here?"

The tone carried unmistakable authority. Elara's expression changed instantly, her silver eyes narrowing in alarm.

"Yanlu, come quickly!" she hissed under her breath. She recognized that voice—it belonged to one of Amestris City's deputy commanders, a Tier Six power mutant. A terrifying opponent.

Yanlu's grip tightened around a fallen guard's long knife. "We should flee separately," she said.

Alina seized her arm firmly. "No. You come with us—now!"

Without waiting for a response, she dragged Yanlu toward a shadowed corner of the dungeon.

"Elara! Skink, over here!" Alina called.

The faint shimmer of light broke before them, revealing the outline of a massive creature. The air rippled as the invisible veil lifted just enough for them to see the three-colored lizard crouched against the wall.

"Yanlu, climb up!" Alina urged.

Yanlu froze, blinking in confusion. "???"

She reached out uncertainly—and her palm met something solid. Though the creature remained invisible, she could feel the rough texture of its scaled hide beneath her fingers. Yet the wall still seemed meters away.

"A domesticated beast… invisible like us?" she murmured in disbelief.

Alina leaped onto the lizard's back in a single fluid motion. "We'll explain later! Move!"

They had no time to waste. The longer they stayed in Amestris, the greater the danger. A single Tier Six pursuer was bad enough—but if a Tier Seven reacted, even escape would become a dream.

Yanlu finally climbed up, still dazed. The moment she settled onto the creature's back, her body vanished once more into the unseen. The three-colored lizard hissed quietly, its enormous form blending perfectly with the night.

Just as they began to move, the air wavered.

La——

A figure in a black robe materialized less than five meters ahead, blocking the path. The man's presence exuded cold menace.

The three-colored lizard squinted its reptilian eyes, lifting one claw lazily as if ready to swat a bothersome insect.

Elara quickly pressed her hand to its head, shaking it lightly. No killing. Blood would leave a scent, a trail that could be followed by any sensitive tracker.

"Where are the prisoners?" the black-robed man demanded coldly, his gaze sweeping across the trembling guards.

"The one who was here just now… she disappeared, sir," one guard stammered, pale with fear.

"Useless trash!" The man's voice was like a whip. He turned sharply and leapt onto a nearby rooftop, vanishing into the shadows.

But moments later, he halted mid-stride, standing rigid atop the tiles. A prickle of unease crawled up his spine. His instincts screamed that something was wrong—dangerously wrong. He turned his head, eyes scanning the darkness behind him.

Hidden nearby, Elara met his gaze from within the invisible shroud. Her expression tightened. As expected of a Tier Six mutant… his perception is frightening.

She lightly tapped the lizard's head again and gestured toward a new direction. We can't go the usual way. The shortest route out of the city would now be crawling with guards. They needed to slip away unseen, through quieter streets.

The three-colored lizard began to climb. Its massive claws hooked silently onto the wall, carrying them up to the rooftops. There, it crept low, choosing paths with the fewest lights and people. From time to time, it leaped across alleys, its body a ghost moving through the sleeping city.

"Huh?" Elara suddenly squinted at a lavish courtyard below. Lanterns glowed faintly among ornamental trees and marble pavilions.

"Isn't this the home of the Flying Corpse?" Alina whispered, surprise flashing in her pink eyes.

She peered down and caught sight of the peculiar plants cultivated within the garden—mutated flora that exuded a faint, sweet scent. Her fingers twitched. "Those… are valuable."

"Skink, stop," Elara said softly, eyes narrowing in thought.

Her silver-white pupils glinted mischievously. "We can't leave just yet."

"What are you thinking?" Alina asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.

Elara smiled faintly. "Of course we can't go home empty-handed."

Alina blinked, stunned. "You… want to steal something?"

Even Yanlu, sitting quietly behind them, turned wide-eyed toward the white-haired girl. The Elara she knew was calm, careful, always planning three steps ahead. This side of her—reckless, daring—felt like someone else entirely.

Elara's grin widened. "Now's the best time. Yanlu, stay here and don't move."

Before either could protest, she leapt down from the lizard's back, landing soundlessly inside the courtyard. Shadows wrapped around her like a cloak as she darted toward the main hall.

Alina groaned softly, rubbing her forehead. "I can't believe this. Is now really the time for theft?" Yet after a moment of hesitation, she sighed and jumped down after her. "Fine, I'm coming with you."

Elara gave a small, mysterious smile. "You'll understand later."

"I hate it when you say that," Alina muttered. "You said the same thing last time, and I still don't understand."

"Keep your voice down," Elara whispered, pushing open the main house door. The hinges creaked softly as they slipped inside. The air smelled faintly of medicinal herbs and metal.

"No guards? No traps?" Alina glanced around in disbelief.

"Be careful of poison," Elara reminded her, eyes scanning the room.

"I'm wearing armor," Alina murmured—but she still moved cautiously, inspecting each shelf and table.

"You look through the drawers. See if there's any beast spars," Elara instructed, already opening a carved wooden chest by the wall.

"I'm good at this." Alina grinned, crouching by a desk. With a soft taste! she ripped out a locked drawer with brute strength. "Wow! Look at this! So many beast spars—and all high level!"

Her voice trembled with excitement. "This is better than a festival!"

"What's better than robbing the enemy?" Elara said dryly, still searching. "See if there's any secret medicine formula too."

Alina rifled through the shelves, pouting. "None here. Maybe he hides them elsewhere."

"You're hopeless," Elara muttered. "Take all the animal skins and notes. We'll sort them out later."

"Got it!" Alina's eyes sparkled. She began gathering everything—scrolls, beast hides, fragments of parchment—stuffing them into a sack.

"Huh? What's this?" Elara's voice softened in curiosity.

On the table sat a small iron cage. Inside, several delicate insects fluttered their translucent wings, emitting a faint buzzing~~~ that shimmered like a chorus of whispers.

"They're still alive," she murmured, leaning closer.

In the dim light, their wings gleamed faintly blue, almost ethereal. "Forget it. I'll take them back. Luciel might find them interesting."

She smiled, closing the cage gently before tucking it into a wooden box. "If anyone can evolve these little things into something powerful, it's him."

"Are we done?" Alina asked, now holding a bundle of hides nearly as tall as herself.

"Let's go." Elara gathered the beast spars and the box in her arms, moving toward the window. Together they climbed out quietly, leaving the looted room behind.

When they returned, Yanlu was still on the lizard's back, staring blankly into the darkness. Seeing them carrying bundles of loot, she could only blink. "You two actually… went stealing?"

Elara just smiled, saying nothing. She climbed up first, placing the box securely by her side. "Let's move."

The three-colored lizard began to crawl once more, its invisible form slipping from rooftop to rooftop until the high walls of Amestris City faded behind them. Soon, the cool air of the wilderness swept against their faces.

Yanlu finally exhaled, tension leaving her body. "Where are we going now?"

Elara's eyes glimmered under the moonlight. "To a place you can't even dream of," she said, her voice soft but filled with quiet confidence.

She tightened her arms around the wooden box. Inside, the insects buzzed faintly, as if sensing her excitement. This will be a surprise for Luciel, she thought. Maybe, soon, Black Tortoise City will gain another kind of domesticated beast.

Yanlu tilted her head, skeptical. "Is there really such a good place?"

"You'll see when we get there," Elara replied, a mysterious smile curving her lips.

Beside her, Alina rolled her eyes. "That's what you said the last time, remember?" But even she couldn't suppress the hint of a grin tugging at her mouth.

The invisible lizard moved swiftly across the barren plains, the lights of Amestris fading behind them like dying stars. Ahead lay darkness, and perhaps danger—but also something new.

Something wild.

Something that might soon take flight.

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