Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 261: Selective Prey

Chapter 261: Selective PreyRex stood motionless, his piercing glare fixed on Eratz, who stood protectively in front of Colin and Catarina.

The wind shifted slightly, rustling the trees around them, but neither moved.

"There you are," Rex growled, his voice carrying the weight of his simmering fury.

In the arena, the entire crowd watched the scene unfold in real time through a network of high-tech drones hovering silently above the battlefield.

Their advanced sensors and long-range cameras transmitted every moment to massive screens surrounding the coliseum.

Gasps rippled through the audience as the two fighters faced off.

Zara, watching intently, leaned forward in her seat, her fingers gripping the edge of her chair. "No, no, not now," she muttered, her voice barely audible amidst the murmur of the crowd.

Victoria sat stiffly beside her, her normally calm expression betraying the slightest hint of tension.

"Very bad timing for this confrontation," she murmured.

Back on the battlefield, Catarina's legs trembled as she clutched Colin's arm. Her voice came out in a faint whisper.

"Gol... Goldust..."

Eratz stood firm, his stance shielding the two behind him. Rex noticed this, and a flicker of something almost resembling disappointment crossed his face.

"So even you can worry for your people," Rex muttered.

Eratz's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed slightly in intrigue. Rex's face softened, but only for a moment before hardening with resolve.

"I have no business with your friends," Rex stated. "I'm here for you."

Eratz blinked and frowned.

"What?"

Rex pointed to a path leading deeper into the forest.

"This way. Let's settle this far from the others. Just you and me."

Eratz tilted his head.

"Not interested in... Wait, you don't want to win the final?"

Rex's eyes burned with intensity as he clenched his fists.

"This is the difference between you and me," he said, his voice rising. "You're only interested in winning. That's all you see."

The crowd watched in stunned silence as Rex began his impassioned speech. No one could hear, so they only watched a deaf show while imagining the dialogues.

"You could've ended it quickly, but you didn't. You toyed with them. My friends, my team, you defeated them, but that wasn't enough for you. You made them cry, you broke their spirits, and for what? Just to prove how much stronger you are?"

Eratz's face remained neutral, but a faint flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as Rex's words echoed through the forest.

'This' was the reason of his anger?

"I'm not here to win the final," Rex continued, his voice steady but laced with venom. "I'm here to make sure no one ever feels that way again. To make sure you... pay."

Catarina's grip on Colin tightened as the weight of Rex's words hung heavy in the air. Both girls looked at Eratz with pleading eyes, silently begging him not to go.

Eratz looked over his shoulder at them, his gaze softening briefly. Then he turned back to Rex.

"Okay," he said simply, his tone devoid of hesitation. "Lead the way."

Rex smirked and turned on his heel. Without another word, he dashed into the dense forest, moving with practiced agility as branches and leaves blurred past him.

"We'll do this at the top of the castle ruins," Rex called out over his shoulder. "The highest spot on the island. It's the safest place for this."

He moved swiftly through the forest, weaving between trees and leaping over obstacles with precision. But after a few moments, a strange sensation crept over him.

Eratz was a genius, a powerful foe with probably no moral, and Rex was giving him his back. Rex slowed his pace and turned his head slightly, expecting to see Eratz trying a sneak attack. But there was no one there, no beast, no energy and certainly no Eratz.

Rex stopped abruptly, his body tense as he scanned his surroundings. His eyes darted between the trees,

Her katana gleamed faintly in the dim forest light, its red hue ominous against the backdrop

of the destruction.

She stopped her walk and raised her chin, the faint trace of a smile curling at the corners of her

lips.

"It's a bad habit to eat from someone else's plate," she said smoothly.

Not far from her, Jace and Taryn lay sprawled on the forest floor, unconscious and battered,

and just beyond them, Arin adjusted her glasses with a composed motion.

"If you can't finish your meal on time," Arin began, her voice sharp, "don't blame the

scavengers for doing your job, Blind Swordsman."

Raya's faint smile didn't waver, but her stance shifted subtly, her katana lowering to her side.

"I see. I'll be sure to correct that mistake." Raya mused.