Chapter 3: Welcome to the Jungle

The next morning, Ren stood before the gates of Beast Combat Class 96—a section reserved for the dangerous, the unstable… and the ones they deemed as monsters. He had a new uniform, different from the one he was used to and It didn’t fit.

The sleeves were too long, the collar scratched his neck and it with a marking on the back that said beast class. That didn't help his confidence. Neither did the stares he got from the other students that's not from Beast Class. Students parted as he walked past. Some looked at him with fear. Others with curiosity. Most with hatred.

“The Chimera freak.”

“He’s a fake—better stay away from him.”

“He shouldn’t be allowed here. He’s a ticking time bomb.”

Ren kept his head down..But then…THUMP.Someone stood in his way. A tall boy with bull horns curving from his skull and a sneer that could cut steel. He had a championship armband on his uniform—Minoru of the Minotaur Clan.

“You’re that chimera freak everybody's talking about!” Minoru said, arms crossed. “ I don't see anything special about you. Let’s see if you actually belong here.”

Before Ren could reply, the silver-haired boy from the night before stepped between them.

“Back off, muscle cow,” he said lazily.

Minoru growled. “Watch it, Haru. Just because your beast is special, doesn’t mean you’re special.”

The silver-haired boy—Haru—grinned. “You’re right. I’m very special. What, are you jealous? Or do you want an autograph”

Mumbling Minoru, storm off. As soon as he's out of sight Ren turns his attention back to the silver haired boy.

“Thanks” Ren said, bowing his head.

“No problem!” he smiles” Ah! By the way you're in beast class right? You start today?!"

"Yes, which class are you from?"

"Great! We're in the same class" he said excitedly.

"We are?"

"Yep! Come let's go, before that crazy woman come looking for us" he started walking off with his hands in his pockets.

Ren, hurried behind him

Class Begins

Inside the arena, a woman in blood-red robes stood at the center. Her presence made the air crackle. Beast tattoos coiled around her neck like vipers.

“I am Instructor Saya. Beast Class is for anomalies, threats and now monsters" She looks at Ren saying that before turning her attention back to the rest of the class"Congratulations.you all here are just that.”

She paced in front of them like a predator.

“You’re not here to win. You’re here to survive. Beast mastery isn't pretty. It’s blood, control, and dominance. Lose yourself… and you lose your humanity.”

She stopped in front of Ren.

“The Chimera boy. Since it's your first day let’s see what you've got.”

With a snap of her fingers, the arena walls shifted, and two combat beasts—hulking, tusked war-apes—charged forward.

“Trial by instinct,” Saya barked. “No weapons. No guidance. Just you, and your beast.”

Whaaat?!

Ren vs. the War-Apes

Ren’s heart pounded. The apes roared, barreling toward him like living tanks. He tried to summon the Chimera, but nothing happened; it was as if the beast inside him was sleeping.

“I said survive, not die!” Saya snapped.

The first ape swung a spiked club. Ren barely dodged, rolling to the side, the earth shaking under each impact. The second one attacked leaving no room for him to dodge, swinging down massive sword. Rne closed his eyes bracing for impact. Come on… wake up! WAKE UP DAMN IT! Pain slashed across his arm. And something inside him snapped.

BOOM.

Black smoke exploded from his back. Wings of bone unfurled. A lion’s paw caught the second ape mid-air and crushed it into the ground.The Chimera flickered behind him, unstable, but growing stronger with each second of survival.

Aftermath

The apes lay unconscious. The arena floor was cracked. Ren stood in the center, panting.

Haru whistled from the sidelines. “Not bad, Ren!”

Instructor Saya stared at him for a long, silent moment.

“…You’re still unstable. But you survived…barely.” She turned to the class. “Now then let's see what the rest of you can do.”

Minoru scowled looking at Ren.

Later that Night, Ren sat in the abandoned training hall, nursing his wounds. Haru appeared, dropping two energy drinks beside him.

“See,” Haru said, sitting beside him. “You’re not a freak. You’re a weapon.”

Ren frowned. “That supposed to make me feel better?”

“No,” Haru said. “But it should scare you. Because weapons get used.”

Ren looked up. “What do you mean?”

Haru’s smile vanished.