Devouring Destiny: Beastmen Evolution

Her name is Ash

Ren watched Luke crumble to the ground, his body trembling with grief. The tears streaming down Luke’s face weren’t just for Sato’s death—they were for something deeper, something that had broken loose within him. Ren had seen pain like this before, but this was different. Luke wasn’t just grieving; he was unraveling.

Ren knelt beside him, his voice low and steady. “Luke, it wasn’t your fault.”

But Luke couldn’t hear him. He clutched his chest, the pain tearing through him like claws. It felt like something inside him was twisting, reshaping. His mana, wild and untamed, erupted from within, dark tendrils coiling around him like living chains. The air thickened with the raw, suffocating energy.

“I… can’t… breathe,” Luke gasped, his voice barely a whisper. His heart felt like it was being caged in, the walls closing in with every beat. He clawed at his chest, desperate to tear the pain away.

Ren’s eyes widened. He knew this wasn’t just grief—it was mana overload, something far worse than anything he’d seen before. “Luke! You have to stop this. You’re losing control!”

But it was too late. The swirling, dark mana engulfed Luke, encasing him in a cocoon of black energy. The ground cracked beneath him as the power surged, the city around them trembling in response. Beastmen who had been around the vicinity scrambled to safety, fear etched across their faces.

Ren reached out, but the mana lashed out at him like a whip, forcing him back. He could do nothing but watch as Luke collapsed to the ground, his body limp, the black energy seeping into his skin.

When Luke woke, the world felt different—colder, quieter. He sat up slowly, the glow of Erutrus’s lights dimmed in his vision. He looked down at his hands, and his eyes widened a bit. His claws had changed to hands, once trembling, now steady and lifeless.

Ren was by his side, his face pale with concern. “Luke… you’re awake.”

Luke met his gaze, but the warmth was gone from his eyes. They were hollow, like cold steel, emotionless and distant. His voice, when he spoke, was flat, devoid of the fear and hesitation that had once defined him. “I’m okay.”

Ren hesitated, searching Luke’s face for any sign of the slacker he’d known. But he wasn’t there. This was someone else. “Luke… do you remember what happened?”

Luke stood, his movements deliberate and cold. “Sato is dead. I killed him. That’s all that matters.” His words were empty, almost mechanical, like he was reciting facts rather than living through them.

Ren stood still, the weight of Luke’s words heavy in the room. The air between them felt thick with unspoken tension, grief, and fear.

Luke’s voice, flat and steady, broke the silence. “The people of Erutrus aren’t safe as long as I stay here. You know it, Ren.”

Ren clenched his fists at his sides. “Luke, you don’t have to do this. Leaving doesn’t mean you’ll magically find control. And the human nation… do you even know what you’re walking into? They’ll kill you on sight if they even suspect what you are.”

Luke’s cold eyes met his, unflinching. “If I stay, more people will die. You saw what happened. I couldn’t control it then, and I can’t now. I have no right to endanger them any further.”

Ren struggled to find the right words, his jaw tightening. “So you’re just going to leave? To what—throw yourself into the human nation without a plan? What if you’re wrong? What if—”

“I’m not wrong,” Luke interrupted, his voice sharp but calm. “I’ve made up my mind. If I can learn to control this… if I can stop being a threat… then it’s worth it.”

The quiet conviction in his tone left Ren momentarily stunned. He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. “If you’re really going to do this, then there’s something you should know.”

Luke raised a brow, his expression unreadable.

Ren took a step closer, his voice dropping. “There’s a man—Mr. Graves. They say he’s the greatest mana cultivator who’s ever lived. Beastmen and humans both respect him. He’s rumored to live somewhere in the human nation, but no one knows where exactly.”

Luke tilted his head slightly, intrigued despite himself. “And you’ve met him?”

Ren nodded. “Once, a long time ago. He’s… different. He doesn’t care about sides or races. He told me once, ‘Mana doesn’t discriminate. Neither should its masters.’ If anyone can help you, it’s him.”

For a moment, silence stretched between them. Luke finally turned to the window, gazing out at the glowing lights of Erutrus. “How do I find him?”

Ren shrugged. “You don’t. You wait until the whispers start. Wherever he goes, rumors follow. He’s like a ghost—always just out of reach but never truly gone.”

Luke gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod. “Then I’ll start there.”

Ren stepped closer, his voice softening. “Luke… you don’t have to do this alone.”

Luke’s lips curled into a bitter smirk, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ve always been alone, Ren. I won’t act like that’s going to change now.”

Ren wanted to argue, to plead with him to stay, but he knew it was pointless. The Luke standing before him wasn’t the same person who had stumbled into Erutrus with wide eyes and a slacker’s grin. This was someone forged by guilt, pain, and something far darker.

As Luke moved to leave the room, Ren called out, his voice firm but filled with unspoken emotion. “You’re not just leaving Erutrus. You’re leaving everything you were behind. Don’t have to lose yourself completely.”

Luke paused at the door, his hand resting on the frame. Without looking back, he replied, “That’s the point.”

The door shut softly behind him, leaving Ren alone with the heavy silence.

Ren didn’t hesitate as he followed Luke down the dimly lit hallway, his boots echoing softly against the stone floors. Luke’s back was rigid, his movements deliberate, as if each step was dragging him further away from the life he had known.

“You think you’re just going to walk into the human world and figure it all out by yourself?” Ren’s voice was sharp, cutting through the heavy silence. Luke didn’t respond, his pace unwavering.

Ren pressed on, his tone laced with frustration. “You have no idea what you’re walking into, Luke. The human world isn’t like Erutrus. It’s not just dangerous—it’s a maze of politics, mistrust, and power games. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”

Finally, Luke stopped. He turned his head slightly, his cold eyes catching Ren’s. “And what do you suggest I do? Stay here and wait until I hurt someone else?”

“No,” Ren said firmly, closing the distance between them. “If you’re dead set on going, then you’ll take someone with you. Someone who knows the human world, who can guide you.”

Luke’s brow furrowed, the faintest flicker of annoyance crossing his face. “I don’t need anyone. This is my responsibility. My burden.”

Ren crossed his arms, his voice hardening. “Your pride will get you killed, and then what? You think that’ll solve anything? Or bring Sato back?”

The mention of Sato made Luke’s jaw tighten, but he said nothing. Ren pressed his advantage.

“You’re strong, Luke. But strength alone won’t be enough out there. You don’t know the cities, the people, the rules they live by. You don’t even know how to disguise yourself properly as one of them. If you walk in blind, they’ll see right through you, and they won’t hesitate to tear you apart.”

Luke turned fully to face him now, his expression unreadable. “And who do you have in mind, Ren? Who would even want to come with me?”

Ren let out a breath, his voice softening. “There’s someone who’s worked with the human resistance before. A beastman who’s lived among them for years, who understands their ways. Her name is Ash. She’s… not easy to deal with, but she knows how to survive in their world.”

Ren placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder, his grip firm. “Good. You might not believe it now, but having someone beside you will make all the difference. Don’t let your guilt push you further into isolation.”

Luke’s eyes narrowed. “Why would she help me?”

“Because she owes me a favor,” Ren replied with a faint smirk. “And because she’s smart enough to know that if you succeed, it could change everything for us. For all beastmen.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Luke finally nodded. “Fine. If she’s as capable as you say, then I’ll take her with me.”

Ren placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder, his grip firm. “Good. You might not believe it now, but having someone beside you will make all the difference. Don’t let your guilt push you further into isolation.”