The yellow eyes of the beast looked at them as it descended from the hill."What the hell is this thing?" Iceheart asked incredulously."Looks like a Chimera or Manticore." Damon growled."I've never seen this kind of monster before..." Sabrina said."I have a bad feeling about this…" Noa frowned.Tenma looked straight at the beast. It's just looking at them, tilting its serpentine head as if it was just a curious animal. But there was also a caution in its stare. It's like it was sizing them up, as if its still trying to determine if they were its predator or prey.Tenma waited as it just walked back and forth around them. He can sense its stare intensifying around him, slowly narrowing its yellow eyes. That's when he realized something. It really can think. This was no mere beast. This is something even more dangerous than a ravenous horde of oversized lizards.It makes him anxious. How powerful this beast can be?"Everyone be careful." He warned. "Don't approach it recklessly! Go b
Tenma opens his eyes. Suddenly he was in a pit, a pit so deep there's only a glimmer of sunlight visible from above. He could see a silhouette standing outside the pit, looking down on him. Oddly, he felt quite small and helpless in that pit, even though it was wide enough for him to run around. He recognized this place. This was… this was back then. He was here years ago. What is this? Why is he seeing his past? The beast made him see things? Or life flashing before his eyes? "So, boy. Tell me again why do you want my guidance?" The silhouette outside the pit asked him, with a voice that is clearly feminine, but also stern and uncompromising. The sunlight was behind her, and thus the shadows covered her visage. But her crimson eyes, red like blood, was clearly staring at him, gleaming with unnatural light. "I only take courageous and talented people as my disciple. As in, people who has proven their met
That afternoon, an airship landed on the Entrance section of Agni Veritas Academy, joining the other few airships on the landing pad there. As soon as its doors were open, a blonde-haired young man stepped out immediately, and started walking away in haste.Not too long after, a black haired young man walked after him."Wait up, Cain." He called out.The blonde young man stopped. Someone's using his given name…"We have nothing to talk about." He said dismissively. "I'm going home.""Of course there is." the black haired young man responded. "Just one thing…""Save your breath, Leader." the blonde young man named Cain said. "If you are so eager to ask me about what I am, don't bother. I don't intend to share with any--""Who said I want to ask that?" the black haired young man cut him off. "I just want to say thanks.""... huh?"The blonde haired young man blinked. He was stupefied. He did not expect that kind of response."... thanks for what?" He asked."For saving my life, duh." Th
The young man with multicolored eyes and the the girl with dark red eyes stared at each other for a brief moment. Feeling the curious stares of everyone present, Tenma decided to take the initiative."Good afternoon, Tachie." He immediately stood up and greeted the girl. "Didn't expect to run into you here.""And neither did I, Senpai." the black-haired girl with glasses smiled. "But there were some… unexpected circumstances." She glanced at Reina."I'd love to hear it. But hang on for a bit."He and Raiga went to get more chairs for those three. And just in time for their ordered food to arrive to the table."Ah, I forgot, Sylvia will be coming as well." Sabrina said. "So get one more, Raiga.""Sylvia too? Oh, that's nice." Raiga immediately went to get it.Tenma briefly glanced at him with eyebrows raised before he sat back on his chair. Reina had already plopped herself on the chair beside him, while Tachie politely made herself comfortable on the other end. Tenma looked back and f
Today was quite the adventurous day for Noa Vermillion.It was supposed to be just an exciting day, slightly more than her usual days at least, where they would travel to some place and hunt some monsters. She likes to go outside and see new things. More stuff to gather and more stuff to learn. That's what it means to be an Alchemist.She learned plenty from her late mother's books about the outside world, but nothing beats going outside and see everything for yourself. Even her mother said so in those books. From gathering materials, crafting things from the stuff she found outside, and writing it down in your own personal book… those are such learning experiences. She loves being an aspiring Alchemist.And for today, she went outside the City-Kingdom of Aetzer for Field Exam with several other people, including her dearest boyfriend Tenma Kazuki. It was quite a nice trip, although she had to put up with the blonde young man who kept tr
Everyone around the table went silent at that question. Even some people who passed by their table turned in curiosity before looking away.Raiga, looks like he's racking his brain to muster something to say or do. Reina looks at her brother with a mix of curiosity and concern. Sabrina looks solemnly at Tenma, saying nothing but still standing by him, ready to offer support when needed.Meanwhile, Noa looks at him with an expression of understanding, her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. He didn't rebuff her this time, to her relief. But all of these people around him could understand that his question might be better unanswered. That's okay.He wasn't actually expecting a reply. He just wanted to make his point, he just wanted to let them know what made him upset. It's okay if people think it's childish or wrong of him to be upset over the death of strangers. It's really not a good impression, but… he just couldn't help it.It's j
Some time before that talk between Tenma and Tachie…"Thank you, Miss McRison. We'll send our men there and fulfill our end of the deal."A man spoke, addressing people across his desk with a cheerful smile.A tall man with shoulder-length ashen black hair, with bright amber eyes. He has a light complexion and sharp facial features. He is dressed in a black suit with white shirt beneath it. He wears a circular glasses.They were in the Headmaster's Office, at the highest floor of Agni Veritas Academy, also known as the Firewatch Tower.The office had two elevators that both featured a fire-shaped emblem above. One is the elevator that the students normally use when they're called by the Headmaster, and the other lead down to the somewhere that's called S.N.M.R.His office was a circular room in red-orange tones below the tower's tip which housed fireball-like spheres. It almost looks like a stove if one were to look from afar. His chair was positioned to face away from the main room w
Years ago…A boy walked through the streets of the City Kingdom with his father in tow, speaking enthusiastically about the sports match they just watched in the nearby arena. His father was a tall and burly man, with a deep voice to match. But he's too gentle, he's not likely to hurt a fly.He laughed at the strange stories his father told him about the things that had happened in that arena, something that he would consider simply urban legends when he grew older. It's just some funny and fantastical stories that he would tell his own children in the far future.They were in such a jovial mood until they passed an alley and they heard some distressed noises. It sounds like a little boy, so naturally both of them got concerned and decided to check it out.There was nobody there but a black-haired little boy lying on the ground, with some bruises and bleeding wounds on his body. They can see some stones around that boy… immediately, they can tell what happened to that boy, but why wou