A massive beast—bear-like in shape but the size of a small truck—lumbered through the valley. Each thunderous step sent tremors through the earth, its silver-white fur glowing faintly under the shadows like captured moonlight.
An odd contradiction: a monster radiating both primal ferocity and an eerie sanctity.
"Moonlight Bear..."
Rayne didn't need Bartlow's confirmation. His gaze slid past the beast to the cluster of silver flowers swaying behind it—their petals tightly closed, as if in slumber.
Moonlight Blossoms.
The bear's vigilant posture left no doubt.
"Drayke."
Rayne's silent call echoed in his mind. Just one look at the creature told him victory without the Boosted Gear would be a struggle.
And then there was Wakaba, observing from the shadows.
Perfect timing.
It was about damn time the Red Dragon Emperor made her debut in this world.
"Not a bad warm-up for you, brat."
Drayke's voice purred, her usual domineering tone laced with something sharper—anticipation. The dragoness had been itching for a real fight since Rayne refused to pummel Makarov during training.
"Hah..."
A slow exhale steadied his nerves. Cracking his neck, Rayne rolled his shoulders and stepped forward.
Meanwhile, in the trees—
Wakaba's cigarette nearly fell from his lips.
"Moonlight Bear?!"
Among C-class requests, this thing was a nightmare. Brutal strength, hide like steel, and magic to boot. Even he'd need effort to take it down—his smoke magic wasn't exactly combat-oriented.
"Kid's got a brain. He'll back off and—"
His reassurance died as Rayne strode straight into the valley.
"The hell?! Is he blind?!"
Wakaba lunged forward, already calculating the fastest route to yank the suicidal brat to safety.
The bear froze mid-step.
A rustle. A scent.
"GROWL—"
Its azure eyes—gems sharper than any beast's—locked onto the valley entrance. Not on a threat, but a child.
Yet the moment their gazes met, the bear's fur bristled.
This was no human.
Something older stared back.
Claws unsheathed. Fangs gleamed. The Moonlight Bear charged.
"What's gotten into it?!" Bartlow muttered, baffled. These creatures were territorial, not outright savage.
Beside him, Conna tilted her head.
"Thieving cat smell," she declared.
A foreign presence clung to Rayne—one that didn't belong.
Rayne's grin widened.
Knees bent. Magic surged.
"BOOM—!!"
The ground cratered as he shot forward, closing the distance in a breath. The bear's paw came down like a falling tower—enough to pulp bone.
Rayne ducked under it.
"HYAH—!"
His fist screamed through the air, a hammerblow aimed at the bear's knee.
"THUD!!"
The impact reverberated up Rayne's arm, his boots sinking into dirt. The bear's fur shimmered—moonlight hardening into armor.
Too tough.
"Tch."
He backflipped as the beast slammed its bulk downward, barely avoiding the shockwave.
"Goddamn kid's gonna give me a heart attack!"
Wakaba exhaled a cloud of smoke, torn between relief and outrage. The brat had dodged. More than that—he'd counterattacked.
Maybe this wasn't a rescue mission after all.
"Boost."
The whisper was barely audible.
Then—
[BOOST!]
A mechanical roar split the valley as scarlet light erupted from Rayne's left arm. Segmented gauntlets materialized, their surface pulsing like a living thing.
Wakaba's cigarette hit the dirt.
"What the—?!"
The air warped around Rayne, heat haze distorting his silhouette.
Drayke's laugh echoed, wild and unhinged.
"Let's play, little bear."