Beast Hack: Customizing Beasts and Capturing Beauties

Sylvia stepped forward and tapped the silver casing.

With a soft hiss, the final containment box unlocked and released the third Vornis.

Theron crossed his arms, smirking.

"So this is the beast you want me to disassemble?"

Cassius nodded slowly. "Yes. But Elder Theron… please. Be careful."

Theron glanced at him, one brow raised.

Cassius continued, voice low.

"The system it's built with… it's too complex. Even I couldn't crack it. One wrong trigger, and it detonates."

Theron stepped closer to the Vornis, walking a slow circle around it.

"So, Luxoria Castle made a beast that explodes when dissected."

He stopped in front of it again, eyes sharp.

"They really didn't want anyone looking inside."

Sylvia stepped beside him. "We tried. Both of us. It killed two labs."

Theron's smirk widened just a touch. "Don't worry."

He turned toward the far end of the chamber and gestured.

Two armored researchers and one silent handler emerged from the shadows.

"My team... is more than good."

Theron then raised his hand.

"Bring it to the containment slab. Secure every limb. Reinforce the arc-locks. No mistakes."

His team moved fast—no words spoken.

The Vornis was guided to a large black-plated table in the center of the lab.

Energy restraints locked over its joints, head, and tail.

Diagnostic runes lit up the surface beneath it, casting flickering patterns over its armor.

Cassius and Sylvia stood behind the main barrier glass, watching every movement.

Theron pulled on a reinforced gauntlet.

"First stage: non-invasive layer separation. We go one panel at a time. Watch the pulse feedback."

The beast didn't resist.

Piece by piece, Theron's team carefully began to open the outer armor—working with surgical precision.

One hour passed.

Data streamed across the upper monitors—inner circuits, adaptive filaments, energy siphons, core synchronization webbing.

Cassius leaned forward. "He's doing it…"

Sylvia nodded slowly. "He's actually making progress."

Theron didn't slow down.

He reached the lower chest plate.

"Final layer. Prepare for core alignment scan."

He pressed the tool to the joint seam.

Then—

A soft ping echoed from the console.

UNAUTHORIZED CORE ACCESS DETECTED.ABSOLUTE BOND PROTOCOL BREACHED.

Cassius's eyes widened. "No—!"

Theron stepped back. "Reinforce it! Shut down the—"

The Vornis's eyes flared red.

Its core surged.

The restraints shattered.

A blinding flash erupted from its chest, followed by a deafening blast.

The containment slab vaporized.

A shockwave tore through the vault. Walls cracked. Sirens blared.

Cassius and Sylvia were slammed against the barrier, glass shattering but holding just enough to stop the full force.

When the smoke cleared, only smoldering fragments remained where the Vornis had once been.

Theron stood amidst the destruction, blood streaking down his arm, half his mantle burned away.

He spat to the side, then looked at what was left of the table.

"What kind of bastard designs a beast that explodes just for being understood?"

Sylvia stepped over the broken glass barrier, limping forward. "That was the last one…"

Cassius followed behind her, expression grim. "We lost all three."

Theron clenched his jaw. "And nothing. No data. No salvageable parts. Just fire and silence."

Cassius looked at the scorched remains of the slab.

"They weren't bluffing. Every single one was locked beyond comprehension."

Sylvia ran a hand through her hair.

"I thought we'd at least get a core trace, a resonance read—something."

Theron turned sharply toward them.

"You two brought me something that detonated on knowledge."

His voice dropped, sharp and cold.

"I've dismantled SS-Rank Sovereigns. But this thing… this was different."

Cassius muttered, "We didn't know it would trigger on precise access."

Theron narrowed his eyes. "Yes, you did. You just thought I could get around it."

Sylvia frowned. "We trusted your skill, Elder."

Theron's fists tightened, then relaxed.

"…Good. Then listen close."

He stepped closer to them, smoke still rising from his body.

"If Luxoria Castle can make beasts that punish you for trying to learn their secrets…"

His eyes gleamed.

"Then this isn't just a beast auction. It's a declaration."

Cassius looked up. "So what now?"

Theron turned away, already walking toward the war terminal.

"Now?" His voice echoed off the vault walls.

"We start preparing our answer."

Sylvia followed behind him, her expression grim.

"But how exactly do we do that?" she snapped.

"We attack them just because a few beasts exploded in our labs?"

"The nobles will laugh. They will say we're insecure."

"And our family's reputation? It'll drop further. Everyone already thinks we're arrogant bastards."

Cassius frowned. "She's not wrong. Luxoria Castle is still mostly unknown."

"They don't flaunt their background—but they just sold multiple SS-Rank Sovereigns."

"That means they've got real power behind their name."

Theron stopped walking, his fists clenched.

He didn't speak. But his eyes said enough.

Cassius's eyes lit up suddenly, a spark of realization crossing his face.

"Wait… Sylvia. I remember seeing something. News in the beastagram."

Sylvia turned. "What news?"

"There's a duel coming up. Beast Castle and Luxoria Castle. Public. Confirmed."

Theron turned his head. "Go on."

Sylvia nodded. "Yeah… that's right. Should be happening soon."

"Beast Castle got humiliated in the last auction—Lord L, whoever he is, apparently made a mess of them on their own turf."

Cassius smirked, folding his arms. "So Beast Castle's going to throw everything they've got into this fight."

Theron's expression shifted.

A slow, sharp grin formed.

"You want to give them a hand."

Cassius grinned back. "Exactly. And we've got the perfect beast for it."

Theron chuckled under his breath. "So that's your plan. Send your creation in as Beast Castle's secret weapon."

Sylvia narrowed her eyes. "Wait. You're going to interfere just to humiliate Luxoria?"

Cassius looked at her, eyes gleaming.

"They embarrassed us. Made us look weak. Mocked our entire research lineage with something we couldn't crack."

He looked to Theron. "Let's give them something they won't ignore."

Theron cracked his knuckles. "Count me in."

He walked to the beast vault access panel and keyed in an override code.

"Let's finish modifying that monster. If Luxoria wants a war beast duel…"

He smirked, cold and violent.

"…then they'll get our answer."