Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 137: Cheers



The restaurant was filled with lively chatter and laughter, the sound of clinking glasses and the sizzling of dishes.

The Crescent Moon team and Eratz's family occupied a large table in the center, surrounded by the warm glow of the chandeliers.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Plates of steaming food, grilled meat, fresh bread, and decorated salads were spread across the table.

Cassie and Roger sat at one end, surrounded by Milo and Colin, who were eagerly digging into their plates.

The warm, golden light from the chandeliers above bathed everyone in a soft glow, adding to the cozy, celebratory atmosphere.

Among the laughter and the cheerful chatter, Eratz was slumped back in his chair, eyes closed, completely exhausted.

His head nodded forward, and he was on the verge of dozing off, the noise of the celebration fading into the background.

Catarina's eyes sparkled as she noticed him drifting off. She leaned closer, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

This was her chance to get back at him for all those times he'd pulled the same annoying joke on her and the others when they woke up.

But while Catarina prepared her prank, Eratz slipped deeper into sleep, tumbling into a light dream.

He was back in the arena, standing alone in the center. The stands were empty now, the lights dimmed.

From the shadows, a familiar figure stepped forward: Raya.

Her katana was drawn, the blade gleaming with a soft light. She charged at him, a determined look in her eyes, just like the first time they fought.

Eratz didn't move. Instead of bracing for the attack or preparing to dodge, he simply placed his hands on his hips, tilting his head to the side, raising an eyebrow at her.

Raya slid to a stop right in front of him, her katana lowered. She blinked, taken aback, then scratched the back of her neck with a sheepish smile.

Before the dream could continue, he felt a danger looming on him.

His eyes fluttered open, just in time to see Catarina leaning closer, her mouth open mid- sentence.

"Ah, finally aw-""

Without missing a beat, Eratz reached out and pinched her lips shut, gently but firmly. "Never," he said, smirking at her with a tired but amused glint in his eyes. Catarina's muffled protest was met with a round of laughter from the others at the table. Ryder slapped the table, howling with laughter, while Kaida grinned, shaking her head. The conversation flowed freely after that, light and full of warmth. They talked about anything and everything, voices overlapping in the joyful chaos of celebration.

At some point, Kaida, Ryder, and Colin leaned in closer to Mercury, their eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Alright, spill it," Kaida said, resting her chin on her hands. "When did it start with you two?" "Yeah, why didn't you tell us a thing?" Ryder added, a playful grin on his face.

Mercury nearly choked on her drink.

"W-What? What is there to tell?" she stammered. "You all saw it, right? Now you know..."

Colin giggled, leaning forward with a conspiratorial smile.

"You kissed him right in front of everyone," she teased. "Right in front of Milo and dad and mom! Imagine what will happen when we're alone tomorrow."

Mercury groaned and let her forehead hit the table with a soft thud.

"I want to disappear," she mumbled.

Ryder leaned back, his grin widening.

"I always knew Eratz was very capable," he said with a nod. "But bagging the hottest girl in town? That's boss level."

Catarina leaned forward, nodding in agreement, arms crossed.

"Yeah, I have to admit, I didn't see that coming," she said with a smirk. "Boss doesn't slack off, he aims for the biggest fish!"

Roger raised his glass with a booming laugh.

"To the boss!" he shouted, clinking his glass with Ryder's.

"To the boss!" Catarina and Ryder echoed, raising their glasses high.

Eratz, drifted back to the dream world while Mercury covered her face with her hands, half- laughing, half-mortified.

"I can't take you guys anywhere," she muttered, but the smile on her face showed that she was just as happy as the rest of them.

The table erupted into more laughter, the sound filling the restaurant, a celebration of their victory and the bond they shared.

And then, the door to the restaurant creaked open.

The sound of clinking glasses and cheerful chatter quieted as everyone turned to look.

A figure approached the table, moving with a purposeful stride.

It was Gabriel.

The lively atmosphere vanished as he stopped beside Eratz, who had slumped back in his chair once more, half-asleep.

Gabriel cleared his throat, offering a polite nod to the group before looking directly at Eratz.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your party," he began, his voice earnest. "But I need to speak with you, Eratz. It's important, can we talk in private?"

The room fell into a brief, tense silence. The group exchanged curious glances, and Eratz slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Gabriel with a tired but amused expression.

He let out a small sigh.

"No," he said simply.

Gabriel blinked, clearly taken aback.

"No? Why not? It's urgent."

Eratz straightened up slightly, his gaze sharp despite his exhaustion. "Because I'm not going

to have a private conversation with a stranger when I'm this vulnerable. If it's that important,

you can wait until tomorrow when I've had some rest."

Gabriel clenched his fists, frustration crossing his face.

"But tomorrow is..." he started, but Eratz cut him off with a knowing smile.

"I see," Eratz said softly, leaning back in his chair. "You're not even free. You're just

someone's puppet."

Gabriel's eyes widened. He looked away, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"I could have given you the benefit of the doubt," Eratz continued, his tone gentle but firm. "But I think I know who's behind this. And I have no interest in playing her game, especially

not when I'm this tired."

Gabriel's frustration bubbled over. He spoke quickly, his voice tinged with desperation.

"You don't understand. She's done a lot for you, more than you realize. You've never given her

a chance to explain. Do you know how sad she is right now? Please, just..."

He stopped abruptly when he noticed Eratz's eyes were closed again. He had fallen asleep

mid-speech.

Gabriel's mouth hung open, stunned. The rest of the table burst into quiet laughter, trying not to be too obvious about it.

Eratz's eyes fluttered open again, and he blinked up at Gabriel, momentarily disoriented.

"Hm? Oh, right... No," he said.

Gabriel's face flushed with irritation, but before he could respond, Eratz held up a hand.

"I don't talk to the tail of the horse," Eratz said calmly. "If someone wants to speak to me, they're welcome to do it directly. But I won't change my plans for them." Gabriel's shoulders slumped, and he looked down, clearly conflicted. He clenched his fists once more, but this time in resignation. Eratz gave him a sympathetic smile.

"You're young, boy," he said quietly. "But you need to learn when something doesn't concern

you. Go enjoy the night. You might need it."

Gabriel looked at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly, turning to leave without

another word.

He was just about to step out of the restaurant, his shoulders slumped in resignation.

But as he reached the entrance, he suddenly stopped, and let out a small, surprised.

"Uh?"

Everyone's faces shifted from joy to curiosity, their eyes following the door.

Eratz sensed the change in atmosphere. He blinked, rubbing his eyes as he quickly read the

mood.

He figured it out instantly, someone had entered. There could only be one person, and he wished to not have to face her in front of everyone, but it was too late.

With a weary sigh, he slowly turned around, ready to face her. But when he looked up, his own

eyes widened.

Standing behind him wasn't Crystal, but Professor Rowan.

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