Chapter 2: The Strange Encounter and the Bloody Hood
The forest air turned heavy.
Dagda blinked as a strange dizziness washed over him. What... is this feeling? The world around him blurred, and before he could steady himself—he collapsed.
---
Meanwhile, in the towering halls of the Predator Association…
The atmosphere was electric as a boy with thick white hair entered the Blood Hood guild's castle. His calm presence instantly drew the attention of several girls passing by, their eyes locked on him—his face was striking, almost too perfect.
As he entered the modest guild hall, a boy wearing glasses approached him with a polite smile.
"Hey there," the boy said, extending a hand. "I'm Lorenzo Giordano. Nice to meet you."
The white-haired boy nodded, shaking his hand. "Ronan. Likewise."
Together, they stepped out of the hall and looked at the surrounding guild castles—some were grand and extravagant, lined with banners and golden trim. Others had more humble but elegant architecture. The Blood Hood's castle, in contrast, looked plain and unfinished.
Ronan frowned. "Why's our castle so ugly?"
Lorenzo scratched the back of his head. "Ah… sorry about that. We're still new. Not even the captain's been chosen yet. We'll get there."
As they walked through the guild courtyard, other guild members whispered, some glancing at them with mocking eyes. Ronan felt the weight of their judgment and smirked.
"Let 'em stare. I'll show them what kind of predator I am."
---
Somewhere in the wild woods, Dagda opened his eyes slowly, disoriented.
A boy stood before him, thick black hair and sharp brown eyes.
"Who… are you?" Dagda asked, blinking. His tone was light, almost joking.
The boy crossed his arms. "Name's Muscle."
Dagda tilted his head. "Muscle? That's your name?"
"I'm stronger than you. That's all that matters."
"Hah, nice joke," Dagda said, tightening his grip on his axe.
Without warning, Muscle lunged forward, grabbed Dagda, and hurled him into the air. Dagda twisted mid-air, catching a branch and launching himself back. Their fight was raw—fists against strength, pride against pride.
"You're pretty strong," Dagda admitted, wiping dirt from his cheek.
"Shut the hell up," Muscle growled.
Suddenly, the ground shook.
From the shadows emerged a towering creature—tiger-like, but with massive humanoid limbs. It roared, a terrifying hybrid.
"A human-like tiger?!" Dagda exclaimed.
The beast charged, claws swinging. Muscle stepped forward, catching its strike with one arm and countering with a brutal punch. Dagda leapt in, axe slicing through the creature's chest. But the tiger lashed out, clawing into Muscle's side—blood splattered.
With a shout, Dagda finished it—his axe cleaving through the beast's skull.
The woods fell silent.
"That's a Yaka," Muscle said, holding his wound.
"Yaka…?" Dagda echoed, panting.
"Yeah. A species with both human and beast traits. You'll see more."
---
Evening fell over the forest.
Nico stood at its edge, his face tense, scanning the horizon. The sun dipped low, casting a golden hue across the trees. Then, two figures emerged—Dagda and Muscle, walking side by side.
"Father!" Dagda waved with a grin.
Nico ran forward, worry flashing in his eyes. "Dagda, where have you been?! You shouldn't go wandering like that!"
"I know," Dagda said, smiling. "But I've made up my mind. I'm joining the Predator Association."
Nico froze. "What?"
Muscle stepped forward. "I can help with that. But first—he needs to learn how to awaken his Core."
"Core?" Dagda asked.
Muscle smirked. "It's the first step to becoming a real predator."
Dagda cracked his knuckles. "Then let's go. I'm ready."
The two bumped fists with a grin—partners in chaos.