[ Memory: 6 years ago. ]

[ Earth: Fein ]

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow over the green land. Ten year old Dune raced through the overgrown grass, his small legs moving as fast as they could, desperately trying to catch up with his older brother, Ned.

But no matter how hard Dune pushed himself, Ned thanks to his incredible strength and agility, easily outpaced him.

Ned glanced back, his playful grin widening as he slowed down just enough to let Dune think he had a chance.

"You're not getting away that easy!" Dune shouted, his voice full of excitement, as he redoubled his efforts.

Dune's laughter echoed through the air as he pushed himself harder, his eyes fixed on his brother. But just as he thought he might catch up, Ned made a misstep.

In his playful haste, he tripped over a jutting root, losing his footing and tumbling to the ground with a surprised grunt.

Seizing the opportunity, Dune dove forward and landed on his brother with a triumphant shout. "Gotcha!"

His small hands gripped Ned's shoulders, and for a brief moment, the two of them lay there, laughing uncontrollably.

It was a rare moment of carefree joy, one that felt precious in a world often filled with tension and uncertainty.

But that moment of laughter was short-lived.

As the brothers lay there, breathless from their playful chase, they realized just how far they had wandered. The towering trees of the Forest of Eron loomed before them.

Beyond the forest, the imposing stone wall of their city, Fein stretched toward the sky, its cold surface a constant reminder of the dangers that lay outside the safety of their walls.

Dune's smile slowly faded as he sat up, a sense of unease creeping over him. "I think we should head back," he said, his voice trembling slightly.

Ned, still laughing but noticing the change in his brother's tone, nodded. His playful expression shifted to one of caution.

"Yeah, you're right. Mom's probably wondering where we are."

But before they could turn around, a sound froze them both in their tracks.

It was low. A deep, guttural growl that rumbled through the air, like distant thunder. It sent a chill crawling up their spines.

Both brothers stiffened. Ned's eyes widened in alarm, and Dune's heart raced as the source of the sound emerged from the shadows of the forest.

A monstrous creature, It stood nearly three meters tall, its grotesque form covered in dark, matted fur. The beast had six legs, each one with long sharp claws, and six glowing eyes that burned with an eerie, yellow light. It looked injured, its ribs brain and organs visible.

Dune's breath caught in his throat as he froze in place. The creature's body radiated an aura of yellow Neba, the very same type of energy that powered their world's most dangerous beasts. This wasn't just any animal, it was a force of destruction.

Fear gripped the boys, and Dune's legs trembled, but he knew they had to act fast. His mind raced for a plan.

"Run!" Dune shouted, grabbing Ned's hand and pulling him into motion. The boys bolted, their feet pounding against the earth as the creature lunged after them, its massive paws tearing through the ground with terrifying speed.

The gap between them quickly narrowed, the creature's growls growing louder with every step.

"I'm gonna use Zeten," Ned panted, glancing over his shoulder at the advancing monster.

"No!" Dune cried, his voice shaking. "It's too dangerous! You can't use Zeten here, Ned, your body cant take it and not so close to the city, someone will see!"

Ned's face tightened with determination, his eyes flashing with resolve. "I know the risks, Dune. But we don't have a choice. We can't outrun it."

Dune hesitated, but there was no time for argument. "Alright… just… be careful."

As they ran, Dune veered off to the side, hoping to draw the creature's attention away from his brother.

He grabbed a sharp rock from the ground and threw it with all his strength at the beast. The rock clattered against the creature's thick hide, but it didn't even flinch. Its six glowing eyes never wavered from Ned.

Dune's stomach dropped as he realized the creature had already chosen its target.

"Bastard can sense a strong Zeten core in me huh" Ned gritted his teeth. He then suddenly skidded to a stop, his body turning to face the wolf head-on.

Dune watched in horror as his brother drew on his power, the air around them crackling with energy.

Ned's Zeten was different from others, what truly made Ned special was not the red zeten itself but the Animal inside it. It is unlucky enough to be born with a Zeten curse mark, but it's even more rare to already have animal core inside you. Nobody knows why it happens, but sometimes zetens are born with already compatible animal cores inside them. This is why Ned was too strong from the birth.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Sky Serpent's Breath 2%" Red ethereal wind flashed through the air as Ned unleashed a fierce red Neba attack. The creature howled in agony as the red wind struck its legs, severing two of them in a single, clean motion.

The beast stumbled and crashed to the ground, its massive body sliding across the dirt, but it wasn't finished yet.

Ned's body trembled with the effort, his hand shaking violently. Blood trickled from his fingers, the result of using his Zeten core, a power that was as dangerous to him as it was to his enemies.

Damn it.. my green Neba can't protect me from my Red Zeten… Damage is too big.

Dune's heart ached as he saw his brother's struggle. "Ned!" he shouted, but Ned only waved him off.

"I'm fine," he gritted out, though his voice was strained.

But even as he spoke, the creature was beginning to rise again, its malevolent gaze now fixed on Dune. The fight was far from over.

Dune's pulse raced as the creature advanced toward him. He spun, looking frantically for something, anything, that could help him fight back. His eyes landed on a glint of metal buried in the dirt.

A sword.

He didn't know how it got there, but there was no time to question it. Dune grabbed the hilt and pulled the blade free. It was heavy in his small hands, but he gripped it tightly, ready to defend himself.

The monster lunged, its jaws snapping with terrifying force. Dune swung the sword with all his strength, but it barely left a mark on the creature's thick, armored hide.

The beast was relentless, its claws slashing through the air as it came at him again and again.

"Damn it! it's protecting skin with yellow Neba"

With a sickening crack, the creature's jaws closed around Dune's arm, the sharp teeth sinking deep into his flesh. Pain exploded through his body, but in a moment of desperation, Dune drove the sword into the creature's throat with a strangled scream.

"Ned, now!"

Ned didn't hesitate. Summoning every last ounce of strength, and with the clap of his hands, he unleashed his Zeten , Red Neba once more… Sky… serpent's Breath.. 4%.

This time, the air itself seemed to shudder with the force of his attack. A shockwave of red energy slammed into the monster, shredding its massive body with the force of a hurricane.

The beast was torn apart, its blood spraying across the battlefield, but the shockwave didn't stop there. It struck Dune as well, the force of the attack sending him crashing to the ground, his body torn by the violent energy.

When the dust settled, all that was left of the creature was a pile of bloodied remains, its monstrous form reduced to nothing.

But Dune, his brother. was down.

Ned's strength finally gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, his hands broken his fingers deformed, and he was covered in blood. With every ounce of his remaining energy, he crawled to Dune's side.

Seeing Dune's injured body and especially the eye, Ned couldn't hold tears.

"Dune," he whispered, voice raw with guilt. "I'm sorry. I should've done better."

But Dune, despite his injuries, managed to speak, his voice barely above a whisper. "Don't blame yourself, Ned. We're alive, and that's what matters. We both made it."

Tears filled Ned's eyes, but he nodded, carefully helping Dune to his feet. Barely able to keep their balance, their bodies battered from the fight. Just as they were about to take a step, Dune froze and grabbed Ned's arm.

"Ned, did you see it?" Dune asked, his voice urgent.

Ned looked around, puzzled. "See what? What are you talking about?"

Dune's eye widened in disbelief. "The core. Whenever we kill an animal, there's always a Neba core left behind, right? The heart of the creature. Where is it?"

Ned's gaze darted around the battlefield, but there was no sign of the Neba core. His stomach sank. "Damn it, don't tell me…"

They both knew what that meant. The creature wasn't truly dead.

Before they could react, something stirred behind Ned. The massive creature, or what remained of it, emerged from the shadows. But it was different now, rougher, more feral, and glowing with a bright yellow Neba. Its fur crackled with power, and its six glowing eyes fixed on Ned.

Without thinking, Dune shoved Ned out of the way. "Run!" he shouted, panic rising in his chest.

"No! Dune!" Ned cried, turning back to help him.

But before Ned could reach his brother, the creature lunged, its jaws wide. Dune braced for impact, but suddenly, the beast's head fell clean off, landing with a sickening thud. Dune stumbled backward in shock, staring at the massive, severed head.

The head froze mid-fall, as if time itself had stopped. Dune blinked, confused. The creature's glowing eyes vanished, leaving only the eerie stillness of the battle.

"Someone killed it," Dune whispered, his voice shaky.

And then, standing in front of him, a figure appeared from the mist. He was tall. The man had long white hair and icy blue eyes. He wore a long robe-like battle attire, and every step he took caused the ground to freeze beneath him. In his hand, he held a sword made entirely of ice, gleaming with deadly power.

Dune's heart pounded. "You are.. C..?" he stammered.

The figure spoke with a voice that sent a chill down Dune's spine. "I am Cadogan. Lord of Fein."

Dune's gaze shifted quickly to Ned, whose shirt had been torn during the battle, revealing the red cross tattoo on his chest. Dune's stomach twisted. *Is it over for us?* he thought, fear clawing at his chest.

But before he could dwell on it, Cadogan's piercing gaze turned to Ned.

Then in an instant, Cadogan was standing in front of Dune, his hands glowing with icy light.

Dune's wounds froze, the bleeding stopping almost instantly. It was like ice was sealing his body back together. His pain began to fade, replaced by a strange sense of relief.

Ned had the same experience. His bloodied hands and torn body began to heal under Cadogan's cold touch.

Cadogan's attention shifted to Ned's red cross tattoo. Ned immediately dropped to his knees in a defensive posture, his hands raised. "I used Zeten. I had no choice... My brother Dune didn't know anything about it, I swear. You can kill me, but please... spare him." Dune stared at Ned, speechless.

Cadogan stepped forward, his icy expression hardening. "Alright then… Die."

"No!" Dune shouted, fear flooding his chest. He reached out to stop Cadogan, but the figure froze mid-step.

"Kid, you've got balls," Cadogan said with a chuckle. "I like you two. Don't worry, I won't kill you. But you have to do something for me.

"listen up, don't tell anyone about this, or I will be forced to do so."

Dune stood there, confused. "What's going on? Why are you letting us go?"

Cadogan's expression turned serious. "Where did you get that sword.. Boy?"

Dune's heart skipped a beat. "Sword?" he repeated, glancing at the blade in his hand. He hadn't even thought about it since the fight, but now that he looked at it, it felt strangely familiar.

"I'm Dune, and this is my brother Ned," he said, his voice still shaky. "I found this sword in the grass... when I was fighting the thing."

Cadogan's eyes narrowed. "It's called a wolf, It's not just any animal. It's an evolved form of Wolf that normally comes from a Green Neba core. This one had a Yellow Neba core. You two did well to survive."

Dune's mind raced as he tried to understand everything Cadogan was saying. His brother had used Zeten, the dangerous and forbidden energy, to fight the Yellow Neba wolf. And yet, they were still alive.

Cadogan gave them a sharp look. "Now go home. And don't speak a word of this to anyone. For your own safety."

*Why would he let us live? Dune wondered. He saw Ned's mark, the Zeten tattoo. Doesn't he know what that means? What's his plan?*

After Dune and Ned disappeared into the distance, Cadogan stood still for a moment, his eyes lingering on the spot where the wolf's body had once been.

"It was a right move to not interrupt their fight from the start, i gained important knowledge after all. Even so i still can't believe that boy was born with a red Zeten.. and even an animal inside him? What are the chances? If he loses control no one in this city will be able to stop him…expect me, of course.

The remnants of the beast were already dissolving, the powerful creature's form fading into nothingness. Slowly, he approached the area where the beast had fallen, his boots crunching against the frost covered ground.

There, half buried in the dirt, was the yellow Neba core. It was about the size of his palm, glowing faintly with a golden light. Cadogan knelt down, inspecting the core closely, his fingers brushing lightly over its surface.

"Hmmm…" He muttered, his brow furrowing as he studied it. "So, the ability to merge with the shadows… That's impressive, especially for a yellow Neba core."

But then something caught his eye.

When the wolf's stomach had disintegrated, another object had emerged from the remains, a second core, this one green. Cadogan's eyes widened in disbelief.

"What?" he whispered to himself. "How is this possible?"

A creature with two cores? It was unheard of. Impossible. No animal had ever had more than one Neba core, at least not that anyone had ever documented.

He stood up slowly, his mind racing as he inspected both cores.

"Green core is rabbit's? Did the wolf eat rabbit… No that's not possible either.. the moment wolf ates animal its core will merge with the animal it consumed and strengthen it. That's how creatures and Zetens evolve. Something is wrong," he muttered under his breath.

His gaze turned toward the towering walls of Fein and then toward the shadowed forest below them.

"The walls are our city's protection…" Cadogan murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But the wolf got through them easily, killing few of my guards in the process… if not more.."

But that wasn't the part that troubled him the most.

"There's an invisible barrier circling outside walls…" Cadogan continued to himself, his voice a low growl. "A second layer of protection designed so that only green Nebas can pass through it. No matter how powerful the creature is, nothing but green Neba-based beings can cross it…"

His eyes narrowed in thought. "But… how did this yellow Neba evolved wolf get through? It shouldn't be possible. The barrier is infallible."

"There are too many questions," he muttered. "But there are three main possibilities."

He looked up at the walls, the city's last line of defense against the dangers beyond.

"There's someone dangerous inside the city…

"Wolf crossed barrier as a green Neba and advanced to yellow after.

"Or… the animals outside are evolving, changing in ways we didn't expect. Something is pushing them to evolve faster, harder."