Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 83: Rising Stars



The five aces gathered in the Agency's meeting room.

Zara stood at the head of the table, shuffling through a stack of documents with a mysterious smile on her face. She glanced up, watching as Mercury, Eratz, Kaida, Ryder, and Catarina settled in their seats.

"Alright, everyone," Zara began, her voice calm but with a hint of excitement.

"I've got two big announcements for you today. First, the good news."

She paused, watching their curious faces.

"We've received several requests from companies who want to sponsor you, and have you as their ambassadors."

A stunned silence fell over the room.

Mercury's eyes widened, while Eratz raised an eyebrow. Kaida leaned forward in her chair, intrigued. Ryder's grin was growing by the second, and Catarina, already twitching with excitement, could barely stay still.

Zara continued, flipping through the pages.

"These are no small deals. You'll be receiving a lot of money just for promoting these brands." She slid some documents across the table. "Mercury, for example... You're the lotto winner. The Grand Aquarium of Celluva wants you as their spokesperson. They're offering you 800 dyns weekly, just for appearing in a few ads and making a visit to their facility."

Mercury's hands shook as she stared at the document, her eyes wide with disbelief.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"800 dyns... weekly?" she whispered, her voice trembling with joy.

"And that's just one deal," Zara added, pushing another paper toward her.

"There's also a beverage company offering you 300 dyns weekly for a promotional campaign. And this one... well, let's just say, there's more to come."

Mercury was speechless, her eyes shimmering with happiness. All their hard work, their efforts, it was paying off.

Eratz leaned back in his chair, cautiously looking over his own offers.

"I've got three companies, a sports brand, a new line of energy drinks, and a tech company that wants me to promote their gaming gear."

Ryder froze, flipping through his own papers.

"What the... A famous plushie brand wants to make a limited edition The Furry Gentleman plushie. I don't understand, when did I become the furry of the team? Everyone is using beastification, there's an actual furry in our team..."

Catarina purred.

"Welcome to my world... Mew? M-MEW?! This... this is unreal! Look at this! A cat-themed laboratory wants me to be their ambassador for their research on feline instincts! And... and I'm gonna be on magazine covers, too! Boss, this is it! We're becoming celebrities!" Eratz nodded at her.

"Ask them who are the test subject though."

Kaida, though less outwardly ecstatic, was still grinning as she looked over her documents.

"A sport gear company wants to make a 'Blazing Tempest' line... and a fitness brand too." She glanced at the others with a playful smirk. "I guess we're moving up in the world."

Mercury nodded, her eyes still filled with joy.

"All our efforts are finally paying off."

Zara smiled warmly, watching the group.

"The agency will receive a fee from each deal, of course... Except for... ehem... But it's safe to say, this is just the beginning. You're all about to make more money in a few weeks than some people make in a year."

The room buzzed with excitement, each of them imagining the possibilities ahead. Mercury, Eratz, Kaida, Ryder, and Catarina all accepted their new roles as ambassadors eagerly. They were ready to dive into this new chapter of their careers.

"And now," Zara continued, her voice rising, "for the very good news."

She paused, savoring the moment. "You've all been recommended for the next finals of the Regional League."

A collective gasp filled the room.

The finals were the pinnacle for beast masters in each division. Only the best 32 fighters made it through. It was a dream come true.

"Based on your performances, ratings, and popularity, you've all been placed on the list. This means you're in the running to be selected for the finals, it doesn't mean that you're already qualified, just that you just need to push a little more."

Eratz's eyes gleamed, a wide smile playing on his lips.

"Now we're talking."

Kaida's fists clenched in excitement.

"Finally, we get to prove ourselves. We're going all out."

Ryder nodded.

"This is it. No more excuses. Time to show them what we're made of."

Mercury, still overwhelmed by the sponsorships, now had tears in her eyes.

"We did it... we're really doing it. I can't believe how much everything changed."

Eratz stood, turning to face the others.

"We've got no choice now. We have to go all out, no holding back. We fight like our lives depend on it."

Everyone nodded in agreement, their hearts pounding with the thrill of what lay ahead.

The rest of the day was a whirlwind of activity.

Zara was submerged in paperwork and phone calls, her desk covered in contracts and agreements as she arranged the sponsorships and partnerships for the aces.

The phone barely stopped ringing as she coordinated with various companies, the agency

buzzing with energy.

Victoria, meanwhile, was in a meeting with a young chairman of one of the companies interested in sponsoring Kaida.

Kaida sat beside her, signing a partnership deal.

Across the agency, Ryder was chatting on the phone with a marketing team about his

upcoming plushie line, excitedly brainstorming designs.

Mercury was busy reviewing her offers with a gleam of excitement in her eyes, already thinking of the possibilities for her sponsorship deals.

The day flashed, and soon night fall.

In their apartment, Eratz packed his things, preparing for his upcoming trip.

He would be traveling to another town for three days for his next match and a photoshoot

with one of his sponsors.

His suitcase clicked shut, and for a moment, he paused, clenching his fist over his chest with a

small, satisfied smile.

This was it, the start of something huge.

He stepped out into the living room, only to find everyone fast asleep, their positions

scattered across the furniture.

Cassie was curled up on the couch, Roger sprawled out beside her. Milo and Colin were

huddled together on the floor, their arms wrapped around pillows.

He looked around, searching for Mercury, but before he could react, he felt a soft breath on

his ear.

"Boo!" Mercury whispered, blowing into his ear playfully.

Eratz flinched slightly but quickly relaxed, smirking.

"You're in a frenzy aren't you, huh?"

Mercury grinned, stepping closer.

"Maybe. It's fun." She held up a small bottle of wine. "I saved this... thought we could

celebrate a bit more. You know, in private."

Eratz chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"You've been giving me alcohol all night. You're not trying to get me drunk, are you?"

Mercury growled playfully.

"Don't flatter yourself."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Right."

Mercury leaned on his back, her voice low and teasing.

"You know... until now, there was always something holding us back. But now... we're far

from home, far from the eye." She massaged his shoulders, her breath hot against his skin.

"Aren't you afraid of being eaten by a predator?"

Eratz smirked, his eyes flashing with amusement.

"I'm going north. That predator's going south."

Mercury's eyes glinted mischievously. She leaned closer, her lips brushing against his ear.

"Like that would stop me."

She tugged on his arm playfully. "Come on, let's drink in your room."

Behind them, on the couch, Roger stirred, a proud smile forming on his face, his eyes still

closed.

Beside him, Cassie raised her fist in a slow, upward, gesture.

The following morning, Eratz stood at the bustling train station, his bags packed and slung

over his shoulder.

His family gathered around him, doing their goodbyes in warmth and comfort.

Milo, however, was making a scene, sobbing dramatically with tears streaming down his face

as he clung tightly to Eratz's leg.

"I don't want you to go! It's going to be forever!"

Eratz rolled his eyes, sighing in mild exasperation.

"Milo, it's only three days."

Cassie chuckled softly, gently patting Milo's head.

"Come on, sweetheart, he'll be back before you even notice."

Roger, standing beside her, gave Eratz a firm nod.

"Safe travels, son." Eratz offered a small smile, ruffling Colin's and Milo's hair before gently peeling him off his

leg.

"Take care of everyone while I'm gone, alright?"

As Eratz began walking toward the platform, the sounds of the station bustling with life

around him, he heard a familiar blow on his ear.

"Boo!"

He couldn't help but laugh quietly, already knowing who it was. Glancing over his shoulder,

he spotted Mercury standing there with her usual playful grin.

"You again?" Eratz smirked, shaking his head in amusement. "What are you doing here? Your

train doesn't leave for a while."

Mercury shrugged casually, stepping up beside him.

"Just wanted to see you off. Plus, I had something in mind."

Eratz raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Oh?"

She leaned in slightly.

"I was thinking... maybe during these next three days, we take some time to meet up and test

out our beasts together. It will be the best time to really go all out."

Eratz laughed softly, his eyes glinting as he glanced down at her.

"We'll be in different areas, Mercury. Not as simple as you think."

Mercury rolled her eyes at his practical response.

"It's only three days. We can make it work."

Eratz raised an eyebrow.

"For training? You're sure that's the only reason?"

A playful smile tugged at her lips.

"So what? You're making excuses already?"

Eratz's gaze softened as he reached out, his finger grazing her cheek, sending a gentle,

tickling electric sensation through her skin.

The touch made Mercury shiver slightly, but she didn't pull away. He kept his hand there for a

moment longer than necessary.

"If you keep this up," he murmured. "you might find out that I'm not as patient as I look. I

don't know exactly what game you're playing, but if you keep pushing, you might learn the hard way to not dive in dark water."

The tickling current danced along her cheek, making her breath hitch for a split second.

It was playful, but his words carried weight, and she knew it. She wasn't just testing him, she

was tempting him, as always.

Mercury's grin faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered, meeting his eyes with the same confident glint.

"And what if I want to dive in this black water?"

Eratz chuckled lowly, stepping back as the train began to board.

"Be careful what you wish for, Mercury, You might just end up being the one eaten."

With that, Eratz turned and stepped into the waiting train. The door slid shut behind him, and

as the train's engine roared to life, he glanced out the window, catching one last look at

Mercury.

Mercury stood there, watching the train pull away, her hand slowly rising to touch the spot on

her cheek where his electric touch had lingered.

A flood of memories surfaced, every moment they had spent teasing each other, pushing

boundaries, testing the limits of their relationship.

She smiled to herself, murmuring softly

"I'm not done with you."