The Beast and the Berserker

Rayne mentally calculated the timing for his next power-up.

He was about to press his attack when he felt it—the magical particles in the air swirling violently.

The source? The Moonlight Bear, now airborne, its maw gaping wide as silver-white energy gathered between its fangs.

The sheer density of magic warped the surrounding air.

And in the instant Rayne noticed—

Boom!

A radiant sphere of condensed energy shot toward him like a meteor, faster than the human eye could track.

But Rayne wasn't just human anymore.

Even with just one enhancement active, his physical abilities, magic, and strength had already doubled.

His body, tempered by the Dragon's Origin, was already monstrous. Now? It was something else entirely.

His sharp eyes locked onto the incoming blast.

A wild grin split his face as crimson mana surged through him, his scarlet gauntlet flickering with a bloody glow.

He didn't dodge.

Instead, he swung.

A streak of red cut through the air as his fist met the magic head-on.

Crack—!

The two forces collided—but instead of exploding, they clashed in a visible shockwave, a barrier of sheer pressure forming between them.

The Moonlight Bear's attack was powerful, but it was a one-shot burst. No sustained energy.

Against Rayne's relentless mana, it didn't stand a chance.

The sphere destabilized rapidly.

Rayne's gaze flicked to the bear, now stumbling toward him after landing.

"Hah—!"

With a twist of his hips, he heaved.

The ground beneath him cratered as the silver orb was sent flying like a baseball—straight into the cliffside behind him.

BOOM!!

The explosion was deafening. Dust and debris erupted like fireworks, raining down in a chaotic hail.

'2.'

But neither fighter paused.

As Rayne launched the orb, the Moonlight Bear was already upon him, crystalline claws slicing through the air with enough force to whip his hair back.

The flames in Rayne's pitch-black eyes burned brighter.

He didn't retreat.

His fist met the claw mid-swing.

You want brutality? Then I'll give you more than you can handle.

Red against white.

A human child against a magical beast.

The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, fissures spiderwebbing across the ground beneath them.

The stalemate lasted only a second.

Rayne kicked aside the bear's other claw, then—with both hands—grabbed the beast's massive forelimb.

His muscles bulged to their limit.

The earth beneath him cracked further.

Then—

"Hrgh—!"

With a full-body twist, he yanked.

The colossal beast left the ground.

And then it was spinning.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

The sight of a human child swinging a monster like a ragdoll was equal parts absurd and terrifying.

Wakaba and Bartlow could only stare, slack-jawed.

After several rotations, Rayne let go.

CRASH—!!

The beast slammed into the cliffside, the impact shaking loose another avalanche of rubble.

'3.'

Rayne's knees bent.

Then he launched himself forward, closing the distance in an instant.

The Moonlight Bear was embedded in the rock, limbs twitching as it struggled to free itself.

Rayne's crimson gauntlet rose.

BAM!

BAM!

BAM!

Fist after fist.

The cliff trembled.

The beast sank deeper into the stone.

"No way…"

Wakaba's voice was hollow.

A kid.

A kid had just manhandled a magical beast like it was a training dummy.

"I never would've guessed…"

Even Bartlow was stunned.

The feral, battle-crazed demon before them bore no resemblance to the calm boy from earlier.

He turned to Connie, ready to shield her from the brutality—

Only to find the little dragon girl enthralled, her tiny fists mimicking Rayne's motions with glee.

To a creature like her, this wasn't brutality.

It was entertainment.

And Rayne? He wasn't violent enough.

"Uh…"

Bartlow's protest died in his throat.

A gentle-seeming boy who fought like a monster.

A delicate-looking girl who cheered it on.

After a long pause, the herbalist sighed.

"Fairy Tail really is… something else."

If Wakaba had heard him, he'd have laughed.

"You're giving the rest of us too much credit."

Aftermath

The valley fell silent.

"Hah… hah…"

Rayne stood panting, sweat dripping from his brow.

The manic grin was gone.

His scarlet gauntlet, now stained with blood, gleamed darker as droplets fell from its clawed tips.

Before him lay the Moonlight Bear—once majestic, now barely recognizable.

"Not bad, brat."

Draygal's voice echoed in his mind, thick with approval.

She'd suspected she and this kid would get along.

Now? She was sure of it.

That feral instinct. That unshakable dominance.

The battle frenzy hadn't come from the Sacred Gear's grudges.

No, this was all him.

Whatever sorry souls had wielded this power before?

None compared.

"You did good too, Draygal."

Rayne turned toward the forest where Connie and Bartlow waited, silently acknowledging the dragon's praise.

This wasn't like testing his limits in the dorm.

The enhancement's effects were clearer now.

And the strain? Less overwhelming.

His body was adapting.

Soon, he might even handle a second boost.

(Though if it came to life or death, he'd push further without hesitation.)

With a flick of his wrist, the gauntlet dissolved into motes of red light.

Then he waved.

"Clear!"

The signal sent Connie sprinting toward him, her white-stockinged legs a blur.

This time, Rayne caught her effortlessly.

Unlike after his spar with Makarov, his stamina was still decent.

The fight had ended before the second enhancement's toll could set in.

"Sniff sniff."

Connie suddenly leaned in, her nose twitching.

"Hm? What's up, Connie?"

She puffed her cheeks, staring at him with those big, blue eyes.

"Rayne… where's the thieving cat?"

"…HAH?!"

Draygal's outraged roar nearly split his skull.