Dominion of The Beast Masters

Chapter 247: Family



Several hours after the assault, the police station was alive with tension. Mercury and Eratz sat side by side at a long table, their faces grim but composed.

Across from them sat a disfigured man, his face swollen and bruised beyond recognition. He glared at them through puffy eyes, a cold compress held weakly against his cheek.

Kaida and Raya leaned back in their chair next to them, Kaida looking around, and Raya sniffing the air as if she had no connection to the chaos.

An officer loomed over them, a thick file of papers in hand, his expression a mixture of annoyance and disbelief.

The door to the waiting area swung open with a bang. Victoria, Cassie, and Roger hurried in, their expressions a mixture of concern and exasperation.

Victoria's sharp eyes scanned the room, quickly landing on Mercury and Eratz.

"Are you alright?" Cassie asked, her voice high-pitched with worry.

"Facially, better," Eratz said calmly.

Victoria's gaze shifted to the other side of the table. Her lips tightened as she took in the man's grotesque appearance.

"You couldn't control yourself, could you?" she said with a resigned sigh.

Mercury flushed, her head lowering slightly.

"I did control myself," she muttered. "He's still alive."

Kaida let out a small, sympathetic chuckle.

"Sadly for him. This dude's gonna look like porridge."

Cassie's gaze darted to the father, her eyes narrowing. She pointed an accusing finger at him.

"This... This thing... is that..."

Roger murmured dryly.

"Obviously."

Without hesitation, Cassie took a step forward, her hand already raising. Roger and Victoria grabbed her shoulders simultaneously, pulling her back before she could get any closer.

"Unhand me! I'm just going to fix his face... with my fists!"

"Stop," Roger muttered under his breath. "You're making it worse."

The officer cleared his throat loudly, silencing the room. His stern gaze swept over the group as he set the file down on the table with a sharp thud.

"This is a disaster," he began, his voice heavy with frustration. "What you did was assault, plain and simple. You've caused grievous bodily harm, destruction of property, and

endangerment. You're lucky this man is even alive."

Mercury's shoulders tensed, and Eratz's jaw tightened, but they both stayed silent. The officer's voice rose as he continued.

"Do you know how many charges could be filed here? We're looking at physical assault, emotional damages, and even..." He paused, glancing at his notes. "A kick to the face? Did you try to kill him?"

Both Mercury and Eratz flinched at the mention. Their eyes darted toward Kaida, who was now staring at the ceiling, whistling innocently.

The father's swollen mouth opened, but his voice came out garbled and incomprehensible.

"Y'm gnnn sssuuue... mnnke y'll payyy..."

Victoria's sharp sigh cut through the room as she stepped forward. She waved her hand dismissively.

"Alright. That's enough," she said, her voice calmer. She pulled out a chair and sat down gracefully, her piercing gaze locking onto the officer.

"We need to talk," she said firmly. "Privately. With a minimal audience."

The officer blinked, clearly caught off guard by her commanding tone.

"Privately?" he repeated, incredulous.

Victoria nodded once, sharply.

"Yes. Just us, without your men. I need a moment to resolve this."

The officer hesitated, glancing at his colleagues. They exchanged skeptical looks, but when he gestured for them to leave, they obeyed with murmurs of confusion.

"Are you serious?" one of them whispered.

"It's fine," the officer replied, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely convinced.

Once the room had cleared, he turned back to Victoria, his brow furrowed deeply.

"I can't believe this," he muttered. "So you're really doing this..."

Victoria's lips twitched in a faint smile.

"First time for everything, isn't it, Halston? Besides, it's not like I overuse it."

"Overuse what?" Mercury asked, her confusion mirrored by the rest of the team.

Victoria leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed.

"Halston here was once a rookie beast master. Back then, he was a real struggling bug, with no talent nor skills. So I had to teach him to get better, and I grew proud of his results."

Halston groaned, clearly regretting the memory.

"You didn't just teach me. You obliterated me. Repeatedly. I quitted because I didn't want to deal with you ever again."

Victoria's smile grew slightly.

"And look at you now. A respectable officer of the law. A life without regrets... or broken bones."

"A life without you chasing me around an arena," Halston shot back. "Do you know how many times I had nightmares because of you? I can't even enjoy being praised because I know how little it is compared to you."

"And yet," Victoria countered smoothly, "you discovered your true calling, didn't you? A life

you'd never have found without my help."

Halston muttered something under his breath but didn't deny it.

"Wait," Cassie interrupted, her brows furrowed. "So you trained this guy, and now he's basically your... disciple?"

"Indebted disciple," Victoria corrected, her tone casual but pointed. "Which is why Halston here is going to wipe away any charges against Mercury and Eratz. Provided, of course, that..." She turned her gaze to the disfigured man. "Mr. Ambrosius over there doesn't complain."

Halston sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered.

The father flinched and stammered, his words garbled and hard to follow as he accused Victoria of bribery. His trembling voice carried no weight, especially when faced with the chilling shift in Victoria's demeanor.

Her expression cooled, her eyes narrowing as her posture straightened. The warmth that had briefly graced her features vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating presence that seemed to

fill the room.

"Mr. Ambrosius," she began, her tone measured and devoid of sentiment, "you're already a well-known figure for your interactions with your son. Public perception has shifted dramatically, and trust me, the tribunal will not align itself with you. If that's not enough, let me explain the gravity of your situation."

The father's breathing grew heavier as her words pierced the air like knives.

"Right now, you're eligible for a restraining order against Milo," she continued. "The video

alone paints a very clear picture. But let's dig deeper, shall we?" Her smile was faint but venomous. "Because you, Mr. Ambrosius, are a man with a rather colorful history. Let's

review it together."

The room fell silent. Even Officer Halston leaned forward slightly, his curiosity piqued. Victoria's gaze locked onto the trembling father.

"Tax evasion," she began smoothly, "for three consecutive years. Oh, and not to forget insurance fraud. A forged claim about a 'stolen vehicle' that turned out to be in your garage

the whole time. Charming."

The father's eyes widened, his protests dying in his throat. "Employment fraud... hiring undocumented workers under the table to avoid taxes," she

continued, her tone sharper now. "And let's not forget identity theft. You sold someone's credit card details online, didn't you? A little side hustle, perhaps?"

The room's tension grew thicker with each revelation. Eratz and Mercury exchanged stunned

glances, while Cassie and Roger's jaws dropped.

Even Halston seemed in deep shock, his pen hovering over his notes, forgotten.

"It's a wonder you're not already behind bars," Victoria remarked, her voice a velvet blade.

"And these are just the documented crimes. Imagine what else might surface if someone were

to... shine a spotlight on your life."

The father's entire body trembled now, his face pale beneath the bruises and swelling. Victoria leaned in slightly, her smile widening ever so slightly.

"So, Mr. Ambrosius," she said, her voice dropping to an icy whisper, "I'm sure you feel

confident about winning this case. After all, it's not as if it could derail your life entirely." Sweat poured down the father's temples as his head slowly lowered. His hands clenched into weak fists on the table, but he dared not speak.

"Oh, and one more thing," Victoria added, her tone almost playful now. "About Milo. You won't get him. You won't get anything. In fact, I suggest you forget about this lawsuit entirely. You see, there are plenty of planes leaving the country every day, and I imagine a busy man like you, with such a history, would want to... disappear. Especially now that everyone knows exactly where to find you."

The silence was deafening as Victoria's words hung in the air. She leaned back in her chair, her eyes fixed on the man who now stared at the floor, sweat dripping from his chin.

"I didn't hear your answer, Mr. Ambrosius," she said, her voice suddenly sharp.

The father flinched and nodded slowly, his trembling making the motion almost imperceptible.

Victoria's smile returned, though it was far from kind. She turned to Halston.

"It seems, Officer Halston, that Mr. Ambrosius is willing to not pursue this matter. Would you

kindly release Mercury and Eratz?"

Halston sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You're an evil woman, Victoria."

"Thank you," she replied, her tone as sweet as honey.

Following Victoria's masterful handling of the situation, everything unfolded as she planned.

Mercury and Eratz were released without further issues, with Officer Halston justifying their

release by citing "fees" paid to the victim and a mutual agreement to settle the matter. The assault was kept quiet, ensuring no media fallout.

The group returned to the hotel, their respect for Victoria deepened by her calculated

maneuvering.

Reuniting with Milo, the atmosphere softened as everyone took turns comforting the boy.

Even Colin promised to be nicer and help him more with his studies.

But tonight was also Mercury's moment.

The group erupted into cheers, their voices overlapping with words of admiration for

Mercury. Roger praised her as a long-standing hero, Kaida called her an inspiration, and even Catarina, usually playful, acknowledged her strength with heartfelt sincerity.

Eratz added his voice, commending her unwavering resilience and the weight she carried for

everyone.

Overwhelmed by the collective outpouring of support, Mercury blinked back tears before allowing herself a rare, genuine smile, her guard momentarily lowered as she embraced the warmth of their appreciation.

Milo, in turn, laughed heartily when he learned that Eratz and Mercury had physically

confronted his father.

Amid the lighthearted exchanges, he hugged both Mercury and Eratz tightly. Looking up at

Eratz, he spoke with quiet determination.

"I'm proud to be your son. From now on, I don't want to be Ambrosius anymore. I want to be

Milo Pandora."

Eratz's smile was warm as he hugged the boy back.

"If Victoria knows someone who can quickly make it official, then I'm all for it," he joked.

Victoria, ever composed, simply nodded.

"I know someone," she replied matter-of-factly.

The room fell silent for a brief moment before erupting into laughter, the weight of the day

lifting as they shared the unexpected humor.

Their bond solidified further as they prepared to move forward together.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The following days saw the father's apartment deserted, his presence wiped clean from their lives. The group refocused their attention on the upcoming semifinals.

The final group stage match saw the Cosmos face Steel Apex, ending with a dominant 8-1

victory.

Milo's single loss did little to dampen their spirits as they celebrated their advancement to

the semifinals against Blazing Horizons.

On the opposite side of the bracket, Infinite Twilight prepared to face Azure Blades.

The road to the finals stretched ahead, leading all teams to the remote island of Solaris Haven, where the final event awaited.

The stage was set, and the journey to victory had begun.