Grand Cliff Bastion – The Coliseum
The next day, Courage found himself seated among a crowd in the Coliseum—a sunken fighting ring where Catalysers pitted their beasts against one another to test Thier metal . The air buzzed with excitement as the ongoing battle raged below.
On one side stood a female Catalyser and her beast—a monstrous, eye-studded flower bud nearly the size of a bathtub. Its pink petals framed a blood-red central eye, and its dark green stem whipped violently as it lashed out. Despite its delicate appearance, the plant fought with terrifying aggression. Thorned vines snapped like whips, and jagged roots speared up from the shattered arena floor, each strike aimed at its opponent.
Across from it, a young man and his beast held their ground. The creature was a massive, car-sized walrus with deep brown hide and a dirty white underbelly. Its most striking feature was the three inches long spiraled narwhal-like horn jutting from its forehead—a natural weapon it used to resist the onslaught. The walrus bellowed, slamming its bulk forward to block another flurry of vines, its thick hide resisting the worst of the thorns.
The female Catalyser barked her command: "[Snapping Root]!" Her flower beast obeyed instantly, launching a barrage of root spears at the walrus. The attacks struck true—but the walrus's thick hide proved too tough to penetrate deeply, leaving only shallow scratches. Still, the assault drew an angry growl from the massive creature.
With a powerful swing of its head, the walrus shattered the remaining roots with its spiraled horn, clearing its path. Seizing the opening, its Catalyser shouted, "[Frost Breath]!" The walrus exhaled a blast of freezing wind, coating the arena floor in rapidly spreading frost.
Anticipating this, the female Catalyst ordered her beast to weave a barrier of roots and vines. Just in time—the frost breath encased the makeshift wall in ice, but it held. Her supporters in the crowd cheered the successful defense.
But their celebration came too soon.
"[Ice Drill]—charge!" the male Catalyser commanded. His walrus gathered swirling energy around its horn, then launched forward. Normally, such a bulky creature would lumber slowly on land—its flippers better suited for swimming than running. But the now frozen terrain made up for that . The walrus glided across the ice, its [Ice Drill] generating turbine-like propulsion allowing it to slide on the icy floor. This unexpected speed shocked everyone—even Courage, who mentally applauded the tactic. "What a smart combination of moves".
The male Catalyser clung to his beast's back as it plowed through the frozen barrier, shattering it effortlessly. But his opponent was ready—just before the impact, the flower beast coiled its vines beneath its bud building tension in them like compressed springs, then it launched upward, carrying its Catalyser to safety as the walrus thundered past harmlessly below.
"Damn it!" the man snarled, watching his rival land gracefully behind him. His walrus skidded wildly, its immense momentum carrying it several meters before it could finally pivot to face its opponent again.
Before he could issue another command, thick vines erupted from the arena floor, entangling the walrus's flippers and horn. The crowd gasped—this trap had been set mid-battle, its seeds planted during the flower beast's earlier root attacks.
Courage leaned forward, impressed. "Smart,"he muttered. That woman hadn't just dodged—she baited her opponent into overcommitting, then sprung her vines like a snare. Foresight like that won battles.he praised
The walrus thrashed violently, straining against the vines with all its might—but these weren't ordinary restraints. Unlike the earlier root spikes, these vines were pre-reinforced, far more flexible and resistant to snapping. And to make matters worse, the female Catalyst and her beast were already preparing their next attack in the distance.
The male Catalyst, sensing his dire situation, gritted his teeth and shouted his command: "Use the Special Move!"
"A Special Move? Did he just say—"
"Yes! A Special Move!"
"I didn't know he had one!"
"Now this is worth watching!"
Even Courage straightened in his seat. In the world of Beast Catalysts, a Special Move referred to a unique combination of traits and abilities that produced an effect far more powerful than its individual components. While the concept sounded simple, executing one was much harder than it seemed. Not only did a Catalyst need to provide their beast with the right set of abilities, but they also had to train it extensively to able to use them in perfect synchronization.
A beast possessing a Special Move was a testament to its master's dedication to its development and skill in training. While Special Moves became more common at higher levels, it was still impressive for a Level 1 Catalyst to develop one. seeing one at Level 1 was rare enough to cause a stir. That's why the crowd roared with excitement—Special Moves in the rookie leagues always promised a spectacle.
The walrus beast threw its head back, unleashing a [Frost Breath] far more powerful than before—a glacial wave flash-froze the surrounding arena. Then, the same rotational force from its earlier [Ice Drill] activated again, whipping the frozen air into a spiraling maelstrom. Ice shards, frozen vine fragments, and battlefield debris were sucked into the growing vortex, the whirlwind accelerating until a ring of hyper-velocity ice shards hovered above the walrus's horn.
"Special Move: [Hail Spinner]!" the male Catalyst announced, drawing gasps from the crowd.
With a roar, the walrus released the attack. The deadly ring of ice rocketed toward the flower beast. Seeing the unavoidable onslaught, the female Catalyst abandoned her offense, urgently commanding her beast to weave a defensive cage of roots and vines. She'd chosen not to dodge—the attack's suction force made escape impossible.
For a brief moment, the cage held. Then reality set in:
The defense crumbled under the attack's relentless assault. First, the extreme cold seeped into the vines, turning them brittle and fragile. Then, the spinning shards tore through them like a whirlwind of blades, each razor-sharp fragment slicing deeper into the weakening structure. To make matters worse, the debris caught in the maelstrom hammered against the cage like a barrage of frozen bullets, overwhelming what little resistance remained. Within moments, the once-sturdy barrier was reduced to splinters.
The defense lasted three seconds before disintegrating. In the end, the flower beast curled its body around its Catalyst, taking the full brunt to protect her—after the damage was done. It collapsed, unable to continue.
The crowd erupted as the referee declared:
"Victory to the glacier shore Beast and its Catalyser!"
The male Catalyst relished his victory briefly before clearing the arena to a cacophony of applause and whistles celebrating his outstanding performance. Even Courage clapped in acknowledgment.
"The female Catalyst might have had better intuition and battle instincts," he thought, "but the male one had greater mastery over his beast, allowing him to unleash power far beyond what his opponent could contend with. He's definitely going to be someone in the future." Courage made a mental note of this Catalyst—exceptional individuals were worth remembering, as you never knew when their paths might cross again.
As the arena cleared, the announcer declared the next match would begin soon. At the same time, Courage received a notification through his implant, instructing him to prepare.
That's right—he was the next fighter.
Leaving the stands, he made his way to the prep room, changing into more combat-ready attire before summoning Kabuto from his soul domain. Though arena fights weren't part of his usual routine, he had decided to participate today. Because over the past two months, while his beast had grown stronger, neither of them had truly expanded their battle experience . Hunting nothing but Silver Vices, while profitable, it had become monotonous—lacking the unpredictability of real combat. He refused to let complacency set in. That's why Courage had resolved to start visiting the arena more often—to observe different fighting styles and, to test out his own when he could
But Courage was especially looking forward to this particular match because his opponent's beast this time was also a Vigor-type.
In beast combat, many factors determined superiority, but when a Catalyst truly wanted to measure their beast's growth, nothing compared to facing another of the same type. As the saying went: "Nothing bends steel but steel." If you wanted to know where your beast stood in its element, the best way was to test it against its peers. This was how serious Catalysts evaluated whether they were developing their beasts properly - through direct comparison with others walking the same path.
When Courage received word that his opponent was ready, he stepped into the arena. Typically, these matches involved only the beasts fighting while their Catalysts gave commands from safety, that was the standard format for most battles. But Courage had chosen to compete in a sub-league with different rules: here, both beast and master fought together on the sands.
More dangerous? Absolutely. But this league attracted those seeking real combat experience—the kind that mirrored true battles in the wild, where Catalysts couldn't hide behind barriers. Extreme? Perhaps. But any Catalyst worth their title was forged this way.
Courage finally faced his opponent in the arena—a petite young woman with short black hair and a disarmingly friendly smile. Standing beside her was her beast: a fairy mole clad in reddish, leather-like armor plating across its back and limbs, while the rest of its body was covered in thick white fur. The creature stood upright on muscular hind legs like a bear, its disproportionately large front limbs ending in broad paws armed with long, jagged claws
As the starting countdown began, Courage's opponent joked, "Take it easy on me, alright?"
Courage laughed lightly before replying, "Heh, sorry sister, but my beast has a habit of going all out."
With the ring of the siren, the match began. Both Catalysts immediately jumped backward to create distance while their beasts surged forward to face each other. At their masters' simultaneous "Attack!" commands, the creatures sprang into action.
Kabuto swung a powerful arcing punch, only for the mole to block it cleanly with its armored forearm. Shifting its weight, the mole retaliated with a sweeping paw strike. Kabuto backstepped to dodge, but unexpectedly, the mole followed up with an uppercut that connected solidly with Kabuto's head.
Courage wouldn't let that go unanswered. So with another command, Kabuto activated [All Out] and [Flurry Strike], launching a barrage of punches. While some hits landed, the damage was disappointing - the mole expertly guarded its body with its armored limbs, minimizing weak points and cleanly blocking many attacks.
"Tsk," Courage thought. "This beast isn't just naturally armored - its seems it's training focuses on defense."
The mole then unleashed a burst of power, shoving Kabuto several feet back. Regaining its footing, Kabuto activated [All Out] and [Flux], reinforcing its horn before charging straight at the mole.
Seeing this, the female Catalyst smirked. Just before impact, her beast slammed a paw down, creating a shockwave that made Kabuto bounce off the floor mid-charge. The mole capitalized instantly, delivering a crushing blow to Kabuto's side that sent it sprawling.
"Shit!" Courage cursed. He hated to admit it, but their easy victories against the Silver Vices over the past two months had really made them rusty.
Before he could regroup, the mole changed targets - charging straight at Courage. In this league, victory could be achieved by defeating either the beast or its master, making this a valid strategy. Reacting quickly, Courage as hard and as fast as he can swung his flail not at the mole, but toward Kabuto. The beetle caught it and yanked hard, pulling Courage into the air just as the mole's attack passed beneath him. Courage barrel-rolled to soften his landing, coming to rest beside Kabuto.
"Tsk, I almost had you," the opponent said with a grin.
Courage repositioned himself behind Kabuto, eyes locked on the armored mole. "This thing's tougher and more experienced than anything we've faced before," he realized. "We can't just punch our way through this one."
After a moment's calculation, he relayed a silent command—then both he and Kabuto suddenly split apart, sprinting in opposite directions.
The mole instinctively moved to pursue Courage (the easier target), but its master sharply recalled it.
"If I let my beast chase him while his beetle's still active..." the woman thought rapidly. "...his beast could attack mine from behind. Or worse—go for me directly. But if we stay together, we're sitting ducks for them to circle us."
Her smirk returned. "Fine. If this is how you want to play—"
She and her mole split up too, mirroring their opponents—the woman sprinting toward Courage while her beast charged Kabuto.splitting the battle into two simultaneous duels.
Courage whirled his flail in wide arcs, using its reach to keep the agile woman at bay while preventing her from counterattacking, while Kabuto and the mole clashed in a brutal instinct-driven brawl nearby. The crowd erupted at the unprecedented spectacle of two synchronized battles unfolding at once.
The brutal dance continued—Courage and his opponent trading space while their beasts exchanged crushing blows. Then, in a risky move, Courage swung low, aiming for her feet. But she was ready. With a fluid shift of her stance, she stomped down on the flail's head, pinning it to the ground
Courage tried to pull it free, but even though the girl was petite, her entire body weight combined with her strong stance kept the weapon thoroughly stuck.
Realizing struggling was pointless, Courage instead lifted his arm high and brought it down fast, sending a ripple through the chain—hoping the whiplash would force her to release it. Unfortunately for him, rather than flinching back, she expertly pulled on the chain to cancel out the motion, then kicked the flail's handle up with her foot and grabbed it firmly. With a sharp yank, she disrupted Courage's balance just enough to close the distance between them.
Now at close range with his flail useless, Courage abandoned it, briefly confident since his opponent appeared unarmed. "Step up," he said, raising his fists. "I ain't losing to a girl even shorter than—" His thought was interrupted by a sharp right hook to his jaw.
"Eh?!" Courage staggered back, disoriented. He tried to recover, but the results only got worse—it was immediately clear this girl specialized in unarmed combat. Though Courage had received basic hand-to-hand training during boot camp, her skill far surpassed his.
Is she a martial artist or something? he wondered , arms raised in a feeble guard as her fists slipped past his defenses.
"Ohh what?, can't handle a little girl like me?" she taunted, her knee driving into his ribs. "Bet you thought I'd be easy, huh?"
Another punch landed square on his face—this time with a loud *pop*. Courage wasn't sure if it was his jaw or his ego being shattered.
Despite Courage's poor performance, Kabuto was holding its own. Though battered from its violent exchange with the mole, its raw power kept the armored opponent suppressed under a relentless barrage of attacks. The mole wasn't faring any better—its defensive focus couldn't completely negate Kabuto's superior strength.
Sensing the right moment, Courage shouted: "Now!"
At his command, Kabuto activated [All Out], summoning all its remaining strength as it prepared for a decisive strike. The female Catalyst noticed this and, unwilling to let her beast face whatever was coming unprotected, immediately ordered
[Full Guard]. Her beast raised its defenses to maximum, curling into a defensive position as its leather armor pulsed with reinforcing energy.
"Whatever your beast is going to dish out, mine can handle it," she declared confidently.
"Don't be so sure."
Kabuto then channeled [Flux], concentrating every ounce of its power into its fist. The resulting punch launched the mole backward like a cannonball, sending it crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.
The entire crowd gasped—even the female Catalyst was momentarily stunned. Her beast, which she had been so confident in, had just been sent flying by a single blow.
Though that strike had contained everything Kabuto had—even cracking its fist from the sheer backlash—it wasn't enough to fully take down the mole. The armored beast staggered, dazed but still standing. Yet instead of pressing the attack, Kabuto whirled around and charged toward Courage and the female Catalyst.
The same strategy again!
The woman's eyes widened as she realized the danger. "Stop it!" she screamed at her beast, but it was too late—even if the mole regained its footing now, Kabuto's [Flux]-enhanced speed and the distance between them made interception impossible.
She shoved Courage aside in desperation and tried to flee, but Kabuto was already upon her. As its uninjured fist crackled with residual energy, hovering threateningly, she had no choice but to gasp:
"I concede!"
The arena fell silent for a heartbeat—then erupted as the referee declared Courage the winner.
Courage lay on the ground, wincing as he touched his swollen jaw. "Hah...huh...we actually won?" he muttered, almost surprised at the outcome.
As he pushed himself up, every muscle protested. He limped toward Kabuto, running a hand over the beetle's cracked chitin. The female Catalyst approached suddenly, her expression unreadable.
"Your name," she demanded, arms crossed. Not a question, but a command.
Courage tensed, instinctively bracing for another attack. "Uh...Courage. Why?"
" Well I am savi ", she said as she then flicked her fingers. Courage implant pinged with an incoming transmission.
"What's this?" he asked suspiciously, hesitating to open it.
"My direct contact. Encrypted channel."
Courage blinked. "You're...giving me your number? "
Savi's lips quirked. "You lost the fistfight. But your beast?" She nodded at Kabuto. "That strategy at the end was decent. For a rookie."
Courage opened his mouth, then closed it. He glanced at Kabuto, remembering how sloppy they'd been at first.
"You want a rematch," he realized aloud.
"Obviously." Savi rolled her shoulders. "Unless you're scared of another beating?"
A dozen thoughts raced through Courage's mind - the risks, the training they'd need, the way his ribs still ached with every breath. But stronger than the pain was the memory of Kabuto's final, perfect strike.
"...Two months," he finally said. "Give us two months to train."
Savi's grin turned predatory. "Better make it count." With a final nod, she turned and walked away.
Courage exhaled sharply before recalling Kabuto. As he limped from the arena, his mind was already whirling with training plans. That fight had exposed all their weaknesses - and for the first time in months, he felt truly motivated to improve.