The air in the underground laboratory was sterile and cold, carrying the faint tang of antiseptic and ozone. White lights hummed overhead, illuminating rows of gleaming medical equipment and monitors displaying scrolling genetic code.
Before a full-length mirror, the man known only as The Unknown Man observed the changes in his own reflection.
His physique had been reshaped—muscles defined with unnatural precision, corded with power that thrummed just beneath the skin. When he flexed his hand, dark claws extended from his fingertips, gleaming under the lights before retracting seamlessly back into human nails. His veins, visible along his forearms, pulsed with a faint, amber light—the residual energy of the blood now circulating through him. Hiro Mizuki's blood.
"Incredible," he murmured, his voice a low, satisfied rumble. "The adaptation rate exceeds ninety-seven percent. His DNA isn't just compatible—it's dominant."
Behind him, The General stood rigid in his military uniform, his expression unreadable. "The extraction was successful. We have the samples. When do we move to secure the source?"
The Unknown Man turned slowly, a cold, calculating smile touching his lips. "Secure him? No. Not yet."
"Why delay? Every moment he remains free is a variable. A risk."
"Risk is a catalyst," The Unknown Man replied, his gaze drifting to a bank of monitors. On the screens, surveillance footage played silently: Hiro laughing with friends in a sun-drenched school courtyard, Luna playfully swatting his arm, their circle of friends clustered around them like a shield. "Look at him. He's building something. Connections. Trust… Love."
He said the last word with a mixture of fascination and contempt.
"I don't follow the strategy," The General stated flatly.
"A weapon forged in emptiness is just a tool. Potent, but limited." The Unknown Man approached the screens, his glowing reflection superimposed over Hiro's smiling face. "But a weapon that has known light, that has built a world of warmth and belonging… and then has that world utterly obliterated before its eyes…"
He turned back to The General, his eyes alight with a malicious fire.
"That weapon doesn't just break. It shatters. And from those shards, you can forge something truly magnificent. A creature of pure, obedient rage." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "Let him open his heart. Let him believe he is safe. Let him love deeply. And then, when his happiness is absolute, when his bonds are at their strongest… we will sever every single one."
The General's jaw tightened, understanding dawning. "You plan to target the girl. The friends."
"I plan to burn his entire world to ash," The Unknown Man corrected, his smile widening. "And from the emptiness that remains, Hiro Mizuki will become my perfect, mad dog."
SEIKA ACADEMY
Morning light streamed through the classroom windows, painting everything in warm, golden hues. The familiar chorus of shuffling feet, rustling paper, and overlapping conversations filled the room. Hiro, in his human form, rested his chin in his hand, gazing out the window with a semblance of normalcy he still found fragile and precious.
It was shattered from two directions at once.
"Good morning, Hiro!" Luna's cheerful voice came from his right, her wolf ears perked happily, her tail giving a gentle, unconscious wag.
Simultaneously, from his left: "Good morning, Hiro-kun!" Ayaka's voice was sweetly determined, her human smile not quite masking the competitive gleam in her eyes.
They glared at each other over his head.
"I saved us seats together in the cafeteria for lunch!" Luna announced, placing a hand on his desk.
"Oh, how thoughtful," Ayaka countered, her tone smooth. "I was hoping you'd help me study for the history exam in the library after school, Hiro-kun. It's so much easier to focus with a study partner."
Hiro felt a familiar, low-grade headache begin to pulse behind his temples. "Thank you both, but I—"
Rescue came from an unexpected duo. Yuki, her rabbit ears twitching with urgency, appeared and looped her arm through Luna's. "Luna! The drama club meeting starts in five minutes! We have to run!"
At the same moment, Takeshi grabbed Hiro's shoulder from behind, his expression pleading. "Hiro, brother, my savior! I didn't understand a single problem on the math homework! You have to explain it before class!"
They were pulled in opposite directions, leaving Ayaka standing alone by Hiro's desk, her smile finally faltering into a frustrated pout.
In the hallway between classes, the flow of students carried them along. Luna walked close to Hiro, her shoulder brushing his.
"Ayaka seems… especially persistent lately," she said, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.
"It's just her way," Hiro replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I've learned to tune it out."
Luna bit her lip, her steps slowing. "You don't… I mean, you're not starting to… like her, are you?"
Hiro stopped and turned to face her fully. The noise of the hallway seemed to fade around them. "No, Luna," he said, his voice softer than he intended. "I don't."
A brilliant, relieved smile broke across Luna's face. "Oh! Good. I mean—not that it's any of my business! It's just—you know—"
"Luna."
"Yes?"
A gentle, amused smile touched his lips. "Your tail is wagging."
Luna's hands flew behind her back as if she could physically stop it, her face flushing a deep, adorable crimson. "I can't help it! It's a dumb, traitorous tail!"
Hiro's laugh was a real, easy sound that made her heart flip. For a moment, everything was perfect.
The crackle of the school PA system broke the spell. "Attention all students. Please welcome our newest transfer student, Lolo Kumamoto, who will be joining Class 2-A effective immediately."
The announcement was met with mild curiosity and murmurs before being swallowed by the hallway's din. Hiro and Luna shared a shrug—another transfer wasn't unusual at their diverse academy—and continued on their way, unaware of the storm that had just been enrolled.
The lunch bell rang, and their usual group claimed their sunny spot on the rooftop. The air was fresh, carrying the distant sounds of sports practice from the fields below. They unpacked lunches, traded snacks, and Yuki was in the middle of a dramatic retelling of her drama club's latest catastrophe when the heavy metal door to the rooftop slammed open with a force that shook the frame.
Everyone jumped.
A girl stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the interior light. She was tall—remarkably so—with a powerful, athletic build that strained against the seams of the standard Seika Academy uniform. A pair of rounded, brown bear ears sat atop her head, and a small, fluffy bear tail was visible behind her. Her expression was one of intense, singular focus.
She scanned the rooftop, her dark eyes missing nothing before they locked, with predatory precision, onto Hiro.
"You," she stated, her voice a low, confident contralto. "Hiro Mizuki."
The easy atmosphere evaporated. Hiro slowly set down his water bottle. "Can I help you?"
"I am Lolo Kumamoto. Demi-human, bear lineage, of the Kumamoto mountain clan." She announced it like a royal title, taking a few heavy, deliberate steps forward. "And I am here to challenge you."
Takeshi blinked. "Challenge him to what? A video game?"
Lolo didn't even glance at him. "Combat. A test of strength. The rumors say you are the most powerful beast in this school. I intend to see if those rumors have merit."
Hiro stood, his movement calm but fluid. "I'm not interested in fighting."
"Are you afraid?" Lolo's lips curled, not quite a smile.
"No. I just prefer peace."
"Peace is earned through demonstrated strength," she retorted, her eyes narrowing. Then her gaze slid past him, landing on Luna. A slow, deliberate smile spread across her face. "Perhaps you need motivation."
She pointed a thick, strong finger directly at Luna.
"If you refuse my challenge… I will claim her. The wolf girl. She will become my personal servant. My attendant. My property."
A cold silence descended. Luna's ears flattened against her skull, and a low, involuntary growl vibrated in her throat. "What did you just say?"
Hiro didn't growl. The air around him simply grew heavier, denser. When he spoke, his voice was so quiet it was more dangerous than any shout. "Repeat that."
"You heard me," Lolo said, unfazed. "Fight me in honest combat, or the wolf girl's freedom is forfeit to me. The traditions of challenge allow it."
Hiro's golden eyes flashed in the sunlight. The decision was made before he even consciously formed it. Luna was his line in the sand. The one thing he would never, ever allow to be threatened.
"When," he asked, his voice now devoid of all warmth, "and where?"
Lolo's grin was triumphant. "After school. The main football field. Do not be late."
She turned on her heel and strode away, the rooftop door clanging shut behind her.
The silence she left behind was broken by Luna's sharp inhale. "Hiro, you don't have to do this! She can't just—"
"Yes," Hiro interrupted, finally turning to look at her. The protective fury in his eyes softened, just for her. "Yes, I do."
"But it could be a trap!" Yuki squeaked, her rabbit ears trembling.
"It doesn't matter," Hiro said, his gaze never leaving Luna's. "No one threatens you. No one."
The promise in his words hung in the air between them, profound and unshakeable. Luna's protest died in her throat, replaced by a pounding, hopeful heartbeat.
By the time the final bell rang, the entire school seemed to vibrate with anticipation. Word had spread like wildfire. The mysterious bear-girl transfer student challenging the legendary Hiro Mizuki? The bleachers around the football field were packed, buzzing with excited chatter.
Hiro stood at one end of the marked-off square in the field's center, rolling his shoulders. At the other end, Lolo stretched, her formidable muscles flexing beneath her modified gym uniform. Luna, Yuki, Kaede, and Takeshi stood at the front of the crowd, a knot of anxiety.
A teacher acting as referee stood between them. "This is a sanctioned challenge match, governed by the academy's demi-human cultural exchange bylaws! Rules: no intent to permanently maim, no lethal force. Victory by submission, pin, or incapacitation. Understood?"
"Understood," they said in unison, though neither looked at the referee. Their eyes were locked on each other.
"Begin!"
Hiro closed his eyes. He didn't need the dramatics, but the focus helped. A surge of power, warm and immense, bloomed from his core. Golden light enveloped him, obscuring his form as it expanded and reshaped.
When the light faded, he stood in his full wolf form—seven feet of powerful, primal majesty. Black fur rippled over dense muscle, streaked with those vivid, lightning-bolt patterns of glowing orange. His eyes shone like molten gold. A collective gasp, followed by a wave of screams and cheers, erupted from the bleachers.
"KYAAAA! HIRO-KUN!"
"LOOK AT HIM!"
"THOSE MARKINGS! I'M GONNA FAINT!"
"SO COOL! SO HOT!"
Even Ayaka, watching from a prime seat, felt her cheeks heat, her fan failing to cool the sudden flush.
Lolo, for her part, froze for a full three seconds. Her confident smirk vanished, replaced by wide-eyed astonishment. The sheer, awe-inspiring power of his transformed presence hit her like a physical wave. He's… he's magnificent, she thought, a completely unexpected flutter in her chest. She shook her head violently, slapping her own cheeks. Focus, you fool! This is a challenge!
With a ground-shaking roar that was pure bear, Lolo activated her demi-human strength. She wasn't just strong; she was fast. She closed the distance in a blur, her fist rocketing toward Hiro's torso with enough force to crater concrete.
Hiro didn't dodge. He didn't block.
He simply caught it.
BOOM.
The sound was a concussive thud that silenced the crowd. Dust kicked up in a ring around them. Hiro's arm, extended and rock-steady, hadn't moved an inch. Lolo's fist was swallowed in his massive paw. Her eyes widened in genuine shock. She had never, in her entire life, had a strike stopped so completely.
Before the shock could settle, Hiro moved. It was a motion so fluid it seemed effortless. Using her own forward momentum, he pivoted, pulling her forward and up. Lolo was wrenched off her feet, the world spinning as she was flipped through the air.
WHOOSH.
CRASH.
She hit the turf hard, the wind knocked from her lungs. Before she could even gasp, his shadow fell over her. One massive paw pressed gently but immovably against her chest, pinning her to the ground. The other secured her wrist. She was utterly, completely neutralized.
The referee's whistle cut through the stunned silence. "Match! Winner: Hiro Mizuki!"
The crowd exploded into deafening cheers. Hiro released her immediately, the golden light enveloping him again as he shrank back to his human form. He stood, offering a hand down to her. "Are you okay?"
Lolo lay there for a moment, staring at the sky, breathing heavily. The defeat was absolute, humbling… and something else. She sat up slowly, ignoring his hand, and got to her feet. Dust and grass stains covered her uniform. Then, she looked at him—really looked at him.
And her face turned a spectacular, deep shade of scarlet.
"You…" she breathed, her earlier bravado gone, replaced by a shaky, awe-struck reverence. "You defeated me. Completely."
"The challenge is over," Hiro said, turning to walk away. "Remember your promise. Luna is left alone."
"Wait!" Lolo's voice rang out, strong again but edged with something new.
He paused.
She drew herself up to her full height, brushing off her uniform with trembling hands. "In my family… in the Kumamoto bear clan… there is an ancient and sacred rule." She took a deep, steadying breath, her chest swelling with pride and sudden, fierce conviction. "A warrior maiden… may only pledge herself to a mate who is stronger than she is."
A murmur of confusion rippled through the crowd.
Hiro frowned. "What does that have to do with—"
"I challenged you to a mate-proving battle, and you won!" Lolo declared, her voice carrying across the silent field. She pointed at him, her finger unwavering. "Therefore! By the laws of my ancestors and the honor of my clan… you are now my betrothed! My husband-to-be!"
For the second time that day, absolute silence gripped the field.
Then, chaos.
"EHHHHHHHH?!"
Luna's face went from relieved to utterly devastated in a heartbeat. "W-What?!"
Ayaka shot to her feet. "NO! YOU CAN'T JUST DECLARE THAT! THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS!"
Yuki grabbed Kaede's arm. "Did she just… propose? Via combat?"
"I believe she did," Kaede said, pushing her glasses up, a rare look of utter bewilderment on her face.
Hiro stood frozen, his mind completely blank. "I… what? No. No, wait, that's not—"
Lolo marched up to him, bowing at a perfect ninety-degree angle. "I, Lolo Kumamoto, accept you as my future husband! I will train to become a worthy mate and serve you loyally all my days!"
"I DIDN'T AGREE TO ANY OF THIS!" Hiro finally managed to yell, his composure shattered.
"Your agreement is not required!" she stated, straightening up, her eyes shining with fanatical determination. "The battle was the question! Your victory was the answer! Tradition has decided!"
Before he could react, she threw her powerful arms around him in a crushing, bear-like hug, lifting him slightly off the ground. "I look forward to our courtship, my strong, powerful love!"
Over Lolo's shoulder, Hiro's panicked gaze found Luna's. She was staring at them, her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears, her ears and tail drooping in a portrait of heartbreak. Then she turned and fled, pushing through the crowd.
"Luna!" Hiro called, struggling against Lolo's iron grip. But the bear girl held fast, her new mission clear.
The aftermath was a special kind of pandemonium.
Hiro tried to escape to the quiet of the second-floor hallway, but Lolo followed him like a devoted, overly-enthusiastic shadow.
"Look, Kumamoto-san, I appreciate your… traditions," he said, trying to sound reasonable while edging toward the stairwell. "But I can't just be engaged. This is a misunderstanding."
"Our wedding will be held in the mountains during the autumn, when the leaves are fiery!" she continued, completely undeterred, pulling out a small notebook. "Do you have any dietary restrictions for the feast? We traditionally serve river salmon and wild berries."
"I AM NOT MARRYING YOU!"
"Not immediately, of course!" she agreed cheerfully, snapping the notebook shut. "We must court first! I will begin by learning all your preferences!" She grabbed his arm, her grip firm and possessive. "But you are mine now. This is fate."
Around the corner, pressed against the cool wall, Luna listened. A single traitorous tear escaped, tracing a hot path down her cheek before she swiped it away angrily. He's going to go along with it. He's too kind to hurt her feelings. He's going to marry her, and I… I waited too long.
She turned and ran, the sound of Lolo's enthusiastic planning fading behind her.
Yuki found her in the last bathroom stall, trying to muffle her sobs. "Luna? Luna, please open up."
"I'm fine," Luna choked out, though she clearly wasn't. "I just… I was stupid. I thought maybe he… that we…"
"He doesn't like her like that!" Yuki insisted, crouching by the door. "You saw his face! He was horrified!"
"But he won't refuse her! Not if it's some sacred rule! He's honorable, and he'll think it's his responsibility!" Luna's voice broke. "And I'll just have to watch…"
On the now-empty rooftop, Hiro sat with his head in his hands, the evening wind doing nothing to cool his frustration. Kaede leaned against the railing beside him.
"Rough day, Casanova?"
He groaned. "I just wanted to protect Luna. Now I'm accidentally engaged to a bear who thinks 'courtship' involves logging and salmon fishing."
"You know," Kaede said, her voice losing its teasing edge, "there's a very simple solution to this. One you've been avoiding."
Hiro looked up.
"Tell Luna how you feel. Actually tell her. Clearly. With words."
He looked away, his golden eyes clouded. "It's not that simple."
"It's exactly that simple. Everyone with eyes can see it. You love her. She loves you. This ridiculous bear-marriage misunderstanding is just a symptom of the real problem: the two of you dancing around each other."
"It's not the right time," Hiro murmured, the old, familiar weight settling on his shoulders. "There are… shadows. Things she doesn't know. I can't pull her into that darkness until I know it's safe."
"And when will it be safe, Hiro?" Kaede asked, her tone uncharacteristically gentle. "When will the shadows be gone? Will you wait until this 'betrothal' becomes real? Until she gives up and moves on? Time isn't something you can freeze."
Hiro had no answer. He watched the sunset paint the sky in shades of fire, feeling the walls of his normal life closing in from all sides.
In the sterile silence of his underground office, The Unknown Man watched the final moments of the football field challenge on a large monitor. He chuckled, a dry, rasping sound.
"Perfect," he whispered to the empty room. "Just perfect."
The footage switched to a hidden camera view of the hallway: Luna's tear-streaked face as she listened to Lolo, her heartbreak so palpable it was almost a physical thing.
"See how he blooms?" The Unknown Man said, as if to an audience. "See how he gathers them close? The wolf, the friends, even this ridiculous bear girl—they are all threads in the tapestry of his happiness."
He zoomed in on Hiro's face from the rooftop camera, capturing the conflict and worry in his eyes.
"Weave it tight, little beast. Build it strong. Love them fiercely."His own eyes, glowing with stolen, amber energy, reflected the cold light of the screens. "The stronger the bond, the more exquisite the snap."
He leaned back, steepling his fingers, a vision of utter ruin playing behind his eyes.
"Soon, Hiro Mizuki. Very soon, I will take it all away. And you will learn that love is not a shelter… it is the ultimate vulnerability."
On the screen, the sunset gave way to twilight, plunging the academy into deep blue shadows—shadows that seemed, in that moment, to stretch and writhe with a malevolent life of their own. The challenge was over, but a far more dangerous game had just begun its next move.