Beast Hack: Customizing Beasts and Capturing Beauties-Chapter 329: Mist Trial

Kanos and his squad stepped into the mist-formed cave.

The moment they crossed the threshold, a low pulse vibrated through the air.

The mist curled around their bodies—thicker, heavier. And then—

Silence.

Kanos tapped his comm once. "This is Kanos. Status check—Jenavira? Dario?"

No response.

He tried again. Nothing.

Kanos frowned, eyes narrowing. "Signal's dead. Disconnected by the mist."

Thalia slowly drew her chakrams. "So we really are cut off."

Kanos nodded. "We're on our own."

He turned to Elliane, who was already perched on a low ledge, glancing into the fog ahead with her rifle half-drawn.

"Elliane. Can you see anything in front?"

Elliane frowned, eyes scanning the void.

"No. Mist's too thick. Visibility's zero. It's like a wall of white. Can't even get a silhouette."

She shifted slightly and tapped the side of her scope.

"Thermal's being blocked. We'll have to move deeper before we see anything useful."

Kanos muttered, "Damn. He really thought of everything."

He turned back to the team, frowning. "Alright. Get ready."

Thalia rolled her shoulders, letting her chakrams hover beside her.

"Chakrams are ready. I'll deploy them once we detect movement."

Orlen cracked his neck, stepping forward with his tonfas drawn.

"I'll stay front. Let them hit me first."

Kanos smirked slightly. "Just don't get too cocky."

Orlen grinned. "No promises."

Elliane stood and raised her rifle. "Rear guard set. Let's move slow."

Kanos raised his hand and stepped forward.

"Stay close. Fog this thick? The cave's probably alive."

He looked at the dense white curtain ahead.

"And Lord L wants to see what we do when we walk into something we can't predict."

He glanced at the team again.

"Ready?"

They all nodded.

Kanos turned back, stepping into the fog.

"Then let's go."

---

Jenavira and her team was also in the same condition.

The entrance was sealed with a quiet whump, and the mist immediately thickened.

Jenavira reached for her comm. "Kanos, Dario—do you copy?"

Silence.

She tried again. Nothing but static.

Marek lowered his hand from his own device. "No signal. Same as expected."

Jenavira frowned. "Then we're sealed. Completely isolated."

Sirelia took a step forward and raised her palm.

A swirl of pale blue mist formed instantly, cooling the air.

"I'll start a passive field," she said quietly.

"Just enough to cloak us. No paralysis yet."

Jenavira nodded. "Good. Let's stay hidden until we understand what we're walking into."

Dravin dropped into a crouch near the edge of the fog.

"Ground's dry," he muttered.

"But too smooth. No sound reflection. That's intentional."

Jenavira raised her eyebrow. "You mean we won't hear movement?"

"Exactly," Dravin replied.

"The terrain muffles steps. Our enemies could crawl on us without warning."

Marek tapped his temple. "Activating Tenebrisant's radar mode."

His eyes dimmed slightly as soft pulses of invisible energy rippled from his body in all directions.

"…Scan initiated. No contacts yet. But the walls are shifting."

Jenavira glanced sharply at him. "Shifting?"

"They're not solid. The mist moves like it's rearranging the structure."

Sirelia sighed softly. "That means the cave's alive. Or at least programmed to adapt."

Jenavira crossed her arms, frowning.

She then looked at each member in turn.

"Marek—maintain pulse range every thirty seconds. I want constant readings."

He nodded. "Understood."

"Dravin—hold the center. You'll anchor the formation if anything gets close."

Dravin flipped his spear into a resting position on his back. "Got it."

"Sirelia—maintain the concealment mist. Only switch to paralysis when I call it."

"Ready," Sirelia said.

Jenavira turned to face the dense fog ahead.

"We don't move until we're sure. This is a test."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Lord L must have wanted to see how we think."

---

On the other mist cave, Dario walked up front.

Behind him, Alaric moved steadily, spear angled low.

Colan stayed at the rear, illuminating their path just enough to keep them from being totally blind.

"Still nothing," Dario muttered.

Alaric sniffed the air. "No scent. Not even damp stone. It's like we're walking through nothing."

Colan tapped the side of his visor. "My light can't reflect off anything. It's being swallowed by the mist."

Dario paused, checking the comm. "No signal. Nothing new there."

He looked back at the other two. "Alright. Then we do what we always do."

Alaric nodded. "Tight formation. Short bursts."

Colan frowned. "I don't like this. The walls… they're too smooth. No edges. No sign of natural rock."

Dario exhaled. "Meaning?"

"Meaning this isn't a cave," Colan said.

"It's a space made to look like one. This is fabricated."

Dario looked ahead. "A test chamber."

Alaric growled low.

"Lord L wants to see how we function without enemies. The pressure's psychological."

Dario stepped forward again.

"Then we keep calm. And keep moving."

They walked in silence for several minutes.

Colan finally spoke again. "You know this fog… it doesn't behave like the others outside."

Alaric glanced back. "Explain."

"It's not reacting to us. It's not swirling, shifting, or adjusting. It's observing."

Dario chuckled darkly. "So even the fog's judging us."

Colan didn't laugh. "Maybe. Just stay sharp."

Dario raised his hand, signaling a brief stop.

"Colan. Prep a flare light. Just in case."

Colan pulled a small orb from his pouch. "Do you want it triggered?"

"No," Dario said.

"Not unless it goes dark ahead. I want this mist to know—we're not panicking."

Alaric grinned. "Let it try."

They resumed walking, deeper into the silence.

Then, without warning, the mist parted.

The team stepped into a massive open space.

It was a dome-shaped chamber, larger than anything they'd seen so far.

The ceiling arched high above, barely visible.

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And in the center—

All three of them stopped at once.

Dario's eyes widened. "What the hell is this?"

Alaric raised his spear. "No… it's not just mist."

Colan took a slow step forward, voice low. "It's alive."

Floating in the center of the chamber was a massive beast that was made entirely from fog and mist.

A long, draconic shape with no true form, but its presence was overwhelming.

Its eyes—if they were eyes—glowed faintly.

Dario whispered, "That's not a common beast at all."

Alaric's grip tightened. "So this is the trial."

Colan nodded slowly. "He wants us to fight it. Three of us. One dragon."

Dario clicked his blades together once.

"Guess Lord L's not holding back anymore."

They stared at the swirling fog dragon.

The test had begun.