THE HERO'S SON IS A MONSTER-Chapter 48: Young Monster-2

Eresheb’s mission had been entrusted to her by Ariane, a task that seemed simple at first glance but held a certain complexity.

After her discussion with Ariane, Eresheb moved to another part of the wandering castle, searching for the authenticator. Once she retrieved it, she planned to reunite with her brother to continue their mission. Before leaving, she made sure Ariane lacked nothing and carefully prepared everything necessary for the child that the Ruler of Pandemonium had brought back.

Now, Ariane stood in one of the chambers she used for her experiments. It was a vast space covered in fine, soft grass a verdant expanse that inspired an eerie serenity.

The air was cool, almost unnaturally pure, and a gentle breeze swept through the area, lightly lifting her red hair. These currents were not the result of any supernatural ability but were simply part of the castle’s engineering, as if it breathed at its own rhythm.

She had requested the child be brought here.

Now, the two of them stood together in this space that seemed to stretch endlessly—a world suspended between reality and illusion. The child remained silent, his gaze lost in the vastness surrounding him, while Ariane held his hand.

At first glance, one might have mistaken them for a sister holding her younger brother’s hand. A scene almost heartwarming. Yet, something felt off.

After all, was it truly normal to hold a newborn this way? Especially when, in the blink of an eye, that same newborn suddenly looked three years old? 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Finally, Ariane let go of his hand.

Deprived of support, the child immediately sat down, unable to stand on his still-weak legs.

Then, without a word, Ariane vanished.

He was left alone in the vast green expanse, swallowed by a silence that was anything but soothing. Yet, no sound escaped his lips no cry, no complaint. He seemed neither troubled nor afraid, merely... empty.

His expressionless eyes swept across the infinite horizon without truly seeing it.

As if the immense world around him held no meaning.

As if nothing truly existed.

Ariane watched the child sitting in the grass, his vacant gaze fixed on the endless horizon.

She tilted her head slightly, an unreadable smile playing on her lips. She floated several meters above him, as if the sky itself served as her cushion.

"You’ve been rocked to sleep for a while, but it’s time to check a few things!" she declared playfully.

She considered the methods she had used to subdue him as nothing more than a lullaby. After all, she had softened the transition so he wouldn’t wake up in a panic. That was already an effort on her part. Besides, she always adjusted her treatment according to the subject’s characteristics she knew this one could endure it.

"Let’s see... The first issue was your vital energy. So, to start, we’ll test your regeneration."

She drifted backward, letting the wind ruffle her full-body penguin onesie.

"How well can you heal, huh? It would also be nice if you could fight back. Don’t hold back—there’s plenty of space here..."

No sooner had she finished speaking than an immense shadow formed on the ground. The air thickened with sudden pressure.

A low rumble echoed through the vast plain.

A monster emerged, rising from the darkness like a nightmare incarnate.

Its flesh was woven from shifting shadows, its massive body undulating like a serpent, with razor-sharp claws longer than a man’s arm. Its eyes, two deep crimson slits, locked onto the motionless child.

Ariane floated a little further away, placing herself out of reach. She clasped her hands behind her back, watching with amusement.

"Alright, show me what you can do."

The monster wasted no time. It lunged, hurling its massive bulk toward the child with startling speed. Its claws tore through the air with a menacing hiss.

The child did not move.

Not even a flicker of an eyelid.

Then, at the last moment, something happened.

The ground trembled slightly beneath him, and his body—guided by an instinctive force—vanished from the monster’s path. The creature’s claw struck the grass, ripping through the terrain and sending a wave of earth and dust into the air.

Ariane raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Not bad, your reflexes are already working well—but that was pure instinct. Your body couldn’t keep up."

The child had been torn apart.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, his body reformed. He slowly lifted his head. For the first time since arriving here, a flicker of awareness crossed his eyes.

The monster attacked again.

This time, the child’s body tensed in an almost mechanical motion. A second later, he was shredded once more—though, due to the sheer difference in size, a single strike still inflicted damage on the monster.

He regenerated instantly.

But after the third attack, something changed.

A silent impact. No burst of light, no dramatic explosion—just a simple, raw collision.

And yet, the effect was immediate.

The massive, formidable monster was hurled backward like a mere ragdoll, its body skidding across the ground for several meters before crashing heavily into the earth.

Ariane let out an impressed whistle.

"Interesting. No defense, no weapon just brute strength. That’s already a good start."

The monster growled as it rose. Its chest, where the child had struck, slowly reknit itself, the swirling darkness stitching its form back together.

Ariane crossed her arms.

"Hmm... Hitting hard is nice and all, but if your opponent can regenerate too, this fight could last forever."

The child didn’t respond.

He didn’t even seem to hear Ariane. His eyes remained fixed on the creature, and something in him was beginning to shift.

The monster charged again, its silhouette blurring with speed. It opened its maw, revealing rows of jagged black fangs gleaming under an unseen light.

This time, the child reacted differently.

He raised his hand, and the air around him vibrated.

A second later, the monster was frozen in place.

As if an invisible force had pinned it to the spot. Its limbs trembled, its claws twitched in vain, but it could not advance even a fraction further.

The child’s eyes had changed.

Ariane tilted her head slightly, intrigued.

"Oh... Now this is getting really interesting."

The monster let out a shrill cry, struggling against the unseen power that restrained it. Its body convulsed, the shadows comprising it writhing, trying to break free.

But it was too late.

Without a sound, it disintegrated.

The darkness that formed it was reduced to a fine black dust, vanishing into the air like a dream dissipating upon waking.

Ariane blinked, then burst into laughter.

"Ahahaha! You just woke up, and you’re already doing things like this? Really, you’re going to be a fascinating test subject."

The child still did not answer.

His gaze remained fixed on the spot where the monster had vanished, as if trying to comprehend what he had just done.

Ariane floated closer and gently patted his head.

"Alright, I’d say the first test is complete."

Then she smiled, her eyes gleaming with mischievous excitement.

"Now, let’s move on to the next level."