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A deathly silence hung over the entrance of the cafeteria. The beast card that represented the glory of an Ancient Species now lay face down on the cold ground. The image of the Triceratops on the card was dim and lifeless, as if all its vitality had been drained away. Mark, the "invincible" student who had been so full of spirit just moments ago, was now slumped on the ground like a pile of mud, his eyes vacant, muttering something incoherent that no one could catch.
"He lost... he actually lost?"
"My god, Mark’s Ancient Species was slaughtered in seconds. Who exactly is this Leon?"
"That Facehugger... could it be something even more powerful than an Ancient Species? I've never heard of it!"
The whispers were like a suppressed volcano, erupting with even greater force after the brief silence. Countless emotions—doubt, awe, fear—all converged on me. I had become the absolute focal point of the school.
However, I felt like an outsider to all of it. I didn't even give the collapsed Mark a second glance. I was hungry. The battle had consumed a lot of energy, and my body desperately needed fuel. I stepped forward, heading straight for the cafeteria. As I moved, the noisy crowd instantly went silent and parted like the Red Sea, opening a wide path for me. No one dared to stand in my way.
"Stop right there!"
A sudden roar broke the eerie peace. A tall, burly male student in designer sportswear pushed through the crowd, blocking my path. He was Chad, one of Mark’s loyal followers. Pointing a finger at my nose, he snarled, "Leon! What kind of underhanded trick did you use? Mark’s Triceratops is an Ancient Species! There’s no way it could lose to a pathetic bug like yours!"
His outburst reignited the crowd's emotions. "Yeah! This doesn't make sense! He must have cheated!"
I stopped and finally spoke, my tone as flat as if I were asking about the weather. "Underhanded tricks? Are you saying that in front of the entire student body and the faculty, I somehow managed to cheat?"
Chad choked on his words for a moment, but quickly found a new angle. "Then what is that bug of yours? It’s not even in the Beast Encyclopedia! You're using an illegal beast!"
"Oh?" my reaction remained calm. "Which school rule states that students are forbidden from using beasts not listed in the encyclopedia? Find it and show it to me."
Chad’s face turned a deep shade of red. He was just trying to stand up for his friend; he hadn't actually bothered to read the school handbook.
"If there’s no such rule, then why are you shouting here?" I countered.
"Even if there isn't! That beast of yours came out of nowhere. Who knows what’s wrong with it? What if it loses control and hurts someone? You’re being irresponsible to everyone here!" Chad started inciting the crowd. The freshmen around us began to murmur in agreement. "He’s right, that thing is way too dangerous if it can kill a Triceratops." "The school should investigate... what if it's a forbidden bio-weapon?"
I scanned the perimeter. Those who met my gaze quickly looked down, not daring to utter another word. "Whether my beast has 'problems' is not for you to judge," I said, a hint of impatience finally creeping into my voice. "I don't know if it will hurt any students, but I do know that I am very hungry right now."
I took a step toward Chad. "When a person is hungry, their temper tends to get very short."
The words were soft, but they hit Chad like a falling boulder. He suddenly remembered the sight of the blood-drenched Mark and felt a cold shiver run down his spine. The Leon in front of him looked like a handsome teenager, but for some reason, Chad felt a thick scent of blood radiating from him. He gulped and instinctively stepped back. With that one step, he cleared the way.
I didn't say another word and walked past him into the cafeteria. The crowd parted again, and this time, no one dared to make a sound. At the counter, the lunch lady’s hands were exceptionally steady, and she even gave me an extra portion of meat, not daring to look up at me once.
The card reader made a crisp sound. Then, a cold, mechanical female voice echoed through the silent cafeteria: "Remaining Balance... Two-Hundred and Fifty."
The air froze. In our language, that number was a direct insult, meaning "idiot." In any other situation, the cafeteria would have erupted in laughter. But today, not a single soul laughed. Several students nearby were turning red from holding back their giggles, terrified that a single smirk would make them the next Mark.
I paused for a second. *Seriously, what luck,* I thought to myself. *I win a fight and even the card reader mocks me. Is this world out to get me?*
I picked up my tray and walked toward the seating area. Wherever I went, students fled as if they had seen a ghost. The sound of chairs clattering and utensils clinking filled the air as they scrambled away. I eventually sat down at a long table meant for eight. The table, and every table within a three-meter radius, was completely empty. This treatment was more exaggerated than if the principal himself had arrived. The majesty of the Xenomorph had carved out a forbidden zone around its tamer.
Just as I picked up my chopsticks to eat, an out-of-place voice came from across the table. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
I looked up to see a slim, intellectual-looking guy with black-rimmed glasses. He stood there with an "innocent" expression, holding a cheap meal set identical to mine. For the second time, the air in the cafeteria froze. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at this "suicidal" glasses-guy. Chad was watching from afar, thinking: *What a hero... or just a total moron.*
I looked at him and said nothing. The guy seemed completely oblivious to the eerie atmosphere. He coolly set his tray down and sat across from me, pushing up his glasses with a friendly smile. "My name is Cassius. Cassius is a nickname, not my actual title. My real name is Lucas. I saw you beat Mark. Your Facehugger... it's very special."
His voice wasn't loud, but in the dead silence of the cafeteria, it reached every ear. He wasn't here to provoke me. He was here to... chat? Or was it for academic research?
I picked up a piece of braised pork and chewed it slowly, still ignoring him. *Cassius? Who gives themselves a nickname like that these days?* I wondered. *And sitting here so brazenly... he’s either a fool or he’s after something.*
Lucas didn't seem embarrassed at all. He adjusted his glasses, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice to a level only the two of us could hear. "Your Facehugger... it’s not a creature of our world, is it?"
My hand, reaching for another bite, stopped dead in its tracks.
- Writer
