Start with a Hammer, End with Five Beast Husbands

I Accepted One Million Pulse

The moment the ten minutes were up, we jerked apart almost at the same time, like we’d both been shocked.

I shrank back instinctively, my breathing uneven, my skin damp with a fine sheen of sweat. I scrambled away until I’d retreated all the way to the other end of the couch—like I wanted an entire street between us.

There was a thin layer of sweat on Cassian’s forehead too. He looked at me—and then, unbelievably, he smiled, as if he’d actually enjoyed it.

He took his time returning to his seat, leaning back lazily, slipping right back into that aloof, untouchable posture.

He had the robot pour him another drink, downed it in one go, and only then, as if savoring the aftertaste, said,

“Same time next month. I’ll come find you.”

I lowered my gaze to my hand. Where he’d just held it, there still seemed to be a faint trace of coolness lingering… along with that strange ripple of psychic resonance.

My emotions were a mess, but there was no room to resist. After holding it in for a long moment, I finally just nodded.

“…Okay.”

At the same time, it hit me—so long as I remained under the surveillance of Aegis Prime, I’d have to go through this kind of “mental stabilization” with all five of them. Once a month. Each.

My life had just acquired a set of fixed KPIs.

My thoughts were still tangled when I came back to myself—and realized I was already standing on solid ground. Cassian’s fleet had long since vanished beyond the horizon.

In my hand, I was holding a card.

Gold, metallic, its edges inlaid with faint starlike glints. Cold to the touch.

Cassian’s star card.

Kade had handed it to me earlier.

“Miss Ashley, there’s one million pulses on it. Mr. Virex asked that you take good care of yourself—buy whatever you need, no need to be frugal. Once he’s finished with his current matters, he’ll come personally to pick you up.”

Pick me up?

So he really intends to pull me into his sphere of influence… maybe even make me this so-called “Mrs. Virex”?

Just the thought of it made my scalp prickle. Honestly, my first instinct was to refuse.

But the moment my fingers touched the card, I thought about that absurd string of numbers sitting in my account—visible, yet completely untouchable. I thought about how I’d spent years risking my life hunting monsters just to afford a single neural terminal. How one arena fight, betting everything, only earned me twenty thousand Pulse.

Then there were academy fees. Living expenses. The cost of running.

I fell silent for two seconds—then very quickly found myself a perfectly reasonable justification.

I mean, I did just “help” him with a round of mental stabilization. Whatever the effect, at least I kept him from being publicly exposed. Taking a little compensation—plus a bit of hush money—wasn’t unreasonable, right?

Not unreasonable at all. I nodded to myself.

So, very naturally, I slipped the card into my pocket.

Money is money.

And at this point… what’s one more?

But the moment I thought about having to do this once a month—for a whole year—this “mental stabilization check-in,” I felt my entire soul recoil.

One time was already bad enough. My whole body had been on edge, my heartbeat completely out of control, my mind feeling like it was laid bare in front of someone else.

If it’s five times a month, I’m pretty sure I won’t get captured first—I’ll just drop dead early from tachycardia… or die of sheer, soul-crushing embarrassment.

“No. Absolutely not.”

I clenched my fists, dragging myself forcibly out of that drained, half-collapsed state.

“I have to find a way to get rid of this damn check-in.”

Block all five of them? Or just refuse contact outright?

Not realistic.

I can’t survive Aegis Prime’s penalty system.

And their anger… even less so.

Which leaves me with exactly one option.

—Disappear.

Slip off Aegis Prime’s radar, at least for a while.

As for what happens to those five?

Not my problem.

I can barely take care of myself as it is.

A bold thought—no, a dangerous one—began to take shape in my mind.

I didn’t hesitate. I immediately opened my terminal and started browsing the network. It didn’t take long before I locked onto a few items.

When it came time to fill in the delivery address, my fingers paused for a second.

Then I opened Sera’s contact.

[Can you help me receive a package? Bring it to the arena tonight.]

It didn’t take long for her to reply.

[No problem.]

She sent over an address right after. I just filled it in and placed the order.

Interstellar logistics these days were ridiculously efficient.

As long as it wasn’t cross-sector shipping, deliveries within the same star system usually arrived within an hour. On the same planet, it was practically instantaneous.

Once that was handled, I closed the terminal.

The next second, my stomach growled—loudly and without any sense of dignity.

I glanced down at the star card in my pocket. One million Pulse.

I went quiet for two seconds… then came to a conclusion.

Better stick to nutrient solution.

My next target is Ironblood Legion School.

Tuition alone is six hundred thousand for three years. Add living expenses, equipment, training resources, and all the miscellaneous costs…

One million sounds like a lot, but when you actually start spending it, it might not even be enough to get started.

Not to mention—I still have to get stronger. The list of things I need to buy is only going to grow.

I let out a sigh.

Money is never enough.

After downing two bottles of the most basic nutrient solution, I headed back to the Iron Pit Arena.

Standing before the massive, packed entrance, I suddenly felt the urge to curse my past self all over again.

What on earth made me think Planet Y926 was some kind of garbage world, and go so far as to name it Null Terra?

I was unbelievably ignorant.