Beyond Beast Rank

If I lost my focus for even one second, a five-ton creature would crush me into the pavement.

I gripped the handlebars of my delivery motorcycle and squeezed through a tight gap between two hovering transport trucks. The engine buzzed under me, shaking my hands as I sped down the main street of Aether City. Exhaust fumes mixed with the sharp smell of ozone. High above the road, glass towers reflected the morning sun, and giant digital screens flashed advertisements for the upcoming Beast Academy tournament.

Every screen showed the same thing. A teenager stood on a stadium stage while a massive fire tiger roared beside him. The words beneath them promised wealth, fame, and elite status to anyone who could tame high-rank beasts. People on the sidewalk stopped to cheer at the screen. I did not look up for long because looking up meant missing traffic.

A loud screech echoed overhead. I looked up through my visor and saw a blue winged panther gliding low over the street. Its fur sparkled like polished ice, freezing the moisture in the air into tiny falling crystals. The owner sat comfortably on its back, wearing the golden coat of a high-tier tamer. Pedestrians parted like water to let the shadow of the panther pass over them. Every person on that street stared with wide eyes and open mouths.

I kept my eyes on the road. A beast like that cost more money than I would earn in three lifetimes.

My phone mounted on the handlebars beeped with a red light. The delivery application showed five minutes remaining to drop off a hot package at the central plaza. If I missed the timer, the company would cut my pay in half. I twisted the throttle, leaning hard into a sharp right turn past a row of high-end beast supply shops.

Displays behind the thick shop glass showed glowing nutrient potions, silver training collars, and raw beast core crystals. A small crowd of tamer students stood near the doors, laughing as they compared their luxury purchase bags. I rode past them, the cold wind hitting my face through the helmet gap.

I pulled into the drop-off zone outside a fine dining restaurant. A young tamer in a clean white uniform stood near the entrance. Beside his boots sat a earth bear the size of a minivan. Thick brown plates of stone covered its shoulders, and its heavy breathing shook the loose pebbles on the concrete.

I parked the bike, grabbed the insulated delivery box, and ran toward the front steps.

"Order ninety-four for Master Vance," I said, holding out the sealed metal container.

The young man did not reach for the box. He kept his eyes on his phone, tapping the glass screen while his earth bear let out a low rumble.

"Set it on the step," Vance said without looking at me. "I do not take things directly from delivery workers."

I held the box in the air for a moment. My fingers tightened against the cold metal handles. The food inside was slipping past its optimal temperature, which meant my tip was already gone. I swallowed the lump in my throat and placed the box on the top granite step.

"The payment needs to be confirmed on your app," I said, keeping my voice steady. "I cannot clear the order until you press accept."

Vance finally looked up. He scanned my faded jacket, my scuffed helmet, and the old motorcycle idling near the curb. A small smirk appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"You speak loudly for someone who smells like engine oil," Vance said. "If you wanted respect, you should have awakened a useful talent instead of carrying food across the city."

He tapped his foot against the stone floor. The earth bear shifted its heavy weight, slamming its front paw down an inch from my boot. A small crack split the pavement, sending dust over my shoes. I did not step back. I looked Vance directly in his eyes, holding my breath so he would not see my chest shaking.

"Press the button," I said softly.

Vance scoffed, swiped his thumb across his phone screen, and turned his back on me. "Get out of my sight before my beast gets hungry."

The green checkmark popped up on my handle screen. Order complete.

I walked back to my bike without saying another word. My knuckles were white as I mounted the seat and kicked the engine back to life. My chest felt tight, burning with a mix of anger and shame that had stayed with me for two years. He was right about one thing. In Aether City, without a strong beast or a high talent, you were invisible.

I checked my digital wallet on the bike screen. The delivery paid twelve credits. After subtracting the fuel cost and the platform f*e, I had eight credits left from a full morning of riding.

Eight credits.

My mind raced to the small apartment on the outer edge of the city. Eight credits would not buy the medicine Lily needed for her weak lungs. It would not pay the landlord who had already posted a final warning notice on our door yesterday. Working harder at this job was not going to save us.

I looked down at the palm of my right hand. A faint, dull grey mark sat under my skin, shaped like an open eye. It was the mark of my awakened talent, the thing that was supposed to change my life when I turned eighteen. Instead, it had branded me as a failure.

The sky began to darken as grey rain clouds rolled over the glass towers of the city center. Cold drops started to hit my visor, blurring the neon lights of the streets ahead. I turned the handlebars toward the lower district, where the tall towers ended and the old concrete buildings began.

My phone chimed with a new notification. It was not a delivery request. It was an automated text message from the city housing authority, and the red bold letters made my heart stop beating.