Beast Cores

While Romeo was still engross in his thought of the blissful future that this shift would bring to him, one of the chimaeras growled before making a move while still baring it's sharp canines.

It's aim was to snap down on one of the dragon's arms and then rip it off so it dashed out with incredible speed and had it been that Romeo wasn't also fast in his reflexes, the chimera might have really chop his arm off.

The dragon let out another roar as it dogded the chimaera before striking down hard on the beast with it's mighty paw. Upon impact, the chimaera let out a deafening howl in pain before it entire body inflated and eventually bursted causing large amount of purplish sticky liquid to splash on those who were in the area. Even the dragon was not left out as it's entire body was covered in the liquid.

Seeing this scene, the other chimaeras became angry and went into frenzy as they charged at the dragon simultaneously. For a beast, the are pretty smart as they deduced that they might not be able to handle the dragon alone which caused them to attack in numbers.

But it seems like they underestimated the dragon's prowess as the next second the mighty beast took to the sky by flapping it great wing span which tends to blow everything and everyone around him away. As it ascended into the sky, the dragon gazed at the beasts below and then let out another deafening roar which was accompanied by a scorching flame that rival the heat of the sun.

As the dragon unleashed it's barrage of scorching flame, the chimaeras below were set on fire and after a few moments, only the smell of roasted meat filled the air and the smoke from the burnt carcass of the chimaeras rising up to the sky with the people around staring at the scene with their mouth agape.

Alfred wasn't left out as he left his mouth wide open such that an egg could fit in it. Rubbing his eyes several times, he makes sure to confirm what he is seeing and no matter how many times he tries to blink the surreal away, reality tends to hit him hard on the face. With just a move, the dragon had completely dominated the battle such that it was one-sided. He couldn't believe his eyes but he has to, especially when the aftermath of the flame that came out of the dragon's mouth is yet to be quenched but still burning on the body of the chimaeras.

After overcoming the danger, the dragon descended back to land and shifted. Once again, the mighty and fiery red dragon disappears and in its place stood a completely naked teenager who wouldn't stop grinning from ear to ear without a care about being nude.

"That was incredible!" Alfred shouted as he snaps out of his trance while rushing towards Romeo with some clothes in his hands. Those clothes were the ones Romeo was putting on before he shifted and though they were torn, they still did the trick of covering the privates of his privacy.

"I know right. That was the best moment of my life." Romeo replies while putting his clothes on. "That feeling... It was amazing." Romeo added while feeling unusually refreshed.

"Did you see the way I shifted? At first it was painful but later it gradually got easier and as..." And Romeo kept on rattling about his Shift like a kid who just finished watching the most thrilling moving he has ever seen.

"Yeah, yeah. I saw the way you fought with the chimaeras but come on now, we don't want to be late before we get to the Spatial Port. Remember we still have to get to Land Climax before nightfall." Alfred reminded as he handed Romeo's backpack to him.

The two were about to walk away when something clicked in Romeo's head. "Wait! We forgot to collect the Beast Cores." Romeo said, almost facepalming himself as he reminds Alfred who was confused.

"What are Beast Cores?" Alfred asks with confusion lacing his tone as he stares at Romeo quizzically.

Romeo didn't answer, instead he pointed to some kind of glowing translucent material which looks almost like a gem hovering over the burnt body of the chimaeras. There were at least more than a dozen of those gems hovering over the chimaeras seeing that there were more than twenty dead chimaeras.

"Those things are what you call Beast Cores?" Alfred asks as he moves towards the gems. Taking one in his hand, he felt that the gem felt more crystalline in nature and he couldn't help but comment, "This feels more like diamonds than a beast core to me."

"That is because it is a diamond, Alfred." Romeo said while collecting the Core from Alfred before putting them in his bag.

"Really?!" Alfred eyes gleams with greed as he took another Core off the burnt body of a chimaera. "Are you really telling me that this things are diamonds? I'm going to be rich!" Alfred exclaims while Romeo chuckles.

"Alfred, calm down. The Cores themselves aren't diamonds." Romeo said bursting the bubble of Alfred who turns to glare at Romeo like he is going to kill him. "However, if we are to sell them, the price they would fetch is equivalent to that of a diamond." Romeo added quickly as he rubs the back of his neck.

In fact, seeing these Beast Cores is something that amaze Romeo. He hadn't expected lady luck to smile at him to the point that after just one battle, he would strike it rich overnight. It seems like he really made the right choice not to travel heavy as he finally stumble upon something that would make his life easier if he arrives at Land Climax. Alas, the attack of the chimaeras is a blessing in disguise.

Beast Cores, unlike coins which are used as currency in the slums, are a mode of exchange in far more civilized worlds such as Land Climax, Elysia and Cloud Nine. Though the Beast Cores found by Romeo are considered to be in their raw form, when purified, however, and cleaned they are considered to be priceless. One Beast Core is enough to act as a nuclear fuel which could help sustain a far more cleaner and renewable energy seeing that they are more reliable than an uranium nuclear core. Also, in it's raw form, Beast Cores could be use to power military weapons or armours as mini nuclear reactor, for instance, like an arc reactor which helps to boast the efficiency and durability of most battle equipments.

When polished and cleaned, Beast Cores could be considered as gems among treasures as they make the most valuable crystals and are even used as currency in worlds that are civilized. One Beast Core is equivalent to a million gold coins in the slum.

"I shall believe you Romeo. Come now, let us take the cores before others soon set their eyes on them." Alfred said and before Romeo could react, Alfred was already picking the gems off other burnt chimaeras.

The rest of the passengers just stood by while watching the pair with indignation and greed filled eyes. Had it not been because of Romeo, they would have rushed to get their hands on some Beast Cores but they held back due to two facts-- the first one being that they fear Romeo especially after realizing that he is a Dragon Carnal Shifter while the second one is the fact that they believed Romeo deserved to be the one to reap the rewards after all, he was the one who killed the chimaeras.

"Okay, that's all. Let's start going to the Spatial Port lest we get there by nightfall." Alfred suggested after making sure to secure all of the Beast Cores in Romeo's backpack. He made sure not to forget any core behind as he tightly strapped the backpack to his back much to the amusement of Romeo.

"Are you really going to carry my backpack?" Romeo asks with a playful smile dangling on his lips. "Is the bag not heavy for your old shoulders?"

Alfred hissed in displeasure before he snaps at Romeo, "Are you going to question me or should we be on our way?" Alfred asks but he didn't wait for Romeo to reply as he started walking away.

"Come on Alfred. Wait up!" Romeo shouted before chuckling as he ran to catch up with Alfred. With that, the duo makes their way to the Spatial Port through the mountainous area while being oblivious the look of envy that trails them.