Curled up in the thicket of a bush, Mina the Onikabo waited patiently for a little kobold to pass by. The thought of the sheer terror she would unleash excited her. The unsuspecting creature wouldn't see her ambush coming!

  When she spotted a familiar figure, she sprang forth from her hiding place, unleashing her most terrifying roar and waggling her fingers above her head.

  The figure screamed, and Mina quickly realized her mistake; it was about her height. Not Tailza. Too late.

  *Whack!*

  The blow sent her tumbling onto her butt, her head throbbing. The only thing that rang in her mind, *Holy shit, that hurts!*

  "Mina! What the heck?!" cried the creature who had hit her. It was Tailza's mom, Miss Kaliza.

  Mina rubbed her head as she lifted her gaze to the kolkobalt monster. "Why did you hit me for?! That's mean!" Her eyes watered with tears.

  Miss Kaliza's scowl softened as she realized the child was genuinely bewildered. "I thought you were trying to scare me, you little rascal!" She bent down, her bright yellow scales catching the dappled light filtering through the leaves. "You know better than to sneak up on grown-ups like that."

  Mina pouted, still nursing her sore bottom. "I was just playing! I thought it was Tailza!"

  Kaliza raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement curling at the corners of her lips. "Tailza, huh? Now you know that not every little creature out here is your friend." She gestured around the thicket. "You need to be careful. Besides, what if it really had been someone with bad intentions?"

  Mina crossed her arms, still feeling the sting of the unexpected encounter. "But I'm not afraid! I'm an Onikabo! I'm supposed to be scary, remember?" She puffed out her chest, trying her best to maintain her bravado despite the sting at the back of her head.

  Miss Kaliza chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Scaring some creatures away is one thing, but you also need to be aware of who you’re playing with. Not everyone appreciates a surprise like that." She looked at the young Onikabo with a motherly concern. "Now, how about we find Tailza together instead? I'm sure she's around here somewhere, probably looking for you."

  Mina felt a flicker of excitement at the thought of searching for her friend. "Okay! But can you help me look really scary for when I see her?" Her eyes sparkled with mischief again, the fear of her earlier tumble fading.

  Kaliza sighed dramatically, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. "Alright, but only if you promise to be careful and not leap out at anyone else. Deal?"

  "Deal!" Mina exclaimed.

  As they ventured deeper into the thicket, Kaliza helped Mina find large leaves and twigs to create a makeshift headdress that made her look even more fearsome. "I'm going to be the scariest Minokaurbo ever!" she declared, striking a pose as they neared a small clearing.

  Suddenly, a loud rustling came from the bushes, making both Kaliza and Mina freeze. "What's that?" Mina whispered, wide-eyed.

  Kaliza held a finger to her lips, indicating silence. From the underbrush, a tiny golden figure emerged, its eyes wide with surprise. "Mina? Is that you?" Tailza squeaked.

  Mina's heart raced, and as she spun around, her new headdress nearly fell off her head. "Tailza! You're just in time for my scare!" She grinned, adopting a fierce expression she had been practicing. "I'm gonna eat you! Rawrr!"

  Tailza's eyes widened, and for a split second, Mina thought maybe she'd gone too far. But then, to her surprise, the little kobold burst into laughter. "You look ridiculous!" she squealed, clutching her sides as she doubled over.

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  Mina felt her brave facade crumble, and she couldn't help but giggle along. "I do?"

  "You… um, you look like a bush with legs…!" Tailza whispered, her eyes darting to her feet.

  Her voice trembled as she spoke, "Uh, I mean, that's not what I—no, that's not what I meant, Mina. I-I'm sorry! This servant really apologizes!" She wrung her hands, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, avoiding eye contact as if the ground might swallow her whole.

  Mina blinked as she stared down the kobold girl.

  Kaliza stepped forward, doing her best to hide her own laughter. "Mina's been working on her scare tactics, but I think we need to refine them a bit, don't you think?"

  Mina puffed out her cheeks, but then her face broke into a playful grin. "Fine! I'm not a bush! I'm a Minokaurbo, the fiercest in the land!"

  Tailza straightened up, putting on her best serious face. "Y-yes! The fiercest Minokaurbo! What shall we do?"

  With renewed determination, Mina stomped her foot. "You shall flee from my mighty roar!" And she let out a high-pitched squeal that echoed through the clearing, causing a nearby bird to take off in a flurry of feathers.

  Kaliza chuckled again. "Maybe we should work on a more fearsome roar."

  Tailza giggled softly. "You sound like a baby dragon, Mina."

  Mina stuck her tongue out playfully. "Just wait until I'm ready! I'll be the scariest in all the realms!"

  "Precisely." A voice bellowed from the backdrop. Looming tall over her and the others was an imposing Minokaurbo with a stern expression. He glared at Tailza, and frowned when his gaze fell on Kaliza. "Servant, you are tasked to train the fool in combat. Not to frolic about playing make-believe."

  Mina's heart dropped. The figure before them was a real Minokaurbo, his broad shoulders and muscular build casting a long shadow over the three of them. "Oh no," she whispered, her bravado faltering as she instinctively backed away.

  "Dad…!" Mina stood up straighter with a fidget. "We were just having some fun! Mina's really trying to improve her scaring skills! S-see?" She presented him the same pose she used to scare Miss Kaliza.

  The stern Minokaurbo crossed his arms, his gaze piercing through Mina as if dissecting her very essence. "Fun has its time and place, but a real warrior must train, Mina. You must not waste time on childish charades."

  Kaliza stepped forward before dropping to a knee and lowering her head. "Sir Mortiz, perhaps you could allow the girls a moment longer? Every warrior needs to understand the balance of play and practice. They're still young, after all."

  Mina peeked up at the towering figure, hoping to find some semblance of understanding in his eyes. "I can be scary! I swear! I'll show you! Just give me a chance!" Her heart raced as she felt the pressure of the Minokaurbo's judgment.

  Mortiz's expression didn't change, but Mina could see a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Then show me," he commanded.

  Mina swallowed hard. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself, channeling the fierce Minokaurbo that was supposed to reside within her. She stomped her foot again, this time harder, her makeshift headdress wobbling ominously. "I am Mina, the Minokaurbo! Tremble before my might!" She raised her arms and let out her best imitation of a roar—a shaky, high-pitched sound that made Kaliza and Tailza stifle laughter again.

  But to Mina's surprise, Mortiz's stern demeanor cracked just the slightest bit, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. "Is that the best you can do?" he asked.

  Mina's heart soared. "No! I can do better! Just watch!" She grabbed a nearby branch, brandishing it like a sword. She puffed out her chest, trying to project an aura of abyssal mana around the stick. The mana swirled and gathered around the branch until it transformed into a full-fledged, jagged club.

  She watched as her dad's eyes flickered with something unreadable—pride? Disapproval? It was hard to tell. He seemed to study the swirling mana in her grasp, and then his expression darkened.

  "You wield power recklessly," he said, his voice booming low and heavy. "Like a child playing with fire."

  Mina's hands trembled as she tightened her grip on the club. "I—I just wanted to prove that I can be strong too!"

  Mortiz took a step forward, and for the first time, there was no distance between them, no towering authority—just the heavy weight of expectation pressing down on Mina's small frame. "You think playing at being a warrior makes you one? That is why your mother—"

  He stopped himself.

  Mina's breath hitched. "Mom?"

  Silence.

  Kaliza and Tailza exchanged nervous glances, but neither dared to speak.

  Mortiz exhaled sharply and turned away. "Enough games. If you wish to prove yourself, then train. But do not waste my time with childish roars and foolish bravado."

  Mina felt something cold settle in her chest. She wanted to shout, to argue, to demand why he had stopped mid-sentence—why he always seemed so distant.

  But instead, all she could do was watch his back as he walked away, leaving her standing there, her mana fading, her club splintering into nothing but a broken branch.

  A soft hand touched her shoulder. Kaliza.

  "…Mina?" Tailza whispered.

  Mina forced a smile. "It's okay,” she said. "I'll just try harder next time."

  But deep down, she wasn't sure if she meant it.