Aaron grinned to himself as he mixed the two liquids, thinking it would create some kind of magical beer. Of course, that's what he thought—what else would he think about? But these were no ordinary liquids. They were radioactive, and as soon as they met, a violent chemical reaction erupted.
BOOM.
The blast sent a mist of green and purple swirling around him. Aaron's body was covered in bruises and a strange, dark residue, his clothes torn and singed from the explosion. He staggered, disoriented by the chaos he'd created. His vision was blurry, but he still managed to spill more of the liquid, dripping it across the already volatile floor.
Well, what else could you expect from him? After all, he wasn't called "Destructive Moron" for nothing.
As the spilled liquid mixed with the rest on the floor, things took a dramatic turn for the worse. The entire room caught fire in an instant. The flames spread so quickly that even the massive glass containers melted, their contents igniting like gasoline. It wasn't just a fire—it was a blazing inferno, turning the once-sturdy lab into a hellscape. But honestly, this was nothing compared to some of the destruction Aaron had caused in the past.
The flames roared around him, and in the midst of it all, a childhood memory suddenly flashed in his mind.
He remembered a time when he was younger, playing with a commoner's son. It wasn't really a game; it was more like a command from his father, the Duke. The boy had fallen and rolled down a steep hill, disappearing into the darkness of the trees. Aaron had gone to help him, but then—of course—his attention had shifted to a bunny hopping nearby. He'd tried to catch it, but it was too quick.
Frustrated, Aaron had done what he always did. Grabbing a stick, he used his powers to ignite its tip and set the entire forest ablaze. The fire quickly spread, and thanks to the strong winds, the rice fields nearby caught fire too. To make matters worse, those were the last crops the domain had. Aaron had barely escaped the chaos, but his actions had already sealed the fate of the land.
He shook his head. That was in the past. This fire? It was nothing. Aaron, in his typical fashion, casually jumped over a pile of burning debris, landing effortlessly on the other side. It was impressive—if only he'd use his talents for something more productive.
"Well... that didn't look like beer," Aaron muttered to himself, looking around at the blazing wreckage. "Guess that was something else. Anyway, I've still got one more room to explore. Maybe I'll find some beer there. If I don't get a drink soon, I'm probably gonna die."
With that, he pushed on, stepping into the hallway and heading toward the next door. This one, like the last, was an old, rusted thing with a medieval design. Aaron figured it would fall apart as soon as he touched it, so he picked up a stone and tossed it at the door. Nothing happened.
He frowned and then, with an exaggerated grunt, picked up a handful of rocks. He hurled them at the door with all his might. The rocks sailed through the air, making a wheezing sound as they flew, but the door remained unmoved.
"Really? You're just gonna stand there?" Aaron groaned. He stepped forward, annoyed, and reached for the door handle. But the moment his fingers brushed against the cold metal, the door suddenly creaked, falling right off its hinges.
Aaron dove to the side, narrowly avoiding being flattened. He rolled to his feet and, as he stepped into the new room, took in his surroundings. It was empty, save for one curious thing: a button. The button was positioned in the center of the room, attached to a long stand with a simple board reading, Press this button.
Aaron, as simple as he was, didn't hesitate. He pressed it.
The floor beneath him gave way with a sudden, dramatic drop. But Aaron's reflexes kicked in, and he leapt forward just in time, landing safely at the edge of the pit. He brushed himself off and stood, unfazed.
"Phew... that was close," he muttered, his voice casual as ever. He didn't even have a bead of sweat on his forehead. This kind of thing was his daily routine, after all. And he did have Duke's blood running through his veins.
With the floor now gone, a new passageway opened up in front of him. Without a second thought, Aaron strolled forward.
"I see now! All of that was just a test to see if I could make it through," he said to himself with a grin. "And the final prize must be the most exotic beer to ever exist. I'm obviously the chosen one. It's common sense! No one else could be worthy of such an epic reward!"
With that, he entered the next room. Inside, he found a large box made of gleaming white material, resembling a chessboard but without the black spaces. Instead, the box contained transparent glass pieces with a slight black tint. As Aaron approached, he noticed something strange inside. A small boy—no older than nine—lay unconscious within the box. He had golden eyes, golden eyelashes, and was dressed in a sleek white robe with a fez hat and ribbon. Some of his golden hair peeked out from beneath the hat.
"Wait... is this the beer master?" Aaron wondered aloud. "Maybe he's the one who will give me the beer or at least teach me how to make it. There's only one way to find out."
Without hesitation, Aaron pressed the button next to the box. The instant he did, the box shattered, breaking into several pieces. The boy inside fell to the ground with a soft thud.
Aaron knelt down, looking over the boy with curiosity. He was unconscious—no surprise there—but something about him felt... important. Maybe he was the key to unlocking the mystery of this strange place.
Aaron smiled, brushing off the debris from the broken box. "Well, this just got interesting."