"No…" Otis, or rather, the person who used to be Otis, spoke in a low voice.
His voice had changed; it was no longer a rich baritone, but a resonance that seemed to emanate from deep within his chest, accompanied by a beast's roar, with a metallic, grating quality. "I feel… fantastic."
He slowly raised his head, his brown eyes, once filled with kindness and worry, now a deep, amber hue, burning with purple flames.
The tooth bracelet on his wrist glowed with an ominous purplish-black light, a light that spread upwards along his arm like living vines, as his skin and muscles began a violent reshaping amid a strange energy fluctuation.
"I am now—Animan!"
He declared his rebirth, his voice echoing in the empty lounge area.
With this declaration, his body suddenly contracted and elongated, his bones emitting a grating "crunching" sound, and glossy, ink-black fur quickly grew on his skin.
In just a few seconds, the tall, steady man was gone, replaced by a male beast, more agile and larger than a typical black panther.
It landed gracefully on the ground, all fours touching, every muscle filled with explosive power.
Alya instinctively took a step back, looking at the beast before her, both familiar and strange, her heart clutched by a cold hand.
Those were her father's eyes, yet they weren't.
There was wisdom, there was logic, but more than that, there was the cold majesty of a top predator.
The Animan, this newborn black panther, slowly turned his head and watched his daughter with those amber eyes.
This was his first declaration as a new existence.
"We will execute those humans who bully and insult animals…"
Its mouth opened and closed, uttering clear human words, but its voice carried the low growl unique to a beast.
"This world will no longer have cages and chains. I will fight for the rights all animals deserve!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than he no longer looked at Alya, his hind legs pushing off forcefully, his entire body transforming into a swift black lightning bolt, rushing directly towards the depths of the zoo, ignoring his daughter's cries behind him.
Alya's brain paused for a moment, but the instincts brought by a reporter's blood quickly made her react.
She fumbled in her pocket for her phone, her fingers fumbling due to panic, failing to unlock it several times before finally succeeding, and the first number she dialed was her sister Nora's… "Sis, can't we really play a little longer?"
Etta held Nora's hand, looking back every three steps, reluctantly gazing at the giraffe enclosure behind them.
"No,"
Nora's tone was crisp and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation. "Mom's dinner is always on time."
Just then, her phone in her pocket rang. Seeing "Alya" on the caller ID, she raised an eyebrow and answered.
"Hello? Didn't I tell you to be early… What's wrong?"
Nora's words stopped midway because she heard Alya's voice on the other end, clearly tearful, panting, and extremely frantic.
"Sis! Dad… Dad has undergone a Akumatization! Right here in the zoo!"
"What did you say?"
"He's turned into the Animan! A black panther! He said he wants to… to release all the animals! Sis, everyone in the zoo might be in danger besides us!"
Nora's footsteps stopped. Her beast-like intuition, honed by years of training, made her perceive the subtle changes in her surroundings the moment Alya's words fell.
"Roar—!"
"Howl—!"
"Hiss—!"
The cries of various animals, one after another, came from all directions of the zoo.
They were no longer the lazy or curious calls of everyday, but roars filled with anxiety, anger, and aggression.
The peaceful atmosphere of the afternoon was shattered, replaced by a tense air of impending storm.
The two little ones, Ella and Etta, were scared pale by the sudden terrifying wave of sound, and without prior arrangement, they tightly hugged Nora's strong thighs, burying their faces in her pant legs, seeking the only comfort.
"Damn it… Dad's actions are too fast after his Akumatization!"
Nora cursed under her breath; the situation was worse than she had imagined. She immediately switched to crisis management mode,
giving instructions over the phone: "Listen Alya! You need to find a safe place to hide right now!
I'm taking Ella and Etta to the visitor service center immediately; it's the most sturdy place.
You—"
Her gaze swept into the distance, as if she could see through the trees to the other side, "—quickly take that 'Panther Boy' and 'Bunhead' to safety! Hurry!"
"I understand, Sis!"
Alya hung up with her sister and, without hesitation, dialed Marinette's number. As she dialed, she frantically ran in the direction she remembered them leaving, anxious… Meanwhile, Jaden and Marinette were enjoying their own quiet and sweet time.
They walked hand in hand down a tree-lined path, the sun casting gentle light and shadow upon them.
Marinette's phone ringing, like a stone dropped into a still lake, broke the beautiful moment, startling her awake from her pink dream.
She saw the caller ID was Alya and felt a bit strange; hadn't she just left? She released Jaden's hand and answered the phone.
"Alya? What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Marinette's voice still carried a hint of lingering sweetness.
"Marinette! Run! My dad… my dad has undergone a Akumatization!"
Alya's voice was as rapid as a machine gun.
"What?" Marinette's smile froze. "Underwent a Akumatization?"
"Yes! He's… Ugh, he's turned into a black panther now!
And he wants to release all the animals in the zoo!
Marinette, you and Jaden quickly find a place to hide! Hurry!"
"What about you? How are things on your end?" Marinette anxiously asked.
"I'm fine for now. Although Dad has undergone a Akumatization, he probably won't attack me, but…"
"Beep—beep—beep—"
Before she finished speaking, the call suddenly disconnected, leaving only a busy signal.
"Hello? Alya? Alya!"
Marinette anxiously called into her phone, then immediately redialed, but only heard the unconnectable tone in the receiver.
"What's going on?" Jaden walked to her side, looking at her pale face, and asked softly.
Marinette's voice trembled slightly as she repeated the information she had just heard from Alya:
"It's… it's Alya's dad, Mr. Otis, he's undergone a Akumatization. Now Alya might be in danger; she's being attacked by out-of-control animals!"
Jaden quickly looked around, pointing to a sturdy stone hut nearby, which looked like an employee tool shed, and said, "You go in and hide first, lock the door, it's safe there."
"What about you?"
Marinette tugged at his sleeve, looking up at him, her blue eyes filled with worry.
"I'm going to find Alya,"
He looked into her eyes and said seriously, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."
After speaking, under Marinette's worried gaze, he turned and quickly ran back the way they had come.
Watching Jaden's retreating figure disappear around the corner, Marinette stamped her foot in frustration, but she knew this was not the time to hesitate.
She confirmed no one was around, quickly rushed into the small hut, and the next second after locking the door, a small red figure flew out of her shoulder bag.
"The situation is urgent, Tikki!"
"I know, Marinette!"
"Tikki, spots on!"
A flash of red light, and Ladybug, clad in her red and black spotted bodysuit, swung onto the rooftop with her yo-yo, also swinging towards the chaotic epicenter.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Jaden was quickly thinking as he returned along the original path.
How could Otis have undergone a Akumatization?
A relevant plot flashed through his mind.
Otis's Akumatization was because of that simple-minded guy, Kim, who, in front of him, said that his cherished black panther was not as fast as himself, and kept insulting it.
That insult to his companion was the fuse that ignited his anger.
But now, what was it for? Hawk Moth, that guy, truly infiltrates everywhere.
His thoughts completed in a flash, but his steps did not stop.
As he ran, his shadow on the ground twisted eerily, as if something had separated from it.
"Go." He gave a silent command in his mind.
A panther shadow, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, made of pure dark energy, silently burrowed into the earth, rapidly rushing towards where Alya was last likely to be.
Another, thicker shadow of a giant python, seemingly cast from steel, snaked in another direction—towards the visitor service center where Nora had taken the children for refuge.
These two soulless monsters, created purely from his emotions and will, were his most secret chess pieces.
The reason the black panther would submit to him was precisely because it sensed a purer, more ancient aura of its kind from his own "Lacquer Panther."
Soon, a thought came back from the "Lacquer Panther."
[Target is safe.]
The thought was simple, but it made Jaden slightly relieved. A soulless puppet wouldn't lie… The reason Alya hung up the phone midway was because of a sudden "human storm."
Just as she was running and talking to Marinette, four figures suddenly rushed out from around the corner in front of her.
"Run!" Kim wailed as he ran, leading the pack.
Close behind were Nino, Max, and the solemn-faced Adrien.
And behind them, several galloping antelopes and zebras were in hot pursuit.
Alya, in order to avoid this group of people and animals fleeing in panic, hurriedly dodged to the side, stumbled, and her phone flew out of her hand.
"Smash!"
The phone flew out of her hand, screen-down, and landed heavily on the hard gravel path, the screen instantly shattering into a spiderweb, and the call was cut off.
Further away, the black panther, the Animan, transformed from Otis, was following unhurriedly with leisurely and elegant cat-like steps.
Behind him was a large group of various animals—rhinos, wolves, and even a few waddling penguins—forming a strange and terrifying army, silently following their king.
"Run, boys,"
The Animan spoke, his voice carrying a hint of cat-and-mouse playfulness.
"Run a little faster. If you don't run fast enough…"
He opened his mouth, revealing his gleaming fangs, capable of easily biting through bone, and let out a threatening low growl from his throat.
His meaning was self-evident.