Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

So they say, "What kind of Beast Tamer there is, what kind of pet beast there will be." This has never been an empty statement.

A teenager still in their chuunibyou phase absolutely cannot have a stable pet beast. Either they are chuunibyou together, or the beast is forced into chuunibyou by the Beast Tamer.

Looking at the way the Golden Armored Wyvern is cooperating like this...

'Hmm!'

Asher nodded.

This person and pet beast are clearly a perfect match, so it's not surprising that they've made it to the top eight.

While Asher held down the restless Little Raven in his spiritual sea's Beast Space—who really wanted to come out and teach Cat-Worm a lesson—he gave Cat-Worm a kind smile.

"Little Raven is angry."

"So, you understand, right? If this match makes Little Raven take action..."

Cat-Worm: "!"

'Shocked!'

*Pupil quaking*

It almost forgot, Big Sis in the Beast Tamer's spiritual sea Beast Space can hear it talking.

Cat-Worm felt wronged. Its fighting spirit shot up wildly, zoom zoom zoom.

Don't ask.

Just know that Cat-Worm absolutely does not want to face Big Sis's wrath.

If it can defeat this "replacement" for Big Sis, maybe Big Sis won't be so angry.

Cat-Worm: *Charge, duck—*

"Shadow Tentacle!"

"Steel Wings!"

Battle song starts.

Cat-Worm and the Golden Armored Wyvern struck simultaneously.

Two jet-black shadow tentacles shot fiercely from the ground toward the sky.

At the same time, densely packed, sharp metallic feathers, gleaming like shark weapons, targeted the Cat-Worm on the ground.

SHOO! SHOO! SHOO—

One attacked the sky, one attacked the ground, both launching a fierce offensive at the same time.

The intensity was maxed out instantly.

The surrounding audience couldn't help but let out low exclamations, then hurriedly covered their mouths, afraid of accidentally disturbing the two contestants in battle.

In just one minute, Cat-Worm and the Golden Armored Wyvern had already tested each other three times.

"Shadow Sneak."

"Then use Shadow Corrosion toward the sky."

Asher calmly commanded, ensuring Cat-Worm both defended and attacked at the same time.

Black shadows enveloped the entire ground, making the whole arena seem like Cat-Worm's domain—dark, writhing, as calm as a hunting swamp.

Just waiting for the moment the prey descends—then, in a flash, launching the fiercest attack at lightning speed!

"Hmph!" Felter snorted upon seeing this. "I've studied your battle footage carefully. The Golden Armored Wyvern absolutely won't fall for it!"

The ground was clearly full of traps.

However... deep inside, Felter was a little anxious.

The Golden Armored Wyvern was indeed a Steel + Flying-type pet beast. The steel parts of its body granted it an indestructible advantage but also brought a certain burden—it had to find a foothold every now and then for a brief rest before taking off again.

But now, looking at the arena—where was there a safe place to land?

There was none!

Asher smiled calmly.

Cat-Worm couldn't grow wings to fly, and the Golden Armored Wyvern couldn't descend from the sky for now. If it lowered its altitude even slightly, it could be grabbed and dragged down by Cat-Worm's Shadow Tentacles.

The Golden Armored Wyvern and Cat-Worm stared at each other across a dozen meters, seemingly in a silent standoff…

Alright, actually, there was no real stalemate.

Cat-Worm's Shadow Tentacles weren't high enough to reach the airborne Golden Armored Wyvern.

But the Golden Armored Wyvern, with its aerial advantage, could attack Asher!

"Golden Armored Wyvern, Light Draw!"

Felter's expression shifted from relaxed to serious—this was his moment of advantage. Before the Golden Armored Wyvern ran out of stamina, he had to eliminate Cat-Worm from the arena first.

Otherwise, the Golden Armored Wyvern would be in big trouble, and victory would no longer be easy.

In an instant.

Every feather on the Golden Armored Wyvern radiated dazzling golden light. Sunlight seemed to be drawn into the arena, illuminating everything in all directions, as if a miniature sun was hanging in the sky.

"Wow—"

The audience erupted in exclamations.

Everyone was shocked by Felter and the Golden Armored Wyvern's display.

On the spectators' bench, Scar was so anxious for Asher that he squeezed his thigh hard.

"This move... Felter is striking at the weak spot." Scar slapped his leg. "Damn! Cat-Worm's abilities rely on shadows, but now with this dazzling light..."

[Light Draw] was usually used to limit an opponent's vision.

But against Cat-Worm, it produced an unexpected effect.

The black swamp covering the battlefield began receding like tides under the golden light. Seeing this, the audience's cheers grew louder, especially in the Jade Dragon University section, where they waved their flags and rallied behind Felter.

"Tsk tsk tsk! As expected of Jade Dragon's top freshman candidate. This move... I really didn't expect it!" Even a professor from Flood Dragon University couldn't help but sigh. "The Golden Armored Wyvern's feathers, combined with Light Draw, really make it look like a miniature sun hanging in the sky… No wonder people say..."

"Steel Wings!"

Felter launched another attack on Cat-Worm.

SHOO! SHOO! SHOO!

Countless golden steel feathers rained down like a storm, slashing through the air and striking toward Cat-Worm on the ground.

No shadows.

Cat-Worm had to rely on pure reflexes and seven tiny legs, running so fast sparks nearly flew.

Despite its round shape, Cat-Worm dodged with astonishing agility. The spectators who could clearly see the battlefield were almost popping their eyeballs out—'seriously? It can dodge like this?'

Turns out… it could.

But in terms of stamina, Cat-Worm was reaching its limit.

"Huff... huff..."

Asher could hear Cat-Worm gasping for breath—this was a sign it wouldn't last much longer.

As the golden light faded from the arena.

The audience and contestants could see more clearly—Cat-Worm's dodging was fast.

Very fast.

Even with dwindling stamina, it barely evaded the steel feathers before they struck.

Felter: "…"

His sharp eyes gradually turned deadly serious—this was a lifelong nemesis. This Cat-Worm was his Golden Armored Wyvern's eternal enemy.

In the end, the battle concluded with Cat-Worm collapsing from exhaustion, belly up.

The Golden Armored Wyvern, having kept flapping in the air, finally landed, folding its metal wings. Proud… but not too proud. The lingering sense of crisis from nearly losing still haunted it.

Felter, slightly guilty, still kept his chuunibyou pose, raising his chin. "Your pet beast is strong, but I still won."

"The semifinals spot is mine!"

"The final championship will be mine too!"

Golden Armored Wyvern: 'Chin up, chest out… yes! Just like that!'

Cat-Worm: "…"

"Meow! Meow!"

"Meow! Meow! Meow!"

"Meow! roar!"

ヽ(#`Д´)ﾉ

'Damn it!'

'It dared to mock the dragon!'

'Beast Tamer! Beast Tamer!'

'Hurry up!'

'Let Big Sis beat the bird's face.'

'Quick, quick, quick!'

Felter: "?"

Golden Armored Wyvern: "!"

Felter didn't understand what the Cat-Worm was saying, his expression just looked a little confused.

But the Golden Armored Winged Dragon, which did understand what the Cat-Worm was saying, showed a terrified expression.

"Alright, let Little Raven help you fight back, okay?" Asher did not respond to Felter's words. Instead, he calmly stepped forward, picked up the powerless Cat-Worm, cradled it in his arms, and patted the dragon horns on its head in a soothing tone.

At this moment, whether it was the audience in the stands, the contestants, or Felter standing opposite Asher, they all realized—wait a minute? Something seemed off?

Why hadn't they heard the referee announce Felter's—or their own—victory yet?

The next second.

Everyone got their answer.

"——"

There was no loud roar, but the moment Asher released Little Raven, everyone present held their breath.

This was—

When they looked at the Golden Armored Winged Dragon alone, they felt that using the [Light Draw] skill made it seem like a small sun.

But the moment Little Raven appeared, everyone felt as if they were witnessing the real sun descending from the high heavens to the mortal realm—dark clouds covered the sky, and golden-red wings spread wide.

Whether it was the color of its eyes, the luster of its feathers, or the overwhelming aura that swept over them, the audience couldn't help but hold their breath.

It was a kind of trembling fear brought by facing the sun directly—they didn't dare to speak, not at all.

Even Asher was momentarily stunned by this version of Little Raven.

He quickly opened his innate ability to check.

And to his surprise—

Little Raven's panel showed that its bloodline awakening level had increased from 15% to 20%.

Asher: "?"

Shocked.

Confused.

Noticing a star symbol at the end, Asher quickly tapped it to check.

[Bloodline Awakening Level: 15% → 20%* (Temporary momentum boost, belief has broken through the bloodline's shackles, this state will last for 72 hours before fading, while also providing a positive, accelerated breakthrough boost for the next 10% bloodline awakening.)]

Asher was overjoyed.

This was great news.

But how did Little Raven suddenly get a temporary momentum boost?

Belief breaking through the bloodline's shackles?

Asher looked at the powerless Cat-Worm in his arms, unable to even lift a single paw, then at the trembling Golden Armored Winged Dragon opposite him… Who exactly was responsible for this? Was Little Raven standing up for the Cat-Worm, or did it simply dislike seeing another avian pet beast flaunting itself in front of it…

Well.

Asher wasn't entirely sure either.

In any case, it was a good thing.

No need to overthink it for now.

Little Raven's golden-red eyes locked onto the Golden Armored Winged Dragon standing beside Felter.

It didn't say a word, but the sheer force of its presence made both Felter and the Golden Armored Winged Dragon shudder.

"You… You actually have another pet beast?" Felter couldn't even maintain his edgy, dramatic persona anymore. He screamed in terror and disbelief, "And its aura is not even weaker than that Cat-Dragon? Does this mean you have two pet beasts with an overall strength of eight stars?"

"Impossible!"

"This is absolutely impossible!"

The others nodded furiously.

Well said.

Truly, well said.

At this moment, Felter was their voice, expressing exactly what they all wanted to know.

Asher… Just what the hell is going on here?

He contracted two pet beasts and trained them both to an overall eight-star level?

Are you kidding?

"Ah… Little Raven's overall strength is indeed eight stars," Asher calmly answered Felter's question. Watching Felter's fragile expression, on the verge of having his entire worldview shattered, Asher continued, "The Cat-Worm's overall strength isn't eight stars. Just seven."

Saying that, Asher lifted the Cat-Worm in his hands. "Managing to hold on this long… Well, not bad."

Asher reached out and stroked the dragon horns on the Cat-Worm's head a few times.

"Meow! Meow…" The Cat-Worm squinted its eyes, purring softly from its throat, expressing its comfort.

Audience: "…"

Contestants: "…"

Teachers: "…"

Felter: "…"

Collapse happened in an instant.

Apologies.

Their mood did not improve at all from Asher's explanation. In fact, it got even worse.

"Pfft… pfft…" Scar covered his mouth tightly, his face almost twisted from holding back laughter.

'Hahaha!'

He had been looking forward to this moment.

And now that it was finally happening, Scar realized—'damn! It is even more satisfying than I had imagined!'

Watching the entire Jade Dragon University faculty and students' expressions change dramatically, seeing Felter lose control of his expression while the surrounding atmosphere turned deathly silent… His feelings could be summed up in one word—

Satisfaction!

Pure satisfaction!

"Final Four?" After finishing his explanation, Asher looked up at Felter. Their eyes met.

Still dazed and disoriented, Felter barely processed what he heard before Asher continued, "I think saying that before the match is over is a bit premature, don't you?"

"Let's continue the match."

Felter's soul left his body.

The light in his bright eyes faded.

Continue the match?

Continue what match?

Just looking at the Golden Armored Winged Dragon trembling and not daring to raise its head ever since Little Raven entered the field… Continue?

With what?

Was he supposed to fight with his own body?

Felter lost.

It was an expected defeat, yet somehow still beyond expectations.

No one had imagined… that while most of their second pets were just for show, Asher had actually been hiding such a trump card…

"Wait a minute?" Watching the soulless Felter leave the field, a teacher from Jade Dragon University suddenly remembered something: "…If that pet called Little Raven is the actual eight-star pet beast, that means… it's Asher's main pet?"

What about the Cat-Dragon?

Oh.

Asher's second pet.

Once again, the faculty and students of Jade Dragon University fell into silence.

A second pet… A second pet, huh?

Just who in the world has a second pet this absurdly powerful?

Unless Asher contracted both pets at the same time… But even then, that would still be insane.

Jade Dragon University had barely recovered from the shock of watching Asher defeat their top freshman from the battle department and make it all the way to the finals with his second pet, when they suddenly heard the hysterical, duck-like laughter of the students from Flood Dragon University.

Flood Dragon: 'Ecstatic! This is just too delightful!'

At the beginning, Flood Dragon had also been suspected, along with Jade Dragon, of trying to sabotage Asher or secretly taking revenge… But Asher quickly used his strength to prove—revenge?

It was still uncertain whether Jade Dragon or Flood Dragon even had the ability to do so.

And then, Asher went on to form a… let's call it an interesting relationship with Jade Dragon—facing Jade Dragon in the preliminaries, again in the finals, and directly eliminating their top talents, including their leading candidate for victory.

Especially Felter.

Before Asher—this dark ho—ah, no, this new king emerged—Felter had been everyone's assumed top four contestant, and a strong contender for the championship.

Who would've thought?

He didn't even make it to the semifinals.

And just like that, Flood Dragon finally let go of their frustration over Aria being eliminated in the quarterfinals.

It's fine. It's totally fine. We're all in the same boat.

Either they were suddenly eliminated by the dark horse Creed, or they were defeated by Asher using his second pet. When his first pet appeared, they surrendered without a fight.

It was truly a surrender without a fight... When the Golden-armored Wyvern faced Asher's Little Raven, it couldn't hold its ground at all, trembling and losing instantly, barely different from directly conceding.

The final four contestants were Dexter, Asher, Luna, and a girl named Matilda.

There was no doubt about the other three making it to the top four.

Only Matilda… Let alone others, even Matilda herself, along with her school and classmates, all looked at her with eyes full of disbelief.

"Matilda… You've made it! You've really made it big."

"I originally thought our Frost Wolf Academy was just here to make an appearance, who would have thought… Damn! Straight into the top four finals?"

"Should we start dreaming about the top three next?"

"Uh… Be content, be content. Making it into the top four is already not easy. When we go back, we must dedicate a page in Frost Wolf's school history just for you! Writing down all your great achievements today."

"Yes, yes! Top four is already our school's limit. Among the remaining three, is there even one that's easy to fight? Long live the top four."

While Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon academies were still holding onto Dexter and Luna, reminding them over and over, wishing they could impart all their combat knowledge and experience to them in advance…

Matilda's Frost Wolf University had already started a celebration banquet in advance.

The surrounding people: "..."

Understood.

But also didn't quite understand.

At the same time, they felt a little sour inside.

Damn… Isn't Frost Wolf University's luck just a little too good?

With five contestants having eight-star pets, they still managed to break into the top four—how infuriating is that?

Luck is just that unreasonable sometimes.

Then…

As expected.

Matilda's luck ended in the semifinals.

"QAQ! Asher big boss, please go easy on me.",Matilda looked at Asher standing opposite her with teary eyes, trembling. She had been secretly celebrating her lucky streak, thinking she might get lucky again, only to face Asher in the semifinals.

She was on the verge of tears.

Her teacher and classmates behind her even made "Amen" hand gestures for her.

Asher: "..."

"The atmosphere at your school is pretty nice," Asher chuckled.

"Hehe! Isn't it? Everyone is super nice!",Matilda saw that Asher was more approachable than expected, with a very gentle voice. The nervousness she felt earlier immediately melted into a silly grin.

"I'm really super lucky to be in the top four, and everyone sincerely congratulated me. I love Frost Wolf so much!"

"Luck is one thing, but on the other hand, you also have some matching ability, don't you?" Asher smiled again. "Otherwise, if you relied only on luck without strength, even if an opportunity came, you wouldn't be able to seize it—let alone making it to the top four."

"No need to be overly modest. Have more confidence in yourself; you have the strength to be in the league's top four."

"After all, the one standing in front of me in the semifinals right now is you—not anyone else, isn't it?"

For a moment, Matilda's mind went blank from Asher's words.

She… has strength?

The one standing before Asher is her, not someone else?

"Mm!" Matilda nodded heavily after snapping out of it. "Asher big boss, I'll give it my all!"

Not even three minutes into the match… Matilda collapsed in despair.

"Big boss… wuwuwu… you lied to me…" Matilda sobbed pitifully, while her pet—a black-and-white Ice Forest Wolf—knelt beside her, head on the ground, tail high up, whimpering just like its master. "You didn't even use that bird, just that cat alone had me whimpering and yelping… wuwuwu!"

Asher: "..."

Once again, he witnessed the truth that pets resemble their beastmasters.

Also… Asher really wanted to ask, is Frost Wolf Academy secretly a reincarnation of Huskies?

This was way too much like a Husky scene.

Asher didn't know what to say.

He waved his sleeve and left without taking a single cloud with him.

Fortunately, Matilda knew there was a limit to embarrassment; even an attention seeker shouldn't be too attention-seeking.

She was only so heartbroken earlier because she had just boasted the previous second, only to immediately slap herself in the face the next. It was a little hard to take, mentally.

Under the comforting words of her classmates, some of whom had been eliminated in the first or second round, and a few teachers who were purely here for the experience, Matilda quickly adjusted her mindset. She eagerly sat with her friends and turned her full attention to the final match.

Asher VS Dexter.

"You're the strongest peer I've ever met." Dexter stared straight at Asher with a serious expression. "I will respect and enjoy this battle with you."

No trash talk.

Asher also smiled slightly. "Alright, I won't let you down."

Little Raven VS War Blood Lion King.

For everyone else, this battle was a fight for the championship and runner-up.

But for Asher and Dexter standing on the battlefield, that wasn't the case.

Champion or runner-up?

Victory or defeat?

No, no, no.

None of that was important.

All they needed was… a worthy opponent who could push them to unleash their full strength.

Amidst the roaring cheers of the audience calling their names, Asher and Dexter saw only each other.

As the referee waved the colorful flag and shouted "Match start!"

Both moved at the same time.

A powerful aura swept across the arena!

This was Asher's second time sending Little Raven into battle, and the first time he led with Little Raven from the very start.

For the audience who had only a rough idea of Little Raven's strength before, this was their first time experiencing its sheer power and overwhelming presence in full.

King's Aura!

Blood Shadow Surge clashing against Blood Shadow Surge!

Two lion shadows collided violently.

"The same skill? You've got to be kidding me!"

"No way? Blood Shadow Surge is War Blood Lion King's exclusive skill, right?"

"Something's off! Something's very off! So is the problem with me or with Asher?"

The spectators from Star City immediately recognized the anomaly.

Living in a city surrounded by forbidden zones, both beastmasters and ordinary citizens of Star City were incredibly knowledgeable. They had a basic understanding of the War Blood Lion King—an uncommon pet—yet Asher's pets, whether it was the cat-dragon from before or this one now…

Confusion.

Complete confusion.

Connecting this to Asher's status as a pet evolution professor...Honestly, if they didn't already know he had passed official inspections, they would have suspected Asher of conducting illegal pet experiments in secret.

There was no other explanation.

Asher's achievements, the skills and power his pets displayed, had completely shattered their understanding of what was possible.

Their worldview crumbled… Well, it barely held together, just wobbling on the edge.

A great person once said—"Don't question the ecology of beast! Just accept that they function differently from humans."

No matter what kind of beast possesses how heaven-defying abilities, theoretically, they all have the possibility of existing.

"Cough… cough, cough!"

Sitting far away in the audience seats, Kevin nearly choked on his cola.

He bent over, thumping his chest as he coughed several times before recovering. Then, he looked in the direction of Little Raven,"What kind of skill is this?"

Compared to the confusion and guesses of others, Kevin was the first to realize that this was caused by Asher's pet beast's skill.

But what kind of skill could directly copy the opponent's exclusive ability?

'Never seen it before.'

Originally, Kevin didn't think much of Asher, but now, he wished he could rush over and chat with him for three days and nights, hoping to dig out everything Asher knew.

Jasmin: "...Teacher, calm down."

Asher paid no mind to the exclamations around him. His eyes were fixed only on this battle.

"ROAR——"

The clash of Blood Shadow Frenzy had not yet ended. Along with the sound of Little Raven flapping its wings, dazzling light enveloped the entire field.

Compared to the metallic glow brought by the Golden Armored Wyvern earlier, in the eyes of others, Little Raven had completely transformed into a massive sun.

Unobservable.

Unapproachable.

The majesty of the sun could not be violated.

"Battle Blood Lion King, double jump, pounce!"

"Roar——!"

The Battle Blood Lion King leaped high. Its massive body didn't hinder it in the slightest. It charged fearlessly through the flames. Just before it began to fall, it stepped on the air and lunged upward once more.

In the blink of an eye, the Battle Blood Lion King appeared right in front of Little Raven.

"As expected." Asher smiled faintly, his gaze devoid of any surprise.

Surprised?

What was there to be surprised about?

With Little Raven holding the aerial advantage, if the combat-type Battle Blood Lion King wanted to harm it, it had no choice but to charge straight ahead. Dodging was meaningless.

"Whoosh——"

Flames suddenly appeared.

Scorching, searing flames encircled Little Raven, layer after layer, burning fiercely. The entire battlefield's temperature rose with it.

The surrounding air carried the scent of heat.

The faintly present blood scent on the Battle Blood Lion King was instantly burned away and evaporated.

The blinding sun transformed into a burning sun.

At the same moment, Little Raven's body appeared right in front of the Battle Blood Lion King.

Flame Dance!

Under Little Raven's command, the scorching sunfire tightly coiled around and engulfed the Battle Blood Lion King, not giving it a single chance to struggle free.

"Roar——!"

The Battle Blood Lion King let out another desperate roar. But compared to its earlier confident and fighting spirit-filled growls, this one sounded more like a painful wail.

"Battle Blood Lion King!"

"Guard!"

Dexter shouted loudly. A sturdy, faintly visible protective shield was forming around the Battle Blood Lion King's body.

Asher smiled.

"Show your true strength and finish this in one wave."

Little Raven: 'Roger!'

Flaming Sun!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

More than a dozen scorching fire pillars erupted from the ground.

The Battle Blood Lion King had no way to dodge. It was tightly entangled by molten lava and blazing flames, its entire body turning into the color of fire.

"ROAR— ROAR—"

Miserable roars echoed, one after another, each weaker than the last.

"Battle Blood Lion King, hold on!" Dexter hadn't expected Little Raven's fire-element skills to be so terrifying. "Blood Shadow Pounce."

The Battle Blood Lion King endured the searing pain from the flames, roared loudly, and mustered its strength to pounce at Little Raven.

A massive fireball, even larger than Little Raven's body, shot out from the inferno and struck the Battle Blood Lion King squarely.

Before it could react, the impact sent it flying dozens of meters away, crashing heavily onto the ground.

BOOM—

A cloud of dust and a loud thud marked the Battle Blood Lion King's landing.

The flames burning on its body showed no signs of extinguishing. It struggled to move its out-of-control limbs, trying to stand, but with a muffled grunt, its body went limp.

Not only did it fail to stand up, but it ultimately lost consciousness completely.

Only then did the raging flames slowly die down.

What remained was a charred, hairless lion, its entire body devoid of a single intact patch of skin, lying there for all to see.

Silence.

Silence.

Dead silence.

"My big bro is amazing! Number one in the world!"

Vicky's excited cheer shattered the silence. The audience erupted into wild applause, and waves of cheers filled the arena.

"Champion! Champion! Asher, champion!"

The crowd roared like waves, and the champion's name resounded across the battlefield.

"Cough." Asher coughed awkwardly. "Calling me number one in the world is a bit exaggerated…"

"Your pet beast is indeed incredible." Dexter noticed Asher's embarrassment. His usually stern and rigid face showed a rare, genuine smile—though it looked a bit stiff from lack of practice.

"Number one in the world… Well, saying you're the strongest among the new generation is fair enough." He continued.

Asher: *Cough*

Awkward.

Really needed to go back and teach Vicky how to talk properly.

Good thing Dexter and the others were decent people. Otherwise, that line would've built up some serious animosity.

Regardless—

The finals had officially ended.

The battle for second and third place was just as intense.

Matilda secured a spot in the top four.

Dexter VS Luna.

This match made both Dexter and the audience deeply realize that even among fire-type creatures, there were vast differences.

Molten Fire was supposed to be the embodiment of fire itself.

Yet, neither the audience, the contestants, nor even Luna herself could deny—

The flames from Molten Fire caused far less damage to the Battle Blood Lion King than the flames from Asher's Little Raven.

It wasn't just speculation anymore.

Little Raven's fire was simply different.

"Little Raven… what kind of beast is it? It's way too powerful!"

Felter sat outside the field, staring blankly at the match between Dexter and Luna, muttering to himself.

"I'm so hyped… No, I need to fight him again."

Inside Felter's Beast Space, the Golden Armored Wyvern, resting, suddenly heard this and fell silent.

'Listen!'

'Does this guy even hear himself?'

'Fight?'

'With what?'

The Golden Armored Wyvern: 'Going to sleep. Goodnight!'

Felter: "?"

Was the wyvern seriously this demoralized?

Had things gotten so bad that just hearing Little Raven's name made it shrink back?

Felter: 'Clearly, it needs more exposure therapy!'

Golden Armored Wyvern: '…Thanks a lot!'

After another round of intense battling…

The final results were out.

Champion: Asher.

Runner-up: Dexter.

Third place: Luna.

"It seems my flames still aren't strong enough to give you another firsthand experience of charcoal-grilled Lion King." On the podium, Luna smiled sweetly while saying something mildly horrifying in the gentlest tone.

Dexter glanced at Luna and said nothing.

Winning is winning. Losing is losing. Could a few words really change that?

Luna didn't mind that Dexter was as silent as a gourd. She naturally turned her head to Asher. "Professor Asher, if I get the chance, can I learn a few things from you?"

"Your flames are simply beautiful."

"I hope we can exchange some insights on fire-attribute cultivation."

Dexter: "?"

Now that was something he was interested in.

"I think exchanging experiences on training combat-type pet beasts would be great too." With an unchanged expression, Dexter earnestly inserted himself into the conversation,"Professor Asher, have you considered contracting a combat-type pet beast? You might want to think about it."

"Professor Asher isn't in a rush to contract a pet beast. Even if he were, there's still that rare pet egg coming up." Luna glanced at Dexter and said with a soft laugh.

Dexter,"I'm just offering Professor Asher a suggestion—wouldn't want him to develop any biases against combat-type pet beasts."

Asher: "?"

The tension was rising.

"If everyone has time, we could all have a little exchange," a teacher from Jade Dragon University suddenly appeared out of nowhere, looking quite eager.

"We at Jade Dragon can arrange a venue for it."

"You are all outstanding talents of the new generation. Sharing training experiences and strengthening connections sounds like a great opportunity.", As he spoke, the Jade Dragon teacher turned to Asher.

"Professor Asher, if you're not in a hurry to leave, you could stay for a couple of days. Your prize—the pet beast egg—should hatch within that time. You could wait until it hatches before heading out."

A teacher from Flood Dragon University, who had just arrived,"?"

Wait.

In just a few moments, Jade Dragon was already trying to establish a connection with Asher?

Flood Dragon: 'No way! We can't fall behind!'

"Professor Asher, if you want to stay a few days to exchange ideas, we at Flood Dragon can also provide a venue."

"And about that pet egg—it's currently at our Flood Dragon University Pet Beast Center. You can visit it anytime to bond with it. Our doors are always open for you."

Jade Dragon: "!"

'Good heavens!'

'Almost forgot about that!'

Since the prizes were jointly provided by both schools—Jade Dragon giving the cash reward and Flood Dragon offering the pet egg—they had also jointly secured a high-tier store slot.

So naturally, the pet egg was kept at Flood Dragon University.

Jade Dragon hadn't thought much of it before.

After all, the champion was bound to be either a Jade Dragon or a Flood Dragon battle division student. If a Jade Dragon student won, there was no way a simple visit to Flood Dragon would get them poached.

If a Flood Dragon student won, well, then it was just a matter of keeping the egg in-house. Nothing to discuss.

No one had expected—

Asher to emerge out of nowhere.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—defeating all the previous championship favorites with overwhelming force, crushing the competition, and taking the final victory in a landslide.

Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon: "…"

Completely convinced.

And yet, while their admiration was sincere, so was their desire to recruit him. That thought sprouted and spread like wild grass after a summer rain.

Even if they couldn't win him over immediately, they could at least leave a strong impression. That way, if Asher ever considered an exchange program in the future, the first universities he'd think of would be Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon.

Jade Dragon had thought that by making the first move, they had the upper hand.

They'd forgotten that Flood Dragon had an ace up their sleeve.

Jade Dragon: 'Flood Dragon, you cunning schemers!'

Asher: "…"

"We can discuss the exchange event later." Asher didn't reject them outright. Coming all the way to Star City just to leave right after the competition… That did feel like a waste. Who knew when he'd get another chance to visit? "Let's see what everyone thinks."

Seeing this, the Flood Dragon teacher immediately seized the opportunity. "Great! Leave it to us. No one will object to such a fantastic exchange."

Would any student let such an opportunity slip by?

Absolutely not!

More importantly…

The Flood Dragon teacher suddenly remembered—Asher wasn't just any ordinary champion. He was also a Pet Beast Evolution Professor.

A real one. With achievements and published research.

If Asher happened to have a sudden stroke of inspiration while examining someone else's pet beast…

Well, he couldn't speak for other schools, but if any Flood Dragon student dared say they didn't want to join, their heads would get smacked off.

———

"Who would've thought!" Vicky walked alongside Asher, grinning as he tried to sling an arm over his shoulder. "I haven't even received my results yet, don't know which university I'll end up in, and here I am, touring one of the TOP2 universities, Flood Dragon, in advance."

"Thanks for carrying me to victory, Daddy!"

Standing on the other side, June smacked Vicky's hand away,"Behave."

"Can't you see how weirdly people are looking at us?"

Thinking back on how many embarrassing things Vicky had done over the past few days—

June: 'This is all Vicky's fault!'

Hearing this, Ivy turned to glance at the scattered Flood Dragon students around them. Every now and then, someone would sneak peeks their way, only to quickly retract their gaze and pretend they weren't looking.

"Hmm…" Ivy hesitated. "I think they're just curious about Asher."

The new student league champion.

A Pet Beast Evolution major, who had crushed a whole crowd of Battle Department prodigies.

The moment that news got out, who wouldn't be curious about Asher?

If Ivy hadn't known him, she would've been curious too.

A Flood Dragon teacher, who had come to receive them, arrived just in time to overhear this conversation.

Teacher: "…"

No rebuttal.

Couldn't argue with that.

"Ahem." The Flood Dragon teacher glanced at the students who, despite normally being impossible to summon, had miraculously all shown up today.

At his gaze, they instantly scattered like birds and beasts, vanishing without a trace.

Gone. Poof.

No more gawking.

"My apologies. They're just curious—no ill intent." The Flood Dragon teacher, after scaring off the timid students, still made sure to explain. "I'm Daryll Hathshire. Just call me Professor Hathshire."

"I'll take you to the Pet Beast Hatching Center now."

Asher nodded.

He didn't mind the curious stares.

Just like Professor Hathshire had said, there was no malice—just pure curiosity and shock, as if they'd just seen some kind of legendary prehistoric creature.

Asher, who was not introverted: Unbothered. Do as you please.

Personal will unshaken by external gazes.

Social death? Different matter.

"The Hatching Center?" Asher was more curious about this.

Leading the way, Professor Hathshire explained with a smile, "Yes. As a comprehensive university, Flood Dragon boasts the largest Extraordinary Biology Reserve and Pet Beast Hatching Center in the country."

As they chatted, Daryll led them into the center—only to freeze completely the moment the lights flickered on.

Behind him, Asher and his group: "?"

A vague sense of unease crept up.

Hurrying forward, Asher stepped into the room.

Bright white light illuminated the entire scene.

At the very center stood a large incubation chamber, filled with milky yellow nurturing fluid.

At the very least, there should have been a pet egg in the middle of that chamber.

But it was empty.

Not a single strand of hair remained.

On the nearby desk sat an assortment of instruments, test tubes, and an A4-sized logbook.

Nothing else.

In short—

The pet egg… was gone.

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