Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

"Come one at a time, no crowding, no pushing!" Vicky immediately stepped up as if on duty, becoming Asher's assistant and enthusiastically managing the scene.

Asher smiled upon seeing this.

'Nevermind, helping one is better than none.'

After all, he had cleared his schedule for today.

Then, Asher noticed something surprising.

Something felt off.

His consultation audience had shifted from third-year seniors to second-years and even first-years.

Asher silently typed a question mark in his mind.

"We have no choice, senior. We need to seize the opportunity. By the time it's our hundred Days Oath Assembly, the school definitely won't be able to invite you." A first-year junior sister bounced excitedly in front of Asher. "If we miss this, we won't get another chance!"

"Right! Senior, can you sign this for me?" With a starry-eyed look, the junior handed over her notebook.

Asher: "…"

This hundred Days Oath Assembly had completely gone off course.

It had become a Asher fan meet-and-greet slash career counseling session for high schoolers.

Asher had a very eventful day at school.

If not for the fact that the students had to attend classes, leaving wouldn't have been easy for him.

"My dear son, you've made it big." After the final speech concluded and everyone left reluctantly yet satisfied, Vicky hugged Asher's shoulders and mock-cried.

Asher rolled his eyes at him. "Cut it out."

"Are you staying in the dorms tonight?" Vicky chuckled.

"Sure," Asher agreed.

It had been a while since he'd stayed in the dorms, and he felt a twinge of nostalgia.

"Great! After school, let's hit the training hall for a match." Vicky's eyes sparkled, clearly itching for this moment.

Asher glanced sideways at him and finally nodded calmly under Vicky's expectant gaze.

'You want to spar with me?'

'Fine.'

'No problem.'

The opponent to be crushed would just be switched up.

Of course, there were slight surprises along the way.

When news broke that Asher would stay and spar with Vicky at the school's training ground in the afternoon, the same students who had surrounded Asher earlier all stayed behind.

Among them were future beastmasters with awakened potential.

But most were regular students.

They all wore the same expressions of excitement and anticipation.

"That's Senior Asher's match. Can't miss this, absolutely not!"

"Right, right! I haven't seen Senior Asher's pet beast yet. Wonder what it looks like and how strong it is."

"It's super strong! It's a mutated Oriental Peacock. No one in our class has ever beaten it. You know the rookie training ground in the city center? Senior Asher is a famous big boss there."

"That just makes it more interesting! What about his opponent's pet beast? If it's not strong, wouldn't it just be feeding Senior Asher easy wins?"

"Vicky, huh… His pet beast is pretty strong too. You know the Dragon Lizard? Yeah, that one. It's not a dragon-type, but it looks like one, and it's really powerful."

Dragon Lizard versus Oriental Peacock?

Those not in the same class as Asher, who hadn't seen the ferocity of Little Raven, looked puzzled.

A dragon against a bird?

Can Asher really win?

"Come out, Little Drogo!"

Vicky believed his upgraded Dragon Lizard could now rival Little Raven. Maybe not win outright, but a tie seemed easily achievable, right?

Vicky's expression and attitude had shifted dramatically. He was cocky.

"ROAR!"

Reality proved otherwise.

It wasn't just Vicky who was cocky; his Dragon Lizard, having broken through to Tier Four after months of grueling training, was also brimming with arrogance.

As soon as it emerged, it roared skyward, its tail covered in fine scales smacking heavily against the ground with a thud-thud.

The school's training grounds were standard-sized and durable, but even so, the thud echoed loud and clear to the first- and second-year students sitting nearby.

Powerful and imposing—combined with the dragon-like appearance, this beast instantly captivated the crowd.

One by one, they defected to Vicky's side.

"Senior Asher may be a genius at pet evolution research, but in battle…"

"Seriously, you're ignoring all of us who got crushed by Asher countless times?"

"Do you think the nickname 'City Center Demon King' came from nowhere?"

"Vicky's Dragon Lizard is impressive. Though not a true dragon, its appearance makes it close enough to a sub-dragon species. But Asher's terrifying part is that his pet beasts are just ridiculous."

"Back then—who would've thought? Asher used a palm-sized mutated Oriental Peacock to single-handedly crush our entire class."

"To this day, I still question life. Where did it all go wrong? Was it because my contracted tiger cub wasn't strong enough?"

"No, no, no! It's Asher who's just too monstrous."

Those doubting Asher were mostly first- and second-years.

But among the third-years—even ordinary class students—most had heard about Asher's legendary feats during the first month of school last year.

One hundred victories without a single loss…

Cough.

Well, you get the idea.

Vicky rubbed his thumb under his nose, brimming with pride as he looked at Asher. "Asher, brother against brother is like tiger versus tiger. Today, it's our father-son battle."

"Bring it on!"

"This time, Little Drogo won't lose as miserably as before."

"Both Little Drogo and I have prepared extensively to challenge you again. Today is our day of vengeance."

"ROAR—"

'Exactly!'

'That's it!'

Vicky's overly dramatic monologue was matched perfectly by his simple-minded Dragon Lizard, who roared in agreement.

Asher: "…"

The saying goes, "Like beastmaster, like beast." It wasn't baseless.

Vicky and his Dragon Lizard truly were a perfect match.

Asher smiled faintly.

He decided it was time to bring Vicky back to reality.

"A father-son battle…" Asher chuckled softly. "Are you sure?"

Vicky shivered.

Looking at Asher's gentle smile, he felt a twinge of unease.

But everything seemed normal, didn't it?

Maybe he was just overthinking?

"Yes!" Vicky confidently nodded. "Today, I'll make you call me Dad."

Asher: "Little Raven, come out."

The moment Little Raven spread its wings, resembling a fiery sunset, Vicky and his Dragon Lizard—brimming with confidence seconds ago—froze.

Breathless, their faces turned pale.

The surrounding students, from first-years to third-years, all held their breath in awe of Little Raven's overwhelming presence.

No one dared blink.

They stared, stunned, at the sight of Little Raven taking flight.

Jet-black feathers contrasted with golden-red underwings, while its sharp, hawk-like golden-red eyes intimidated everyone in its gaze.

No one could meet Little Raven's eyes.

Some students, trying to observe with their own pets, ended up clutching their trembling companions tightly.

Fear.

Little Raven radiated pure, unadulterated fear.

It wasn't just its piercing gaze or the commanding aura it exuded—it was the message it conveyed to every beast present:

This is my turf. I am the boss here.

Even the teachers who had come to watch were astonished by Little Raven's evolved form.

"Is this… really Asher's work? The transformation is just too drastic."

"This... Is this really cultivated by Asher? The change is way too drastic compared to before."

The Battle Beast course teacher stared at the newly evolved Little Raven, almost unable to take his eyes off it.

Old Arthur stood to the side, equally stunned and speechless.

Was this still the small, round, adorably tiny creature that used to perch on Asher's shoulder?

They clearly remembered the commotion Asher caused at the training ground during the New Year.

But back then, Little Raven didn't look like this.

If the spectators were doubting themselves and their own eyes, then Vicky and his Dragon Lizard, standing across from Asher on the battlefield, were questioning their entire existence.

Vicky and his Dragon Lizard shared a glance, seeing identical despair in each other's eyes.

"Who am I? Where am I? Why did I foolishly challenge Asher?"

They exchanged a resigned look—could they still surrender now and admit they were outmatched?

"Nope," Asher, seemingly able to read minds, guessed Vicky's thoughts with precision and cut off his retreat.

With a gentle tone and a kind smile, Asher said, "If you're a real man, get ready to fight."

"Dad! I was wrong!" Vicky immediately abandoned all pretense of dignity.

What?

Dignity?

Who needs it?

If keeping it meant his Little Drogo would face a ruthless beating, he'd rather discard it.

Asher: "..."

Class teacher Old Arthur: "..."

Vicky's classmates from the senior Beast Tamer class: "..."

In unison, everyone raised their hands to cover their faces.

They didn't want to admit it.

They absolutely did not want to acknowledge being in the same class as this guy.

It was just too embarrassing.

Ronnie was particularly stunned by Vicky's antics, unable to find words.

"Wait... I've been at odds with this idiot all this time?" Ronnie doubted himself, doubted his life.

It's not the strong opponents you fear.

It's the ridiculously dumb ones that make you look equally foolish by association.

"Has Little Raven evolved?" Vicky, shameless as ever, asked without any awareness of how he'd just humiliated himself in front of the entire class—no, the whole school.

Who cares about pride?

Compared to the humiliation of being beaten to the ground, he could brazenly claim this as self-awareness.

Knowing when to quit was a skill.

Head-on clashes weren't wise.

Asher beckoned Little Raven over, and it elegantly fluttered down onto his arm.

Then Asher flipped his arm, holding it in a "mother hen embrace."

The once mighty, imposing, almost godlike Little Raven instantly transformed into a tame little bird, its previously overwhelming aura now entirely docile.

The younger students watching were green with envy.

"So this is the joy of being a Beast Tamer? I'm sold. Coach, I want to be a Beast Tamer too! I want a beast that's fierce and mighty against enemies but turns into a cuddly kitten at home."

"Keep dreaming! Let me tell you, with my own unruly beast as proof, it's impossible."

"Yeah, my Azure Featherbird told me this is fraud—completely staged."

"This is the difference between other people's beasts and ours. The sooner we accept it, the sooner we face reality."

Sobs of despair.

Both ordinary people and Beast Tamers were green with envy.

To have such a unique and powerful beast with such a good personality—why couldn't they have such luck?

Contracting a beast was like opening a blind box.

The stronger the beast, the wilder its nature, and trying to turn one into a cuddly, tame pet was exceedingly difficult.

Yet not only did Little Raven allow Asher to pet it, but when Asher tried to stop, Little Raven tilted its head, seemingly asking, 'Why aren't you continuing? Is it because birds aren't fun to pet anymore?'

When Asher really didn't continue, Little Raven spread its wings, pulling Asher's hand back onto itself.

Little Raven: 'Pet! Keep petting!'

Asher was both amused and helpless.

The others were so jealous they could barely contain themselves.

"It evolved," Asher said, stroking Little Raven's feathers while smiling in response to Vicky's question.

Vicky's expression turned as sour as if he had eaten a whole basket of lemons.

"Asher—Dad—teach me. I want to learn too. How did you do it? How did Little Raven evolve so quickly?"

Then Vicky seemed to notice something else. He scrutinized Little Raven from head to toe, recalling known evolutionary forms of the Oriental Peacock.

"Wait... This evolved form of Little Raven doesn't seem to match any of the known forms, right?"

Even if Little Raven's mutation caused differences from ordinary Oriental Peacocks' evolutionary paths, the discrepancy here was too great.

Vicky began to doubt, yet he couldn't believe it.

Could it be?

In less than a year, Asher not only discovered a new evolutionary path for the Fire Fox but also researched one for his own beast?

They all knew Asher was a genius, but could he be this much of a genius?

"Just say whether you want to fight or not," Asher said with a chuckle.

Vicky shook his head furiously. "No, no, no! Dad, I was wrong. I got too cocky. Even if I don't know what Little Raven is like after evolving, I can tell it's not something my Little Drogo can handle."

"I'll admit defeat! Dad, carry me forward again!"

For Vicky, as long as he could grow stronger, pride and dignity were entirely expendable.

Besides—while others might sneer at him, they secretly envied him and wished they could be in his shoes.

Asher almost burst out laughing at Vicky's shamelessness.

"I still have a second beast, only at Rank Three. How about trying against it?" Asher asked.

The truth was, Asher hadn't planned to use Little Raven against Vicky. With Little Raven's current strength, it would've been overkill—calling it bullying would be an understatement.

With Little Raven's aura alone, it could incapacitate the Dragon Lizard.

What would there be to fight?

"Really?" Vicky's previously servile expression instantly switched to something more self-assured, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Rank Three, mid-level?" Vicky rubbed his hands together, grinning sheepishly. "But my Little Drogo is already Rank Four. Isn't this a bit unfair?"

He said this, but he was practically beaming inside.

Rank Three, mid-level!

Perfect!

The gap between Tier Three and Tier Four isn't that big.

Pet beasts below Tier Four Intermediate are classified in the same rank during major competitions anyway.

Vicky clearly wasn't going all out.

Asher could tell, and so could everyone else.

Old Arthur, drenched in sweat, had an exasperated expression,"Why am I just now realizing how punchable this brat Vicky's personality is?"

If Vicky's opponent weren't Asher, someone would've already pinned him to the ground and taught him a harsh lesson.

Vicky: "Heh~ It's because I know that Asher, being the nice guy he is, wouldn't do that to me."

Even someone as good-tempered as Asher couldn't help rolling his eyes at Vicky. "Don't push your luck. Just tell me—are we fighting or not?"

"Yes, yes, we're fighting!" Vicky knew he had already taken enough advantage and shouldn't keep toying around. Otherwise, he might actually get stuffed into a sack and beaten tomorrow. Hastily, he nodded in agreement.

Then...

Looking at the strange creature standing before him—a bizarre mix of features, like something drawn in a cartoon—Vicky's face showed utter confusion.

"Horns on its head, kind of cat-like at a glance, but no tail, seven legs, and those eyes... Asher, where did you find this thing? From the trash? Even random scavenging would've gotten you a better-looking pet beast than this."

Before Asher could respond, the Cat Worm bristled with anger.

(╬ • w•)

"Meow~ Meow~"

"Meow~"

'You vile human! Stop spouting nonsense!'

'This dragon is the most beautiful, cutest dragon in the world!'

The Cat Worm stomped in place angrily. If Asher hadn't restrained it, it would've already charged at Vicky to fight.

Before Vicky could burst out laughing at the Cat Worm's cries, he noticed his Dragon Lizard, Little Drogo, looking utterly stunned.

"Little Drogo! What's wrong, Little Drogo?" Vicky quickly bent down to check his Dragon Lizard's condition.

Little Drogo's eyes were lifeless, and it had a devastated expression, as if all hope was lost. Vicky was panicking.

"What happened? Little Drogo was perfectly fine just a moment ago."

As he spoke, Vicky suddenly sensed something was off. He snapped his head up to look at the Cat Worm and seemed to realize something. His expression turned into one of sudden enlightenment.

"I've got it!" Vicky shouted dramatically. "It's because I called you ugly. You must've attacked Little Drogo with some invisible psychic skill, didn't you? Are you a psychic-type beast capable of launching sonic attacks?"

"Despicable!"

"Cowardly!"

"The battle hasn't even started yet."

"Asher, for the sake of our years of friendship, I'll let this slide. Just compensate my Little Drogo!" Vicky wailed dramatically, clutching his Dragon Lizard with a tearful face. He looked at Asher with watery eyes, as if silently begging: 'Dad, help! Save me!'

Asher: "..."

Everyone else: "..."

Shameless!

The first- and second-year students silently cursed Vicky in their hearts, though their envy was almost palpable.

'Damn it! We want to leech off Asher, too!'

Vicky's classmates, on the other hand, were practically rolling up their sleeves, ready to yell, Step aside, let us handle this.

At the same time, their gazes toward the Cat Worm turned odd.

"What the hell?"

"It looks like just another ugly-cute beast, but who'd have thought it could be so powerful?"

Ordinarily, low-tier psychic beasts don't have skills that strong.

Making a beast temporarily brain-dead from a distance? Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

But if the beast's master is Asher... suddenly, everyone wasn't so sure anymore.

After all, with Asher, nothing ever seemed that far-fetched.

Asher had repeatedly proven his extraordinary skills and uniqueness with his sheer strength.

Asher's mouth twitched slightly.

He wasn't unaware of the intense gazes boring into him.

Precisely because of that, he was utterly speechless.

"Could you at least fake it better when you're trying to play victim?" Asher bent down and stroked the Cat Worm, whose scales were puffed up in rage.

Under Asher's expert soothing techniques, the Cat Worm's scales quickly smoothed out, and its angry pout transformed back into a cute, upturned cat-like mouth.

"Little Drogo's reaction... is probably because it just experienced a 'beast version of an online romance gone wrong.' It realized that the 'cute dragon' it met online looks nothing like its imagination in reality."

Dragon Lizard: o(╥﹏╥)o

'Betrayed! My love was misplaced!'

Vicky was about to retort, but then he saw his Dragon Lizard, Little Dragon, silently shedding tears in his arms.

Vicky: "?"

He looked at his Dragon Lizard, then at the Cat Worm being pampered by Asher. Suddenly, he connected Asher's words with Little Drogo's behavior.

Vicky was in disbelief.

Vicky was shocked.

Vicky was furious.

"Pull yourself together, Little Drogo!" Vicky urged his Dragon Lizard, speaking with conviction. "Now's the time to rise above this. Fight back!"

"Make it pay for toying with your feelings."

"Give it a lesson it'll never forget."

"ROAR!"

'Right! Teach it a lesson!'

'If we defeat it, it'll become the dragon's mate!'

Asher: "?"

Cat Worm: "?"

The first part made sense, but what about the last sentence?

"Meow~ Meow~"

"Meow~ Meow~ Meow~"

The Cat Worm bristled with rage once more.

'Who the hell are you? What mate?'

'Is this dragon so easy to win over?'

'Prepare to die, you scoundrel!'

Neither side knew how the situation had devolved to this point. But one thing was certain: both the Cat Worm and Dragon Lizard were brimming with fighting spirit, ready to clash at any moment.

Asher and Vicky exchanged glances.

Okay. No more talking.

Let's fight!

"Little Drogo, Dragon Roar!" Vicky seized the opportunity to attack first: "Let the opponent feel our heartfelt anger."

"ROAR——"

The dragon lizard straightened its body and let out an astonishing roar from the inside out.

'Anger!'

The anger of being emotionally deceived.

The anger of being emotionally deceived and still refusing to let go, wanting to drag the opponent back to the nest.

Little Drogo, who had always worked hard but never hard enough, displayed 200% of its strength at this moment.

It was determined to seize the opponent's monalis… dragon in one go!

Other matters could wait until after victory.

The dragon lizard, simple-minded but well-developed in limbs, charged in anger.

However, the dragon-attributed skill failed to show its proper might in front of the Cat Worm. When the bug heard this dragon-like but not-quite-dragon roar, its mouth visibly turned downward.

Cat Worm: *Not happy*

'What Dragon Roar?'

'It doesn't acknowledge it!'

'No acknowledgment!'

'The dragon absolutely refuses to admit this odd-sounding roar as a Dragon Roar!'

'Let alone being intimidated by this sound!'

'That is absolutely impossible!'

Fueled by another type of anger in its head, the Cat Worm surprisingly comprehended a new skill during the battle.

Asher: "!"

Asher quickly opened the talent skill interface to check… and it was…

[Shadow Tentacle: Dark + Poison attribute skill. Depending on proficiency, two to ten poisonous tentacles can extend from shadows. After hitting the target, it reduces HP by 1% per minute. The poison can stack and may trigger paralysis, slowness, delay, and other negative statuses.]

Asher's eyes lit up.

Reducing HP by 1% per minute?

Just from the description, this skill is already godlike.

During a battle, the opponent's pet cannot detoxify itself. This creates a limitless stacking HP-loss buff.

As long as the opponent's pet is poisoned, the outcome is just a matter of time.

Whether in one-on-one combat or a battle royale, this skill could play a major role.

"Little Dragon, Shadow Tentacle!"

Since the new skill was specially learned for the dragon lizard, Asher naturally wouldn't hide it—use it.

Let the Cat Worm release all its inner anger.

Only then would the Cat Worm not destroy the house later.

"MEOW~"

With a cry, from the small shadow beneath the Cat Worm's body emerged two sticky, pitch-black, long and slender tentacles, which struck toward the dragon lizard Little Dragon from the left and right at lightning speed.

"Little Drogo, dodge!"

However, compared to Little Dragon's speed, the tentacles were even faster.

The Cat Worm flipped and danced in the air, quickly approaching Little Dragon, as the two tentacles drew nearer and nearer.

Finally.

Under Vicky's heartbroken look of "my Little Drogo is defiled," the two tentacles wrapped around the dragon lizard Little Dragon's body… only to be stopped by the hard scales on its body.

Vicky: "!"

Through difficulties comes hope—this is a turning point.

"Blade of Destruction!"

Before Vicky could celebrate, Asher's voice ruthlessly shattered his illusion.

What?

The scales are too hard to pierce?

Then use the Blade of Destruction that supposedly pierces any defense-type skill.

The hardness of mere scales is nothing.

As the scales were punctured, the two shadow tentacles successfully "defiled" the dragon lizard.

The result, of course, was clear.

The dragon lizard lay flat.

The paralysis effect left it lying on its back, belly up, with its four legs in the air. Its body twitched occasionally, then twitched again.

The onlooking junior and senior students, along with peers of Asher and Vicky: "…"

Silence.

The entire audience was dead silent.

This development… they hadn't expected.

From initially thinking the dragon lizard seemed more formidable with higher odds of winning, to the sudden reversal when Little Raven entered the fray…

Then to their collective shock at the Cat Worm's entrance…

Finally, to the Cat Worm's victory…

One wave after another, their emotions had been completely stirred, rising and falling with Asher's every move.

Too stunned to speak.

If anything needed to be said… awesome!

Only these two words could describe their current feelings.

"Waaah! Little Drogo, you lost so badly!" The battle ended, and Vicky threw himself toward the dragon lizard Little Dragon.

With a clatter, he rummaged through the potions he carried and quickly found an antidote, treating the dragon lizard Little Dragon's purple-tinged poisoned wounds.

Asher, on the other hand, picked up the Cat Worm: "Well done!"

Not only had it defeated a stronger opponent, but it also comprehended a new skill during the battle.

Although the skill looked slightly… um, indescribable, its power was undeniable.

Asher was delighted.

A head rub, a hug, and a high lift, all in one.

The Cat Worm wiggled its seven little legs happily in Asher's arms. Its chaotic eyes sparkled with joy, and its cat-like mouth curved into a wide grin.

"Mewo~"

"Mewo~ Meow~"

'This dragon is just that amazing!'

'No, it's not a dragon!'

The dragon lizard, who should have been unconscious, twitched instinctively upon hearing the Cat Worm's voice.

Asher: "…"

Asher patted the Cat Worm's head: "Alright, didn't you already win? A dragon should be magnanimous."

Cat Worm: ╭(╯^╰)╮

Little Raven extended her wing.

The Cat Worm instinctively looked shocked before Little Raven gently patted its head with her wing.

Little Raven: 'Not bad!'

'Well done!'

'You upheld the name of Bird Big Sister!'

'You're Bird's little sister, after all!'

'If you lost to those defeated by Bird in the past, wouldn't that bring shame to Bird?'

Although meant as a compliment, it carried a tsundere tone coming from Little Raven.

Asher chuckled helplessly.

"Alright, alright."

"Both Little Raven and the Cat Worm did great."

Little Raven: (　`～´)

Cat Worm: （≧ω≦)

'That's right!'

'Exactly like that!'

Sitting in the audience, watching this battle unfold, were the students of No. 11 High School.

"..."

Glancing at Asher, who had a bird in his left hand and a cat in his right hand, comforting them, and then at Vicky, who was hugging his drake lizard and wailing, everyone's feelings were extremely complicated.

"Senior Asher... is really amazing."

"And that pet beast of his, whatever species it is, also seems really powerful... That's a dragon lizard. A mid-high-rank beast, which is considered the pinnacle of what ordinary people could even dream of encountering."

"So, what ranks are Senior's two pets? Could they be high-rank?"

"No way! Oriental Peacock's rank is only low-mid at most, and even after evolving, it would top out at mid-high rank."

"But if they aren't, doesn't that make him even more incredible?"

... Indeed, that was the case.

The battle between Asher and Vicky had come to an end.

But on the day of the hundred Days Oath Assembly, the storm and impact Asher brought to No. 11 High School were far from over.

The Ripple Effect

The most obvious impact was on the senior-year beastmaster class.

Everyone in that class was a prospective beastmaster.

Some had already officially become beastmasters.

They had always harbored a bit of pride and arrogance about their status.

Until they saw Asher's effortless demeanor in his battle against Vicky and the crushing outcome... The tiny, budding pride in their hearts was instantly shattered to pieces.

Gone.

Pride?

They couldn't even muster any pride.

Think about Asher.

He's not only hailed by the NY City Beastmaster Alliance as a once-in-a-century genius researcher of beast evolution, but also a powerful beastmaster.

He's genuinely excelling in both areas.

He even got guaranteed admission.

Now think about themselves.

Have they achieved even one of these three points?

No?

Then there's no reason to be proud. It's better to focus on improving oneself and planning for the future.

Even Ronnie, who used to enjoy picking fights, calmed down after witnessing Asher's strength firsthand.

When he passed by Vicky, he no longer hurled insults at him like before, igniting a fire that often ended in the two of them fighting.

Now, when Ronnie walked past Vicky, he would at most let out a heavy "hmph" before moving on.

Ronnie had changed.

Vicky wasn't used to it.

When Ronnie walked past him again, delivering another heavy "hmph," Vicky finally couldn't hold back and said to Ronnie, "Seriously? All you do is 'hmph, hmph, hmph.' Did a pig possess you? Even pigs don't 'hmph' as much as you do."

Surely Ronnie would be angry now, right?

But to Vicky's surprise, Ronnie just glared at him fiercely and then stormed off without a word.

Vicky: "!"

Vicky whipped his head around to look at his gang of friends, his face full of horror. "Ronnie's totally possessed. I said that to him, and he didn't even start a fight with me?"

"Are you some kind of masochist or what?" One of his friends rolled their eyes at him. "He's seen the light and isn't targeting you anymore. Isn't that a good thing?"

"No, no, no! Ronnie must be plotting something... I've figured it out." Vicky shook his head, then suddenly looked enlightened, pounding his left hand into his right. "He must've found out that Asher gave me a full plan for getting stronger last night, so now he doesn't dare take me on directly."

"Hah!"

"He's scared!"

His friends: "..."

Their fists were clenching.

Why were they even friends with this narcissist Vicky?

Oh, right.

Because they were birds of a feather.

If it were them, they'd probably do the same thing.

Not far away, Ronnie, who overheard Vicky's self-congratulatory nonsense, also rolled his eyes.

"Hmph! I won't fall behind either."

A Shift in Perspective

Watching yesterday's battle had deeply shocked Ronnie.

It wasn't just because Asher used the catapillar to defeat Vicky's drake lizard.

More importantly...

Ronnie realized just how far apart he and Asher truly were.

Just when he thought he was far ahead of his peers, armed with a powerful pet beast, Asher's performance proved him wrong—

Not even close.

Ronnie's Thunderfang Tiger was still only a high third-rank, with a significant gap before breaking through to the fourth rank.

But Asher's "Little Raven"... the mutated Oriental Peacock that had already defeated all the class's pets before evolving... Its strength had undoubtedly surpassed the fourth rank after evolution.

Recalling the overwhelming presence from yesterday, which even made Thunderfang Tiger tremble, Ronnie suspected Little Raven might've reached the fifth rank.

This wasn't mere speculation.

The sheer aura it exuded was undeniable.

And Asher had already contracted a second pet beast. Its strength was at mid-third rank and easily defeated Vicky's fourth-rank drake lizard.

Even Ronnie couldn't beat Vicky that easily. Their matches were usually a 60-40 split, with Vicky having the upper hand.

While Ronnie was reluctant to admit it, both Asher and Vicky had far surpassed him.

Similar thoughts plagued others, like Jenny.

"Asher is incredible..." Jenny murmured as her best friend chattered about yesterday's events. Her mind kept replaying Asher's words from yesterday.

'Genius... Is innate talent always so dazzling?'

Jenny, who always thought she had decent family support and luck, now felt a twinge of uncertainty about her future.

How should she move forward on this path?

"Asher… is so amazing…" July muttered as she kept her head down, quickly finishing today's homework. From time to time, she would recall the match she watched yesterday.

Effortless and carefree.

Passionate and thrilling.

A new chapter of the world had opened before her eyes—turns out, one's family background, whether humble or noble, wouldn't determine the course of their future.

Perhaps she couldn't shine as brightly as Asher.

After all.

A genius like Asher, dazzling like the sun hanging in the sky, was the kind of figure that only appeared once in an era.

July felt that as long as she worked hard and remained sincere, even if she couldn't achieve the same heights as Asher, just barely trailing behind the sun, being able to look up at it at any time, would already be enough.

"Beast Evolution Major… Bebe, give me your best!" July released her Honeybug and whispered to it.

"Ying~"

The Honeybug let out a soft cry, rubbing its body gently against July's finger.

In the classroom filled with a mixture of beast scents, the Honeybug wasn't overly frightened. It just moved closer to July, shrinking most of its body into her embrace.

———

"I'm mad!" June exclaimed, sitting on the sofa, furiously typing on her phone. She was moving her hands so fast they almost seemed to leave afterimages, all because she'd just heard about what happened during the 11th High School hundred Days Oath Assembly last week.

Her father, Harry, had finally taken a break to visit home since June was on vacation for her upcoming college entrance exams. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw her puffed-up and angry like a balloon about to explode.

Harry chuckled, saying, "My little darling, you finally have a break. Why are you still so upset?"

June didn't answer, staring intensely at her phone as if her gaze could bore a hole through it.

Ivy, standing nearby, laughed and explained, "Um… It's because of Asher…"

She briefly summarized the events of the 11th High School's hundred Days Oath Assembly, including the match between Asher and Vicky.

Even from a verbal account, one could imagine how thrilling it must have been.

However.

Other than the students of 11th High School, no one else had the privilege to witness it firsthand.

These past two days, during the holiday, anyone who had friends at 11th High School would flock to their houses, begging for detailed retellings of the events.

"Asher's Oriental Peacock has evolved?" Harry exclaimed, surprised. "And it's on a new evolution path?"

Harry could hardly believe it.

As a professor at the Advanced Academy of Beast Taming, Harry had access to much more information about Asher than the average person.

He was well aware that last year, Asher not only discovered a new evolution path for the Fire Fox but also recently helped a professor in Bluestone City solve a critical issue in their research project.

Excluding the accidental discovery of the Honeybug evolution path, Asher had verifiably discovered two new evolution paths for beasts.

This was already a monumental feat.

And Asher was still so young, with boundless potential for the future.

If the Oriental Peacock's new evolution path were added to the list… Harry couldn't help but wonder, what kind of genius was this?

The NY City Beast Taming Alliance's claims of him being a once-in-a-century genius didn't do him justice.

This was clearly the most extraordinary figure in the entire 1,200-year history of Beast Tamers!

"Are there any photos?" Harry eagerly asked.

Ivy shook her head.

Harry immediately turned to June, "Little June, did Asher reply to your message? Can you ask him for a picture of Little Raven's evolved form for me?"

He was genuinely curious.

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