Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

[T/N: https://www.patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator/redeem/AB500 my BIRTHDAY GIFT to you all. By the way, 20 people can claim it so Don't Be Selfish and do something shady, enjoy yourself and let others enjoy it too. Enjoy~ 🥳🥳🥳 ]

"...What's going on?"

The two-headed snake wouldn't attack without its master's command.

'Could it be…'

The strange man squinted his murky eyes. "Is it that Oriental Peacock?"

Eliminating all impossibilities, no matter how shocking the remaining possibility is, it must be the truth.

The man laughed again.

Compared to when he first encountered Little Raven, his excitement and joy now seemed more genuine. "Good! The stronger this Oriental Peacock is, the better."

"I'll find a black market appraiser. Maybe I can sell it for a great price."

When Little Raven woke up again, it found itself trapped in a tiny cage, barely big enough to turn around.

Its cage was placed inside a much larger cage at the back.

Beside it was a young boy with his hands and feet tied together.

Little Raven compared in its mind, 'Hmm, about the same age as the Beastmaster, but not as handsome.'

Little Raven thought confidently.

The boy across from it had clear, crystalline eyes. Noticing Little Raven's gaze, he assumed the bird was asking for help.

"I'm sorry—"

Bound hand and foot, the boy wriggled like a caterpillar toward Little Raven. His hoarse voice could barely make a sound.

"I can't even save myself…"

Looking pitiful, the boy continued, "But since that poacher locked you up with me, you must be worth a lot, huh?"

Little Raven: "???"

'Wait a minute! Beastmaster!'

'What's up with this guy?'

'Why does he sound so punchable?'

Little Raven's little black bean eyes showed contempt.

"Do you want to form a contract with me?" The boy didn't understand Little Raven's expression and kept muttering, "Let me tell you a secret. I can already contract a second Beast, but the poacher doesn't know that, hehe…"

As he spoke, he let out a low, silly laugh.

"He injected me with a Mental Sea Sealing Serum, so I can't release my Baby Dragon to attack him," the boy whispered, getting closer to Little Raven. "But the serum only stops contracted creatures from emerging from my mental sea; it can't block forming a contract with external creatures."

"If we form a contract, the serum's effects will disappear. Then, with you and Baby Dragon together, we might have a chance to escape."

The boy's eyes sparkled like stars as he looked at Little Raven, as if pleading: 'Agree, come on, agree!'

Little Raven: 'MAD!'

The boy grew anxious when Little Raven didn't move, trying to nudge its cage with his head.

"Hiss—"

The two-headed snake slithered out of nowhere with a fluid motion, its two heads splitting apart—one glaring at the boy, the other at Little Raven.

The boy shut his eyes in terror.

Little Raven, much smaller than the snake's eyes combined, stubbornly stared back with its little bean eyes.

The snake opened its bloody maw, thrusting one head toward Little Raven, as if ready to swallow it whole.

Little Raven instinctively recalled the excruciating pain of being bitten by the snake's fangs and injected with venom.

Little Raven: "..."

'Damn it!'

It had miscalculated. Despite its passive skill advantages, it forgot that venomous Beasts are immune to their own kind's poison.

The end result? The two-headed snake wasn't hurt much.

Instead, the poisonous mist became its feast, and its venom was injected into Little Raven's body.

As if recalling the recent events, the snake's long tongue flicked onto Little Raven again, as if provoking: 'Come on! Let's go again!'

Little Raven shut its eyes in despair.

Little Raven: 'I'm tainted!'

'Beastmaster! Save the bird! Save the bird!'

'The snake's saliva is so filthy and stinky!'

Little Raven: (╥﹏╥)

———

Asher and Lara quickly spotted the strange man's trail.

Lara deduced his identity from the scent alone.

"He's a poacher!"

Following the scent, Lara found the last place Little Raven disappeared. The area was rife with a mix of Beast scents, with only one human smell.

Careful observation revealed drag marks from metal cages on the ground.

In one or two more days, these traces would naturally fade.

But since Asher and Lara were chasing Little Raven, they noticed immediately.

Asher's face darkened upon hearing the word.

Poachers—an illegal black-market profession. Their trade went beyond simply hunting Beasts.

Why would anyone buy from poachers when legitimate means of contracting Beasts existed, like wild battles?

Simple: contracting wild Beasts is risky.

Creatures bred and raised by the Alliance's beast reproduction facilities or breeding houses were already somewhat tame. Unless provoked, they rarely attacked humans.

After contracting them, they were easier to train and bond with.

But wild Beasts were different.

Friendly ones like birds, bees, or sprouting flowers could coexist in human environments.

Their personalities were manageable.

But capturing a strong, rare Beast in the wild? That required entering forbidden zones.

Beasts from forbidden zones weren't your average creatures. They lived in harsh, competitive environments. The weak became snacks for the strong.

To contract one, you had to defeat it—personally.

The stronger the creature, the tougher the battle.

This ensured it submitted willingly.

Assisted victories often resulted in rebellious, unruly creatures. Stronger ones could even break free from their Beastmaster's mental sea.

If that happened, both the creature and the Beastmaster suffered greatly.

In short: handle only what you're capable of.

Have the money? Buy a tame one.

Have the skill? Earn submission.

Otherwise, forget contracting a strong creature.

But poachers provided a shortcut for those lacking money or strength.

Drug them, capture them, sell them at a fraction of the cost.

For example, Vicky's Dragon Lizard.

A breeding house would charge over 30 million yuan, potentially more for better traits.

But a poacher sold it for just under 6 million.

No nurturing, no service, no warranty. Just a live creature delivered.

That's it.

But poachers also provided drugs to suppress the creatures, turning them into obedient puppets.

Despite the drawbacks—limited effectiveness, dependency, and eventual resistance—buyers took the risk.

Asher sneered at their blind optimism.

For him, saving Little Raven was the priority.

"That poacher must still be within the Forbidden Zone's range," Asher's gaze turned cold as his mind raced. "He can't just smuggle Beasts out directly."

Disguising his departure would take time.

Or perhaps he planned to complete a transaction within the Forbidden Zone itself, which would also require time.

"Take photos, gather evidence, and figure out a way to contact the school and the Alliance immediately." Asher pulled out his phone and began to act quickly.

Lara hurried to join him in taking photos.

The longer they delayed, the greater the danger to Little Raven.

Asher couldn't afford to gamble.

When Asher attempted to send the photos, two large words appeared on his phone screen: "Failed."

Asher's expression turned colder.

The Forbidden Zone usually had a normal signal.

'This situation...'

'It must be that poacher using some kind of signal-blocking device.'

"Damn it! The message won't send!"

"Should I crush the distress beacon? But normally, the security team would only send a few people, and they wouldn't be a match for that poacher." Lara cursed.

A poacher daring to act alone probably had the strength of at least a Second-tier Beast Master.

If the security team only sent a handful of people, how could they possibly be a match?

They might as well be delivering themselves to their deaths.

While Lara was anxious, Asher's mind grew even calmer.

'Is there another way...'

'The Purple Item, the Lucky Four-Leaf Clover Badge!'

A flash of inspiration struck Asher's mind like lightning.

Last time, using just a quarter of its power had allowed him to find the Twin Flame Condensing Grass.

Asher quickly pretended to take out the Lucky Four-Leaf Clover Badge from his backpack (actually using his innate skill), and even before he could put it into his pocket, the warmth emanating from the badge in his palm was undeniable.

It wasn't hot enough to burn, but Asher was sure he wasn't imagining things—this time, the heat was even greater than last time.

Asher: "!?"

'What the hell!'

Taking a deep breath, Asher stuffed the Lucky Four-Leaf Clover Badge into his pocket and tried again to send the message.

Somewhere, the air seemed to lag for a second. The signal flickered briefly.

The message to President Robb successfully sent.

[President Robb: ?]

[President Robb: !]

The signal vanished again in the next moment.

But this time, Asher calmly put his phone away.

As long as President Robb received the message, the official Alliance would act immediately.

"I need you to do something very important," Asher turned to Lara with a serious expression.

"Tell me!"

"Go back immediately, as fast as you can, and report what's happening here to the school. Bring a few strong people who can handle that guy."

Lara quickly replied, "What about you? Will you wait here? Why not come with me?"

"Don't worry about me. The buffer zone is relatively safe. Generally, I won't encounter any significant danger," Asher said with a calmness that exceeded Lara's expectations.

Seeing Lara still trying to persuade him, Asher added, "You'll be faster alone than if you brought me. Don't waste any more time. The sooner, the better. I'll be fine."

Lara's face showed a hint of hesitation.

But Asher's reasoning made sense.

"Take care of yourself. I'll bring reinforcements as quickly as possible." Lara said, then activated her skill and vanished like a gust of wind within three seconds.

Once alone, Asher exhaled a long breath.

He knew Lara had left so quickly partly because the situation was urgent and partly because she assumed he couldn't possibly catch up with the poacher alone.

Staying in the buffer zone usually meant no significant danger.

However...

Asher had no intention of just sitting there.

He knew his own limits.

With Little Raven captured and Lara gone, trying to rescue Little Raven from a second-tier Beast Master with his current strength would be a joke.

But was he an ordinary person?

Of course not!

Asher squinted.

Why rely on strength?

He was a man with cheats.

Silently, Asher pulled out another Lucky Four-Leaf Clover, the one he had drawn last time.

Double Luck Buff.

Time to stack the Luck Armor to the max.

Next was the Purple Item Advanced Shield, capable of withstanding one strike from an Beast below Tier 6. A second-tier Beast Master's strongest beast was at most Tier 5 peak. Using this item would let him take a gamble.

Then there was the Purple Item Teleportation Scroll, allowing teleportation near a known person or Beast, though with some margin of error.

Finally, the Purple Item Advanced Disguise Potion, which could make him appear as another person for 24 hours.

As he pulled out the last item, Asher hesitated for two seconds.

Disguise... Who should he disguise himself as?

A high-tier Alliance Beast Master?

Disguising appearance wasn't an issue, and it might even scare the poacher.

But Asher could only disguise appearance, not the beasts accompanying them. The moment the poacher made a move, his cover would be blown.

The disguise had to make sense, avoid detection, and delay the poacher as much as possible...

Yes.

Asher's ultimate goal wasn't to fight the poacher head-on—it was just to buy time.

To ensure that when the Beast Master Alliance and school reinforcements arrived, the poacher hadn't yet escaped.

After careful consideration, Asher decided on his disguise.

A flash of light.

Asher disappeared from his original spot.

———

The poacher was counting the Beasts he had captured, a smug smile on his face.

"Heh heh!"

"A wolf cub, a tiger cub, a baby dragon, and that bird I picked up along the way. Not a bad haul this time."

As predicted, the poacher was a second-tier Beast Master.

His contract beasts had reached a bottleneck; both the Twin-headed Snake and the Charging Rock Ram were stuck at peak tier five and couldn't break through. Similarly, his mental sea couldn't expand to open a third beast slot.

Due to his innate limitations, the poacher had been stuck at the threshold of a second-tier Beast Tamer for quite a while.

But he wasn't willing to accept this.

Being a second-tier Beast Tamer might grant a decent societal standing, with many companies offering high-paying jobs.

However, if he wanted to climb higher and become a more formidable Beast Tamer, just working wouldn't earn him the resources he needed for a breakthrough, neither for himself nor for his beasts.

Thus, he decided to take a darker path.

What's that saying again?

All the methods of making money are written in the criminal code.

The same applies to the Beast Management Law.

Breaking the law? As long as you're careful not to get caught, it doesn't count as breaking the law.

At first, he was cautious, catching only one Beast at a time and immediately trading it with buyers within forbidden zones, fearing the Alliance might detect his movements.

Gradually, as he got to know more like-minded people and underground routes, his boldness grew.

Now, he would capture two or three creatures in one go, allowing him to rest for three to five months without needing to take risks again.

Moreover, low-tier Beasts no longer interested him.

At the very least, he had to catch a mid-tier Beast. Ideally, he could capture a dragon-type creature—that would fetch an astronomical price.

This time, he'd successfully captured a dragon-type… Although it was already contracted, that wasn't a big deal. A contract could be forcibly broken.

At most, the original owner would end up crippled or brain-dead.

As long as the dragon-type wasn't affected, that was all that mattered.

Adding to that, he'd caught a mutated Beast this time. With that unique skill, he could certainly fetch a high price.

All he needed now was to leave the area quickly, meet with his contact, and complete the deal. Then he'd strike it rich.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Grabbing the curved horns of the Charging Rock Ram, he nearly started jumping for joy on its back.

Then his body suddenly froze.

'Wait… hold on!'

'Is that someone up ahead?'

The poacher's nerves immediately tightened.

'Why would someone be here?'

He didn't use this path often, always choosing a different route through the forbidden zones to avoid detection. The last time he used this path was a year ago.

The buffer zones had fewer people and Beasts.

Occasionally, university students would pass through.

As long as he avoided them, there was no risk of encountering anyone else. Traveling through the buffer zone was generally the safest option, which was why they'd chosen the rendezvous point near the eastern buffer-zone exit.

Who was this person…?

The poacher immediately prepared to have his Twin-headed Snake launch an attack.

But before he could act, the figure seemed to notice him and slowly turned in his direction. The poacher froze on the spot.

That face… that figure…

The poacher's cloudy eyes instantly lit up with a strange glint.

A beauty.

And not just that—he noticed she had no Beast or contracted beast by her side.

While the buffer zone wasn't particularly dangerous, any Beast Tamer would typically keep their beasts close.

Unless this beauty was just an ordinary person.

Countless thoughts flashed through the poacher's mind. Ultimately, it was that face—one no man could resist—and her curvaceous figure that made him hesitate to act immediately.

"...Who are you?" The poacher cautiously kept his distance from the lone beauty in a white lab coat, not moving a step closer.

Yet his eyes remained glued to her, scanning her up and down.

The beauty, who was actually Asher disguised as Professor Iris, cursed lightly in his heart.

'Damn it!'

He knew it—no man could resist the allure of a beautiful woman.

Especially one who appeared to be defenseless.

'Amen.'

Asher inwardly knocked on an imaginary electronic wooden fish.

Surely Professor Iris would understand, right?

After all, who could refuse a stunning, black-stocking-clad femme fatale?

"You must be the merchant, right?" Asher mimicked Professor Iris's usual demeanor, casually slipping a hand into his pocket and raising his head with an air of cold arrogance. "A friend told me I could buy satisfactory Beasts from you."

"I heard you'd pass through here, so I waited specially."

'Hmm? A buyer?'

Hearing this, the poacher visibly relaxed a bit.

"Who told you that? I've never made my whereabouts public." The poacher wasn't entirely brainless, though his tone softened slightly, and he refrained from immediate action.

This was precisely what Asher wanted.

As long as they talked, as long as the conversation continued, he could stall until the Alliance arrived.

"I have my channels. Besides, your movements aren't exactly a secret." Asher mastered the art of ambiguity, saying, "You sell to anyone, right? Why interrogate me about my identity?"

"Is this how you do business?" he sneered coldly. "Maybe I should warn others about you."

The disdainful expression on Professor Iris's face was particularly impactful, prompting the poacher to shut up immediately.

And so did Asher—barely holding back his laughter.

He had to admit, the Advanced Disguise Card was truly effective. It didn't just alter his face but transformed his entire appearance, including his voice.

It wasn't a total transformation but more like a realistic shell over his actual body. The same applied to his voice, which required conscious control to avoid slipping up.

Asher reminded himself: 'Stay calm. Keep it together.'

"Are you a Beast Tamer? Then why don't you have a beast with you?" The poacher's doubts persisted despite his partial belief in Asher's story.

Asher: 'Because you snatched my beast, you blind fool.'

"I'm not a Beast Tamer," Asher shamelessly lied. "Who told you I'm buying Beasts for a contract?"

"You're not? Then why do you need Beasts?" The poacher, who had just started to relax, became wary again.

"You're not here to entrap me, are you?"

'Alliance agents, lying in wait?'

The poacher glanced around nervously but saw no third party. Only then did he feel marginally safer.

Emboldened by his disguise as Iris, Asher couldn't resist mocking him. "Entrap you? You?"

He rolled his eyes at the poacher.

Even the beauty's stunning appearance couldn't distract the poacher from Asher's blatant disdain.

"I'm a scholar, a professor. Why do you think I'm buying Beasts?"

The red lips of this 'woman' curved slightly, but her words sent a chill down the poacher's spine.

He scrutinized her carefully once more.

'Hmm… come to think of it, she does seem familiar.'

The lab coat, the demeanor—wasn't she someone he'd seen in a magazine or news report?

Her identity as a professor seemed plausible.

The poacher suddenly understood.

This professor was probably conducting some illegal experiments behind the scenes. That's why she sought him out, wanting to purchase Beasts for torturous experiments.

Looking at it this way… they were kindred spirits.

The poacher relaxed completely, even flashing a sleazy smile.

"So that's how it is."

He grinned and said, "Alright, Professor, what kind of Beast are you looking for?"

"I've got a white wolf cub, a steel-tailed tiger cub, a mutated Oriental Peacock, and a baby dragon."

"But the baby dragon's contract will take some work. If you want it, you'll have to wait for me to break the contract first."

Negotiating with the poacher, Asher walked closer to inspect the cages pulled by the Charging Rock Ram.

A meter-tall tiger cub and wolf cub were confined separately in two cages.

In the last cage lay a boy with clear yet foolish eyes. When their gazes met, his face turned red, then he glared at Asher with righteous fury.

A look of contempt, as if he saw Asher as if he saw Asher as the most despicable villain.

Asher: "?"

He reasonably suspected that this boy had some very inappropriate thoughts in his head.

But Asher didn't care.

His gaze finally shifted to the cage holding Little Raven.

The tiny bird was tightly bound, its wings and legs tied together, unable to move.

Only its black beady eyes darted around in all directions.

The moment it locked eyes with Asher, its small body trembled.

Little Raven: !!!∑(Дノ)ノ

'W-wait a minute!'

'This... isn't this that someone?'

'But... something seems off'

The bird seemed to sense the aura of a Beast Master.

'Where's the Beast Master?'

Little Raven's pair of black beady eyes whirled around, trying to locate Asher from "Iris's" side.

'No one.'

'Nowhere at all.'

Just as Little Raven looked back at "Iris" again, a creeping figure blocked its view.

Looking at the creeping figure's back, Little Raven was utterly confused.

'What?'

'What is this person trying to do?'

'Why are they blocking the bird's line of sight?'

Asher was also puzzled.

'What?'

This silly-looking boy with a clear and naive gaze stood in front of Little Raven, with an expression as if Asher was about to eat Little Raven.

'What is that supposed to mean?'

'Is this person simply locked in with Little Raven by chance, rather than being Little Raven's Beast Master?'

Asher nodded inwardly.

'Hmm.'

'I am clearly Little Raven's Beast Master.'

'There is no way this guy have anything to do with Little Raven.'

'But why is that guy acting like he is Little Raven's rightful owner?'

Asher was baffled.

"This person is Baby Dragon's Beast Master," Asher said confidently.

"I just got lucky." The poacher thought Asher was talking to him and nodded with a slightly smug tone. "This kid wanted to play the hero the moment he met me. I thought he was something impressive, but it turned out he's just a rookie Beast Master."

"He didn't last a second before I dealt with him."

The poacher laughed heartily, his tone full of disdain for the boy.

The boy's face flushed bright red.

"…Damn it! Don't get cocky; karma will catch up with you." He then glared at Asher, his voice low and filled with gritted teeth. "And you, venomous beauty. You'll get your comeuppance too."

Asher: "…"

'Amitabha.'

'Professor, please forgive me.'

Asher's heart was calm as still water.

"What's the deal with this Oriental Peacock? So small—are you sure it's a Oriental Peacock?" Asher ignored the boy's words and turned slightly to ask the poacher.

The poacher clearly didn't suspect Asher was stalling for time.

Seeing Asher's serious demeanor, as if genuinely interested in trading, he enthusiastically began introducing the bird.

"…Here's the thing. I suspect this Oriental Peacock is a mutant, with considerable potential."

The poacher focused on explaining Little Raven's displayed passive skills.

"If you're not in a hurry, I can get it appraised at the identification center before you decide to buy."

"I'll take a closer look first." Asher leaned forward as if to inspect, then suddenly seemed to remember something and looked at the poacher. "Is that okay?"

The poacher hesitated for two seconds. "Fine, but be quick."

The poacher thought to himself that "Iris" might genuinely be a proper professor who wanted to finalize the deal discreetly, without the Alliance catching wind.

...Seeing as "Iris" was a top-tier beauty, a little leniency didn't seem unreasonable.

After all, with the Two-Headed Snake guarding, nothing could go wrong.

Asher smiled faintly, unsurprised, and walked leisurely toward the cage holding Little Raven and the boy.

The advantage of disguising as Iris lay right here.

Though it wouldn't make men immediately fall to their knees, who wouldn't show a bit more patience and tolerance when dealing with a beauty?

Asher gracefully approached the cage, crouched down, bypassed the boy, and locked eyes with Little Raven.

'Little Raven.'

Asher opened his mouth without making a sound, merely mouthing the words.

At such close range, their eyes met.

Little Raven finally recognized…

'Beast Master!'

'This is the bird's Beast Master!'

Little Raven's pupils quaked again.

'What is happening?'

'The bird had only been separated from the Beast Master for less than an hour, and now the Beast Master had undergone gender reassignment and plastic surgery?'

For nearly two minutes, human and bird just stared at each other.

"Done looking?" the poacher urged from the other side.

"Well… I'm interested in this Oriental Peacock. I'll take it. Can I take it out for a closer look?" Asher stood up, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

The impatient poacher hesitated for a moment when he saw the cool beauty smile softly.

"Uh… Sure."

For a moment, the poacher's head was a little foggy. He thought, since the pretty professor had decided to buy it, letting her inspect the goods beforehand shouldn't be a big deal.

After all, the small cage wasn't even unlocked yet.

She couldn't escape alone.

The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. He let Asher inspect the goods.

The Two-Headed Snake carried the key to Asher. With slight distaste, Asher used the saliva-coated key to unlock the cage and held Little Raven in his arms.

He left the cage door open; the boy inside wouldn't be able to escape anyway.

Just as Little Raven was about to use its eyes to beg affectionately from Asher, it suddenly froze.

'Wait… This sensation…'

Little Raven's black beady eyes fell onto Asher's chest.

"Miss, is there anything else?" The poacher seemed to have reached the limit of his patience. He clicked his tongue and anxiously asked, "If not, let's finalize the deal quickly!"

Asher's expression remained stoic.

But internally, he was already cursing.

Hadn't he stalled long enough by now?

Why hadn't the school or the Alliance made their move yet?

'Just a little longer…'

"How much? Name your price." Asher's heart was racing, but his face betrayed nothing.

Lucky Clover, oh Lucky Clover.

If you don't activate your invincible luck now, I'm really going to lose it.

"One and a half million!"

"Too expensive. A Oriental Peacock costs about three million on the market. My friend told me your black market prices for Beasts are a fifth of the market rate," Asher said, feigning anger. "What's this? Trying to scam me?"

"How can this Oriental Peacock be compared to ordinary ones?"

Talking about price got the poacher fired up. He forgot all about leaving and argued passionately. Pricing had to be clear—his business relied on reputation.

"This is a mutant Oriental Peacock. Mutant Beasts are naturally worth double their usual price. If this bird were on the market, it'd be worth at least six million."

"And I'm only asking for one and a half million—you should be thanking me."

"Fifty thousand. This Oriental Peacock's mutation isn't favorable, so it should be discounted."

"Bullshit! One and a half million, not a penny less."

"If you don't believe me, I can point it out for you."

Back and forth, the two argued for ages. The poacher's face turned red with anger, while Asher remained calm and composed.

Meanwhile, the boy slowly inching toward the cage's edge froze mid-crawl, stunned by what he overheard.

Somehow… The boy felt something was off.

This venomous beauty… didn't seem like they were actually buying this Oriental Peacock?

Even a naive boy like him sensed it.

Let alone the much sharper poacher.

It was only the beauty's charm and the lure of money that had clouded his judgment, leading him to argue with Asher for so long.

Abruptly, the poacher stopped.

He realized something was wrong.

He widened his eyes and pointed a trembling finger at Asher. "You… You're toying with me, aren't you?"

Asher curved his lips into a slight smile.

"I was wondering when you'd notice." Asher stepped back two paces.

Just a couple more steps, and he'd be inside the cage.

At that moment—

A thunderous shout came from a distance—

"Poacher! You're surrounded!"

"Raise your hands! Stop resisting!"

"Or don't blame us for what happens next!"

Several deep voices overlapped, echoing from all directions and closing in on the poacher.

Moreover, several powerful auras locked onto the area.

Inside the cage, the drugged Little White Wolf and Steel-Tailed Tiger quivered under the oppressive aura, curling into trembling balls while emitting faint whimpers.

The poacher's eyes widened in rage.

In that instant, he finally understood.

It was a trap.

The appearance of "Iris" was a trap.

It was meant to stall for time, keeping him trapped here so the fifth-tier Beast Masters stationed at the city walls could arrive in time to capture him.

"Two-Headed Snake, venomous gas!"

Asher quickly retreated into the iron cage and slammed the cage door shut behind him.

He couldn't let the Two-Headed Snake bite him.

At the same time, Asher was cursing the poacher and his entire family in his mind.

'Damn it!'

'Seriously, damn it!'

He hadn't expected it to be an area-wide toxic gas attack.

Asher wasn't sure if the advanced protective shield could completely block this wave of poisonous gas.

Thankfully...

The purple-grade item, second only to gold-grade, worked even better than Asher had expected.

The blackish-purple toxic mist wrapped around the iron cage, but Asher's body emitted a faint white light from inside out, blocking all the poisonous gases completely.

Since he couldn't break through the small cage that trapped Little Raven, and couldn't retrieve Little Raven into his Beast Space, Asher could only hold Little Raven tightly in his arms to shield it from the harm of the toxic mist.

One person and one bird were both fine.

The one in trouble... turned out to be the other boy inside the cage.

Asher: "..."

It was just... a little bit his fault.

If he hadn't run to this place, the poisonous mist wouldn't have enveloped the boy too.

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