Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

[🎉 Shoutout to Andreas for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗]

Drake also looked at Asher in surprise.

'Huh?'

'This boy and girl, who still looked like high school students, are already official Beast Tamers?'

'Seriously?'

'Great potential!'

Drake's gaze toward Asher and June grew increasingly fervent.

Drake couldn't contain his excitement.

Vicky, on the other hand, was thoroughly disappointed.

The 4v4 wasn't happening anymore.

He cast a pitiful glance at Ivy. If worse came to worst... maybe a doubles match would do?

Ivy waved her hands frantically. "Not me, no way!"

Vicky retracted his gaze in deeper disappointment.

Since the girl had refused so strongly, he couldn't possibly force her.

If it were Asher, still a trainee Beast Tamer, rejecting him like that, Vicky might've clung to Asher's leg, begging until the mountains were submerged. But now Asher was an official Beast Tamer.

"I actually have an official Beast Tamer on my side too, but it'll only be 1v1. Are you interested, little brother?" Drake's fiery gaze landed on Asher.

Asher: "?"

"If you win, we can even give you a brand-new automatic pet grooming and fur-care device from the Red Sea Group."

"You're talking about... me?" Asher pointed to his nose, unsure.

Drake nodded repeatedly. "Yes, exactly you."

"Well... this..." Asher hesitated, wanting to refuse.

He wasn't interested in the New Year's event at this training ground at all; he'd only come to accompany June.

So he decisively threw the question back to June. "Do you want to fight?"

"Yes!"

Unlike Asher's hesitation, June agreed decisively.

"That's an automatic pet grooming and fur-care device." June's eyes sparkled as she spoke. "It's a limited edition. I couldn't even get one during the pre-sale a few days ago. And you're giving it away as a prize?"

"The fur of the Fire Fox Queen is just too overwhelming. I have to get that grooming device." June clenched her fists, flames seemingly igniting around her.

"That's actually our ultimate prize for this year's event. The trainee Beast Tamer who holds out to the end can win it," Drake laughed heartily from the side. "But since you're official Beast Tamers, if you can beat one of our club's Beast Tamers, I can still give you one."

After all, the club team wasn't short on money.

A Pet Beast grooming device wasn't cheap.

But if they could pick out some promising new members from among these trainee Beast Tamers, just one would make the prize worthwhile.

You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing some bait.

And as young official Beast Tamers, Asher and June were even more valuable investments.

Although Drake had higher hopes for Asher as a male, he wouldn't underestimate June either.

Since June was interested, Drake quickly assigned her an opponent. "Terence, your turn."

Drake waved his muscular arm toward the back, and a tall, thin figure quickly walked out.

"You'll fight this young lady. She's also an official Beast Tamer," Drake said, pointing at June and smiling at Terence.

The boy called Terence appeared tall and skinny, with medium-length hair covering his eyes. When he saw June, he gave a somewhat shy and bashful smile.

"Hi, my name is Terence Trail, a university student. You can just call me Terence," Terence said, looking even more embarrassed when he introduced his name.

"Brother Terence, your name is pretty interesting." June laughed cheerfully. "I'm June Parker. Feel free to call me by my full name. I'm a student from Ninth High School."

Standing nearby, Asher listened to their conversation and pondered for a moment.

"Tsk," Vicky sneaked over and nudged Asher's shoulder.

Asher glanced at Vicky, as if asking, What nonsense are you spouting now?

"Are you feeling a sense of crisis, thinking the girl might be stolen?" Vicky leaned closer and whispered. "If you step up now, it's not too late. Crush that Terence, and he won't dare flirt with June anymore."

Asher: "..."

"Can't you think of anything else besides this nonsense?" Asher said helplessly. "I just feel... this name seems a bit familiar."

Vicky didn't believe it. "Come on, how could it be? He's a rookie club trainee, never fought in a match. Plus, he's a college student. Where would you have met him?"

Hmm? Now that Vicky mentioned it... Asher suddenly remembered why it sounded familiar.

Terence.

A student from Bluewind University this year, who had taken Professor Iris's course. Asher had seen his name on the attendance sheet. The unique and peculiar name left a strong impression, especially since the student had skipped three months straight.

...At least for the pet evolution history course, Asher was sure he'd fail spectacularly.

Silently, Asher lit a candle in his heart for Terence.

But he also understood the likely reason behind Terence's absences— training with the club team.

Asher had no opinion on that.

He didn't judge without knowing the full picture. Maybe Terence was a dream-chaser, or maybe he had unique circumstances. As adults, people should know how to prioritize.

Asher didn't explain this to Vicky.

Instead, he watched as Terence and June drew their respective items for the match.

Terence got a pair of headphones, while June got a baseball cap.

Both were fairly decent draws.

"You can have your pets wear them directly; it shouldn't affect their movements too much." Vicky cheered excitedly.

But Ivy frowned slightly. "But June's big fox... can't wear a baseball cap, right?"

Asher stared at the baseball cap in June's hand for three seconds.

Vicky also thought of the Fire Fox Queen's stubborn, powerful ears.

"Uh... forcing it on should be... fine?" Vicky said uncertainly.

Reality proved otherwise.

It wasn't fine at all.

It turns out...

The problem was significant.

The hat couldn't fit on at all.

The Fire Fox Queen refused to wear something that didn't match its majestic temperament.

The only reason it hadn't burned it to ashes was because the Fire Fox Queen was obedient enough.

"Alright, alright, we won't put it on your head," June coaxed gently. "How about we hang it on your wrist instead?"

"Yip-yip~ Yip-yip-oo~"

The Fire Fox Queen let out a reluctant cry but eventually agreed, albeit grudgingly.

However, the Fire Fox Queen's "hands" were its forelimbs, thinner than a human's wrists.

Even if they managed to loop the back strap of the baseball cap around its wrist, the moment the Fire Fox Queen raised its arm, the cap slid down toward its underarm like it was on a slide.

Fire Fox Queen: "..."

June: "..."

"Hahaha!" Vicky laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, slapping Asher's shoulder repeatedly.

Asher: '...Can't stand it!'

He slapped back!

Even Ivy couldn't hold back and giggled softly, covering her mouth to avoid laughing too loudly for fear of provoking the Fire Fox Queen into a fit of rage.

But her trembling shoulders and the uncontrollable amusement in her eyes made it evident—she found it hilarious.

On the other hand, Terence, standing across from June, and Drake, watching from the stands, didn't laugh at all.

"Is this... the Fire Fox Queen, the latest evolution of Little Fire Fox?" Drake's expression turned grave.

He had heard the news over summer vacation.

He'd even seen photos of the Fire Fox Queen.

A fire-type royal beast, an Beast with high attack stats and an astonishingly stunning appearance.

From the moment Drake saw the first photo, he was sure that if a Beast Master with a Fire Fox Queen participated in competitions and their strength was even passable, they'd instantly become a star player in any club.

Drake had already reported his thoughts to the club, certain they'd cultivate a Fire Fox Queen Beast Master as soon as the evolution path was confirmed.

But now...

Here it was. A Fire Fox Queen.

And very likely... the first one bred by the scholar who discovered its evolutionary path.

What a sensational draw.

Previously uninterested in June, Drake's curiosity skyrocketed.

Terence, however, had a very different reaction. His lips tightened as he released his pet beast, a Tier 4 Advanced Blue Lotus Jade Flower.

The pale blue Blue Lotus Jade Flower emitted a sweet and pleasant scent, one that people typically couldn't dislike, whether or not they were fans of floral fragrances.

"I know about this one," Vicky said knowingly. "The scent isn't actually the flower's natural fragrance. It's a unique one that simulates the smell you most want to experience in your heart. Everyone perceives it differently."

Asher nodded in agreement. "Not only that, but the scent can lull an opponent's beast into letting down its guard without realizing it."

Having previously documented Jenny's Blue Lotus Jade Flower, Asher was familiar with this Beast.

But clearly, the headphones were too large for the Blue Lotus Jade Flower. Forced to hang around its neck, the headphones made the small creature look pitifully weak, as if it might collapse under their weight at any moment.

Even June, its opponent, felt a pang of sympathy for the little flower.

"Ah—it looks so pathetic and adorable." June whispered. "Fire Fox Queen, can we go a bit easier on it later?"

She couldn't help but think about how her Fire Fox Queen's fire attributes gave it a natural advantage over the Blue Lotus Jade Flower's wood-and-special attributes.

The Fire Fox Queen let out a couple of snorts.

Then...

The match began.

Under Terence's command, the Blue Lotus Jade Flower utilized its "disgusting strategy" style: Sleep Powder + Energy Ball + Flash Magic. The three skills repeated twice, leaving the Fire Fox Queen sound asleep and completely incapacitated.

June: "..."

Silence.

Long silence.

June was so mortified she didn't even want to remember what she had said earlier.

"My Blue Lotus Jade Flower is Tier 4 Advanced. It'll probably reach Tier 5 in half a year or so. Beating you is perfectly normal—don't feel bad," Terence said, scratching his nose with an awkward expression.

June choked up. "It was my carelessness... I forgot there's such a big gap even within Tier 4..."

Fortunately, the Fire Fox Queen hadn't sustained much damage. A single nutrient solution revived it on the spot.

When it woke up, the Fire Fox Queen looked confused, glancing around as if trying to figure out what had happened.

"Yip~?"

"Yip-oo~?"

'What?'

'How did I faint? What happened?'

'I hadn't even done anything yet.'

June patted the big fox's head. "We just weren't as skilled, alright?"

There was no need to debate borrowed tools or anything else.

The Blue Lotus Jade Flower had been stationary the whole time, and the heavy headphones hadn't significantly sapped its strength.

The Fire Fox Queen had fallen even faster—out cold in three seconds.

Resistance was futile.

"Ah, I guess I'll just have to keep waiting for pre-orders. The prize and I are fated to never meet." June sighed dramatically.

As she stepped off the competition stage, Drake approached eagerly, looking straight at June.

"Miss, would you be interested in joining our club team?"

"If you're willing, we can offer you an A-level contract right away. Normally, newcomers only get C-level or B-level contracts." Drake's fiery gaze lingered on the Fire Fox Queen behind June. "We can provide ample resources, as well as..."

Before he could finish, June waved him off. "No thanks, I'm not interested."

Drake opened his mouth to say more, but June suddenly remembered something, excitement lighting up her face as she turned to Asher. "How about you try instead?"

Asher wanted to refuse outright.

"If you win the prize, I'll buy it from you. Please?" June looked at him pleadingly. "It's my one and only dream. Grooming the big fox's fur is just too exhausting. I'm begging you."

When June wanted to act spoiled, she could do it masterfully.

Not to mention she roped the Fire Fox Queen into helping her beg.

The big fox's acting skills had been honed during its Little Fire Fox days. After its evolution, its talent had only improved.

What could Asher do?

Moreover... although Asher intentionally tried to hide his identity, at the very moment June's Fire Fox Queen appeared, many regulars at the training grounds locked their gazes onto Asher.

The scorching gaze seemed to be saying: 'It's you! It's you! It's definitely you. The Training Ground's Great Demon King.

Damn, he's back again.'

The news that the Great Demon King was a "normie" and had two girls with different styles by his side had already spread within their forum circle.

As soon as they saw June's iconic Fire Fox Queen, and then looked at Ivy standing beside her, the newbies who had been tortured by Asher countless times were instantly overwhelmed with tears.

'Great Demon King… sob sob sob!'

They didn't want to recall those sorrowful days at all.

Not to mention… the Great Demon King had been missing for almost half a year and returned with his aura not only intact but even brighter.

Regulars: *Cried loudly!*

Asher sweated a bit from his forehead.

'Uh… isn't this reaction a bit exaggerated?'

He was already starting to worry about how he could leave this place later.

Asher scanned the area and successfully locked onto the back door that Comrade Terence had just exited. There weren't many beastmasters in that area; it was an independent indoor shed. If he was fast enough, he could sneak out in that direction.

After devising his escape route, Asher quickly sent messages to June, Vicky, and Ivy, signaling that after his match ended and he grabbed his prize, they would all escape in that direction together.

After putting away his phone, Asher stepped onto the duel platform.

Asher and Terence each drew random props to borrow for the match.

Terence drew a durian shell, which was a bit odd.

Asher, on the other hand, drew a wig.

The audience below burst into laughter, including June, Ivy, and Vicky, who were standing nearby.

Asher: (⁠●⁠_⁠_⁠●⁠)

Drake and a portion of the beastmasters who arrived at the training ground after Asher left showed puzzled expressions.

'What?'

'Isn't it just a wig?'

'What's so funny about that?'

At most, during the match, the beast can't let the wig fall off its head. It's a bit challenging, but compared to some of the weirder items in the past, and compared to the durian shell Terence drew this time, it seems pretty normal, right?

Until—

They saw Asher's beast, a tiny little black orb not even the size of a palm.

Suddenly, the laughter rose to a new peak.

"Haha!"

"Hahaha!"

"This… this beast is just a tiny ball. If it wears the wig, it won't be able to see anything, right? How will it even fight? Terence's Blue Jade Blossom is a Tier 4 Advanced Beast."

"It's obvious you're new here. Can't fight because of this? You're really underestimating the top fighter under our Great Demon King."

"Exactly! Within the same rank, I don't believe there's a single opponent in this world that the Great Demon King can't defeat."

"What Great Demon King? What top fighter? Are you all having a collective bout of chuunibyou?"

The crowd erupted in buzzing discussions, far louder than for any other contestant before.

Drake immediately realized that the situation… seemed a bit off?

"Is he… very famous here?" Drake pointed at Asher on the platform with his tattooed arm, asking curiously.

"To some people, his name is legendary," June replied, suppressing a laugh.

Ivy also nodded, smiling. "He stayed here for over a month, and during that month, every rookie beastmaster who came for matches was completely crushed by him, repeatedly."

Even after Asher left, the forum still had threads discussing him.

A small group of people even wailed and lamented the Great Demon King's absence, claiming they didn't even have the chance to be crushed anymore—almost as if they'd become addicted to being beaten by Little Raven.

Drake: '…I thought I had simply picked a good cabbage to dig up. Turns out it's a full-grown, prize-winning cabbage?'

On the platform, Terence stared silently at the tiny Little Raven standing on the stage and the large, long-haired wig in Asher's hand. "...Why don't you switch to another item?"

"No need, it's fine," Asher shook his head and gestured to Little Raven. Little Raven hopped onto Asher's palm.

Asher placed the wig on Little Raven's tiny head.

In an instant.

Little Raven's body was completely covered by the wig.

Unable to see with its beady eyes, Little Raven pawed twice at the wig while standing in Asher's palm.

Little Raven: 'Watch me! I'll take them down in no time!'

'I guarantee I won't embarrass you, Beastmaster.'

"Be careful; let's finish this quickly," Asher said with a smile.

Little Raven: 'Got it!'

'Victory is mine.'

Although Asher's voice wasn't loud, Terence still heard it.

Looking at the wig floating on Asher's palm, Terence silently typed a question mark in his mind.

Was this… meant to let him quickly defeat that tiny black ball?

Terence wasn't sure.

Thinking about it, he glanced at Asher, who was wearing a mask.

Somehow, Terence felt like he had seen this person somewhere before.

But after thinking it over, apart from spending half a month at school during the finals period, he had spent the rest of the semester training at the club.

There was no way he could have encountered a high schooler.

So Terence put the thought aside.

'Fight.'

'Let's fight first, then talk later.'

As a student who had been admitted to Bluewind University through his own efforts, Terence didn't believe he would lose to a high schooler. Especially since he had undergone half a year of intense club training, Terence was confident in the strength of his Blue Jade Blossom.

Moreover, compared to the tiny black orb in front of him, Terence was more worried about the girl who had just left the stage.

The Fire Fox Queen…

Terence was born into an ordinary family, neither poor nor rich. However, Terence always seemed to have just a bit more luck than others.

At the age of fifteen, out of all his childhood friends, he was the only one to awaken the Beast Master qualification, gaining an opportunity to escape the life of an ordinary person and enter a decent high school.

In his first year, he successfully applied for a quota to purchase a beast from the breeding base, saving his family a significant amount of money. His parents redirected the tens of thousands they had saved for the purchase into cultivating the Blue Lotus Jadeflower. Just before graduating high school, the Blue Lotus Jadeflower narrowly broke through to Tier 4, officially making him a Beast Master.

Before he even entered university, Terence was scouted by a club team's talent-seeker. He was successfully recruited, and due to the Blue Lotus Jadeflower's promising potential, he signed a newbie-friendly B contract. Before officially competing, as long as his and his Blue Lotus Jadeflower's strength steadily improved according to the club's requirements, he could receive a yearly contract fee of five million yuan.

At a young university age, having such a high-paying job made Terence immensely proud. He devoted a lot of his time to the club, only studying his textbooks during free moments to ensure he could pass his semester exams and earn credits.

Terence always believed that, even if he wasn't the child of destiny or a true winner in life, he was at least someone blessed by fortune, destined for smooth sailing in his future.

Until… the appearance of June and the Fire Fox Queen just now gave Terence a strong sense of crisis.

Still holding back a surge of emotions, Terence felt his internal fire burn even hotter upon hearing Asher's overly confident words.

With the Blue Lotus Jadeflower bearing the spiked durian shell, Terence was ready to attack—knock him down.

Let him fully understand the gap between a true Beast Master and another.

Such thoughts repeated endlessly in Terence's mind.

But before he could make a move...

Little Raven stepped onto the field. Without even observing the opponent's condition, the first thing to trigger was its passive skill.

Tiny, sparkling hypnotic pollen began to descend from the Blue Lotus Jadeflower's head.

Terence was dumbfounded.

'Who am I? Where am I? What is the Blue Lotus Jadeflower doing?'

He hadn't even commanded the Blue Lotus Jadeflower to act.

Terence was bewildered, and the audience surrounding the ring burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! It's here, it's here—the classic scene is here. Every opponent fighting our Little Raven for the first time has this same expression. Whose pet's passive skill is this OP?"

"Exactly! I've watched several of Little Raven's battles before figuring out how this passive skill activates—it directly triggers the opponent pet's ultimate move and uses it against them… just saying, this is downright devious."

"Bamboo Mom, open the door for the bamboo shoots—it's home." [T/N: Don't ask me, I am also confused]

"There are only a few specific attributes that can avoid being harmed by their own skills… Wood-type creatures seem to have some resistance to hypnotic pollen, right?"

"They do, but even then, they still get dizzy. At most, they recover a bit faster than other attribute pets."

Since Little Raven couldn't see, its skills were all large-scale area attacks.

Passive Skill: King's Eye.

Aura of the King's Domination.

Flash Magic across the entire field.

After this barrage, the Blue Lotus Jadeflower collapsed straight on the ring. It was visibly not hypnotized but outright knocked unconscious—its eyes turning into spiral mosquito coil patterns.

The battle ended far faster than Terence and Drake could have anticipated.

"This… this… impossible…" Terence's face went blank, mumbling words of disbelief.

Asher took two steps forward and plucked the wig floating eerily in midair, rescuing the tiny Little Raven hiding beneath it. He gently smoothed down the feathers on Little Raven's head.

Surprisingly, Little Raven's tuft of stubborn hair remained unflattened, swaying resolutely in the wind.

"Little Raven is amazing," Asher said, adhering to his encouragement-focused parenting philosophy.

When it's time to praise your child, you must shower them with compliments.

"Well done!" Asher continued. "Our Little Raven is almost at Tier 4 Advanced, isn't it?"

Little Raven proudly lifted its little head.

'The bird is working hard!'

'Almost there! Almost there!'

'No rush, Beast Master!'

Asher chuckled and patted Little Raven's head again. "I'm not in a hurry, so you don't have to rush either. Let's take our time, step by step."

Terence, kneeling on the ground and holding the unconscious Blue Lotus Jadeflower: "…"

He was slightly losing his grip on reality.

'No way!'

'Is the person opposite really just a high school student?'

Whose high school pet was already on the verge of reaching Tier 4 Advanced?

If it advances a bit more, even a Tier 1 Beast Master wouldn't stand a chance.

Terence slumped in defeat, unwilling to accept this outcome.

Meanwhile, the audience below the ring felt it wasn't enough:"Wait, what? Why didn't Little Raven dance today? I wanted to see it dance on its opponent's fallen body."

Drake and Terence were first confused, then shocked.

What's wrong with today's rookie Beast Masters?

Why are their preferences becoming so dark?

The rookie Beast Masters, endlessly beaten by the Demon King: We've suffered. So we'll destroy everyone's umbrellas too.

Asher ignored the calls from the crowd, signaling to June with his eyes: 'Quickly! Claim the prize. Then let's retreat.'

June: 'Got it! On my way!'

"Compared to the combat style practiced in the club, perhaps you could spend more time at the school's training grounds," Asher suggested as he approached Terence during a brief break. "And remember, your final grades include attendance. Professor Iris mentioned that students who miss more than five roll calls in 'The Evolution History of Beast Tamers' will be automatically graded 59.5, no matter how well they perform in the final exams."

Heartbroken Terence: "???"

Recovering from his shock, Terence's expression turned increasingly horrified: "!!!"

"I'm not lying. If you don't believe me, just wait for the grades to be posted," Asher said with a smirk. Noticing June signaling him with an "OK" gesture, he took off running, leaving Terence no chance to ask questions, bolting out through the back door.

The crowd, who had been eagerly waiting to bond with Asher after he stepped down from the arena, was left stunned: "!"

"Whoa! The Demon King is so fast. He could be an athlete at this rate."

"Why is the Demon King running? Does he have no regard for the camaraderie we once shared? What a cold heart."

"Camaraderie with the Demon King? Are you kidding me? It was a one-sided beatdown."

"…Learn to read the room, okay? Can't we all keep a shred of dignity here?"

Meanwhile, Drake, holding the courier form filled out by June for the beauty device delivery, was utterly perplexed. Driven by curiosity, he joined the buzzing crowd eager to share insights about the events of the day.

Before long, Drake had gleaned many details he hadn't known before.

For example...

The masked youth was named Asher.

Yes, that Asher.

The Asher who was personally thanked by a nationally renowned professor on the Spring Festival Gala last night.

The Asher who discovered the evolution path of the Fairy Butterfly.

The Asher who pioneered the evolution route for the Fire Fox Queen.

And most importantly—the Demon King Asher, who had dominated the rookie training ground, ruthlessly crushing every newcomer for over a month.

Terence, now emotionally stabilized: "…"

Finally, he remembered where he had seen Asher before—in the elective class "The Evolution History of Beast Tamers," assisting Professor Iris. Wasn't that assistant's name also Asher?

Terence: "59.5… Life is truly despairing."

Drake's expression shifted dramatically: red, fiery, and bewildered. He thought Asher was merely a prized cabbage, but once again, reality shattered his illusions.

'No!'

'Asher was a top-tier cabbage carved from the finest jade and emeralds!'

Drake: "Farewell, I must admit I've overreached."

———

The winter break for senior high students flew by in the blink of an eye.

After the fifth day of the new year, classes resumed on the sixth.

Vicky and June let out simultaneous wails: "I don't want school to start. I don't want to go to class."

"Asher, you should join us for class too." Vicky whined, grabbing at Asher, hoping for another companion to share his misery.

Asher lightly brushed away Vicky's hand: "You're overthinking. Focus on class; it's just half a year. Once the exams are over, it'll be fine."

"It won't be fine at all," Vicky muttered as he collapsed into his seat, arms spread out and eyes lifeless. "My mom knows we're close, and now she's dead set on me getting into Bluewind University."

"I mean…" Vicky trailed off, unwilling to continue.

June chimed in, her tone heavy with resignation: "It's not even a matter of whether you want to get in. It's whether you can get in, isn't it?"

Vicky nodded furiously.

'Exactly!'

Among the four of them, Asher and Ivy had the best grades, comfortably meeting Bluewind University's admission threshold.

Ivy, however, faced another issue. As a beast tamer, her combat prowess fell short. Contracting a second beast wasn't feasible for her in the short term, and she wasn't eager to attempt it either.

Meanwhile, June and Vicky were the classic underachievers. Their grades teetered around the threshold of Bluewind University. On good days, they could barely scrape by; on bad days, even getting into a second-tier university felt challenging.

As for their beast-taming skills... June's Fire Fox Queen had long reached the lower tier of Level Four and was striving for the mid-tier. Vicky's dragon lizard, Little Drogo, still needed more time to break into Level Four.

"Work hard. With some effort, getting into a first-tier university isn't impossible. As for Bluewind University... push yourself during the final sprint; it's not entirely out of reach," Asher encouraged. "But even if you don't make it, it's not the end of the world."

June, Ivy, and Vicky: "…Thanks a lot. That was so comforting."

Asher, their shared nemesis.

Already holding a university admission letter, please stop talking to those of us struggling for the college entrance exams.

"It's not that I don't want to take the exam. It's just that circumstances won't allow it," Asher said, shrugging innocently. "When the semester started, I had prepared for the exams like everyone else."

"But who could've predicted?"

"The early admission letter and guaranteed spot came out of nowhere. When I saw it was from Bluewind University, I couldn't bring myself to decline."

The trio exchanged glances, seeing the same thought in each other's eyes.

Enough was enough.

They couldn't stand it anymore. Together, they decided to take action.

Surely, if they worked as a team, they could take down Asher and his beast companion, Little Raven.

But reality proved otherwise...

Sometimes, it didn't matter how many people you had. When it was a matter of strength, three people still couldn't beat one.

Little Raven stood atop Asher's head, while Asher himself stood amidst the "corpses" of Fairy Butterfly, Fire Fox Queen, the Dragon Lizard, and their respective beast tamers. Arms crossed, he gazed down at them with a smug expression.

"My advice? Train harder. Losing in a group fight doesn't embarrass you?"

Lying face-down on the ground, Vicky trembled as he weakly raised a hand: "N-no… It's not embarrassing. The problem is that you're too much of a freak."

"Damn it! Why is Little Raven so ridiculously strong? It's beyond unreasonable." June wailed, kneeling on the ground and hugging her Fire Fox Queen.

Ivy cradled her unconscious Fairy Butterfly in silence before muttering: "It's not that we're weak; Little Raven is just absurdly strong. And Asher, seriously, I have reason to suspect you're secretly cheating."

June: "+1."

Vicky: "+2."

Asher: "Stop making excuses for your lack of skill. Now that you're aware of your shortcomings, keep up the training for the next six months. Don't abandon the excellent habits we've developed over the past week."

The trio's faces darkened further, turning a vivid greenish-purple.

Six more months of training under Asher's regime?

Never mind. A regular university didn't sound too bad anymore.

———

Unbeknownst to Asher, even though he hadn't attended class, rumors about him continued to circulate at school.

"Hey! Asher didn't show up today either. I was hoping to ask him about the Spring Festival Gala and Professor Damien."

"Now that you mention it, wasn't that Professor Damien standing outside our classroom last semester?"

"I give up. Asher is in a league of his own—something we mere mortals can never hope to achieve."

"Vicky, you share a dorm with Asher, right? You must run into him often. I'm so jealous."

The entire class buzzed with chatter about Asher.

Vicky chuckled awkwardly, careful not to fan the flames further. If they knew he not only saw Asher regularly but also trained with him privately, he could already imagine the mob turning on him.

"Hah! Pretending to be close, as if you really know him that well," Ronnie sneered from the side, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "If you're really that tight, why doesn't he help you with your crappy grades and weak skills?"

Vicky couldn't even muster the energy to respond.

As if Asher were his dad or something.

Wait... technically, Asher was his foster father.

Still, Asher had privately helped him out.

Sighing internally, Vicky rolled his eyes and dismissed Ronnie as the clown he was.

Ronnie: '(⁠ノ⁠｀⁠Д⁠´⁠)⁠ノ⁠彡⁠┻⁠━⁠┻'

———

Meanwhile, the much-discussed Asher was reviewing Little Raven's latest stats, planning the next phase of training adjustments.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[Affection Level 100 (100/100)

Synchronization Level 100 (100/100)

Beast Tamer Spiritual Sea Beast Space (3+/4)

Sunlight Bathing (Total: 211 days)

Moonlight Bathing (Total: 211 days)

Little Raven's Spiritual Power (3+/4)

Fire Attribute Skills (7/7)

Special Attribute Skills (6/7)

Essence Fire (Not Achieved)]

[Effect Doubling Card: 55 days remaining]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Asher took a deep breath—it was the taste of heartache. The Effect Doubling Card had less than two months remaining, and his Spiritual Sea Beast Space was still one step away from meeting the requirements for Little Raven's evolution.

If only he could draw one more... Asher made a small dream in his heart.

Unfortunately.

Even after spending thousands of draws, he had only ever gotten two golden items. This rarity of golden items made it clear: wanting to get another one, especially a specific golden item, in a short time seemed nearly impossible unless he used up ten years of luck in advance.

"Thankfully, it's almost there. Really close, just a little bit more..." At 189 days, his Spiritual Sea Beast Space should be able to break through successfully.

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator

🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.

https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y