Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

"That's not it." Harry adjusted the glasses on his nose. "Is this... really an ordinary beast? Not some spirit-infused wild boar?"

Otherwise, how could it eat so much?

"Meow Meow!"

"Meow Meow!"

Before Asher could respond to Harry's question, Cat-Worm, who understood what was being said, angrily launched itself toward Harry.

'Hateful four-eyed human!'

'What nonsense are you spouting?'

'Wild boar spirit?'

'Does this world have a wild boar spirit as adorable as this dragon?'

'Impossible!'

'Prepare to die!'

The Cat-Worm headbutted Harry right in the chest with great force.

Without the support of a robust and muscular chest, Harry was instantly KO'd, clutching his chest as he fell to the ground, unable to get up.

The Cat-Worm stood triumphantly on Harry's chest, looking as though it was ready to bounce up and down a few more times to express its extreme delight.

Asher quickly picked up the Cat-Worm, stroking its head as he asked, "Teacher Harry, are you okay? Do you need me to take a look or apply some medicine?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine... hiss—" With the ten-something pounds of weight removed from his chest, Harry finally managed to sit up straight. While speaking, he waved a hand at Asher. "No problem, no problem, I just need to catch my breath..."

Maxine laughed from the side. "Talking bad about someone right in front of them—getting hit is exactly what you deserve."

"And since you can still sit up and chatter, your injuries can't be too bad."

"You need to hit the gym," said the double-door cool guy Kelly, delivering another harmonious verbal jab. "Next time, join me at the gym?"

"No, no, no!" Harry quickly and desperately refused. "Your kind of over-the-top gym routine... ahem, it doesn't suit me. I'm fine as I am."

While speaking, Harry rubbed his chest and looked at the Cat-Worm again. "The strength is much greater than I imagined. Honestly, I'm becoming more and more interested in this beast."

"Teacher Harry, you'd better hold back a little," Asher said helplessly, holding the Cat-Worm in his arms. "If I weren't holding it tightly, Little Dragon would've rushed at you again."

Though it wouldn't be fatal...

When playing around, Little Dragon knew its limits.

But if it hit you, it still hurt just as much as it should.

"Want another piece?" Asher pulled out a light purple energy stone. Only then did the Cat-Worm begrudgingly give up its idea of revenge.

╭(╯^╰)╮

'Off to eat stones!'

'So tasty!'

'So happy!'

'No point in fussing with stupid humans.'

'Dragons are so broad-minded.'

As it thought this, the Cat-Worm calmed down.

'Hmm~'

'Anyway, the dragon never loses!'

Fortunately, when eating the second energy stone, the Cat-Worm slowed down significantly.

By the time it finally finished, its body gave in, flipping belly-up in Asher's arms.

Hic!

The Cat-Worm looked at Asher with its messy, watery eyes.

"Meow Meow Meow~"

'So full~ Rub my tummy~'

Where did it learn this cute trick?

Asher found it almost irresistible, ignoring the burning stares on the back of his head as he barely held himself back.

Cat-Worm: *So cute*

Little Raven: 'Darn sneaky thief!'

Asher chuckled, sitting by the campfire. He placed the Cat-Worm on his lap, then patted the empty space next to him. Little Raven instantly understood and fluttered onto him.

While rubbing the Cat-Worm's now round belly, Asher occasionally stroked the tuft of fur on Little Raven's head or the base of its wings. Little Raven relaxed completely as well.

Any objections?

'Nope.'

'This feels amazing~'

The Cat-Worm and Little Raven sprawled out on Asher's lap, turning into two squishy puddles of cat and bird. Harry and Maxine, watching from the side, couldn't help but show eager, itching expressions.

The little tummies looked so pinchable.

But in the end, neither of them got the chance to act.

The Cat-Worm and Little Raven were extremely alert to unfamiliar hands and aura. The moment they sensed someone reaching toward them, they opened their eyes, staring at the intruding hand with their strikingly golden-red and messily resentful eyes.

Not their beast tamer?

Dream on!

With a "whoosh," Little Raven and the Cat-Worm darted to Asher's shoulders and head, instantly shedding their earlier melty forms.

Despite being double-standarded, Maxine and Harry weren't too angry.

"Ah, I'd really like to study your pet beast sometime, especially to figure out its attributes... I'm so curious."

"After sitting here a bit longer, we should all rest. Tonight, let's assign two people to keep watch together. Everyone, bear with it."

Neither Asher nor anyone else objected.

After all, they had encountered a small-scale beast tide during the day. Who knew what could happen? Better safe than sorry—it's better to stay alert than be ambushed by beasts in their sleep.

And so...

The night turned out to be quite lively.

Every one to two hours, small groups of wild beasts would charge at their campsite.

During Asher's three-hour watch alone, they fended off two waves.

Asher: "?"

"What's going on?" He turned to Harry, who was keeping watch with him.

Being one of only two ordinary people among the eight, Harry and Kelly were paired with Asher and Maxine, respectively, for extra protection.

This arrangement also recognized Asher's strength.

"I don't know..." Harry shook his head, his glasses reflecting the campfire's glow as his expression grew serious. "Unless it's an unregulated large-scale beast tide, normal ones follow predictable patterns and can be foreseen."

"The real beast tide in the East Continent Forbidden Zone should be five to seven months away. Today's situation..." As he spoke, Harry frowned, his expression turning even graver.

Taking a small sip of the liquor he had brought to keep warm, Harry instinctively handed it to Asher.

Asher stared silently at him.

Harry paused, then slapped his forehead as if just realizing. "Oh, right! Forgot! You're not even of age yet."

"No smoking, no drinking, not a chance."

Asher rolled his eyes.

As if he wanted to drink or smoke in the first place.

The reality was, this guy was the one about to drink himself silly.

"Just a couple of sips to warm up," Harry mumbled as Asher took the flask and set it aside.

The night passed quickly yet felt endlessly long.

Even when one of the hired expedition team members switched shifts with Felix and Asher, after Asher crawled into his sleeping bag, closed his eyes, he could still hear intermittent sounds from outside.

It was the movement of beasts.

Fortunately, the team members weren't weak. With some effort and time, they easily dealt with the beasts outside.

By early dawn the next morning, everyone was already awake.

"Do these beasts even understand how hard it is for women, especially older women, to get a quiet night's sleep?" Maxine yawned and complained coquettishly, "Getting a good beauty sleep is way too difficult."

Freckled youth Devin, who was on the last night shift, had already prepared breakfast with another hired expedition member before everyone else woke up.

Devin, seizing the opportunity, enthusiastically brought a portion to Maxine and sat down beside her, whispering.

"Teacher Maxine... something feels off, doesn't it?"

"Weren't there way too many beasts yesterday?"

They had encountered two waves during the day.

Then during the night watch, everyone had encountered something.

"If this continues... wouldn't it be better to return early?" Devin asked uneasily.

Who knew if a truly formidable beast might appear out of nowhere?

Couldn't they just head back now?

"Hmm... no." Maxine held the bowl of hot cocoa oatmeal Devin had specifically prepared for her. Taking a sip of the warm, cocoa-flavored porridge seemed to instantly brighten her mood.

Feeling more at ease, she patiently explained.

"We can be 100% sure that these beast disturbances have nothing to do with a beast tide. It must be caused by something else."

As for the exact reason…

Uncertain.

It was all speculation.

"We need to at least see if the creature we're looking for is the Big-Faced Sunflower or the Sunshine Sunflower before we can confirm anything," Maxine said.

Devin: "..."

So... they just had to keep moving forward, right?

Devin felt a small blow to his confidence.

Maxine brushed her hair back, glanced at Devin, and spoke in a soft, reassuring tone. "Actually, the frequency of attacks isn't all that exaggerated."

Devin: "???"

'Wait, what?'

'This wasn't exaggerated?'

Devin was so taken aback by Maxine's comment that he was almost at a loss for words.

"Indeed," Asher chimed in with agreement, "We're not following a well-traveled, regularly cleared path, and our journey is quite long. Aside from that overly intense small-scale beast tide, the attack frequency is within normal ranges."

It was just that compared to before... the situation had deteriorated considerably.

Maxine nodded.

"Exactly."

"Your first encounter with a beast tide probably frightened you. Rest for a few days and adjust your mindset after we return."

Devin, clutching his unspoken concerns, wandered off in a daze.

"His psychological resilience is a bit lacking," Maxine remarked, taking another sip of her warm cocoa oatmeal porridge with a sigh of helplessness.

Harry said, "Totally normal. After all, they were sheltered flowers in greenhouses before this. They had no idea the outside world could be so... lovely."

For a moment, all three—Maxine, Harry, and the stern-looking Kelly—glanced meaningfully at Asher.

Harry, who was about to speak further, also turned to Asher and then fell silent.

Harry: "Alright, fine. I won't say anything more."

Asher: "..."

The mood wasn't exactly delightful.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his image in their eyes had become a little odd.

Once everything was packed up, the group continued their journey.

In the morning, they encountered a small group of beasts.

In the afternoon, sporadic pairs or trios of creatures charged at them.

The frequency was slightly lower than yesterday.

Noticing this, Devin's previously tense mood inexplicably relaxed a little.

Thankfully... maybe Maxine was right after all.

Encountering this many attacks from wild beasts while traversing the Forbidden Zone was indeed... normal.

Gradually accepting this reality, Devin grew increasingly adept at commanding his Rock Eater, Steel Ball, Plushy Puff, and Dove Duck to counterattack during subsequent battles.

Before even enrolling in an advanced Beast Master academy, he was already experiencing battles under the protection of a fifth-tier Beast Master. This was a rare opportunity.

Devin seized it without hesitation.

In contrast.

Felix, who had been eager and full of energy at the start of the expedition, now seemed utterly dejected.

Though he didn't actively fight, when attacked, he still commanded his Little Lion Beast, Little Spirit Cat, and Strong Bear to retaliate.

His main priority was just to ensure immediate safety.

Using this as an opportunity to grow?

Impossible. No chance. Absolutely not.

Harry and Kelly, who had been entirely shielded from combat, stood safely in the rear, closely observing everyone's performance.

Maxine's abilities: consistent output, stable performance, never faltering—the very definition of a commanding powerhouse.

The two hired expedition members: average. Not particularly impressive, but not dragging the team down either.

Felix: completely gave up.

Devin: actively training himself, diligently improving through battling minor enemies.

"I have high hopes for Devin. His odds of passing next year's exams are pretty good," Harry whispered to Kelly. "As for Felix... forget it. Even if he passes the written test, he won't make it through the interview or psychological evaluation."

Eating a poisonous mushroom by mistake?

Getting weak-kneed from a minor beast tide scare?

Embarrassing? Sure.

But these weren't insurmountable obstacles.

A little thicker skin, a better attitude, and a bit of cleverness, and he could bounce back like a true hero.

Or maybe rely on good fortune.

In a group this large, someone was bound to offer comfort and help him recover from the setback, right?

Nope.

Nothing.

With a bad temper, high expectations, unrealistic ambitions, and minimal effort... Felix had racked up an unflattering list of labels through direct observation.

"Let's keep observing," Kelly replied quietly.

The reason they brought Felix and Devin on this trip wasn't arbitrary.

Their prior snarky remarks about Asher possibly becoming the team's burden had backfired spectacularly when Asher proved them wrong with his strength.

In truth, the trip served as an evaluation method.

By interacting closely and witnessing their actions firsthand, the team could assess their character, behavior, and fundamental values—key factors for their academy admissions profile.

The Advanced Beastmaster Academy doesn't just recruit geniuses.

They recruit geniuses who are willing to stand up for their loved ones and their country in times of crisis.

Observing their character is just as important.

Though the journey isn't over and there are still days left on the return trip, the professors have already formed preliminary judgments about their personalities and behavior.

Because the number of beasts attacking them has increased.

Throughout this journey, the cool and composed Mr. Kelly has had no time to fuss over fruits or herbs.

When the sun finally set and everyone could rest, they all let out a collective sigh of relief.

Exhausted.

Truly, utterly exhausted.

It was a fatigue deeper than yesterday's.

"Feels like we've been grinding monsters all day… except there's grinding but no leveling up," muttered freckled youth Devin, collapsing to the ground to gather firewood for dinner. He lacked the strength—completely drained.

Marching non-stop and battling creatures all day had left Devin feeling like half his life was gone.

Flat-top Felix sprawled on the ground, arms and legs spread wide. He glanced at Devin but couldn't muster the energy to speak.

Apart from Asher and Maxine, everyone else looked equally worse for wear.

"Professor Ash, you've got quite the stamina," Maxine remarked admiringly. "Do you exercise regularly?"

Asher nodded.

Exercise and meditation had significantly improved his physical condition.

The day's endless trekking and fighting beasts hadn't pushed Asher beyond his limits. It was still manageable.

"We made good progress today. Should reach that area by tomorrow," Asher said quietly. "The location where that suspected 'Sunshine Sunflower' beast was found is beyond the known exploration zone of East Continent's forbidden lands, right?"

"Will there be any danger?"

Asher rarely ventured into forbidden lands.

And this was his first time stepping outside thoroughly explored regions.

"I thought you didn't care about anything, cool and collected," Maxine teased before explaining seriously, not just to Asher but also to less experienced Felix and Devin.

"First off, danger is inevitable—moderate, but not negligible."

"Unexplored regions are shrouded in a faint mist."

"When humans uncover all secrets within a small area, the mist mysteriously dissipates."

How fascinating.

Asher couldn't help but think it felt like unlocking a map in a video game.

But compared to games, uncovering maps in real life was far more challenging than one might imagine.

"In other forbidden lands, the mist might just obscure vision without causing harm. But not here in the East Continent's forbidden lands."

"This mist may carry neurotoxins. Stay too long, and you'll never leave."

"I trust you all brought the gas masks and goggles I instructed? Wearing them briefly should prevent these effects."

Asher nodded.

Understood.

No wonder Harry had stuffed two extra gas masks into his backpack—likely preparing for this.

If Asher had come alone, he would've been utterly clueless.

Fortunately, he was in a group.

Experienced seniors guided him away from unnecessary pitfalls.

"Also, there may be unknown and potentially powerful beasts. Be cautious."

"That goes without saying, right?" Maxine asked with a wry smile.

Everyone nodded in unison.

Crystal clear.

"How do we locate the suspected Sunshine Sunflower?" Asher asked the crucial question.

"We don't know if it lives on the border of the explored and unexplored areas. What if it was just passing through last time?"

"Investigating deeper into the mist…"

The natural barrier posed a headache.

"So we're taking a gamble," Maxine shrugged helplessly.

They came out of academic curiosity and passion for exploration.

Whether they find it depends on luck.

Asher: "..."

Got it.

No wonder the authorities hadn't acted after discovering the footage.

This mission was no better than searching for a needle in a haystack. And yet, this was the only method available.

"Get a good night's rest so we'll have the strength to search for that beast tomorrow." Harry encouraged with a radiant smile.

Sleep, sleep.

According to last night's rotation, Asher and Harry were on the first watch.

When Felix and the hired uncle took over, Asher finally returned to his sleeping bag to rest.

Unlike the restless tossing of the previous night, tonight, Asher fell into a deep sleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Asher: "...?"

Before closing his eyes, Asher vaguely sensed something was amiss... but couldn't think further before succumbing to sleep.

———

"Asher, Asher, this time the teacher brought us to contract pet beasts. What kind are you aiming for?"

Asher snapped back to reality, finding himself pulled close by an arm slung over his shoulder.

Vicky's enthusiastic voice rang in his ear.

Turning his head, Asher saw the familiar face of Vicky winking at him.

Asher froze briefly, then recalled:

Oh.

It was the day they contracted pet beasts.

In the past two years, only about ten students in East Continent City awakened as Beastmasters, split between two classes. His class had just six people.

Yet they had seven instructors.

To ensure each student contracted a decent pet beast, the school had hired a fifth-rank Beastmaster to lead them into the forbidden lands to capture and contract beasts.

If they could tame it, even a young dragon species was fair game.

"I want a dragon—super strong!" Vicky declared, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Once I graduate in three years, I might join the First Army Corps!"

"They say every Beastmaster in the First Army Corps has a dragon. A whole army of dragons—how awesome!"

Vicky's eyes practically glowed as he spoke.

An entire corps of dragon-type pets… "Pretty cool," Asher thought, imagining the scene.

Even with the smallest corps, that's nearly two hundred people.

Two hundred dragon-type creatures released at once…

The sky filled with dragons.

So freaking cool!

"Compared to dragon-types, isn't it obvious that natural elements are better? Wind, water, thunder, fire, ice—I want them all." June, standing nearby, leaned over and tugged at Ivy, humming as she said, "If we make them work together, maybe they'll even create some unexpected magical effects."

"Dragon-attribute is the strongest."

"Natural element combos are the strongest."

"Dragon-attribute reigns supreme."

"Natural elements have rich combinations."

"Son! Help your dad roast her."

"Ivy! Don't you think I'm right? Help me roast him!"

Vicky and June weren't content just arguing with each other—they even dragged in their innocent bystander friends, Asher and Ivy.

Asher took a step back. "What son and dad? I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Uh… June, if I could, I'd prefer to bond with a pet beast that I can connect with spiritually, one that feels like family," Ivy said softly, a little embarrassed.

June: "…"

June froze.

She glared at Ivy, her tone full of exasperation as she said, "The strength of a pet beast is the most important thing! Family? Why would you treat a pet beast like family?"

Ivy lowered her head and didn't say anything.

Hearing this, Asher frowned slightly, sensing that something didn't feel quite right.

"Exactly! Dragon-attribute is the most powerful. Bonding with a dragon-attribute pet beast, raising it well, it'll surely help you kill more ferocious beasts during the beast tide." Vicky said, clenching his fist with a look of utmost conviction.

Asher raised another mental question mark.

Just as Asher was about to ask something, Jessica appeared in the distance, dragging Aeron over with an enthusiastic expression,"Are you guys discussing what kind of pet beasts to bond with?"

"I want to bond with a pet beast with strong defensive abilities." Jessica said, rubbing his chin. "If its defense and endurance are strong, it'll last longer during a war."

Aeron said, "Oh, then I'll pick a dragon-attribute one."

"Great minds think alike!" Vicky's eyes welled up with tears as he tightly grabbed Aeron's hands. "That's right, dragon-attribute is the strongest "

Asher: "…"

For a moment, Asher felt like he didn't really know these classmates of his.

Except for Ivy… the others all seemed a bit… off?

Before Asher could make sense of it all, suddenly, the other five people turned to look at him. Their faces were filled with warmth, concern, and curiosity as they asked in unison, "Asher, what about you? What kind of pet beast do you want to bond with?"

Faced with these piercing gazes, Asher instinctively felt his back begin to sweat.

The next second, they averted their gazes and began speaking again, one after another, each with a smile:

"Asher probably wants to bond with a completely different kind of pet beast than us, right?"

"Yeah, I even saw Asher secretly talking to those weak little beasts by himself before."

"I know, I know! Asher especially likes talking to weaklings like honeybugs, sparrows, and tiny silverfish. Honestly, those creatures have no value."

"I even saw Asher bandaging wounds for those little creatures and releasing them so carefully."

"Exactly! They have no potential, and even if you bond with them, they can't get much stronger. Raising them would just be a waste of time."

"Asher, this time you can't just do whatever you want. The teacher said the next beast tide will come in three to five years at most. We all need to be able to shoulder our responsibilities."

"If worst comes to worst, Asher can just bond with the same kind of pet beast as us. Then we can train together."

Listening to all this, Asher began to feel a little dizzy.

Wait…?

The person they were describing—was that really him?

Loner, not very sociable, kind-hearted toward weak beasts, bad at raising them, not interested in fighting… No matter how he listened, Asher couldn't help but feel disconnected.

Was that… really his character setting?

Asher's mind felt a little foggy.

And when he heard them discussing the kind of pet beasts they wanted to bond with in the future, the first image that popped into Asher's mind was a dark cloud covering the sun, followed by a brilliant gold-red figure. Then, in a flash, it changed into… a pig-cat? A dragon-cat?

The two images flickered through Asher's mind before vanishing without a trace.

"Ah… let's talk about it later." Asher neither denied nor agreed with what they said.

One step at a time.

Asher's slow-processing brain decided.

Somehow… there would be a solution.

Before long, his classmates returned to their cheerful selves, showing none of the previous seriousness they had when criticizing Asher.

Their laughter and joy made it seem like they weren't here to bond with pet beasts, grow stronger, and prepare for the impending beast tide.

Instead, it felt more like they were on a field trip.

This subtle sense of disconnect surged within Asher.

But he said nothing and didn't overthink it.

He just kept moving forward.

Asher didn't speak, nor did he overthink.

He simply kept moving forward.

It was unclear how long they had been walking… With the help of the Tier 5 Beast Master, Maxine, Vicky successfully contracted a Lizard Dragon Beast cub he had always dreamed of, and Aeron also contracted a baby dragon.

June contracted a Fire Crow King, Ivy contracted a Light Butterfly, and Jessica contracted a Rock Turtle cub.

In the end, only Asher was left without finding a suitable pet beast to contract.

"Asher, what kind of pet beast do you want?" Maxine asked with a gentle smile, looking at Asher. "You must have some direction in mind, right?"

"If not, you can think about it—like which military corps you plan to join after graduation—and choose based on their specialties."

"Teacher Maxine… I, I'll think about it," Asher replied hesitantly, without putting much thought into it.

"Hm?" Maxine was stunned for a moment, then smiled again, looking unbothered. "Being called a teacher… This is the first time I've experienced that. But if you want to address me that way, I don't mind."

Asher: "?"

Not a teacher?

Wasn't Maxine supposed to be a teacher?

"Hehe, Captain Maxine, don't be mad. Asher just speaks like this sometimes, without thinking!" Vicky laughed as he slung an arm over Asher's shoulders and bumped him playfully. "Next time, he'll definitely watch himself."

Maxine waved her hand. "It's fine. Actually, I think it's a pretty interesting title. If the beast tides stabilize someday and I have time, I might even consider becoming a teacher."

The group chatted a bit more before the topic circled back to the pet beast Asher needed to contract.

Everyone had their own opinions.

The only point of agreement was that Asher had to contract a powerful pet beast.

Even if it couldn't shake the heavens and earth, it had to be capable of performing at 100% during beast tide battles.

Asher wanted to say… his pet beast was already quite strong…

Wouldn't pulling it out scare everyone?

In the blink of an eye, Asher realized he was left alone.

Since he hadn't found a suitable pet beast, the group decided to stay in this dangerous forbidden zone for one more night to help him find one before leaving.

Everyone who already had a pet beast went off to gather food.

Asher, meanwhile, stayed nearby to gather tree branches and dry wood for starting a fire.

Looking down, Asher's expression turned helpless.

How to put it… He felt like someone was treating him like a fool.

The tree branches and dry wood on the ground were neatly arranged, almost as if guiding him toward a fixed direction.

Asher: "…"

After glancing at them, Asher decisively turned around, abandoning the obviously high-quality wood, and started collecting randomly in another direction.

Unseen by Asher, the air inexplicably froze for a moment.

It was as if transparent, air-like tendrils were flailing angrily behind him, expressing deep frustration.

Damn it!

A human who doesn't play by the rules.

As he continued gathering, Asher's arms eventually emptied.

Aside from those earlier neatly arranged branches and dry wood, there wasn't anything else around.

Asher: "…"

Great.

So they weren't even pretending anymore, just showing their hand outright?

Clapping nonexistent dust off his hands, Asher turned and walked away.

Pick them up?

No.

Not a single piece.

He headed straight back.

Once again, the air froze strangely, as if stunned by Asher's unexpected behavior.

'What?'

'Why won't this human follow the script?'

Asher returned to the nearby camp and, adopting a rather lazy posture, sat down to wait for his companions to return.

Before long, he spotted several people walking toward him.

"Look how much your dear old dad loves you. I was worried you wouldn't gather enough firewood, so I helped pick up a bunch." Vicky, who was supposed to be hunting, swaggered over with an armful of firewood and dumped it in front of Asher.

One glance, and Asher immediately recognized it.

These were the very same branches and dry wood he had refused to pick up earlier.

Asher looked up and gave Vicky an odd look.

But the grinning Vicky didn't notice anything off. Instead, he kept talking cheerfully. "No need to thank your dad—what are friends for, right?"

"Aren't you the one who's desperate to cling to a golden thigh?",Asher calmly countered with a smile.

Vicky froze, clearly caught off guard by Asher's words, and didn't recover for a long moment.

The last to return was Maxine, who had hunted down a hundred-pound wild boar. Her Compund-Eyed Venomous Spider retracted its venom sac and slowly dragged the cleaned and gutted boar back to camp.

When Jessica and Aeron saw the boar, their eyes lit up instantly.

"Oh, oh, oh! I know this creature! It's not a transcendent beast, but its body contains quite a bit of extraordinary energy. Its meat is firm, its fat rich, and I've heard it tastes amazing."

"Captain Maxine is incredible! We're in for a feast tonight!"

The two of them bounced with excitement. Vicky joined in enthusiastically, and June and Ivy were pulled into the fray. Together, they eagerly prepared to butcher the boar and savor the meat.

"Light the fire first. No rush," Maxine said gently, smiling as she turned to the pile of firewood in front of Asher. "Thanks for your help, Asher."

Asher looked at the neatly stacked firewood before him, then at his six companions, who were happily preparing the boar. Slowly, he reached out and touched the pile with a single finger.

BOOM—

With a faint sound, the neatly arranged pile of firewood scattered to the ground.

If Asher hadn't been sure that he had merely touched it lightly… just the slightest touch… he might've thought he'd used immense force.

Looking down at the scattered branches and dry wood, Asher immediately noticed two tiny, palm-sized beasts lying within.

One looked like a newly sprouted seedling, with just two tender green leaves on its head and a thin, delicate stem.

The other was somewhat translucent, with a faint purple hue. It resembled a ghostly wisp—a small, round ball with a tiny tail coiled around the seedling.

Both were in extremely poor condition.

They were on the brink of collapse, yet they still fought each other—striking blow for blow.

A life-or-death struggle, fish dying, nets breaking, irreconcilable differences—these summed them up perfectly.

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