Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

Little Raven: "!"

Cat-Worm: "!"

Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit: *Withered, withered*

'Alright.'

'This Beastmaster is not bad.'

'But the next one will be better.'

They couldn't just hang themselves on one tree.

Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit comforted themselves internally, but a single tear of grievance still uncontrollably rolled down the corners of their eyes.

'Boohoo!'

'Those two pets' eyes are really terrifying!'

It felt like they could be eaten at any time.

They're really going to be eaten.

Little Raven and Cat-Worm: (o(￣︶￣)o)

'Eat?'

'Birds and dragons don't eat weird stuff~'

'We're adorable pets raised by our Beastmaster~'

'We never eat randomly!'

'Really!'

'Believe us!'

(OvO)

Asher gave Little Raven and Cat-Worm a look.

'Believe it or not, that's up to your free judgment.'

Also, if they'd kindly retract those predatory little eyes staring at Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit, he might believe them a little more.

Little Raven: ╭(╯^╰)╮

Cat-Worm: ╭(╯^╰)╮

Their synchronized expressions were uncanny.

Asher: '... Spending too much time together, they've even started syncing up on this?'

Asher chuckled and rubbed Little Raven and Cat-Worm's heads.

"Alright, enough of this. Let's go back to sleep. There's still some time until tomorrow morning."

As Asher finished speaking, one of the middle-aged adventurers in the team cooperatively yawned.

After yawning, the man looked a bit embarrassed. "Getting up halfway through sleeping does make the mind feel a bit groggy."

"No worries, this is indeed the time to rest," Maxine replied casually, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned softly. "I need to get back to sleep too."

As everyone began heading back to their tents in small groups, Harry and the double-door refrigerator-style "Cool Guy Kelly" remained motionless, squatting beside Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit.

Noticing Asher's gaze, Harry adjusted his glasses and grinned at him. "You go sleep first. I just want to observe the interaction patterns of Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit a little more!"

Bean Flower? Common.

Dream Soul Spirit? Not so common.

Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit with a special connection? Very rare.

Sleep? No, no, no.

Harry's brain was now in an overexcited state. Give him a cup of coffee, and he could stay up all night observing Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit.

Cool Guy Kelly Teacher, on the other hand, stared curiously at the two pets, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity. "Do you think... if I keep observing their actions, I might see them mating?"

Asher: "..."

Asher immediately turned around and walked away.

Although the way Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit evolved together was peculiar, Cool Guy Kelly Teacher's enthusiasm for their mating behavior was even more bizarre.

Out of sight, out of mind.

With Little Raven in one hand and Cat-Worm in the other, Asher carried his two pets back to his tent and into his sleeping bag.

The pitiful and aggrieved little eyes of Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit as they watched him leave?

Sorry.

Asher never softens for things he can't see.

They slept until dawn.

———

Today felt similar to the first day.

No rush.

Slow and steady.

Wrapped in a blanket, Harry, who probably hadn't slept all night, sat by the campfire typing away on his laptop. The faint blue glow of the screen reflected in his glasses, making his gaze appear particularly cold and indifferent.

Having quickly finished his morning routine, Asher held a bowl of yogurt and oatmeal, curiously leaning over to glance at Harry's screen.

And then... Documentary: The Reproduction, Mating, and Migration of beasts.

Asher: "..."

As expected of a senior professor teaching Advanced Beastmastery.

Asher glanced down at Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit sitting on either side of Harry, their faces showing expressions of "learning, learning."

"...Professor Harry, does this count as openly showing them pornographic materials?" Asher couldn't help but ask.

"Huh?" Harry's eyes widened as he looked up in shock at Asher, panic and confusion written all over his face. He shook his head desperately, almost flinging his glasses off.

"I didn't—I wouldn't—don't accuse me of such things!" Harry quickly said. "I was just discussing their mating methods, and honestly, based on their attributes and appearances, they don't seem compatible."

"Unfortunately, I'm not a Beastmaster, so I can't form a contract with them. Communicating is a bit troublesome."

As Harry spoke, he shrugged, his expression showing a hint of regret.

Upon hearing this, Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit gave Harry a disdainful side-eye.

(￢_￢)

'Contract with us?'

'Ha! First, see if we even find you worthy.'

'Did you think contracting us would be that easy?'

╭(╯^╰)╮

'We have standards too, you know!'

Among the six Beastmasters present, the only one they unanimously approved of was Asher.

But...

Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit sneakily glanced at Asher. Before Little Raven and Cat-Worm noticed, they quickly retracted their longing gazes.

'Fine, fine.'

'This one's unsuitable.'

There were predators at home.

They comforted themselves, hoping the next one would be better...

Boohoo!

Just thinking about it made Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit want to cry.

Endless communication with Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit through the night couldn't compare to Harry's short observation.

Harry: "..."

He felt a bit conflicted.

"So this is the difference between Beastmasters and regular people?"

Before Asher could respond, Cool Guy Kelly Teacher, who had gotten up early, said, "It's not about Beastmasters and regular people; it's double standards. Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit have the highest favorability for Asher."

Everyone else?

They're just extras.

Becoming the "white moonlight" and "red cinnabar mole" in the hearts of Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit, Asher silently stepped back.

Let him live quietly, without getting caught up in such bizarre love triangles.

After breakfast, Asher geared up and prepared to enter the foggy zone.

Little Raven and Cat-Worm were raring to go.

'What? The Beastmaster was going on an adventure?'

'The bird could accompany him!'

'So could the dragon!'

'The dragon could even clear the path for him.'

Asher firmly pinned Little Raven and Cat-Worm onto his shoulders. "You can come with me, but follow my lead. No wandering off, got it?"

He shot them a stern look.

Little Raven: (>v･*)

Cat-Worm: (o°ω°o)

'Ehehe~ We're super obedient!~'

Asher: '...Fine, say what you want. Believing it is my choice.'

Carrying the weight of Little Raven and Cat-Worm, Asher cautiously stepped into the faintly misty zone.

.

.

.This cautious exploration lasted about half an hour before Asher emerged from the fog, visibly relieved.

"Hoo—this fog... Even though I didn't inhale it, staying in there for a long time still gives people a kind of deep-seated discomfort."

"Young people really have strong physical and mental endurance." One of the two mercenaries who exited before Asher gave him a thumbs-up, looking at him with a face full of admiration. "We probably came out a few minutes before you."

"You're not mistaken. This fog indeed brings some negative psychological effects, otherwise, the exploration progress in the Forbidden Zones of various cities wouldn't be so slow."

Do you really think humans don't want to fully uncover the secrets of the Forbidden Zones sooner?

It's not a matter of wanting to or not, but whether they can or not.

The negative effects caused by the fog make it impossible for even those with the best mental fortitude to stay inside for more than an hour at a time.

Unlocking even a small area takes a great deal of time and effort.

It's hard.

It's truly too hard.

Asher nodded, then turned to look at the Little Raven and Cat-Worm perched on his shoulder. With both hands, he rubbed their feathers and scales equally and fairly, like balancing a cup of water on either side.

"Just now, were you two being a little too quiet?"

After coming out of the fog, Asher noticed that something seemed a bit off about Little Raven and Cat-Worm.

Were his Little Raven and Cat-Worm usually this calm, this well-behaved, and this quiet?

Clearly.

They were not.

Asher cast a suspicious glance at the Little Raven and Cat-Worm.

The Little Raven, with its large golden-red eyes, looked at Asher pitifully.

'Woo... The bird is scared...'

'The fog... is terrifying...'

The chaotic eyes of Cat-Worm also looked watery.

"Mewo~ Meow…"

"Chee…"

'It feels like Little Beauty Dragon was almost eaten… Sob...'

Asher frowned instinctively.

Terrifying?

Eaten?

Asher turned back to look at the fog.

Initially, he had planned to rest for a while before going back in to check things out. But after hearing what Little Raven and Cat-Worm said, Asher decisively abandoned the idea of a second exploration.

"Mm... I feel a bit unwell after coming out of there. I'll go rest for a bit," Asher said, furrowing his brows as an uncomfortable expression spread across his face.

The two older mercenaries didn't question Asher's words at all.

After all, along the way, Asher's good temper and his ability to handle situations had left a deep impression on them.

They believed they had a decent understanding of Asher's character.

"If you're not feeling well, go rest quickly."

"Drink more water—it'll help you feel better."

The two mercenaries spoke to Asher with care, one after the other.

Asher nodded, thanked them with a smile, and then turned to return to the camp.

Harry and Mr. Kelly, the double-door cool guy, were sitting shoulder to shoulder. Not far from them sat Devin, the freckled youth responsible for keeping them safe, as well as the pink mantis left behind by Maxine as a precaution.

Harry and Kelly occasionally whispered to each other, as if discussing something.

Meanwhile, the freckled youth, Devin, sat awkwardly to the side with nothing to do. His expression screamed, "Who am I, where am I, and what am I supposed to do?"

It was as if those three lines of text were about to be written all over his face.

When Devin spotted Asher approaching, his eyes lit up at first, only to dim again soon after.

'Fine.'

Devin hadn't forgotten how he and Flathead Brother Felix had previously expressed their hostility toward Asher.

Although he hadn't said anything specific, Devin knew Asher wasn't dumb and had definitely picked up on his unfriendly attitude at the time.

Devin: Fully self-aware. He knew he couldn't latch onto this big thigh, so he decided to reduce his presence around Asher as much as possible.

But before Devin could quietly curl into a ball to minimize his perceived footprint, he saw Asher heading straight for him. To his surprise, Asher sat down right beside him.

Devin: "?"

Devin: "!"

Devin's originally small eyes widened into perfect circles.

The three lines of text on his face became even more visible.

"Pro... Professor Asher…" After careful consideration, Devin opted for the most respectful form of address. Looking at Asher cautiously, even the freckles on his face seemed to tremble nervously. "Do you… need something from me?"

As he spoke, Devin nervously swallowed.

He wasn't afraid of much—except that Asher had come to settle old scores.

If he'd known earlier... If only he'd known earlier, he'd never have antagonized Asher.

"Mm... Just wanted to chat with you," Asher said, unable to comprehend Devin's cautious and frightened behavior.

Did he really look like some unreasonable demon lord?

Surely not.

Asher confidently reassured himself.

"Don't be nervous," Asher said with a smile, trying to put him at ease. "By the way, is this your first time exploring the edges of the Forbidden Zone and the unexplored area? Have you been inside?"

Asher pointed to the fog not far away. "... The feeling in there is really..."

He sighed as he shared his thoughts.

Because Asher appeared so casual, like he genuinely just wanted someone to chat with, Devin's tightly-wound nerves finally began to relax a bit.

"It's true… Once you're inside, you do feel a bit mentally tense," Devin replied with a smile.

Mm...

Devin glanced again at Asher.

After chatting for a bit, he suddenly felt like the gap between Asher and ordinary people wasn't as big as he'd thought.

Then he looked down and saw the Little Raven and Cat-Worm sprawled lazily on Asher's lap, being kneaded into flat pancakes by his hands.

The slight relaxation and perception of Asher as a "normal" person instantly evaporated.

Asher... a normal person?

No, no, no.

He'd underestimated the big shot.

Thinking about the strength displayed by Asher's two contracted beasts.

One was a fierce bird that used its aura to scare away all the extraordinary avian creatures.

The other was a cat—dragon? that could attack with some unknown dark matter and had a SAN-draining appearance. In short, it was an beast whose species couldn't even be clearly identified.

And finally, there was Asher's professional demonstration of his skills last night.

Accumulating all these little things together… ordinary person?

That has nothing to do with Asher.

Whether it was in terms of Asher's research ability in pet beast evolution or his skills in nurturing his own pet beasts, he was far stronger than Devin had imagined.

Asher had no idea that, in Devin's mind, he had already been mentally filled in as some sort of demon king.

...Even if Asher knew, he wouldn't care much.

Being called a demon king or something wasn't new; he was already used to it.

Taking this opportunity, Asher casually asked a few questions, subtly probing Devin about whether there were any adverse reactions after taking a pet beast into the fog and bringing it back out.

Were humans' perceptions of the fog the same as those of pet beasts?

Due to Asher's identity as a professor specializing in pet beast evolution research, Devin didn't find anything odd about his questions and answered them earnestly, occasionally comforting Asher.

"This fog has a greater impact on humans. Some particularly sensitive pet beasts might also be slightly affected, but generally, their situation is better than humans'."

"After all, there are plenty of beasts that live within this fog."

Asher nodded while listening.

'Got it.'

His probing was successful.

Psychological pressure was normal, but Little Raven's fear and Cat-Worm's belief that it was going to be eaten were abnormal emotions.

After resting for a while, Asher went for a walk alone in the afternoon.

This walk wasn't to find any special beasts; it was simply to see if he could feel the same emotions that Little Raven and Cat-Worm had experienced.

He found nothing.

Asher withdrew without much disappointment.

Looking at the faint fog in front of him, Asher's eyes showed a hint of curiosity.

———

Unlike their slow pace when they arrived, the group's speed in retreating from the forbidden area was astonishingly swift.

This was also because they were taking the official route on their way back.

After reporting the small beast tide they had encountered in the forbidden area, the fifth-rank beast tamers guarding the area all turned serious.

Even though Asher and his group had returned safely, this matter had to be taken seriously.

"These two are…" After learning about the small beast tide, a bald fifth-rank beast tamer who came to handle the handover lowered his head to look at Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit, who were following behind Asher.

The two tiny figures were huddled together, trembling, wanting to approach Asher but retreating under the fierce gazes of Little Raven and Cat-Worm—especially Dream Soul Spirit.

Its bouncy, ghost-like appearance… it was impossible not to attract attention.

At the very least, the bald man's eyes were glued to Dream Soul Spirit, filled with a mixture of doubt and disbelief.

"These are the special beasts we discovered in the forbidden area. If nothing unexpected happens, they'll probably be our next research subjects," Harry stepped forward and said with a smile.

The bald man hesitated before nodding. "Uh… so, who contracted them? Just register it."

As soon as the bald man finished speaking, Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit took a step toward Asher.

The bald man's gaze instantly landed on Asher.

Asher, who was being targeted by the two creatures' gazes: '...'

On the side, Maxine, Harry, and the double-door cool teacher, Kelly, couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Even the two hired expedition members and the freckled youth Devin let out a "pfft."

Even buzzcut Felix's eyes were wandering, trying not to laugh, though the corners of his mouth were betraying him.

Having never encountered such a scene, the bald man silently typed a question mark in his mind.

Huh?

What's going on here?

"You're the beast tamer of these two?" The bald man pointed to Bean Flower and then to Dream Soul Spirit, speaking in an uncertain tone.

Asher: "I'm not."

Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit: QAQ

"Young people these days… lad, how am I supposed to evaluate you…" The bald man looked at Asher with an expression akin to seeing a heartbreaker.

Then, his gaze fell on Little Raven and Cat-Worm, who were nestled in Asher's arms. As if something clicked, the man suddenly showed an enlightened expression.

"Youngsters… you shouldn't rank your pet beasts based on their strength. Since you've contracted them, you should treat them fairly." As he spoke, his gaze landed on Cat-Worm. "Besides, this pig-cat doesn't seem all that—"

Before the bald man could finish, Cat-Worm leapt from Asher's arms at lightning speed, heading straight for the man's face.

Cat-Worm: "Meow~ Meow~"

(ヽ(｀Д)

'Face Hugger Strike!'

'Foolish human!'

'What pig-cat?'

'I'm a dragon!'

'A Cat Dragon… no, a beautiful little dragon.'

'It's one thing for beast master to call me Cat-Worm, but how dare this outsider tarnish my pristine name?'

"Mm… mmph…" The bald man, who had Cat-Worm latched onto his face and was being furiously kicked by its seven legs, struggled to pull it off… and failed.

Asher stepped forward, grabbing Cat-Worm by the scruff of its neck, finally pulling it off the bald man's face.

"Sorry about that, big guy." Asher held Cat-Worm in a firm grip, locking it in his arms. With an apologetic smile, he looked at the now dark-faced bald man and the group of laughing colleagues behind him. "My Cat-Dragon got a bit rash, but your words…"

Asher blinked, expertly shifting the blame. "Pet beasts have temperaments too. Questioning it right to its face? Regardless of the outcome, I think you bear at least half the responsibility here."

"Anyway, I know someone like you—a fifth-rank beast tamer—wouldn't hold a grudge against a mere professional tamer like me, or a pet beast that isn't even at fourth rank, right?"

The bald man's face darkened further as he glared at Asher and Cat-Worm.

Cat-Worm huffed, glaring back at him.

Little Raven, standing nearby, also joined in, glaring sharply at the bald man.

(￣^￣)

'A dragon is the bird's little sis!'

'If the little sis gets mocked…'

'As the big sis, the bird has to step up and help out!'

Cat-Worm's stare made one's SAN drop. Little Raven's glare was sharp, as if it were peeling a layer off your soul.

The bald man hesitated, his words stuck in his throat.

The sharpness in Little Raven's gaze felt as though it could strip a layer of skin right off.

The bald big brother wanted to say something but stopped himself.

He stood there, utterly speechless.

A formal Beast Tamer?

And a beast with strength no higher than the fourth rank?

Was this some kind of joke?

The bald big brother wanted to question it, but when he looked up, he saw the few people behind Asher, who didn't seem to find anything odd about what he'd just said.

Especially Maxine, who didn't show the slightest intention of refuting Asher.

'…Crap.'

It was true.

The bald big brother's expression turned even uglier.

As a fifth-rank Beast Tamer, he'd been ambushed without the protection of his beast by another beast that wasn't even fourth rank. If this got out, his reputation would be ruined.

He couldn't vent his anger on Asher, a formal Beast Tamer, so the bald big brother could only glare at his still-snickering teammate. When he realized the guy was sneakily taking pictures, his eyes widened even more.

The teammate, caught in the act of secretly taking photos, showed no fear. Instead, he blatantly switched from covert snapping to openly photographing.

Bald Big Brother: "..."

The bald big brother jerked his head back around, choosing to turn a blind eye. Unfortunately, when he turned, he met Asher's and Little Raven's and the Cat-Worm's gazes again. He instantly felt like a lump of old blood was stuck in his throat.

He couldn't swallow it. He couldn't spit it out. It was unbearable.

"Tell me about those two beasts," the bald big brother said solemnly, his face grave, as though trying to divert attention from his earlier embarrassment.

Asher replied, "They aren't contracted. They're still wild beasts. Our plan is to bring them out and let them choose a Beast Tamer to form a contract with."

He couldn't disclose their discoveries but could share the general situation.

"That's… completely unnecessary." The bald big brother's expression shifted to one of shock after hearing this. He looked at Asher with a speechless gaze and said, "Anyone with eyes can see who they want to contract with..."

Fine.

The bald big brother glanced again at the Little Raven and Cat-Worm in Asher's arms.

Those fierce little eyes.

He wisely shut up.

The big brother even came up with a more reasonable explanation for Asher's actions: "Makes sense. You're just a formal Beast Tamer, and your spirit sea and beast space aren't expanded enough yet. It's normal that you can't contract with them."

"But if that's the case, you'll need to go through proper procedures to take these two beasts out."

The bald big brother said this matter-of-factly.

It wasn't that he was making things difficult for Asher and his team.

Beasts flowing from forbidden zones to cities followed two pathways: dead, with their corpses being brought out for sale, or alive, contracted with a Beast Tamer, bound by an invisible restraint that ensured they posed no threat to humans under the Beast Tamer's control.

Alive but not contracted wild beasts… The bald big brother glanced again at the Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit.

"Is a fifth-rank Beast Tamer and the endorsement of three senior instructors from a top-tier Beast Academy not enough?" Asher gestured at Maxine behind him, then pointed at Harry and Kelly.

The bald big brother shook his head. "The two of them aren't Beast Tamers. Their endorsement doesn't carry enough weight."

Harry and Kelly's expressions remained unchanged upon hearing this.

They were used to it.

Their identities worked well in minor matters, but for significant issues, they were indeed inadequate.

"How about adding a level-five researcher?" Asher casually pointed to himself.

The bald big brother's expression turned even more complicated.

So young… a level-five researcher?

Was this another joke?

Oh.

It wasn't.

"Then you'll need to prove that your research genuinely requires these two beasts and that you can ensure they won't lose control or endanger society and citizens." The bald big brother dutifully stated.

Asher replied, "Hmm... If I contact the president of the NY City Beast Tamer Alliance and ask him to issue a certificate, would that work?"

The bald big brother: …

Using the NY City Beast Tamer Alliance to issue a certificate on Bluestone City's turf?

This kind of audacious move truly broadened his horizons.

But the bald big brother still nodded and agreed to Asher's proposal.

President Robb's side proved efficient as well.

In no time, from receiving the call to the certificate being sent via formal channels, the entire process took less than half an hour.

The group was finally able to leave the forbidden zone.

After bidding farewell to the two hired helpers, the remaining group returned to their hotel.

"We have a new issue." Sitting in the hotel suite's living room, Maxine propped her cheek with one hand and drawled, "The ownership of Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit."

Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit stood on the coffee table in the center of the living room, holding some snacks handed to them by someone, munching noisily while curiously looking around.

Harry and Kelly: …

Good question.

They hadn't expected things to turn out like this initially.

Bringing two beasts out of the forbidden zone... What should be done about their ownership?

"I could take them back to school for research..." Harry suggested. "Finding a Beast Tamer for these two little guys at school shouldn't be difficult, right?"

"It's still uncertain if they'll truly evolve into Sunshine Sunflowers." Cool Kelly wore an expression of both agreement and disagreement. "If not, no student would want to contract with such seemingly weak beasts, right?"

"Although Dream Soul Spirit is currently rare due to its unique properties..."

But to get into a top-tier Beast Academy, weren't all students exceptional prodigies?

Didn't they all have clear plans for their futures?

Contracting two beasts that required a gamble?

Even if a student agreed, they'd still consider whether Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit had potential and whether it would impact their own futures.

"What about you, Little Professor?" Maxine didn't voice her opinion but tossed the question to Asher.

As for crewcut Felix and freckled Devin?

Sorry.

In a group of big shots, the two of them, who hadn't even been admitted to a top-tier Beast Academy, didn't have the right to express opinions here.

Freckled Devin didn't mind this treatment; he knew his place.

But beside him, crewcut Felix's gaze carried an unspeakable humiliation…

"I'm fine with anything," Asher said indifferently. "However, having rediscovered Dream Soul Spirit, shouldn't we ensure this Dream Soul Spirit is protected and see if it can reproduce?"

Dream Soul Spirit: !

The ghostly, squishy little tail instantly straightened out.

Its small, pitch-black eyes turned into two fried eggs in an instant, and it looked up at Asher with tearful eyes.

At that moment, both Little Raven and the Cat-Worm stopped glaring at Dream Soul Spirit.

'Hmm.'

'Their Beast Tamer… phew! At least it wasn't them!'

Dream Soul Spirit: QvO

It started crying even louder.

Maxine laughed heartily at the sight. "Your train of thought... Hahaha, you even scared Dream Soul Spirit into tears. Could you please just act like a normal person?"

"Discovering a Dream Soul Spirit... well, it's like finding a new solitary beast. Without a second member of its kind, it can't qualify for special protective arrangements," Harry explained with a laugh, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

Currently known beasts… Cross-species reproduction wasn't impossible but highly unstable, with low success rates.

Unless it was mutual affection.

The Alliance wouldn't force different species of beasts to reproduce.

It wasn't humane.

"As for Dream Soul Spirit, we'll inform the Bluestone City Beast Tamer Alliance later and have them send someone to search again for its potential kindred."

If they found any... Bluestone City's Beast Tamer Alliance would owe them gratitude.

Harry pointed to the crying Dream Soul Spirit on the table and said, "As for this one, it's ours. No need to hand it over to the Alliance."

Asher nodded. "Since you've said that... I'll take these two with me. My lab is being set up, and I can use them as my first official research subjects."

"If I achieve any results, I'll credit you all as co-authors without ranking."

This kind of co-authorship wasn't particularly prestigious but was a courtesy gesture.

Maxine, Harry, and Kelly had no objections.

"That's great. I thought this trip would be a waste, but we ended up with a co-authorship credit." Harry chuckled, backing Asher up.

For them, top-tier Beast Academy instructors, the credit didn't matter much.

Moreover, if Asher wanted to claim the discovery of a potential special evolution link between Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit, they wouldn't mind.

But since Asher offered to share, they gladly accepted. It felt good to be acknowledged.

"Ah… does this include us?" Freckled Devin asked hesitantly, with a mix of disbelief and excitement.

A co-authorship credit…

Though not as significant as primary authorship, it was better than nothing.

Besides, earning a place in a major research project could boost his chances of getting into a top-tier Beast Academy.

Asher was about to nod when a faint, disdainful snort interrupted him.

It came from none other than crewcut Felix.

Perhaps due to successfully leaving the forbidden zone, Felix had regained his vigor. His expressions were now more animated.

Facing Asher's gaze, Felix felt slightly guilty. Yet the humiliation and jealousy he harbored toward Asher, Devin, and others in the group were hard to suppress.

"Hmph! What are you thinking?" Felix crossed his arms. Though he didn't dare openly confront Asher, he couldn't resist a few passive-aggressive remarks. "Who do you think we are, compared to the three instructors? People might see their names listed and assume Asher has special ties with them."

The implication being that Asher was leveraging the instructors' names for his own benefit.

Devin: …

Devin now really wanted to summon his Rock-Eater Beast to shut Felix up with a boulder.

Felix might've been humiliated and alienated by Asher, but Devin still had hope.

However, if Felix kept running his mouth, Devin worried he'd be dragged down as well.

"You really do have a knack for self-awareness," Asher remarked, glancing at Felix without a hint of anger.

Devin instantly felt his freckles dim. His lips couldn't curve into a smile, and his mood sank completely.

Not knowing about the co-authorship was one thing. Watching such an opportunity slip away was another. Devin's heart ached, and he found it hard to breathe.

"I knew it!" Felix's face paled as well. He could tell what Devin had realized. Yet, Felix wasn't willing to admit defeat, even though his words were bitter. "Someone like you would never care about small fry like us."

Hearing this, Devin's mood plummeted further.

But just then…

"Hmm? What are you talking about? Who said anything about 'us'?" Asher asked, feigning surprise. "I only meant you. What does this have to do with anyone else?"

Devin: ?

Devin: !

His eyes lit up instantly.

Got it!

He understood Asher's intention.

"Professor Asher, thank you so much!" Devin quickly distanced himself from Felix, eagerly severing their association.

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