"I already told you, I'll make it quick for you."
"Your pet can't fly, don't even think about escaping."
Freya stood with her hands on her hips, her entire face reflected in the flames, looking just like a witch.
Beside her were the anxious research institute staff watching the scene.
Clyde, however, took a moment to glance at Asher's expression.
Very calm. Didn't look worried at all.
Clyde couldn't help but think, 'Professor Asher really doesn't look panicked at all. Could it be that he has some other way to escape?'
Clyde couldn't make sense of it no matter how he thought.
He decided to keep watching.
He also noticed that among Asher's staff, some of them didn't look all that nervous either.
Could it be that they knew something?
Unnerved staff Chase and Sarah (a couple): Of course they knew.
They were among the earliest staff who followed Professor Asher, how could they not know the basic skills of his pets?
Finally, the flames covering the field disappeared without a trace.
But everyone noticed that along with it, the Cat-worm was also gone.
Freya: "?"
Eliana, Pierce and the others: "?"
Clyde looked at the deep area on the field, which didn't look like it had been scorched by fire, showing a thoughtful expression.
"Professor Asher, where's your pet?", Freya looked shocked, eyes wide, "Could it have been burned away by Jaeger's flames?"
'Impossible! When did Jaeger's flames become that powerful?'
'Could it be an upgrade after Jaeger gained control over the energy in his body?'
Freya's mind was a mess.
Asher's mouth twitched.
What kind of brain circuit did Freya have?
Before Asher could say anything, the Cat-worm angrily emerged from the shadow on the ground.
Like a puddle of moving black water, it gloomily poked its head out from the darkness, its messy eyes glaring in Jaeger and Freya's direction.
And then it cursed loudly.
"Meow! Meow!"
"Meow! Meow! Meow!"
Freya couldn't understand what the Cat-worm was cursing, but she was sure that the little thing was definitely using foul language.
Otherwise, why would Professor Asher's expression be so complex and hard to describe?
Regardless, Freya first let out a huge sigh of relief.
Then her eyes were full of interest, "Good, good, good! This is really fun!"
"Didn't expect your pet, Professor Asher, to be both powerful and amusing!"
Freya shouted loudly, showing no sign of frustration from her attack missing.
Why be discouraged?
It's a battle. It only becomes interesting when both sides go back and forth.
She, Freya, hated crushing weaklings the most.
That's why she had hesitated to accept Asher's challenge earlier, but after that attack, her mindset had completely changed.
"Jaeger, wing attack!"
This wasn't a turn-based fight. With more experience and power, the Flame Dragon reacted faster than the Cat-worm and launched the first attack.
Asher wasn't disheartened by Jaeger's repeated assaults.
From a strength standpoint, he wasn't the opponent's match, this had been clear from the beginning.
But what did that have to do with giving it his all?
"Shadow Assault," Asher said in a deep voice.
Dark tentacles squirmed on the ceiling, clawing and transforming from flat shapes into 3D attacks.
Clyde: "!"
Clyde was shocked by this instant change.
Jaeger the Flame Dragon and Freya, fighting on the field, felt it even more clearly.
'Wing attack? Then I'll restrain your means of attack.'
The pitch-black tentacles tightly wrapped around Jaeger's claws, legs, wings, and several other parts.
Though it couldn't swallow the dragon in one bite, the Flame Dragon was simply too big!
But breaking it up, targeting piece by piece, that was doable.
Seeing the red scales of the Flame Dragon shrouded in black smoke, Freya furrowed her brow deeply.
"Jaeger, fly!"
'Tentacles can't fly!'
But to Freya's surprise, Jaeger's movements became noticeably sluggish.
Freya: "?"
"Poisoned?"
A battle-hardened Freya instantly understood what was going on, and was even more shocked.
"Uh… Little Cat is indeed a poison-type. Many of its attacks come with poison. Miss Freya, what are you so surprised about?", Levi curiously tiptoed next to Clyde, keeping a respectful social distance.
Then he quietly asked.
Clyde glanced at Levi. He didn't ignore him outright and after a moment thought aloud:
"That's because the Flame Dragon's scales act as a kind of armor, it's very hard for regular attacks or poisons to penetrate that layer."
If it were equally matched, maybe it'd be possible.
But the Cat-worm was far from Jaeger's level.
Be it poison or flame or any other attack, it shouldn't have been able to break through that armor at all.
No wonder Freya was shocked.
Clyde watching on was also surprised.
Even if the poison didn't cause significant damage to Jaeger, just the fact that a low-level pet's poison could penetrate the armor...
"Don't overthink it. I used a special technique," Asher, who also heard their conversation, said.
What special technique?
Of course it was the special effect of [Sinbreaker Blade].
No need to call out every skill.
Say some internally, some aloud, and you can perfectly confuse your opponent.
And indeed, Asher's opponents were thoroughly confused.
The barrier had been broken, yet they still couldn't figure out how Asher had done it?
They couldn't figure it out at all.
Freya also realized, she really had underestimated Asher.
'No way!'
'Can't let this drag on any longer.'
'This has to end quickly.'
Otherwise, if she messed up here, people would laugh at her, Freya, the big sister.
"Jaeger, Dragon Roar!"
Like mountain crashing down.
A deafening roar surged with energy, giving the Cat-worm no chance to dodge. Flame Dragon Jaeger even calculated himself into the attack.
Tightly gripping the shadow tentacles, he tugged at them in a tug-of-war with the Cat-worm.
Not giving the Cat-worm any chance to hide.
Using his body as a weapon.
Cat-worm, KOed.
Seeing the Cat-worm collapse to the ground, its eyes nearly turning into spirals, Asher stepped up and picked it up, "Good job."
Though it had fainted, the Cat-worm seemed to hear Asher's words, its six legs kicked wildly in his arms.
'Damn it… sob sob sob…'
Asher chuckled and placed the Cat-worm into the medical pod.
Little Raven laughed on the side, flapping its wings, unable to hide the smile on its feather-covered face.
Asher: "..."
"Professor Asher, with your pet's power like this," Freya walked up to Asher and gave him a thumbs-up with deep emotion, "I don't think there's anything wrong at all with your desire to become a top Beast Tamer now."
"You totally deserve it!"
Freya was a straightforward person.
And someone who loved to fight and improve herself.
Toward opponents she acknowledged, her attitude changed.
Though she saw the Cat-worm as rather weak, just the fact that it could penetrate the Flame Dragon's armor earned her respect for both the Cat-worm and Asher.
Even many 7th- or 8th-level pets couldn't do that.
But Asher did it.
"When Little Cat gets stronger, we'll challenge you again," Asher said with a smile.
"Alright!", This time, Freya agreed enthusiastically.
She had already started fantasizing about the next exciting battle with Asher.
Asher, meanwhile, was estimating the Cat-worm's current strength.
'Hmm… still a bit weak.'
The Cat-worm's evolution really needed to be accelerated.
But the unknown evolution path gave Asher a headache.
"…Hopefully I'll get lucky and figure out what evolution route suits the Cat-worm best?", Asher muttered to himself softly.
Couldn't figure it out for now.
So he set it aside.
Main thing about being human, don't make things hard for yourself.
Asher's gaze shifted from the Cat-worm to Little White Snake and Little Jellyfish, and then to Angel… Angel was set aside for now.
Angel had its own clear evolution route.
Couldn't really be called an evolution.
Anyway, close enough.
"You two also can't slack on your evolution paths," Asher said seriously.
The strength of Little White Snake and Little Jellyfish had always been a focus of his.
To join the national Beast Tamer competition, he couldn't just train one or two pets.
Balance was very important.
Little White Snake: *shivers*
'Snakey doesn't want a beating.'
'Can we pretend Snakey doesn't exist?'
Little White Snake stared at Asher with fierce golden eyes, trying to act cute.
Asher rejected the cuteness.
He wasn't buying it.
'Snakey… Snakey is even sadder now!'
Asher chuckled.
"Let's get stronger together," He stroked Little White Snake to comfort it, "Only by becoming stronger can we go farther together."
Little White Snake: "..."
It couldn't help but flick its tongue.
'Fine… alright then… just slightly fulfill the Beastmaster's wish!'
Little Jellyfish joined in too.
Little Jellyfish: "Gulu~"
Asher looked at his friendly pets and nodded in satisfaction.
Just like that, everyone, let's move forward together on the path to getting stronger.
But before that...
Asher's gaze returned to the two Flame Dragons.
Observing them.
Not really to strike back, okay, that was one reason.
More importantly, it was because of the brother and sister's request.
Asher decided to speed things up and get things done quickly.
———
[Three Days Later]
"These flame crystals are really useful," Clyde said, looking at his Flame Emperor, whose flame power had increased by more than one level, with a satisfied expression.
His face still showed some shock.
The effect was just too good.
Clyde even reflected, did his Flame Emperor already have this potential?
Had he just never found a good sparring partner before?
Then Clyde pulled his sister into being a guinea pig too.
The result was immediate.
Just, compared to the Flame Emperor, Jaeger's flame power increased a bit slower and the effect was slightly weaker.
"Because Flame Emperor and Little Raven sparred more often, and got more chances to feel True Solar Fire up close," Asher concluded.
Freya and Clyde both nodded, agreeing.
"Professor Asher, I think this material should be promoted. Beast Tamers with fire pets would flock to it," Freya, holding her slightly thinner but stronger Flame Dragon Jaeger, looked at Asher seriously.
Would any Beast Tamer resist such useful material?
Especially since fire-type Beast Tamers made up 80% of all Beast Tamers.
Aside from specialists of other attributes, most Beast Tamers who contract multiple attribute pets will have at least one fire pet.
Strong attack.
Versatile.
Or maybe a lightning-type pet.
Lightning and fire go hand in hand.
"Also, Professor Asher, you mentioned before that you used this material in Silverfang Tiger's new evolution path too, so that proves this material might also be very useful for lightning-type pets, right?", Clyde thought deeper and carefully analyzed for Asher.
"My opinion is, Professor Asher, why don't you just go ahead and register a patent."
Asher: "?"
"Materials can be patented?", Asher asked.
"Normally no, but there are always special cases, aren't there," Blue Whale said with a smile, "If it were a purely, naturally mined or harvested material or mineral, herb, that kind of thing from a specific location, then of course it couldn't be applied for."
"But this was created by Professor Asher's pet beast using special methods, so it can be applied."
Asher touched his chin.
Apply for a patent.
There are definitely benefits.
As long as this kind of material is still being used, patent fees cannot be avoided.
Not to mention, if others want to use it, they originally have to pay to buy it.
In short, more money is earned.
Because it is a special patent, taxes can also be reduced a bit.
Asher: 'This is acceptable.'
He is not someone who messes around.
The taxes that should be paid won't be shorted.
But the portion that can reasonably be reduced, why not?
Saving money is also a way of earning money.
Asher: "Alright, I will apply for this patent!"
For the sake of earning money.
Beast Tamers' patent applications also need to go through the Beast Tamer Alliance's procedures, and then the final step goes to national review.
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