Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

“Ghost Ring King has hypnotized the Snow Lion King!”

The commentator opened the mic with excitement: “The Snow Lion King has fallen! Will the match end here?!”

As his voice faded, a mechanical-type beast referee flew in from the sidelines and hovered next to the Snow Lion King.

Ten seconds later, the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the match.

“The result of the first match is in!”

The commentator announced promptly: “Let’s congratulate contestant Qiao Sang for taking the first victory!”

Cheers and chatter rippled through the audience.

Aside from Groki’s fans, most spectators quickly accepted the outcome. Especially the professional beast masters, who had already begun analyzing the match objectively.

“A combo of Brick-Breaking, Psychic Headbutt, and Hypnosis? No one’s skull could handle that! I remember the Ice Snow Lion’s weakness is its head.”

“No wonder it kept targeting the Snow Lion King’s head.”

“Is the Ghost Ring King's Hypnosis that advanced? None of the opponents have woken up within the set time.”

“Hypnosis is only a mid-tier skill. I think it’s mainly because the head took back-to-back heavy hits earlier.”

“Groki had the upper hand, but he focused too much on the combo of Shadow of Darkness and Shadow Control, and neglected the Ghost Ring King. Since the Ghost Ring King can teleport, it took barely a second to approach after that combo was retracted. I think the Snow Lion King shouldn’t have dismissed the Ice Mist Rain combo so easily at the start.”

“Yeah, that combo did restrain the Ghost Ring King to an extent.”

“You guys don’t get it, don’t talk nonsense. The Snow Lion King can’t cast Ice Fog and Ice Crystal Wall simultaneously. If it didn’t stop Ice Fog to defend, what, just let the opponent attack freely?”

“It’s all about timing. I think Qiao Sang must be a professional beastmaster.”

“Didn’t someone already dig up her info? She’s a first-year student at Yulianton University.”

“Huh? She’s still a student?!”

“Am I the only one wondering how the Ghost Ring King learned Brick-Breaking...?”

Amid all the chatter, Little Treasure teleported back to his beastmaster’s side.

He adjusted his monocle, then pressed a paw to his forehead and struck a dramatic pose he had learned from TV dramas.

“Xun xun...”

Though Little Treasure didn’t glance at the stands, his ears perked up, trying to catch reactions.

Unfortunately, he didn’t hear the admiring words he was hoping for.

Just then, a piercing voice rang out: “Groki! You’re the most handsome! If it’s about charm, the Snow Lion King didn’t lose!!!”

“Xun? XUN?!”

Little Treasure looked stunned, eyes wide, abandoning his pose entirely.

At that moment, Qiao Sang waved her hand and recalled Little Treasure into the Beast Codex.

The point of these matches was training. And if it was for training, it was best to send out a different beast each time…

Qiao Sang looked over at Groki, who was also recalling his beast.

Once she knew Groki would be her opponent, she had taken time in the waiting area to look up his second Champion-rank beast.

Fairy Treasure Butterfly, a Fairy-type Champion beast. It emits calming waves from its antennae that remove hostility and pacify opponents to end combat.

But it wasn’t a peace-loving beast. It liked to first lull foes with calming energy, then strike when they let their guard down. Once a battle began, it attacked fearlessly, even if the enemy was huge and terrifying.

Qiao Sang fell into instinctive thought.

A foe like that would be a good match for Gangbao. Calm and clever, Gangbao wouldn’t drop her guard even without battle fervor...

But Fairy Treasure Butterfly had been evolved for five years, and in every way outclassed Gangbao.

Qiao Sang still needed to maintain buzz and promote herself. Better to send out someone with higher odds, Yabao.

Just as she decided, a mechanical voice sounded: “3, 2, 1. Battle Start!”

Qiao Sang immediately pushed away her thoughts. Her hands moved reflexively to form seals at lightning speed.

This time, her star array lit up only a second behind her opponent's.

“Let the show begin!”

Groki’s tone was lively, as if he hadn’t just lost the previous round.

This was the professional demeanor of a Coordinator. No matter the outcome, they could quickly manage their expressions and present their best face to the audience.

A butterfly-like beast, about two meters tall, primarily white with short, inward-curving antennae, blue compound eyes, and pink wings, appeared first on the battlefield.

“Fairy~”

As soon as it appeared, Fairy Treasure Butterfly winked.

A heart-shaped pink energy shot straight at the opponent.

At that moment, Yabao appeared within the star array.

“Yaaaap!”

Realizing it was time to fight, Yabao let out an excited roar, summoning a surge of wind around him.

He glanced at his opponent, only to be hit by the wave of pink energy.

“Groki has the upper hand again!”

The commentator called:

“Fairy Treasure Butterfly used Allure! Fire Qilu is stunned! Was the allure successful?!”

After the first day of the tournament, the commentator had looked up Qiao Sang’s beasts to ensure accurate commentary.

“Of course it worked.”

Groki smiled.

“Because my Fairy Treasure Butterfly is genderless.”

The moment he said that, his fans in the stands erupted in screams.

“Aaaaah! Grott! Grott!”

“Fairy Treasure Butterfly! Fairy Treasure Butterfly!”

“Allure is unbeatable! Allure is unbeatable!”

The rest of the audience focused on the unfamiliar beast on the field.

Back in the waiting area, the camera had zoomed in on Qiao Sang’s lap, where the red beast with the lightweight miniaturization bracelet had been sitting.

Unfamiliar beasts always caught the crowd’s attention.

Especially when they defied expectations.

“Whoa! I always thought that bracelet was just for decoration!”

“Right?! Didn’t Qiao Sang already have Ghost Ring King and Ice Aipalu, both General-level? This beast’s size and aura, sure looks like a General too?!”

“That is also an Ace beast…”

“Holy crap. So Qiao Sang has three General-level beasts?!”

Just one brief confrontation and the crowd was in an uproar.

Not because the beast was General-level.

But because Qiao Sang, only 16 years old, had summoned it.

And she had three General-level beasts.

---

On the battlefield.

Qiao Sang filtered out the audience noise, focusing fully on the match.

Genderless, huh...

Her heart skipped a beat.

She’d searched for info on Fairy Treasure Butterfly once she knew it would appear.

But according to her research, Fairy Treasure Butterflies weren’t typically genderless, Groki’s must be a special case.

So, a genderless beast can bypass sex restrictions and land Allure successfully... Pretty impressive...

Qiao Sang gathered her thoughts and strategized.

Allure dulled the opponent’s reaction and made it hard to fight back. But the moment they got hit by any attack, they’d snap out of it...

Yabao could probably take one hit, but Fairy Treasure Butterfly had more energy from its longer evolution time. One strike might seriously injure him…

“Fairy~ Kiss~”

As that thought flickered past, Fairy Treasure Butterfly puckered its lips and blew a kiss toward Yabao.

A pink, lip-shaped energy shot forward.

“Yap... Yap...”

Yabao stood frozen, eyes glazed, clearly bewitched.

Draining Kiss, a high-level Fairy move that siphons energy and restores it to the user.

Qiao Sang recognized it instantly.

She gritted her teeth.

Yabao was already outclassed in energy, if he got drained on top of that, it’d be game over!

The worst part was that Draining Kiss didn’t hurt like a typical attack, so Yabao might stay enchanted.

Such a devious combo!

No choice, she had to gamble.

Qiao Sang shouted: “You're going to lose!”

“Yap...? YAP?!”

Her words hit like a bell, snapping Yabao out of his daze.

His ears twitched, eyes clearing in an instant.

With a furious roar, he vanished, and reappeared right in front of Fairy Treasure Butterfly, dodging the incoming kiss.

“Fire Qilu snapped out of the charm with Qiao Sang’s call!”

The commentator was hyped: “He teleported right in front of Fairy Treasure Butterfly and dodged Draining Kiss!”

The crowd fell silent for a heartbeat, then exploded again like dust kicked up in the wind.

“Teleport? A Fire/Psychic dual-type beast?!”

“No way! I’m getting jealous, how did one person contract so many rare beasts?! I’d take just one."

“Why did ‘you’re going to lose’ snap Fire Qilu out of it? Is that line important to him?”

“I heard that when a beast is under a mental status effect, saying something that really matters to them can jolt them awake. If that line worked, it must hit deep.”

---

On the battlefield.

This pet beast actually had a Psychic attribute too? Groki’s pupils contracted sharply, a surge of indescribable envy and jealousy rising in his heart.

He had just opened his mouth to give a command, but unfortunately, Fire Qilu moved far too quickly.

Its mouth opened wide, and flames instantly surged over its fangs.

A ten-meter-large flaming head of Fire Qilu formed in an instant, synchronized with its movements, and bit down viciously toward Fairy Treasure Butterfly!

Fairy Treasure Butterfly failed to dodge in time and was completely engulfed by flames from all directions.

“Fairy!!!”

A wave of searing pain struck, and Fairy Treasure Butterfly let out a heart-wrenching scream.

Groki’s expression changed drastically, but his rich battle experience quickly made him realize, this was an opportunity.

“Use Wave of Peace like this!”

As long as the opponent lost the will to fight, the situation could still be turned around!

“Fai... ry!”

Inside the flames, Fairy Treasure Butterfly heard its beastmaster’s voice. Enduring the pain, it moved the antennae on top of its head.

At the same time, Qiao Sang gave her command:

“Exploding Flame Bomb!”

A pink ripple spread outward from Fairy Treasure Butterfly’s antennae like a wave.

Yabao kept his grip on Fairy Treasure Butterfly, while a red-gold ball of fire began to form in his throat.

BOOM!!!

With a thunderous explosion, a red-gold beam of light shot out dozens of meters from the point where Fire Qilu and Fairy Treasure Butterfly clashed.

As it neared the edge of the arena, the beam, filled with violent energy, suddenly detonated. A stunning lotus of fire erupted into the sky.

A black figure was hurled through the air and didn’t stop until it slammed into the wall just a few meters from the audience stands.

The black figure embedded itself into the wall.

The camera zoomed in.

Eyes closed, the figure embedded in the wall was none other than the stunning Fairy Treasure Butterfly from earlier!

“Exploding Flame Bomb! At such close range, the power of the Exploding Flame Bomb is simply unstoppable! It directly knocked Fairy Treasure Butterfly out of the arena in a single blow!” The commentator exclaimed excitedly.

“Fairy Treasure Butterfly is known for its weak defense, I think the outcome of this match is already decided!”

The mechanical-type pet beast referee flew to Fairy Treasure Butterfly, observed for a moment, then blew the whistle signaling the end of the match.

Groki stared deeply at Qiao Sang in the distance. Then he waved his hand and recalled Fairy Treasure Butterfly into his Beast Codex.

“Yap…”

Yabao stood on the field, not looking as excited as usual. His head wasn’t tilted up at a 45-degree angle, waiting for the crowd’s cheers. Instead, he looked confused and turned his head calmly, walking back toward his beastmaster.

That Wave of Peace was terrifying! Thank goodness Yabao released the Exploding Flame Bomb in time… Qiao Sang looked at Yabao’s expression and felt incredibly thankful for her quick decision earlier.

Fairy Treasure Butterfly’s Wave of Peace may have seemed similar to a Healing Soundwave, but its effect was clearly much more terrifying.

At the very least, if it had just been a Healing Soundwave, there was no way Yabao would still be affected after such an intense explosion.

At that moment, the commentator's voice rang out: “Let’s congratulate contestant Qiao Sang on her victory in this match!”

Clap clap clap... Thunderous applause followed, and then the crowd broke into chatter:

“Fire type and Psychic type, top-tier mobility and attack. Groki didn’t lose unfairly.”

“It’s a shame he ran into a monster. Otherwise, I think Groki could’ve definitely made top ten…”

“Main thing is, we’ve never seen Qiao Sang’s pet beast before! It clearly looks like a fire and flying-type, but it has psychic powers too, who would’ve guessed?! I think once we get to the later rounds, everyone will have figured it out.”

“That Fire Fang move has even reached the Ultimate stage… Isn’t she just sixteen years old? How could they possibly raise it like that unless they’re throwing money around like it’s nothing…”

“Qiao Sang is from Yulianton University. Think she’ll stay on Chaosu Star after this?”

“Whoa, it’s possible!”

After Qiao Sang’s previous performances, the audience easily accepted the outcome of this match, everyone except Groki’s fans.

On the way to the passageway, Qiao Sang waited for a while and didn’t see Yabao shrink down on his own. She finally couldn’t help but ask: “You’re not shrinking?”

“Yap.”

Yabao looked confused for a moment, then seemed to remember something. His body slowly shrank in size, then he looked up at his beast master and cried out to show he was all better.

Qiao Sang: …

Why does it feel like not only did he become calmer, he got dumber too…

So scary. I definitely need Lubao to cast a Healing Light later!