"Father, can we please move?" The young girl, Hilman, pleaded as she looked at her father, unable to bear their neighbors any longer.
"A few wild beasts, and look how they've frightened you. It's disgraceful." Her father glanced at her dismissively, shaking his head with a hint of disdain. "We're not moving. We'll stay right here. You need to toughen up. You're preparing to become a Star Armor Master, yet you fainted at the sight of some animals. It's embarrassing to even talk about."
"Those creatures can hardly be called animals! They're clearly some kind of aberrations!" Hilman argued, indignant. "How can we live alongside such beings?"
"Aberrations? They're just beasts!" her father replied, unwavering.
In this world, the term "aberration" referred broadly to all non-human intelligent species. Any creature with intelligence comparable to humans could be called an aberration.
"Hmph!" Frustrated after several failed attempts to convince him, Hilman stomped upstairs to her room.
She pulled her curtains open and looked toward the neighboring house, only to lock eyes with a pair of sharp blue eyes. A black-feathered, gold-striped giant eagle was nesting on the neighboring rooftop, and it had noticed her gaze before she even looked over.
What are you staring at, kid?
The giant eagle, an imposing creature, held its gaze with the young girl, whose innate talent was considerable. However, within seconds, Hilman could no longer withstand the bird's intimidating stare and was forced to look away.
"Phew!" Hilman quickly pulled her curtains shut, breathing heavily. Just a few seconds of eye contact had left her drenched in sweat. That eagle, standing nearly three meters tall, had exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"That eagle definitely has intelligence on par with humans. It's definitely an aberration. How could the city government allow someone to keep such a creature?" Hilman recalled the boy next door, who had been training in the courtyard a few days earlier, and her irritation toward him flared.
Because of his pets, she had fainted in fear—a truly humiliating experience. Any initial fondness she might have felt toward her neighbor was completely obliterated.
"The Douglas family—is it really that powerful?" Hilman groaned as she lay on her soft bed.
She remembered everything that had happened over the past few days. News about a new resident moving into the villa complex with a bunch of dangerous beasts had spread rapidly, thanks to her fainting episode. The property management initially planned to approach the tenant to address the issue. But when the tenant told management to visit him in person, what seemed like arrogance was quickly understood when he gave his name.
"Jeros Douglas!" Hilman gritted her teeth, enunciating the name.
Just the mention of that last name was enough for management to abandon the idea of a confrontation. Instead, the complex's owner sent a gift, calling it a welcome present to his new resident.
That same last name silenced all the residents' complaints. Over the following days, residents in the complex started moving out, searching for a new place to live.
The villa's abundant greenery offered ample hiding spots for those massive, carnivorous beasts. The presence of the new resident and his creatures put everyone on edge.
But since his family's background was untouchable, there was nothing they could do to make him leave. So, they had no choice but to move out themselves.
Hilman wanted to leave as well. Her family had other properties, after all. But her father refused, insisting she stay and not even allowing her to change rooms.
"I must be adopted. They probably just found me somewhere. Otherwise, why would they make me live next to a bunch of monstrous aberrations?" She turned on her side, staring at the ceiling in defeat.
For days, Hilman had been too anxious to sleep well, her nerves frayed by the presence of those giant beasts next door.
…
"Jeros, you've stirred up quite a commotion this time!" In the neighboring villa, a mother and son were talking after dinner.
"What do you mean?" Muria leaned against a massive Kodiak saber-toothed tiger, adjusting a hand component of his Star Armor.
"Because of you, this entire villa complex is losing tenants. People interested in buying here have dropped drastically, and the property prices have already fallen by ten percent, with no end in sight!" Suzanna chuckled as she watched a video on her handheld device. "Just by moving in, you've single-handedly driven down the property values."
"What does that have to do with me? Those people are just too faint-hearted. I told them my pets are harmless. They're well-behaved!" Muria replied indifferently, reaching out to pet the large saber-toothed tiger lying next to him.
"Do you think anyone would believe that?" Suzanna raised an eyebrow, eyeing the massive saber-toothed tiger he was using as a pillow. Just lying there, the tiger was almost a meter tall. One could only imagine how intimidating it would be standing up.
"Whether they believe it or not doesn't concern me. I've already told them, and the government has certified all my pets." Muria continued, sounding unconcerned.
Each of the beasts around him contained the consciousness of a powerful legendary subordinate. Over the years, they had grown strong enough to handle low- to mid-level Star Armor Masters without difficulty.
With such formidable beasts, Muria naturally wanted to keep them close. In ordinary circumstances, these creatures would never be allowed into human settlements. However, thanks to his family name, he obtained the necessary permits from the city government, granting him the legal right to keep them.
Muria was unconcerned about the repercussions of his actions. However, he didn't anticipate that his behavior, which deviated entirely from the norm, would land him on the local news.
With his notable identity, the story quickly spread through virtual networks, causing him to become an overnight sensation.
…
"Beast King! Zoo Director? Hahaha, this kid's got some nerve, keeping so many beasts." Thousands of miles away in a bustling office tower, a blonde-haired woman chuckled as she skimmed the news on her screen.
As an entrepreneur with no boss, she could slack off whenever she pleased while monitoring her employees.
"Oh, is that a Black-scaled Python?" Sarina clicked through the images. Following a sudden impulse, she scrutinized the giant python peeking from the dense foliage, narrowing her eyes.
"This python can't be more than three years old, but judging from its exposed length, it must be close to twenty meters. That's far beyond the size of a typical Black-scaled Python! An aberrant strain!"
Sarina continued examining the images of the Beast King's pets. Judging from the angles, the pictures had been taken secretly and were incomplete, showing only parts of the animals' bodies.
But even with partial images, her knowledge allowed her to estimate the beasts' ages and sizes. "This Beast King isn't ordinary. His animals have all surpassed their species' typical limits!"
She flipped through the images until her gaze sharpened. "The Beast King is a child about to enter middle school. He's only twelve!"
"That age… it coincides with when Muria reincarnated." Sarina's eyes narrowed as a feeling stirred within her. She instinctively sensed that the boy in the photos, with his refined, handsome features, was likely her son's reincarnation.
"It's too far to be sure. I'd need to see him up close to know for sure! Photos alone aren't enough," the Golden Dragon Lady mused, touching her chin thoughtfully as she continued analyzing the images. She could deduce quite a bit of information from them, including the neighborhood where the boy likely lived.
…
"Ring!" The phone rang crisply in the living room, where Suzanna sat watching a TV show. She picked up the phone without saying a word, waiting for the caller to speak first.
"Hello!" On the other end, a clear and youthful female voice spoke, sweet and pleasant.
"Is this Jeros' residence?"
"Who are you?" Suzanna asked, her patience slightly restored by the voice's tone.
"I'm his mother. Could you let him come to the phone? I have something to discuss with him."
Click. Suzanna hung up immediately, her hand slamming down on the phone.
"What happened?" Freshly showered and in his bathrobe, Muria glanced curiously at the phone, now in pieces after her forceful hang-up.
"Another attention-seeker who managed to figure out our number, calling to ride the wave of fame." Suzanna's face flushed with irritation.
"What did she say?"
"She said she was your mother!" Suzanna rolled her eyes. Ever since her son's rise to fame, she'd dealt with constant disturbances, but this was the most ridiculous one yet.
Hearing her response, Muria froze mid-motion as he was drying his hair…
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