After the principal of No. 3 Middle School handed over his treasured items to Ethan, he initially worried that the boy might misuse or undervalue them. But then he remembered Ethan's cleverness, which always far outpaced his actual grades. That reassurance settled his mind.
Meanwhile, Ethan was already deep in thought.
Could it be that everything the principal once bragged about was actually true?
He gazed at the glowing violet object within his Beast Master Space, still radiating a soft lavender hue. This was no ordinary prop. It was unmistakably a sacred relic, and not just any kind — this one was epic grade.
In the profession world, everyone is allowed to carry one sacred item, and even the weakest sacred relic was still more valuable than high-end platinum-tier gear.
"Heart of Fairwind (Sacred Relic): Increases Beast Master Space by +300%, Summoned Beast Growth Speed +300%, Recovery Speed +300%. Automatically recalls summoned beasts when near death. Has a slow chance to awaken hidden bloodlines."
Hiss—
Ethan's breath caught as he read through its detailed description.
Every single trait listed was considered incredibly rare on its own.
A boost to Beast Master Space? Already exceptional.
A 300% increase to growth speed? Practically unheard of.
Recovery acceleration and bloodline awakening? That could save years of training.
And the best? Automatic recall when a summoned beast is near death. This alone was a game-changer.
Unlike some casual summoners might believe, summoned beasts don't just respawn when they die. Once gone, all their experience, growth, and memories were lost. But with this relic?
Ethan had protection few beginners ever dreamed of.
"This relic alone," he thought, "must be worth billions..."
If anyone from the higher echelons of the fourth tier saw him walking around with it, they'd kill to take it, no matter how public or brutal the act might be.
And yet... the principal just gave it to me. Without hesitation.
Ethan shook his head in awe.
"Darunhua, we're here. Thirteen dollars," the cab driver said, snapping Ethan out of his reverie.
"Huh? I usually pay twelve," Ethan replied, frowning. "Why thirteen now?"
It wasn't about the extra dollar — it was a matter of principle. A scam was a scam, even if small.
Still grumbling, Ethan handed over the money and stepped out.
Darunhua was one of the many professional marketplaces scattered across the city — there was one every two kilometers. Though it wasn't high-end, it had what he needed.
It struck him as strange, though: why hadn't the principal just chosen a summoned beast for him?
Then he imagined what the principal would've said:
"The best summoned beast isn't necessarily the strongest — it's the one that suits you."
Yep, sounded just like him.
Instead of heading straight to the beast stalls, Ethan made a detour to the fish-cutting section.
Not to buy fish — just to watch blood spill for five minutes.
He needed to mentally steel himself. In the future, when facing real injuries and battle, he couldn't afford to get queasy.
Ever since the invasion of Blue Star by forces from the Myriad Realms, equipment and tools once seen as mystical had become part of daily life. Even stores like this one casually sold summoned beast eggs, the foundation for any aspiring beast master.
Following directions from a store guide, Ethan soon found the beast section.
His eyes widened.
There were rows of glowing eggs in every shade imaginable — each one labeled with details of what would hatch from it.
These weren't like wild tames. Here, all it took was a drop of blood, and the egg would hatch. The bond between master and beast would be stronger too, having formed since birth.
Wild-tamed creatures were generally more mature but harder to bond with.
Ethan glanced over the choices:
"Strong Pig" (Bronze): 8-star strength at maturity – $25,000
"Speedy Dog" (Bronze): 8-star speed at maturity – $25,500
"Little Fire Monkey" (Bronze): 9-star strength at maturity – $32,500
He was overwhelmed with options.
"Too many choices... Ugh."
He finally turned to a nearby staff member. "Hey, can you help me decide?"
The guide, trained and professional, smiled and nodded. "Certainly. Choosing a summoned beast depends on your team composition and combat role. If you're lacking a frontliner, go for Strong Pig. If you need ranged DPS, the Little Fire Monkey is excellent with fireballs and rock throws."
As the staff continued listing out examples and synergies, Ethan suddenly remembered:
"Wait, I'm stacked with Constitution thanks to that Guardian armor set."
That meant he could tank.
"I should pick a high-output beast then," he thought.
The shopping guide, noticing Ethan's deep contemplation, moved in for the upsell.
"By the way, we offer Nutrient Solution to accelerate beast growth. If you bundle it with a beast egg, you get 12% off."
Ethan resisted the urge to laugh.
He didn't need any of that.
Not when he had the Heart of Fairwind boosting his beast's growth by 300%.
Still, the shopping guide noticed Ethan's disinterest and assumed he was hesitating due to the weak options.
"Ah, just changed professions, right?" the guide asked gently. "Don't worry. Even bronze beasts have potential when trained properly."
He leaned in a bit.
"I'd recommend the Little Fire Monkey. It has elemental attacks, which many early creatures lack. Plus, we can arrange a Job Transfer Loan if you're short on cash."
At the mention of "Job Transfer Loan," Ethan felt an unexpected wave of nostalgia.
He remembered his past life.
He once borrowed a ridiculous microloan just to buy a rare beetle for his insect collection. It had taken him a month to pay off.
That memory sparked another idea.
"Wait... why haven't I seen any insect-type summoned beasts here?"
He turned to the guide, suddenly curious.
"Hey, do you have any Zerg-type beasts?"
The guide blinked. "Zerg? As in insect-type?"
Ethan nodded.
The man frowned. "No... I've worked here for over ten years, and I've never seen any Zerg summons."
That answer caught Ethan off-guard.
The guide misread his silence and began to feel suspicious. People sometimes asked about unavailable items just to avoid admitting they couldn't afford anything.
He glanced at Ethan again — the boy didn't seem wealthy, and he was hiding any gear visuals.
The guide decided to nudge things along.
"Oh! Are you asking about Poison Fire Ants? Those worthless pests are everywhere in the wild. Even jobless wanderers step on them for fun. Total trash-tier. Not even worth cultivating."
Ethan: ? ? ?
He stood in stunned silence.
To be continued...