While the commotion at the Valden family's residence grew bigger, soldiers swarmed the streets of Whitelord. Crowne, however, was calmly sitting inside an inn by the window. His eyes wandered outside, watching soldiers rushing along the roads.
Crowne showed no fear at all. Not even the slightest sign of anxiety could be seen on his face.
"Young master, shouldn't we leave Whitelord immediately? The number of soldiers deployed keeps increasing. They might begin searching every house, even the inn rooms in this city," Ronan said.
Crowne glanced at him. Instead of agreeing, he ignored Ronan's words completely, as if what Ronan said was nothing more than the wind passing by—utterly unimportant.
Seeing his master's response, Ronan grew more restless. He walked closer to Crowne and grabbed his shoulder. "Master, I beg you to reconsider what I just said!" he pleaded.
Crowne closed his eyes for three seconds, exhaled slowly, and looked back at Ronan. "You don't need to worry too much. Everything will be fine," he replied.
Ronan's eyes widened in shock. He shook his head. "No. This isn't that simple. The ones sent by Lord Sorbet are not just regular soldiers. Some special forces are also involved in the search. I won't be able to protect you if those special units come into play."
Ronan's heart pounded twice as fast, his breath feeling tight and heavy. Not because he feared death, but because he feared failing to protect his master—Crowne. For a servant, failing to protect his lord was nothing less than a disgrace, a revolting shame.
"I beg you! We must leave now," Ronan pleaded once more.
Unfortunately, Crowne only responded in his usual calmness. He glanced at his system screen instead of answering Ronan.
[Cooldown: 00 : 02 : 01]
[Cooldown: 00 : 01 : 34]
[Cooldown: 00 : 01 : 12]
Crowne smiled faintly as the countdown he had been waiting for neared its end. Just one more minute, and everything would change.
"Master!" Ronan raised his voice this time.
"Silence, Ronan! I am your master, so you shall obey me. Stop arguing or… leave this place!"
Ronan wanted to speak, but he stopped himself. He inhaled deeply, then let out a long sigh before nodding in resignation.
"Forgive me!"
[Cooldown: 00 : 00 : 02]
Crowne's heartbeat quickened. He didn't know what would happen once the timer reached zero.
There was a chance nothing would happen. But one thing was certain—he would level up. And that was already more than enough for him.
"As long as I can level up… it means I can become stronger."
[Cooldown: 00 : 00 : 00]
Crowne's eyes widened, sharpness filling his gaze. He squinted while clutching his chest, his heartbeat racing almost three times faster than normal.
Tring!
[Level Up]
[Congratulations, you have reached Level 15.]
"Hah, I jumped straight to Level 15? Isn't that too much?" Crowne shook his head. "No… this is incredible."
[Special Rewards Unlocked!]
[You have obtained 99,999 Market Points.]
[You have obtained a rare item: "Dimensional Prison Ring" (SS-Rank).]
[You have obtained a Skill: "Beast Dominion" (Unranked).]
Crowne held his breath, his fists trembling with excitement as he read through the list of rewards—rewards he had never expected at all.
Seeing this, he felt every humiliation he had endured up until now had been paid back in full. It was not disappointing in the slightest.
"Beast… Dominion?" he muttered.
Suddenly, a new screen appeared.
[Beast Dominion]
– The Ultimate Skill of a Beast Tamer.
– Grants the ability to conquer, subdue, and command monsters up to 10 times the user's level.
– Number of creatures controlled: unlimited.
– All subdued creatures will automatically be linked to the user's soul.
Crowne chuckled softly, his voice filled with satisfaction. "So this is the true power of a beast tamer… the very strength everyone once looked down upon."
Ronan stared at his master, both confused and afraid. "Master, what do you mean? What's happening to you?"
But Crowne didn't hear a single word Ronan said. His full attention was on the new system screen before him.
Now, he was browsing through the 'shop' menu. He checked what he could buy with his 99,999 points, though nothing seemed truly interesting.
Until, finally, he reached the farthest section of the shop. Crowne's lips curved into a smile before breaking into loud laughter.
"PERFECT. This is what I've been looking for," he said.
[Price: 99,000 Market Points]
[Purchase: Yes / No]
The price was astronomical, yet without a shred of hesitation, Crowne pressed "Yes." In just one second, he felt something entering his Dimensional Prison Ring.
"Ah, so that's where it went."
He still had 999 points left. With them, Crowne purchased a dagger and armor. Once he equipped both, a strange sensation flowed through him.
"I feel stronger."
Ronan still looked bewildered, watching his master seemingly talk to himself. As he observed more closely, he noticed a significant change in Crowne's appearance.
"Where did you get that armor?" Ronan asked.
Before Crowne could answer, someone knocked on the door.
Knock! Knock!
"Open up!" a voice barked from outside.
Ronan instantly drew his sword and stepped in front of his master, adopting a defensive stance.
"Damn it. I was careless," he muttered.
He could sense an overwhelming force beyond the door. The ones outside were not ordinary soldiers, but members of the special forces. And not just them—their commander was right at the front.
Ronan stepped forward half a pace, spreading his arm to shield Crowne. "Young master, run! I will hold them off, even if it costs me my life!"
But before Crowne could reply, the door burst open with a thunderous crash.
BRUAAKK!
Special forces in heavy armor stormed in, entering the room in formation. Among them stood a gray-haired man wearing a long coat, a massive sword strapped to his back.
"As I suspected, the one who burned down the Valden family's warehouse is you, Crowne Valden." His voice was deep, full of authority. "I never thought the Valden family's outcast would dare this much. Will you surrender yourself… or must I kill you here, Lord Crowne?!"
Crowne grinned broadly. He stepped forward casually, as if the dozens of soldiers surrounding him meant absolutely nothing.
"I am no longer part of the Valden family," Crowne answered. His eyes glinted coldly, and his lips curved upward. "So, you don't need to address me as 'Lord' anymore."
Ronan quickly turned his head. "Master, don't… they—"
But Crowne raised his hand, silencing him.
"And one more thing…" Crowne's voice dropped lower, dripping with mockery. "I also have no need to hesitate killing every single one of you."
"You insolent brat, Crowne!" the commander roared, raising his hand. "Kill that bastard!"
The soldiers surged forward, but Crowne acted first. He activated his Dimensional Prison Ring. In just one second, a colossal creature emerged.
Ronan collapsed to the floor in shock. "Isn't that… a mythical-ranked magical beast? How could it appear here?" He turned to look at his master, whose lips now carried a chilling smile.
"Impossible."