After waiting with nothing particular to do, Aion decided to make use of his time. He submitted his application for the title of Intermediate Breeder, then gathered the materials he had bought for spirit food. Hazel had been resting long enough in the Spirit Nurturing Chamber, so Aion released her, spending 20 Origin Points in the process.
Carrying the herbs and berries, he entered the alchemy room, where a silver cauldron stood waiting. With practiced hands, he placed the ingredients inside, entered Hazel's details, and set the machine to work.
The recipe he chose was one well-suited for healing beasts growing through the Elite Rank—the Dewdrop Balls, made mainly of Dewdrop Berries (Rank 2 Spirit Material) and a few auxiliary Rank 1 herbs. Each serving cost Aion around 1,000 star coins in raw material, and he had enough to make 30 servings. In the market, each serving would easily fetch 3,000 star coins, but by preparing them himself he could provide Hazel with the best quality food at only a third of the cost.
Of course, each preparation consumed 10 Origin Points, and with his current balance of 410, Aion spent them without hesitation. A timer appeared above the cauldron—15 minutes until completion.
As he waited, Aion's mind wandered to the federation's rules. Spirit food could not be sold without proper grading. Shops were required to submit their spirit food prepare by themselves for quality testing; only certified breeders were allowed to market food under their own label after authorisation.He would have to send a sample for authentication, but as a recognized breeder, the process would be straightforward. Smiling to himself, he set aside a portion of the mixture for that very purpose.
When the timer chimed, a sweet fragrance filled the room. The Dewdrop Balls emerged, gleaming faintly, their aroma like fresh morning rain. Hazel bounded in, her nose twitching, eyes gleaming with greed.
"Go on," Aion chuckled, handing one over.
Hazel nibbled eagerly, clearly delighted. Thanks to the shop's facility, the food was infused with a trace of Origin Energy, raising its quality to rival the best on the market.
Just then, the doorbell chimed.
Standing in the doorway was a boy in academy robes, around eighteen years of age. He peered into the tidy, freshly opened shop with curious eyes.
Aion greeted him with a smile. "Welcome."
The boy introduced himself as Daniel, a Rank 2 Beast Tamer and second-year student at Bridgetown Beastmaster Academy. Today had been the preliminaries of their yearly competition, held to choose students to represent the academy in the Mid-Summer Beast Master Tournament at the capital. Daniel had fought his way into the top six, thanks to his B-rank talent, Valor Gift, which temporarily boosted his beast's strength.
But misfortune struck—his main beast had been poisoned during the last fight. Though the academy had treated it with antidotes, lingering weakness clung to the creature. The quarterfinals were scheduled for tomorrow, and Daniel couldn't afford to wait three days for recovery. Other pet care shops were full, and his healer friends couldn't cure poison aftereffects.
With heavy steps, he had stumbled across this new shop, drawn inside by chance and hope.
Hesitantly, Daniel asked, "Can this shop… cure poison aftereffects?"
"Summon your beast," Aion said gently.
With a flash of summoning light, a Tide Trickster Monkey appeared. Its aqua-blue fur was dull, its fin-tipped tail drooped, and its sea-green eyes looked listless. Normally playful and full of mischief, the monkey slumped on the floor, weak and drained.
Aion activated Origin Insight, and the glowing panel of information appeared before his eyes:
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Species: Tide Trickster Monkey
Affinity: Water
Level: 28(Rank 2, Soldier)
Potential: Rank 4 (General Peak)
Aptitude: 65
Skills:
Water Walk (Rank D, Proficient) – Walks on water; moves faster on wet ground.
Bubble Punch (Rank D, Advanced) – Compresses water into a fist for a bursting strike.
Tidal Wave (Rank C, Proficient) – Summons a battlefield-altering surge of water.
Tricky Water Laser Spray (Rank B, Proficient) – Fires illusory water lasers, only one real.
The panel confirmed what Aion suspected—the beast was no longer poisoned, but its body was still plagued by the aftereffects.
"Hazel," Aion called softly.
The little hare bounded into view, horns gleaming faintly with spiritual light. Daniel's eyes widened.
"That's a Harespring… but with three horns?" he asked curiously.
"This is Hazel, my contracted partner," Aion replied. "She's a healing type pet and she can cure your beast. My charge is 2,000 star coins."
Daniel's eyes lit up with hope. "Please! I'll pay."
Aion nodded, leading the Tide Trickster Monkey into the healing chamber. "Hazel, use your Sovereign Blessing."
The hare's body glowed, and the S-rank healing skill released a miracle-like aura. Even at Beginner level, its power was astounding. The soft light enveloped the monkey, drawing out the lingering toxins and restoring vitality.
Moments later, the monkey's dull eyes brightened, its tail flicked with energy, and its hyperactive spark returned.
Aion brought it out, healthy once more.
Daniel's face broke into a smile of pure relief. He transferred the fee immediately and bowed. "Thank you! Now I can fight tomorrow without worry. You've saved me."
Aion chuckled. "This is Hazel Health Care's specialty. Come back when you're free—my shop offers more than healing."
Daniel nodded quickly. "After the competition, I will. For now, I have to prepare. Thank you again."
He hurried away, determination in his stride.
Aion watched him go, warmth spreading through his chest. Hazel's successful cure marked the official debut of the shop's healing services. With a small laugh, Aion closed the shop at 8 p.m., satisfied with the day's outcome.
As he walked home, humming a light tune, his heart thumped with excitement—just past midnight, his new pet egg would hatch. Another chapter of adventure was about to begin.