Chapter 57: Power Pig
Chapter 57: Power Pig
Qiao Sang didn't want these outside comments to affect Fangflare's mood.
As long as Fangflare was happy, that was enough.
Qiao Sang's gaze returned to the TV.
On the screen, two massive familiars were fighting fiercely.
The score was already 5-4, and it was a critical moment in the match.
Tonight's Interstellar Cup match was crucial for Qiao Sang's finances, so she had been watching it closely from the start.
At this moment, Chen Mo was the one who had first reached the match point.
Seeing Pasol's familiar, the Illusory Fire Dragon, overpowering Chen Mo's Dual-Headed Gear Dragon, Qiao Sang couldn't help but feel nervous.
She quickly scooped up Fangflare, who was busy looking at her own performance on her phone.
"Quick, cheer for that Illusory Fire Dragon."
"Ya?"
Fangflare tilted her head.
"It's the Beastmaster you chose yesterday's familiar", Qiao Sang explained.
"Ya!"
Fangflare understood and raised her paw.
"Ya-ya!"
"Ya-ya!"
"Ya!"
Twenty minutes later, Qiao Sang watched with satisfaction as the Dual-Headed Gear Dragon staged a comeback and won the match.
...
...
The next day.
At their usual spot in Zone C, Qiao Sang saw Bai Yunmiao back in her regular outfit.
"Don't tell me you came here just to watch my match", Qiao Sang teased, sitting down beside her while holding Fangflare.
"Hehe, I did come here just to watch you", Bai Yunmiao laughed.
Qiao Sang was taken aback.
The Newcomer Competition was held at Shouke Park, located in the suburbs. Although it was nearby, it still took a considerable amount of time to get there from the city center.
Most people who lost their matches were unwilling to waste time coming here again.
Fang Sisi had been like that when they first met.
Qiao Sang was touched and was about to say something when Bai Yunmiao spoke up.
"Actually, my parents had a fight, and I didn't want to stay home, so I came here."
Qiao Sang: "..."
So much for being touched...
"What happened with your parents?" Qiao Sang asked.
"They were talking this morning, and the conversation turned to my future", Bai Yunmiao replied. "My mom wants me to become a Coordinator, while my dad wants me to become a professional Beastmaster, and they started arguing about it."
Qiao Sang said, "It really depends on what you want."
Bai Yunmiao looked troubled. "I haven't decided yet. I'm only in my senior year of high school, and I still have a year before college. I haven't even started thinking about it."
Most high school students face the challenge of planning their future.
In her previous life, high school students just needed to focus on their studies and choose their majors based on their College Entrance Exam scores.
But in this Beastmaster society, it was necessary to plan ahead.
"Isn't your Gold-Sprinkled Vine about to evolve?" Qiao Sang asked.
"Yes", Bai Yunmiao sighed.
Qiao Sang understood.
No wonder her parents were arguing about this.
The Gold-Sprinkled Vine has two possible evolution forms.
One is the Wilted Vine, which is highly combat-effective and can potentially learn the Absorb skill, which both damages the target and heals itself.
However, its body is covered in warty, wrinkled skin.
If Bai Yunmiao wanted to become a Coordinator and participate in the Coordination Tournament, the Wilted Vine would almost certainly be eliminated in the first round of the preliminaries.
After all, Coordinators are judged on the appearance and the visual appeal of their familiars' skills.
The Wilted Vine clearly doesn't meet these criteria.
The other evolution form is the Sweet Knot Vine, which emits a captivating scent and has pink leaves that look like a grass skirt, making it very appealing.
However, its attack power is very weak, and using it to pass the Alliance's exams and become a higher-level Beastmaster would be unrealistic.
You can only bond with a second powerful familiar and then cultivate it into an Intermediate Familiar to participate in the evaluation.
This back and forth will make you much slower in becoming an E-Rank Beastmaster compared to others.
F-Class Beastmasters spend most of their time and effort on their first bonded familiar, and that's a given.
"If you can't decide, you could ask the Gold-Sprinkled Vine for its opinion", Qiao Sang said.
She thought the Gold-Sprinkled Vine would likely prefer evolving into a Sweet Knot Vine.
Its fondness for the pink bow it wore yesterday showed that it had a taste for beauty.
Bai Yunmiao paused, then realized, "You're right."
...
After a few days of the competition, only 32 contestants remained.
The audience stands became increasingly empty.
However, the organizers, to maintain interest, invited more guests and media.
In the Vip section.
"Are there any standout contestants in this competition?" one of the newly invited guests asked.
"There's a 17-year-old named Hou Xiangyu, with two Intermediate Familiars, a Bashutter and a Scale Controller."
"17 years old, Ice-type and Psychic-type, must be from Litan Beastmaster High School."
"Besides Litan, which other school has such a talented 17-year-old?"
"There's also Lu You from Holy Water High School, who bonded with a Tiny Dragon", another guest suddenly interjected.
The Vip section fell silent.
None of them had ever bonded with a Dragon-type familiar...
...
Qiao Sang's opponent today wasn't on her list.
But any Beastmaster who could make it this far with a Junior Familiar must have some skill.
"Could you... go easy on me?" the girl in the hat said, blushing.
Qiao Sang was taken aback.
This was the first time she encountered such a shy person during a competition.
"Sure", Qiao Sang agreed.
The girl smiled gratefully and then summoned her familiar.
A snow-white familiar with well-developed biceps and a snub nose appeared on the ground.
"Chaa!"
The snow-white familiar flexed its arms, showing off its bulging muscles on both sides.
Qiao Sang: "..."
It was a Power Pig...
This seemed so out of place for a Beastmaster!
Qiao Sang didn't realize that Fangflare, standing in front of her and wearing sunglasses, was also out of place as it provocatively grinned at the Power Pig.
The two Beastmasters stood quietly.
Their familiars, however, locked eyes and stared intensely at each other.
When the referee signaled the start of the match, the girl in the hat and Qiao Sang simultaneously issued the "Ram" command.
Fangflare and Power Pig, who had already been eyeing each other for what felt like hundreds of rounds, were ready to pounce.
As their Beastmasters gave the command, they charged at each other with full force.
Both sides were brimming with determination.
The two familiars collided without any hesitation, neither backing down.
The next second, the Power Pig was sent flying backward.
Fangflare stood firm, its face cool, and lifted its triangular sunglasses with a claw.
"Power Pig has lost its fighting ability, contestant Qiao Sang wins", the referee declared.
"Piggy!"
The girl in the hat ran to the Power Pig, her voice trembling with tears.
Qiao Sang felt a bit guilty.
She had promised to go easy...
She didn't expect the Power Pig to be so weak...
Fangflare's Ram experience was indeed extensive.
It practiced the Ram move every day, ramming a tree while wearing a gravity ring.
Knocking out a Junior Familiar in one go was quite normal.
But the Power Pig was a combat-type familiar, known for its strength.
This felt a bit off...
(End of Chapter)
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