Test Or Prank?

Advika stared at the monster, which was half skeleton and half wolf... It had a wolf's head and claws, but the rest of its body was made of bones, even the wings behind were made from bones... What caught Advika's attention were the extra two hands, which were curved upward like scythes.

The creature was busy knocking on the door like a human, its deep, hollow red eyes moving from right to left.

When its gaze moved to the window, Advika quickly closed the curtains... She looked at her sister, and after a few seconds, she looked again, only to see the monster staring straight at her.

Advika instantly froze, her face paled... Staring straight into the monster's eyes.

GRRAAAAA!

The monster let out a low growl, revealing rows of brown teeth, goo flowing down as it stared at Advika.

Advika slowly closed the window and silently gestured to Sylvia to enter the inner room.

BAM!!

The door shook violently as the monster collided with it.

"What are we going to do, Advika?" Sylvia whispered.

"That is a legendary-stage monster, and it's smarter than we think... It saw me, so it'll most likely destroy the door... You need to hide in the room; I'll take care of this," Advika whispered back.

"What?!" Sylvia yelled in a whisper and added:

"That thing is a whole stage stronger than Vicki, and you! Why don't you hide with me?"

BAM!!

A crack appeared on the door.

"You don't get it. If I hide... It'll locate us. I say you hide, and I'll keep it busy until Chris returns."

Advika pushed Sylvia into the room.

"Then I'm staying with you!" Sylvia struggled back.

"No! You have to listen, Sylvia!"

Advika pushed Sylvia inside and shut the door.

"Advika!! What are you doing?!" Sylvia yelled from the room.

"Stay put, Sylvia! Don't you believe in my strength?!"

"I do, but you have to use your brain! You can't easily win!"

"I know, Sylvia, but I can't let you come out and endanger yourself." She looked around the room and picked up a mop.

Vicki looked at the mop in her hand in mild confusion.

"Stop staring, Vicki; we must win."

BOOM!!!

More cracks appeared on the door. Before she knew it, BAM! Everyone became deadly silent.

Advika looked at Vicki, seeing he was also looking at her, both confused.

"What happened, Advika? Why is everyone suddenly quiet?" Sylvia's voice tore through the silent air.

Advika gulped and slowly walked toward the door, the mop in her hand.

The moment she reached a foot from the door, it suddenly flew open, and without hesitation, she swung the mop.

BAM!!

"Watch where you're swinging that."

"Uh? Chris?" Advika was stunned; she looked behind Christopher, seeing the monster standing still, with four more like it.

"That monster?"

She lowered the mop in mild confusion.

"That's now my beast. We met them on our hunt, and I tamed the five..." Christopher said, walking inside the house.

"Whoa, she really wanted to damage our master's face with that mop," Lucas said, following behind Christopher.

"Our master is lucky he has quick reflexes. I wonder if he would have gotten married in life or seen a woman who'd love his scarred face," Lazarus added, also entering the room.

Christopher raised an eyebrow, staring at the two with killing intent, while Advika instantly turned red in embarrassment.

Christopher moved his gaze around and asked in mild confusion:

"Where is Sylvia?"

Advika turned her head to Christopher and glared at him.

"Your prank or test almost made us cry, and you dare ask me where Sylvia is?! Are you mad?!!" she yelled.

Christopher chuckled and sat down on the couch, moving his gaze around the room:

"Seriously, where is Sylvia?"

"I'm in here."

"Huh?"

Christopher looked at the door, then turned his head to Advika;

"Did you lock her inside the room?"

Advika was now fuming in rage. Unable to hold it in anymore, she yelled:

"Where do you expect me to put her?!! Your beast scared the shit out of us! If you ask me any more questions! I won't care if you're my master and teach you a lesson!!!"

Christopher rubbed his ear and nodded; "Okay, then let her out... We'll be leaving in five minutes; we need to get to the city."

Advika calmed herself, walked toward the door, and opened it.

Sylvia got out, looked around the room, and settled her gaze on Christopher.

"Was it a test or a prank?" she asked.

"It's a test to see your reaction, and you passed. Well... Advika got the highest score, although she knew she'd die, she still chose to protect and fight," Christopher said.

"Hey! That's cheating! She locked me inside the room."

"True, but the key is right inside the room; you could have looked for it and opened the door," Christopher said, cutting her off.

"This?! Ahh!"

Out of frustration, Sylvia walked toward the door, when she saw the monster standing there, she took a hundred and eighty-degree turn and screamed:

"The monster is right outside!!!"

Advika and Christopher looked at one another and burst out laughing:

Seeing the two laughing, Sylvia glared at them. "What?!"

"I thought you listened to our conversation? That's my beast," Christopher said.

"Oh...? Wait, Chris; how many beasts do you have?"

"I'd say a total of 30... I was going for 50, but time wasn't in my favor."

The two girls blinked in shock, staring at Christopher like he was a demon from hell, but he paid no heed to their shock and continued:

"Let's say remove Lazarus, Lucas, Grim, and the ten lions, that makes 17 beasts left... These 17 are all legendary-stage beasts, with the weakest having the combat strength of Level 6. The highest has the combat strength of Level 9."

"Huh? What about that monster?" Advika asked.

"Oh, you mean the skeleton wolf? He's the weakest."

The two sisters looked at one another, not knowing what to say.

"Okay!"

Christopher stood up:

"Let's get on our way; we need to get to the city, and I know you guys want to see your family, right?"

The girls nodded their heads.

"Let's get going."

Christopher smiled and walked toward the door.