Chapter 108: Four Kings and One Horse? Asher: Social Death Only Takes a Second

Thinking about how fast the Cat-Worm's claws had struck just now, Scar stroked his chin and said, "If your luck weren't so bad, it looks like you could've lasted a few more rounds?"

"But we're not combat specialists. As long as we don't get eliminated in the first round, it's a win."

"Don't overthink it. Too much pressure."

Asher: "?"

Asher immediately realized that this big guy beside him seemed to have misunderstood something. He wasn't sure if Scar was weak, but Scar definitely thought he was weak—otherwise, there was no way he'd be using that comforting tone.

But Asher didn't argue. He just smiled and listened to Scar's words.

"Eliminated in the first round? At the very least, I should last a few rounds. Since I'm already here, I can't be so unconfident." Asher chuckled. "I even want to see if I can make it to the finals."

As soon as he finished speaking, he was met with Scar's warrior's gaze.

"My friend, courage is a good thing." Scar first gave Asher a thumbs-up, then immediately added, "But as a person, you still need some self-awareness. Even if you don't understand other people's strength, you should at least have some idea of your own."

He pointed at himself. "Me, a weakling."

Then at Asher. "You, another weakling."

"Tasty morsels. Anyone with decent teeth could chew us up easily." Scar sighed. "My pet beast is barely at a comprehensive four-star level, while the combat specialists' beasts average at five stars. How are we supposed to fight them?"

"And you got a direct admission for the Beast Evolution major. With such outstanding research achievements, you obviously spent less time training your pet beast compared to those full-time combat-focused beastmasters."

Asher was momentarily speechless.

This guy had way too much self-awareness.

"If you already know you're a weakling, why are you even joining the competition?" Asher decided to switch topics.

"Hehehe, well—this is a great opportunity to observe my future clients." Scar puffed up his chest proudly. "Many people think choosing the Pet Beast Care major is career suicide, but I don't see it that way!"

"The stronger a pet beast is, the more easily it's affected by violent emotions. It's necessary to soothe and communicate with them properly."

"And their beastmasters surely want their pets to be in peak condition, both physically and mentally. This field has great potential."

As he spoke about his beloved profession, Scar became incredibly passionate. He was just short of grabbing Asher's hand and convincing him to switch majors together.

Asher nodded thoughtfully.

This guy had something going on.

He could tell that, compared to regular pet beast care, Scar's expertise leaned more toward psychological comfort and emotional guidance for pet beasts… That was some serious skill. Not just anyone could do it.

Asher couldn't help but wonder—did Scar have a special talent ability? Or was his contracted pet beast's ability unique?

He didn't ask further. After all, this was their first time meeting, and they'd known each other for less than half an hour.

"That one in your arms is your pet beast, right? It looks pretty unique. What kind of Beast is it?" As they talked, Scar's gaze landed on the Cat-Worm in Asher's arms, his eyes practically glowing. "You might not believe me just by hearing it—want me to show you a demonstration? I guarantee your pet will be in the best mental state before the match!"

"Trust me!"

Scar smacked his chest loudly.

Asher remained silent.

He looked down and locked eyes with the Cat-Worm.

Cat-Worm: QwO

'I'm just a little kitty. Beastmaster, what are you trying to do to me?'

Asher chuckled,"You have some kind of special ability?"

While Scar's words sounded impressive, Asher wasn't the type to believe things blindly.

You shouldn't have ill intentions toward others, but you should always be cautious.

Who knew if this guy was actually a smiling tiger—a sweet mouth with a sharp blade?

"I knew I couldn't fool you." Scar glanced around, then leaned in close and lowered his voice. "It's fine to tell you. After all, I want to make a name for myself in the future, so I'll have to reveal my talent ability sooner or later."

"And you're a famous Beast Evolution professor. Remember to introduce some high-quality clients to me in the future."

With that, Scar revealed his talent ability—[Swap].

It sounded a little strange.

Swap?

Swap what?

Through extensive self-exploration, Scar discovered that he could extract negative and harmful emotions from pet beasts. He could even temporarily swap bodies and minds with them for a short time.

Asher: "?"

Asher's eyes widened in shock.

"Swapping bodies and minds with a pet beast… Are you sure that's safe?" Asher asked, still in disbelief.

"You're overthinking it. It's not a long-term swap—just three seconds max. I just get a brief taste of their physical and mental state before I get forcibly switched back." Scar waved a hand dismissively. "Sounds impressive, right? Well… okay, yeah, it is impressive."

He nodded seriously.

Asher nodded too.

"It's definitely impressive." If this ability could be used in battle—to swap minds with an opponent's pet beast… or to transfer negative emotions onto it…

Official competitions didn't allow beastmasters to use talent abilities.

After all, not every beastmaster's ability was a straightforward support skill for their pet.

But in private tournaments or poorly regulated competitions, it was impossible to completely prevent beastmasters from using their abilities.

"Your talent is perfect for raising pet beasts," Asher said sincerely,"Even if you can't use it in official matches, it'd be incredibly useful for training."

"I know." Scar wasn't surprised by Asher's words. To him, Asher, as a Beast Evolution professor, would naturally think of this application first. "But I don't want to do that."

Scar shrugged.

"Maybe it's because I've shared the minds of pet beasts so many times… but rather than just raising them, I want to help them. That's why I chose Pet Beast Care." Scar looked at the confident beastmasters on the battlefield, their faces filled with determination. His eyes gleamed with a different kind of light. "I might even create a new field of pet beast care, completely unique to me."

"Maybe in a few decades, I'll be a top expert. The strongest beastmasters will have to bring their pets to me for treatment."

"Ambitious. I wish you success." Asher smiled encouragingly.

Scar, having had a serious moment, suddenly seemed embarrassed. He laughed sheepishly and changed the subject. "So, want me to check your pet's condition? It's always better to catch problems early!"

"Honestly, if you want to make it to the finals… either your pet has to be absurdly strong, you have to be absurdly lucky, or a miracle has to happen." Scar smacked his chest. "Compared to the first two, I think the last one is more likely."

"I'm giving you a miracle buff here."

"Ten-star health rating… I think we're fine." Asher glanced at the Cat-Worm nestled in his arms, its two little dragon horns pressing against his stomach, its rear end facing Scar. He smiled.

"Health Ten Stars?" Scar was shocked: "Goodness, your pet beast's condition is a bit too good! But if that's the case, it seems like it'll be even harder for you to make it to the finals."

"Isn't Health Ten Stars good?" Asher didn't understand.

Since the staff yesterday hadn't said anything, and Asher also thought that the higher the health, the better, he hadn't asked much about the health level.

But from Scar's words… it seemed like having too high a health level wasn't a good thing?

"Ah… that's not what I mean. How should I put it?" Scar frowned, looking a little conflicted: "Of course, Health Ten Stars is good. This means that your pet beast is in the best possible state, both physically and mentally."

"But generally speaking, a pet beast's health evaluation rating is around six to eight stars, with six or seven stars being the most common. Whether it's below or above this range, it's not a good thing."

Due to advanced medical technology, unless a pet beast was contracted through illegal means, most normal pet beasts' health issues stemmed from mental and psychological aspects.

"Some beastmasters, in pursuit of their pet beast's strength, impose heavy training schedules and unreasonable nurturing methods. These behaviors increase the mental and psychological burden on their pet beasts."

"If these problems aren't addressed, even if the physical wounds heal, the mental and psychological issues will gradually and slowly worsen the pet beast's condition over time."

Asher thought about his past training with Little Raven… Hmm.

Indeed.

He could understand.

Fortunately, Asher had realized the problem later on and adjusted things in time.

"Beastmasters can help their pet beasts relieve some mental and psychological stress through daily interactions and other methods, but as long as the training method remains unchanged, this will always be a hidden danger." Scar shrugged: "Most experienced beastmasters are a little better about this. They know how to keep a tight rein while also giving proper relaxation."

"But those who have just become beastmasters…"

Asher and Scar simultaneously looked at the beastmasters in the field.

"Especially the combat-type ones. Among them, quite a few are overly obsessed with their pet beast's strength and powerful skills. And in the end… tsk tsk tsk." As he spoke, Scar shook his head and let out a long sigh.

Then, he turned his gaze back to Asher: "But your ten-star rating is way too ridiculous."

"Could it be that you never train it at all and just let it do whatever it wants?"

Scar looked at the chubby, round Cat-Worm in Asher's arms, his eyes full of confusion and disbelief.

"That's the only possibility. Otherwise, without professional mental guidance and therapy, I've never heard of a pet beast having a ten-star health rating!"

Just absurd!

Asher hesitated.

Uh… There was definitely training, and quite a lot.

But given the Cat-Worm's strength, it could outright crush opponents of the same level.

Pressure?

Sorry, that simply didn't exist.

And even if there was any pressure, it definitely wasn't from its opponents but from Big Sis Little Raven.

If there wasn't a Little Raven suppressing the Cat-Worm, Asher had no doubt that with its personality, it would have soared into the sky by now.

Thinking about Little Raven's health status… Nine stars.

Guessing that missing one star was probably drained by the Cat-Worm.

Being an excellent big sister wasn't easy.

Little Raven: (｀⌒メ)

'Agreed!'

'Couldn't agree more!'

'That's exactly what happened!'

But Asher thought there was another important reason why the Cat-Worm had a ten-star health rating—it was born carefree.

Day in and day out, aside from eating, drinking, and fighting for attention… cough, nothing else really bothered it.

Psychological pressure?

Mental stress?

Are you kidding?

Asher smiled slightly and decided to drop the topic.

It was hard to explain. The more he explained, the stranger it would sound.

"Well, looking at how plump it is, it's not hard to understand why its mental and psychological state is so good." Before Asher even spoke, Scar had already come up with a reasonable explanation for Asher and the Cat-Worm's situation.

"Uh… Good luck. Just try not to run into those combat-types. And avoid the Four Kings and One Dark Horse this time. If you play it safe, maybe you can make it to the finals…" Scar paused for a moment, then continued: "It's not entirely impossible?"

Asher: "…"

It was clear how forced Scar sounded and how little faith he had in Asher and his Cat-Worm.

Hearing Scar's words, the Cat-Worm was furious.

"Meow Meow!"

"Meow awooo!"

'What?'

'Doubting the dragon's strength?'

'The dragon wants to duel you!'

'Awooo awooo—duel!'

The Cat-Worm flapped its seven little legs, ready to pounce on Scar. Fortunately, Asher had anticipated that it would get angry and held it tightly, preventing Scar from being face-attacked by a bug.

"Four Kings and One Dark Horse? What's that?" Asher, while using one arm to hold the Cat-Worm firmly and keep it from wreaking havoc, patted its back soothingly with the other hand as he curiously asked.

"The top candidates most likely to win this tournament," Scar replied casually. Seeing Asher still looking clueless, he suddenly widened his eyes: "No way, you joined the tournament without gathering any information?"

Asher nodded: "What else?"

"You're serious?" Scar was once again shocked by Asher. He held his forehead with one hand, his expression full of speechlessness: "I thought I was weird enough, but I never expected to meet someone like you…"

Scar stopped mid-sentence.

He didn't know how to describe Asher.

He looked at Asher, then at the supposedly Ten Stars Health Cat-Worm in his arms. At this moment, Scar was very curious—could a pet beast's mentality and a beastmaster's mentality be shared?

Otherwise, how did these two manage to be so carefree?

If he hadn't known that Asher was a well-known pet evolution professor, Scar would have seriously suspected that he had run into some clueless country bumpkin.

Asher clueless Bumpkin: Awo?

"Fine, fine, I'll give you a quick rundown," Scar sighed helplessly.

Since fate had brought them together, and Asher had supported his business, Scar felt that he should at least help his good brother understand the gap between reality and his dreams.

"Actually, I don't know everyone, but in the combat-type freshmen from Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon, there are four who are really famous." Scar pointed to a young man nearby who was dressed in streetwear, chewing gum, and about their age.

"Him—Felter Claw, one of Jade Dragon University's battle freshmen this year. A strong contender for the top freshman spot in the battle division. His pet beast has an overall strength rating of eight stars."

Asher: 'Hm?'

'Overall strength—eight stars?'

'Four Kings?'

Asher seemed to realize something—'oh, this guy must be one of the four people the staff secretly mentioned to him yesterday, the ones with eight-star-rated pet beasts.'

"What's his pet beast?" Asher was instantly curious.

"A Golden Armored Wyvern, Steel + Flying type. Though not a Dragon type, it's a Dragon species offshoot, unbeatable in aerial combat." Scar shook his head.

"He contracted the Golden Armor Winged Dragon just over a year ago. In the first semester of his senior year, he went to participate in the League Cup of Red Square University in his province. Although he didn't win the championship, he still made it into the top ten with just a single Golden Armor Winged Dragon."

Red Square University was, after all, a top-tier beastmaster university.

This time, the Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon League had also invited two of their students… This alone showed how formidable Felter's pet beast was.

"So he got a special admission into Jade Dragon ahead of schedule?" Asher remarked with admiration. "Impressive, impressive."

If one never stepped out to see the world, they might really think they were invincible.

He gave Felter a few more glances. As if sensing Asher's gaze, Felter also looked in his direction. His eyes swept past the Cat-Worm in Asher's arms and then indifferently looked away.

Scar didn't notice this brief exchange and continued speaking with a smile. "As for the other one… I haven't seen him, but he's also a freshman at Jade Dragon. Now, this one is interesting."

"How so?" Asher immediately sensed a story behind this and curiously pressed for details.

"Dexter Macmillon grew up in the North China Military District. His father is a legion commander and has always wanted to groom Dexter into a soldier guarding the military district."

"Dexter himself was quite ambitious, too. He contracted a combat-type War Blood Lion King." Scar sighed. "The difference between people… That Lion King is said to be six meters tall. Its entire body is a unique, blood-like color."

"His father had planned his path—military academy, military exams, and becoming a military beastmaster."

"But somehow, Jade Dragon managed to poach him." Scar's expression turned complicated as he spoke. "I heard Dexter's father was so furious he was stomping around at home, saying that if Dexter dared to skip military academy, he'd sever their father-son relationship."

Asher's expression became equally complex.

It was hard to judge without knowing the full picture.

But Jade Dragon's ability to pull off such a recruitment… was truly impressive.

"In any case, Jade Dragon's top freshman in the combat department has to be either Felter or Dexter. Both of their pet beasts are rated at eight stars."

Scar then turned his gaze toward Flood Dragon's side… After scanning for a while and not finding the people he was looking for, he withdrew his gaze.

"The other two are from Flood Dragon?" Asher immediately saw the pattern.

With Scar's description, Asher gradually became interested in the four beastmasters, just like him, whose pet beasts had a eight-star overall rating.

And since the two beastmasters from Jade Dragon already sounded so powerful, the two from Flood Dragon, with their eight-star pet beasts, shouldn't be any weaker, right?

"As for Flood Dragon's two beastmasters… well, they're a pair of twin sisters. They might not be here yet?" Scar regretfully retracted his gaze. "They're stunningly beautiful, and their names are just as elegant. The elder sister is Aria Leonhart, and the younger sister is Luna Leonheart. Of course, their aura is just as sharp. The kind of presence that makes people too intimidated to meet their eyes."

"But as for what their pet beasts are, I actually have no idea."

Scar shrugged, his face showing obvious regret.

Asher: "…"

'Is male curiosity toward females just hardwired into their genes?'

"To sum up, all four of them have pet beasts with an eight-star overall rating. They are undoubtedly the most likely contenders for the championship in this tournament." Scar stated seriously,"These four have been dubbed the 'Four Kings' of this competition. But just yesterday—apparently, out of nowhere—a dark horse appeared. Their pet beast was also rated at eight stars."

"Four Kings and a Dark Horse. These five—if anyone weaker faces them, they'll only end up eliminated."

Asher: "…"

He could only exclaim,'Damn!'

Jade Dragon and Flood Dragon's four contestants being called the "Four Kings" wasn't surprising to Asher.

It was a fitting title.

A bit exaggerated, perhaps.

Calling themselves "Kings" felt a little cringeworthy and unearned.

But since it had nothing to do with him, Asher could just sit back and watch the drama unfold.

However, what he never expected was that… he did have a little connection to this matter. Not much, but still—a little.

That "Dark Horse."

Excuse me?

Who came up with such a ridiculous title?

Shortening "Dark Horse" to just "One Horse"… was that even respectful?

Asher was both amused and exasperated. In the end, he didn't say anything.

He just hoped that whoever came up with "Four Kings and One Horse" wouldn't end up as his opponent.

Asher: *smile*

Finally, before 9:30, all the contestants had arrived.

This venue could easily accommodate all two hundred-plus participants, but the clashing auras between them created an atmosphere of fierce competition that even the audience could feel.

Arriving within the last ten minutes, June, Ivy, and Vicky, who had bought tickets, sat in the stands and couldn't help but look toward where the contestants were gathered.

"Where's Asher?"

"I can't seem to find him!"

"There are just too many people… Let's wait a bit, we should be able to spot him soon."

The three of them chattered excitedly. The nearby spectators, hearing them, turned toward them with friendly smiles and started conversations.

"Do you have a friend competing?" an elderly woman asked with a smile.

"Yes, yes! He's our classmate, but we haven't been able to spot him yet." June stretched her neck but couldn't see clearly, eventually sitting back with a sigh.

"You all seem very close," the lady chuckled. "My son is competing, too. I came specially to watch. Let's wait together—maybe we'll see them soon."

June and Ivy nodded eagerly.

They were already full of anticipation.

Meanwhile, Vicky remained silent, seemingly holding back something big.

"All contestants, look at the numbers on your participation cards. Two contestants will be randomly selected for each match."

"There will be three matches happening simultaneously."

"The large screens will be split into three sections to fairly display each battle, but only the most exciting match will be enlarged and projected onto the main screen for the audience's focus."

The announcer explained everything patiently.

Asher glanced around.

He had already noticed the numerous screens scattered throughout the venue. At the center, three massive, back-to-back triangular screens stood, ensuring visibility from any seat in the audience.

During battles, the screens would initially be divided into three, then zoom in on the most exciting fight.

Smaller screens in all directions would display the other two matches.

The idea was simple—the stronger one was, the more attention they could command, even achieving instant fame.

Everyone here was young.

Who could resist the glory of being the center of attention?

Most couldn't.

Asher was one of the few who remained indifferent. His gaze swept through the dense crowd, noticing that Felter and Dexter also wore calm expressions.

On the other hand, the strikingly beautiful twin sisters held hands, their eyes gleaming with ambition.

Asher: "…"

Man-eating flowers, huh?

Calling their presence "sharp" was an understatement…

Shaking his head, he saw that the twins weren't looking at him. Their gazes lingered on Felter and Dexter before retracting.

With the explanation finished, the random match assignments were finalized.

Asher checked his number—136. His opponent was 201.

It seemed he'd have to wait a bit for his turn.

Unbothered, he found a place to sit and watch the ongoing matches.

To his surprise, the first group included one of the Leonheart sisters. He couldn't tell if it was the elder or the younger, but her opponent turned pale upon seeing her, eyes filled with despair.

"Let's begin," Aria lifted her chin and spoke indifferently to the opponent in front of her.

The male contestant opposite her turned red, purple, and black all at once, as if provoked by Aria's tone. Gritting his teeth, he released his pet beast. A three-meter-tall water monster appeared on the battlefield, sending a damp breath wafting across the space.

"Tsk tsk tsk, this guy's luck is pretty bad." Scar had somehow found his way back to Asher's side. Familiar with the routine, he sat down next to Asher and commented, "Toby, he's a freshman in our school's combat division. He's quite strong—among the four combat division students from our school, he's one of the top ones."

"His water monster also has a comprehensive strength of six stars. It's an excellent pet beast. The teachers thought he had a decent chance of making it to the finals. But who could have thought…"

Asher picked up where he left off, "Who could have thought he'd run into Aria in the very first round."

Looking at the names displayed on the big screen, Asher knew this was the older of the twin sisters.

"A bit unlucky," Scar nodded in agreement, speaking as if it were an undeniable fact. "He won't even last a single round."

"But maybe not?" Scar hesitated for a moment. "If the water monster's attributes happen to counter Aria's pet beast… maybe he still has a chance?"

Asher shook his head. "The gap in strength isn't something that can be overcome just by attribute countering."

As if Little Raven and Cat-Worm had never fought attribute-disadvantaged battles before… Was this really just about attributes?

Attributes weren't omnipotent.

"That's true." Scar agreed with Asher's words, looking at Toby and his water monster with a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "This is fate."

Just as he finished speaking, he saw Aria release her pet beast.

It looked like ice, like water, and like flowing slime.

Asher was momentarily stunned, then reacted, "This… is the Water-Ice, right? The water-and-ice-attribute Water-Ice?"

"Yes… It seems to be Water-Ice…" Scar's eyes widened, his tone filled with disbelief. "Now I understand why her pet beast has an eight-star comprehensive strength."

Water-Ice.

An extremely rare, Beast resembling the most primitive form of elements.

It could only be found in extreme cold regions.

It could hide at any time within glaciers or lakes, and its form—so close to the rawest elemental state—granted it exceptional concealment abilities.

Because of this, even if a beastmaster could defeat a Water-Ice, contracting one… was an entirely different challenge.

It was simply too good at playing hide and seek.

At the same time, Water-Ice was incredibly powerful in both skills and rank, classified as a high-level, low-tier Beast. It naturally suppressed water- and ice-attribute Beasts and could deal up to five times the damage to countered attributes.

Many beastmasters specializing in water attributes dreamed of contracting a Water-Ice.

Asher: "The water monster is doomed."

Scar: "Toby is finished."

Sure enough.

Just as Asher and Scar predicted.

Water-Ice one-shot the water monster.

As the three-meter-tall water monster collapsed, a tear of sorrow slipped from the corner of Toby's eye.

There was no sense of participation at all.

It was a total defeat.

Many beastmasters with water-attribute pet beasts empathized deeply with Toby.

Putting themselves in his shoes, imagining what would happen if they encountered Aria… Yeah, their faces had already darkened.

How were they supposed to fight?

Seriously, how were those naturally suppressed by Water-Ice supposed to fight?

They simply couldn't!

Damn it!

"I have an idea." Scar watched as Toby, who had been instantly eliminated, hugged his water monster, looking like he was on the verge of kneeling and crying. His voice drifted as he said, "Since Aria could contract an Beast like Water-Ice, what do you think her sister, Luna's pet beast, will be?"

"Molten Flame." Asher immediately understood what Scar was getting at. "Or maybe Thunderbolt."

"I think it's Molten Flame." Scar held up a finger, looking serious,"That would be more symmetrical."

"A water-and-ice-attribute Water-Ice and a fire-plus-special-attribute Molten Flame seem pretty incompatible, don't they?",Asher glanced at Aria, who had just stepped off the stage and was walking toward her younger sister, and Luna, who was proactively approaching her sister. Their hands clasped together—a clear sign of their close bond.

Contracting two pet beasts with such opposing attributes, ones that would likely fight if placed together… wasn't that a problem?

"So what!" Scar waved a hand dismissively, completely unconcerned.

The matches continued on the field.

Scar was called up before Asher for his battle.

Then, Asher saw Scar's pet beast.

At first glance, it looked like a butterfly, but its body was much larger—two meters long. The wings, resembling those of a butterfly, were patterned with deep blue and dark purple rings. Staring at them too long made people feel dizzy and disoriented.

It was a special-attribute Dream-Entering Butterfly, evolved from a Little Demon Butterfly.

Considering Scar's innate talent… Asher wasn't surprised he had contracted such a pet beast.

Perhaps Dream-Entering Butterfly wasn't very strong in direct combat, with almost no offensive abilities, but in terms of mental disruption and control, it was top-tier.

"Dream-Entering Butterfly, use Confusion!"

"Dream-Entering Butterfly, use Dream Entry!"

Scar's voice echoed across the battlefield.

His strategy was simple: control the opponent's pet beast to death.

What?

You want to attack?

Sorry.

No chance.

As long as the opponent's pet beast failed to take down Dream-Entering Butterfly in one hit, it would get caught in a relentless cycle of control, unable to fight back.

Scar's match turned out to be the longest in this round's three sets.

After all, to officially declare victory, the opponent had to be unable to fight back for a full ten minutes.

Scar commanded his Dream-Entering Butterfly to control the enemy completely, holding out until the ten-minute mark.

His opponent: "...Pah! You scoundrel!"

"Thanks for the compliment, thanks for the compliment." Scar grinned, completely unfazed, as he recalled his Dream-Entering Butterfly. Humming a tune, he bounced back to Asher's side. "Great! I've achieved my goal for this tournament."

"I've definitely left a deep impression on everyone here!"

"…Deep. Very deep." Asher sighed. "Not everyone can pull off controlling an opponent for ten full minutes without giving them a single chance to fight back."

"Honestly, you're pretty skilled."

Asher assessed him seriously.

No joke.

Control had its limits.

Watching Scar's match, Asher had carefully observed his skill in timing cooldowns and chaining abilities flawlessly. Even the slightest mistake could have given the opponent a window to attack the Dream-Entering Butterfly.

Yet, Scar never allowed such an opening.

Say what you will—Scar's calculation skills were top-notch.

"Heh, stop praising me. I might start floating." Scar laughed, waving a hand modestly. "I knew my limits. I pre-planned this control sequence half a month ago."

"If my opponent wasn't one of the Four Kings or the One Horse, and if they couldn't knock me out instantly, I could execute this combo."

"But next round, my opponent will definitely be on guard against me. They'll do anything to take me out right away." He shrugged.

That was true. Asher nodded.

Now that his pet beast's abilities and weaknesses were exposed, it was only natural for others to target him.

Everyone wanted to win—adjusting strategies based on known information was part of the game.

"I'm looking forward to your match now." Scar's eyes sparkled as he stared at Asher. "Your…"

His gaze landed on the Cat-Worm in Asher's arms. Hesitating for two seconds, he whispered, "Can it really fight?"

It looked so small.

Its body was also round and chubby—no matter how you looked at it, it didn't seem like something powerful.

The rest of his words were swallowed under the eerie, chaotic gaze of the Cat-Worm's mismatched eyes. Scar couldn't say them out loud, but his expression clearly conveyed the message.

Weak.

A free meal.

Can't fight.

Tasty.

Cat-Worm:ヽ(#`Д´)

'Angry!'

'Beastmaster, don't hold it back!'

'Before the match starts, the dragon needs to warm up first!'

Finally.

Just before lunchtime, it was finally Asher's turn to battle.

"Brother, good luck! I'll be cheering for you down here!" Scar clenched his fists and shouted to Asher. "Even if you lose, it's fine, okay?"

"We're not from the battle division. No matter the result, we can accept it."

Scar's voice attracted quite a few onlookers.

The way they looked at Asher carried a hint of pity.

Not from the battle division?

Sigh!

That probably means he's going out in the first round, right?

———

"Look, look! Asher is up!" Ivy shook awake June, who was already dozing off, pointing excitedly at Asher in the arena.

June instantly snapped awake.

"Hmm? Hmm? Hmm? It's finally Asher's turn?" June opened her eyes, wiped away nonexistent drool from the corner of her mouth, and sat up straight, looking toward the center of the arena.

Sure enough, it was Asher's figure.

"Great…" June was just about to say something—

When suddenly, a loud noise erupted from the side.

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