The Conversation with Raikishi

The eighth rank Beast Lord is an incredible being whose power goes beyond the comprehension of ordinary people like Anon. On the Web and in tournaments, the strongest were usually level six and rank six creatures, and even in the recordings, their destruction seemed catastrophic.

What can we say about the creatures of the seventh level and rank? And what about the eighth one?

And now one of these creatures was lying on Anon's lap, enjoying his strokes. Even in his wildest dreams, he could not have imagined that the ancestor of Susu would be such a powerful being.

Susu couldn't take it anymore, and in a fit of jealousy, she ran up to them and began to pull away Anon's hand, which was stroking her ancestor. Raikishi had long noticed her descendant's possessive feelings and watched with amusement as she tried to interfere with Anon. Although Susu tried not to bother her ancestor, it could be seen that she still respected her greatly.

Anon looked at Susa tenderly, trying to calm the jealous fox. Susu, however, looked at him resentfully and began to whine. Anon couldn't do anything about it—offending a rank eight beast lord was equivalent to signing a death sentence.

Noticing Anon's embarrassment, Raikishi jumped off his lap and settled comfortably into the next chair. After getting comfortable, she watched with interest as Susu, left alone, put her head on Anon's lap and, closing her eyes, began to receive his gentle strokes with pleasure.

"Woo-woo-woo," Susu whined, enjoying the caresses.

In the three years that Raikishi had been watching Susu, she had noticed how often the fox enjoyed being stroked. These three years have made her think about how pleasant this feeling is. So today, when she heard Anon's conversation with her mother, she realized that he had decided to sign a contract with Susu and started looking for her. She appeared in front of him when Susu flew out of the house to look for her.

At this time, Anon, sitting on the couch after the conversation, was pleasantly surprised by Susu's behavior. But he was even more surprised when a little fox with eight tails appeared in front of him, looking like a Sousa. She jumped onto his lap, settled herself comfortably, and looked at him as if demanding something.

It took Anon a while to figure out what was going on. Out of habit, he began stroking chanterelle without realizing it. At first, she flinched when he put his hand on her head, but then, as he slowly began to stroke her, she finally realized what it felt like to be stroked. And, to be honest, she liked it, and she started to enjoy it.

Raikishi, having experienced new sensations, looked at her descendant with some displeasure. Unknowingly, she began to be jealous of their relationship. The way Anon stroked Susu was different from the way he did it with her. He ran his hands over Susu's head with great love and tenderness.

"What does it feel like to be stroked with such love and tenderness? Is it any different from what I just experienced?" asked Raikishi.

"You're spoiling her too much," a melodious female voice echoed in Anon and Susu's head. Distracted from Susu, he looked up and looked at Raikishi. There was jealousy in her eyes that was hard to hide.

"But she's special to me. If anyone is to be pampered, it's her," Anon replied, already realizing that Raikishi had established a mental connection with them. However, this connection was only with her, and Anon and Susu couldn't talk to each other.

All beast lords who have reached the seventh rank can establish a mental connection with any intelligent being and communicate through it.

Before reaching this rank, all the beast lords communicate in the beast language, which is different from the usual and full of a variety of sounds. This makes it difficult for people to learn it. Only a few talented polyglots are able to understand this language at least a little.

Hearing these words, Susu felt embarrassed, but at the same time, she was glad to hear them. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at her ancestor and, noticing her gaze, felt guilty. However, when she recalled what had happened, she immediately dismissed these thoughts. Even if Raikishi was her ancestor, Anon belonged to her and only her.

"Ungrateful!" snorted Raikishi. In response, Susu jumped onto the sofa, made herself comfortable, and, resting her head on Anon's lap, closed her eyes.

"..." Raikishi, looking at this act of Susu, was speechless. Her only descendant not only did not show proper respect and reverence, but also openly challenged her.

"Okay, okay... calm down. Greet and show respect to your ancestor, Susu," Anon intervened, gently stroking her head. Susu looked up, looked at Raikishi, and barked. It was obvious that she was using a beast language.

It was only after Susu said something in the language of the beasts that Raikishi came to her senses a little. Anon immediately realized that Raikishi was deliberately behaving in such a way as to provoke Susu, and was amused by this situation. Although it was sometimes difficult to determine which part of her behavior was sincere and which was acting.

"I pay my respects, ancestor Raikishi!" Anon finally greeted her and bowed slightly. He was not familiar with the customs of the animals and the rules of their greetings, so he decided to just say hello and show respect.

"Good boy," unlike her descendant, Raikishi was delighted with Anon's character and behavior.

Anon wanted to say something, but couldn't make up his mind. He didn't know how to begin or what words to choose. Although he was calm and collected on the outside, he was very nervous on the inside, sitting in front of a rank 8 beast lord.

"I know what you want to say," Raikishi began. "I overheard your conversation with your mother, and I understand what's on your mind. That's why I'm here."

Anon was surprised. He realized that Raikishi was by his side even before he turned to his mother. This suggested that she had been with them the whole time.

"Yes, that's exactly what you think," Raikishi read from his face, confirming his guesses.

"For the past three years, I've been with you two and watching you all this time," these words surprised Anon even more.

"What?" he asked, surprised and incredulous. "Wait a minute… Three years… The last three years?"

"Are you smart,— Raikishi said with a grin. She understood what Anon wanted to say.

"Yes, that's right,— Raikishi confirmed. — You know, Anon, I initially decided to give you, a human, my only and youngest descendant in order to protect her. You see, I've never signed a contract with anyone myself. Moreover, all my descendants followed my example, and none of them signed contracts. They wanted to achieve everything on their own, just like me, their ancestor. Of course, I did not force any of them to follow my example, and at the same time I did not urge them to sign contracts. But in the end, everyone except Susu met a sad end."

Raikisha's words sounded sad and a little guilty in his voice.

"It wasn't until it was too late that I realized I should have taken better care of them and controlled them. It was at this time that I heard rumors that Gelidus was looking for volunteers to sign a contract with a future beast tamer or Contractor. I found out the details about it and found out all about the people whom Gelidus decided to help. I volunteered myself and gave my only descendant to you," Anon finally realized why, unlike his family, he got the only lightning fox.

He was very grateful to Raikishi for her decision. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have met Susu. Anon looked lovingly at his only partner, who did not leave him.

Watching Anon look at her descendant, Raikishi had mixed feelings. But still, she found the strength to say:

"At first, I was very glad that she met you, Anon. I was also pleased that you named her Susu. At that moment, I felt calm and confident that I had made the right decision." Raikishi paused for a moment and stared intently at Anon, as if trying to look into his very soul.

"However, everything changed three years ago," she continued in a serious tone. — Three years ago, I felt a strange force that was trying to get into my thoughts. At first, I couldn't figure out what kind of power it was, but then, after analyzing it, I realized that it was trying to interfere with my connection with my descendant. She was trying to change my thoughts about Susu."

Anon immediately realized that this mysterious power was probably his curse. After all, after him, Susu also fell under the influence of the curse, and she was the only remaining descendant of Raikishi. It was obvious that the curse was trying to influence Raikisha's thoughts through Susu.

"At that time, I was in the beast continent. As soon as I discovered that some force was trying to influence our connection with Susu, I immediately abandoned all my business and went to the Itia continent to find out what happened to her," said Raikishi, turning her gaze to Susu, who, noticing this look, looked back at her.

"What was my surprise when I saw you together! I could not even imagine that by sending my descendant to you in order to provide her with a safer path of cultivation, I actually condemned her to a life full of dangers. Dangers that will be attracted by your very existence, Anon," Raikishi's words sounded so serious that Anon became nervous and felt fear.

"As long as she's connected to you, her life will always be in danger," Raikishi added, and there was deep sadness in her voice.