Chapter 11 : First Battle

Inside the Teleportation Room

In the center of the teleportation room stood a circular gate, seemingly ordinary at first glance, but this device was far from simple. The gate was a remarkable product of advanced modern technology combined with the powers of space-manipulating experts.

Such equipment was rarely seen in small to medium-sized gates, and its purpose went beyond mere teleportation. The gate served to stabilize the world within the gate, preventing the spatial cracks from expanding further and ensuring that the beasts inside couldn't easily escape to wreak havoc in the real world.

However, larger and more special gates were harder to control even with such devices. Those gates often became the battlegrounds of senior beast tamers, where human strongholds were established to defend against beast invasions at their source.

Before entering the gate, the staff handed each of the three participants a space stone. This stone could be crushed at any time to transport them back to the teleportation platform in case of danger.

The three stepped onto the teleportation platform together. As the device began to hum softly, an invisible spatial force enveloped them. Their figures blurred and gradually disappeared from sight.

Ethan felt a strong sense of weightlessness, which quickly subsided. Opening his eyes, he found himself standing in a forest. The peculiar environment struck him immediately: the flowers, plants, trees, and even the rocks were all black, giving the forest a mysterious and eerie atmosphere.

The Blackstone Gate consisted entirely of this forest, and its primary inhabitants were insect-type and poison-type beasts. The only notable resource here was the black crystal, a valuable material for training poison-type beasts and one of the components needed for their evolution.

Ethan turned to Emma and said, "I'll scout ahead and might not return for a while."

Emma nodded slightly. "Be careful," she replied. Then, after a brief pause, she added, "After this exploration, I probably won't stay in Southgate anymore. My family has other plans for me, and we'll likely only meet again during the national exam."

Ethan's expression grew serious. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll both have a bright future ahead of us."

Without another word, Ethan turned and walked away. Emma watched him leave, murmuring softly to herself, "I hope so…"

Standing beside Emma, Amber couldn't help but tease, "So, Emma, is that your old classmate from middle school? You two seem pretty close."

High school had just started, but Emma had only attended briefly before leaving to focus on her family's training plans. It was clear that she and Ethan had known each other since middle school.

Amber, a bodyguard assigned by the Fallen Sun Guild, was also like an elder sister to Emma. She often meddled in her private affairs out of care and concern.

However, Emma didn't respond to Amber's teasing. After a moment of silence, she said quietly, "Amber, you don't need to investigate him."

Amber raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"He awakened an S-level talent—[Unknown Evolution]. But his first contracted beast is… a black goat cub."

Amber froze, her teasing expression replaced by surprise. "An S-level talent? And the black goat cub? That's a strange combination."

Emma sighed deeply. "Exactly. That's why I want to keep an eye on him, just to make sure he doesn't stray too far down this peculiar path."

With that, Emma turned and headed into the forest in the opposite direction of Ethan, ready to vent her frustrations on the beasts within.

Ethan had walked quite a distance into the forest, but the path was eerily quiet. Not a single beast appeared. He quickly realized that he had likely entered the territory of a more powerful creature.

Beasts were territorial by nature, and any intruder would be seen as a threat.

Sure enough, a sharp buzzing sound erupted from ahead. Something had detected him and was approaching at high speed!

Ethan reacted instantly, summoning his beast.

Black energy swirled around him, forming intricate patterns on the ground. A dense black mist spread out, revealing the strange figure of the black goat.

The goat's multiple scarlet eyes scanned the area, locking onto the source of the buzzing sound. Its tentacle-like appendages lashed out, colliding with a streak of cyan light in midair.

The cyan figure was knocked back, revealing itself to be a blue mantis. Its powerful scythe-like arms gleamed in the dim light, their edges razor-sharp.

Ethan quickly activated his beast tamer talent to analyze the creature:

[Species]: Scimitar Mantis (Wind-Type, Strength-Oriented)

[Level]: E+ Rank

[Talent]: Extreme Speed Flight

[Bloodline]: Low Level Elite

[Skills]: Extreme Speed Afterimage ( B ), Wind Blade Slash ( E + )

The mantis was an evenly matched opponent for the black goat. The first battle in the Blackstone Gate had begun.

As the black goat's scarlet eyes fixed on the Scimitar Mantis, the tension in the air became palpable. The mantis, though aggressive, hesitated for a moment. Its mantis arms trembled slightly, betraying its unease in the presence of such an unusual foe.

Ethan's voice cut through the silence. "This is our first real fight," he said, his tone steady. "Make it count."

The black goat let out a guttural growl in response. Its tentacle-like appendages whipped forward, aiming directly at the mantis.

The Scimitar Mantis, unwilling to be caught, vibrated its wings furiously, leaving a series of blurred afterimages in the air as it darted around with incredible speed.

The black goat responded by dividing its tentacles, striking each afterimage individually in a systematic manner.

Suddenly, the mantis retaliated, its sharp scythes flashing as it unleashed several powerful Wind Blade Slashes. The razor-sharp projectiles cut through the air, tearing apart some of the black goat's tentacles in the process.

Ethan observed calmly, his confidence unwavering. He knew his companion's regenerative abilities would soon turn the tide.

Within moments, the severed tentacles of the black goat began to regrow, thicker and stronger than before. The sight was horrifying, even for a seasoned opponent like the Scimitar Mantis.

The mantis hesitated again, its wings faltering slightly. It was beginning to understand that this wasn't an ordinary battle—it was a fight against an opponent that refused to stay down.

The black goat pressed its advantage, its newly regenerated tentacles lashing out faster and with more precision. The mantis, realizing it was outmatched, attempted to flee, its body darting toward the edge of the battlefield.

But escape was no longer an option.

From the very start, the black goat had been striking strategically, herding the mantis into a trap. Tentacles now blocked every possible escape route, encircling the panicked creature completely.

With a final, thunderous strike, one of the black goat's tentacles smashed into the mantis, sending it spiraling to the ground. Before the mantis could recover, the black goat wrapped its tentacles around the beast, constricting it tightly.

The mantis thrashed violently, its scythes slashing desperately, but to no avail. The black goat's grip tightened further, and the Scimitar Mantis let out one last piercing cry before falling silent.