Pyrogecko

The morning match had been critical for her.

Even at the cost of exhausting all the spiritual energy in her body, she had to ensure that Larvanine performed in its best condition to secure the win.

Only by doing so could they keep their chance of achieving a 20-match winning streak.

Although the practical exams lasted for seven days, the first four days were what truly determined admission to the Beast Master Department.

The final three days were reserved for a ranking competition, open only to candidates who ranked among the top 1,000 in the number of wins during the first four days.

Ash hadn't thought she and her Larvanine could get this far when they first arrived.

But now that they had a chance to strive for a better future, she was determined to seize it and climb as high as possible!

Only by doing so could they justify the months of hard training and suffering they had endured together to grow stronger.

"Let's do our best, Sunny," Ash said.

"Larvanine~!"

Larvanine touched its head to Ash's in their special way of encouraging one another.

...

In the Afternoon, Zone E, Arena 42.

When Ash and Larvanine arrived at the waiting room behind the arena, they ran into a "familiar face."

"It's you!"

Upon seeing Ash and her Larvanine entering, Alexander sprang up from his seat.

Pointing at Larvanine on Ash's shoulder and then at Ash herself, he stammered in disbelief, "You're that… that… Ash! Yes, Ash Bloom!"

Alexander was confident he hadn't mistaken her.

Ever since noticing Ash as a rising dark horse in the candidate data sheet he'd collected the previous afternoon, he'd been keeping a close eye on her.

He knew she hadn't been eliminated and had gone on to win several more matches.

What he hadn't expected was that the intriguing Ash he'd been curious about was the same girl in the black T-shirt he'd met briefly the day before!

Alexander's feelings were mixed, it was a swirl of emotions that he couldn't describe.

He opened his mouth, attempting to say something, but quickly realized that he and Ash were strangers aside from their brief interaction yesterday.

Even his naturally outgoing personality couldn't stop the awkwardness he felt.

He regretted yelling so impulsively earlier.

Fortunately, Ash took the initiative, walking over with her Larvanine and greeting him politely.

"Hello."

"Uh… h-hello!" Alexander replied, his voice somewhat stiff as he struggled to think of what to say.

Ash gave him a brief nod before heading to the nearby check-in station with Larvanine to log her attendance.

The waiting room was divided into two sections, one for each competitor.

Each opponent wouldn't meet before the match.

With that in mind, Ash didn't concern herself with Alexander's visible struggle to find a conversation topic.

In her view, the two of them were invisible competitors until the exam was over.

Moreover, Alexander's habit of collecting and trading candidate information was well-known.

The less contact she had with him, the better.

Ash had no intention of becoming a high-priority target of attention or caution for other candidates, as that would disrupt her plans.

With this in mind, Ash led her Larvanine to a corner seat, keeping some distance from Alexander.

Seeing this, Alexander seemed to realize her deliberate avoidance and chose not to approach her further.

He sat back down, waiting alongside her for the broadcast announcement.

If she wasn't interested in interacting with him, there was no need for him to force the issue.

Meanwhile, the Ignisquirl in Alexander's hat took the opportunity to climb out and perch on his shoulder, imitating Larvanine's behavior.

Not long after, a mechanical female voice echoed from the broadcast system.

[ Candidate 31143, Ash Bloom, please prepare to enter the arena. ]

Ash exchanged a glance with Larvanine.

She stood up and walked towards the contestant passage.

Curious, Alexander watched her leave, his gaze lingering on the electronic display at the passage entrance.

Once he looked at it, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

[ Candidate 31143: Ash Bloom]

[ Wins: 19 ]

...

By the time Ash and Larvanine entered the arena through the contestant passage, her opponent was already waiting on the other side.

She standing at the midpoint of the short rectangular arena's boundary line with her Spirit Beast, Pyrogecko.

When Ash looked at the Pyrogecko beside the girl in the dress, she felt her heart sink.

Although Ash had already anticipated by morning that her afternoon battle would be anything but easy, she never expected her opponent's contracted Spirit Beast to be a Pyrogecko.

The Pyrogecko was a Spirit Beast with a trace of dragon blood coursing through its veins.

This gave it the potential to evolve into a Draco-type Spirit Beast, making it one of the most sought-after rare Spirit Beasts among the younger generation in Montis.

Even in its Baby stage, it possessed strong combat capabilities.

This is going to be trouble…

Ash sighed inwardly.

Larvanine's silk threads weren't yet durable enough to withstand intense fire.

Facing a Pyrogecko would place her and Larvanine at an absolute disadvantage.

Trying to replicate their previous strategy—relying on a combination of silk threads and poison for a swift victory—seemed nearly impossible this time.

"No way around it, huh…"

Ash let out a soft sigh, her fingers lightly tapping Larvanine's back twice just before Larvanine leaped into the arena.

It was their prearranged signal.

Larvanine paused briefly and then rubbed against Ash's neck in acknowledgment before entering the arena.

Both Spirit Beasts took their positions.

"A Larvanine…" The girl standing dozens of meters away frowned at the sight of Ash's Spirit Beast.

Her expression quickly softened, however, as a small smirk tugged at her lips.

"I'm not sure how you managed to rack up nineteen consecutive victories with that thing, but this time… I'll be the one to win."

"Hmm. Let's see you try."

Ash nodded without letting the girl's taunts get under her skin.

The referee who is standing at the edge of the field, glanced at both contestants.