Chapter 11: An Unexpected Find – Choosing the First Pet Beast!

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It took nearly two hours for Asher to complete a tour of the Little Spirit Cat Breeding Base.

He'd learned a lot.

Before leaving, he smiled and said to the staff, "Thank you for guiding me all this time."

"No trouble at all," the staff member waved off.

As Asher walked out, he noticed it was almost lunchtime. So, he picked a nearby diner and quickly ate a cheap lunchbox meal.

With five more breeding bases to visit over the next two days, he needed to examine every potential pet beast carefully.

Though Asher's talent allowed him to review the details of the Beasts, the selection was far from easy.

That afternoon, he visited the Giant Centipede Breeding Base and the Fluffy Puff Breeding Base.

The former housed a low-tier, high-grade beast resembling an oversized, terrifying centipede.

Poison attribute.

Excellent in combat. Its only downside was its appearance, which was horrifying, to say the least.

Asher's thoughts?

Strength could be improved with training, but looks were a lifetime issue.

Pass.

The latter base featured the Fluffy Puff—a mid-grade, low-tier beast resembling a giant dandelion, having evolved from a plant.

Compared to the Giant Centipede, the Fluffy Puff was far more popular among Beast Masters.

Part of its appeal lay in its snowy, fluffy appearance, like a burst of fur, while the rest stemmed from its abilities.

The Fluffy Puff was a hybrid wood and poison-type beast.

Of over two hundred known beasts, only fewer than thirty possessed multiple attributes.

More attributes meant more potential skills.

It also increased the likelihood of mutation and potential for evolution.

The Fluffy Puff's common skills were Parasite and Drain.

It could plant poison-laden seeds on opponents and absorb sunlight or the opponent's energy to replenish itself, resulting in impressive stamina.

Dubbed a endurance war god, it was a must-have basic pet for Beast Masters.

It also served as a top-notch tool for annoying opponents.

Its known evolution paths included the tankier Ivy Fluff and the more attack-focused Poison Fluff.

Capable of offense and defense.

With the potential for undiscovered evolution paths.

Asher's interest in choosing the Fluffy Puff as his first pet beast shot up.

"I'll check out the remaining bases tomorrow… but if I end up choosing the Fluffy Puff, it'll be worth the experience."

After all, in Aspengrove Village, he'd only seen three types of beasts.

Two of them were unranked.

Only a single bird was low-tier, low-grade.

High-grade beasts weren't common enough to be everywhere.

With that in mind, Asher closed his eyes and drifted off.

As usual, he slept soundly.

———

Fire Ant Breeding Base.

Oriental Peacock Breeding Base.

Blue Lotus Breeding Base.

Asher toured them one by one, following his plan.

Then…

At the Oriental Peacock Breeding Base, he stumbled upon a beast that was either a surprise or a shock.

"Excuse me, could you tell me about this bird…?"

Asher pointed to a tiny bird with glossy black feathers that shimmered under the sunlight, no bigger than a palm.

Judging by its size, it was much smaller than typical bird.

Moreover, Oriental Peacock, true to their name, were known for their dazzling, colorful plumage.

A pure black Oriental Peacock?

It was hardly different from a crow.

Yet this little bird's distinctive color made it stand out in a flock of vibrant Oriental Peacocks, catching the eye immediately.

The staff looked at the bird and then back at Asher with a knowing expression. "Ah, this one."

With a look that said, "I know what you're thinking," the staff replied, "It's indeed a Oriental Peacock, a mutated one at that."

"After some testing, the mutation direction wasn't ideal."

"Oriental Peacocks usually attack with sound and speed, but this one has never made a sound in the two years since it was born. And as for flying…"

The staff sighed at the end.

Asher got the message.

In short, this little guy was far below the standard abilities of the Oriental Peacock species.

The staff's words flowed smoothly, clearly having explained this many times before.

After all, this tiny black Oriental Peacock was eye-catching.

Every Beast Master who visited the Oriental Peacock Breeding Base noticed it first.

Mutations were a unique phenomenon that only appeared in beasts with stable breeding potential.

Most mutations weren't beneficial.

But a rare few mutations could make beasts even more powerful than before.

For that slim chance, many people were willing to take a chance on a mutated beast.

You never know when you might hit the jackpot, after all.

Seeing that Asher's gaze remained fixed on the mutated Oriental Peacock, the staff wasn't surprised.

"Before you, two Beast Masters around your age also wanted to choose it as their first pet."

"But after reviewing its health report from the base, they both gave up. If you're interested, I recommend you review its report carefully first."

The staff cautioned him.

Wanting to be unique was understandable for young people.

But choosing a pet beast, especially a first pet, was a very serious decision.

The choice and training of the first pet could heavily impact a Beast Master's growth.

The stronger the pet, the more resources a Beast Master could secure, and the faster they'd progress.

Also, the Beast Master and Pet Contract Law strictly prohibited Beast Masters from abandoning their pets without cause. Violators could face fines, detention, or even permanent revocation of their Beast Master status in severe cases.

Asher smiled and nodded, "Thank you. Could I see that report? I'm genuinely interested in this guy."

The staff offered no resistance and promptly handed him the report.

And it was as the staff had described.

According to the inspection, the breeding base determined that this little Oriental Peacock's mutation had a stealth focus, with its small, inconspicuous size and dark coloring making it easy to blend into shadows.

The tradeoff was the loss of its sound and speed as attack methods.

Unable to vocalize and awkward in flight.

From the report's conclusion, it was a severely flawed mutation.

Yet…

Asher once again used his talent to view this small bird.

On the panel visible only to him, the information read:

[Pet Beast: Oriental Peacock]

[Type: Mid-Grade, Low Tier]

[Level: Tier 2, Mid Level]

[Skill: Eagle Eye]

[Evolution Paths: Radiant Peacock, Three-Legged Golden Crow]

[Evolution materials not yet gathered]

[Look at me, look at me! Look at my feathers glisten in the sunlight! I'm waiting for someone who sees my worth—take me home, and I'll protect you!]

Asher pursed his lips.

Feeling conflicted.

'Peacock?'

'Golden Crow?'

Neither of these evolution paths seemed remotely related to a typical Oriental Peacock.

Looking around at the other birds, he saw the standard evolution paths: Wide-Winged Oriental Peacock and Songbird Oriental Peacock, with a third unknown one labeled Sacred Kingfisher.

Yet this black Oriental Peacock was unique.

Asher hesitated for three seconds.

'This one it is!'

'The Fluffy Puff… can wait a little longer.'

Once his Beast Space became broader and more stable, he'd consider taking in another pet.

"This Oriental Peacock is the one."

After reading the report, Asher confirmed his decision.

Now it was the staff's turn to be surprised. He checked repeatedly with Asher, "Are you certain? Contracting this Oriental Peacock may not be your best option. Don't sacrifice your future for the sake of a unique mutation."

"Though there are cases of pets with negative mutations improving through training, they're exceedingly rare."

"If you choose to contract this Oriental Peacock, you'll need to take full responsibility for it."

With a firm gaze on the black bird, Asher replied, "I've thought it over. I won't regret this decision."

"Thank you for your concern."

Seeing Asher's determination, the staff sighed, "I've said what I needed to. I'll proceed with your registration. Please wait a moment."

Before long, the small black Oriental Peacock was brought out to meet Asher face to face.

The little Oriental Peacock tilted its head, staring at Asher with its beady black eyes.

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