Chapter 6 : A Goat

The night market was alive with activity, even at ten o'clock at night. Merchants lined the streets, shouting to attract attention:

"Extraordinary high-grade material! Saber-tooth tiger bone, freshly extracted from the secret realm!"

"Don't miss the chance to let your beast master learn the blue-tier skill Destruction Ray! Pass by and see for yourself!"

"Fresh beast eggs just in! Brought in from prefecture-level cities, straight from large secret realms!"

"Guaranteed quality! Minimum bloodline qualification is Extraordinary High. Rumor has it, there might even be descendants of Overlord-level beasts!"

"Moon Shop: A century-old name you can trust! Enchanted weapons, anti-magic armor, stamina potions, healing pills—everything you need is here!"

The air buzzed with excitement as people moved from stall to stall. Ethan strode through the crowd with a determined purpose. His target was clear: the merchants selling beast eggs.

As soon as the stall owners noticed his youthful enthusiasm, they began vying for his attention:

"Hey, young man! Looking to become the number one beast tamer? Come check out my collection!"

"Don't waste your time on his eggs—they're underfed and frail! Mine are brimming with vitality, round and plump. Anyone with eyes can see the difference!"

"I have a beast egg with a high bloodline qualification! Your awakened beast-taming talent isn't that great, is it? Why not try your luck here?"

Ethan couldn't help but notice how skilled these merchants were at reading their customers' needs.

Every year, students like him—those with less impressive beast-taming talents—flocked to these markets to gamble on their future. The hope was simple: to buy a beast with a superior bloodline that could help them surpass their natural limitations.

But Ethan knew the risks. The allure of gambling on beast eggs was no different from the temptation of betting on precious stones. Most of these merchants were seasoned opportunists, skilled at hiding flaws in their stock.

Many of the eggs were defective, and some wouldn't even hatch. Those that did might carry hidden defects, ruining any chance of success. Dreams of becoming a great beast tamer often ended in bitter disappointment.

Ethan, however, had no intention of relying on luck. He activated his Beast Familiar Talent to assess the eggs around him:

[Species]: Black Bone Wolf (Mystic)

[Talent]: Soul Power Tide

[Bloodline]: Normal

[Status]: Does not meet contract requirements

[Species]: White Mist Ghost (Ghost Type)

[Talent]: Screech

[Bloodline]: Highe-Great ( defects )

[Status]: Does not meet contract requirements

[Species]: Swamp Monster (Earth Type, Mystic)

[Talent]: Toxic Mud

[Bloodline]: High-Normal ( defects )

[Status]: Does not meet contract requirements

Ethan frowned as he reviewed the information.

"Unbelievable," he muttered. "Not a single decent beast egg among them."

Yet, amidst his frustration, he noticed something intriguing. His talent's evaluation system had become more detailed.

Some eggs were marked as "incompatible with contract requirements," while others specifically noted defects in their bloodlines.

Could it be that eggs without talent defects were compatible for contracts?

A glimmer of hope lit up Ethan's eyes. Without hesitation, he left the area to explore other options.

Noticing his departure, one of the merchants panicked. It wasn't every day that a new student with freshly awakened talents wandered into the market—prime targets for sales.

"Wait, young man! I have other beast eggs here if you're interested! Or maybe some young cubs? Come, I'll show you my stock!"

Ethan ignored the man and moved toward a different section of the market. As he walked, a notification from his Beast Familiar Talent suddenly popped into his mind:

[A compatible beast has been detected 300 meters to the left.]

Ethan stopped in his tracks, stunned.

"Wait… I can detect compatible beasts just by being nearby? Is this for real?"

Eager to verify this newfound ability, he quickly changed direction, heading toward the indicated location.

After a few minutes of walking, he found himself standing in front of… a butcher shop.

Ethan blinked, confused. He glanced around at the neighboring stalls, which were filled with weapons and materials. There wasn't a single beast egg in sight.

Could the talent notification have been wrong?

Inside the shop, a butcher was shouting loudly, holding a cleaver:

"Fresh black goat meat! Tender, juicy, and delicious! Limited stock—don't miss out!"

Nearby, a woman cracked her whip at a cage of black goats. The frightened animals bleated in panic, scrambling against the bars.

Ethan focused his gaze on the cage. These were the only living creatures nearby.

Curious, he activated his talent:

[Species]: Black Goat (Earth Type)

[Grade]: None

[Talent]: Impact (F)

[Bloodline]: None

[Skills]: None

The information disappointed him. The goats were ordinary livestock, bred for their meat. He had eaten roasted goat with his friends before—delicious, but far from extraordinary.

Still, Ethan scanned the cage again, just to be thorough.

That's when he noticed something odd.

Amidst the panicked goats, a single black goat kid stood apart. It wasn't cowering or bleating like the others. Instead, it stared directly at Ethan with its scarlet eyes.

The moment their gazes met, a notification appeared:

[Species]: Mutant Black Goat (Earth, Spirit, Mystic)

[Level]: F++

[Talents]: Heart of Earth (A), Spiritual Power (A)

[Bloodline]: High-Celestial

[Skills]: Mental Disruption (E)

[Status]: This mutant black goat has been influenced by mysterious forces and is highly compatible with your contract requirements.

Ethan's heart raced.

"A mutant…?" he murmured.

His eyes lingered on the black goat kid, its calm demeanor standing out against the chaos around it.

For the first time that evening, Ethan felt like he'd found something extraordinary