Challenge

Kiro smirked, unfazed by Ellaya's cold rejection. "Come now, no need to be so distant. We're both heirs to powerful families. Don't you think we'd make quite the striking pair?"

Ellaya's expression remained icy, but there was a faint flush on her cheeks as she struggled to hide her discomfort. She crossed her arms over her chest, her posture stiff, trying to control her anger.

Her nails tapped against the wooden table, a rhythmic beat that mirrored her rising irritation.

"Leave, Kiro," she said firmly. "You're interrupting."

Kiro chuckled softly, leaning in just a bit close. The thick scent of his cologne—rich sandalwood laced with an almost overpowering air of arrogance—hung in the air between them, making Ellaya's expression tighten even more.

"Interrupting? Nonsense. I'm improving the scenery."

Across the table, Aditya had been silent, his hands loosely gripping the jug before him. But now, with a sudden, violent motion, he slammed the jug onto the table.

The sharp sound rang through the restaurant, causing a few heads to turn. His bloodshot eyes, red from too much drink and a simmering rage, locked onto Kiro with a venomous intensity.

"She said leave," he growled, his voice low and threatening, a warning vibrating in the air.

Kiro's sneer only deepened, his eyes turning toward Aditya with mock curiosity. "Haha! Who do we have here?" he taunted.

"The infamous trash of Rosani, sulking as usual."

Aditya's jaw clenched so tightly that his teeth ground against each other, his knuckles white from the pressure of gripping the edge of the table. But before he could speak, Kiro's gaze slipped down to Ellaya once more, his eyes gliding over her with a predatory gleam, as if she were nothing more than a prize to be claimed.

His eyes lingered shamelessly on her chest, where her robes dipped just slightly to reveal the swell of her boobs. The flickering lantern light seemed to emphasize her delicate beauty.

"Ellaya," Kiro continued, his tone dripping with mockery, "I can't fathom why you waste your time with this....good-for-nothing. Come, accompany me instead. And drink with me is far more entertaining."

Kiro's words were laden with both lust and arrogance, his gaze crawling over her like an invasive pest.

Aditya's chair scraped loudly against the floor as he shot to his feet, knocking it over in the process. His eyes burned with fury as he stepped forward.

"You bastard!" he spat, his voice thick with venom. "Are you looking down on me? Have you forgotten the thrashing I gave you when we were young?"

Kiro's smirk faltered for a moment, the memory of past humiliations flashing across his mind. His cheeks flushed red, but he quickly masked his embarrassment with a bark of derision.

"Touch me now if you dare, you incompetent wretch!" he spat, his voice laced with bravado but tinged with hesitation.

The tension in the room thickened, and just as it seemed it might break into violence, a sudden, sharp ripple of energy pulsed from Ellaya.

The atmosphere shifted instantly, as if time itself had frozen. Her qi spread through the room, cold and heavy, like a winter storm settling over everything. The air seemed to grow thicker with every breath, and the flickering lanterns struggled to cast their usual warm glow, instead casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls.

A majestic Level B three-tailed white fox suddenly appeared beside Ellaya, its fur shimmering like snow under the moonlight. Its glowing blue eyes locked onto Kiro with an unnerving intensity, the low growl that rumbled from deep within its chest sending a shiver down the spine of everyone in the restaurant.

The air seemed to thicken with an oppressive weight, and the once lively chatter fell to a hushed silence.

"Enough," Ellaya's voice was calm yet commanding, her gaze piercing through Kiro as though he were a mere insect. "Don't force me to unsheathe my sword here."

Despite her composed demeanor, the qi energy radiating from her made even the most seasoned warriors stiffen.

Kiro's face lost all color. The fox at her side wasn't just any summoned beast—it was a Level B spirit beast, an incredibly rare creature. The only other Level B beast in the entire Divine Tiger Empire belonged to none other than the royal Princess herself.

To provoke her further would be suicidal. But despite the fear clawing at his chest, his pride wouldn't allow him to back down.

With a grunt, he forced out a few words, though they lacked the vigor they once held.

"Hmph! Hiding behind a woman, as expected of trash like you."

Aditya's lips curled into a smirk, his voice laced with venom. "Who's hiding from whom, coward?"

Ellaya sighed softly, her lashes fluttering as she tried to diffuse the situation. "Aditya, let it go. He's not worth your time." But her plea fell on deaf ears.

Kiro, seizing the opportunity to claw back some of his lost dignity, suddenly bared his teeth and barked, "If you're not scared, let's settle this with a spar match!" 

Aditya, unfazed, locked eyes with Kiro. "Three months from now. Let's see who's trash then." 

Kiro sneered, his confidence seemingly restored. "Enjoy your last days, fool." With a triumphant laugh, he spun on his heel and stormed off.

Ellaya leaned back, exhaling a weary sigh as her fox nuzzled against her hand. "Aditya, you're too reckless," she said softly, her delicate brows knitting together.

"Kiro is a Spirit Beast Whisperer at the third stage. You haven't even tamed a beast yet."

Aditya grinned, his confidence radiating. "Don't worry, Ellaya. I'm taming a Level C Bull Beast today. Three months from now, he won't know what hit him."

Her emerald eyes narrowed, her expression a mix of concern and skepticism. "Fine. But if I sense you're in over your head, I will stop the match. Don't forget, I'm not just anyone."

Aditya's grin softened as he studied her, his gaze lingering. There was no arrogance in her words—she wasn't boasting. The strength and status she spoke of were real, undeniable.

A prodigy. A Fledgling Beast Guardian at the first stage, and the direct disciple of the revered master of the Star Deer Sect.

She carried power and poise that could humble even the most arrogant of men.

 Aditya couldn't shake the fiery resolve burning within him. Three months. That was all the time he needed to prove himself—not just to Kiro, but to Ellaya as well.

Aditya couldn't shake the fiery resolve burning within him. Three months. That was all the time he needed to prove himself—not just to Kiro, but to Ellaya as well.

_

Aditya stormed into the sprawling Rosani mansion, his aura radiating confidence—though it barely masked his streak of failures.

The grand hall of the estate gleamed under the glow of crystal chandeliers, reflecting the vibrant hues of polished marble floors. 

He wasted no time, summoning the servants with a sharp wave of his hand. 

"Bring me the Level C Bull Beast my father promised!" Aditya's voice echoed, carrying an edge of impatience. 

Within moments, the beast was dragged into the courtyard. Its massive frame gleamed under the sun, muscles rippling with barely contained fury.

Its obsidian horns curved like a warrior's blade, while its amber eyes glowed with a fiery defiance. 

Standing at a safe distance, Aditya smirked, his hands on his hips. "Haha! I've tried taming every beast under the sky, and none have bowed to me.

But today…" He paused dramatically, his eyes glinting. "Today, this will be my turning point!" 

From the side, Meiyara watched with a mixture of skepticism and amusement. 

"Young Master, didn't you say the exact same thing last time?" she quipped, her tone dripping with mockery. Her eyes sparkled with mischief, betraying her absolute certainty that he was doomed to fail. 

Aditya clicked his tongue and shot her a glare. "Tch! What do you know, Mei? I have a hunch—no, a premonition—that soon, I'll be at the top of Felloro City, and Ellaya will be begging to marry me!"

His voice swelled with dramatic conviction as he strode toward the bull beast. 

He jabbed a finger at the thick rope tied around the beast's neck. "You! Grab that rope and don't let go, even if it drags you to hell!" 

Meiyara sighed, her slender shoulders rising and falling as if to say, Here we go again. Without a word, she stepped forward, her body moving with a natural grace that belied her inner exasperation.

Her hands, delicate but brimming with the faint glow of qi, wrapped around the rough rope. The beast snorted, its breath hot and heavy, as it pawed the ground in defiance. 

"Alright, here I come, my triumph card!" Aditya declared, his chest puffed out with pride. He channeled his qi—a barely perceptible wisp that flickered like a candle in the wind—and shot it toward the beast. 

The bull froze for a moment, its eyes narrowing as if insulted by the feeble display. Then, with an ear-splitting roar, it charged. 

The earth trembled as its hooves pounded against the ground, each step kicking up clouds of dust and sand. A spray of grit struck Meiyara square in the face. 

"Ouch!" she yelped, blinking furiously as she tried to rub the sand from her eyes with one hand while clinging to the rope with the other. 

The bull's raw power overwhelmed her grip, the rope slipping through her fingers despite the qi-enhanced strength. She fell unceremoniously to the ground, her robe disheveled, revealing the pale curve of her shoulder. 

The beast charged straight for Aditya, its eyes blazing with primal fury.