Chapter 13 – Little bit of fluffiness

God, I’m so glad to leave that place. I started to be irritated. Those stares, mocking looks of those teachers, reverie when synergy activated and those two, who wanted to befriend me because of it. I really had enough.

Beast taming is next. I wonder what the test will be. I’m incapable of making contracts so if it will be around that, I’m doomed. Let’s hope it won’t be so disadvantageous. There aren’t that many who can make contracts anyway.

So I slowly walked where Beast taming is held, pondering about few things. I don’t know how long I was immersed in my thoughts but without even knowing it, someone jumped on my back and I feel head down first. I could feel soft sensation, HUGE sensation. Sigh, it must be Sani. Just when I’m not in the mood.

I looked around and it really was Sani. Behind her Lily.

“I knew I will meet you two here. Just as I said, right?”

They both smiled, Sani still wrapped around my neck.

“Yep.”

“*nod nod*”

“Were your tests hard?”

“Not really. Easier than I thought.”

“Same for me.”

It’s little confusing who says what so it will be Lily and Sani.

“So, what did you have to do?”

“I had to move several objects just with a wind.”

“I had to create specific fireball. It must have had specific temperature.”

Are you fucking kidding me? Such easy thing? Just testing how could is your control over element? I had to fucking decipher spatial magic. Life is never easy and I still have that – in my luck so, no wonder there.

Today really is not my day.

It looks like I looked down hearted, because Lili asked me

“Are you alright? You don’t look good.”

When she said that, Sani, still holding my neck, pushed her head close to my right cheek and looked at me. When she saw me, she released her hands around my neck.

“Sorry. I did not know you don’t feel good.”

You shouldn’t do such things even when I feel good! I wanted to say. What the hell happened to me? My act was always flawless and now? I’ll just need to live with it for now.

“Thanks for your concern, but it’s okay. I just feel a little bit tired.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Lili’s ears twitched a little when she said that. She really is a good child, coming from someone who is the same age, oh well. I like her better like this, being honest and all. She only acts this way with me and Sani. Let’s hope in the future I won’t propose mistakenly again. To both of them. With my shitty luck, everything is possible.

We talked for a while longer, until teacher came and told us to come to her. As we created a semi circle around her, she started to explain how this test will work out.

“Good good. Now then, as you all know, today is test for all of you. Many of you cannot create contracts with beasts so because of that, there will be a certain rules but those will be said in due time. Now to tell you about the test. In the forest behind me are many animals as you already know. You always went just at the outskirts, also known as zone 0. Your test is to enslave or contract lvl 1 animal in zone 1. Those of you who won’t will fail the test. Now, because those who can contract animals have natural affinity with them and it’s easier, they’ll must do it alone. So, as you probably already thought about, you can form groups to help each other, but it can be detrimental for you, because your ‘partner’ can take your spot and you could fail. Be careful about the tactic you will use.”

Everyone started to chatter and some formed groups. Lili and Sani can contract so, they will be on their own. Me, I definitely won’t form a group. Of ocurse, many girls were looking at me, probably wanting to form a group with me. Only thing keeping them in line is presence of Lili and Sani. The problem is, they had to leave because of preparations for their solo experience. Girls started to slowly rush to me, but before that could happen, teacher called to me.

“Risiel, come here.”

And so I went without a second thought. You would think it’s nice like that but a herd of girls with hungry eyes can scare the hell out of you.

“Yes, teacher?”

“I know you can’t contract beasts but you have natural affinity with them too so you must go there alone too. Be careful though, enslaving strong animals isn’t so easy.”

“Thank you teacher, I’ll be careful”

Great. She saved me from those hungry eyes and I even HAVE to be alone. Maybe today isn’t such a bad day for me.

So it took a while for everyone to prepare but when we all were ready, teacher just said start and we ran into the forest. Except me of course. This test isn’t so simple. She did not say, if we can enslave higher leveled animals and what’s more important, time limit! There must be some. It looks like I’m the only one who figured this out.

“Teacher, can we enslave higher leveled animals?”

“It looks like you figured it out. That’s right. If everyone had to come back with lvl 1 animal, then everyone would pass, but it’s not so. If you will pass or fail, depends on what type of animal you come back with. Not everyone can pass after all.”

Thought so.

“I have one more question.”

“Just ask.”

“What is the time limit?”

She was smiling with a pure smile, until she went pale and fell on her knees and started to pound the ground for her right hand.

“I forgot to tell it!”

Is she shitting me? How could she forget something so important?

“Oh well, let’s make it part of the test too. Anyway, it’s 2 hours. You should go now. There’s not much time left.”

2 hours? Just 2 hours? To get to zone 1 will take 15 minutes and to get back another 15. That’s 30 minutes so only 1 hour and 30 minutes is scope of finding and taming. Taming takes a long time, not mentioning finding something appropriate.

I put a serious expression and used phantom steps to quickly get to zone 1. I even passed few others. They did not see me though. What can I say, I love this technique.

When I reached zone 1, it was interesting so to say. Zone 1 isn’t named with some kind of sign or such, so how did you know you reached it? It was simple. It’s like there was a line between zones that seemingly changed the scenery. It’s really interesting, seeing different plants, animal and etc.

I did not idle though. Time is running out. I went through the forest for 15 minutes, but still did not find even 1 animal. What the heck? Now that I think about it, there should be only lvl 1 and higher leveled animals and to reach lvl 1 isn’t simple so you probably will get few experiences with humans if you were animal and because humans hunt animals, of course they will hide from us.

I did not care though, I just used silent step and presence manipulation to shield myself from their senses. Practically immediately, I could see some animals like hedgehogs and little birds, but nothing else. I quickly remembered my survival classes and understood. Smell. I could not hide it with those skills so I quickly used my knowledge and hid my smell with a certain plant. It worked wonders.

Rabbits, foxes and even wolves started to roam around me. I hid in the crown of the tree, watching them. I just passed them though. They were small fries anyway. Not too good for me.

As I started to go deeper into the forest, much better creatures started to appear. Nistril – hybrid between wolf and cat. Scaldi - Dog covered in scales and other creatures. Now that I called worthy animals. I prepared to enslave one Nistril but someone came to where we are, running for his life. What came behind him, was a huge red bear with orange stripes and horns. I could feel it. It is stronger than me but not by much and because I am lvl 2 than this thing must be lvl 3. In zone 1 that must be king of the forest.

I was jumping from tree to tree, following them. Of course I did not try to save that guy and I did not even have to because the bear stopped chasing him and moved somewhere else. I was slowly, stealthily tracking him, until we reached some kind of cave. It must be its lair.

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I thought about plan. Lvl 1 animals are easy to enslave. Just use enslaving seal and it’s yours. Lvl 2 is trickier. You must place the seal on its head or where the brain is to increase the effect and even use more mana. Lvl 3 is impossible. You must tire it out. Of course, that’s just at my level of beast taming. At higher level, it’s not so limited. The problem with tiring it out is, I don’t have any weapon to use and magic won’t work too well. Lvls with animals are frightening, you know. At lvl 3 they are really smart. They can use tactics and even learn from their mistakes. King of the forest is even more frightening.

Oh well, I went inside the cave and saw it was laying with his back to me. I used phantom style to close the distance and punched it with my mana strengthening. Why I punched it? Master still did not teach me close combat. Without sword to use, I can’t use Phantom style swordsmanship and stick would not count it against this monstrosity.

It turned around, slightly annoyed and when it saw me, it started to rush at me. Perfect.

I quickly got out of the cave. With that huge size and small space, I would not be able to dodge its attacks. When we got outside, I stopped running and prepared for the fight. We both were just looking at each other, circling around. It did not last long. The bear rushed at me, trying to bite me. I knew I could not defeat it with force so I use deception. When it rushed at me, behind me was a tree and I just stood still, pretending to be frozen with fear and when it came to bite me, I jumped to my left and it bit the tree. The tree fell on it. I did not let my guard down though.

The tree moved and the bear appeared under it, completely okay, just irritated. Oh boy. It started to close the distance but I used my phantom step to get to his left side without seeing me and when I got there, I concentrated my mana to my right hand and punched at his side to where should be its internal organs. I had to limit the strength though. I do not wish to kill it, just tire it.

I could see it was shaken but quickly recuperated. It tried to bite me but its movements were slowed down and his left sight was hampered due to my damage. It started to quickly bite me but like a leave I flew through all his bite attempts. That continued for a while until I could hear its rugged breathing. I jumped and wanted to pummel him with a fist to the ground. It stood up on his hind legs and did the same posture at me. It wanted to punch me. That would definitely kill me.

I quickly formed mana to balls. It’s basic skill called mana ball. Not much power behind it but it would work for me. I released several of those straight at its face. Because it stood, it could not dodge it and all hit the target, confusing him a little and meanwhile, I hit the ground trying to create the distance between us, but before I could fully covered it, it charged at me and send me flying to the tree. Thankfully he did not bite but still, I coughed a mouthful of blood. We both were rugged. It’s not so easy to dodge, plan and be hit against such a beast at my first live combat, you know?

We both knew the next attack will be the last and just stared at each others eyes, understanding each other. It wasn’t about me taming it and about it protecting its territory. No, right now it was about winning. I smiled and it did the same. Bear smiling is really interesting. Anyway, we both charged head on and when we got close, it used its right front leg to punch me. I was not prepared and it grazed me a little. Even that little hit shook my head and I got dizzy but I trusted my instincts and hit it right at the mouth. We both stared at each other from close up until the bear fell at the ground, tired and I right after him.

I regenerated my stamina and wanted to enslave it, but before that, I could hear whimpering right behind me, coming from the cave. From it came a cute little baby bear. When I mean cute, I mean cute. It was like a doll. I wanted to pamper it and pat it, but then I looked back at the bear and understood. It is mother protecting its child. I sighed and went for the little baby bear and took it in my arms. When I did that, bear mother tried to move but I just smiled at her and quickly went to her, giving her her child. I patted both of them and went my way.

What? Do you think I will separate mother and child? If you thought so, than go to hell.

Anyway, there not even half an hour remaing and from where I am, it will take 20-25 minutes to get back so it looks like I failed. No matter. There are still 3 tests left and I just need to pass 2 more and hope, I will be one of the 100 or so that can compete in the tournament.

So I ran through the zone 1 and 0, passing others and when I got out, many were already back. Lili and Sani included. I quickly went to them and I could see 2 animals with them. Lili had a hybrid between eagle and swallow and Sani had lynx. They looked both, majestic you could say. Both looked like king and queen of their species. They must be lvl 3 too.

When I reached both Lili and Sani, they both smiled at me, but when they saw I did not have anyone with me, became depressed.

“What happened to you? Did you not found any animal?”

What happened to me? Why would she ask that? Now that I looked at myself, I was tattered and cowered in blood. So that’s why.

“Let’s just say I played with forest animals a little too much.”

They both looked eager to hear me out but before that could happen, and they interrogating me no doubt, teacher told to all of us.

“Ok, time’s up. Those of you who got back with animal passed. Those of you who didn’t have failed and the same goes with those that are not here.”

Now that I look around me, there aren’t that are some without an animal. I just sighed. I would definitely win this but the price, wasn’t something I would pay.

“Those who passed come from the token.”

Yeah, token. If you passed you get one. I don’t think I mentioned it in Enchanting. Beliar gave me one by throwing it to me through the whole class. Nice guy.

I just stood for a while, looking at the sky, reminiscing about my encounter with the bear. My mood lit up and with a sorrowful but happy smile started to leave.

“Wait Risiel.”

I turned around and teacher was there.

“I saw what you did. You did right but even so, you still did not come back so I can’t give you a token, but you still did so great and would definitely finish with number 1. Uh.”

She started to ponder for a while.

“You know what, I will let you pass but with the worst place possible. Be grateful.”

I smiled and hugged her. Why not, right?

She stuttered and did not know what to do. I released her, took the token and ran away looking at her while I was running, smiling and waving at her. Had to play a child for once.

Next stop, Survival.

Still continue though. When I reached survival, I was first and teacher was standing, sleeping and with his back on the tree. If someone would paint this, with the orange sun, that was slowly falling down, behind the horizon from a 45° with the forest behind him, it would be a master piece.

I just waited, did not want to wake him up. Others came after me and when we all were there, he woke up like a clock and started.

“Take these bracelets and don’t take them off.”

He gave all of us a bracelet and we put it on.

“This test is simple, survive. I will release 3 lvl 1 monsters and you must survive throughout the night. When you will be caught with them, bracelets will save you.”

With a sweet and then harsh tone he said

“Now then, run.”

And so we ran for our lives when 3 cages appeared in our line of vision and with smile plastered on his face.

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I like this chapter. It went much better than I thought.

Just one question? Should I name animals that aren’t normal? There will be many throughout the story and it is a pain. I would rather just describe them and just few times name them. This isn’t a game world where above their heads is lvl and name.

Hope you enjoyed.