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Chapter 5

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Lex was ready to prove himself to his grandmother. He looked at her and Maidanda and felt strangely confident that he would win. Perhaps it was the battle with Ragepanzee that gave him a boost of morale, or perhaps it was his new bond with Mirabit, who had proven to be quite the monster partner, but whatever it was, he knew he couldn’t lose this fight.

Are you ready partner?” he said, looking at Mirabit, his first monster partner who he had somehow managed to tame without a Monster-taming crystal, bringing him one step closer to being a Monster Tamer, like his mother.

“Mirabit! Mirabit!” the small grey color Mirabit said, ready to prove himself that he wasn’t some pet, but a strong and fierce monster.

“I won’t go easy on you, Lex,” Nana said, looking at his grandson, he had the same expression on his face that Anita had when she left for her Monster taming journey. But unlike back then, she wasn’t going to let Lex follow her footsteps, for his safety. She was going to make sure she stopped this foolish dream of his, before it also took him, just like it did Anita.

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“Are you ready old partner?” she said, looking at Maidanda, her monster partner, who had been with her since her younger guild

tamer days, both ready to show Lex just what a real monster battle was all about.

“Maidanda!’ the black and white Maidanda said, eager to fight once again in a monster-taming battle.

“I’m ready, ” Lex said, his words filled with excitement as well as a sense of trust that he and Mirabit would be victorious.

“LET'S GO!! MIRABIT!”

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“ATTACK MAIDANDA! ”

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Lex watched as his monster partner, Mirabit, dashed toward Maidanda, and along with him, his dream of being a tamer.

“Maidanda block his attack,” Nana commanded,

“Maidanda,” Maidanda said, bringing his two large forearms to his face and crossing them, ready to block the small Mirabit’s attack with ease.

‘MIRABIT!” Mirabit said, trying to scratch Maidanda’s defense, but it was futile for the bear monster was unscathed.

“Mirabit step back and use your horn attack,” Lex said,

as he saw that his attack was not doing any damage. Maidanda looked like an impregnable wall to Lex, taking him by surprise at how sturdy the bear monster was, but he wasn’t going to give up. He needed to win no matter what.

“Mirabit!” Mirabit said, stepping back and charging the small horn that sat on top of its head.

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“MIRABIT HORN ATTACK!” Lex yelled, and the small Mirabit unleashed a torrent of wind in the shape of a horn at Maidanda.

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Maidanda looked at the attack that was coming its way, and grinned, unfazed by it.

“YES! DIRECT HIT!” Lex said as a cloud of smoke encased Maidanda, as Mirabit’s attack connected with Maidanda directly.

“Not bad,” Nana thought, being impressed with his taming skills despite being a rookie tamer along with Mirabit, she couldn’t deny that he was a natural, just like Anita was at his age. He had taming in his blood, and in a way, she felt proud of him.

“Lex, “Lily said, grasping her hands,

“Don’t let your guard down.”

“Mirabit and I are no pushovers,” Lex said, feeling proud of himself, he had watched countless taming battles in the village by other aspiring tamers, and despite his grandmother prohibiting him from having a monster partner of his own, he had always paid extra attention to how they fought. Trying to get their rhythm down, trying to replicate the battle sense of a tamer.

And even though he felt jealous of the other kids having a monster partner of their own, he never got discouraged. And now that he was thirteen, he was at the minimum age to take the Monster Taming Examination, and he was going to take it.

“Don’t celebrate too early,” Nana said,

‘Maidanda, let’s show him just how a real monster-taming battle gets, show him what a real tamer battle is all about.”

“Maidanda use heavy punch!”

Her words carried the weight of her taming abilities and the power of an ex-Rock Shield Guild tamer.

“Maidanda!” Maidanda growled as it dashed through the cloud of smoke, appearing right in front of Mirabit. His fists glowed with a light aura around them.

“Mirabit!!” Lex said, taken aback by how fast Maidanda had become,

“DODGE IT!” Lex commanded as quickly as he could, he knew that right now he had no time to stop and be impressed by Maidanda’s abilities, he was in a real battle, and he needed to focus on both himself and his partner.

The small Mirabit managed to dodge Maidanda’s attack, jumping to the side.

Forcing Maidanda’s attack to hit the ground, causing a small crater where his punch landed.

“Mirabit are you okay?” Lex said, looking at the damage the attack had caused, and being surprised by it. Not expecting the cuddly and sweet Maidanda to have that kind of power.

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“Are you surprised?” Nana said, smirking at Lex,

“N-No,” Lex lied. He may have been surprised, but he wasn’t discouraged it was the opposite, he was excited. This was what he wanted. To experience the taming battles her mother had loved.

“This is what I want,” he thought.

“Let me give you a lesson in monster taming, Lex” Nana said,

“Every monster has an attribute which they excel at, and Maidanda’s attribute is…”

“Maidanda use heavy punch again!” Nana commanded, and the bear monster obeyed, running toward Mirabit, its fist glowing.

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“Mirabit dodge it!” Lex said, watching as Mirabit dodged Maidanda’s attack, he couldn’t afford to get hit by such a powerful attack.

‘Smart boy, you don’t want to get hit by one of Maidanda’s heavy punches, after all, Maidanda’s attribute that it excels at is its..”

“Strength!”

“So, Lex? What are you going to do?” Nana said as she looked at Lex standing silently. Perhaps she was finally getting to him by showing him just how intense monster battling could be.

Lex looked at Mirabit, they had only met today yet there was a strong bond he felt toward his new monster partner.

“Mirabit,” Mirabit said, nodding at Lex as if it was reading his mind as well.

“WE CAN DO THIS!” Lex yelled, feeling pumped up to show his grandmother that he was serious about his dream.

‘Well see,” Nana scuffed, she was going to destroy that dream of his, for his safety.

“Maidanda use heavy punch again!” Nana said,

‘Let’s finish this!”

“Dodge it again! Mirabit!” Lex said, his resolve not shaken at all, this is what he wanted. To feel the intensity of a real monster battle, to feel what his mother felt when she was battling. To be closer to her, to be closer to a mother he didn’t get to know.

“You can’t dodge forever, “ Nana said, as Maidanda missed Mirabit again, hitting the ground and creating another crater.

“Well see,” Lex said, he looked at Mirabit, he didn’t know what other attribute Mirabit excelled at besides its agility, but he at least knew Mirabit was faster than Maidanda. He also knew he didn’t have an elemental advantage against Maidanda, or did he? He wasn’t sure about monster types, yet. That was one of the things he wasn’t so sure about himself, his knowledge of taming was lacking badly. But that was okay, he could feel it, he didn’t know how or why, but he could feel Mirabit’s spirit flowing through him.

“Heavy punch again!” Nana said,

“Dodge it, Mirabit!”

Mirabit dodged Maidanda's attack easily, it knew it was faster than Maidanda, so it had no worries dodging Maidanda’s attacks.

“You might think you can tire out Maidanda, but all I need is one punch, “ Nana said,

“Maidanda use the ability intimidate,”

‘Intimidate?” Lex said, surprised.

“This is a real taming battle now, Lex. And as such, you have to use all your monster partner’s abilities besides just the damage-dealing ones”

“Mirabit watch out!” Lex yelled, but the small Mirabit was already stunned by Maidanda’s attack,

“This is what we call an effect attack, it provides no damage but an effect status instead. “

“And as you can guess, the effect is a stunt effect,”

“Maidanda finish it, use HEAVY PUNCH!”

‘MIRABIT!” Lex yelled as Maidanda rushed toward the small bunny monster, punching it directly, and sending it flying toward a tree. And if this was any other tamer and his monster partner, the battle would have been over at that moment.

“Lex! Mirabit!" Lily said as she watched Lex’s Mirabit get flunked toward a tree. A direct hit that would cause any monster to throw in the towel.

“So, quit that dream of yours, for the sake of both yourself and your pet monster.”

“I’ll even allow you to keep it.”

“Are you okay?” Lex said, rushing toward Mirabit, and ignoring his grandmother’s words.

He picked Mirabit up, brushing his hand through its soft light grey fur, he could feel the damage the hit had caused.

“M-Mirabit,” Mirabit said, opening one of its black color eyes, still having the strength to smile at his partner.

‘I’m so sorry,” Lex said, he could see that the attack had hurt Mirabit badly.

‘it’s because of me that….”

“It’s futile,” Nana said, trying to discourage Lex, even though it pained her to see her grandson in tears. She knew it was for the best.

“You’re not strong enough to win.”

“M-Mirabit,’ the light grey bunny monster said, licking Lex's cheek, and wiping away the tears that were flowing down his face.

Lex looked at Mirabit, despite looking hurt, his eyes still had a fire in them.

“Do you want to stop the battle?” Lex said, smiling at his partner, and petting its light grey fur. It didn’t matter if they lost today, he still had tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that, it didn’t matter, he was going to be a monster tamer sooner or later. But right now, Mirabit came first.

“Mirabit,” Mirabit said, nodding its head, telling him no. It still wanted to continue, its pride was in the line as well.

Lex looked at his partner, he could see that the resolve in his face hadn’t left Mirabit. His expression, despite showing pain, still had a fire in it, he could sense that his partner was ready to fight until the end.

He felt ashamed for even letting his feelings waver for one minute, seeing how determined Mirabit was, he wiped away his tears,

“Sorry partner,” he said,

“Mirabit!” Mirabit said, jumping toward the ground, not wanting to give up just yet, he still had more fight in him.

“If you won’t give up, neither will I, “ Lex said, smiling at his monster partner, both feeling their fighting aura cursing throughout their bodies.

“We’re going to win, and become Monster Tamers,” he said, extending his hand at his monster partner,

“Mirabit,’ Mirabit said, touching his hand, and at that moment, the rays from the sunlight hit Lex’s birthmark and the two of them could see, faintly, small green light particles fall on their bodies, taking away any pain they had, both physical and mentally.

Mirabit could feel his strength returning to him, feeling healed and ready to show just how strong he was. Lex could feel Mirabit’s fighting aura cursing through his body like he was one with his monster partner.

Nana looked at Lex and watched him and Mirabit and wondered if she had perhaps been too strict with him. But she nodded, she was doing the right thing, for his safety.

Lily looked at Lex and Mirabit, and saw, for a brief second, the same aura she had seen all those years ago in the forest. That shining light-green beam of light.

“Lex!” she yelled.

“YOU CAN DO THIS !”

She knew that Lex was special, she just did.

Nana looked at Lily, not pleased with her.

“Sorry Mom,” she said underneath her breath,

“But Lex it's destined for something greater that we know.”

“it’s useless, you can’t win,” Nana said,

“We’re going to become monster tamers, isn’t that right Mirabit, “ Lex responded, his voice filled with determination and a brand new fighting spirit coursing through him.

“Mirabit,” Mirabit said, feeling refreshed, healed, and ready to continue the battle.

“Ready partner?” he said, looking at his monster partner.

“Mirabit,” Mirabit said, ready to show Nana and Maidanda how strong he was.

“Dash toward Maidanda and use-”

“HORN BULLET! Lex yelled,

“Maidanda use guard block!” Nana commanded, and Maidanda obeyed.

Mirabit’s horn on its forehead began to glow a light blue, and a wave of wind in the shape of a horn shot directly at Maidanda from it.

A strong force of wind came at Maidanda, but he stood still, blocking the attack, and only making him be pushed back a bit by it, but nothing he couldn’t handle.

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“Use horn bullet again!” Lex yelled, and Mirabit used the attack again, but Maidanda blocked it once again, he could feel the attack had done some damage the second time, but not enough to defeat him.

“You are just going to tire yourself out,” Nana said, smirking at them.

“Allow me to give you another lesson in taming, every monster has a certain limit of monster energy that allows them to continue to attack, the more attacks you do the more that energy gets depleted.”

“Monster energy?” Lex thought he had heard the word before, he looked at Mirabit, they couldn’t keep sending attacks over and over in the hope that they would damage Maidanda, they needed one powerful attack to finish the battle.

“We need more power,” Lex thought,

“If only there was a way I could help Mirabit.”

“Mirabit!” he yelled

“WE CAN DO THIS! PARTNER! “

“Mirabit!” Mirabit yelled back, feeling a fiery feeling from inside its stomach.

“AAAA!” Lex and Mirabit yelled in unison. Their fighting aura fueled their resolve.

Nana stared at Lex, and for a second, she saw an aura coming out of Lex, it was almost in the shape of a monster, she shook her head, and the aura she had seen was gone.

Seeing that made her remember all those strange occurrences that used to happen around the village, after that fateful day, all those years ago.

“WE NEED MORE POWER!” Lex yelled, wishing he could help Mirabit somehow,

“HORN BULLET !” he said, pointing his hand at Mirabit, trying to give Mirabit his strength as well, and to everyone’s surprise, Lex's hand began to glow, and a strong force of wind shot out of his hand and toward Mirabit.

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“Use the wind and propel yourself at Maidanda,” Lex said, too engrossed in the moment to realize what he had done, the small bunny monster dashed toward Maidanda once again, but this time, he used the wind to give himself more speed as he flew toward Maidanda, his horn glowing as well, as it dashed at full speed toward Maidanda.

“MAIDANDA!” Maidanda said as it was hit directly by both Mirabit’s horn and Lex’s attack, causing a cloud of smoke as the attack connected.

“Mirabit?” Lex said, running toward the cloud of smoke the attack had caused.

The smoke cleared, and Mirabit lay standing on top of Maidanda, victorious in battle.

“Lex! What did you just do? ” Nana said, shocked at what had happened. Somehow, Lex had used a monster attack.

“You did great, partner,” Lex said, hugging Mirabit.

“Mirabit,” Mirabit said, smiling.

Nana looked at her grandson and thought about what she had seen, it was something she had never seen or heard of, she didn’t know what it was, but she knew that whatever had happened here, he wouldn’t find the answer in this village.

And whether she wanted to admit it or not, Lex was destined for something big. Too big to be staying in this village.

“Maidanda,” Maidanda said, regaining consciousness.

“You pass,” Nana said, walking toward Lex,

“Looks like you can take the Monster Taming Exam.

“YES!” Lex said, jumping with excitement.

“Wait!” he said, stopping mid-celebration.

‘Did I just shoot a monster attack,” he said,

Lilly laughed,

“Now he realizes,” Nana said, shaking her head.