Ilven bit his lip until it bled, nails sinking into his palms and couldn’t help but tremble recalling these memories. The fury inside him was like a dormant volcano seeking to erupt once more but was frustratingly blocked by a buildup of debris.
Old Wugou gently tapped his head, “Don’t be stupid kid, he doesn’t represent all of them, they aren’t a family or organization you have to be born in and slave away to join. They are a birthright, a special destiny, the guardians of humanity. He is just one of the bad apples. Besides in the off chance you can join them then revenge is no longer a daydream.”
That’s right. Ilven realized, if he could become a Beastmaster then he wouldn’t have to grit his teeth each time the memory resurfaced, his heart wouldn’t ache from his frustration and helplessness.
He could even…
“I can become a Beastmaster?” Ilven said with hope. Back then he had wept for days and had no energy left when he arrived at Grey Tulip, he would have died were it not for Old Wugou taking him in.
“Haha, it’s not that simple kid. While the human flame project is a recruitment done by Black Rock Citadel, the first step is just a screening of young adults aged 12 to 16. It happens every five years, you missed it when you first came since we were out in the field. Every man of age including the refugees can participate.”
The old man massaged his aching wooden leg. He wasn’t getting any younger and lack of proper care resulted in regular pains in his amputated leg.
“You remember when you asked why some young men and women weren’t getting married immediately after their adulthood ceremony? That was why, in the off chance one ascends as a phoenix or dragon they wouldn’t want a dirty chicken as their spouse, it would be a blemish on their future status. Speaking of which we can sell the remainder of the Fake Unicorn blood and Heart Flowers soon.”
Old Wugou chuckled remembering this seasonal business opportunity that was one of their few opportunities to extort the rich. Marriage ceremonies by wealthy families were quite ceremonial with many auspicious objects unlike the simple dinners held by the lower class.
“Anyway, where was I… Ah simply being of the age doesn’t mean you can go with them and become a Beastmaster.” Old Wugou sighed and inhaled a deep breath of smoke, “Wouldn’t that be something, everything wouldn’t be so shit if that were the case.”
Ilven couldn’t help but agree, if even refugees had the opportunity, and everyone could become a Beastmaster then the world wouldn’t be such a hellscape for humans.
“Only a few who are tested to have the talent can become Beastmasters. This few is not an understatement. Black Rock has hundreds of shelters within its sphere of influence but in each batch those capable of becoming Beastmasters are only a handful or a small drop in comparison.”
Examining Ilven’s wounds once more he continued, “But if you succeed to become one of them, it’s a total ascent to a new world, a carp leaping through dragon’s gate, in just one step you’ll surpass everyone in this wisp shelter, no in all wisp shelters. Those uppity cunt Roland be damned fuckers who trot around like suckling pigs here wouldn’t dare look at you the wrong way or even at all.”
Old Wugou grew red faced in anger remembering a few instances where the wealthy families in Grey Tulip butted heads with him, he habitually pulled his thick beard, in anger he even pulled out a few strands.
Ilven felt something wasn’t right. The monopoly on many things locally were very strict, not to mention food but even knowledge was strictly controlled, furthermore as Old Wugou said the wealthy households in Grey Tulip were quite disgusting, they bullied men, robbed women and even killed refugees for pleasure at their whims.
Could they really allow refugees to have even the faintest chance of surpassing them? The same people who didn’t even dare sell you a gene potion without you pledging allegiance or signing a contract?
Ilven voiced his doubts, to which Old Wugou broke out in laughing fit almost choking on the floor and Ilven had to help him up.
“Dare they? Do they dare court death? Even with a hundred leopard guts those fuckers can’t do a damn thing. Just think of your helplessness in the face of your parent’s killer. Those are beings who rule over those terror incarnates not the riffraff we deal with. They aren’t human, they are a whole other existence.”
Old Wugou caught a breath and tightly held onto his walking stick gasping for air.
“I heard long ago as you feared they didn’t allow ordinary folk to touch their legendary domain but in the end, beasts are the rulers of this continent, after a few massacres here and there, this and that empire or heavenly paradise being destroyed and their numbers dwindling, they had no choice but to replenish their numbers however they could. This happens all over Gray Haven and even the rest of the continent as far as I know.” Old Wugou coughed a few times still not recovered from laughing so hard.
So that’s it, they have no choice.
Ilven felt it made sense, only after having no choice would those humans who viewed themselves as cattle allow them to rise up.
However, they weren’t the problem, they were merely a distant trouble.
The local snakes were a more pressing matter than distant dragons.
The wealthy families in Grey Tulip and beyond had done a lot of terrible things, in the dark and in the open, would they really allow a refugee to rise up that high even with the greater good of humanity at stake?
Before he could ask Old Wugou already guessed it, “Hah. A few shelters here and there have done worse things to their refugee subjects, robbing daughters and wives is child’s play to some horrors that take place in some shelters, they don’t treat refugees as human yet even they dare not block the recruitment. You know why?”
Ilven shook his head in denial.
The one-legged elder smiled mysteriously, “A Beastmaster is directly in charge of collecting the younglings furthermore some fools in history did have a thousand leopard guts, but it all ended the same. Their entire bloodlines were wiped out, even those with Beastmasters in the clan simply had only the Beastmasters survive with a small number remaining. Serves those fuckers right.”
Old Wugou sported a gloating grin when dictating this part of history.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Ilven and Old Wugou, despite now being residents of the Grey Tulip shelter had no sense of belonging or unity with their fellow residents, they still considered themselves refugees at heart, so they viewed things from this standpoint.
Even if they wanted to be friendly with the silver spoon snobs, they wouldn’t accept them. In their eyes, once a refugee always a refugee purchasing a residency didn’t make you a part of the herd.
“They take recruiting quite seriously, the Beastmaster is at the head of the recruiting group, but other retainers accompany them as well, they go door to door if necessary. No one dares cross them. For wisp shelters like us even complete destruction isn’t out of the picture serving as an example to the rest who dare, I heard one of those happened last batch, entire shelter raised to the ground.” Old Wugou gestured with his hands a bit excited telling the grand tale.
In terms of laws, sure the top management were lawless, but they had limits and had to keep up a façade. Beastmasters however, didn’t even need a reason to kill you, the law was nothing before them.
“Besides as I said before, they don’t have to worry too much since the chance of a refugee becoming a Beastmaster is quite unlikely. Many just have an unrealistic empty hope, wishing they could win this great gamble.” Old Wugou’s wooden leg tapped on the chair as he leaned back with a sigh.
Ilven who was getting a bit excited was instantly doused with cold water.
Yes. How could he forget?
He had learned to not have unrealistic expectations and avoid relying on his luck to save him from an early age.
So, it was not destined then, was it?
A tiger gave birth to a tiger son, a rat’s son dug holes.
He should have expected as much, he had never heard of such a thing in recent memory, even if it was 30 years ago such a thing would still be a braggart’s highest pride, even a short chat with the person or their family would turn into being close brothers. A story to be passed down for generations.
In so many years, he never heard a whisper of someone achieving a Beastmaster’s transcendent status.
His chances of being a Beastmaster were just as slim as the rest.
Wait if that’s the case then why did the old man say I have to go?
He quickly voiced his confusion.
Old Wugou explained as he emptied the ash from his pipe, “That’s because Black Rock Citadel who is organizing this thing is a blaze settlement, Blaze.”
Ilven was shocked by the sudden revelation thinking he hadn’t heard right.
Blaze?
So that’s it!
Now he understood why there was such a large crowd of dreamers in front of the information signpost.
That was a Blaze level settlement!
Practically a fairy tale for ordinary refugees like themselves!
Humans could not gather in large groups without attracting desolate beasts. In Gray Haven although humans weren’t delicious and nutritious for most beasts, quantity defeats quality, they were also weak and easy to hunt so they were a bright target that couldn’t be ignored the larger the group.
There were limits to deception, trickery and leveraging suitable locations to remain hidden across the vast continent, even then, the larger the group the harder it was to conceal so reliable settlements all had Beastmasters in charge which was one of the reasons for their high status.
They were the final line of defense and also the greatest deterrent for wild desolate beasts, but they were simply too rare and not every shelter had one.
In Gray Haven the most numerous settlements were at the wisp level, Grey Tulip and its few neighbors were examples of this, gatherings of 10 to 150 residents were the limit of their protective ability.
The next level were known as ember settlements, one example of this was the Goose Feather settlement where the Mad Lion wilderness hunters operated in, they could protect 200 to 800 occupants within the shelter, they had a single Beastmaster in charge.
Flame level settlements were above that with a protective umbrella for 1500 to 7000 residents and Blaze was beyond even that.
This was all excluding the floating refugee populace for each shelter which typically was close to twice the size of the shelter itself.
Ilven didn’t know much about blaze settlements but he knew they must be quite amazing after all these were the base mark for true safe havens.
“The resources, people, knowledge, equipment and everything in a Blaze level shelter is of a much higher quality than you can ever possibly imagine. You have enough money to afford a gene potion, a good quality one without lasting defects, the selection and price performance ratio for materials and equipment in Black Rock is bound to be much higher than what you could access here or in Goose Feather.”
Ilven nodded in response. In fact, he already knew he could buy a gene potion if he wanted to, but long ago when he first floated the idea to Old Wugou shot him down. The gene potions they could access after a lot of ass kissing were still far too dangerous.
They not only had a chance of death around 30-50% but the side effects after successfully absorbing said potions were random, numerous and horrific. It’s said the medication for these side effects alone makes the improvement in earning ability almost not worth the trouble.
“Personally, I don’t recommend buying a gene potion, there is something more valuable whose price performance ratio is even higher, available only there, the only problem is that it takes a while to be effective, but it can give you a bright future! That’s what’s important, the future.” Old Wugou looked at Ilven seriously, he knew his apprentice quite well. He learned everything he taught him very well just that he was a bit eager for results.
It was quite understandable considering his apprentice’s youth, but it was still a flaw.
Or perhaps I’m the old man who is in no rush.
“What is it?” Ilven asked seriously, he knew the old man was only thinking about the best for him but often ideals clashed with reality. Now with close range and mid-range weapons covered he lacked suitable defensive means, if he didn’t take a defensive type gene potion then he would buy equipment with similar effects. Still, he would not underplay his mentor’s advice.
“A warrior cultivation method.” The wizened old man stated.
“??”
Old Wugou held up a real copper baht and a very clearly fake copper baht as teaching aids.
“It’s said the noble Beastmasters use something similar, and this is the castrated version but any competent wilderness hunter practices such a method, weapons and gene potions grant strength and versality, but a cultivation method allows one to go further, you don’t think it’s easy to become a wilderness hunter do you?”
Indeed, wilderness hunters were the pinnacle that ordinary people came into contact with.
While not as detached as Beastmasters, their wealth and status were not for show, they achieved this and more with hard power. Even the scheming officials in charge of governance could do nothing to them but strive to make friends and form alliances.
Becoming a wilderness hunter or serving one was every scavenger’s dream.
“Otherwise, why are there several scavengers who have taken gene potions but are still stagnant? The side effects are one thing, however if you don’t have a warrior cultivation method you can never hope to scavenge or even hunt truly strong beasts. You’ll be stuck at the inferior and medium black iron ranks forever. As the inheritor of my mantle, I hope you can achieve the dream of my master and his master, a true map of the Greenstone Forest with every detail!” Old Wugou declared solemnly.
Seeing Ilven in deep contemplation he knew that he had succeeded in his goal.
In fact, that was a blatant lie.
Old Wugou could care less about his mentor’s wishes, he was just a crazy old fool who couldn’t accept reality.
His true reason for getting Ilven to buy a warrior cultivation method was something different.
Fake Beastmasters also known as Warriors had great longevity, while not as exaggerated as Beastmasters who were practically a different lifeform, it was still quite outstanding.
Their lifespans were known to get close to and surpass a hundred years old, even after living such dangerous lives with numerous latent injuries from their youth.
His greatest wish was for the little boy from back then to live longer than he has.
Truthfully, he didn’t even want Ilven to become a wilderness hunter, he much preferred it if Ilven took the long-term view and forsake even the warrior cultivation method.
Instead opting to use his funds as an apprenticeship fee and learning from a Blacksmith, Potion Master or Alchemist, slowing grinding and joining the higher classes the safe way but he knew that the stubborn kid would never do such a thing even with the opportunity in his hands right now.
Was this sudden windfall a blessing or a curse? Old Wugou couldn’t help but sigh.
Only time would tell, trying to ascend the social ladder was destined to draw envious gazes. In this world trying to stay out of trouble was impossible, it had a way of finding you.