"Who is this younger brother?" asked Luke with a smile.
Thomas's expression was like a block of wood, one which didn't know manners. He just held the cooked meat and ate as if he didn't know any decency.
"This is my sword brother, Ries." Replied Lulu reflexively.
"Nice to meet you." Luke could clearly feel a very subtle scent of the Earthly Core Lions coming from this youth. His looks were a little off, specially the orange and purple pupils that were specially unique. He threw a suspicious look at Thomas yet managed to hid it very well.
At this time, the other twenty Twilight Lions that arrived with Luke came to them as well.
They all stood by Luke and greeted the Earthly Core Lions, from the looks of it, the two tribes seemed fairly positive about each other.
All of them were grade 5 beasts with battle power at 4-star. Through their smell, Thomas could feel almost all of them were twenty-nine, no, thirty-two years old and they were all male.
Their gazes were very calm and composed, yet their hot gazes didn't leave Lulu and the other female lions for a second
"It always end like this. The twilight lions doesn't possess females and when one is born it's certainly a male so they always need to look at other tribes for a partner." Hakin whispered some words to Thomas.
After being introduced to Thomas, Luke exchanged some minor peasantries with the other tribesmen before departing along with the other lions.
A Battle Heart Bear noticed their group form afar and approached, "Good, the Earthly Core Tribe Arrived. Recruitment posts were opened all around the city and this one is just where the strong ones or of a great tribe is sent to. You can stay here and enjoy the banquet we have prepared Experts of the Hundred Eyes Tribe will first test your blood."
Soon the members of the Battle Heart Tribe came and settled each tribes at the main hall where servants brought dozens of dishes and drinks for the tribes. Most of the best quality you could find in all of Aaron.
It made sense, the beasts here were only the best of each their tribe, similar to the nobility of ancient human civilizations.
"Golden Sand Rats!" When called upon, a horde of golden rats rushed forward. There were several desks and beasts, which in front of the amount of eyes could not be anything other than the Tribe of One Hundred Eyes that received each tribe.
"Great, now each of you pour a drop of blood essence onto these bowls." The Hundred Eyes Beast collected the blood of all the rats then it's hundred eyes scattered across it's face all looked on each and every bowl.
Green lines flew out of it's eyes onto the blood in the bowls.
"Alright, no signs of mind control, disease, evil arts. Great, you can leave this hall and head to the backyard for an assessment of your skills."
Little by little, every tribe had their blood tested for any disease, disorder or if any one them are under the effect of some evil ability. Of course, this test was not just to see if any of the beasts were sick.
With the innate ability of the Hundred Eyes Beast, they could analyze the blood in a level even humanity would be scared of. What one would see as a mere drop of blood, the Hundred Eyes Beasts could see the entirely of a being like talent, details about one's species that couldn't be seen otherwise. Even one's thoughts and intentions could be seen with this method!
As long they focus on the blood of any kind of beast, the Hundred Eyes would see if it has any second intentions or evil thoughts that could bring harm to the Free Cities.
The Twilight Lions were waiting for their time while chatting the the Earthly Core Lions. Only Luke wouldn't take his eyes away from Lulu but Thomas didn't care about that.
Ever since first coming to this world, Thomas immediately noticed that unlike humans, beasts didn't have much notion of strategic planning or knowledge about the art of war. Especially now they were planning on sending all their forces straight at the enemy.
With human history to prove, he knew it was a bad idea, but the problem is that beasts when threatened, their instinct is to fight back even if it meant certain death.
Resting with closed eyes, Thomas kept quite a distance from others as he focused solely on his objective.
"Twilight Lions!" A male beast of unknown species called for Luke and his men.
"Sorry, It's seem we are going first. See you later." After deeply looking into Lulu's eyes, Luke brought all his tribesmen to the front.
There was a large number of beasts, at one point a male beast with the insignia of the Free Cities came before Thomas and the group.
His eyes scanned Thomas for a particularly long time. "Are you Ries?"
The beast in front of him had a long face like once of a dog, but what made Thomas nearly chuckle was the pink-framed glasses the dog-faced beast wore in it's face. "Yes."
"Good, your blood test will be done separately from the others."
Thomas was taken to a private room where another member of the Hundred Eyes Beast was waiting, the beast handed a bowl of wood. "I'm Cas, Thirteen Elder of the Hundred Eyes Clan. Your blood please...."
As he already saw what they would do, Thomas made a thin cut on the tip of his finger and three drops of the crimson blood filled the small bowl.
Opening every single one of it's hundred eyes, the beast closely inspected the content in the bowl. For a couple of minutes the beast was silent then it's eyes widened.
"What in the world is this, it seems to be in constant change!" Through it's innate ability, the Hundred Eyes Beast increased it's vision to see deep into the blood. The expression on it's face changing dramatically. "Two elemental affinities?!"