"A prison in its belly?"
Gary Smith grew tense and engaged his Eye of Truth, directing his gaze to the earth beneath his feet.
[Enigmatic Hell Flower]
[Attributes: Plant System/ Spatial System]
[Power Level: Tyrant-Class Pet Beast Initial Stage]
[Race Potential: Tyrant-Class Pet Beast High Stage]
[Skills: Belly Prison (Super-level), Prison Law, Acid Bomb, Vine Whip, Parasitic Seed, Hypnotic Dust, Berserker Dust, Photosynthesis, Intimidation, Realm of All Plants, Void Explosion...]
[Description: It evolved from the Greedy Belly Flower. As juveniles, they have insatiable hunger, constantly eating. Once digested, the food becomes corrosive acid. Even when its stomach is filled, it continues to produce acid, constantly putting pressure on and thus expanding its elastic stomach. Its appetite could gorge a mountain.
When it accumulates to a certain degree, it evolves into an Enigmatic Hell Flower through the appropriate ceremony and materials. The larger its belly was before evolution, the larger the space created after evolution. It likes to construct ecosystems in its belly, imprisoning living beings, strengthening its own prison laws. Most of the time it relies on photosynthesis, but it will also consume the bones and decomposed remains of dead creatures as a form of sustenance.
Most of the time, it has a docile demeanor. However, if angered, it will swallow the source of its irritation into its belly, where such a being may either be eroded by endless waves of acid or die of old age.]
[Evolution Path: Void World King Flower (.....) Sky Demon Tree (....)]
A monster beast of the Morning Star Level could well be expected to have such a luxurious range of skills, but the belly space alone could have a diameter reaching several kilometers.
So, what was the true size of this creature?
As if guessing Gary's doubt, the voice rang out once more:
"Its belly is folded space. Although its actual size isn't that large, it's still about a hundred meters long. If we're talking about size, the Mechanical Beasts and Mech Armors from the Mechanism King's Domain are probably larger. I also heard recently that they'd found almost infinite energy - Shimmering Oil, and have begun building a city in the sky... but I digress.
The Enigmatic Hell Flower usually roots itself in the base of the Hundred Beasts Tower to sleep, and spends most of its time containing these beasts to prevent their loss of control from causing severe damage."
Gary turned around to see a middle-aged man, dressed in a black trench coat, wearing Special War Boots. Attached to his waist was an "L"-shaped sword hilt.
He had a Peach Blossom Village brand cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, his grey hair was brushed back neatly, and his sideburns meticulously maintained. His melancholic gaze gave him the air of an abstinent middle-aged man.
He took a swig from the steel portable hip flask at his side and said indifferently:
"Let me introduce myself. I am Charles Brown; you may call me the Gatekeeper or the Proxy Warden. Are you the chosen ones for this round?
This young woman's Abyssal Demonic Eye is not bad, but the Abyssal Lineage Spiritual Puzzle is tricky, well, well, what do we have here! A guy who hasn't contracted a pet beast, the generations are really declining!"
In response to this homeroom teacher-like speech, Gary Smith casually replied:
"I remember, drinking during working hours results in a salary deduction, right?"
This was not something he made up; it came from the regulations posted on the wall of the first floor, which he glanced at and subsequently memorized.
Charles Brown's expression froze, and he coughed lightly, saying:
"Ahem, I've been drinking so much that my vision's blurred. Now that I look more closely, you're a handsome and awe-inspiring chap, truly worthy of being a descendant of the heroic Dane who was bestowed the Golden Medal. Since you're already so outstanding, do me a favor and let this slide. My monthly wage just about covers my bar tab at the tavern. If it's deducted, the boss won't even allow me in anymore…"
He had initially wanted to act cool and aloof but didn't expect to run into such a tricky fellow.
"I'll pretend I didn't see it, but only if..."
"If what?"
Gary Smith pondered and said, "I also fancy a drink. Let me savor the taste of your liquor!"
"This..." Charles Brown paused, taken aback. This was the first time he had encountered someone daring enough to extort him.
Still, it was true that his weak spot had been found. His drinking on duty had already been warned multiple times. If he were to be rats on again, he'd really be working the month for free.
Not to mention he didn't want his superiors to find out he was drinking during shifts… This is like the goddamn Minotaur storyline!
Upon this thought, Charles Brown's wrinkled brow suddenly eased, his expression turning frigid. He flatly said, "You're blackmailing me. Aren't you afraid you won't be able to choose your beast?"
As he spoke, a suffocating aura spread, clearly intended to suppress them with sheer force.
Dream of the Crimson Moon maintained her calm demeanor, letting her Abyssal Demonic Eye float stealthily behind her, readying for battle.
"I'm not scared!" Gary Smith didn't reckon with Brown's aura and laughed, "After all, you bear no ill will towards me."
Charles Brown perked an eyebrow in curiosity and asked, "Why do you say that?"
Gary laughed and said, "Because the first time you noticed me, there was a sense of relief in your expression. Furthermore, you disregarded the lovely lady to constantly stare at my face, showing a look of nostalgia afterward.
Unless you're of a different orientation, the only possible explanation left is that you know someone who looks like me. I don't have other relatives in Abyss City, so the only people left are my parents."
Charles fell into silence for a moment, looking at the unperturbed Gary. He couldn't help but sigh,
"It's no wonder you're Aaron's son, just as clever as him. You really guessed it right. I was his team leader, the head of the 17th Special Section team. If I hadn't arrived late back then, maybe I might've been able to save your parents..."
When he broached the topic, Charles Brown appeared somewhat regretful.
Aaron - that was the name of Gary's dad.
Gary kept silent and didn't join in the conversation.
What happened in the past already happened. There were no what-ifs.
Consequently, Charles Brown scratched his head awkwardly; this kid was too crafty. He couldn't even play the bad guy like in the TV dramas for a few episodes and then have a reversal.
Indeed, a handsome guy like him shouldn't be cast as a villain!
"Tsk, what a boring kid."
Since he had already been recognized, Charles Brown stopped pretending, his face filled with discomfort as he passed the bottle of wine over. Before he could caution Gary Smith to drink less, it was snatched away.
Dream of the Crimson Moon who was attentively listening by their side commented: "Observation skills, impressive."
Gary Smith shrugged, saying: "Actually, I've only seen his picture with my dad, everything else I just made up on the spot!"
His voice wasn't loud but it was enough for Charles Brown to hear, who was so infuriated, he almost grinded his posterior teeth to bits.
This brat truly was the spitting image.
He's undoubtedly his true son!
Gary Smith lifted the wine bottle as he poured himself a cup. He wasn't interested in indirectly kissing a middle-aged man.
The reason he wanted the wine wasn't because he enjoyed causing trouble, it was due to the information displayed by the Eye of Truth about the wine.
[Hundred Flower Forging God Wine: A fine wine fermented from the stems and roots of the Enigmatic Hell Flower mixed with hundreds of different petals. Consuming it can enhance one's mental strength.]
Every bit of mental strength increased means a greater chance of success when facing the Beast of Nightmare.
His aim was to get stronger!
Gary Smith took a sip, the richly sweet wine slid down his throat, the fragrance of a myriad of flowers exploding on his tongue.
Soon after, a wave of coolness entered his brain, amplifying his spirit and further refining his spiritual power, making it more solid.
The increase in strength instantly wiped away the melancholy mood caused by the nightmares.
He handed the bottle back to Charles Brown, who didn't rush to take it. Instead, he asked,
"Don't you want to have another round?"
"That's enough, the effects are still ongoing, it wouldn't be good to drink too much," Gary Smith replied without putting on any airs.
Because the wine fermented by the Tyrant-class Pet Beast was too intoxicating to him who hadn't even reached the Red Copper stage of Beastmasters.
Furthermore, interactions between people require a sense of propriety. Even if others don't mind, one shouldn't overstep their bounds.
After all, the chances of someone else having wine that would enhance one's mental strength on hand would be slim, right?
Charles Brown attached the wine flask to his waist. Waving his hand, a misty, cotton-candy-like white mirror appeared in front of him amidst the moisture in the air.
A yawn appeared on the mirror's surface, seemingly just waking up, then a line of text appeared on it:
["Old Charles, that tavern's landlady sure is smooth. No wonder whenever you're drunk you always murmur about wanting to eat peaches. And let me tell you, some demons are not that bad either - mermaids, hill goblins, giantesses, limb demons. You could write a guidebook about the customs of different races..."]
Before the mirror could finish its spiel, Charles Brown punched it into the ground, forcing a grin he commented,
"Strange. This old mirror, after being kept unused for a long time, had begun to talk nonsense, hehe!"
After saying this, he kicked the mirror again, burying its painful cries into the dirt.
A twitch appeared at the corner of Gary Smith's mouth. Even without using the Eye of Truth, he recognized its identity.
The rare water creature, the Clear Mirror Demon. It has the potential to be a Middle-Commander. Not powerful in combat, but it possesses a highly useful racial skill - the Circular Light Technique!
It can peer into every corner within a kilometer radius and display the image, a godsend for reconnaissance.
Having it is just like installing a surveillance system within a kilometer radius where nothing can be hidden from its view.
This ability, if one wants to make money from it, as long as word gets out, a crowd of large companies and adventure groups would come knocking with lofty prices, asking for cooperation.
As expected of his father's captain. As a Beastmaster who could command Tyrant-class Pet Beasts and was a Warden, he truly had an impressive status and profound strength.
Moreover, if a Clear Mirror Demon can evolve into a Thousand Mile Mirror Demon as legends say, it could probe a thousand miles away, all-seeing.
He had once read a rumor in a travelogue that someone wanted to create a World Observing Mirror, although nobody knows if they succeeded or not.
"Alright, let's start selecting the beast to control!"
Charles Brown, with a dark face, pulled out his sword. With a flick, the hilt of his sword detached and turned into a black handgun. After a "friendly negotiation" with the Clear Mirror Demon by sticking the gun to its head, he finally settled it.
Charles Brown picked up the mirror again and poured in his dark gold spiritual power. A few images appeared in the previously grayish mirror, using split-screen mode.
He pointed to an image of a black and red wolf dog-like creature, flames sprouting out from its body, and introduced:
"This is the Netherflame Wolfhound which we confiscated after exterminating a suicide squad from the Netherworld Sect. The adults were completely insane so we dealt with them on the spot. We brought the young pups back to raise them and now we have over a dozen of them.
It's an undead and flame-attribute Pet Beast with the potential to become a Medium-commander. It possesses natural racial skills - Nether Fire Hunting. When they run excitedly, nether fire will ignite from their bodies, leaving a charred path behind them. Any creature that steps on it will be scorched by the nether fire. Their biting attack also infuses nether fire into the target.
Although the temperature of the nether fire isn't high, it erodes the opponent like a bone-attached maggot, continuously devouring their life force. The key point is that canine species are generally loyal, therefore the chance of backlash is low. Moreover, they can be raised only on bones, but the quality of bones required will become higher as they grow."
"Even though its potential is only that of a Medium-commander, we hold two evolutionary paths for it. One is the Top Commander-ranked Inferno Flame Wolf, retaining the undead and fire attributes, enhancing the power of the nether fire, its racial skill is Inferno.
The other one is also the Top-Commander-ranked Corpse Eater King, which is a pure undead attribute. Its racial skill is Corpse Control, enabling it to hatch Corpse Eater Pups from corpses. The quantity depends on its strength, usually around ten."
These two represent different directions, corresponding to a dog and a wolf respectively.
Seeing Gary Smith still pondering, Charles Brown thought he wasn't interested in a canine Pet Beast and suggested persuasively:
"If you can enter the Netherworld Eco-Mysteryland and find a Dragon Blood Worm nest, it can be evolved into a powerful Pet Beast with the potential of becoming a high-level Overlord - the Nether Dragon Wolf, by consuming a large number of Dragon Blood Worms in the Dragon Feasting Ritual!"