Yehken, upon witnessing Eddie's inquiry about the classification of beasts, felt a mix of surprise and respect. It was clear to him now that Eddie's label as an underachiever was a gross misunderstanding.
Eddie, perhaps too engrossed in his family's puppetry or battle techniques, might have neglected the study of contracted beasts and their intricacies.
This oversight led to his misjudgment by others, who mistook his lack of knowledge in one area for overall incompetence.
After spending a couple of days with Eddie, Yehken realized that he was far from a failure, but rather a hidden genius. In comparison, Yehken's past achievements, even at his most glorious moments, paled in the shadow of Eddie's daring and intellect.
The way Eddie braved the Dragon Valley, and his solo venture into the Heaven-Reaching Tower, securing the Blindness Rune Stone, were feats that Yehken found extraordinary.
Yehken's admiration for Eddie grew, realizing that Eddie was not only brave but also incredibly resourceful and talented in ways that many, including himself, had failed to recognize.
Lyqeen, sensing Yehken's deep contemplation, clarified the classification of beasts. "There's no exact standard, but a bronze-level beast is generally at least one level stronger than a regular beast of the same level. Silver beasts are typically two levels stronger, and gold-level beasts are at least three levels stronger."
Lyken joined in, "In essence, a bronze level three beast is equivalent to a regular level four, a silver three to a regular level five, and a gold three to a regular level six. It's also worth noting that only elite beasts like bronze, silver, and gold have the potential to rise above level eight."
Eddie absorbed this new information, understanding more about the intricate world of beast taming and recognizing the vast potential of his own journey.
Eddie nodded, absorbing the detailed explanation about beast classifications and ratings. "So, if a golden-level beast egg hatches a youngling, what level would that be? If it's golden level one, would its strength still be equivalent to a regular level four beast?" he asked, eager to understand more.
"No, the strength of a youngling should be weaker," Lyqeen explained. "But elite younglings are incredibly precious. A naturally born golden-level youngling has far greater potential for growth than an adult beast that evolved from silver to golden level. A natural golden-level beast, even as a youngling, possesses stronger combat abilities than those evolved later."
"You see, Eddie, elite beasts like those of bronze, silver, and gold don't exist below level three. The classification of adult beasts starts from there. In fact, there's no such thing as an adult golden beast below level five. As for the legendary golden sovereign beasts, they're usually level six and above."
Eddie's curiosity piqued further, leading him to ask another question, "What about the star ratings of beasts? What do they signify?"
Yehken, now fully attentive, replied, "The star rating is a system established over centuries by the mighty warriors of Dragon-Trend Continent. It encompasses various factors to assess a beast's value."
"Does a higher number of stars always indicate a better beast?" Eddie asked, recalling snippets he heard from the impressive Vivien.
"Definitely. But beasts rated above five stars are exceedingly rare," Yehken continued.
"One and two-star beasts are common amongst mercenaries and are considered decent among ordinary folks."
" Three and four-star beasts are sought after by warriors, known as excellent beasts. However, to the truly powerful, even these are just labor beasts. "
"A five-star beast is a minor rarity, six-star is a rarity, extremely scarce. "
"Seven stars represent Earth Spirit Beasts, not something even small kingdom monarchs might possess. "
"Eight stars are Sky Spirit Beasts, owned only by members of the four great families, royal families of the three nations, and the four great sects. "
"Nine and ten stars are divine and holy beasts respectively, possessing high intelligence and the capability to transform into humans. "
"These are not bound by contracts but choose their partners. It's said that at a certain stage of evolution, they can even possess a summoning tome."
Eddie's mind reeled at the revelation. Vivien, his little snake spirit, had a summoning tome. Could she be a holy or divine beast?
Suppressing his racing heart, he asked, "So, this rating system, does it correlate with the bronze, silver, and gold classifications?"
"It doesn't," replied Mother Grace. "The rating system is an independent assessment developed by the warriors of our continent. "
"Generally, the star rating indicates a beast's potential or power. For example, if your Grey Wolf is rated at five stars, theoretically, its ultimate evolution could reach around level five gold."
Curiosity piqued, Mother Grace asked, "And how many stars does your Grey Wolf have?"
Eddie, reflecting on the intelligence and sinister aura of his iron-spine demonic wolf, guessed it must be at least a five-star creature.
Eddie blinked and casually replied, "Four stars."
Everyone around him collapsed in disbelief.
It was blatantly obvious that he was lying. In fact, everyone already guessed that Grey Wolf was a five-star beast, especially after seeing Eddie's surprised expression when it was mentioned earlier.
Now claiming it was only four stars seemed absurdly transparent.
"Awroo," Grey Wolf protested softly, seemingly disagreeing with Eddie's assessment.
"Scram! You're not four stars, you're dreaming of five? Four is already generous!" Eddie kicked Grey Wolf lightly, insisting to the others, "Really, it's not five stars, just four!"
The crowd almost face-planted in response to his terrible lying skills. It was like he was saying, 'there's no silver here,' when it was clear there was.
Yehken, fearing that Eddie might inadvertently reveal more, quickly ushered him away.
A five-star beast was a rare treasure coveted by warriors, and if it was known that Grey Wolf was such a creature without a contract, it could attract unwanted attention.
Even if these mercenaries lacked the strength to claim Grey Wolf, they might report it to some powerful families for a bounty.
As Eddie left, the Gold Armor Captain ordered the losing mercenary leader to pay up the ten gold coins as a deposit.
He instructed him to deliver the letters and only return the gold once he had received satisfactory replies from the families.
The mercenary leader, realizing he might get his money back, quickly agreed, hopeful of receiving some gratuity from the grateful families.
Meanwhile, a few mercenaries eyed the departing Grey Wolf with greedy gazes.
The Gold Armor Captain, noticing this, snorted disdainfully. A beast so loyal without a contract was not something others could covet. He ignored these mercenaries, shooing them away.
Then, he moved a secret stone door, sealed the entrance, and embedded his golden token into a recess in a crystal column, initiating a process known only to him.
A burst of golden light shone, and golden text appeared on the crystal column. The most striking line, shimmering with colorful light, read: "Titan, a man from the Great Xia, human male, the first person to successfully complete the Aries Palace in ten years, completion rate 120%."
The Gold Armor Captain was astounded, his expression more exaggerated than if he had seen a Hell Black Dragon King descend from the sky and greet him good morning. However, when he stepped outside, his face returned to its usual expression, as if nothing had happened.
His subordinates, the Gold Armor Guards, crowded around him, curious. "Captain, what was that young man's completion rate?"
"Twenty percent," the Gold Armor Captain immediately reduced the figure by a hundred.
"No way! Did he actually clear all those Ram Warriors in three hours? No wonder he got the Blindness Rune Stone. That guy is incredible!" The guards exclaimed in shock.
"Today's event is a national secret. Anyone who leaks it will be executed," the Gold Armor Captain sternly warned his subordinates, his eyes as cold as blades.
"Yes, sir," the guards swallowed nervously.
The next day, Eddie, feeling bored, asked Yehken, "Is there a way to take on the same trial mission? Can I also enter the Blackstone Maze to find Sophia?"
Yehken scratched his head and explained with a hint of headache, "Of course, but the Blackstone Maze is a very complex labyrinth. If you're not good with directions, you might not come out for half a month. "
"It's better to wait here than to go in searching for her. Besides, the trial in Blackstone Maze is for plant-type beasts, and you can only get an 'Oak Heart', which is useless for ordinary beasts and won't help Grey Wolf's leveling. I think it's better to wait outside, right?"
Hearing this, Eddie grew more worried about Sophia getting lost inside. He wasn't worried about himself, as he had the Five Elements Gold-Seeking Mouse, making mazes trivial. Even though the 'Oak Heart' was useless for Grey Wolf, it might be useful for Thorny Flower. Even if it wasn't, giving it to Sophia would be nice.
Slapping his thigh, he made up his mind, "I've decided, I'm going to the Blackstone Maze!"