In the medical facility of the Warrior's Guild, a place not just anyone could enter, Sophia was receiving treatment.
The cost of treatment here was a hundred times higher than outside the Tower, making it inaccessible to ordinary mercenaries.
They usually opted for cheaper, lower-quality healing stones from street vendors.
This expensive pricing, a decision made thousands of years ago by the five great martial saints who founded the Guild, aimed not to profit but to encourage warriors to fight wisely and avoid reckless injuries.
Eddie thought highly of this facility's authenticity and fairness, regardless of the patient's status. After Sophia was admitted for treatment, she soon regained consciousness. Upon seeing Eddie, she burst into tears and hugged him, calling him 'big brother'. Her recent ordeals had taken a toll, and she found comfort in her brother's presence.
She was cautious, pulling up her black veil to mask her face when she noticed strangers like James and Hessian. Betrayed and attacked by her own team members, she had grown wary of unfamiliar faces.
James quickly introduced himself as Eddie's guide, while Hessian boasted about his understated lifestyle despite owning a summoning grimoire and a Bronze Level 2 Iron Hide Rhino. He offered to protect Sophia, but before he could finish, James and the others pummeled him to the ground, leaving him yelping in pain.
Sophia, after calming down, looked at Eddie with new eyes. She noticed he seemed different, more commanding and imposing, like a towering mountain, instilling a sense of security.
Eddie, amused by Hessian's antics, turned to Sophia and asked, "Sophia, how did you end up in the Tower?" He was curious about her experiences and how she had ended up in this predicament.
Sophia's eyes held a mix of emotions as she prepared to recount her story.
In the medical facility of the Warrior's Guild, Sophia had just woken up. Eddie, standing beside her, explained his presence, "Mother Grace sent me to bring you home." His gentle touch on her hair and reassuring smile showed his affection.
Sophia was touched but expressed her determination to continue her trials in the Tower, seeking to enhance her War Treant's strength with the Heart of Oak. Her goal was to defeat the family's favored members, Yue Tian and Yue Yan, in the upcoming New Year's competition. Her Treant, despite being at Bronze Level 3, lacked speed and was vulnerable to her cousins' fire-based beasts.
Eddie assured her, "Don't worry. I'll help you with your trials and then we can go home together." His caring gesture underscored the support she had long missed from her brother, who was now a novice summoner with only a Thistle Flower and no Life Guardian Beast yet.
However, Sophia believed in his hidden talent and resolved to assist him in improving his abilities, hoping to surprise their parents with his potential.
Just then, Gray the Wolf, feeling ignored, approached Eddie for attention, acting overly affectionate in an attempt to welcome its new mistress. Sophia was startled at the sight of the Bronze Level 5 Two-Headed Demon Wolf, wondering how it had become so close to Eddie without a summoning contract.
As Eddie kicked Gray the Wolf away in annoyance, Sophia was left speechless. Eddie's frustration with the wolf for consuming powerful beasts without his consent was evident.
He had been too busy to deal with it earlier, but now felt the need to discipline Gray the Wolf for its actions.
This scene at the medical facility encapsulated the dynamics of Eddie's relationship with his sister and his newly evolved, yet unruly, companion.
Sophia looked at Eddie in disbelief. "This Two-Headed Demon Wolf is yours?" she asked, her eyes wide with astonishment.
Eddie nodded, "Yeah, his name is Gray Wolf, a gluttonous and mischievous creature that's always looking for trouble!" he said with a touch of annoyance.
Gray Wolf approached, wagging its tail in a plea for attention. Sophia was taken aback by the Bronze Level 5 beast, unable to comprehend how it became so tame and loyal to Eddie.
Eddie, noticing Sophia's astonishment, began to spin a tale. He described discovering a batch of dusty, forgotten beast eggs in a corner of a beast store, each priced at just five copper coins. Among them was the egg that hatched into Gray Wolf.
Initially a lowly Level 2 Iron Claw Wolf, it mysteriously evolved into a Bronze Level 3 Iron Ridge Demon Wolf after eating something strange, and further transformed after consuming a Smoke Monster and a Fire Demon in the Tower.
Eddie concluded his story with visible dissatisfaction, labeling Gray the Wolf as a troublemaker and a greedy eater, not a desirable beast companion.
The medical staff, overhearing the tale, were left utterly dumbfounded, knowing well the rigorous screening process of beast eggs in stores.
The only person who seemed to believe Eddie's story was Hessian, who excitedly suggested buying the rest of the five-copper-coin eggs, hoping to find another Gray the Wolf.
Yehken covered his face in despair, fearing that Hessian's naivety might be contagious.
Eddie's story, though entertaining, was clearly a tall tale. Beast eggs, especially those that could evolve into something as powerful as a Bronze Level 5 beast, were never sold at such a ludicrously low price.
The thought of acquiring such a powerful beast for mere copper coins was as unrealistic as expecting a mythical creature to willingly form a life-sharing contract out of the blue.
Seeing Hessian's naïve belief in the absurd tale of buying Gray the Wolf for five copper coins, Eddie couldn't help but marvel at his innocence. It was one thing to be gullible, but Hessian's level of naivety was unparalleled.
"Regardless, it's great that you have a powerful beast now, brother!" Sophia expressed her joy for her brother's new companion. With a Bronze Level 5 beast like Gray the Wolf, the upcoming family tournament would surely be a shock to everyone at the Yue Family Castle. Their parents would be ecstatic.
Inan, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up, "I'm going to the Blackstone Labyrinth too. I have a series of linked quests, one of which is the 'Heart of the Oak'. My aunt said if I complete these quests well, I could get a gold-level beast weapon or accessory. If I do exceptionally well, I might even be able to slightly enhance the intelligence of one or two beasts. Want to team up and give it a try?"
Eddie, amused, asked, "You have a chain quest, Inan? Are you already a Level 5 Master?"
Sophia, hearing Eddie refer to Inan as 'brother' again, felt a headache coming on, thinking about her brother's apparent inability to distinguish genders.
Yehken, on the other hand, was astounded. Chain quests were typically assigned to Level 5 Masters, and the prospect of embarking on such an adventure was thrilling.
Hessian's reaction was even more dramatic. His mouth agape in awe, he stared at Inan, visibly excited about the possibility of enhancing a beast's intelligence.
His enthusiasm was as evident as a waterfall, unable to contain the excitement of such a rare opportunity.