In the heart of Westhaven, a peculiar event was drawing a crowd that wrapped around the main square. At the center of attention, surrounded by vibrant stalls and waving banners, was the annual Great Gobble Gauntlet—a food eating contest that pitted various guilds against one another in a battle of bellies. This year, the Sapphire Shields faced off against the notorious Red Jaw guild.
The contestants sat at a rickety wooden table loaded with steaming mountains of mashed potatoes, giant bowls of spicy chili, and towering stacks of honey-glazed hams. The aroma was mouthwatering; it drifted through the air, teasing the noses of eager spectators.
Sir Reginald, ever the image of sheer determination (if not actual skill at eating contests), banged his fist against the table, which wobbled precariously under the force. "Sapphire Shields! Today, we feast not just for our stomachs but for honor!" he bellowed, rallying his dubious troops. "We will show this low grade guild that we're getting Jenn in our squad first. We'll show them who's more superior."
Next to him, Cedric adjusted his glasses, the very image of apprehension as he eyed the daunting piles of food. Anxiety tingled at his fingertips as he murmured calculations under his breath about the average human stomach capacity. "I—erm—I've read about eating techniques in the New land Plains... Maybe if we pace ourselves and—"
Elara, meanwhile, cracked her knuckles with a grin that suggested she was more than ready for whatever lay ahead. "Let's show them how it's done, boys. Half the battle is thinking you can eat all this. Easy."
Across from them, the Red Jaw guild bore smirks that bordered on sheer arrogance. Zealot, in particular, was a portrait of pride, his eyes gleaming with competitive fire. "Prepare to bow to your superiors, Sapphire!" he taunted, causing a wave of laughter from his side of the table. He has long blonde hair in a braided ponytail and bright blue eyes, with a giant silver ax in his hand. "We'll prove to everyone who is worthy of Jenn's taming skill."
Silent Zenn merely flashed a series of hand gestures that, in some circles, might be considered unsportsmanlike, though his stoic face betrayed no emotion. He had short wavy dark red hair with a black mask covering his nose and mouth, with grey eyes. Next to him, Zalkyrie, wearing a hat made out of raccoon fur, which his twin braided brown ponytails were hanging from the sides, was already playfully pretending to shovel food into his mouth using two large drumsticks he found somewhere along the way, eliciting chuckles from around the table. "Can we start yet? Getting hungry here."
With a boisterous countdown from the town crier, the food eating contest began. Cheering from the surrounding crowd crescendoed into a raucous din as participants shoveled food into their mouths with both hands. Cedric hesitantly bit into a huge drumstick, his face contorting in a silent plea for endurance. Sir Reginald, though, was shoving food into his mouth like a man possessed, his cheeks bulging comically.
Elara was systematically working through her first plate, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to Reginald's messy ferocity. Over at the Red Jaw table, Zealot was eating with a mechanical efficiency, each movement precise and calculated, while Zalkyrie had turned his eating into a performance, exaggerating each bite with comedic flair.
As plates began to clear, Cedric started turning a slight shade of green, pushing his plates away discreetly while mumbling about needing fresh air. Elara nudged him supportively but didn't miss a beat with her own eating. Meanwhile, Sir Reginald, struggling but determined, was beginning to look like he had severely underestimated his opponents.
'Impossible! They can't be doing better than us! They want Jenn's skills too, if Jenn learns we've been defeated by a mere guild…he wouldn't wanna join us!'
The contest drew towards its inevitable close with the Red Jaw guild pulling clearly ahead, their plates nearly scraped clean. Zalkyrie blew kisses to the crowd as he swallowed his last bite, and Zealot stood, arms raised in impending victory.
"We're just better." Zealot bowed.
As the final seconds ticked down, Sir Reginald, slathered in gravy and pride, finally accepted defeat. The crowd erupted as the Red Jaw guild was declared the winner. Wiping his mouth with the back of his arm, Reginald rose to his full height, his face red with effort and embarrassment.
"I guess…it's over. So now..How ABOUT A REAL DAMN BATTLE, HUH?! CHEATERS!" he roared, unsheathing his sword with a dramatic flourish, causing immediate laughter to fall over the crowd. He swung it around screaming, trying to intimidate the Red Jaw.
Cedric, mortified, tugged at Reginald's arm. "Reginald, please, let's not turn this into a—"
Elara swiftly stood, her calm demeanor flickering for a moment as she placed a hand on Reginald's shoulder, trying to push him back into his seat. "Easy, Reggie. It's just a contest."
Across the table, Zealot smirked, chest heaving with laughter. "Finally!" he exclaimed, relishing the challenge. "A real fight!"
Zenn immediately started making calming gestures, while Zalkyrie attempted to hold back Zealot, laughing. "Let's keep it to food fights, yeah?" he joked, but his eyes sparkled with mischief, clearly enjoying the drama. "I wanna see some violence.." He whispered to himself.
The crowd, sensing the tension (and entertainment), waited with bated breath. Eventually, with some coaxing from both guilds and several amused townsfolk, Reginald begrudgingly sheathed his sword, his chest still heaving with heavy, indignant breaths. Cedric offered him a gentle pat on the back, muttering about never participating in an eating contest again.
At his well-loved pet store, Jenn set about creating a specialized garden for his newly-acquired mythic frog. Within minutes under his expert hands, a lush, vibrant bed of Starweeds enveloped a corner outside. The enchanted vegetation shimmered faintly, pulsating with magical energy. Carefully, Jenn guided the frog onto this bed, where it settled contentedly, the Starweeds already beginning to amplify its abilities, gently pushing its rank ever higher, but slowly.
As the morning sun filtered through the colorful stained-glass windows of the store, Jenn flipped the sign on the door to 'Open'. No sooner did the sign clink against the door than the first of many customers stepped into the menagerie, their eyes widening at the sight of Jenn setting down a fast bed of strange flowers.
Jenn's store was a living tableau of mythical beasts and enchanted creatures. Swooping low were small dragonets with scales that sparkled like stars. In one corner, a tank filled with luminescent water sprites played enchanting melodies. With around 200 creatures in stock, ranging from rank E to the rare and immensely powerful SSS rank, Jenn's pet shop was a fantastical hotspot for collectors and adventurers alike.
A noblewoman adorned in flowing robes edged with silver thread stepped delicately through the door, her eyes fixed on a radiant Phoenix perched elegantly on a stand. "Oh, the tales of the ExSolarian Phoenixes have traveled even to the northern reaches of my home in Cordesveill," she remarked, her voice a soft chime. "They say it can bring eternal light to our everlasting winters. A good purchase indeed."
"That they can, my lady," Jenn replied with a graceful nod, offering the Phoenix at a price befitting its rank and rarity.
Meanwhile, another customer, a burly adventurer with a weathered map rolled up in one hand, was bartering over a spirited Wind Cat. "Back in the Eversend Plains, we don't get critters this lively. Could use it to scout the upcoming Dragon expedition," he chuckled, tossing a hefty bag of gold coins to Jenn.
Throughout the evening, people from various areas shared snippets of their homelands with Jenn. A peasant from the nearby farming village of Bellbrook joyously exchanged a few gold coins for a pair of Fae Rabbits, hoping for a blessing on his crops. "Bountiful harvests be rare, but maybe these wee creatures could turn the seasons in favor," he mused cheerily.
As Jenn handled the sales, Jiyu was attempting to entertain while silently nudging customers towards the more expensive enclosures. With a sly smirk and twinkling eyes, Jiyu would whisper exaggerated tales of the creatures' abilities, sometimes hilariously inflating their virtues. "This Aquatic Serpentine can predict rain—and fortune!" Jiyu proclaimed with a jesting flourish. "Just 1,000 gold coins and you can have two of them! Good deal right? You look like you're apart of a noble family, you can cover that—."
Spotting Jiyu's antics, Jenn couldn't help but laugh as he playfully wrestled him into a gentle chokehold. "Stop trying to scam people," he chided with an affectionate grunt.
"I'm making us GOOD MONEY!" Jiyu retorted in faux indignation, his tail wagging uncontrollably.
As the day waned, and the shops once-crowded aisles began to clear, Jenn looked around at his bustling store with a proud smile. Each creature, from the tiny sprite to the powerful Phoenix, had found a new guardian, The sound of the mythic frog croaking contentedly in its bed of Starweeds was immediately bought by the gold coins of a noble.
As the sun began to set, casting a golden hue over the shop, only a few mystical beings remained perched, paced, or floated within their respective enchanting enclosures—a couple of B-rank Spritelings flickering mischievously around their cage, a rare A-rank Thunderhoof black horse with glowing red eyes pacing silently, and tucked in a shaded nook, a majestic SSS-rank Griffith, its feathers shimmering with an ethereal glow.
Just as Jenn was about to start tidying up for the evening, into the area strode a man dressed in crisply tailored clothes, his hair slicked back, wearing glasses that magnified his nervous brown eyes. Freckles dotted his face, perhaps adding to his youthful, somewhat anxious appearance. In his hand, he clutched a stack of papers which trembled slightly as he made his way toward Jenn.
"Uh, h-hello... Mr. Jenn, I have a business opportunity!" he stammered, attempting a smile that twitched with unease.
Jenn arched an eyebrow, a bit taken aback by the sudden proposition, but motioned for the man to take a seat by a small round table set aside for discussing such matters. Curiosity piqued, Jenn observed the man as he laid out his papers and pulled a hefty bag of gold coins onto the table, the clink of metal echoing slightly in the quieter evening air of the shop.
Jiyu, climbing on Jenn's shoulder, said, "That's it? You're just handing us money and papers? Thanks."
The man swallowed hard, adjusting his glasses. "N-No, it's not like that. I mistakenly told a few potential partners that I worked closely with you, Jenn, in sourcing and delivering mystic pets and beasts. It wasn't true, and for that, I'm sorry. I just wanted to secure a deal, to show that I could handle big trades," he confessed, his voice a rushed torrent of earnest apologies and hopeful aspirations.
Tapping on his papers, he continued, "I'm from the Kingdom of Cairn, a realm praised for its commerce and trade networks. My aim was to expand beyond our borders, to include rare creatures in our dealings—peacefully, of course—I have a horror of violence. I've always admired how you handle these magnificent beings with care and respect."
The man's eyes darted to the bag of gold coins, then back to Jenn. "I need an SSS-rank Griffith to seal a deal that could lead to a peaceful and profitable partnership between multiple kingdoms. What I offer is not just money, but a bridge to further business liaisons under your banner."
Jenn listened, silent and thoughtful, his gaze shifting between the man and the stunning Griffith that resided tranquilly in the shop. As the man's plea hung in the air, Jenn's expression softened into a smile.
"Okay!" he exclaimed cheerfully, the simplicity of his response cutting through the tension like a warm breeze. The businessman looked up, startled by the quick acceptance. "Let's get the Griffith ready for you right away."
"Really? Just like that?!"
"Yep. In exchange, you'll be working for me. I've never done deliveries before. And that's the money they gave you to buy the Griffith?"
"Y-Yes it is."
Jiyu said to Jenn, "Jenn, we don't know this guy from a can of bread. He could be here to rob us."
Kenny pointed at himself, "Uh, I can hear you—."
Jiyu growled at Kenny, and Kenny looked away fast, whistling.
Jenn smiled, "Jiyu. You know I can tell when people are lying to me. The pace of their heart, movements, pupils, breathing, and tone of voice. This guys legit. And we found a new way of selling pets. We got lucky."
Jiyu said, "Tch. Fine. It's your call." Jiyu then dashed over to Kenny, sniffed him, looked him up and down, saying, "I'll be watching you, for it?"
Kenny nodded up and down fast.
As Jenn finalized the adjustment of the saddle on the majestic SSS-rank Griffith, Kenny held back, hesitant yet determined not to show his full trepidation. With the evening sky painted in shades of amber and blue, it provided a breathtaking backdrop for their impending flight.
At that moment, a voice behind them said, "Jenn."
Jenn, Jiyu, and Kenny turned around, seeing the crystallized humanoid Gill, the solo adventurer.
Gill kneeled, with his crystal scythe planted in the ground, and he was saying, "Jenn, the beast tamer of the Kijan tribe. Please take me as your apprentice."