"Evan..." Yates looked at the Silver Deer, still twitching on the ground, with a trace of pity in his eyes. "That Silver Deer looks... kind of pitiful."
"Yates, take a good look!" Evan barked sharply.
The sudden command jolted Yates, who then focused closely on the scene before him. He noticed for the first time that the Silver Deer had a blood-stained piece of cloth in its mouth. When he looked around, he spotted a badly mutilated corpse hidden among the grass.
This creature hadn't been grazing—it had been feeding on a human!
The realization drained all color from Yates's face. He stumbled back several steps, only stopping when he collided with a tree.
"Fire Hound, don't let go!" Evan, unfazed, ordered Fire Hound to keep its hold. Before long, the Silver Deer's convulsions ceased, and it fell lifeless.
With the threat gone, Evan finally relaxed. He turned to the still-shaken Yates and shook his head. "Yates, did you really think that all beasts were as harmless and tame as the ones you see locked up in cages at the pet shops?"
"Do you know what beasts were called before Beastmasters came into existence?"
"W-what?" Yates stammered, his lips trembling.
"Monsters," Evan replied, his expression serious. "When spiritual energy first appeared on Earth, these monsters went on a rampage, attacking human cities, killing and devouring people by the thousands. Humanity was almost wiped out—until powerful Beastmasters emerged, taming the strongest monsters to turn the tide."
He continued, "Why do you think society encourages Beastmasters now? It's so we can defend ourselves against these uncontrollable creatures."
The gravity of Evan's words left Yates stunned. After a long silence, he finally muttered, "But... I've never heard of beasts eating people. Aren't Silver Deer supposed to eat plants?"
"Most beasts are omnivorous. Reality is often much harsher than you'd expect. The reason you've never heard of it is that most people eat the meat of domesticated animals like pigs or chickens, not wild beasts. If you ask any beast hunter, they'll tell you the truth."
"That body on the ground was probably some unfortunate beast hunter's."
As Yates tried to process this, Evan frowned and continued, "A Beastmaster's mindset is crucial. If just seeing a beast eat a person scares you this much, what would happen if I weren't here? Would you just stand there and watch while that Silver Deer devoured you alive?"
Yates, realizing the truth in Evan's words, took several deep breaths to calm himself. With effort, he managed to stand up straight and walk over to Evan, though he still averted his eyes from the gruesome scene on the ground.
"Collect the body," Evan instructed.
"Wh-what?" Yates stammered, horrified. "It's a corpse! And it's been chewed up! You want me to...?"
"I meant the Silver Deer's body," Evan replied, exasperated. "Its meat is valuable. A Silver Deer this size could sell for at least a thousand."
"Seriously? That much?" Yates, momentarily distracted by the thought of money, steeled himself. Despite his unease, he quickly approached the Silver Deer and used his powers to store it.
Most Beast Spaces had a storage function, but with Yates's Devouring Technique, he could access a second space exclusively for storage. As for Evan's Beast Space... using it for corpse storage would be a waste.
"Let's go find the next one. Five beasts should be enough for today." Evan looked up at the sky, then added, "Beasts get much more aggressive at night, and with the limited visibility, it's dangerous. We need to be out of here before nightfall."
"Understood," Yates said, positioning himself by Evan's side.
Having witnessed the brutal reality of wild beasts, Yates's initial nervousness had only increased.
"Yates, you have to face your fears," Evan advised. "If you're too scared to handle this, you'll never make it as a Beastmaster. Being a Beastmaster isn't just about commanding your beasts in some happy game."
"Got it," Yates replied with a determined nod.
The two spent the rest of the day scouring the outskirts of Silvermoon Forest, managing to take down six wild beasts in total. Four of them were Black Iron two-stars, one was a three-star, and the last one, a hulking gray bear, was a seven-star.
"This gray bear is massive!" Yates marveled as he looked at the creature, which seemed as big as a small mountain. "It must be worth a lot!"
"Not too much," Evan replied. "It's not fully grown, so it might fetch around four or five thousand for its pelt. The rest would go for about the same as the Silver Deer."
Gray bears might have low-grade bloodlines, but their size alone made them ideal beginner beasts, even if they did have a big appetite.
"Yates, you did well today!" Evan patted Yates on the shoulder, impressed by his friend's performance.
In their recent battle, Yates had proven useful. As Fire Hound wrestled with the bear, Yates had directed Blazing Sun Snake to strike from cover, its venomous bite weakening the bear enough for Fire Hound to finish it off, a victory over a beast three stars higher.
"It was nothing," Yates said, scratching his head. After all his initial fears, he'd finally played an active role.
"You know, Yates, you could specialize in raising snakes," Evan suggested thoughtfully. "Imagine releasing dozens of snakes in a battle—that would be quite a force."
"Dozens of snakes?" Yates shuddered, unconvinced. "How strong can snake beasts even be?"
"Don't underestimate them," Evan replied, shaking his head. "There's a species called the Dragon Python. It has horns like a dragon but no legs, and it can grow hundreds of meters long. Its tail can level small mountains, and even a single bite would be fatal for a Glory-level beast."
Yates's eyes lit up with excitement. "That powerful? Where can I find a Dragon Python?"
"Quit dreaming." Evan rolled his eyes. "Dragon Pythons are ancient beasts that guard treasure in ruins. Even peak Glory-level Beastmasters don't dare go near them."
"Hey, a person's got to have dreams…" Yates murmured before asking, "But why should I focus on raising only snakes?"
"Affinity," Evan explained. "The more you specialize in raising a certain type, the easier it'll be to gain their trust. You'd also have an advantage in taming similar beasts in the future."
"I see." Yates nodded thoughtfully. After a moment, he grinned. "Alright, I'll do it! I'll raise snakes! I'm going after that Dragon Python!"
"You," Evan muttered, shaking his head with a laugh. But as he watched Yates excitedly store the bear's body, he couldn't help but feel a swell of pride.
Yates had gone from being terrified to eagerly aspiring for stronger beasts. This day had truly set him on the path of a Beastmaster. With Evan's guidance, he had no doubt Yates could one day grow into a formidable figure.
"Yates... I really want to help you make it big this time," Evan murmured. "Just don't let me down."
"Wh-what? The Lion King? Where?!" Yates yelped, jumping nearly three feet in the air. "Oh, no! Are there Lion Kings in this forest?!"
Evan paused, momentarily at a loss. After a long sigh, he finally said, "Yates, I'll pitch in some money later so you can go get your ears checked."