Before the fireball could reach its target, several thick, wrist-sized flower vines shot up from below and shattered it in midair.
Those vines belonged to Caine's Spirit Beast Bloomlet, it was a Lignum-type Spirit Beast.
With formidable attack capabilities, the Bloomlet usually lived in the Spirit Beast Reserve in the form of a creeping plant.
It had just been awakened from its slumber by Caine through their contract.
When Mr. Blau warned Ash to stay away from the window to avoid injury, it wasn't the Flaringo below that concerned him—it was Bloomlet.
Standing away from the window, Ash and Mr. Blau watched as Caine expertly directed Bloomlet.
In just a few swift movements, the Bloomlet subdued the frenzied Flaringo, wrapping it tightly like a dumpling before tossing it into an isolated area far from the other Spirit Beasts.
"Im sorry for letting you witness such a mess." Mr. Blau glanced at Ash, who was holding the Larvanine in her arms, his expression slightly embarrassed.
Ash shook her head.
After all, no one could have anticipated a normally docile Spirit Beast suddenly going berserk.
"You're here to adopt a Spirit Beast, right?" Mr. Blau asked, skipping over any questions about the Larvanine in Ash's arms and returning to their previous topic.
Ash hesitated for a moment, but before she could answer, Mr. Blau continued, "The Spirit Beast Reserve will likely be closing for a few days to conduct thorough health checks on all the Spirit Beasts. You should come back next month."
Without waiting for her reply, Mr. Blau walked to his locker, took out a diamond-shaped, earth-toned crystal core, and tossed it to Ash. "This is an Aranamic's crystal core that was rich in Terra-type energy. Consider it compensation for the trouble you experienced today."
He the. added, "I must also ask you, young lady, not to spread the word of today's events. On behalf of the Spirit Beast Reserve, I sincerely apologize and hope you understand."
Ash glanced at the crystal core in her hand that was roughly at the size of a goose egg.
She understood it was essentially a hush payment.
While her curiosity about the Flaringo's sudden frenzy burned within her, Ash also knew this wasn't something a student like her could meddle in.
Getting a valuable crystal core as compensation was an unexpected bonus.
Without hesitation, she nodded her head and said, "Alright, I promise I'll keep everything I saw today to myself. Not a single word will leave my lips."
Mr. Blau gave Ash a slight smile and said no more.
He personally escorted Ash and Larvanine out of the Spirit Beast Reserve.
"What's the situation?"
After escorting Ash back, Mr. Blau headed straight for the enclosure.
His expression was grim as he looked at Caine, who was crouched on the ground administering some kind of injection to the unconscious Flaringo.
Mr. Blau's mood was sour.
He and Caine were the only patrolling Beast Master on duty at the Spirit Beast Reserve today, and yet such a major incident had occurred.