[🎉 Shoutout to Hugo & Nexus for joining patreon. Thank you very much.🤗 Also, there are still 11 UNCLAIMED GIFT LEFT of the 20 I gave in the 11th Jan chapter.]
At the same time as Asher was astonished, he silently extended his meditation time by a little.
…He couldn't possibly let Little Raven reach the mental strength requirement while he himself was just a bit short, could he?
That would be downright embarrassing.
Finally, there was the matter of skills.
In less than two months, without relying on the aid of card pools, Little Raven had learned one fire-attribute skill and two special-attribute skills.
The hardworking and diligent Little Raven needed no further elaboration.
Asher felt both distressed by Little Raven's relentless efforts and immensely pleased by his progress.
Seeing that nearly half of the 108-day timeframe had already passed, Asher couldn't bring himself to persuade Little Raven to stop and rest. Instead, he could only strive alongside Little Raven, pressing forward toward their shared goal.
Under such circumstances—
It was only natural for Little Raven's strength to break through to the fourth tier.
What Asher hadn't told Vicky was that Little Raven's strength wasn't just at the low level of the fourth tier but had already reached the mid-level.
Although Vicky didn't know this, he was already rendered speechless.
Asher's words couldn't have been more truthful.
Half a year ago, when Little Raven left, he had already established himself as the top dog of Eleventh High. Was it so surprising that he had become even stronger upon his return?
Rationally speaking, that made complete sense.
But emotionally...
"Godfather! Teach me!" Vicky lifted his head, his eyes sparkling as he shouted loudly at Asher, "Coach, I want to learn too."
Asher: *…Complicated feelings.*
"Have you finished your final exams?" Asher asked.
Their winter break for senior year was already considered late.
In just ten days, it would be New Year.
After the New Year, they would only have a few days at home before the new semester began.
In other words, senior students weren't allowed vacations. This truth held universally, no matter the world.
"Our practical combat class was scheduled for last, so yes, I've finished," Vicky nodded. "Everyone else has gone home, but I thought you might not have brought your key and couldn't get back in, so I came to the dorm to leave the door open before heading off myself."
Unexpectedly, he ran into Asher just as he returned.
What a coincidence.
"Alright then, I'll give you some special training sessions every day before the New Year."
Want to learn from him?
That's easy.
Asher agreed immediately.
Little Raven stood on Asher's shoulder, its tiny black eyes full of sympathy for Vicky… Oh no, it shouldn't just be sympathy for Vicky.
'The one who truly deserved sympathy should be that clueless Dragon Lizard, right?'
Little Raven lowered its head and preened its feathers a few times, shaking its head thoughtfully: 'Ah~ So naive~'
'Both the Beastmaster and the pet beasts are the same.'
Little Raven's eyes showed a trace of disdain.
But what could it do? Naive Vicky and the naive Dragon Lizard were its Beastmaster's good friends and beloved juniors, after all.
Little Raven: *Reluctance*
To protect its Beastmaster's friendships, when the time came, it would… go a little harder on them.
"Great, great." Completely oblivious to Little Raven's thoughts, Vicky still cheerfully smiled, unaware of the danger looming ahead. "Godfather, hurry up and teach me your ultimate moves!"
"Can I get my Little Drogo to break through to Tier 4 within a week?" Vicky's eyes sparkled with excitement, absolutely convinced that Asher had some special technique.
Asher chuckled. 'Want a shortcut to success?'
He gave Vicky a meaningful look. "Don't rush. Rest up in the dorm tonight. Tomorrow, I'll take you along."
"Alright, alright!" Vicky nodded eagerly.
Before going to bed that night, he was still buzzing with excitement.
His mind was filled with thoughts of becoming stronger and more powerful.
Until—
The next morning at the crack of dawn, one second Vicky was snoozing cozily in his warm bed, and the next, Asher had already yanked his blanket away.
"WHA—" Vicky shot upright like a spring. The curse words hadn't even left his mouth before his eyes met Asher's fully dressed figure standing in front of him.
"Get up, wash up, ten minutes max." Asher said, pressing the timer on his phone. "Or else you'll be running outside in the cold wind wearing just your boxers."
Vicky: "???"
'What the—'
'Isn't today supposed to mark the start of his winter break?'
'Why can't I just sleep until noon in his bed?'
"One minute's already gone." As Asher's voice reached his ears, it sounded like the devil's whisper. Without a second thought, Vicky jumped out of bed, grabbed his thick coat, and dashed to the bathroom.
Brushing teeth and washing face in three minutes—he could still make it.
After he was dressed and ready, Vicky finally had time to check his phone. His face immediately showed an expression of disbelief.
"Are you crazy, or am I crazy?" Vicky turned to look at Asher. "It's break time, and you have me up at six in the morning? Dude, I barely manage to wake up by 6:10 when I have school."
"Didn't you ask me to teach you?" Asher smiled faintly.
'Teach?'
'How?'
Of course, by letting him experience Asher's daily routine firsthand.
Although Vicky didn't have an effect card, more training never hurt.
Asher smiled.
He wasn't some kind of demon. He would stick to what Vicky had asked, train with him for a week, then let him go home for the New Year.
Asher: 'I'm really too kind.'
To Vicky, life from the very first day of the break was pure torture.
Asher was as good as his word.
Every morning, he dragged Vicky out on time to start training.
Initially, Vicky planned to use the excuse of going home to escape. However, after hearing about this, his parents immediately thanked Asher and took it upon themselves to kick Vicky out of the house at six in the morning. He could only come back home after training in the afternoon.
Vicky and the Dragon Lizard: '…Despair can come in an instant.'
By the second day of training, Vicky already felt like he was about to collapse.
"I really am a trustworthy and kind person," Asher said with genuine sentiment, stroking Little Raven, utterly oblivious to Vicky's mental breakdown.
Little Raven nodded its tiny head.
'Absolutely right.'
'My Beastmaster is super kind.'
Vicky, sprawled on the ground after running five laps of 800 meters: "…"
The Dragon Lizard, Little Drogo, defeated by Little Raven in just two moves: "…"
This pair of master and pet exchanged a glance, finding the same grief and anger in each other's eyes.
'Demons!'
'That bird and its master are a pair of demons!'
Even so, Asher didn't let him or the Dragon Lizard off easily.
To Vicky, the devil's voice sounded once more: "Right now, meditation works best. Both you and the Dragon Lizard should start meditating."
Saying this, Asher also prepared to meditate with Little Raven.
Just then—
Asher received a call.
Not yet fully settled into meditation, Vicky sneakily perked up his ears and edged closer to Asher, trying to eavesdrop.
Although he couldn't hear the voice on the other end, he could hear Asher speaking.
"Hm? Yeah, I'm already back in NY City," Asher said into the phone.
The caller was June.
No one knew how June got the news of Asher's return to NY City, but she immediately called.
"You're so inconsiderate. You came back and didn't even let me know?" June huffed angrily. "Am I not your friend in your eyes?"
Asher: "?"
"I mean… normal friends don't usually report their whereabouts, right?"
'Oh! Oh!'
'Asher's got something going on.'
Hearing this, Vicky instantly got excited, 'Eavesdrop! Keep eavesdropping!'
Forget meditation—he couldn't focus at all!
"Go shopping with you? No way." Asher refused outright. "I'm busy lately."
"Yeah, my son here is hugging my leg, begging me to teach him how to get stronger."
"…You want to join in too?"
As the conversation went on, Asher's tone grew more complicated.
He remembered June's stubborn and unreasonable side vividly and wasn't eager to relive it.
"Are you sure?" Asher confirmed repeatedly. "If you come, there's no backing out halfway."
"Alright!" June agreed immediately.
Training? How hard could it be?
No way it could be worse than the time she trained in the mines with her Fire Fox Queen, right?
June was brimming with confidence.
Vicky, only able to hear Asher's side of the conversation, already had a horrified expression.
'What kind of person has such a death wish?'
'She is willingly throwing herself into the hands of this demon Asher?'
If he could, Vicky really wanted to shout into Asher's phone:
'Run!'
'Run away, girl!'
'Don't agree! Asher is a big demon king with sharp claws and fangs!'
However,… Perhaps because Vicky's mental screams were too strong, Asher seemed to feel his resentment, slowly turning his gaze to fix on Vicky.
Li: *Pretending to meditate *
Feeling Asher's gaze Vicky didn't dare to move, not even a twitch.
And so—
One hour later.
Vicky now had two new companions who were ready to share hardships with him.
As for June bringing Ivy along, Asher had already expected it. When he saw the two of them, he didn't show any surprise.
"It's a bit late today. Starting tomorrow, we'll meet at 6:30 a.m. every day at the playground of No. 11 High School," Asher briefly stated the morning training schedule.
June complained, "… Can I regret this now?"
What kind of normal person gathers at school at 6:30 a.m. during vacation?
Gathering at 6:30 a.m. meant she'd have to get up by 6 at least. June felt like turning around and leaving right now.
On the other hand, Ivy thought for a moment, then nodded softly but firmly, saying, "Alright."
"June, don't worry. I'll make sure to wake you up when the time comes," Ivy smiled as she looked at June.
June, feeling backstabbed by her bestie: "…"
The wind seemed a bit noisy today, and the silence lasted a bit too long.
"Alright, alright," June muttered.
What else could she do? She was the one who had impulsively contacted Asher, essentially asking to suffer.
Seeing that June and Ivy had decided, Asher nodded and said, "Alright, then let's start with a battle against me. One at a time, let's see where your current abilities stand."
June, who had been reluctant just moments ago, perked up instantly upon hearing this.
"Now you're talking. I'm not sleepy anymore." June put her hands on her hips, her ponytail swaying in the breeze. Her rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes radiated a unique vitality from the inside out.
Having just finished his first round of meditation, Vicky quietly stood next to Ivy and whispered, "That's your friend? I just want to ask… is she going to cry when Asher beats her?"
Ivy was startled by Vicky's sudden comment and instinctively took two steps closer to Asher before stopping.
Vicky: "…"
'Come on!'
'Asher is clearly a beast.'
There were two girls here, and the feisty one seemed closer to Asher. Naturally, Vicky thought he had a chance.
He wanted to approach the gentler girl and build some camaraderie in advance.
Who would've thought… this girl was also very familiar with Asher, instinctively seeking his support.
Vicky: 'The joke's on me, huh?'
Vicky stared at the battle between Asher and June, resolving to work hard, learn from Asher, and figure out his methods.
"After losing to Asher last time, June has been training really hard," Ivy explained softly, unaware of Vicky's inner turmoil. "June and the Flame Fox Queen have been preparing for revenge."
'Huh?'
'Flame Fox Queen?'
Vicky hadn't connected the dots yet when June summoned a Beast he had only seen in pictures—the same one that had helped Asher secure the guaranteed admission to Bluewind University: The Flame Fox Queen.
"I think I get it now…" Vicky murmured.
No wonder the fiery girl treated Asher so differently.
Just the uniquely evolved Flame Fox Queen alone made Asher a special presence in her heart.
This kind of advanced courting method…
Not something he could learn. Not at all.
However, the battle ended much faster than June and Ivy had anticipated.
Three moves.
The Flame Fox Queen was utterly incapacitated.
Even so, Little Raven had held back, only injuring the Flame Fox Queen enough that she would recover mostly with a special nutrient solution.
The Flame Fox Queen, lying on the ground: '…Seriously, this is even more infuriating.'
Flame Fox Queen: 'Evil bird! Bully!'
Little Raven: (￢_￢)
'Any problems?'
Toying with defeated opponents? Little Raven was already very experienced in that.
Flame Fox Queen: *Sobs*
June's face was filled with shock as she ran to hug the big fox and feed it the nutrient solution. She turned to Asher with a ghostly expression. "Little Raven… did it take steroids or something? It hasn't been that long since our last battle, and its improvement is just too ridiculous."
Hearing June's pseudo-praise, Little Raven raised its head proudly and flashed a smug expression at the downed Flame Fox Queen.
The Flame Fox Queen, just waking up to see Little Raven's taunting expression: *Hair bristles*
"Do not get mad, don't get mad. We just weren't good enough," June hurriedly comforted the Flame Fox Queen. "So, we'll learn Asher and Little Raven's training methods and then surpass them."
Her reluctance to wake up at 6 a.m. had completely transformed at this moment.
'Get up!'
She had to get up!
Otherwise, wouldn't she and the Flame Fox Queen fall even further behind Asher and Little Raven?
June and the Flame Fox Queen, both naturally competitive, couldn't accept that.
"I'll be waiting for you." Asher didn't comment further. If they had the ability, they could try. He wouldn't mind.
Asher turned to Ivy with a smile. "Your turn, Ivy."
Ivy nodded, stepping into June's position and summoning her Fairy Butterfly.
Watching from the sidelines, Vicky, upon seeing yet another Beast connected to Asher, tried to remain calm. But he failed—miserably.
Vicky once again deeply realized that the gap between people was larger than the gap between humans and dogs.
Asher and Ivy's battle ended even faster than the previous one.
Little Raven had needed three moves to defeat the Flame Fox Queen, but against the Fairy Butterfly, it only took one move. Little Raven's passive ability, coupled with its regal aura, overwhelmed the still Tier 3 Fairy Butterfly instantly.
Ivy quickly checked on her Fairy Butterfly. Its injuries weren't serious and would heal soon. She looked at Asher, embarrassed. "Am I… too weak?"
Asher nodded. "At least you realize it."
Ivy blushed with embarrassment.
Vicky, watching from the side, was heartbroken.
'Not even a shred of compassion for a girl?'
'Can't you console her a little?'
"Being weak isn't a problem; training more is the solution," Asher said, completely ignoring Vicky's exaggerated gestures of winking and grimacing.
If Vicky had the time to mess around, he'd be better off meditating for half an hour more.
But before that…
"Run your three laps first," Asher said, pointing to the 800-meter track with a heart of stone.
June and Ivy: "…"
Just looking at it was enough to make them feel breathless pain.
Having long been subjected to training even harsher than the mineral exploration drills from before, June couldn't help but repeatedly question herself deep inside:
Why, oh why, did she have such a lapse in judgment three days ago and contact Asher?
If only she hadn't, she could've enjoyed two more days of rest.
Instead, she found herself still grinding through relentless training sessions, even though it felt like the holiday was already over. There were only three days left before the Lunar New Year, and yet she was still pushing forward on the road of training, training, and more training.
"Hey, Little June, stop overthinking it. Three days in, and you're still not used to it?" Vicky, who was today's sparring partner for June, grinned from across her. His face carried a smile that appeared honest at first glance but was full of schadenfreude.
"When you called Asher the other day, I was already curious. Who could have been so unfortunate to seek him out... Haha! Thankfully, it was you. Thanks to you, I got two new sparring buddies."
June's face darkened. She couldn't muster even a shred of joy.
"Fire Fox Queen, Flame Bite!" June chose to vent all her anger in battle.
'Charge! Charge! Charge!'
'Take down that dumb lizard on the other side!'
Her Fire Fox Queen had never lost to any Beastmaster at the same level, except for Asher's Little Raven.
Vicky confidently smirked. "Little sis, my Little Drogo isn't just for show, okay?"
"Little Drogo, Dragon Roar! Then use Slam!" Vicky struck a dramatic pose, one hand raised high.
"Yoo-hoo!"
"Roar!"
The big fox and Little Drogo clashed fiercely, each landing heavy blows.
Under June and Vicky's commands, the Fire Fox Queen and the Dragon Lizard fought to a standstill, their battle so evenly matched that neither could gain the upper hand.
Their initial opinions of each other began to shift.
"I didn't expect your Fire Fox Queen to be so powerful. You and your fox are truly worthy opponents." Vicky said with a determined gaze, wiping sweat from his brow.
June gave him a thumbs-up in return. "Your Dragon Lizard isn't bad either. Even though its reputation is a bit weak, it shows real guts in a fight."
For a moment, their gazes were filled with mutual respect.
Asher just happened to walk by with Little Raven: "Chickens pecking at each other—no winners, no losers."
June and Vicky turned their heads angrily, glaring at Asher. He calmly continued walking.
The duo of novice Beastmasters, enraged, found themselves unusually in sync.
"Fire Fox Queen, attack!"
"Little Drogo, charge!"
Together, they decided to gang up on him with a sack ambush.
Asher: '...Heh!'
'Even if a fox and a dragon attacked together, Little Raven could handle them both.'
Ivy, observing the scene, turned to her Fairy Butterfly while meditating. "Fairy Butterfly, let's join too."
"Use Wind Blade!"
The chaotic skirmish showed no signs of ending, growing fiercer and more heated.
Amid the daily chaos of bickering, chicken fights, and the trio teaming up to challenge Asher and Little Raven, the remaining days flew by in a flash.
Soon, it was the day before the Lunar New Year.
"Hey, eldest son, how about spending the New Year at my place?" After their final holiday training session, Vicky patted the dust off himself and turned to Asher. "My parents have wanted to thank you properly for ages."
June, leaning on Ivy's arm, swayed left and right, unable to stand straight.
"Huh? Why would Asher go to your place for the New Year?" She paused, suddenly remembering Asher's family situation. Her expression turned awkward.
Ivy added hesitantly, "Asher, you..."
Seeing their worried faces, Asher nonchalantly waved his hand. "It's fine. You all know my situation; it's not something I can't talk about."
Asher genuinely didn't mind.
What's the big deal about being an orphan?
The past was the past. He was moving boldly toward the future.
Besides, Asher wasn't alone.
He had good friends like Vicky and, most importantly, Little Raven by his side.
"Not this year. I'm planning to spend it with Little Raven. Don't play the third wheel and ruin our bonding time," Asher said with a playful smile.
Vicky: "?"
"Is it you or me that's acting strange?"
After parting ways with Vicky, June, and Ivy, Asher took Little Raven to a nearby shopping centre.
"This is our first New Year together, even if it's just in the dorm. We can't skimp on it," Asher said, pushing a cart. "Let's buy some festive items and have hot pot for New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow."
Little Raven hopped onto the cart handle; its shiny black beady eyes fixed on Asher.
Little Raven: 'Sure!'
'New Year is important, right?'
'A bird celebrating New Year with a Beastmaster.'
Asher smiled.
He didn't know how he had spent past New Years alone, but this year was special.
It was not only his first Lunar New Year in this world but also the first one he was spending with Little Raven.
It had to be lively.
On New Year's Eve, it was one of the rare days since his transmigration that Asher had no training plans.
With the windows open to let in the winter sun and moonlight, Asher and Little Raven fully relaxed.
The day began with sleeping in until noon.
Thanks to excellent dorm heating, Asher's wild sleeping posture left him sprawled across the bed, half his blanket on the floor.
Little Raven, originally sleeping in a hanging hammock at the bed's headboard, had somehow rolled out and was now spread out on Asher's chest, snoring away.
Asher: ZZZ
Little Raven: ZZZ
Waking past twelve, neither was bothered.
'We're spending today as leisurely as possible.'
Asher headed to the bathroom to wash up, Little Raven drowsily climbing onto his bird-nest-like bedhead to follow.
Halfway through, Asher woke fully, grabbed Little Raven off his head, and tossed it out, locking the door.
A now-alert Little Raven: "?"
'Why can't a bird join its Beastmaster in washing up?'
Outside, Little Raven scratched at the wooden door with its tiny claws, making a sound akin to sawing wood.
For the first time, Asher understood cat owners' frustration when their pets loiter outside bathrooms, checking if they've fallen in.
Awkward and exasperating.
Some things just don't make sense.
.
.
.
After finishing up, Asher changed into new clothes and grabbed snacks for lunch.
"This is yours; this is mine." He handed fresh fruits and new birdseed flavours to Little Raven while hoarding junk food for himself.
Little Raven tilted its head, skipping over its healthy options to fixate on Asher's snacks with shining eyes.
Asher: "...You're a bird. Salty food makes feathers fall out."
Little Raven: (￢＿￢)
'Bird doesn't listen.'
'Bird doesn't believe.'
'Beastmaster lies!'
Helpless, Asher offered a cucumber-flavoured chip.
Little Raven: ☆｀☆
'Wow!'
A whole new world opened up.
Crisp and savoury.
'Bird loves this!'
'Bird wants more!'
Amused, Asher chuckled but worried: 'would Little Raven become addicted to junk food?'
"Little Raven, you're a beautiful bird," he said, trying to reason. "You wouldn't want to get so round you can't fly, right?"
Asher shook the chips. "Eat too much, and you won't fly anymore."
Little Raven froze, then shook its head furiously.
'No way! Bird won't let that happen!'
It glanced at the snacks, hesitating before nibbling its healthy food.
Asher couldn't help laughing at Little Raven's pitiful look.
Evening arrived quickly. At seven, they started their hot pot feast, perfectly timed to relax and watch the New Year Gala afterward.
The dorm desks became their dining table, piled high with fresh veggies and meats. The electric pot steamed with clear broth for safety, as spicy might be too much for Little Raven.
"Come, come, come." Asher smiled and waved at Little Raven. "Let's eat hot pot together."
Little Raven: "!"
'Yay!'
Little Raven didn't know what hot pot was.
But it was influenced by the joy radiating from Asher inside and out.
'The Beastmaster is so happy today!'
'The bird is happy too!'
Fish balls, meat slices, shrimp paste, dried cauliflower… Whatever Asher grabbed, he tossed it into the pot.
Who cares.
If it's cooked, it's edible.
The food soaked in the broth looked incredibly tempting. Little Raven, who had never eaten hot pot before, was curious about the round, white fish ball placed in front of it by Asher.
Little Raven raised its head to look at Asher, as if asking: 'What is this, Beastmaster?'
"This is white Little Raven cooked." Asher laughed as he blew on the fish ball.
Little Raven: *Angry! *
Little Raven ignored Asher and pecked the ball in one go.
The next second, broth spurted out, splashing all over Little Raven's face.
Little Raven: "!!!"
*Fury ignited! *
Little Raven: 'So mad!'
'Is it illegal to beat up a Beastmaster during the New Year?'
'It's said you can cook anything in hot pot—can you toss an annoying Beastmaster in for a boil too?'
Seeing that Little Raven was about to unleash its rage on the Beastmaster, Asher quickly raised both hands. "I'll help you clean up right away, don't be angry."
He grabbed a wet tissue he had prepared earlier and gently wiped the broth off Little Raven's feathers.
But the smell wouldn't go away for a while. Now, Little Raven smelled like a cooked stuffed squid ball.
Little Raven: (╰_╯)
After such a lively and amusing interaction, Little Raven started eating much faster.
Little Raven: 'Unforgivable!'
'The bird shall feast in big gulps!'
'Devour!'
'Devour it all!'
'Not leaving a single drop of soup for the Beastmaster!'
Midway through the meal, Little Raven curiously tried a bit of Asher's extra-spicy dipping sauce.
And then… unsurprisingly, its eyes turned into fried eggs again. It gobbled up a lot of food in a frenzy, trying to suppress the fiery sensation in its mouth.
By ten minutes to eight, the human and bird were both stuffed to the brim.
Asher leaned back in his chair, holding his now-vanished abs and muttered, "Ah… I don't want to eat hot pot for the rest of the year…"
Little Raven lay belly-up on Asher's chest, its wings flapping noisily.
'Agreed!'
'Quick, rub the bird's belly!'
Asher freed one hand to rub Little Raven's belly a couple of times.
The phone on the table had already been tuned to the live broadcast of the evening gala. As the clock approached eight, lively sounds came from it.
Asher glanced at it and began yawning.
Eating too much was part of the reason, but boredom was another.
Originally, Asher thought that since this world had so many Beasts, the Spring Festival Gala might be more interesting. But unexpectedly, some things seemed ingrained in people's bones, even on another planet—they stayed stubbornly unchanged.
Listening to the tedious opening remarks full of blessings and clichés, Asher's eyelids started drooping… What came after?
Happy New Year? Something about pets?
Half-reclined on the bed, Asher was about to fall asleep.
Suddenly, his phone blared with an urgent ringtone, snapping him out of his half-asleep state.
"What's going on?" Asher quickly sat up and grabbed his phone from the table, seeing June frantically calling him.
Various messages from contacts were also flooding in like crazy.
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Asher: "?"
Hadn't he experienced something like this before?
Asher racked his brain—had he made any new discoveries or breakthroughs recently?
Nope.
The last time was about the Fire Fox Queen.
But the confirmation experiments for the Fire Fox Queen were being conducted by Henry and Marie. Before the New Year, they had updated him on the progress through June, saying everything was going well and confirmation was expected within the year.
'So, it can't about the Fire Fox Queen.'
Unable to figure it out, Asher answered June's relentless call.
"Hello?"
Asher's voice still carried traces of drowsiness. On the other end, June froze for a moment before speaking.
"What? You're already asleep?" June's incredulous voice came through.
Hearing the word "sleep," Asher couldn't hold back another yawn. "The Spring Festival Gala was so boring. I only watched the first two minutes before I fell asleep."
June was speechless. Now she understood why Asher, despite watching the gala, seemed completely oblivious.
Falling asleep in two minutes—if the situation were different, June would've praised him: Asher must have excellent sleep quality.
"Just now, they announced great news on this year's gala." June regained her excitement and exclaimed loudly, "Our country has developed the evolutionary path for ultimate Defense Beasts."
Asher, who had been drowsy, instantly sobered up upon hearing her words.
"Ultimate?"
Asher knew exactly what these two words represented.
Developing a Beast with "ultimate defence" meant the country now had a trump card of epic proportions.
In international relations, it was a significant boost in leverage.
June didn't need a response from Asher. She could continue talking excitedly by herself:"Mr. Damien and his team are incredible!"
"They actually beat other countries and were the first to develop an ultimate defense Beast."
"Asher, guess why I'm calling you?"
Knowing Asher hadn't seen anything and therefore knew nothing, June teased him playfully.
Before Asher could respond, June's parents' voices came from her side.
"How are you talking to Asher? Speak properly!"
"June!"
Harry and Jane had also returned home for New Year's Eve, witnessing this year's special Spring Festival Gala opening.
The first program wasn't the usual song medley.
Instead, it was a live broadcast.
Both the live audience and those watching at home were taken aback.
As they wondered if the gala schedule was off—if the Spring Festival Gala was going to flop this year—the camera suddenly revealed a towering, Beast resembling a prehistoric beast.
Standing over 30 meters tall, its body was like a skyscraper rising from the ground. Its hard shell covered every inch of its body and limbs, perfectly combining strength and beauty.
Just one look at it made viewers nationwide think the same thing: Ultimate Defence!
This had to be the legendary ultimate defence Beast.
But the shocking scene didn't end there.
As people marvelled at the display of ultimate strength, a brown-black light suddenly erupted nearby.
A minute usually passed in the blink of an eye, but at that moment, audiences across the country felt the sheer length of sixty seconds.
As the brown-black glow expanded, grew, and rose, it transformed into something resembling the Beast before them.
Then, another identical, but even larger, ultimate defence Beast appeared.
Audiences went crazy.
Were they losing their minds, or was the country going insane?
What were they even seeing?
The evolutionary process could be showcased like this?
Oh.
As long as no specific steps were revealed and only the final result was displayed…
It was fine.
Viewers nationwide went wild.
"I need to know this creature's name NOW!"
"Is the country this powerful? I just want to kneel and call it Daddy. Daddy, give me a chance. I want an armoured elephant too."
"Armoured elephant? That's such a lame name! This is our country's ultimate defence Beast. It deserves a grand name."
The internet exploded with comments.
The Spring Festival Gala's hotline was overwhelmed.
Finally, Mr. Damien appeared with his students and the entire research team. The ecstatic audience fell silent.
Whether or not they'd known of Mr. Damien before, viewers learned of his lifetime achievements through the gala's narration.
They wanted to hear his speech—would he thank the country, his team's dedication, or talk about the challenges faced?
Or perhaps deliver an emotional statement?
They were prepared to cheer and applaud every word.
At last, Mr. Damien spoke.
"First of all, on behalf of the country and our entire project team, I want to thank a certain Beastmaster for their assistance."
"Without him, here would be no results like the ones you've seen today. Without him, we wouldn't have succeeded in this research."
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