First and foremost, the most important task was to secure the strongest and most promising Earth Rhinoceros Beast in the arena.
No matter what the evaluation criteria would be in ten days, obtaining the best Earth Rhinoceros Beast was the key to survival.
Lynn and the others had only recently entered the Furnace and weren't even considered true first-level apprentices. After a few days of training, each of them had been given a beginner's meditation manual and then immediately sent to the beast arena.
At this moment, without any magical enhancements, all they could rely on were their fists and physical strength.
Lynn subconsciously pinched his arm it was loose, thin, and weak.
His family was poor, and during his developmental years, he had often gone hungry. As a result, he appeared frail and emaciated, a stark contrast to the stronger youths around him.
He glanced around and noticed that most of the others were in a similar state malnourished and sallow-faced.
However, some came from better backgrounds. They were tall, robust, and naturally had an advantage in this brutal competition.
At the moment, the Earth Rhinoceros Beasts were lazily sprawled across the arena. Each one was in its juvenile stage, no larger than a kitten, and didn't seem particularly threatening.
Taming them wasn't difficult, but the real challenge was keeping them once tamed.
Once you set your eyes on a particular beast, it was likely that someone else would try to snatch it from you. The real test was whether you could hold onto it.
Lynn took a deep breath. After assessing the situation, he didn't feel entirely disadvantaged. Thanks to his "Heaven Rewards Diligence" ability, he had thoroughly mastered the knowledge about Earth Rhinoceros Beasts during the past few days of training.
At this moment, in this arena, no one understood Earth Rhinoceros Beasts better than he did!
"Choose the Earth Rhinoceros Beast with the best foundation to raise…"
Lynn recalled the criteria for judging the quality of these beasts.
Suddenly, a piercing scream cut through the air.
Lynn instinctively turned his head and saw a skinny youth clutching a fairly healthy-looking Earth Rhinoceros Beast, a smug expression on his face.
However, in the next moment, a much taller and stronger youth kicked him hard, sending him flying.
The Earth Rhinoceros Beast slipped from his hands, and the stronger youth swiftly bent down to pick it up, his movements smooth and decisive.
The robbed youth gritted his teeth, unwilling to give up. He tried to get up and fight back, but the other youth slapped him hard, knocking him unconscious. He collapsed to the ground, unmoving.
Lynn frowned, his gaze lingering on the fallen youth.
If the boy woke up to find that all the better Earth Rhinoceros Beasts had already been taken, his chances of survival would plummet.
At this rate, in ten days, this youth would almost certainly be the first to be eliminated…
In four words: a dead end.
Lynn took a deep breath, tightened his robe, and heightened his vigilance, treating everyone around him as a potential threat.
He moved silently, beginning to search for his target in the beast pen.
The pen wasn't particularly large, containing only a few dozen Earth Rhinoceros Beasts. The most robust ones had already been snatched up by the taller, more muscular youths.
Lynn and the other weaker youths were left to pick from the discarded beasts.
"Earth Rhinoceros Beasts are magical creatures. These people are only judging them by their size. Truly, brawn over brains…"
Lynn crouched down, examining each of the remaining beasts one by one.
"This one isn't very large, but the color in its pupils is deep. Its bloodline concentration should be quite good. I'll mark it as a potential choice."
"This one already has scales growing on its belly. It's almost out of its juvenile stage. It's one of the most talented here, and no one's noticed it!"
"This one isn't bad either…"
After observing several beasts, Lynn indeed found many with high bloodline concentrations but smaller statures.
Based on his knowledge, this wasn't uncommon. For magical beasts, size was only temporary, but the concentration of their bloodline would determine their ultimate potential.
Suddenly, Lynn's eyes lit up. His gaze settled on an Earth Rhinoceros Beast about the size of a kitten.
This beast was unusually active, constantly barking at him with a wary look in its eyes.
From the color of its pupils, the shape of its scales, and the extent of its growth, Lynn judged this to be the best-conditioned beast he had found so far.
Without hesitation, Lynn chose this Earth Rhinoceros Beast!
Although he was physically weak, dealing with a juvenile Earth Rhinoceros Beast wasn't too difficult.
He quickly curled up in his robe, carefully avoiding exposing his skin to its sharp claws, and then gently pressed its soft belly to keep it firmly under control.
The beast struggled fiercely, but Lynn was patient. Each time it calmed down, he loosened his grip slightly, repeating the process.
Gradually, the beast's resistance weakened, and it finally submitted under Lynn's control.
Lynn let out a sigh of relief and carefully picked up the Earth Rhinoceros Beast, gently stroking its rough scales.
No matter what, in the coming days of the trial, he would have to rely on this beast, and their fates would be tightly intertwined.
"Humans may not intend to harm tigers, but tigers may still harm humans."
Lynn remained inwardly vigilant.
He no longer saw those around him as "companions" but rather as potential enemies.
After all, aside from strengthening his own Earth Rhinoceros Beast, finding ways to weaken or even kill others' beasts was an extremely effective competitive strategy.
Especially now, when these Earth Rhinoceros Beasts were still in their juvenile stage, as fragile as kittens.
Anyone with ill intentions could easily and quietly end the lives of these young beasts.
"The beast pen is quite large. During the ten-day trial, I'll try to avoid everyone as much as possible…"
Lynn hugged his Earth Rhinoceros Beast tightly, deliberately distancing himself from the others as he cautiously made his way deeper into the pen.
The pen was indeed spacious, as it was a dedicated area within the Furnace for raising magical beasts.
However, the danger was still everywhere.
Lynn reminded himself constantly:
"Don't go too far, or you might accidentally wander into the territory of some powerful beast. Stay within the safe zone, find some fruits to eat, and study the Beginner's Meditation Manual…"
He carefully navigated through a dense patch of trees and found a sheltered corner where he could take cover from the wind and rain. He gently set down the Earth Rhinoceros Beast, creating a temporary "home" for it.
"Ten days. During this time, I need to make sure the Earth Rhinoceros Beast eats well, drinks well, sleeps well, and is well-protected…"
Lynn pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes narrowing as a stream of information surfaced in his mind.
......
Name: Lynn Cole
Realm: None
Talent: Heaven Rewards Diligence [As long as you work hard, you will inevitably reap rewards!]
Progress:
Earth Rhinoceros Beast Rearing Knowledge [100%]
Beginner's Meditation Manual [35%]
......
Thanks to his "Heaven Rewards Diligence," Lynn had already mastered the knowledge of raising Earth Rhinoceros Beasts. He was confident that if everything went smoothly, he would be the one standing at the end.
But the problem was that the beast pen was likely to see unfair competition. Those with brawn might try to use their fists to get ahead.
"Fortunately, we were given the meditation manual. As long as I work hard and increase my proficiency, I'll have a means of self-defense, especially with the Earth Rhinoceros Beast by my side…"
Lynn's thoughts were clear. He reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a book titled Beginner's Meditation Manual.