On Azure Star, in this era, the relationship between humans and monsters is complex.
There are monsters that coexist peacefully with humans.
Some highly intelligent monsters even learn from humans, establishing small, loosely structured monster kingdoms, and even forming proper diplomatic relations with human nations, such as the Thousand Islands Hundred Kingdoms Alliance of Disiat, which includes the Pearl Kingdom established by the Mermaid race monsters, said to be founded by a legendary Saint Spirit Mermaid Queen.
There are those that do not infringe upon humans.
As long as you do not step into my tribe's territory, or enter in small, non-threatening numbers, then I will not step into your living area, and everyone will live in peace. This is generally the case within the Star Rock Federation.
Of course, there are also those hostile to humans, which is the majority of cases.
After all, once humans arrive, the natural environment that monsters rely on for survival must be transformed.
Monsters are not spirit beasts that have been domesticated by humans for thousands of years, have completely adapted to coexisting with humans, and are instinctively close to humans; naturally, they are unwilling.
Overall.
The relationship between humans and wild monsters is still mostly hostile.
Precisely because of this.
Even though Dongyang Beast Masters are very cruel to monsters.
They capture them, brainwash them to erase their intelligence, retaining only the most basic instincts, driving them like tools, and when they are used up, they are not treated but dismantled and turned into materials.
Although Lin Chuan was somewhat repulsed by such practices, he did not say no.
After all, for enemies.
No matter how cruel, it is reasonable.
However, while one can be so cruel to enemies, betraying and abandoning companions, especially those from the same faction and who were once good friends, is something Lin Chuan cannot accept, although he knows this is the inherent flaw in human nature.
If that man, Murakami Yasuyo, Lin Chuan did not know his name.
If Murakami Yasuyo had not fired those shots at his two companions, using such a malicious method to make his companions cover his retreat, but instead had helped each other retreat and escape, or even actively sacrificed himself to cover the rear, demonstrating human courage.
Then Lin Chuan would definitely have intervened to save them, even if it wasn't the most opportune moment for White Snow to dive in for rescue.
But now, Lin Chuan hesitated.
Lin Chuan closed his eyes slightly, and in his mind, countless thoughts and ideas flashed by in an instant.
Finally, a dark, fierce glint flashed in Lin Chuan's eyes.
Don't say I didn't save you, don't say I'm cold-blooded.
I'll give you a glimmer of hope!
It's up to you whether you can seize it, and whether your life is tough enough.
At this moment, if White Snow dives down, cooperating with Sakura's Illusion Art and Wan Wan's Creation Mode, the probability of successfully saving Murakami Yasuyo is at least 99%!
But Lin Chuan doesn't plan to do that.
Didn't Murakami Yasuyo delay for about 10 seconds by betraying the lives of his two companions?
Then, Lin Chuan will create another 10 seconds of opportunity for Murakami Yasuyo.
But whether he can escape the beast tide and survive with this extra 10 seconds will depend on his own fortune.
Let's see if he has a protagonist's halo, let's see if his life is tough enough!
Through the contract, Lin Chuan conveyed his thoughts to Sakura and Wan Wan.
Sakura stood on White Snow's large head, her pair of light pink, large, captivating eyes shimmering slightly.
At the same time, Wan Wan performed 'Fairy Art · Creation Mode'.
Only to see lines of text appearing on the pages formed by Illusion Attribute energy.
— — — —
Mist Forest.
It is perennially shrouded in a faint mist of Illusion Attribute energy.
Here, the effectiveness and power of any Illusion Attribute skill will be enhanced.
Currently, Sakura's Illusion Eye is at Expert Grade.
However, at this moment, under the influence of the surrounding environment, it actually has the effect of a Master Grade, no, an Expert Grade!!
All the monsters in the beast tide, just by looking at it, their thoughts uncontrollably fell into stagnation, and their running speed significantly decreased.
This lasted for a full 10 seconds!
— — — —
Wan Wan's profound knowledge came into play at this moment.
Without Lin Chuan's prompting, Wan Wan was able to adapt to the situation and find the way to maximize the effect of 'Fairy Art · Creation Mode'.
Mist Forest inherently boosts the power and effect of Illusion Attribute skills, and now, with Wan Wan's assistance, this enhancement has reached its maximum!
In the void, a pair of large pink eyes slowly emerged.
Illusory and dreamlike.
The monsters in the beast tide unconsciously glanced at them, and the next moment, their thoughts seemed to be pressed with a 0.5x slow-motion button, momentarily pausing.
But they quickly returned to normal, the duration of which was exactly 10 seconds, no more, no less.
Murakami Yasuyo could not see those light pink large eyes because Sakura had specifically shielded them from him.
Therefore, he didn't know why the beast tide would suddenly slow down for a moment.
But Murakami Yasuyo didn't care; he only felt ecstatic, feeling it was the favor of heaven, the Goddess of Destiny, just as he successfully awakened his Beast Master talent in his first ritual, just as he could suddenly awaken and regain his transcendent Beast Master heart amidst worldly decadence, just as he could coincidentally encounter the Moon God Deer—it was his innate luck, favoring him once again.
And so, he ran even more desperately to escape.
However...
Murakami Yasuyo was ultimately not a child of destiny, or perhaps, he could only be considered a twig accidentally stepped on by the Goddess of Destiny; when the Goddess of Destiny saw the handsome prince she admired, this twig could only be thrown away by the Goddess as a tool to attract the prince's attention.
Ultimately, he was just a human, and his Beast Master rank was not even 1st Tier. Murakami Yasuyo's stamina quickly bottomed out.
Gradually, he was caught by the beast tide.
"Wh-why?"
"How could this be? I haven't become a true Beast Master yet."
"Impossible, how could I die here?"
Amidst desperate, disbelieving, and unwilling low growls, Murakami Yasuyo was engulfed by the beast tide.
In the end, only horrifying, piercing screams remained.
Half an hour later.
The beast tide, composed of hundreds of monsters, dispersed.
Only a pile of fragments remained on the ground.
Neither in his previous life nor in this one had Lin Chuan witnessed such a terrifyingly bloody scene. He instinctively felt nauseous, his SAN value dropping wildly.
At the same time, Lin Chuan couldn't help but question in his heart whether his decision just now was correct.
If he had gone all out to rescue them, it wouldn't be like this now.
The next second.
In Lin Chuan's vision, those fragments were automatically pixelated, transforming into a cartoon, humorous style.
This was the versatile little secretary Wan Wan's initiative; she asked Sakura to help add an Illusion Art filter.
It was very timely.
Lin Chuan's nausea instantly eased, and his questioning mindset gradually disappeared.
He didn't force himself to stare directly at the gore to adapt, like in some novels or movies, then get used to it after throwing up a few times.
That method causes significant psychological damage.
It either leaves lingering trauma or gradually cultivates a cruel and ruthless extreme personality.
It's not like he has to go to the battlefield tomorrow, so there's no need to use such extreme methods, rushing to force himself to adapt to gore.
One step at a time is fine.
Just like those students in medical or forensic departments.
Initially, most of them don't adapt. They take it step by step, starting from catching frogs with bare hands, then dissecting small white mice, then studying cadavers, and finally even keeping a skull decoration by their bed when Sleeping, perfectly adapting to all bloody scenes.
With the pixelated and cartoon, humorous filters on.
Lin Chuan put on his gloves and began to examine the equipment and items dropped by Murakami Yasuyo, and helped bury his fragments.
He was a guy who betrayed his companions, but since he's already in fragments, there's no need to dwell on it too much.
Incidentally, Lin Chuan also helped bury the fragments of the two companions who were forced to cover the retreat by Murakami Yasuyo's gunshots.
What grudges, what resentments, you three can go down there and fight it out.
Unless a Pet Space Device is set to self-destruct upon destruction.
Otherwise, when it is destroyed, it will transmit all the items stored inside.
Murakami Yasuyo had not set it to destruction mode; perhaps he was afraid the Pet Space Device would be accidentally destroyed, but he clearly didn't expect such an end for himself.
Lin Chuan destroyed Murakami Yasuyo's necklace-type Pet Space Device, as well as the Pet Space Devices of the male and female Beast Masters he had betrayed to cover his retreat.
The contents inside instantly burst out.
Various miscellaneous items, monster materials, a total of 3 million Dongyang coins, which converts to 1.5 million star rock coins.
5 heavily injured, dying enslaved monsters, all 2nd Tier, with the highest bloodline rank being General Tier Upper Level.
Hmm, one situation must be explained.
The contracts between Dongyang Beast Masters and monsters are different from the formal spirit beast contracts commonly used by the Star Rock Federation and other human nations.
Once a formal spirit beast contract is signed, destinies are intertwined.
If the Beast Master dies, the spirit beast either follows them in death or lives on for the Beast Master's last wish; in any case, the spirit beast cannot sign a contract with another Beast Master.
The contracts between Dongyang Beast Masters and monsters are different; they can be described as a temporary, simplified contract that can be severed.
The death of either party automatically severs it, and it can also be severed using a specialized ritual.
There is a gathering in the Dongyang Beast Master circle called the Monster Exchange Fair.
The purpose of the gathering is to exchange monsters owned by each other.
Besides the 5 heavily injured, dying monsters, there was also a Lost Trail Deer cub sealed in an independent card-shaped Pet Space Device?
Its level was probably only 7.
Generally, among deer spirit beasts or monsters, only male deer have antlers, and female deer do not.
Lost Trail Deer belong to the reindeer type; both males and females have antlers.
Their species' Illusion Art skills are primarily performed using their antlers.
Because of this, their antlers are a very valuable Illusion Attribute resource.
Lin Chuan also thought of finding a Lost Trail Deer colony to look for some skeletal antlers, believing there would definitely be a large amount of Illusion Attribute inheritance materials, which is why he accepted the advanced mission of hunting Lost Trail Deer.
Lin Chuan looked at this Lost Trail Deer cub he had released, and something seemed off.
Its antlers, on top of its head, were much smaller than those of ordinary Lost Trail Deer, and crucially, its antlers were jade-like.
Clearly, this was a naturally mutated Lost Trail Deer monster.
Wan Wan possessed knowledge of Level 10 Monster Ecology and Taxonomy; after observing for a while, she reached a conclusion.
Light Attribute, bloodline rank mid-Lord Rank.
Lin Chuan was astonished.
mid-Lord Rank, Light Attribute!!
What a pity.
Lin Chuan looked at this Lost Trail Deer, its dull and bewildered light-gold eyes, and shook his head regretfully.
Clearly, its intelligence had been erased.
This monster was useless.
A monster without intelligence cannot have any skill proficiency exceeding Ordinary Grade, let alone learn any Combination Skills.
Even if a contract is established, its synchronization with the Beast Master cannot be improved.
For ordinary Beast Masters, it might still be decent.
After all, it's a mid-Lord Rank Light Attribute, even if it's a mentally disabled one, it's still a rare treasure.
However, for a Beast Master like himself, destined to reach the pinnacle, the inability to improve synchronization and skill proficiency makes it utterly useless.
Wait!?
Under normal circumstances, synchronization and skill proficiency cannot be improved.
What about inheritance?
Can it improve its skill proficiency?
What about reincarnation?
Can it improve its synchronization?