“This is a bad idea,” Theodor said.
“Just trust me on this,” Kyle said.
“Every time you say that, you make a bad decision,” Theodor said with annoyance.
“Not every time,” Kyle said.
“Yes, every time!”
“It’s not like I’m doing this without a plan. I have an idea.”
“Another sentence that is always followed by me being proven right.”
Kyle rolled his eyes. “I have something I’m relying on.”
“And what is that? Your dwarf brain?”
“No, my instincts,” Kyle said. “My instincts have never disappointed me before.”
“Instinct? What, are you an animal? We are humans! We rely on our brains, not our instincts!”
“As far as I know, you’re not a human but a stone in my brain.”
“You know how I meant that!”
“Yeah, I keep saying that sentence to you all the time as well.”
Kyle was waiting near the edge of the Fire Coast while bickering with Theodor.
Naturally, Kyle was waiting for the Beast Tamer.
After all, he had an idea.
‘Fuck Theodor,’ Kyle thought with annoyance. ‘Yes, he’s always right when it comes to wilderness and power stuff, but he’s also a schizo.’
‘I’ve had a business on Earth, and I know how to network.’
‘I’m going to trust Theodor on most stuff related to power, wilderness, and so on, but if I keep trusting him on stuff about humans, I will eventually turn into a lonely schizo like him.’
Some time later, Kyle saw the big salamander walking towards him from Blackrock Town.
“Apologies,” the Beast Tamer said after arriving in front of Kyle. “I had to procure some things.”
Kyle nodded.
Then, he just looked at her for a bit.
‘Gotta make myself seem intimidating first.’
The Beast Tamer looked at Kyle for a bit. “Is something the matter?”
“A Skinner Salamander,” Kyle said. “These things are quite expensive.”
The Beast Tamer was taken aback a bit. “Yes, they are. Is there an issue with that?”
“Skinner Salamanders have issues growing in the Second Realm. I assume you know that,” Kyle said.
The Beast Tamer looked at Kyle in surprise.
This was not common knowledge.
A moment later, a guilty expression appeared on the Beast Tamer’s face.
‘Theodor was right,’ Kyle thought as he saw her expression.
“I have not been entirely honest with you,” she said. “I am not searching for a Secondary Beast but for a new Primary Beast.”
Kyle nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
“I was afraid that you would think I would sacrifice you,” she said.
‘Interesting choice of words,’ Kyle thought. ‘She didn’t say that she was afraid I wouldn’t accept.’
“What’s the plan? What’s the target? What’s the goal?” Kyle asked.
The Beast Tamer took a deep breath.
“A Colossus,” she said.
“Madness!” Theodor shouted in Kyle’s mind. “She is crazy!”
Kyle acted like he was coughing into his arm.
“Why?” he asked quietly.
“Haven’t you heard the name? There’s a reason why it is named after the word colossal!” Theodor answered. “How is she going to feed that thing?! How is she going to use it in battle?! There are environmental protection laws! If she summons that thing anywhere even close to a city, she will be arrested!”
“What is she thinking?! No Beast Tamer or Beast Master would think about taming something like that! Feeding that thing for a single day will cost her at least 50 Ether Pebbles, and that’s when it is young! An adult Colossus requires food worth at least 50 Ether Stones every day!”
“These things are absolute money sinks, and you can’t even use them properly!”
While Theodor was explaining all of that, Kyle was acting like he was thinking.
“A Colossus,” Kyle repeated. “That is a very strange choice. Why would you choose such a beast?”
The Beast Tamer smiled sheepishly.
She knew exactly how crazy it was to tame a Colossus.
It wasn’t because it was hard to tame or hard to find.
It just seemed pointless and stupid.
“Well, since I’ve decided to be honest now, I might as well tell you,” she said.
“My father is William Forthing,” she said.
“I see,” Theodor said. “That explains things.”
“You know that guy?” Kyle asked as he coughed into his arm.
“Are you okay?” the Beast Tamer asked. “You are coughing a lot.”
“It’s fine,” Kyle said.
“I don’t know him,” Theodor said.
Kyle almost fell over.
‘Then, why the fuck did you react like that?!’
“But I know the family name,” Theodor said. “Ask her if he owns Forthing Mining.”
“Is your father the owner of Forthing Mining?” Kyle asked.
The Beast Tamer nodded with a smile.
“As I’ve thought,” Theodor said. “Inheritor, as much as it pains me to say it…”
“Accepting her offer might be the right choice.”
‘Did he just call me inheritor? Not foolish inheritor? Not imbecile?’ Kyle thought.
‘Also, did he just say I was right?!’
“If you can get the daughter of William Forthing indebted to you, you will be able to buy all the ore you ever want at production price,” Theodor said.
In Kyle’s mind, it was raining money.
“What about the danger?” Kyle asked while acting like he was coughing.
“No real danger. Colossuses don’t care about their offspring. Capturing its offspring is not different from capturing a normal Secondary Beast,” Theodor answered.
‘Huh, so, in a way, she didn’t actually lie,’ Kyle thought.
“Then,” Kyle said, “despite the initial dishonesty, I am willing to work with you.”
The Beast Tamer smiled. “Thank you.”
At that moment, she looked like she remembered something.
“Apologies. I haven’t introduced myself yet,” she said.
“My name is Selene Forthing, and I’m an Initial Beast Tamer,” she said.
Kyle nodded. “Kyle Freeman. Peak Adept.”
When Selene heard that, her eyes widened.
“Adept?” she asked.
“Yes, Adept,” Kyle said.
“I thought you came from the wilderness,” she said with uncertainty.
“I did,” Kyle said. “I traveled to the Fire Coast on my own.”
Selene looked at Kyle for a while.
“On your own?” she asked.
“Yes,” Kyle answered. “I also killed a bunch of beasts on my way.”
Selene wasn’t sure what she should think right now.
She had thought Kyle was an Initial or Early Fighter or Knight.
Instead, he was a Peak Adept.
That was… not what she had expected.
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