Magic Beast Cub Asolun

"What is your name?"

"My name is Asolun."

Listening to this little fellow's answer, which was much clearer than Bebe's, Matthews understood that this little guy was definitely not a Magic Beast cub abandoned at birth like Bebe.

So he asked, "Where are your parents?"

"My parents are rank nine Green-Veined Water Python, but I was driven out because I was born with wings!"

Matthews wanted to ask for more details, but he heard his younger sister Mia crying out, "Brother, are you alright?"

It turned out that from Mia's perspective, her brother had suddenly been attacked by this Magic Beast cub. Afterward, two magic circles had entered her brother's body, and then he had suddenly closed his eyes and stood motionless.

"It's nothing, I just formed a Magic Beast contract with it."

Mia had seen other students contract Magic Beasts at the magic academy, so she cried, "But they all say that contracting a Magic Beast isn't like that."

"Hahaha, don't worry."

Matthews smiled and patted her head, then explained to her, "The kind you're talking about is a master-servant contract initiated by humans, while what we just did is an equality contract initiated by certain high-level Magic Beasts."

"Really?"

Seeing his sister Mia's doubtful and worried expression, Matthews nodded and explained the differences between the two types of contracts.

Mia then asked, "It's already two meters long, how are you going to take it back?"

"That's true."

Only then did Matthews realize that Asolun was a serpentine Magic Beast, unlike the petite rodent-type Magic Beast Bebe. Since it couldn't fly yet, it wouldn't be easy to carry.

"Asolun, follow us."

As soon as Matthews finished speaking, he saw the little fellow transform into a small snake only twenty centimeters long and three centimeters thick. It then slithered up Matthews's thigh, climbed onto his right arm, and coiled around it.

"Ah, Asolun. How can you change your size!"

Matthews was very curious; in this world, Magic Beasts could only change their size once they reached the Saint Realm. Asolun was definitely not a Saint Realm Magic Beast, so how could it change its size?

Asolun's young boyish voice echoed in Matthews's mind: "I can naturally change my body size based on the memories from when I was born."

"Alright then!"

Matthews didn't dwell on the question any further. A Magic Beast that could change its body size at will—no matter how he looked at it, forming an equality contract with it was a great deal!

After returning home, Matthews and Mia tidied up the smithy, which had gathered dust after being left alone for a month.

That night, Matthews lay under the night sky. Beside him were his sister, who had eaten her fill, and the Magic Beast Asolun, which was coiled around his arm.

"Little sister."

"Brother, what's wrong?"

Matthews looked at the tranquil night and said to his sister, "After you go to school, I expect I'll have to go to the Magic Beast Mountain Range for training."

Mia was worried that Matthews would end up like their parents, so she said, "Can you not go?"

Matthews was silent for a moment before saying, "I can't. We siblings don't have the luxury of just lying around and enjoying life. Besides, your brother has already reached a rank six warrior; it's time to gain some experience."

Mia didn't say anything more, and the scene fell into silence.

"Let's go, time to go to sleep!"

"Mm!"

Mia stayed at home for a few more days before Matthews finally took her to school.

"Go find Winter and your classmates and bring them over. We'll go to that same restaurant as last time. I'm treating them to a meal!"

Matthews knew he didn't know how long this training trip to the Magic Beast Mountain Range would take, so he planned to ask Winter and Mia's roommates to look after her before he left.

After the meal, Matthews sent them back to school. Afterward, he went to the bank and transferred some money to his dear sister!

Drawing on the knowledge he had learned previously, Matthews increased the temperature for forging iron and adjusted the carbon content ratio in his bullets. He finally managed to improve the strength of the bullets, and after leaving a letter for his sister, he set off toward the Magic Beast Mountain Range for training.

When Matthews arrived at the Magic Beast Mountain Range, he saw some students wearing the uniforms of his sister's magic academy. He didn't greet them; in the dangerous Magic Beast Mountain Range, no one could be trusted, let alone strangers.

Matthews chose a different direction and walked into the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Although he was still on the outskirts, the trees were already very tall and the weeds were overgrown.

Matthews's journey had been quite smooth over the past few days; he hadn't encountered anyone trying to ambush him, nor had he run into any Magic Beasts.

"Boss, I found a Magic Beast."

Asolun's voice echoed in Matthews's mind, and Matthews spotted a rank three Bloodthirsty War Boar. This was the first rank three Magic Beast he had encountered in the mountain range; everything he had seen before had been small rank one or two creatures like rabbits.

Magic Beasts below rank three didn't have magic cores, so unless one needed to kill them for meat to satisfy hunger, there was no point in fighting them.

Matthews couldn't be bothered to act, so he said to Asolun, "You go kill it, we'll find a place to roast some meat tonight."

Asolun didn't say anything upon hearing this. The rank three Bloodthirsty War Boar only knew one earth-style spell, Earth Spike. In front of Asolun, who had wings and could fly, it probably wouldn't have much of an advantage.

It was killed quickly, and Matthews walked up to cut off two legs before leaving.

At night, Matthews built a circle with branches and wooden stakes in front of a giant boulder and lit a fire to roast the meat.

In the bright firelight, Matthews leaned against the wall and roasted the meat. The meat sizzled, emitting a delicious aroma.

Looking at Asolun, who was already drooling with hunger, Matthews handed a piece to it: "Eat."

After saying this, he took a piece for himself, sprinkled some salt he carried with him, and began to cut and eat it with a small knife. While Matthews was eating, the light from his campfire and the smell of the roasted meat had already exposed his location.

After finishing his meal, Asolun transformed back into the shape of a small snake and coiled himself once again around the right arm of Matthews. Matthews leaned against the giant boulder, crossed his arms, and prepared to sleep.

Not far away, over a dozen Wind Wolves, led by a level-six wolf king, were closing in on this direction. Their noses were extremely sensitive, and they had caught the scent of the roasted meat from far away.

"Awoo—"

A short, sharp howl startled Matthews, who had only just closed his eyes. He instinctively drew the twin blades Cold Light Ghost Shadow hanging at his waist and leaned his back against the boulder, assuming a defensive stance.

Through the gaps in the branches, Matthews saw many pairs of glowing green eyes staring at him. Matthews looked around and finally realized that he had been surrounded by a pack of wolves.

"Boss, above you!"

Asolun spotted a wolf pouncing down toward them from the top of the giant boulder. Matthews immediately realized that this was a case of the wolf feigning sleep to lure the enemy in.