Shi Yu returned after buying the supplements.
The supplements he had bought were called Mind-Clearing Capsules. Their ingredients seemed to be materials from several plant-type transcendent beings.
Just as the doctor at the Icefield City breeding base had treated Shi Yu without breaking a sweat, the medicines in this world were also first-rate.
After all, medicines in his previous life were made from materials extracted mostly from ordinary plants, but here, the vast majority of high-quality medicinal materials came from plant-type transcendent beings.
The effects of these transcendent beings' flowers and leaves went without saying. Legend even had it that a clump of pollen from certain mythical plant-type transcendent beings could bring the dead back to life.
Of course, Mind-Clearing Capsules were only one of the most common kinds and were not nearly that miraculous.
Their effects were simple: they were mainly used to relieve physical weakness and strengthen the body, allowing users to stay awake while weakened and calm and clear their minds.
They were said to work very well. Many beast tamers liked to take one after a battle and would instantly feel full of vigor.
But he couldn't take too many. Every medicine had a measure of poison, and an overdose would have side effects. Besides, Shi Yu's finances wouldn't allow him to eat the capsules like gummy candy.
In addition to two bottles of capsules, Shi Yu had bought some highly nourishing food. Only then did he feel reassured enough to go home.
Once home, Shi Yu summoned the Iron-Eating Beast.
"Aow-"
After a nap, Eleven was full of vigor. Refreshed and alert, the little beast looked at Shi Yu, blinking.
Eleven had slept soundly these past few times, much better than at the Iron Bamboo Breeding Base. Eleven could feel that he was in remarkably good condition. That was the wondrous effect of the Beast Taming Space.
In this state... Eleven felt he could train intensely for at least six hours!
Even better, once he finished training, all he had to do was absorb more energy in the Beast Taming Space, and he could quickly recover from his exhaustion.
"Don't rush into training yet. You have to balance work and rest, understand?"
Sensing what the Iron-Eating Beast was thinking, Shi Yu raised an eyebrow.
Didn't this fellow know that some of the energy he absorbed from the Beast Taming Space came from Shi Yu, his beast tamer? He should spare a thought for his beast tamer!
He had to meditate to strengthen the Beast Taming Space and use the Skill Index as well. Shi Yu felt mentally exhausted. Having such a self-disciplined pet beast so early on didn't seem to be a good thing for a beast tamer.
He had to arrange for Absolute Sleep sooner rather than later... A mature Iron-Eating Beast should learn to deal with its own post-training fatigue.
"Aow-"
Meanwhile, Eleven had no idea what Shi Yu was thinking. As soon as he heard about balancing work and rest, he shook his round head like a pellet drum.
Balancing work and rest was all well and good, but if he relaxed too much and wasted too much time, he wouldn't finish his training.
Shi Yu: "..."
Once I've recovered and taught you Absolute Sleep, you can train however you like.
[Skill]: Hardening [Skill level]: low [Description]: A metal-type skill that hardens the body, acting like invisible armor and capable of being developed into offensive power. [Status]: available to teach
Shi Yu didn't feel like arguing with this diligent Iron-Eating Beast. He planned to try teaching the low-level skill Hardening first.
Yesterday, Eleven had managed to learn the basics of Hardening, reaching beginner proficiency.
Through practice, he had learned to use Hardening to armor his fists, feet, claws, and teeth, but he could only armor one part at a time.
How long it lasted varied with the area covered, but it was only a few seconds at most. Moreover, after a single attack with a hardened body part, the Hardening would immediately vanish.
It certainly lived up to its "beginner" proficiency rating.
Only its hardness was noteworthy, reaching a "house-wrecking" level. It should have no problem smashing against rocks.
"Eleven, look here..."
Shi Yu called out to Eleven, and the little Iron-Eating Beast looked up at him.
"Index, add points!"
A white halo spread over Shi Yu's right hand, flickering faintly. He reached out and touched Eleven's head.
He rubbed and kneaded hard!
The white light also caught the Green Silkworm's attention in its birdcage. Under the Green Silkworm's gaze and Eleven's puzzled look, the light quickly flowed from Shi Yu's hand into Eleven, making his whole body flicker with a faint white halo.
Boom!
After the roar in his head, Shi Yu felt as though he hadn't eaten for days, and he was in terrible shape.
Even so, it wasn't as frightening as passing out on the spot, as he had imagined. The difference in the toll of teaching Worm Silk and Hardening wasn't outrageously large.
While Eleven absorbed the skill proficiency, Shi Yu took out a Mind-Clearing Capsule and swallowed it. A few seconds later, the effect was immediate. Although he was still in bad shape, he suddenly felt capable again.
"Eleven, use Hardening."
After bringing himself back from the brink, he immediately looked at the utterly bewildered and astonished little Iron-Eating Beast.
Like the Green Silkworm yesterday, Eleven had just experienced something similar. It was as if he had used Hardening countless times without being conscious of it, greatly increasing his proficiency.
His physical condition and the energy inside him had also improved slightly, as though he was about to undergo his next awakening and transformation.
Hum!
At his beast tamer's command, Eleven tentatively used Hardening. This time, a metallic sheen immediately spread from his claws across his entire body!
In just a few seconds, every part of the small Iron-Eating Beast's body had been armored with Hardening, turning him into an armored panda!
Judging by the sheen, the hardness seemed to have increased as well.
The change amazed not only Eleven but also Shi Yu, who was delighted.
"Can you still move?" Shi Yu asked hurriedly.
Eleven shook his head with difficulty, then released Hardening, excitement lingering on his face.
He couldn't understand why he had suddenly become so powerful. What had Shi Yu done?
Shi Yu, meanwhile, fell into thought...
If the mark of beginner proficiency in Hardening was the ability to harden parts of the body, then the mark of Proficient Level proficiency was full-body Hardening, though moving in that state was difficult.
That wasn't much of a problem, however. It still represented a great improvement in the Iron-Eating Beast's Hardening ability. After all, there were few situations that called for full-body armor, and Proficient Level Hardening could still harden several separate parts at once!
That meant Hardening now had the basic ability to serve both offense and defense, without any need to worry about it affecting agility.
"Just like when I taught the Green Silkworm, teaching a skill at beginner proficiency just once can bring it to skilled proficiency..."
The mark of Expert Level proficiency in Hardening was full-body armor combined with free and agile movement, which the Iron-Eating Beast clearly hadn't achieved yet.
Even so, Shi Yu had experienced just how powerful the Skill Index was.
According to the basic Iron-Eating Beast care manual included by the Iron Bamboo Breeding Base, even with a beast tamer's help, ample nutritional supplements, and plenty of time to train, an ordinary Iron-Eating Beast needed at least a month of strenuous practice to bring Hardening to Proficient Level.
As for Iron-Eating Beasts without resources, even a year of roaming freely might not bring their Hardening to Proficient Level. After all, they rarely used the ability except to eat.
"Eleven's combat power... must have doubled after that, I'd guess."
"He must be dumbfounded too."
Shi Yu looked expectantly at the little Iron-Eating Beast, waiting for a look of admiration.
"So, are you still in a hurry to train?"
"Now you know how amazing I am, right?"
Eleven was undoubtedly delighted that his ability had improved, but when he heard Shi Yu's question, he was immediately bewildered.
Iron-Eating Beast: (*+﹏+*)~
Th-this... Why did my Hardening improve so much when I didn't do anything?
What did my beast tamer do...?
This isn't scientific. Gaining proficiency like this makes me feel so uneasy, so unsettled.
Shi Yu: ???
Then I'll take it back?
That was more than half my stamina bar.
Iron-Eating Beast: d(ŐдŐ๑)!
No!
"Aow-"
Eleven shook his head furiously. Don't take it back, don't take it back. It's fine right here with me.
This proficiency didn't fit his belief that effort equaled reward, but he could make up for it after the fact.
To punish himself for reaping a reward without working for it today, he would train at high intensity for a full twenty-four hours and skip sleep tonight!
"..." Shi Yu was the one who was truly dumbfounded.
This Iron-Eating Beast had redefined self-discipline for Shi Yu.
He had never seen such a self-disciplined beast. Making up the effort after using a cheat-was that even a thing?
"If the authors of the novels I followed in my previous life had been half as disciplined as you, I wouldn't have run out of things to read." Shi Yu's stomach hurt.
Some restraint! Twenty-four hours of high-intensity training? You're not going from beginner to skilled-you're going from beginner to burial!