Captured

While Teddy struggled with himself, the others had stopped attacking and were standing to one side, watching.

Hellboy's Dad: "Hey, is this going to work? That bear is a boss. Can you really tame it?"

Water Falls Without a Trace: "Don't worry. I paid a fortune for Advanced Beast Taming, and this beast is already down to low health. That should improve the chances of taming it. Besides, this bear isn't a boss, just an elite."

A hunter's Tame Beast skill required a long period of channeling: a full 20 seconds to complete, or 30 seconds for an elite beast. Any attack during that time would interrupt the taming effect.

Meanwhile, the beast being tamed would attack the hunter. If the hunter could withstand its attacks for 20 seconds without being killed and keep channeling the skill, the beast would be successfully tamed. If the beast bit the hunter to death, the taming would naturally fail.

Teddy was now caught in a dilemma. Given his strength, he was fairly confident he could smack the little hunter in front of him to death. But what would happen afterward? Would the adventurers around him chop him into dumpling filling? He glanced at Derek's corpse lying nearby and decisively rejected that answer.

Well, looks like I'm losing my virtue today. Boo-hoo, why is this happening? If I'd known, I wouldn't have listened to that damned goblin egging me on. Teddy felt deeply aggrieved, but he comforted himself. At least it's a girl, so it won't be too humiliating.

Even so, Teddy couldn't just obediently let himself be tamed. Any fool could tell there was something wrong with the beast if he did. So far, Teddy didn't want them to know he was a player. If they used that to threaten and humiliate him, things would be very bad indeed.

So although he had already submitted in his heart, he still had to put on a show. With a roar, Teddy bared his fangs and claws and lunged at the little hunter.

"We're screwed! Your Freezing Trap is a little off!" Hellboy's Dad shouted from the side. Before taming a beast, hunters would usually put a Freezing Trap in front of themselves to buy some time. But perhaps because she was too nervous, Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats had placed hers a little off target.

The bear's route seemed a little strange too, though. Teddy had already noticed the little hunter putting a Freezing Trap on the ground. It was a little off target, and he could have avoided it, but since he was putting on an act, he reluctantly adjusted his path.

With a soft crunch, his thick bear paw landed squarely on the Freezing Trap, freezing Teddy in place.

Freezing Trap: Places a Freezing Trap on the ground, freezing an enemy that passes over it for 7 seconds. Any damage will break the freezing effect.

Supreme Greatsword: "Damn, how did it still manage to step on that? Is this bear blind?"

"Quiet. What do you know? That's called prediction. My sister knew all along the bear would take a roundabout route," Water Falls Without a Trace said, cheering her sister on. "You can do it. Keep going!"

The freezing effect wore off in the blink of an eye, and Teddy charged up to Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats. He didn't dare use a skill for fear of smacking the hunter in front of him to death, so he raised a paw and gave her a gentle swipe.

-39. A quarter of her health was gone in one hit.

Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats: "Ah, that damage is so high!"

Water Falls Without a Trace: "It's fine, hang on, hang on! Paladin, what are you standing there for? Heal her, quick!"

Surviving Fighter hurriedly cast Holy Light on Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats, restoring her health to full.

But even with someone healing her, Teddy didn't dare attack again. There was clearly something wrong with this hunter's equipment. She was wearing a lace-trimmed dress. It was pretty enough, but what was a mail-armor class doing dressed in cloth armor? Didn't she think her armor was a little low?

He was genuinely afraid he'd kill the hunter in two or three hits. Then he'd just have to wait for death.

But he still had to keep up the act. Maybe he should use some skills after all, as long as he didn't use any damaging ones. At that thought, he let out a mighty roar. Awooo! Everyone around him clapped their hands over their ears.

System notification: Beast Teddy used Demoralizing Roar. Your attack power decreased by 20%.

I'll roar again!

System notification: Beast Teddy used Taunt. (Adventurers are immune.)

I'll roar again!

System notification: Beast Teddy used Warning Roar. The target's defense increased by 30%.

Teddy used every skill he had that didn't directly cause damage in one go, but the 30 seconds still weren't up. What now? Teddy still didn't dare attack, so he simply started dancing.

Hellboy's Dad asked in surprise, "Huh? What's that bear doing?"

A trace of gravity appeared in Water Falls Without a Trace's eyes. "This is bad. Could that bear be about to use some ultimate move? Everyone, get ready to attack!"

Hearing this, Surviving Fighter and Supreme Greatsword immediately raised their weapons, looking tense and ready to strike at the slightest sign of trouble. Teddy, meanwhile, was speechless. Do you think putting on this act is easy for me? After all that, the 30 seconds finally ended. With a flash of golden light, he could finally stop dancing.

A line of text had also appeared above Teddy's head.

Teddy (Bear of Fury)-Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats' pet. The color of his name had also turned green.

Teddy breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't have to die now, would he? Come to think of it, this was his first time being tamed, and he didn't know what would happen afterward.

System notification: You have been tamed. You are now Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats' pet. Until she releases you or your happiness falls below 50%, you must obey Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats' commands and fight for your master. When you log out, the system will automatically take control of your character.

I'm done for, I'm done for. Now I'm completely trapped. But wait, I can escape if my happiness falls below 50. Hehe, there's still a chance after all.

Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats: "Come on, little bear, have this honey cake. Don't worry, I'll feed you tasty things every day from now on. I'll make sure you get nice and plump."

Now his master, Fish That Doesn't Eat Cats took several honey cakes out of her inventory and held them up to Teddy's mouth while gently stroking his fur.

Teddy stuck out his tongue and curled it around the cakes, pulling them into his mouth. Hellboy's Dad and the others watched enviously. Honey cake was a cash-shop food, one of the foods specially released in the game with a real taste. And she was feeding it to a bear? Wasn't that a bit wasteful?

(Most of the food and drinks used to restore health and mana in the game had no taste, or tasted awful. Only cash-shop food had a truly delicious flavor.)

Teddy's eyes lit up after a few bites. This was his first time eating one. As a free player using the free template, he couldn't even bear to spend money on a monthly card, much less buy tasty food with cash-shop currency.

Looks like being a pet might not be so bad after all.

PS: This is today's first update. Two more are coming later.