Chapter 231: Beastmaster Skill Inside a large hotel suite that he had booked for a day just minutes earlier, Moon stood before two relatively small cages. Each cage had the dimensions of 1m x 1m x1m. In one cage was a level 15 rabbit, its ears twitching nervously. In the other was a level 20 beetle, with a brown carapace. Both beasts had cost him $50,000 in total to purchase from a beast shop. The shop catered to selling beasts, and things in relation to awakeners. Moon also summoned Mirage from his beast taming space. The glorious white horse forming beside him, shaking his mane and adjusting to the sudden change of environment. ’I only have a few hours left to completely master this skill,’ Moon thought, examining the updated proficiency value. During the time that Mirage had spent in his beast taming space, the skill’s proficiency had been growing passively, though at a significantly slower rate than active practice would provide. Still, it had paid dividends. [Beastmaster] [Rank: Uncommon] [Proficiency: 38%] [Details: You are able to form contracts with beasts and store them in your beast taming space, a pocket dimension that provides comfort and sustenance. You are only able to contract one beast at a time. Successful contraction depends on power differential and the potential of the beast in question. +30% Success Rate] "Alright, let’s do this." For the next two hours, Moon practiced his [Beastmaster] skill relentlessly on all three creatures. He would successfully form a contract with the level 15 rabbit, then deliberately break the bond and shift to the level 20 beetle. Then to Mirage. Then back to the beetle again. Each time he successfully established a contract, his proficiency jumped by noticeable increments. He would also practice storing each beast inside his taming space, retrieving them, then storing them again, refining his control over the dimensional pocket. The process was repetitive but incredibly effective. After two hours of continuous practice, Moon’s Beastmaster skill was approaching its limit. [Beastmaster] [Rank: Uncommon] [Proficiency: 98%] [Details: You are able to form contracts with beasts and store them in your beast taming space, a pocket dimension that provides comfort and sustenance. You are only able to contract one beast at a time. Successful contraction depends on power differential and the potential of the beast in question. +90% Success Rate] ’Ninety-eight percent. So close to completion.’ But unfortunately, he could no longer improve the proficiency by simply repeating what he’d been doing. The skill had reached a plateau where incremental practice with compliant, weaker beasts wasn’t providing meaningful learning experiences anymore. He needed a greater challenge. Something that would push the skill to its absolute limits. Moon left Mirage in the hotel room and departed with the two cages, heading back toward the taming shop where he’d purchased the creatures earlier. He returned the rabbit and beetle, receiving a partial refund, then gestured toward a much larger cage in the back of the establishment. "I want that one," Moon said, pointing to a level 25 reptilian that was currently trying to bite through the bars of its containment. The creature was massive compared to the rabbit and beetle, easily the size of a large dog, with scaled hide like dark emeralds and teeth designed for tearing flesh. Its eyes radiated hostility toward anything that moved. The shopkeeper’s eyebrows rose sharply. "Are you sure you want this one, young man? It’s incredibly difficult to tame. Even if you beat it black and blue, it would literally rather die than submit. I’ve had three awakener beast masters try and fail. That’s why it’s still here." "Yes, I’m sure," Moon said firmly, producing an additional $50,000 from his account to cover the price difference. In total, he’d now paid $100,000 for the aggressive reptilian. The shopkeeper shrugged, clearly thinking Moon was wasting his money, but processed the transaction anyway. The more Moon wasted, the more he gained, naturally he wasn’t going to say no, "Your funeral, kid. Don’t come complaining when it bites your hand off. No refunds. Although I will buy it for a cheaper price if you do want to return it later." "Okay." Moon returned to the hotel suite as quickly as possible, the reptilian’s cage rattling violently as the creature thrashed inside. He set the cage down in the center of the room and opened it. A low, rumbling growl emerged from its throat as the reptilian exploded from the cage immediately, its claws scraping across the floor as it oriented on Moon. Moon didn’t try to brute force it immediately. Instead, he activated [Calmness], extending his hand toward the creature with measured, non-threatening movements. The calming energy washed over the reptilian like a gentle wave. The creature’s response was to snap its jaws at Moon’s extended hand, missing by inches, its fury completely undiminished. ’Alright, that failed,’ Moon thought wryly. Next approach: the good old-fashioned beating. Moon engaged the reptilian in direct combat, using his strength to overwhelm it without actually killing it. He struck it with a weak lightning attack that made its body turn limb, then he carfully landed blows that hurt but didn’t break any of its bones. Bam! Bam! He dominated the reptilian without questions. It tried to fight back viciously, but eventually, after a few minutes of one-sided beating, the creature was indeed beaten black and blue, panting heavily on the floor with multiple bruises discoloring its scales. Moon activated [Beastmaster], attempting to form the contract while the beast was weakened. The reptilian’s eyes flashed with defiance once more, and the contract attempt failed completely. The creature would rather die than submit, exactly as the shopkeeper had warned. During these two failed approaches, Moon’s proficiency had risen to 99%, tantalizingly close to completion but not quite there. ’One more push. I need to break its will completely, not just its body.’ Moon released his aura, the full weight of his presence erupted outward. The pressure filled the room like an invisible flood that crashed against the reptilian. The creature’s eyes went wide in terror. Its body began trembling uncontrollably, muscles spasming as instincts screamed at it to submit or die a horrible death. It tried to crawl backward, tried to escape, but Moon’s aura pressed down on it like a mountain, pinning it in place. The aura wasn’t just intimidating the reptilian’s body. It was being thrust directly into the creature’s mind, bypassing physical resistance entirely, forcing its consciousness to confront the absolute power differential between them. "Submit...or die." The reptilian squirmed desperately, its claws scraping uselessly against the floor as it tried to flee from something that existed in its own head. Saliva gathered at the corners of its mouth. Its proud, defiant eyes became glazed with overwhelming fear. Finally, mercifully, the creature’s will broke completely. Moon activated [Beastmaster] one final time. The contract formed instantly, the reptilian’s resistance completely gone. The bond snapped into place, and Moon immediately felt the creature’s absolute submission through their connection. He stored the reptilian in his beast taming space, watching it vanish before his very eyes. Through their bond, Moon could sense the creature’s condition: exhausted, traumatized, but alive in the pocket dimension. The notification appeared: [You have mastered the skill Beastmaster] [Beastmaster] [Rank: Uncommon] [Level: 1] [Evolve] [Details: You are able to form contracts with beasts and store them in your beast taming space, a pocket dimension that provides comfort and sustenance. You are only able to contract one beast at a time. Successful contraction depends on power differential and the potential of the beast in question. +100% Success Rate] Moon didn’t hesitate. He immediately began evolving the skill, watching his life total decrease as the system consumed the required resources. [Level 1 → 2: 4 Lives consumed] [Level 2 → 3: 8 Lives consumed] ... [Level 8 → 9: 512 Lives consumed] [Level 9 → 10: 1024 Lives consumed] [Total Lives Consumed: 2,044] [Lives Remaining: 24,653] [Skill evolution complete. Beastmaster has advanced to Rare Rank.] The evolved skill description appeared: [Beastmaster] [Rank: Rare] [Level: MAX] [Details: You are able to form contracts with beasts and store them in your beast taming space, a pocket dimension that provides comfort and sustenance. You are only able to contract one beast at a time. Inside the beast taming space, your contracted beast receives continuous nourishment, steadily recovering health, mana, and stamina. Successful contraction depends on power differential and the potential of the beast in question. +150% Success Rate] Moon read through the description in satisfaction. Not only had the success rate increased to +150%, but the taming space itself had gained active restoring properties. Mirage would now passively heal and recover while stored, making the pocket dimension not just convenient transportation but an actual asset if Mirage was ever hurt. Moon checked the time. He’d spent approximately three hours on this training session. Three hours to take a skill from 38% proficiency to MAX level Rare rank. Most beast masters spent months reaching that level. Moon had done it in an afternoon. His new learning speed continued to pay its dividends in gold. Moon broke the contract with the reptilian, and formed it with Mirage once again. Then, he placed the reptilian inside the cage. Then, he glanced at the time. ’I still have an hour or so before I need to head back. I should have enough time to make a rune or two.’ Time passed by like a fleeting glance, and Moon continued to work hard. Using his [Rune Inscription] skill to create two runes. With the little time he had left, he prioritized two runes, a supporting one that helped recover mana and health. The second one was a defensive one. He had used lots of his resources on it, but it was well worth it. "This should be able to stop one attack from an S-Rank beast in critical moments." Moon muttered. *** GT Rank: No.10 Updated Goals: Top 10 GT (Monthly - End of Month) = 10 Chapter Mass Release (in progress) Thanks to everyone donating GT!