In the guest seats.
"This Fire Tooth Dog possesses extraordinary strength."
"Not just strength; regarding speed, reflexes, and techniques, it’s on a different level compared to the beasts of other new Beast Masters from the same period." A guest who watched the competition a few days ago remarked, "And its Beast Master—if the data hadn’t been there, it would be hard to believe this is a newcomer..."
"Yesterday, this Qiao Sang defeated a Desert-Tailed Fox of a higher level using the Fire Tooth Dog." Another guest chimed in.
"Oh? Is this the freshman from Litang?"
"I don't know, it's not written in the data."
The information about the participants in the Baixin competition is filled out by the contestants themselves online. Other than the identity of being a Beast Master, which cannot be faked, people can write whatever regarding their experiences, and those who verify the data don’t usually take the time to investigate.
Most people tend to embellish their information a bit, and some even go so far as to include details of elementary school class leadership. The goal is simple: they want the announcer to say more about them during the introduction. Few are like Qiao Sang, who wrote nothing but her identity as a Beast Master.
…
After watching the morning’s competition, Qiao Sang didn’t continue to watch in the afternoon. After returning home and having dinner, she took her Fire Tooth Dog and boarded Bus 59.
The strength of the Fire Tooth Dog had exceeded her expectations. As an excellent Beast Master, one should always have a comprehensive understanding of their companion beast's condition to better leverage and enhance its abilities.
Songchang Street.
Beast Gym.
Choosing to decline the receptionist's suggestion to take up a membership, Qiao Sang paid for an hour and headed straight to the second floor with her Fire Tooth Dog.
As soon as she entered, a wave of heat hit her. Each machine had beasts exercising to some extent. Most of the beasts in the gym were fighter-type, though a few of other attributes were mixed in.
Not all beasts had their Beast Masters beside them. The higher the level of a Beast Master, the more contracted beasts they had, making it impossible to accompany each one for training. At that time, the beast's own awareness was crucial.
Three strength-crab beasts sitting near the wall in front of the mirror were clearly lacking in motivation, not a single drop of sweat on them, indicating they hadn't even started training.
Qiao Sang led her Fire Tooth Dog to a strength-testing machine. The regular gym's strength tester could only measure the beast's strength under normal conditions. Moves like Fire Punch and Freeze Punch could not be tested and required a more advanced machine.
In front of the strength tester, a Gravity Monkey was throwing a heavy punch at the target. The virtual screen above the target immediately displayed the number.
369kg.
The Gravity Monkey frowned at the number. When it turned to prepare for another test, it noticed someone watching from behind.
Instantly, the Gravity Monkey straightened its back, held its left hand in front of its face, and balled its right hand into a fist, muscles flexing slightly.
In the next moment, with a whoosh, a fist carrying the wind struck the strength tester.
433kg.
A number several tens of kilograms higher appeared on the virtual screen.
Satisfied, the Gravity Monkey glanced at the number and then turned to hand its business card to the human who had been staring at it.
"Zhongzhong, heavy."
Qiao Sang took the business card and saw the Gravity Monkey's selfie printed in the upper left corner, with the words "Intermediate Fitness Coach" written behind it.
Qiao Sang: "…"
"Fire Tooth Dog, quickly explain to it that we are just here to queue."
The Fire Tooth Dog nodded and turned to communicate with the Gravity Monkey.
"Yaya."
"Yaya."
"Yaya."
"Zhongzhong, heavy."
"Yah."
"Heavy."
The Gravity Monkey understood, turned to Qiao Sang with a friendly smile, and pulled back the business card from her hand.
Qiao Sang: "…"
Although the Gravity Monkey took back the card in a somewhat stingy manner, it kindly made space for them.
"Let’s start." Qiao Sang said.
"Yah!" the Fire Tooth Dog answered and then stood in front of the strength tester, mimicking the Gravity Monkey's stance and swung its paw like a fist at the target. 13kg.
Qiao Sang silently stared at the number on the virtual screen for a moment.
Something seemed off…
The Fire Tooth Dog's usual training concentrated on speed and skills, with strength not being emphasized. A mere 13kg of power was normal.
Qiao Sang quickly figured it out. She approached a muscled man nearby, clearly a fitness enthusiast, to ask if the Fire Tooth Dog could charge at the tester.
The muscled man glanced at the Fire Tooth Dog, which was only about 60 centimeters tall, and said, "Sure."
At that moment, another nearby individual, identified as Lu Gangyan, who was punching at another strength tester, perked up upon hearing their conversation. He retraced several steps to gather momentum for a charge.
The muscled man’s eyes twitched, and he shouted, "You can’t! Others can’t break it, but you will!"
Qiao Sang felt the truth in his words, but the Fire Tooth Dog was displeased.
It walked back about ten meters from the strength tester. Because it was a beast gym, the area was several times larger than a regular gym. Even if the Fire Tooth Dog retreated ten meters to use a charge, it wouldn’t interfere with the training of other beasts.
The Fire Tooth Dog felt underestimated.
No one had ever looked down on it since its birth!
It had to prove it could break this thing!
Four seconds later.
Qiao Sang gazed at the virtual screen, satisfied.
128kg.
Above her expectations.
The Fire Tooth Dog's charge technique was still at a proficient level but showed significantly more strength than that of an average primary beast at the same level.
Though she couldn’t understand why, the purpose of testing the Fire Tooth Dog's strength here had been achieved.
"Let’s go." Qiao Sang squatted down, intending to pick up the Fire Tooth Dog.
"Yah!"
The Fire Tooth Dog stepped back two paces, shaking its head.
It hadn’t broken this thing yet!
How could they leave!
Qiao Sang assumed the Fire Tooth Dog wanted more testing and thought about letting it try a few more times.
The Fire Tooth Dog had always been diligent and had high standards for itself. When she focused solely on her studies for the High School Entrance Exam, she didn’t have time to supervise it, yet it practiced diligently by itself every day downstairs in their community.
Thinking of this, Qiao Sang encouraged, "Then you carry on. If you want to leave, just let me know."
She was already prepared for an extension.
"Yah!"
The Fire Tooth Dog nodded firmly.
To it, underestimating itself was the same as underestimating its Beast Master. For the sake of its Beast Master, it would also work hard!
The Fire Tooth Dog gathered its strength, feeling the energy within its body boiling with its determination.
Its eyes were resolute as it used all four limbs to smash against the strength tester.
Twenty minutes later.
Qiao Sang was astonished to see the Fire Tooth Dog’s testing strength increasing significantly.
From the original 128kg.
Then 146kg.
Later, 159kg, and so on, up to an incredible 298kg!
Yet the proficiency of the Fire Tooth Dog’s charge remained at a proficient level, and the power from the skill shouldn’t progress linearly like this.
As energy and physical strength dwindled, the Fire Tooth Dog should be growing weaker instead.
The Fire Tooth Dog had gathered its power once again.
At that moment, Qiao Sang suddenly recalled what the vice principal of Holy Water Middle School had said to her not long ago.
"The Fire Tooth Dog is now in a state close to the critical point, resembling a symptom of skill awakening..."
In a flash, Qiao Sang realized.
Could it be...
Simultaneously, the Fire Tooth Dog sensed the energy rising within growing even more fervent.
A searing flame suddenly appeared around its body, wrapping it tightly from head to tail.
The Fire Tooth Dog had a premonition.
This time, it could do it!
In a daze, a heart-wrenching cry from its Beast Master echoed in its ears.
"NO!!!"
(End of Chapter)