Chapter 2: The Young Thief

Although the Chaotic Country is called a "country," it is not actually a nation; it is a place of only war, slaughter, chaos, and death. The land between the Karanth Empire and the Fijinando United Kingdom is known as the "Chaotic Country"!

Originally, this land did not exist on the continent. The Karanth Empire and the Fijinando United Kingdom, whose borders once met, shared a deep-seated historical enmity that led to frequent wars. However, prolonged warfare severely impacted the economies and national strength of both sides. Consequently, starting several hundred years ago, both parties reached a tacit understanding to turn the narrow strip of land between them into a formal "battlefield."

Only by fighting on this barren land could they avoid seriously damaging their respective economies and national power. As time passed, the two nations gradually abandoned their administration of this territory. Numerous bandits and opportunists began to appear on this land, and many "micro-nations" took root and sprouted here. When either empire considered launching an invasion against the other, they first had to contend with these micro-nations in between!

While these small states lacked the power to stop the heavy cavalry of Karanth and Fijinando, their presence turned "sneak attacks" into a mere pipe dream for the commanders. Whenever one nation intended to launch a massive invasion, crossing this narrow strip would trigger unnecessary battles, thereby granting the other nation ample time to prepare for war.

Over a long period, the narrow strip in the middle instead became a "buffer zone" between the two countries. Faced with this situation, the rulers of both nations, long weary of endless fighting, were happy to remain silent. Thus, the chaos on the land became even more chaotic, seemingly destined to continue forever.

June, Year 2999 of the Kashu Calendar, central Chaotic Country, Skeleton Ridge on the western side of the Kachite Mountains.

Skeleton Ridge is located near the only main highway connecting Karanth and Fijinando within the Chaotic Country. Originally a very ordinary place, it became a legend twenty years ago when a man named Sarikat Bonabar arrived with two hundred followers!

No one knew where Sarikat came from or why he chose to settle here. People only knew that twenty years ago, when Sarikat arrived, he pointed at Skeleton Ridge with a smile and said to his subordinates, "This is our new home!" By the next day, the one thousand two hundred bandits originally occupying Skeleton Ridge had become corpses!

In the following three years, small and large nations surrounding Skeleton Ridge, as well as numerous bandit organizations coveting this "strategic stronghold," engaged in hundreds of battles with Sarikat. However, they were never able to defeat this powerful man. From then on, Sarikat and his "Blue Whirlwind" bandit organization became famous throughout the Chaotic Country. The Blue Whirlwind grew from its original two hundred members to a medium-to-large organization of nearly five thousand people today.

Within the Blue Whirlwind, the strongest was naturally Sarikat, but his two sworn brothers—the "Strategist" Skete and the "Demon God" Kerjes—were also top-tier elites. Skete was not only a powerful Spellblade but also a military strategist deeply versed in astronomy and geography, while Kerjes was a Great Mage with abilities above the mid-tier. With Sarikat possessing the Holy Beast-type attack Summoned Beast "Flame Tiger" Funans, Skete possessing the Magic Beast-type auxiliary Summoned Beast "Seahorse" Koldo, and Kerjes possessing the Undead-type attack Summoned Beast "Wraith Knight" Steward, the three were undoubtedly the strongest combination. However, today in the "Hall of Loyalty" at the Blue Whirlwind headquarters on Skeleton Ridge, these three powerful leaders sat upright and solemn, as if facing a supreme enemy.

"Chief, is that kid coming back?" The third brother, Kerjes, was small in stature and around fifty years old. His long golden hair and still-handsome face made it clear he must have been quite the ladies' man in his younger days. Yet, at this moment, he questioned Sarikat with a nervous expression.

"Sigh... yes. I originally thought sending him to retrieve a dragon egg would take at least two or three years. Who knew that kid would manage to get one from somewhere after being out for only three months? According to the scouts' reports, he'll be back here before this afternoon!" Sarikat, around sixty years old with a tall, muscular frame, spoke with an equally darkened expression.

Upon hearing Sarikat's words, Skete and Kerjes exchanged a glance; their eyes were filled with nothing but pure nerves.

"Sigh... if I had known it would be like this, Chief shouldn't have brought that kid back!" Skete said dejectedly. Like Sarikat, Skete was a tall man with long black hair, but his eyes were a strange, eerie purple. At this moment, his eyes released a look of helplessness.

"Sigh... seventeen years ago, I don't know what I was thinking when I adopted that kid, sigh..." Following Sarikat's words, the thoughts of the three men returned to that cold winter night seventeen years ago...

That day, the three brothers, having just defeated an enemy at their fortress, followed Skete's suggestion to personally patrol the foot of the mountain to guard against a possible night raid. While southern winter nights didn't bring the heavy frost and treacherous footing of the north, the cold night wind was just as piercing and bitter, making it hard to endure.

"Chief, let's go back! In this weather, only ghosts would be out. Those little punks are probably all sleeping soundly in their beds right now!" Kerjes grumbled as he followed behind Sarikat, shivering.

"He's right. I don't think the enemy would be active in this weather either. Besides, we've already patrolled the few roads capable of moving large troops. It seems there won't be any problems today." Skete was also struggling with the cold wind, and his words leaned toward Kerjes's side.

"Hmm, you're right. But since we're already out, let's check the woods ahead one more time. If there's no problem, we'll head back to the stronghold. What do you think?" The powerfully built Sarikat did not fear the cold as much as his two younger brothers, but he considered their situation and offered his suggestion.

Hearing Sarikat's words, Skete and Kerjes could only nod helplessly. Thus, the three walked toward a small forest on the right side of the mountain range.

Just as the three were approaching the forest with nothing better to do, a woman's piercing shriek suddenly echoed from within.

"Chief!" Skete cried out softly. Before his voice had even faded, the agile Sarikat bolted into the woods like a shot toward the depths of the forest.

Seeing Sarikat's reaction, Skete and Kerjes looked at each other and immediately followed him, racing into the heart of the forest.

When the three pushed through countless plants and approached a small clearing in the middle of the forest, they saw a woman dressed in white, cradling a newborn infant, fighting a giant wolf-like monstrous beast about three meters tall. At this moment, the Magic Wolf's claws were covered in blood, and the woman had a deep wound in her lower abdomen reaching her internal organs, with blood gushing out continuously.

"Filthy beast! How dare you harm people!" Kerjes roared. He formed the Fire Realm seal with his hands in front of his chest and chanted loudly: "O passionate and unrestrained Fire Spirits, gather round me! Lend me your great power temporarily, let me exert extraordinary strength, transform this power into my rage, and let this rage burn everything! Holy Flame!" As the incantation ended, countless flames suddenly appeared around the Magic Wolf, instantly charring its limbs.

While Kerjes was using fire magic, Sarikat, desperate to save the victim, also summoned his Holy Beast "Flame Tiger"! Holding up his left hand inlaid with a pure red gem, Sarikat shouted: "In my name, I summon my guardian Holy Beast, 'Flame Tiger' Funans!"

As his words fell, a dazzling red light erupted from the red gem, and a massive red tiger about two meters tall appeared before everyone within the glow.

"Funans, kill that beast!" The moment the Flame Tiger appeared, Sarikat issued the command.

"Roar!" After a thunderous roar, the "Flame Tiger" Funans pounced on its target with bared fangs and claws! The poor Magic Wolf, which had hoped for a hearty meal, was first struck by the sudden flames and now faced a Summoned Beast several times stronger than itself. Faced with such a powerful foe, it could only meet its end.

The Flame Tiger truly lived up to its status as a Holy Beast-type attack Summoned Beast. Facing the larger Magic Wolf, it first let out a roar, firing a searing shockwave from its mouth. Then, while the Magic Wolf struggled to dodge, it leaped close, extended its razor-sharp claws, and tore the Magic Wolf's body in half with a single strike.

In just a few short seconds, a Magic Wolf that would terrify ordinary people had died under the claws of the Summoned Beast! However, Sarikat had no reaction to this outcome; it seemed entirely expected. His full attention was now on the woman lying on the ground.

"Madam, how are you?" Sarikat supported the woman with one hand while trying to stop her bleeding with the other, speaking to her as her breath grew faint.

"The... the child." Although the woman was gravely injured, she still worried for her baby.

"He is here, do not worry. Your child has not been harmed." After shaking his head at Sarikat, Kerjes placed the child into the woman's arms. Seeing Kerjes's expression, Sarikat knew this woman was beyond saving.

Perhaps it was a final surge of strength before death, or perhaps she felt at peace knowing her child was safe, but the woman, despite her massive blood loss, forced herself upright. Cradling the infant, she sobbed and kissed him, saying, "My poor child, mother can no longer protect you. I don't know how you will survive! Perhaps you really shouldn't have come into this world, sob..."

Watching the woman's expression and the sleeping infant, a surge of resolve suddenly rose in Sarikat's chest. "Madam, rest assured. Since we brothers have witnessed this, we will not stand idly by! You can be at peace; as long as we have a breath left, we will raise your child to adulthood!"

"Really? Are you truly willing to raise my flesh and blood?" Hearing Sarikat's words, an unusual flush appeared on the woman's face—it was clear her life force was flickering out.

Sarikat said nothing more, only nodding firmly.

"Th... thank you!" The woman struggled to voice her gratitude, then performed an action that Sarikat and the others never expected.

Using some unknown method, the green gem on the back of her left hand suddenly emitted a dazzling light. Normally, such light only appeared when using the power of a Summoned Beast, yet no Summoned Beast formed within the green glow.

While Sarikat and the others were utterly bewildered, they watched in shock as the woman ripped the Summoning Gem right out of her hand. She then spoke her final words: "Give it to... to my child!" As her voice faded, her beautiful eyes closed, and her blood-stained right hand fell heavily.

Sarikat and the other two stood up slowly, silently watching the woman close her eyes. Holding the blood-stained green gem tightly, Sarikat suddenly felt that this lifeless woman was greater than anyone he had ever known. Though she had only protected her child and performed no grand heroic feat, every ounce of maternal love she radiated was enough to move anyone and inspire deep respect.

Just as the three brothers were overcome with sorrow, an even stranger thing happened before their eyes. The woman's bloodied left hand, where the Summoning Gem had been removed, suddenly began to heal, eventually forming a nodule of flesh.

As Sarikat and the others watched this miracle in astonishment, the growth suddenly emitted an intense light. It was so bright they couldn't look directly at it and had to raise their arms to shield their eyes. When the light gradually faded and the three brothers opened their eyes again, they found that the woman's body had vanished without a trace. Faced with this, Sarikat and the others were dumbfounded, unable to speak for a long time.

"Wah..." The cry of an infant seemed oblivious to the current mood of Sarikat and his brothers. Realizing the baby was still lying on the ground, Sarikat gently and tenderly picked up the tiny infant. He said softly, "Little guy, I forgot to ask your mother what your name is. Heh, that's fine. From now on, I'll call you Mels! It might not sound that great, but it's the name I once prepared for my own son. Now I give it to you, because you are a gift from the heavens!"

Over the next seventeen years, taking care of Mels became the three men's greatest joy and task. Kerjes was responsible for teaching Mels various knowledge and magic, Skete taught him martial arts and combat techniques, and Sarikat painstakingly passed on his most prized blade techniques to the clever little fellow.

Mels indeed did not disappoint them. No matter what it was, as long as it was explained once and demonstrated once, the little guy could master it skillfully. Because of this superhuman talent, the three brothers were even more willing to pass on all their secret arts to him.

However, the little guy also had an inherent deficiency: he only possessed a low-grade white crystal Summoning Gem. For the people of the Kashu continent, if a high-level swordsman with a low-grade Summoning Gem fought a low-level swordsman with a mid-tier Summoning Gem, the strength of the Summoning Gems would directly determine the outcome of the battle when they used their Summoned Beasts. Therefore, how to improve little Mels's use of Summoned Beasts became their biggest headache.

When little Mels was four years old, Sarikat told him how to use Summoned Beasts for the first time. At that time, the three brothers and over a dozen leaders of the stronghold gathered at the training grounds behind the mountain fortress.

"Mels, today I will teach you how to use a Summoned Beast! Haven't you always been very envious of ours? If you learn well today, from now on, you can have your own Summoned Beast too!" Sarikat stood before Mels, explaining to the little guy who only reached his knees.

"Oh... great! I've wanted my own Summoned Beast for a long time! Pop, hurry up and tell Mels!" The little guy shouted excitedly, pulling Sarikat's hand and urging him repeatedly.

"Alright, alright! Quiet down. Now, walk into the magic circle Uncle Kerjes drew, and then I will tell you step-by-step what to do!" Sarikat's thick eyebrows lifted as he spoke loudly to Mels.

"Mm-hmm!" The little guy nodded and ran to the center of the magic circle on the other side in a few quick steps, then shouted, "Pop, Mels is ready!"

"Haha, very good, very good! From now on, stand still and don't move. Don't be afraid of the pain. Then, bite your right middle finger until it bleeds and drip the blood onto your Summoning Gem!" Seeing the innocent little Mels saluting him like a soldier, Sarikat couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.

"Huh? I have to bite my finger?" Little Mels seemed a bit afraid of biting his finger. Seeing his hesitant expression, Skete's eyes flickered, and he said, "If Mels is afraid of pain, then forget it. It's not me who won't have a Summoned Beast anyway!"

Provoked by Skete, little Mels raised his eyebrows and said loudly, "Mels isn't afraid of pain! I was just worried Uncle Skete would be sad to see Mels's finger bitten!" As soon as his childish voice fell, little Mels plucked up his courage and bit down hard on his right middle finger. Immediately, bright red blood flowed from the wound on his fair finger.

"Ah... it hurts..." While crying out in pain and fighting back tears, little Mels moved his right hand toward the white crystal on the back of his left hand. The moment the blood touched the Summoning Gem, a burst of white light instantly enveloped Mels's small body.

"Mels, concentrate and repeat after me!" Seeing the first summoning ritual triggered, Sarikat hurriedly shouted.

After Mels agreed, he continued: "Great Creator God Marpha, by your eternal divine power, grant me great strength. Within your compassionate divine light, let your loyal servant, the Summoned Beast, become my lifelong companion. I swear to let your servant grow strong with my heart and my power. I swear that on the day I leave this world, I will return your loyal servant to your side. Now, please summon your servant before me! In my name, I summon the Guardian Beast!"

When little Mels finished reciting the long summoning incantation in his childish voice after Sarikat, the light emitted by the white crystal Summoning Gem on his left hand became even more intense. Within this burst of brilliant light, a small green object appeared before him and everyone else.

"Slime?! How could there be such a summoned beast?" Kerjes exclaimed loudly, staring at the soft-bodied magical creature before him—a green, gelatinous blob no more than fifty centimeters in diameter.

"Wow! What a cute little thing—you’re my summoned beast, right? I’ll take good care of you!" Little Mels, oblivious to the danger, wasn’t nearly as disappointed as Sarikat and the others. He was delighted with his newly summoned creature and eagerly approached to hug the slime.

Just as Sarikat and the others were fully focused on the slime, they suddenly noticed Mels bending down, preparing to make contact. Their expressions shifted dramatically. Skete—the quickest to react—shouted, "Mels, don’t get close to the summoned beast!" Meanwhile, Sarikat had already dashed toward Mels, hoping to pull him away before the summoned beast could retaliate.

Their urgency was well-founded. In the moments immediately following its summoning, a summoned beast shares almost no “synchronization rate” with its master. At this stage, it is as aggressive as any ordinary magical creature: though it may not actively attack its master, any physical contact—regardless of who initiates it—triggers an intense defensive reaction.

Unfortunately, Skete’s shout and Sarikat’s intervention came too late. By then, Mels had already wrapped the little slime tightly in his arms. Yet what happened next utterly defied Sarikat and the others’ expectations.

Though initially shy and trying to shrink away, the slime ceased struggling under Mels’s enthusiastic embrace. Instead, it extended something resembling a tongue from its mouth and gently licked Mels’s face in a friendly, affectionate manner.

Watching this, Sarikat froze mid-stride, astonished—and suddenly wondered, *Could it be that this slime is a summoned beast with zero aggression?*

His speculation wasn’t baseless. Generally speaking, only when synchronization between summoner and beast reaches roughly thirty percent does the beast fully obey commands. For a newborn summoned beast, the maximum synchronization rate is typically just five percent. At that stage, the beast is highly aggressive and obeys no one—not even its master. That’s precisely why summoning rituals employ magic circles to suppress the beast’s abilities and protect humans.

"Kerjes, go fetch the crystal ball," Sarikat suddenly ordered Kerjes, who was still observing the slime.

"Huh? Oh—right!" Kerjes blinked in momentary confusion but quickly grasped Sarikat’s intent. Though synchronization is primarily measured through telepathic resonance, it can also be quantified using a special crystal.

At that moment, Sarikat wanted to verify his suspicion—and test the actual synchronization rate between young Mels and the newborn slime.

As Kerjes hurried off, Sarikat’s gaze returned to Mels and the slime. The creature now showed no trace of earlier shyness and appeared to trust its new master completely. Mels, in turn, adored the small green being—hugging it one moment, commanding it to run about the next.

"Haha… This little thing seems like the perfect toy for kids!" Skete laughed heartily as he watched the slime. His words instantly triggered a wave of laughter from the surrounding crowd.

"A toy? Not at all! My ‘Little One’ is incredibly strong! Be careful—or I’ll have it bite you!" Four-year-old Mels retorted loudly upon hearing Skete’s mockery. Unexpectedly, his threat only provoked louder laughter.

Amidst the mirth, Mels’s cheeks flushed red. Turning to the slime, he declared, "They’re bullying me—go help me fight them!" This startled Skete and the others: summoned beasts almost always respond to their masters’ verbal requests. But their concern vanished instantly when they saw the slime amble toward them at a sluggish thirty meters per hour—prompting yet another round of laughter, laced with biting sarcasm…

"Can this thing even attack?"

"It’s so soft—even if it hits, it’ll feel like a massage!"

"Haha, by the time it crawls over to me, my grandson will probably be born!"

The slime ignored their mockery. After slowly crawling out of the magic circle, it gently twisted its soft green body—as if stretching—then let out a sharp, piercing screech.

"Ah…" While Skete and the others with higher martial prowess felt little effect, several lower-tier thieves standing nearby cried out in pain.

"Psychic attack? Is this little thing a support-type?" Sarikat thought in surprise.

But the slime’s assault had only just begun! After ceasing its shriek, its small green body suddenly doubled in size—then rapidly closed the distance to Skete by bouncing and leaping.

Before Skete could even react, it had already drawn within three meters. Then, with startling precision, it expelled a stream of highly acidic green mucus straight toward his groin.

"Ah?! Ah…!!" Fortunately, Skete wore heavy armor—and thanks to lightning-fast reflexes, he managed to remove the groin guard from his lower-body plating just before impact. Otherwise, his most precious assets might have been lost forever!

Watching Skete’s flustered, panicked state, Mels—who had stepped out of the magic circle—planted his hands on his hips and mocked loudly, "Haha… Second Uncle, do you still dare call my Little One useless now?"

As if comprehending its master’s thoughts, the green slime halted its assault, shrank back to its original size, bounced several times, leapt onto Mels’s shoulder, and proudly shook its soft, wobbly body.

Faced with this scene, Skete—hand still covering his crotch, the other rubbing his nose—could only manage a bitter smile.

"B… Boss! Look!!" Just as Sarikat was laughing heartily along with everyone else at Skete’s disheveled appearance, Kerjes suddenly cried out in alarm, trembling hands clutching a glowing blue crystal ball.

"What’s wrong? Has the synchronization rate exceeded twenty percent?" Sarikat asked calmly—unfazed, as if Mount Tai itself were collapsing before him.

"It’s at forty-five percent now—and still rising!!" Kerjes tried to steady his voice, but excitement and tension rang unmistakably in every word.

"What?!" Slowly approaching Kerjes, Sarikat took the crystal ball, drew a deep breath, and declared, "Third Brother—we’ve stumbled upon a treasure!"

Remembering this, the three couldn’t help but reminisce about Skete’s humiliating predicament that day—and the previously tense atmosphere dissolved amid shared laughter. Yet just then, a young male voice suddenly rang out from beyond the door.

"Uncle Three, stop laughing at Uncle Two. Think about *your* expression when you smelled the ‘super-hot babe’s underwear’ I specially found for you back then!" As the words fell, a young man strode into the assembly hall. Medium-built and handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, he sported flowing black hair, a blade of grass between his teeth, and carried a large sack slung over his back.

"Mels—you… you’re back!" Seeing the young man enter, Skete—the chief strategist of Blue Whirlwind, normally eloquent and in full command of all military and civilian affairs within the stronghold—suddenly stammered.

"Kid, what did you just say? What ‘super-hot babe’s underwear’?" Sarikat asked, intrigued.

"Ah… It’s a long story. Hmm? Seeing this Young Master return triumphant—doesn’t anyone plan to serve me tea or water? If this Young Master’s in a bad mood, I won’t tell the story!" The young man tossed the large sack into a corner, casually sat beside Sarikat, crossed his legs, and spoke with effortless arrogance.

"Yes, yes! Young Master Mels is absolutely right! Third Brother—why aren’t you fetching the tea? Second Brother—hurry and bring a basin of water for washing up!" Seeing Mels’s expression, Sarikat quickly nodded and bowed, ordering his two sworn brothers to “carry out the decree”! Had other bandit organizations witnessed this, they’d surely collapse on the spot—the famed “Whirlwind Trio,” taking orders from a mere youth—something no one would ever anticipate.

"Hmm, *that’s* more like it!" Mels removed the blade of grass from his mouth and said seriously, "Over three months ago, when Father suddenly told me to go find a ‘dragon egg,’ I knew it must be you three old fellows who’d finally had enough of me—and wanted me out of the stronghold. Hehe—if this idea didn’t come from Uncle Two, I doubt anyone else in the entire stronghold could’ve dreamed it up! To ‘repay’ Uncle Two for his ‘cultivation’ of me, of course I had to devise a proper method!"

"What method? Tell us, tell us!" Kerjes—ever eager for excitement—urged, teacup in hand.

"Mels, you *promised* you wouldn’t tell!" Skete, face burning crimson, rushed in holding a washbasin and protested loudly.

"Hehe, back then I promised, ‘I won’t tell anyone *before* I leave’! Now I’m back—so the promise is void and expired!"

Mels took the teacup from Kerjes, gulped down a large swig, and continued, "So, I found the most, most, most ‘beautiful dinosaur’ in the whole stronghold—then took her underwear to Uncle Two and told him, ‘Uncle Two, I was actually planning to go out and play! I truly appreciate you giving me this opportunity. This underwear is a top-tier item I’ve treasured for ages—it belonged to Lannis, eldest of the stronghold’s Three Golden Flowers! I’ll lend it to you for a few months—but you *must* teach me the last three moves of your Wolf Wind Sword Technique!’ Hearing this—and seeing the lace underwear—Uncle Two got so excited he taught me the sword techniques on the spot! Seeing how ‘sincere’ Uncle Two was with me, of course I had to tell him the truth! As a result, I think everyone knows—Uncle Two vomited for three whole days!" After saying this, Mels made a comically helpless gesture—sparking another roar of laughter. Poor Skete—having lost both his wife and his troops—stood awkwardly by, forcing a strained smile.

"Kid, you’re getting more outrageous by the day! Haha… But it really *is* hilarious! I’d have loved to see Second Brother’s expression back then!" Sarikat laughed heartily.

In fact, this was exactly why the Whirlwind Trio grew nervous whenever Mels was around. From childhood, the exceptionally clever Mels had somehow mastered the art of pranks. Sometimes he’d spend an entire day brewing chicken soup for Sarikat—only to reveal, after Sarikat had moved to tears and drunk it all, that he’d added something extra… like a dead mouse.

Other times, he’d suddenly clean and tidy Kerjes’s magic research lab. When Kerjes entered the spotless laboratory, satisfied, he’d discover all his spellbooks reduced to scrap paper!

The most absurd incident occurred last year, when Skete killed a blood-sucking mosquito. Mels threw a massive fit, claiming the insect was his “lifelong love”—the greatest “spiritual pillar” of his life—and demanded compensation. In the end, Skete had no choice but to surrender—and teach his prized Wolf Wind Sword Technique to this cunning little devil. All summer long, even as mosquitoes feasted on him until he resembled a “mountain of buns,” he dared not kill a single one!

In short, the three brothers had endured enough of Mels’s antics—which was precisely why Skete devised the “dragon egg” scheme. Still, it must be said: while Mels loved causing trouble, he never crossed the line. Since none of the three had children of their own, they doted on this brilliantly clever boy. Moreover, they enjoyed teasing each other—so they often turned a blind eye to Mels’s behavior. As a result, he’d long since slipped beyond their control. One could truly say this was a case of “reaping what you sow”!

As the laughter and commotion subsided, Sarikat sat beside Mels and asked with concern, "Mels, why did you return so quickly this time? And what about Rek and Sol, who went with you? Why aren’t they here?"

"Don’t even mention it. These past three months, they really annoyed me to death. But they’ve urgent matters to attend to now—and will return later. Hehe, Father, asking so indirectly—you really want to know how I got the dragon egg so fast, right? I’m in a good mood today, so before they return, I’ll tell you. That day…"

A dragon egg isn’t actually laid by a true dragon—but rather by a magical creature resembling a *Tyrannosaurus rex*. On the continent of Carshu, people commonly refer to this creature as a “Pack Dragon.”

Skete’s decision to send Mels in search of such an egg wasn’t merely an excuse to gain some peace and quiet. It was also because Mels’s summoned beast—the “Little One” slime—had shown no signs of evolution since its birth!

Generally speaking, summoned beasts grow alongside their masters, much like human infants. Take Sarikat’s “Flame Tiger,” for example: summoned at age seven, it began as a mid-tier low-rank “Flame Beast.” By age fifteen—after half a year of hibernation during its “non-summoning period”—it evolved into a mid-tier mid-rank “Winged Flame Beast”!

Years later, as Sarikat’s own strength surged and he defeated enemy summoned beasts in battle—absorbing their power—it ultimately ascended to the upper-tier holy-beast level: the “Flame Tiger.”

Theoretically, however, the “Flame Tiger” isn’t its final form. To evolve further, it would need to defeat a summoned beast of equal rank—and successfully absorb its abilities. While possible in theory, in practice, defeating an equal-rank opponent would exhaust the Flame Tiger’s power entirely. At that point, attempting absorption would be nearly impossible. Thus, evolution among high-tier summoned beasts is exceedingly rare—and those who possess them generally avoid fighting opponents of equal strength.

Mels’s unusual situation deeply troubled Sarikat and the others. Initially, Sarikat assumed Mels had an “all-round type” summoned beast—one that typically evolves far more frequently than others. Yet Mels’s Little One showed no signs of evolution. If it truly were a non-evolving type, then Mels couldn’t possibly use it as a combat asset—rendering him powerless against anyone. For someone as naturally gifted and proficient in martial arts, magic, tactics, topography, and conventional medicine as Mels, this would be profoundly unjust.

Thus, the knowledgeable Skete spent nearly three years researching external methods to forcibly trigger a summoned beast’s evolution. He ultimately decided to send Mels in search of a dragon egg—to use it as a catalyst for a new alchemical formula designed to *force* the slime’s evolutionary ability.

Of course, Pack Dragons aren’t particularly friendly creatures—so Sarikat also dispatched Rek and Sol, who’d grown up alongside Mels and shared an unbreakable bond with him, to accompany him on the quest.

This decision served multiple purposes: first, to expose Mels to the wider world—since he’d previously known it only through Skete’s teachings; second, to test whether real-world combat might awaken the slime’s latent evolutionary potential; and third—frankly—because the three simply couldn’t endure Mels’s “pranks” any longer, which showed zero respect for seniority. As for Rek and Sol accompanying Mels, the trio felt entirely at ease.

Rek and Sol weren’t only Mels’s age and lifelong companions—they’d long regarded the scheming Mels as their “boss.”

Wherever Mels went, those two were sure to follow. Rek—though only seventeen—was Sarikat’s prized disciple, a prodigy skilled in swordsmanship. Towering over 1.8 meters tall with bulging muscles, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, his rugged appearance was complemented by his mid-tier undead-type offensive summoned beast—the “Soul Mage”—which compensated for his limited magical knowledge.

Sol was Kerjes’s top disciple—proficient in diverse magical disciplines. Though slender and slight of build, he was handsome, with flowing brown hair and silver-tongued charm—making him the dream lover of countless young women in the stronghold. His mid-tier magical-beast-type physical-attack summoned beast—the “Steel Ape”—was likewise a formidable creature, rare among the younger generation.

With these two at Mels’s side—and Mels’s own brilliance—Sarikat and the others believed ordinary bandits wouldn’t stand a chance against them! Thus, after all preparations were complete, three months ago, Sarikat officially dispatched Mels and the other two from Skull Ridge to hunt for the dragon egg!

All three seventeen-year-olds were leaving Skull Ridge for the first time. As wealthy, skilled youths, they felt an inexplicable sense of novelty toward the vast world beyond the stronghold. Whether it was the pastoral serenity of small villages or the bustling vibrancy of great cities—everything held endless allure for these boys. So what Mels called a “chore” became, for the three youths, a “joyful journey.” Onward they traveled—week after week—until, after three weeks of journeying, the trio finally reached their first destination: the western border city of Laishardo in the Kingdom of Kalans. Further west lay the “Sunlight Forest”—beyond human-controlled territory—where dwarves, elves, and other races lived together in harmony.