When Vicente lifted Rex's small body into the air, the two n, protected by the four tallic creatures around Vicente, stood with their mouths open as they stared at him in silence.
For a mont, they couldn't believe everything that had happened and were sincerely doubting reality. To think that a 1-Star Magus had so quickly defeated a 5-Star Magus, a beast on top of that, was hard to swallow.
But reality could not be denied. In front of them was Liam, and a small kitten, who, until a few monts ago, was a large and powerful lion.
The tallic creatures in their surroundings falling apart showed that this couldn't be an illusion, which made them even more speechless. This was especially true for Garin, now pale as he realized how he had spoken to Vicente earlier.
'What's going on? Why is he so strong? And why would such a monster need our vigilance?' He wondered as he saw Vicente massaging the body of the sleeping beast, now in the black-haired man's arms as if it were a newborn baby.
Prisiche returned to her master's side, changing back into the glasses he had been wearing.
Vicente's tallic creations were largely made by his mana and because they weren't made from appropriate materials, they wouldn't last long in their natural state. As he didn't want to attract attention either, he didn't bother altering the material to keep them standing around him, forcing Prisiche back towards him.
"What were you two saying earlier?" Vicente looked at these two again, trying to rember where they had left off.
Bert imdiately said to Vicente, his bearing different, but still speaking in the sa, respectful tone, since he already regarded Vice highly even before such a show of power. "We're on a mission to observe you and, if necessary, take action to ward off trouble. We just didn't know we'd be totally useless... But I'm afraid we still have to complete the mission, Senior. Sect rules."
"Oh, that's right, we were talking about that when your companion warned about the dangers of the forest and the beasts of this place." Vicente looked up with a smile, causing Garin to step forward and make a stance of greeting a superior individual.
"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier, senior," he said as he looked down at the ground, sweating even more now that Vicente was watching him than he had earlier against Rex. "I was rash and said things I'm ashad of. As for what I said, the forests really are dangerous, especially for people like Bert and . Maybe not so much for you, though..."
Vicente didn't want any trouble with these two and ignored Garin's ways. "Now that we're here, I'm curious. I know it could be dangerous, but we have our friend here with us, don't we? Let's see what he has to say before we decide whether to return to Ponddown straight away."
"Are you sure about that, senior?" Bert asked, not liking the idea at all. "I admit that senior is impressive. But there may be creatures stronger than the Flaming Lion nearby. There's no way of knowing."
"Of course there is. Rex is one of us now. He'll be able to tell us what's around here if he's so close to Ponddown." Vicente walked through the area, moving away from the site of their fight.
The two n followed behind him, both afraid, but much more afraid of being alone. After what they had seen, they felt it would be safer to be with Vicente, even while they were walking through the forest.
Vicente wouldn't walk for long and soon stopped when the creature in his arms showed signs of waking up.
When it woke up, Rex jumped out of Vicente's arms and looked at the three individuals who had fought it earlier. Of the three, it still felt a strong antipathy, but when it looked at the human with the long black hair, it couldn't help but feel sothing different, a sense of respect and devotion.
Recognizing what had happened, it lay down in front of Vicente, closing its eyes. "Master, Rex is at your disposal."
Naturally, now that it had Vicente's mark, it would be 100% loyal. But not only that, the beasts of Anicane were much more sensitive to power than the creatures of Polaris Realm. After being defeated so brutally by Vice, the creature was willing to bow its head even if it wasn't connected to Vice.
But as Rex could now perfectly sense its master's powers, it could see Vicente's real greatness, sensing the Throne of Darkness and Light.
It could even alter its body to its original version, but having been put into that form by Vicente, it preferred to stay that way.
Vicente asked. "Why didn't you answer sooner? That would have avoided your current situation."
The two fellow sect mbers watched the creature out of the corner of their eyes as they surveyed their surroundings, standing guard where they had left off.
Rex shook its head in denial. "Then I don't regret the choice I made. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to serve my master."
'What a bastard!' Garin laughed bitterly when he heard the creature's reply.
"As for my master's question, beasts are the enemies of Light Cay magicians. We've been fighting each other for millennia and we know we can't live in peace. Either we defend ourselves, or the magicians hunt us down to beco stronger. We prefer to move first and force them against their stone cities.
This is obviously the reality for ordinary magicians. Magnanimous individuals like my master are treated differently. If the master accepts, I will introduce you to my tribe. I am confident that you will be well received."
Bert and Garin looked at Vicente, hoping he wouldn't accept such a crazy proposal.
"I see. You're in a war against the magicians and from what I can see, you're winning." Vicente pondered, scrunching up his face.
"My master is indeed perceptive. After much effort, the beasts of Light Cay have beco the true rulers of this island. We hold 60% of the island's territories and the magicians fear us."
"That's nonsense. If you were the rulers of the island, then Stonewall wouldn't have the thod of receiving beings from lower planes!" Garin said as he argued against the golden creature.
Rex snorted at Garin. "You do this because we allow it. Although we are enemies and our side is the strongest, there is a necessary balance for all of us. An island ruled entirely by beasts would not be sustainable."
As much as Rex didn't want to admit it, beasts needed magicians to keep enemies away from this island. It knew very well that, with their wiles, magicians could do things that wild creatures like it never could.
Vicente listened to both sides with interest, while thinking about sothing he didn't understand. 'Wait a minute... If humans and beasts aren't the parents of the island's hybrids, why are there people with animal body parts in this place?'
While staring at the ground, Vicente noticed the silence and voiced his thoughts. "What is the origin of the non-pure beings of Light Cay?"
"They are the Beastn, my master," Rex imdiately explained. "They are not beasts, nor are they related to beasts. They may have been our relatives in the long past, but they have long been unrelated to beasts.
Unlike us, Beastn accept breeding with humans, which is why there are hybrid creatures with characteristics from different races on the continent, magicians for the most part. But as I said, they are not descendants of beasts. They are descendants of humans and races of Beastn."
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