I sat frozen in the middle of the coliseum, Argonax still perched on my shoulder like an oversized reptilian parrot. The cheers of the crowd felt like background noise as reality slowly sank in.
Ihad just been chosen by the most dangerous beast in existence.
And I had no idea what to do next.
"Alright, kid!" The Grandmaster's booming voice snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. "Time for the customary demonstration!"
Demonstration?!
The Grandmaster gestured toward the opposite side of the arena, where a massive iron gate was slowly rising. From the shadows, a towering beast emerged—a six-legged, armored rhinoceros with molten cracks along its body. Its eyes glowed red with fury as it stomped forward, the ground trembling beneath its weight.
"A Lavahorn!" someone in the audience gasped.
I paled. Even a veteran tamer would struggle against a Lavahorn. And they expected me—a complete rookie—to fight it?
I turned to Argonax, my voice barely above a whisper. "Uh, hey, buddy? Any chance you know how to fight?"
Argonax let out a tiny chirp.
"…That's not very reassuring."
The Grandmaster grinned. "Now, show us what your beast can do!"
The Lavahorn roared and charged.
Oh crap.
"Dodge!" I yelped, throwing myself to the side. Argonax, still on my shoulder, leapt off effortlessly. Instead of running away, the tiny dragon hopped onto the Lavahorn's head.
The audience gasped.
Argonax stared down at the much larger beast, then…
Bopped it on the nose.
A light tap. A casual little boop.
Silence.
The Lavahorn snorted, unimpressed—
Then collapsed.
The entire coliseum went dead quiet.
I blinked. "Did… did you just—"
Argonax chirped smugly and flapped back onto my shoulder.
The Grandmaster was laughing so hard he nearly fell off his throne. "INSTANT DEFEAT! What an absurd display of power! The boy didn't even issue a command!"
I was too stunned to respond.
The Lavahorn—a beast that should've taken an army to defeat—was out cold. From one casual tap.
I swallowed hard. JustwhatkindofmonsterdidIgetmyselfinvolvedwith?
The crowd went wild, chanting, "Beast Sovereign's Successor! Beast Sovereign's Successor!"
Argonax puffed up its tiny chest in pride.
Meanwhile, I was just trying not to pass out.