I sat in the waiting hall of the Coliseum, still trying to process what had just happened.
One second, I was staring down a terrifying, molten-armored beast, and the next… Argonax had booped it into unconsciousness.
A boop. That was all it took.
I buried my face in my hands. "I'm dreaming. This is all just a weird fever dream."
Argonax, still curled around my neck like some kind of scaly scarf, let out a smug little chirp.
"Don't you 'chirp' at me," I groaned. "I don't even know what you are."
A deep chuckle interrupted my breakdown. I looked up to see the Grandmaster of Beasts approaching, his long silver beard swaying with each step. His eyes twinkled with amusement.
"I see you've already discovered your partner's… unique qualities," he said, stroking his beard.
"Unique?" I deadpanned. "That wasn't unique. That was broken."
The Grandmaster burst into laughter. "Indeed! Argonax is a creature unlike any other. It seems to have taken a liking to you."
"Yeah, but why me?" I gestured at myself. "I'm just a nobody! I don't have any beast-taming experience! There has to be some mistake!"
The Grandmaster's smile faded slightly. "There are no mistakes in the Eldertide Taming Ritual. The beast chooses their master, not the other way around."
Great. So now I was stuck with a god-tier pet I didn't even ask for.
As if sensing my distress, Argonax nuzzled my cheek affectionately. I sighed. "Look, I appreciate the enthusiasm, but maybe you should pick someone better?"
Argonax let out a sharp hiss.
I flinched. "O-Okay! No refund, got it."
The Grandmaster chuckled again. "You may not understand it now, boy, but there is a reason Argonax chose you. The bond between a tamer and their beast is sacred. The stronger your trust, the stronger your power."
I groaned. "That's nice and all, but I don't even know how to train a beast."
"Then learn." The Grandmaster grinned. "Starting tomorrow, you'll be enrolled in the Academy of Beast Tamers."
My stomach dropped. "Academy?"
"A place where young tamers hone their skills and prove their worth!" He clapped a hand on my back. "And with Argonax by your side, you'll be the most interesting student they've ever seen."
I had a very, very bad feeling about this.
Argonax, on the other hand, chirped excitedly.