How did it suddenly learn Rain Dance... Qiao Sang was stunned on the spot.
With the precedents of Ya Bao and Little Treasure learning high-tier skills during their primary stages, Qiao Sang wasn't exactly shocked beyond belief that Lu Bao had learned Rain Dance.
It was just that it hadn't learned it last night, and there had been no training today, so how did Rain Dance suddenly happen? This left Qiao Sang feeling a bit bewildered.
Even if it were like those novels where one has a sudden epiphany on the spot, there should still be a process of enlightenment. But Lu Bao had spent basically the entire day inside the Beast Codex, doing absolutely nothing.
Just then, Qiao Sang saw a string of data.
【Water Mist (Minor Success 1902/2000) +】
Qiao Sang paused. She remembered that when she checked the Beast Codex last night, the data for Water Mist was 1677...
Data doesn't lie. The thing she couldn't figure out was suddenly clear.
This fellow Lu Bao had been practicing in secret while she was asleep late at night!
As Qiao Sang's consciousness returned to reality, she looked at Ice Lugia with a complex expression.
"Lu."
Ice Lugia flicked its tail with a cold, aloof air.
It was just Rain Dance; it didn't even need special training to learn it.
Qiao Sang remained silent for a moment: "...Impressive."
"Lu." Ice Lugia looked completely composed.
Just basic operations.
Qiao Sang: "..."
Although Lu Bao had learned Rain Dance by practicing desperately late at night, there was no denying that when it came to talent, it was absolutely peerless.
A normal intermediate pet—let alone practicing for one night—might not learn a high-tier skill even after practicing for a hundred nights.
It seemed that Lu Bao's evolution had indeed brought about certain changes; at the very least, its talent had strengthened significantly...
Qiao Sang didn't say anything more, but that night, when she checked the Beast Codex, she committed Ice Lugia's various data points to memory.
The next morning upon waking, Qiao Sang immediately entered the Beast Codex with her consciousness and, as expected, found that the data had changed.
【Rain Dance (Entry 43/100) +】
Qiao Sang felt quite emotional looking at the changed data. Rain Dance was a high-tier skill after all, and the energy consumed for a single cast was not small. Without energy recovery fluid, practicing more than 40 times in one night—this was training to the point of risking its life...
...
8:30 AM.
Holy Water Middle School.
As a contestant, Qiao Sang brought Little Treasure to the designated competition area.
Many competition events were taking place simultaneously, but almost everyone on the playground was crowded around the venue for the bare-handed tile-breaking competition.
"Do you think it's true that the Treasure Ghost knows a Fighting-type tile-break?"
Although news that Qiao Sang's Treasure Demon knew Fighting-type skills had long since spread throughout the school, not everyone believed the rumor.
Especially the students whose contracted pets were Ghost-type or Fighting-type; they didn't believe the news at all.
The Fighting-type was the most incompatible with the Ghost-type.
A Ghost-type pet knowing Fighting-type skills felt even more absurd than a mage engaging in close-quarters melee combat.
"What Treasure Ghost? Open your eyes and look, that's a Treasure Demon!"
"...Hiss, it's only been a month since school started, and it's already evolved?"
"Compared to a Ghost-type pet knowing how to break tiles, what does evolution matter!"
"Why do I keep feeling like this news is fake? A Treasure Demon breaking tiles—just thinking about it with your brain makes it feel impossible."
"It is pretty absurd, but as long as I remember that the Treasure Demon's beast tamer is Qiao Sang, I feel like it's not entirely impossible."
"Let me put it this way: if Qiao Sang's Treasure Demon can break tiles, then my Crabrawler can use Shadow Ball."
The speaker was a second-year student who was about to participate in the tile-breaking.
"A Crabrawler knowing a Ghost-type skill? Are you kidding?" a nearby classmate mocked.
The boy quickly replied, "You know I'm kidding, so why do you believe someone saying a Ghost-type pet can break tiles?"
The classmate replied seriously, "That's Qiao Sang's Ghost-type pet. Can you even compare yourself to her? When you research a brand new evolution for a pet, go undefeated against over 200 people in a row, and have people from the police station specifically come to give you a commemorative banner—at that time, forget about your Crabrawler knowing Shadow Ball, I'd believe it even if you said your Crabrawler could use Flamethrower."
The boy: "..."
Completely unable to refute...
"Xun."
Little Treasure stood in the designated position, constantly moving its claws, looking eager for action.
"Yong-li."
At this moment, the Brave Monkey competing to the left let out a mocking cry.
Little Treasure turned to look and saw a giant who was several times taller than itself.
"Yong-li."
Seeing the little runt looking over, the Brave Monkey immediately flexed its well-developed biceps.
"Xun."
Little Treasure looked at the other's height and muscles, then looked down at its own short arms and legs. Its mouth curled, and it suddenly wilted, showing a depressed expression.
"Little Treasure! Keep it up!" Noticing Little Treasure's mood was off, Qiao Sang quickly shouted from the side, "Cheer up! Think about your Golden Gloves!"
"Ya ya!"
Ya Bao shouted encouragement desperately.
"Xun!"
Little Treasure's eyes were immediately filled with fighting spirit again.
"Haha, Student Qiao Sang, I don't know what you were thinking, actually letting a Ghost-type pet participate in bare-handed tile-breaking. This isn't a battle." Just then, a robust boy next to Qiao Sang said with a chuckle, "I wonder if winning this event against you will get me a secret manual for Teleport."
Before Qiao Sang could answer, her classmates who had come to cheer couldn't hold back.
"You're dreaming!"
"Qiao Sang, this guy is Liu Qijia from Class 9. His dad is a beast tamer who specializes in breeding Fighting-type pets. Don't just agree to him!"
"You've gone crazy wanting a secret manual! If you have guts, battle and win with your own strength!"
"What's the harm in agreeing? It's not like Qiao Sang would actually lose!"
While the surrounding students were arguing back and forth, Qiao Sang spoke up: "If you win, it's not impossible for me to give you the manual."
The surrounding students instantly fell silent.
Since Qiao Sang said so, she must be able to win!
Liu Qijia was stunned. I was just talking casually, and you actually agreed?!
Isn't this a freebie!
"Are you serious?" Liu Qijia asked, somewhat uncertain.
"Of course," Qiao Sang nodded.
Upon hearing the definitive answer, Liu Qijia was instantly ecstatic. A Teleport manual—this was a Teleport manual! Once he got his hands on it and sold it, he'd have at least three years' worth of resources for his Brave Monkey!
He didn't consider the possibility of losing at all.
"However, I have one condition," Qiao Sang said.
"Say it!" Liu Qijia said solemnly.
Qiao Sang said, "You know your chances of winning are very high. It wouldn't be fair to just bet on you winning for the manual. How about this: if I win, you give me something too."
Liu Qijia asked nonchalantly, "What do you want?"
That's more like it; he figured there was no such thing as a free lunch.
Qiao Sang smiled: "How about the Golden Gloves?"
"Deal!" Liu Qijia agreed instantly.
Compared to a Teleport manual, betting Golden Gloves was nothing.
Jin Feifan, who had been quiet, saw that the matter was settled and approached Qiao Sang worriedly: "Is it really okay?"
"No problem," Qiao Sang smiled. "Didn't you hear others talking yesterday? My Treasure Demon has a huge chance of winning. Even against third-years, it's a matter of crushing them in minutes."
Jin Feifan: "..."
The tiles were already laid out in front of the thirteen competing pets. As the first round of screening, ten stacked tiles were placed in front of each pet.
*Tweet!*
The teacher acting as the referee blew the whistle to start the competition.
Almost everyone's gaze was focused on the third Treasure Demon from the left, which looked malnourished and had dyed hair.
"Xun!"
(End of Chapter)