Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: - Like Father, Like Daughter (4)
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'A magical beast that uses magic...?!'
Dante's pupils shook.
Magical beasts capable of using magic weren't entirely unheard of in the world.
Nor was it impossible to tame them.
However, such beasts were typically high-rank magical creatures.
They possessed incredibly high intelligence and egos that pierced the heavens.
And yet, a mere first-year student had tamed one?
From the Magic Department, no less—not even the Beast Taming specialization?
'And that spell... isn't it Jeron's Signature Magic?'
Dante stared at the purple barrier unfurled before him.
The color differed, but its form and feel unmistakably resembled Jeron's defensive spell.
'A beast wielding its master's Signature Magic? That's...'
Now that he looked closer, the beast's lazy demeanor was a spitting image of Jeron's.
The sight of all nine heads yawning in unison overlapped perfectly with Jeron.
There was only one conclusion.
'Synchronization between beast and tamer—their souls becoming one?!'
Synchronization with a magical beast.
The dream realm that beast tamers devoted their lives to achieve.
And Jeron had already accomplished it.
'Is Jeron a genius at beast taming too...!'
For a moment, he nearly felt an insurmountable wall.
As if the path he'd walked was being denied.
'No, no. I can't jump to conclusions. A genius mage like Jeron might've used some other method...'
Dante shook his head, somehow steadying his mentality.
It was shocking, but winning the duel came first.
His judgment: crush it with sheer class difference.
Dante immediately drew up his mana and cast Beast Enhancement.
"Cerberus! [Berserk]!"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
[Berserk]
Aggression and destructive power maximized
Roarrr!!
With Dante's shout, crimson flames erupted across Cerberus's entire body.
"Grrr!!"
A beast enhancement spell that maximized aggression and pushed destructive power to the limit.
The berserk Cerberus rampaged wildly, slamming into the barrier.
But...
'......?'
Dante's brow furrowed.
Something felt off.
Jeron's magic should produce a dull thud against a solid wall.
Yet the purple barrier Cerberus was attacking...
Thud! Squish!
It was soft, like a giant pudding or jelly.
Yet it didn't break.
Not blocking the attack, but absorbing the damage entirely.
'What is this...!'
Even more astonishing was what followed.
Each assault left Cerberus's condition worsening.
The fiercely burning flames that once blazed were now dwindling with every contact against the barrier.
And not just that.
"Grr... Whine..."
Its movements were noticeably slowing.
It should be tireless in berserk state.
Now it even looked sleepy.
"W-What?!"
Dante glanced at Jeron in panic.
Wondering if he'd pulled some trick.
But Jeron was just blankly staring off into empty space.
'...!'
That attitude.
Lazily indifferent.
Or complete trust in his beast, no need to worry.
'Did he really reach synchronization?'
Dante was stunned.
...But in truth, Jeron was currently burning with anxiety inside.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'Come on, Hiyu. Fire the slash!'
[Hiyu-nyong... That's tiring...]
I was frustrated to the point of bursting.
My original plan was perfect.
Hiyu blocks the first attack with the barrier, then I cast [Unstable Amplification] on Hiyu.
At that moment, Hiyu unleashes the stored [Magic Blade Slash].
The enhanced [Dismemberment] one-shots Cerberus or renders it combat-ineffective.
A clean victory plan.
But there was a variable.
This guy was lazier than imagined.
Too lazy to even use offensive magic...!
Ugh. Feels like getting mirror-healed.
'Ha... Should I really buy this skill?'
I glared at the floating shop window in the air.
🛒 SHOP ⚔
📜 Skill: Beast Domination (Legendary)
📝 Description: Forcibly dominate your beast pet's mind, allowing the master to directly control the beast's body.
💰 Price: 2000 Sloth
I'd anticipated poor control due to Hiyu's lazy personality.
So I'd scoured the Sloth Shop for a contingency skill.
In the game, it let you access the beast's skill menu.
With this, I could move Hiyu's body freely and fire the slash.
The problem?
'The cost-performance is trash.'
2000 points for just 'control the beast as you wish'?
No stat boosts, just forcing a disobedient pet—burning 2000 for that?
Total loss.
'Ugh, really don't wanna buy it.'
Still, if Hiyu wouldn't budge, I'd have to.
S-Rank promotion was on the line.
The silver lining: Hiyu instinctively deployed [Dark Shadow Barrier] despite the laziness, holding the defense.
If it skipped even that out of laziness, I'd have bought it instantly.
Can't lose Hiyu.
But...
'Hm?'
Now observing closely, Hiyu's barrier seemed odd.
Cerberus tore at it madly, yet it absorbed impacts softly without shattering.
And...
With each attack, Cerberus's eyes glazed over more.
'Hold on.'
This barrier had some added effect.
I'd thought it was just purple-colored at first.
'That... kinda like the Sloth debuff?'
The debuff from Yuria's spirit, Seolbaek.
Very similar power.
A bit weaker than Seolbaek's, but...
Each contact stacked Sloth debuff on the attacker.
'No way.'
Hiyu's ability.
Not just storing and using skills?
As a Stella Academia veteran, I analyzed instantly.
Hiyu was infusing its unique attribute [Sloth] into the barrier skill!
'This guy...!?'
I looked at Hiyu.
It flinched under my stare.
[Papa mad...? 'Cause Hiyu lazy...? Used magic weird...?]
It wriggled inside the barrier, gauging my mood, thinking I was angry.
But I wasn't angry...
Rather, I'd discovered new potential.
Forcing Hiyu to be diligent here might backfire.
The thought flashed by.
Meanwhile, Dante seemed to notice the anomaly too.
"Cerberus! Stop! Fall back!"
He issued an urgent command.
"Whine..."
Cerberus staggered backward.
Shaking its heads violently like it was drunk, trying to clear its mind.
The flames enveloping it had nearly halved.
'Dante noticed too.'
Realized attacking only hurt him.
Dante kept distance, trying recovery spells to restore Cerberus's condition.
Current situation wasn't great.
'Hiyu's mana isn't infinite.'
[Dark Shadow Barrier] is mana-intensive basically.
Plus, Hiyu was a newborn ethereal body.
Unknown mana reserves, but prolonged war means depletion, barrier drop, defenseless against Cerberus.
Using Beast Domination or scaring Hiyu to force movement wasn't ideal either.
'Then...!'
Negotiation.
I quickly telepathed to Hiyu.
'Hiyu. Please. Just one shot on that puppy. The one we stored before, just one.'
[That's tiring.... But if Papa's mad, Hiyu do...]
Hiyu replied glumly.
[Do magic properly, not sloppy... So don't hate Hiyu...]
'No, not mad.'
Hiyu was slothful but tender-hearted.
Mistook my look for anger, yet showed praiseworthy resolve to force it.
'You're doing great actually. Infuse Sloth attribute into magic like before, that's fine.'
Instead of scolding, I played my trump card.
'In exchange, nail this one shot properly, and no one wakes you for a full day.'
Carrot and stick...!
No. Skip the stick—diligence bad.
Just carrot!
[......?]
All nine heads perked up.
Oh, reaction!
'And I'll tell Kerr to let you sleep all day.'
Thus, I made the ultimate sloth proposal.
And then.
[Really...?]
Hiyu's voice finally livened up.
'Yeah. Promise.'
Hiyu pondered briefly.
Then, resolved, it uncoiled and raised its upper body.
[Hiyu... try...!]
Of the nine heads, the center one—which stored the slash—slowly opened wide.
Woooong!
Purple mana swirled inside its mouth.
'Good! Now!'
I extended my hand without missing the timing.
Direct attacks on the main body forbidden, but support magic allowed.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
[Unstable Amplification]
Mana flows into Hiyu
My mana flowed into Hiyu.
And.
Whoooosh—!
A pale purple wave of slashing energy burst from Hiyu.
Utterly different from the violent [Dismemberment].
The drowsy purple wave enveloped Cerberus.
Shoooo...
In the wave's wake.
"Grr...?"
Cerberus stood blankly in the center, clueless.
The attack was so languid, no killing intent—it didn't even realize it'd been hit.
Yet the change was dramatic.
"Grr... Whine...?"
Cerberus's eyes rapidly glazed over.
Flames vanished, replaced by fluffy, voluminous white fur.
Muscular frame softened with pudge.
Finally, its signature three heads merged into one.
"Uh...?"
Dante stared dumbfounded.
In an instant, Cerberus was no hellhound...
Just a normal—nay, lazy-looking fluffy pup.
And finally.
The massive Cerberus plopped down.
Thud.
It slammed its head to the ground.
"Zzz..."
Blissful expression as it passed out.
Right then.
A system window appeared.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Pet has achieved an accomplishment!] [New ability unlocked!]
< Sloth's Wave >
Enemies touched by the wave enter a 'harmless' state for a duration. If harmlessness exceeds a threshold, they instantly fall asleep!
* Can be stored in one skill slot.
'This is Hiyu's version of [Dismemberment]...?!'
The moment we unlocked the new technique.