Mythical energy. What kind of thing is that? No one dares to say they know it better than him.
Basically, once it's over-absorbed, it's irreversible.
And yet, this thing managed to do it.
'Mental protection? Even put such a buff on Hua Hua, huh?'
Asher's mind was full of random thoughts, but his hands didn't stop moving at all.
With Little Raven's help and cooperation, plus the mythical energy in Hua Hua's body tending toward a more stable state, it was finally successfully removed.
The corruption debuff on Hua Hua's body was finally completely gone.
Asher reached out and patted Hua Hua's big flower bud.
"It's fine now."
"Be good when we get back, got it."
After all, he had personally witnessed this pet's evolution, so Asher still had some pity for Hua Hua. Otherwise, he wouldn't have wanted to help remove the corruption in her body.
This wasn't exactly an easy task for him either.
Hua Hua took the initiative to rub against Asher. And rubbed again.
Completely unaware that she was no longer a tiny one. Almost rubbed Asher right over.
Asher: "..."
Asher struggled, using his palm to hold back Hua Hua's big flower bud, barely managing to avoid being rubbed to the ground.
"Alright, alright," Asher's face was full of helpless emotion, his voice also carried some resignation.
"You've been out for over a year, how are you still so good at acting spoiled?"
"Could it be that those beasts in the Forbidden Zone are all pushovers?", Asher asked subconsciously.
It's not that he didn't want to see Hua Hua do well. But what's that saying again? Take a harsh beating from reality. Take a harsh beating from society. This is a part of life that cannot be escaped.
"Ah!"
'Hua Hua cuddles.'
'Me, Hua Hua, super strong. Can take on two at once.'
Before Asher could say anything.
Little Raven quietly nudged over from the side, puffed out her chest, trying her best to inconspicuously push Hua Hua to the side.
Hua Hua: ╭(╯^╰)╮
Little Raven: ╭(╯^╰)╮
One flower, one bird, almost face-off directly.
"Stop, stop, stop," Seeing this, Asher quickly reached out to stop them, "What deep grudge do you two have between you? That's enough."
As he spoke, Asher hurriedly called in Professor Jorge who was waiting outside.
No choice. If he didn't come in now, he wouldn't be able to control how this situation develops next.
Professor Jorge had been anxiously waiting outside. The moment he heard Asher calling, he rushed in.
And then… He saw Asher looking like a peacemaker, standing between Little Raven and Nightmare Flower.
The two evolved into big pets already, both looking like they were itching for a fight at any moment.
"Pfft!"
Not only did Professor Jorge not step in to stop them immediately, He even couldn't help letting out a chuckle instinctively.
Asher's eyes suddenly widened, turning his head with a look of disbelief toward Professor Jorge.
'What? You're actually this kind of Professor Jorge?'
'Not stepping in to help is one thing. But you're even standing there watching the show?'
"Ahem!", Professor Jorge coughed twice lightly, covering his mouth with a fist, trying to hide his awkwardness.
Then he gave an extremely unconvincing explanation.
"I just suddenly remembered… more than a year ago, when your pet first met Hua Hua, it was like this too."
Just short of actually fighting. Looked full of energy. There was a hint of amusement in Professor Jorge's eyes.
With that reminder from Asher, he also remembered.
"But now that we're saying this, in the past year, both Hua Hua and Little Raven have changed quite a bit," As he spoke, Professor Jorge gestured with both hands.
Recalling Hua Hua back then, not exactly tiny. But definitely not like the one in front of them now.
And Asher's pet, Little Raven, had changed even more. From a small fluffy birdball to the huge and powerful eagle before them now.
While speaking, Professor Jorge subconsciously remembered a thought he once had.
Finding a new beast tamer for Hua Hua. At that time, he even had his eye on Asher.
But now looking again… Professor Jorge's gaze swept across the pets in the room one by one.
He hadn't noticed before. Now that he counted carefully… didn't the number seem a bit off?
Professor Jorge walked to Hua Hua's side and easily, in just a few moves, separated Hua Hua who was clinging to Asher and occasionally teasing Little Raven.
"Professor Asher," After thinking for a bit, Professor Jorge still said it, "Have you… already contracted six pets?"
Even Professor Jorge himself wasn't quite sure of his own words. But the facts before him left no room for doubt.
Count them. Seems like it really is six.
Asher didn't think much of it, and casually nodded, "Yes, I'm preparing to participate in next year's National Beast Tamer Tournament."
"Contracting six pets is just the basic requirement for entry."
Professor Jorge opened his mouth but couldn't speak for a long while.
Meanwhile, Kloster and Vicky, who had just walked in, showed various degrees of shock and disbelief on their faces.
"Holy crap!", Vicky seemed to come back to his senses, counting Asher's pets one by one.
"It really is six."
"I don't think I ever paid that much attention before."
At first glance, it did look like quite a lot. Always felt like it was probably four or five, so no one had carefully counted.
Who would've thought.
Six! It was a full six.
But no matter how shocked Vicky was, he still had some mental preparation.
After all, he more or less had an idea of Asher's upcoming plans.
Kloster was different. He truly had no mental preparation, no clue at all.
'Six? Professor Asher contracted six pets? No way? Is that real?'
'Professor Asher is still so young. How has he already contracted six pets?'
Never mind the strength of these six pets for a second. Even if you average it out and each pet only had third-tier strength… okay, that probably isn't realistic.
But even if that were true, it would still be really impressive, right?
Not to mention, the overall strength of Asher's pets is definitely higher than that.
It's not Kloster's subjective bias.
Rather… Kloster had paid some attention to Asher and knew that he had won championships in certain small beast-tamer competitions.
Even low-tier competitions, if official, are still legit competitions.
Taking a deep breath.
As a beast tamer, Kloster might not fully understand Asher's achievements in pet evolution research. But as a beast tamer, Kloster absolutely could relate to the feeling of hearing Asher had already contracted six pets.
This wasn't something that could be summed up with just "promising youth." If one had to say it… genius. This damn genius.
Kloster was one step away from shedding old man tears.
Luckily, Kloster wasn't someone who gets hung up or envies others out of spite.
Jealousy was inevitable. But it was still within a controllable range.
"So the Nightmare Flower's issue has been resolved?", Kloster stepped forward, actively steering the topic back to the main point.
Asher turned his head and nodded at Kloster.
"It's done."
"The rest, just proceed according to standard procedures."
The Nightmare Flower's irritable temperament had been subdued.
The minor issues within the Nightmare Flower were resolved by Asher.
The goal for which Professor Jorge had invited him had been fulfilled, perfectly and even beyond expectations.
Professor Jorge grabbed Asher's hand, thanking him non-stop, "Thank you, thank you! Thank you so much, Professor Asher!"
"If you hadn't been here, I can't even imagine…"
'What might've happened to Hua Hua.'
'After all the effort to bring Hua Hua back, she might have…'
Seeing Professor Jorge on the verge of tears, Asher quickly waved his hand.
This kind of situation, he really couldn't handle even a little.
"I still have things to do," Asher quickly interrupted whatever Professor Jorge was about to say and spoke swiftly.
"If there's nothing else, Professor Jorge, you should take Hua Hua and head back first."
"I still have to go to the Forbidden Zone in Thousand Springs City."
As expected, Professor Jorge was instantly distracted by Asher's words.
With a puzzled expression, "Professor Asher, are you still going to…?"
"Professor Asher, are you really going in? At this time of year… I'd suggest you wait a bit longer," Kloster also chimed in from the side.
Asher first answered Professor Jorge's question.
"I mentioned it before when I arrived, I'm going in to accompany a friend."
"We're right at the final step, can't just stop here, right?"
Next, Asher turned his gaze toward Kloster, "I know, the colder it gets, the more dangerous the Forbidden Zone becomes."
Kloster nodded repeatedly.
Exactly. Although beasts possess unique supernatural powers, as if they're entirely different from normal organisms,
In some cases, in certain aspects, they still share some similarities.
Like preparing for winter.
It was nearing winter, but not quite there yet, during this season, the beasts in the Forbidden Zone were especially aggressive.
Getting ready to survive the upcoming winter.
So Asher choosing to go in now…
"Although Thousand Springs City hasn't had major incidents in years, every year around this season, one or two beast tamers still end up falling in there," Kloster earnestly warned Asher, trying to dissuade him.
Seriously, if Asher weren't a genius pet evolution research professor, Kloster wouldn't have bothered saying so much.
Beast tamers, after all, grow best by enduring trials and setbacks.
'But Asher… Asher is…'
"Trust me," Asher smiled.
"Compared to you, I care about my own life even more," Asher said seriously, and the words left Kloster with no comeback.
Exactly. If he didn't care about his own life, who else would?
Kloster couldn't help thinking, he still felt like he cared more than Asher did.
Asher's expression really looked too casual.
He looked rather helpless.
Now it's become hard to make others believe in him.
Sigh! Was he really that untrustworthy?
Switching topics.
"And I have another reason for choosing Thousand Springs City's Forbidden Zone."
Seeing Kloster's troubled expression and his obvious intention to shift the danger elsewhere, Asher spoke up again, cutting off Kloster's unsaid words.
Kloster: "..."
'Damn!'
Which part of his face gave it away? What sign did he show that made Professor Asher see through his plan to make him switch to a safer Forbidden Zone?
Although, in a sense, no Forbidden Zone is completely safe.
Just think about the presence of wild beasts, it's impossible to have absolute safety.
Asher smiled and said, "The Nightmare Flower's issue originated in the Thousand Springs City Forbidden Zone."
"I want to investigate whether the source is really in the Thousand Springs City Forbidden Zone."
One sentence. Kloster's expression changed again and again.
He had to admit, what Asher said made sense. Extremely good sense. So good he had no way to refuse.
Even though he didn't know what exactly happened to the Nightmare Flower.
But judging from Asher's earlier serious demeanor and Professor Jorge's cooperation, it clearly wasn't something simple.
At this point. Kloster's mouth began to feel numb, tongue bitter.
What kind of miserable fate was this. Why did he have to run into it?
Kloster was one step away from crying out in despair.
This was his last bit of stubborn pride and dignity.
He absolutely couldn't lose it here.
Lifting his head, he wiped his face forcefully. Kloster let out a deep breath from his chest, "Professor Asher, I understand what you mean."
"If that's the case… I really have no reason to stop you. This matter is more serious than expected."
Kloster's expression gradually turned serious.
Asher nodded in satisfaction.
This was the effect he wanted.
Then he heard Kloster continue, "But to ensure your safety, I'll request to go in with you."
Asher: "..."
"Ahem!", Asher coughed twice, his face showing slight helplessness.
"That's really not necessary," Asher spoke sincerely.
He blinked a pair of very sincere-looking big eyes, radiating sincerity from the inside out. Just trust him.
Who knows, maybe he's planning to sneak in and do some shady business?
Bringing this guy along, how's that going to work.
But Kloster wouldn't accept Asher charging in alone.
Vicky: "?"
What about him? Isn't he human?
Kloster gave Vicky a look full of personal understanding.
Count it or not, doesn't Vicky know in his own heart?
Vicky: "..."
Hugging his Little Drogo, crying quietly.
'Newbie beast tamers have no human rights!'
Asher didn't want to bring another person either.
Just Vicky, and he could still manage to talk him out of it.
Add Kloster in, and it wouldn't be that easy to convince him.
Suddenly, the two were locked in a standoff.
Asher tried to use his bluffing technique… and failed.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y