Ultimately, the proposal had to be abandoned because it was nearing training time.
By the time Li Miao led the noticeably larger Husky onto the training field, Chen Bin was so shocked that the cigarette in his hand dropped to the ground.
"Holy shit!"
"Why did it suddenly get so big today?"
"Did it eat some kind of heavenly treasure or something?"
Li Miao played innocent: "No."
Chen Bin didn't believe her: "Then can you explain why your bonded beast grew so big all of a sudden?"
"Or is it..."
He gave Li Miao a suspicious glance. "Has it already reached the awakening standard?"
Li Miao immediately shook her head: "No, no, no way, really not, I swear."
Chen Bin still didn't believe her, especially since last night she had deliberately come to pester him and asked about awakening.
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious Li Miao seemed.
But Li Miao was dead set on letting the Husky awaken on its own, so she refused to admit anything.
As for the Husky itself, it was completely clueless, with no awareness whatsoever that it might have hit the baseline of 20 attribute points for awakening.
To avoid further suspicion from the instructor, Li Miao quickly led the Husky back to the training field, waiting for the next round of battles.
Yao Chen was curious and brought over her fire-affinity beast, Huohuo.
"Mianmian, did your Husky take steroids or something? How did it get so big overnight?"
She gestured, measuring the Husky's head up to her knees: "It wasn't this tall before. Did you secretly feed it some kind of treasure?"
"No, I didn't."
Li Miao denied it flatly. "It just… got fatter, that's all. Really."
Yao Chen: "..."
Your dog "got fatter" and now looks like a full-grown adult while still being this lean!?
Yao Chen pouted. "Fine, keep your secrets. Anyway, I want Huohuo to spar with your Husky. What do you say? Up for it?"
Li Miao, recalling the Husky's unusually high defense for its age, hesitated. "Wouldn't that be… unfair?"
"Unfair how? Are you looking down on my Huohuo?"
Huohuo immediately bared its teeth and growled fiercely upon hearing this.
*Try looking down on me, I dare you.*
(The above was the Husky's friendly translation.)
Li Miao sighed.
"Fine. But you'd better be prepared."
Yao Chen thought she meant to prepare for the battle. She had no idea Li Miao was actually warning her to prepare for the inevitable emotional aftermath of defeat.
Sure enough, the moment Huohuo leaped onto the sparring platform, it was immediately smacked off by a giant *whack*.
Huohuo was stunned.
Huohuo started trembling.
Huohuo opened its mouth—
Yao Chen, panicking, immediately stuffed a handful of treats into its mouth.
"Good Huohuo, don't cry! A single loss doesn't mean anything. It's just a stepping stone on the path to future victories!"
"Please, please don't cry..."
Huohuo: "..."
It stared at its distressed master, utterly speechless.
*Who just got hit here, you or me?*
Li Miao awkwardly rubbed her nose. "I did warn you to prepare..."
Yao Chen sighed mournfully. "I didn't realize that was what you meant."
Li Miao gave a dry laugh and quickly dragged the Husky to another sparring platform while Yao Chen was still busy consoling Huohuo.
Their new opponent turned out to be A-Yu, who had been "humiliated" not long ago.
A-Yu angrily barked at the Husky: "Awoooooo!!"
*You heartless, family-abandoning scoundrel! Today, I'll make you pay!*
The Husky barked back just as fiercely: "Awooo!!"
*You're the heartless one, you freak!*
A-Yu: "Awooo!?"
*You're calling me a freak!?*
Husky: "Awoo!!"
*Yeah, what about it!? I'll say it again!*
A-Yu: "Awoo!"
*You insulted me!!*
Husky: "Awoo!"
*Yeah, what about it!?*
A-Yu: *Whimpering*
*Sniff… you actually insulted me...*
Tears welled up in A-Yu's eyes. With a dramatic "wang!", it leapt off the platform and immediately started pawing at Xiao Chen.
*Master, did you hear that?! It called me names!*
Xiao Chen: "..."
Li Miao: ?
*Can we not have a normal sparring session here?*
As Xiao Chen helplessly carried A-Yu away, the Husky was left alone on the platform, standing tall like an undefeated champion—
This wouldn't do.
The Husky's master set her sights on Hei Zai instead.
*For the sake of training points, Husky, you'll have to endure this.*
With that thought, Li Miao went to find Chen Bin.
Just as the Husky was basking in its "glorious victory," Hei Zai stepped onto the platform again.
Husky: "..."
*Are you for real!?*
*What's fun about bullying someone smaller!?*
Hei Zai, with its actions, proved that bullying the smaller was, in fact, very fun.
The Husky was smacked off the platform.
A blazing fury ignited in its heart—but this time, instead of running to Li Miao for comfort, it let out an indignant howl and jumped back up—
Because it realized Hei Zai's strikes felt *weaker*.
After a few more tests, it became clear: Hei Zai hadn't gotten weaker—*its own defense had gotten stronger!*
The Husky's ego instantly inflated.
*Of course.*
It! The **Chosen Dog!**
Such talent! Such power! Such—
**"HUSKY, ARE YOU AN IDIOT!? WHY ARE YOU JUST STANDING THERE TAKING HITS!? USE YOUR SKILLS, DAMN IT!"**
Li Miao was furious. **"I told you to fight, not stand there like a punching bag!!"**
**"STOP SPACING OUT!!"**
Husky: "..."
Its inflated ego instantly deflated.
Ears drooping, it whined pitifully at Li Miao.
Meanwhile, Hei Zai's gaze flickered with surprise.
It glanced at Chen Bin and, after receiving silent permission, increased its strength to **40%**.
**"THUD!"**
The Husky was smacked down again.
Hei Zai calmly licked its paw.
*This pup… it's* **hard.**
At 40% power, Hei Zai could easily send unbonded beasts into critical condition.
And yet, this Husky was completely unfazed, bouncing back like nothing had happened.
*What did that mean?*
It meant the Husky's base defense had **already reached awakening levels.**
But…
*Why hadn't it awakened yet?*
Hei Zai was confused. So was Chen Bin.
*What made Li Miao so confident that the Husky could self-awaken?*
The instructor didn't understand, but he decided not to interfere. There was still time before the rest of the beasts would begin awakening.
From then on, Li Miao and the Husky were either in battle or on their way to training.
As the "genius Husky" under Hei Zai's and the instructor's watch, their training intensity was **far beyond** their classmates'.
While others were envious, they also couldn't help but feel **pity.**
Because—training started at **6 AM**, with only a **30-minute break** at noon before resuming. Dinner was from **5:30 to 6 PM**, followed by more training until **9 PM.**
Such brutal intensity was hard for most to endure.
And yet, **Li Miao and the Husky never faltered.**
Not only that, Li Miao would often pester the instructor during the Husky's sparring sessions, extracting valuable information about beast-trainers and the wider world from him.