Chapter 13: Click

The ethereal blue fireball struck once again, slamming into the Giant Gate Crocodile’s steel-like armor. The protective layer cracked, faltering under the relentless assault. With a heavy crash, the beast collapsed to the ground, unable to rise again.

“The Giant Gate Crocodile has lost its combat ability. The little skeleton wins!” The referee, who had moved forward to inspect the situation, announced the outcome and raised his hand toward Mu Huiyue. “—The winner is Mu Huiyue!”

Click!
The small skeleton leapt into the air, its bony hands raised in a triumphant high-five with its Beast Master.

“Well fought!” Mu Huiyue grinned, her eyes sparkling. “As expected from my Eren.”

With the battle now over, the students in the audience didn’t leave. Instead, they lingered, chattering excitedly about the incredible fight they had just witnessed. The only one who had already disappeared was Lin Fei, who had been the first to see through the tide of battle and had slipped away without a word.

In stark contrast to the cheering crowd, Luo Song, who had lost the fight, stood there, utterly disheartened. It took him a long while to finally return the Giant Gate Crocodile to the Beast Master space, his hands trembling as he stared down at them, as if he couldn’t quite believe that he and the croc had really been defeated by Mu Huiyue and her just-awakened little skeleton.

A gentle hand landed on his shoulder, and when he looked up, he saw the face he’d been yearning for.

“Yixia…”

“You did your best, Luo Song. Keep pushing, and next time you’ll win,” Mu Yixia said softly, her voice warm and reassuring.

Before Luo Song could respond, she turned away and called out to Mu Huiyue, who was preparing to leave with her small skeleton.

“Big sister.”

Mu Huiyue turned and looked at her “sister,” whom she had only just met after crossing over.

It was impossible to deny how much Mu Yixia resembled her. If they were called identical twins, no one would doubt it. This, perhaps, was why Mu Tong had accepted Mu Yixia’s identity so readily—without a hint of suspicion that his wife might have betrayed him behind his back.

But despite their striking resemblance, their personalities were worlds apart. Mu Yixia was gentle yet unyielding, like a fragile blade of grass swaying in the wind—never giving in. On the other hand, Mu Huiyue was like the most radiant flower nurtured in a greenhouse, a force to be reckoned with, fierce and commanding.

Now, Mu Huiyue had gained a bit of the smoothness of a former corporate slave, but deep down, she didn’t despise her past fierceness. In a family like hers, carrying her father’s expectations had been a heavy burden. In fact, that very sharpness had been the perfect shield, protecting her from the pressure to conform.

This was the family dynamic that belonged to the old Mu Huiyue. The current Mu Huiyue no longer clung to her family, but if given the chance, she would still want to make amends for the regrets of her past.

She waited to hear what Mu Yixia would say to her. If it was an accusation, like blaming her for going too hard on Luo Song, Mu Huiyue would be ready to fire back with words the other wouldn’t expect.

“I’m sorry,” Mu Yixia hesitated before speaking, her first words being an apology, “I missed your appointment before. By the time I got to East Bay Park, it had already been sealed off by the Task Bureau.”

“I sent you messages, but there was no reply. If you need, we can meet again. We can even meet here at school.”

Hearing this, Mu Huiyue was slightly stunned. After rifling through her memories, she finally remembered that she had blacklisted Mu Yixia a long time ago. No wonder they hadn’t communicated—she had even planned to ask her about her awakening, but was prepared to meet in a quiet, moonless park for that.

Did she also blacklist Mu Tong? Mu Huiyue carefully thought about it and confirmed she hadn’t gone that far. In fact, Mu Tong hadn’t contacted her at all these past few days.

“No need,” Mu Huiyue shook her head. “I’ve already got the answer.”

“There’s something else,” Mu Yixia’s voice faltered for a moment before she continued, “Dad’s coming home this weekend. He specifically asked for you to come for dinner.”

“…I understand.” Mu Huiyue nodded, then turned to leave. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.”

Eren looked up at her Beast Master, merging into the shadows as black mist, following her away from the battle arena.

Mu Yixia stood still, feeling like her sister had changed somehow. In the past, if Mu Huiyue had acted like this—this almost humble demeanor—she would have been met with fury, and Mu Huiyue would have retorted with biting sarcasm.

“Yixia, don’t mind her.” Luo Song came up beside her, frustration in his voice. “Next time, I’ll definitely defeat Mu Huiyue, just you wait.”

Mu Yixia rolled her eyes inwardly, though her smile never wavered. She offered Luo Song a few encouraging words.

You could never defeat Mu Huiyue, she thought.

The only person who could defeat Mu Huiyue… is me.

---

After leaving the school, Mu Huiyue returned to her rented apartment near campus.

Though it was just a temporary place, the two-bedroom apartment had all the necessary amenities, enough for her and possibly an incoming pet beast to live comfortably.

Outside the door, several boxes of bottled milk and fresh fruits and vegetables were stacked up—her order from the Thunderstrike White Cow Farm, which she’d placed yesterday.

The farm had excellent quality, fast delivery—though it was pricey, that was no issue for Mu Huiyue anymore.

Click!
The small skeleton popped out from her shadow and hurried forward to help carry the milk crates inside.

Its strength had increased quite a bit. Though still just a thin little bone creature, it could now carry heavy crates about its size, wobbling forward with them.

Mu Huiyue smiled and patted Eren’s tiny skull, unlocking the door and moving the remaining boxes inside.

With fresh vegetables and milk available, she planned to make a creamy stew for dinner. The past few days, she had been eating at the dojo cafeteria—convenient but lacking in taste, and it was starting to make her feel disheartened.

She placed all the ingredients in the kitchen, sorting what needed to be refrigerated and leaving what she’d use tonight on the counter. Then, slipping on her apron, she began to wash the vegetables while humming a tune.

Eren, having helped with the milk, followed her inside. Mu Huiyue opened a bottle of the farm’s milk for Eren to drink, then lit the gas stove to heat up the pot.

Curious, Eren, clutching the milk bottle, tiptoed up to the stove.

The gas flame burned a blue hue, similar to its own phosphor fire. Eren extended a bony finger, mimicking the stove’s shape, creating a ring of tiny phosphor flames, forming a mini stove of its own.

“Ah, your control over the phosphor fire has improved, Eren,” Mu Huiyue smiled. “But you know, it won’t heat up a pot. You can’t cook with it.”

Phosphor fire wasn’t the kind of flame that could cook. It burned not with heat but with spiritual or soul damage—a powerful battle skill, but not useful for everyday life.

Click click
Eren retracted its hand in disappointment.

Not long after, Mu Huiyue finished her cooking, and the kitchen was filled with the enticing aroma of the creamy stew.

“Would you like to try, Eren?” Mu Huiyue served two portions.

Click!
Eren eagerly raised its hand, wobbling its bony legs as it patiently waited by the table for the dish to be served.

Skeletons, though not requiring food, relished the acknowledgment of being cared for. And this dinner, prepared by its Beast Master, was a feast filled with emotional warmth—more delicious than any meal it could ever consume.

Mu Huiyue watched with a grin as Eren eagerly devoured the stew, absorbing every drop into its black mist-like body without wasting a single bit.

She herself took a spoonful, letting out a satisfied sigh.

The ingredients were no different from those in her previous world. The milk from Thunderstrike White Cow, made from a legendary creature, was particularly delectable. This was the best creamy stew she had ever made.

For ordinary people, it would be impossible to digest the energy from extraordinary creatures, but for Beast Masters, it was just right.

Once they were both full, Mu Huiyue tidied up the kitchen, changed into her pajamas, and collapsed on the couch with Eren, completely exhausted.

Since coming to this world, she had been living on edge—never truly allowing herself to relax.

But now, back in the familiar solitude of her apartment, with Eren by her side, Mu Huiyue finally allowed herself to fully unwind, letting her mind rest for the first time in a long while.

Eren finished an entire serving of creamy stew, its black mist now heavy and weighed down beneath its leg bones, clutching the half-finished bottle of Thunderstrike Milk as it sipped slowly in Mu Huiyue’s arms.

Mu Huiyue lazily flicked on the TV, filling the empty living room with some background noise.

The current program was covering the regional tournament in Xingzhou. The championship battle had just ended, with the team from Xingzhou University’s Battle Department taking the crown.

The show, riding on the wave of excitement from the victory, invited the president of Xingzhou University for an interview.

“This year’s championship was extremely intense. Player Yin, who hails from a battle club, narrowly lost in the final match. This marks the tenth consecutive year that battle clubs have failed to win the regional championship. Some viewers believe this is evidence of the complete dominance of the academic system over battle clubs. What are your thoughts on this?” the host asked.

“There are many excellent players in battle clubs as well. Winning the regional championship isn’t everything. Our goal at Xingzhou University has never been limited to just regional championships. We aim for the national competition, and even the world tournament!” the president of Xingzhou University proclaimed passionately.

“With less than two years until the next world tournament, do you believe Xingzhou’s players will have a chance to compete?” the host asked with curiosity.

“Of course. Not only do we have the regional champion, but we will also have a super genius who will stun both Dayan and the world!” The president’s eyes gleamed with fervor. “I’m sure that with their arrival, Xingzhou will represent Dayan on the world stage!”

“This super genius… are you referring to Lin Fei, currently enrolled at Changning First Beast Master High School?” the host asked with a raised eyebrow.

…

Mu Huiyue recognized the name Lin Fei. In her memories, Lin Fei had always been a secret rival—an absolute ace on the school team, admired by everyone from the day they awakened as a Beast Master.

After all, in society, Beast Masters were revered, and no matter how many first-place exam scores Mu Huiyue had achieved, she couldn’t outshine Lin Fei’s victories for the school in various tournaments.

Lin Fei was a rare Beast Master with a mental-type affinity and a mental-type beast.

This type of power was similar to what Mu Huiyue considered as psychic abilities—capable of telekinetic feats and other mind-based control techniques. It gave Lin Fei a natural edge in battle, with a wide array of controlling, tricky moves.

The remainder of the interview was filled with the host and president praising Lin Fei in various ways. Bored, Mu Huiyue changed the channel, switching to a hit TV drama featuring extraordinary creatures as the stars.

At this point, Mu Huiyue didn’t feel much about Lin Fei. The mental affinity was tough to deal with, but not unbeatable. Even if she couldn’t match it right now, as her beasts grew in rank and she learned more advanced skills, she was confident she’d find a way to counter it.

What really caught her attention was the mention of the world tournament.

There were many world-class Beast Master tournaments, covering all sorts of industries, not just battles.

But when someone spoke of the “World Tournament,” it only meant one thing—the Global Beast Master Battle Competition.

Held once every five years, the World Tournament involved all independent nations on the planet, and even special secret realms ruled by extraordinary creatures. What made it stand out among all other competitions and drew the most global attention was the origin of the tournament—the Primordial Elf.

Yes, the mythical being said to be the origin of all extraordinary creatures. It was the same Primordial Elf from the legend of Count Xinglong, who recognized humanity and formed a contract that would forever change the relationship between humans and extraordinary creatures.

Forty years ago, the long-lost Primordial Elf reappeared, and, inspired by human battle techniques, founded the World Tournament in hopes of witnessing the bond between humans and extraordinary creatures once again.

Whoever passed the qualifiers would be granted entry into the Super S-Class Secret Realm, the Myriad Sea of Phenomena—a place where both Beast Masters and extraordinary creatures could experience tremendous growth and bring back rare cultivation resources. That was why the entire world flocked to the tournament, making it the most-watched global competition.

The World Tournament had already been held eight times. Dayan had won the first edition, with a legendary Beast Master who swept the entire competition with just one beast—a fantasy-blooded white tiger.

Sadly, Dayan had never won again, and each subsequent tournament had ended in disappointment.

Winning the world title and restoring Dayan’s glory had become a deeply rooted hope for every Beast Master from Dayan. With the next tournament just two years away, it was no wonder the president of Xingzhou was so fired up.

Mu Huiyue’s interest in the World Tournament wasn’t just because of her love for battle—it also had something to do with her past.

Her mother, Aisha, had disappeared during an expedition to the Myriad Sea of Phenomena during the World Tournament.