Spirit Taming

The arena had the highest security out of all the places in Nebula city due to the tournament happening and the risks that the students were under. There was also the fact that the other cities had sent money to hire more guards. It was always an added bonus for the students since they knew that they would not have to worry about most dangers from the public.

There was always a risk that an assassin or another student would have problems with them. That was just how things worked in this world, Clark knew this well since he had to remain aware of his surroundings at all times. He had already ruffled some feathers when it came to the powerful and corrupt. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The reason this was so important was because Maria and Clark had seen a lot of guards as they walked in to the public areas of the arena to explore. They were sure that they didn’t need to see the matches for the time being since Clark had already spotted some insane opponents. They had a very good idea of who and what they were going to face later.

Most of the students were also memorized by the guards. Especially the more powerful guards who had specific training to defend them even if the smallest thing seemed wrong. Each city that hosted this tournament would make sure that their best were on patrol. If something happened, they would be held accountable and it would greatly harm their business and future. That Was why Maria and Clark felt eyes on them everywhere and also why many of the people who would normally rush to the students they idolized because of the battles held back.

"I think we have some fans. And by we, I mean you." Maria saw a few kids running around with parents buying things from the small stalls set up by many of the higher class merchants. Clark just gave them a little wave and heard the shouts of the dragon tamer waving at them.

He hadn’t experienced this before but he remembered his previous life and the idols that would grow. Music and fame were amazing ways to get what someone wanted. However, Clark knew that all came with a dark side. Those people attracted the worst of the worst. Drugs, corruption, and insanity. All of that could turn someone hard working in to a mess in the shortest time possible. And even worse, most people would leave them to rot after they had been sucked dry. There was a danger in fame that many didn’t know.

"See that? Those are healing merchants. They wander around and sell their healing goods. Isa made a note of them when she was mentioning who we should look in to if we saw them. They apparently have a group they formed to wander and heal. It sounds very honest and good but they also can be brutal when they hear of a rare healing beast that they want. But, we should stop and look at things." Clark knew that healing expertise was valuable to Maria because of Lit.

"Hello! Are either of your beasts injured? We can help you here." The woman that greeted them was wearing perfectly clean white robes. Many healers did this to show that they kept themselves clean. They made it their profession so they had to go the extra mile.

"No one is injured, I just thought it might be nice to hear a little about healers and such. My teammate here has a beast with some healing strength but the spiritual materials to help it grow are far and in between. I thought you might have some advice." Clark led with this, he believed that letting the healer’s ego swell would be more beneficial to getting something good.

"Then you came to the right place. As you can see behind us, we have five members here today. We are one of six locations in this city that our white robe healing society has purchased. There is a blue note beast, that is a rare sound type beast that is exceptional in healing through sound. It has light and sound affinity but did you know that sound is actually related to wind affinity?"

"It is the same with poison type healing beasts that many healers have. People fear them but when they learn that healing herbs are poisonous until processed by alchemists then their minds change. The poison has to originate somewhere, water, earth, light, and other energies make poison. We call them a branch energy that is a fusion of others. So what beast are you struggling with?"

The small ego boost that Clark had used was perfect. Maria wanted to giggle but bit her tongue. She knew that Clark had easily manipulated the woman at a glance just so that she could get a little more information from a full blown healer.

"Oh, just a spiritual and poison type beast. But using the branch knowledge I should be able to create my own materials?" Maria wasn’t as interested in this but saw a similar beast to hers and stopped asking more. Her eyes betrayed her as the healer saw the beast she looked at.

"That is a glow sting jellyfish. We were lucky to encounter them in a dungeon. We managed to capture five of them for one of our younger recruits. He is very happy to handle nearly all of the small wound healing and numbing with them. I strongly recommend them if you are looking to help with small wounds. Just know they are extremely weak." The woman was proud to show off her fellow healers. It was just how they worked.

"I wouldn’t say my beast is weak anymore. She used to be when she was just that but now, she is much better." Maria’s face wrinkled a little as she spoke. She wanted the others of the world to know that her beast was not weak. That her family was wrong to toss her aside like a worthless doll because she had a glow sting jellyfish as a beast.

"Umm... but they can’t even fight." The woman was thrown off by the change in Maria.

"As you see, they are weak right now? What if I made a bet with you then? If Maria can win a few battles next match we have, you tell us the location of the dungeon your white robe healing society found those in. I know it must be useful and kept hidden to a degree. If she loses, then I will make a substantial donation to your healing cause. I can even leave you the address of our inn, this is a bet backed by Nova academy of course." Clark saw the woman tense up.

She had recognized Clark. He had made a big splash. However, she was now faced with a very big head on situation. The top students of an academy were disagreeing with her. Years of experience proved she was correct. These little beasts were not strong enough to do anything in battle, but why would a genius student think differently? And how could one have this as a beast?

The implications of insulting an entire academy were also there. If their white robe healing society did not take abet and backed off in fear along with not upholding their side of a deal...well, it was certain that a few members of the society would be exiled. Potentially even offered up to someone as compensation.

"Of course we would like to take that bet. We can gladly help another healer rise to strength. I will bring it to my high healer and let them handle the matter. I do apologize, I may be busy now. If you need anything else please ask another of my fellow healers." The woman seemed like she was running very fast but it was really just to contact a superior since she had just been put on the spot.

"That went better than I thought. I was hoping to see a few unique beasts but that was more worthwhile. As soon as I saw five glow sting jellyfish I knew we had something good." Clark walked away with some pep in his step.

"You made her run right in to your trap. You know that you will win that bet because no one thinks my Lit can fight." Maria felt that Clark was a little bit of a devil. He had made a dangerous deal. However, he had also procured a way for Lit and her midnight eel to get stronger just by resting in the taming space with the sea serpent’s blood as nourishment.

"You pale bastard! You think you’re so great because you can’t even walk through the sunlight?! You are just afraid to feel the heat!"

"Says the hot blooded Brat that thinks everything has to revolve around him because you have only ever let your brain cook under the sin!"

The commotion was loud enough to attract a decent few eyes and ears. Especially Clark’s. " I think we found lunar and solar academy."