Astral Pet Store Chapter 5: Claiming the Pet
Previously on Astral Pet Store...
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
“Beginner’s mission completed. Host interface unlocked...”
“Pet store is officially open for business.”
“Establish [Currency Conversion] module. Establish [Chaos Spirit Pool for Incubation] module...”
“Beginner mission rewards issued. Collect now?”
The familiar system chimes pulled Su Ping back to reality. His eyes gleamed brightly when rewards were mentioned. “Collect!” he declared instantly.
“The host has gained elementary ‘Pet Identification Spell’.”
“Pet Identification Spell?”
Su Ping lingered for several more seconds, but no further notifications came. He stared blankly into the void with frustration.
“Is that it?”
After enduring three days of infernal agony, his sole gain was an elementary Pet Identification Spell? And it seemed utterly trivial.
Given the Federal Illustrated Book for All Pets, Su Ping found this reward pointless and unappealing; the skill held zero worth.
“The Pet Identification Spell issued by this system can help you gain insight into millions upon millions of types of Astral Pets. Your Illustrated Book for Pets cannot compare with this,” the system responded icily, evidently irked by Su Ping’s grumbling discontent.
Su Ping froze in shock.
To gain insight into millions upon millions of types of Astral Pets?
From his recollections, even the Federation’s most authoritative and exhaustive Illustrated Book for Pets cataloged data on merely a few million Astral Pet varieties, encompassing numerous extinct species.
Were all system-produced items inevitably superior?
Su Ping’s bitterness evaporated swiftly. Though not the direct power-up he craved, this remained an invaluable ability.
Moreover, should he venture into another relic like the Thunder Cloud Realm someday, this skill would let him recognize those long-forgotten ancient Astral Pets. After all, the Federal Illustrated Book lacked records for most of them.
Thrilled by his new acquisition, Su Ping yearned to experiment with it. Scanning his surroundings, he abruptly recalled the Lightning Rat.
“Where is that little guy?”
Su Ping dashed to the rear pet room. There, nestled in one of the ancient stalagmite arrays, the Lightning Rat slumbered deeply.
The brutal three-day regimen had drained the Lightning Rat completely. It had collapsed into profound sleep the instant it returned to this comforting spot.
Outwardly, little differed from three days ago. Merely a few extra strands of dark purple fur intertwined with the pale violet ones, and its frame had grown sleeker.
Yet, the subtle yet menacing and savage beastly aura emanating from the Lightning Rat made the Managarm in the neighboring stalagmite array tremble uncontrollably; it was visibly disturbed.
Seeing the Lightning Rat unharmed eased Su Ping’s worries. Though their contract was severed and telepathic links severed, three days of shared trials had forged a bond with the spirited creature.
Regrettably, it belonged to another. Return it he must, eventually.
As Su Ping sighed inwardly, a new notification flickered in his consciousness.
“Employ Pet Identification Spell. Yes or no?”
“Identify this little guy?”
Su Ping hesitated briefly before confirming yes.
Lightning Rat
Property: Astral Pet of the thunder family
Rank: Upper position of first grade
Combat Strength: 3.6
Aptitudes: Below average
Abilities Mastered: Lightning Speed, Thunder Flash, Thunder Shadow Image, Thunder Slash, Thunder Outerwear
Su Ping stared in astonishment.
Thunder Flash?
There it was, listed among the mastered abilities!
Had the Lightning Rat truly acquired this elite thunder family technique?
Su Ping reeled. He hadn’t witnessed the Lightning Rat unleash “Thunder Flash” again in subsequent fights. He’d dismissed it as an illusion. Unbeknownst to him, the feat was genuine!
How staggering that a ubiquitous, bottom-tier Lightning Rat from the Federation wielded “Thunder Flash”—a move even seventh- or eighth-grade thunder family Astral Pets rarely commanded! Spreading such a tale would brand him delusional!
“This little guy... is worth a fortune!”
Su Ping steadied his racing heart, though his gaze still burned with excitement.
A Lightning Rat proficient in “Thunder Flash” outvalued its kin by hundreds of times!
Not forgetting its additional skills.
Beyond the standard Lightning Speed shared by all Lightning Rats, “Thunder Slash” and “Thunder Shadow Image” marked it as elite-tier.
Laden with such formidable techniques, dubbing this Lightning Rat a legend was no overstatement.
Yet oddly, its aptitude read “below average.” Why so?
Detecting Su Ping’s puzzlement, the system clarified evenly, “The aptitude rating draws from data across every Lightning Rat born from the dawn of the endless chaos era to now. Host, the assessment is reliable.”
“All Lightning Rats...”
Su Ping fell silent in awe.
The Federation alone birthed uncountable Lightning Rats yearly, to say nothing of tallying back to the primordial chaos era.
Under those terms...
“Below average” already signified remarkable prowess for this Lightning Rat!
...
...
Su Yanying glanced upward. The sign for Pixie Pet Store loomed just ahead down the street.
While the sun blazed cheerfully, Su Yanying’s spirits sank into gloom and irritation.
She never foresaw such misfortune. The Pet Tournament preliminaries had boxed her into a desperate bind.
This yearly academy spectacle let students flaunt their prowess. Catching an Astral Pet master’s eye meant superior guidance and prep, burnishing credentials for Astral Pet Team recruitment!
Yet across three straight rounds, she’d clashed with powerhouse favorites. Her painstakingly nurtured Battle Pets lay battered, unfit for further combat.
Stalled at preliminaries?
Unthinkable!
Her family had shelled out a king’s ransom for an advanced pet healer to mend one Battle Pet.
Still, a single fighter wouldn’t suffice. That was her trump card.
She needed a sturdy frontline pet to bait the foe’s ace.
Were it not for academy rules barring month-old contracts from the tournament, she’d snag last-minute pets despite the mental toll and risks.
No alternatives remained save the Lightning Rat in the store’s boarding.
An ordinary low-rank Lightning Rat.
Utterly unremarkable.
She’d nearly discarded it, outgrown for her needs. Against late foes, it’d court disaster.
Thankfully, mercy stayed her hand from dissolving the contract outright. Thus, it stood as her sole eligible combatant.
Feebler, yes, but perfect for scouting adversaries.
“Anyone here?”
Su Yanying shoved open the door and stepped inside. A quick scan revealed an abandoned store, boss seemingly vanished.
“Closing shop?” Su Yanying mused. Lucky her timing.
“Yes?”
Su Ping caught the call and emerged swiftly from the pet room. A lovely girl stood there, surveying the premises.