Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 5: The Beast Mastery Codex

One minute passed.

Her mother spoke a bit louder than normal, yet kept her face serene: “I’m going to the restroom.”

“Turn left ahead, and then right at the end,” the staff member answered.

Her mother gave a nod and started heading right with her step.

“Ma’am, it’s actually to the left,” the staff member called out in reminder.

Her mother’s back went rigid briefly, before she pivoted left like nothing occurred.

Qiao Sang found it funny and suppressed her emerging grin.

She shifted her focus back to the Fire Fang Dogs.

Qiao Sang observed the Fire Fang Dogs buzzing with vigor and endless activity; none stayed put quietly.

No wonder novice Beast Masters frequently picked pets such as the Fat Dove…

She couldn’t resist inquiring, “Do you have any Fire Fang Dogs with a quieter temperament?”

“Actually, we have many other pets in our facility,” the staff member replied diplomatically.

Qiao Sang got the hint right away.

Though new to being a Beast Master, she possessed an adult’s maturity and figured she wouldn’t get overwhelmed by a feisty pet like a typical 15-year-old.

With that in mind, she resolved to pick a Fire Fang Dog that simply appealed to her visually.

“Can I see that one?”

Qiao Sang spotted the Fire Fang Dog repeatedly charging at a tree—not wildly, but with deliberate power.

She figured it targeted itself, not the tree.

After all, no one bashes a tree pointlessly.

“Of course,” the staff member agreed.

She sounded a sharp, resounding blast from the metal whistle around her neck.

Every Fire Fang Dog halted their antics, directing gazes her way and stopping all destruction.

Some cocked their heads.

“Yah?”

With flames out of the way, the staff member stepped into the Fire Fang Dog enclosure and lifted the selected one.

“Yah?”

The Fire Fang Dog blinked in bewilderment, its ear-flames flickering.

The Fire Fang Dog was set before Qiao Sang.

This petite canine beast had fiery red fur streaked with black and an orange crest atop its head.

The one in front of her measured roughly 60 cm in height, smaller than its peers.

A recent bruise marked it from the tree collision, and its dark eyes gazed up moistly, inviting a pat.

Unlike its hot-headed kin, this Fire Fang Dog appeared quite pitiful.

In Qiao Sang’s imagination sprang a scene of a frail Fire Fang Dog bullied, starved of food leading to poor health, desperately training against odds.

That tree-bashing must be practice for a unique move.

Maybe Flame Impact or similar.

“This Fire Fang Dog is the youngest here, just over a month old,” the staff member clarified.

That works perfectly. Plenty of Beast Masters love starting from the egg for deeper bonds and rapport.

Qiao Sang had pondered getting a pet egg earlier but scrapped the thought fast.

School remained a factor, and lugging an egg to class screamed trouble and danger.

Plus, leaving it home alone while her mother worked felt too risky.

Qiao Sang knelt and softly petted the Fire Fang Dog’s head. It narrowed its eyes in bliss, red tail swishing happily.

It acted remarkably docile.

The plush fur under her fingers delighted Qiao Sang more by the second.

Gazing into the Fire Fang Dog’s eyes, she smiled and asked, “Are you willing to come with me?”

The staff member’s face showed subtle unease. This Fire Fang Dog had a nasty streak.

Leveraging its baby status, it stirred chaos and scrapped with fellow Fire Fang Dogs constantly.

Elder Fire Fang Dogs noted its fresh birth, lack of flame skills, and immature claws.

They humored it, sometimes faking losses. It grew cocky, believing itself invincible and ever bolder.

As an expert receptionist, she gauged customer preferences and pet needs sharply.

This girl sought a calmer Fire Fang Dog clearly.

No mild ones existed here.

Weighing the commission on this pup against her son’s school fees, she chose silence.

The Fire Fang Dog grasped the question’s intent.

Of course, it yearned to escape.

“Yah!”

The Fire Fang Dog nodded gravely and offered its plump paw.

Qiao Sang paused in surprise before clasping the paw.

Things progressed far smoother than anticipated…

Thus, girl and dog sealed their pact.

…

Human-extraordinary creature contracts form via the Beast Mastery Codex.

The Beast Mastery Codex links the pair intimately as a conduit. Typically, success demands mutual consent.

Yet contracts can form post-total victory over a helpless extraordinary creature too.

This risky path demands high intimacy to prevent rebellion; only elite Beast Masters manage it.

A robust brain domain and potent Beast Mastery Codex ensure resistance fails against unbreakable bonds.

Now, Qiao Sang linked to her brain domain.

Her Beast Mastery Codex lay dormant there—thin as an envelope despite the name, holding just a blank sheet.

From her readings, a newborn Beast Mastery Codex shines white with one contract page.

At 10% brain domain growth, it grays, doubling contract space to two pages.

Using the manual’s gesture, Qiao Sang formed the seal before her.

Her brain domain’s Beast Mastery Codex stirred, unfurling its lone page.

A white glow converged overhead the Fire Fang Dog, crafting a petite circular star array.

Spotting a Beast Master’s rank simply? Check contract or summon light color on the pet.

Like the Codex, summon arrays’ hues denote rank.

Still, it’s mere guidance—without matching pet power, Alliance exams prove tough even post-awakening.

The star array’s radiance enveloped the Fire Fang Dog’s head. It peered up curiously, offering no fight.