Beastmaster King

Limitless City #3, Pedestrian A’s personal room.

While chatting with Master Lin, Lu Ran returned to his room. During their conversation, Master Lin mentioned that debts didn’t need to be repaid urgently, echoing Dr. Gu’s laid-back attitude.

Lu Ran understood—maybe his friend really didn’t need those 50,000 crystal coins. But the real issue was that the Flawed Dragon Blood Crystal was still being held as collateral!

[Lu Ran: I’ll definitely repay it. A debt owed is a debt repaid. More debt? No problem.]

Half a year ago, he had lent three bucks to a classmate to buy ice cream, and that guy still hadn’t repaid him. Lu Ran was thoroughly disgusted. The fact that he hadn’t sent his swarm of mosquitoes to “assassinate” the guy was proof of his kindness.

[Master Lin: Alright then, it’s a good habit anyway. Good luck!]

[Lu Ran: Understood.]

Lu Ran figured it wouldn’t take long. With Captain Doofus’ strength, they should have no trouble in Beginner-level Secret Realms. Of course, some secret realms with specific requirements would be exceptions.

For instance, secret realms requiring familiar proficiency in swimming. Although Captain Doofus could manage basic dog paddling, carrying Lu Ran would be out of the question.

In short, by choosing the right secret realms and acquiring a few beastmaster skills and Trait Crystals, they could make a fortune.

Closing the chat with Master Lin, Lu Ran glanced at his friend’s ID, which he’d wanted to critique for a long time. He thought naming himself “Pedestrian A” was bold, but Master Lin’s ID in Limitless City was simply “Master Lin.” Another bold choice.

After saying it so many times, Lu Ran was getting confused, unsure whether he was actually calling his friend’s name or respectfully addressing him as “Master Lin.”

Oh well... he really is a blacksmith.

Inside his personal room, Lu Ran stared at the wall, deep in thought. He chose not to return to reality just yet. Time was tight. For the next half-month, unless something urgent came up, he planned to stay in Hell-level Secret Realms.

Time to work and pay off the debt! With that thought, he immediately approached the secret realm system, flipping through the various secret realm details.

[Name: Blazing Lightning Ruins]

[Level: Beginner]

[Difficulty: Hell]

[Entry Fee: 1,000 crystal coins]

“There’s a secret realm with a ‘Red Lightning Trait’ as a reward!”

After identifying this secret realm, Lu Ran teleported in without hesitation. He hadn’t bothered with an in-depth guide—just a few pieces of information from his conversation with Dr. Gu were enough. Captain Doofus’ strength was on another level now.

The Blazing Lightning Ruins was a forest wasteland, scarred by fire and lightning disasters. Even the natural resources were sparse, and most life forms had perished in the blaze.

However, a few creatures had survived, mutating due to the fires and lightning. These mutated creatures had awakened fire and lightning attributes, but their chances of survival were slim, as food was scarce and the ecological balance had been destroyed.

In the normal world, a beastmaster entering the Blazing Lightning Ruins would rarely encounter any creatures. But this secret realm preserved a moment in time when those mutated creatures still roamed the forest, making encounters with life forms more common.

[Mission: Defeat the leader of the Blazing Lightning Ruins.]

“Woof!”

Upon arrival, Lu Ran immediately summoned Captain Doofus. This was their third secret realm visit of the day, and Captain Doofus gave Lu Ran a surprised look. Lu Ran was a real hustler. Captain Doofus didn’t resist—it had just evolved and was itching for a fight.

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus raised its tail, scanning the surroundings for enemies.

“Wait, don’t rush. Let me test the Sword Sovereignty talent first,” Lu Ran said to Captain Doofus, surveying the withered, scorched trees and the ground crackling with red lightning.

Earlier, on Tranquil Island, Dr. Gu had given Captain Doofus only a rough assessment without a detailed examination. But as Captain Doofus’ beastmaster, Lu Ran needed to understand how Sword Sovereignty worked in different scenarios.

With that, he took out the Frosty Sky Greatsword and tossed it to Captain Doofus. As soon as Captain Doofus grabbed it, it felt a surge in all attributes, filled with strength.

At this point, Captain Doofus hadn’t unlocked the greatsword’s sealed form. Lu Ran glanced at the contract card.

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent (Intermediate-Champion)]

The unsealed sword form was at the Intermediate Champion level as well?

“Woof!”

Without prompt, Captain Doofus communicated its thoughts. Gripping the Frosty Sky Greatsword in its regular form gave less enhancement than holding it in its giant form.

“Although both are at the Intermediate Champion rank, there’s a difference in power!” Lu Ran nodded, realizing that the quality and form of the sword affected Captain Doofus’ species rank.

“Put down the Frosty Sky Greatsword and try this one.”

Lu Ran took out his Wind Slashing Sword and tossed it to Captain Doofus. Captain Doofus sighed but dropped the Frosty Sky Greatsword, grabbing the Wind Slashing Sword in its jaws. Lu Ran checked again.

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent (Low-Champion)]

This time, Lu Ran noticed that even a high-quality Wind Slashing Sword could elevate Captain Doofus to Champion rank.

This talent was indeed strong. After all, the Wind Slashing Sword only cost a few hundred crystal coins. A weapon costing just a few hundred crystal coins could elevate a familiar by an entire species rank... How could that not be powerful?

“Try this one.”

Lu Ran picked up the Frosty Sky Greatsword and casually hacked at a half-charred treasure tree, carving out an ugly wooden sword.

Captain Doofus stared at the wooden sword, pondering.

“Woof, woof, woof!”

“Just give it a try,” Lu Ran insisted.

Captain Doofus teared up but obediently picked up the wooden sword.

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent (Low-Champion)]

“Wow, even a rotten, non-transcendent wooden sword can boost it by a rank?”

Lu Ran was a bit surprised.

“This means that when Captain Doofus is at the Superior-Transcendent level, simply holding a sword, no matter how mediocre, raises its rank by at least one level.”

So that means that I don’t have to worry as much about weapon restrictions during the freshman competition. Low-Champion was more than enough.

Lu Ran smiled.

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus continued to share its impressions. The increase from holding the Wind Slashing Sword was noticeably greater than from holding the ragged wooden sword. Both got him to Low-Champion, but there was still a difference.

I get it. One gets you to the low end, while the other to the high end of the Low-Champion rank.

“By the way, does the Wind Blade you create boost your species rank?” Lu Ran looked at Captain Doofus, curious.

Hearing this, Captain Doofus quickly dropped the wooden sword and started forming a Wind Blade in its mouth. Soon, a white Wind Blade, sculpted from wind energy, appeared in its mouth.

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent (Low-Champion)]

Lu Ran smirked.

It could enhance itself with its own weapon!

This reduced worry over weapon restrictions.

There are always more solutions than problems!

Even though the freshman competition forbade normal weapons and equipment, Captain Doofus could still activate Sword Sovereignty.

“Captain Doofus, enhance the Wind Blade’s quality.”

Lu Ran prompted. Though he didn’t specify, Captain Doofus understood.

Compress the wind energy... add sword intent, perhaps?

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus was indeed clever!

“Awooooo!”

Captain Doofus’ gaze sharpened as wind energy surged, accelerating the Wind Blade’s compression with Haste.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!!!

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Whirlwinds swirled around. A massive amount of energy rapidly flowed into the Wind Blade. Doubling, tripling...

This time, thanks to the species rank increase, Captain Doofus’ teeth were much stronger than before. Even with the violent wind energy vibrating near its jaws, it remained completely unaffected.

Eightfold, ninefold, tenfold... Finally, Captain Doofus compressed the energy to its current limit, forming a tenfold blade equivalent to ten Wind Blades layered together, clenched in its mouth!

The sky-blue tenfold blade buzzed and hummed, continuously slicing through the air, as if it could effortlessly cut through the hardest metal in an instant.

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent (Low-Champion)]

Captain Doofus felt the enhanced stats from the tenfold Wind Blade exceeded those from the standard Wind Blade and the Wind Slashing Sword. But unfortunately, even this increase couldn’t elevate its rank to Intermediate Champion.

“Woof!”

“Blizzard Sword Intent,” Lu Ran prompted.

At this point, Blizzard Sword Intent had become one of Captain Doofus’ skills.

[Skills: Haste, Sword Qi, Wind Roar, Wind Blade, Gale Wings, Storm Slash, Blizzard Sword Intent (imbued with blizzard power, enhances sword weapon power or converts into aura to destroy enemy will)]

This was now Captain Doofus’ ace skill, equivalent to an advanced energy formation technique.

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus’ eyes gleamed coldly, pouring sword intent into the tenfold Wind Blade, which turned ice-cold and began emitting a chilling wind around it. Sword intent enhanced the Wind Blade, transforming it into a Blizzard Sword.

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent (Intermediate-Champion)]

This seals the deal!!!

Observing Captain Doofus’ transformation, Lu Ran’s heart started racing.

By wielding an intent-formed sword that combined Blizzard Sword Intent with a tenfold Wind Blade, Captain Doofus achieved the Intermediate-Champion rank, similar to holding the Frosty Sky Greatsword!

“Perfect!”

Don’t underestimate the difference between these ranks. Just look at the gap between Intermediate-Transcendent and Superior-Transcendent.

Most familiar species of the Intermediate-Transcendent rank were just dogs, cats, and the like before evolution. But at the Superior-Transcendent rank, you’d be looking at tigers, lions, and even elephants. The difference was substantial.

The same was true for Low-Champion and Intermediate-Champion. If anything, the gap was even larger.

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus looked back at Lu Ran, signaling that the Blizzard Sword still didn’t feel as powerful as the Frosty Sky Greatsword.

“So, both the Frosty Sky Greatsword and the Blizzard Sword can elevate you to the Intermediate-Champion rank,” Lu Ran remarked.

“Other swords, no matter how weak, will at least boost your rank to Low-Champion...”

Lu Ran now had a clear understanding. While the Frosty Sky Greatsword was impressive, it wasn’t necessarily the pinnacle of rare weapons. A top-tier rare sword might even elevate Captain Doofus to the Superior Champion rank.

And with a Treasure-grade sword, temporarily reaching Low King rank might not be out of the question for Captain Doofus. After running several tests, Lu Ran felt more confident.

While formed swords could activate Sword Sovereignty, forged swords were clearly more advantageous.

Formed swords consumed energy to create and required ongoing focus to control, with the enhancement from Sword Sovereignty only affecting species rank.

Forged swords, on the other hand, not only activated Sword Sovereignty but also came with intrinsic energy amplification and other unique abilities, effectively doubling the benefit.

The former provided convenience and cost savings, while the latter offered power and potential through investment. Lu Ran grew increasingly optimistic about Captain Doofus’s future. This species talent had tremendous potential.

“Awoooo! Awoooo!”

As Lu Ran and Captain Doofus continued their experiments, they completely forgot that they had entered the secret realm for a mission.

It wasn't until a creature presented itself that they remembered. Next to a charred tree, a dark red silhouette appeared. Lu Ran, still engrossed in conversation with Captain Doofus, paid the figure no mind.

[Name: Lynx]

[Attribute: Fire]

[Species Rank: Superior-Transcendent]

[Level: 10]

The creature let out two howls, but seeing no response from Lu Ran or Captain Doofus, it opened its mouth from a distance and unleashed a blazing column of fire. The scorching flames surged forward! This was Flame Breath, a basic fire-attribute projection skill.

The fiery column was about to land on Captain Doofus, but it remained still, not even bothering to dodge. With its skill level, Captain Doofus could easily gauge which attacks posed a threat and which did not.

For an attack like this, having achieved the Intermediate Champion rank, it considered dodging an insult to its species rank.

Boom!!!

The massive fire breath hit Captain Doofus, but the Gale Wind shroud enveloping its body split the flames, dispersing them. Clearly, the flames couldn’t even breach the Gale Wind’s protective layer; they were merely deflected.

Even if the skill could have breached the Gale Wind shroud, the worst it could do was singe Captain Doofus’ fur. Actually injuring its current physique was out of the question.

“Woo!”

Captain Doofus, bathed in firelight, narrowed its eyes into glowing red slits, turning to glare at the frightened feline.

Bang!

Captain Doofus leaped forward, charging head-on into the fire breath. With a single movement, it split the flame path in two, and as the flames dissipated, Captain Doofus’ sword slashed through, cleaving the 10th-level lynx in half.

“Woof!”

Holding the sword, Captain Doofus stylishly re-sheathed it from a distance. Against such a low-level opponent, it didn’t even need to use Sword Qi. Charging forward with the sword alone was more than sufficient, as the enemy would naturally split in two.

This way, the energy consumption was minimal, less than a fifth of what releasing Sword Qi would have required. The choice was clear.

For high-threat enemies, Captain Doofus would consider using ranged skills to ensure safety. After defeating the flame lynx, a large fire-resistant hide dropped to the ground.

Lu Ran picked it up and noted, “Material for fire-resistant clothing. Not worth much... While the main purpose is to make money from defeating creatures, it would be good practice for you to refine some skills as well.”

“Woof?”

“For example, try practicing advanced energy projection techniques, like controlling energy externally. Remember the sword control technique you wanted to master?”

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus’ eyes lit up, immediately fetching the discarded wooden sword.

Holding it in its tail, it tossed it into the air and then exhaled a gust of wind, attempting to control the sword with wind energy. Two seconds later, the sword spun in the air, then fell against a tree.

Its attempt was completely pointless and lacking in skill. Mastering the Haste Sword Control technique... would take a lot of work.