Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

"Legendary dragon?"

"It's probably just an average dragon."

Asher blurted out this thought without hesitation.

What he didn't expect was that Catworm, instead of getting angry, seemed even more excited, with its eyes lighting up.

'Yes, yes, yes!'

'It's the dragon!'

'Dragon! Perfect.'

Catworm's hearing had evidently evolved to only register keywords like "@%...&*#￥ dragon."

Asher sighed, patting Catworm's head.

Fine, fine.

It's his child. What can he do but indulge it?

Thanks to Catworm's interruption, Little Raven momentarily forgot about the nearby Gale Spirit Cat.

The Gale Spirit Cat quietly, oh-so-quietly, crept behind Professor Hugo, signaling desperately with its eyes: 'Quick! While that bird isn't paying attention, recall me!'

The cat didn't want to face an beast it couldn't beat, especially one it had a grudge against.

But Professor Hugo pretended not to understand, smiling as he stroked the sleek, shiny fur of the Gale Spirit Cat.

Meanwhile, the security team captain, who was handling the unconscious man suspected of stealing beasts, was staring at Asher and his pets with an expression that was a mix of speechlessness and incomprehension.

The burly man no longer suspected Asher of being a terrorist.

What terrorist would be this childish?

His gaze shifted to the unconscious man on the ground, and his expression turned serious.

"Tie him up first… If what they said earlier is true, there might be abilities we don't know about hidden on him."

With a wave of his hand, two people immediately stepped forward and efficiently tied the unconscious man.

The man showed no signs of waking, likely due to the excessive amount of Charm Fragrance used by the Little Charm Fox.

For now, he would be taken away.

"You two…" The burly captain turned to Asher and Professor Hugo, his brows furrowing with a touch of hesitation.

Until the identity of the unconscious man was confirmed, Asher and Professor Hugo couldn't be completely ruled out as suspects.

At this moment, Lara stepped forward.

"Tiger Bro, this is one of my bosses, Asher. You've probably heard of his name." She winked at him.

"Why would I know your boss… Wait… Asher?" Tiger Bro froze for a moment. "That name sounds familiar…"

As he spoke, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on him. His finger trembled as he pointed at Asher.

"Don't tell me you're that… that… the one from New Year's Eve…"

Asher: "..."

It figures.

New Year's wasn't even a month ago, and the show was still being replayed. His name had been mentioned repeatedly.

Most people wouldn't associate him with the Asher that Professor Damien publicly thanked. But with a little nudge and given his current notoriety…

"Hehe!" Lara grinned. "Yep, that's him, Tiger Bro! Now you can relax, right?"

"If you're still uneasy, exchange contacts with my boss. You can always reach out to him directly if something comes up."

Tiger Bro's furrowed brows relaxed.

"I'll take your word for it. Anyone important enough to get a public thanks from such a heavyweight professor can't be a bad person."

Reputation and connections really did come in handy.

Asher was experiencing firsthand the convenience brought by fame.

Although this was just a small example, it was undeniably useful when needed.

"But this guy…" Tiger Bro looked at Professor Hugo. "The reason this man passed out is mostly due to his Little Charm Fox."

He glanced at the languid Little Charm Fox lying lazily in Professor Hugo's arms, its tail swishing indifferently. It didn't look the least bit dangerous.

Then he looked at the bound, unresponsive man on the ground. Hmm.

He might've been drained dry in his dreams.

Professor Hugo chuckled. "I'm Professor Hugo, a professor of extraordinary beast research in this city. You can verify my identity with the Beastmaster Alliance. If you need any further information, feel free to contact me."

With Asher and Professor Hugo's identities revealed, Tiger Bro's suspicions significantly decreased, even if he didn't completely trust them.

The next steps would depend on what the man said when he woke up.

"Alright, you two can go." Tiger Bro nodded, not stopping them from leaving.

Asher glanced again at the Moonlight Eagle fledgling and the Bakeneko's condition.

Thankfully, the two pets seemed fine overall, though their dazed eyes suggested they'd been through something.

Asher patted their heads, ignoring the jealous stares from his own pets.

Whatever that man wanted with the Bakeneko and the Moonlight Eagle, it couldn't have been anything good. At least they were safe now.

As Asher prepared to leave, Lara caught up to him.

"Boss, are you here for work or leisure? Maybe we can head back to Bluewind together tomorrow."

"...Classes start tomorrow, don't they?"

Was she planning to delay her return until the last possible moment?

Seeing his confusion, Lara sighed, her big ears drooping in frustration. "Ugh, I have no choice. It's so hard working to support myself."

Knowing her usual workaholic tendencies, Asher wasn't surprised she'd taken up a part-time job here.

"I'm here for other reasons. I probably won't head back for another day or two," Asher replied.

The main task was to specifically record the data of the rabbit-dog after its evolution, so that the encyclopedia could be updated.

Although, with his innate skill, he could observe the rabbit-dog's new evolution path when he went to Professor Hugo's laboratory tomorrow.

But observing and evolving were two entirely different concepts.

If the rabbit-dog's new evolution path turned out to be as complex as the little fire fox or the little raven, with multiple processes and steps, even knowing the new evolution path would still require a lot of time to complete the evolution.

In that case, Asher would need to stay in Thousand Springs City for a longer period.

Lara nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, boss, see you!"

"I'll send you a message once the detailed investigation results are out, okay?"

After saying that, Lara ran towards Tiger Bro. With her fluffy ears and an excitedly swaying big tail, she successfully blended into... the group of pet beasts.

Asher: "...Ahem."

"Who would have thought that a simple trip to the amusement park could lead to such a surprising little episode? Truly unexpected."

Professor Hugo, having exited the amusement park and removed the safety locks from his pet beasts, finally recalled his two pets. With a teasing tone, he chuckled.

"But it was quite fun, I must admit," Professor Hugo said with a bright smile.

Asher: "If possible, I'd prefer fewer incidents like this."

He really didn't want to be the kind of accident-prone person who caused trouble wherever he went.

"Haha," Professor Hugo couldn't help but laugh, his golden hair gleaming once again.

He patted Asher's shoulder and said heartily, "Today was such a pleasure, Little Professor Asher. I'm really looking forward to seeing your expertise in your professional field."

"We've scheduled the visit to the lab for around 10 a.m. tomorrow. Does that work for you, Little Professor Asher?"

Asher nodded indifferently.

'A little earlier would be fine, too.'

But if he could get more rest, he certainly wouldn't refuse.

In this cold season, whether it was getting out of bed or leaving a warm indoor space, it required a fair amount of courage.

After agreeing on the time, Asher returned to the hotel where he was temporarily staying.

Just as Professor Hugo had mentioned before dragging him out for fun, the pet food and miscellaneous items Professor Hugo had ordered at the mall were now loaded onto an automatic mechanical trolley, parked at Asher's door.

Opening the door and waving his hand, the trolley automatically transported everything into his room.

"High-grade bird pet food, high-grade feline pet food, high-grade dragon-type pet food..." Asher sifted through the piled-up supplies on the trolley. The quantities were substantial.

Even the dragon-type food he had casually mentioned earlier was included—a full month's supply.

"Not cheap, but it all depends on whether Little Raven and Cat-worm like it or not." Saying this, Asher released Little Raven and Cat-worm, placing the opened portions of the three types of food in front of them.

Only one portion was placed before Little Raven.

Two portions were placed in front of Cat-worm.

Little Raven: (▼皿▼#)

'Favoritism!'

'The Beast Master is biased!'

'Didn't you say you loved birds more?'

Little Raven couldn't even bother tasting the new food. It went from a hawk to an owl in anger, puffing up roundly, every feather on its body bristling.

Cat-worm: 'Eh heh heh~'

"Chirp! Chirp!"

"Chirp-aaah!"

'Heh heh heh~ Sorry, big sis, but the dragon's arrival has stolen the Beast Master's affection...'

Before Cat-worm could finish speaking, Little Raven struck down with its two large, two-meter-long wings, viciously beating it.

Cat-worm scrambled around, holding its head.

However, Little Raven, having figured out Cat-worm's abilities, easily caught up with it, resolutely not giving Cat-worm the chance to slip into the shadows.

Little Raven and Cat-worm dashed about the hotel room.

In the air swirled... well, Cat-worm didn't shed fur, only had scales.

Asher watched the scene with a helpless smile, shaking his head.

'Sigh~'

The way pet beasts interact at home is truly a shared trouble for every Beast Master.

Fortunately, after running around for a while, the two little ones stopped on their own.

Little Raven once again used its strength to demonstrate its status in the household.

Cat-worm?

Continued being Little Raven's little follower obediently.

Asher's face was filled with a helpless smile.

But he didn't intervene in the dynamics between Little Raven and Cat-worm.

Unless it reached a point where things got completely out of hand, he believed it was better to let the "children" resolve their issues on their own. Parental interference often only worsened relationships.

Just then, his phone rang. It was a message from Lara, and Asher turned around to check.

Seeing that the Beast Master wasn't helping and had even turned his back as if to see nothing, Cat-worm nearly chirped a tearful protest.

Cat-worm: *Aggrieved but must stay silent.*

But when it looked down at the two portions of food in front of it, Cat-worm instantly perked up.

(￣～￣)

'Hmph!'

'Even if Big Sis beats me up, I'll just eat away the frustration!'

'Eat, eat, eat!'

'Eat madly!'

Cat-worm devoured its portions in huge bites. In less than three minutes, both portions were gone.

By then, Little Raven, savoring each bite, had barely finished a third.

Little Raven: "?"

Cat-worm: ￣﹃￣

'Heh heh heh~'

'Big Sis's portion looks tasty too... Can the dragon have a bite? Just one bite?'

Seizing a moment when Little Raven wasn't looking, Cat-worm suddenly darted in, its round head diving forward. In one big gulp, it ate half of Little Raven's food.

Little Raven: o(▼皿▼メ;)o

'You're dead, you little punk!'

An enraged Little Raven was ready to go all out!

"Calm down, calm down." Asher, now sweating bullets, stepped in.

He had just said the little ones had some sense.

Goodness.

In the blink of an eye, they were fighting again.

What did this prove?

Whenever possible, never leave your pet beasts unsupervised, or who knows what chaos they'll create.

After figuring out what happened, Asher, both amused and exasperated, prepared another portion of food for Little Raven and placed it in front of it.

"Alright, alright. This time, it's the younger sibling's fault. I'll make it apologize to Little Raven, okay?" Asher said, gently patting the tuft of feathers sticking up on Little Raven's head.

Little Raven: ╭(╯^╰)╮

'Still angry!'

'Super angry!'

Asher glanced at the now-quiet Cat-worm and felt a wave of helplessness.

'Now you act all obedient?'

'Then why were you so mischievous earlier?'

Cat-worm: ￣ω ￣

'Don't ask.'

'Even the dragon doesn't know why!'

Asher: "..."

"Keep making excuses. Let's see if I buy it."

He was speechless.

Asher didn't even know where to begin.

"Just say you've got a bad habit of stealing food, and maybe I'll believe you," he said, flicking Cat-worm lightly on the forehead.

Not hard.

But Cat-worm immediately looked pitiful.

"Chirp, chirp!"

"Chirp-aah!"

'The dragon was just curious!'

'It just wanted to taste!'

'The Beast Master is biased!'

Cat-worm wailed.

Seeing the teary Cat-worm, Little Raven also began to protest.

'My food was eaten!'

'Why is she the one crying?'

Asher had a headache. A big one.

He sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, placing the two little ones on either side of him.

He ruffled Little Raven's tuft, then rubbed Cat-worm's horns, pinching the nape of its neck.

"That's not okay," Asher said gently, afraid of scaring his little companions, but his tone was firm.

"Whether Little Raven or Cat-worm, you're both my partners. My family."

"And you're family to each other too."

Asher didn't judge whether what Little Raven and Catworm did was right or wrong. That was something they needed to reflect on themselves. All he could do was to remind them of the bond they shared.

If nothing unexpected happened, in the coming years, decades even, they would remain closely connected to him as their Beast Master.

Until the end of Asher's life.

"Take today's incident, for example." Asher lightly tapped the two antennae on Catworm's head.

"If you weren't full, or if you wanted to see how tasty your sister's food was, you should have come to me. I'd have opened another pack for you."

"Not lunged in and eaten half of your sister's food in one bite. Now tell me, did you do it on purpose?"

Catworm's ears drooped, and its expression carried a hint of guilt.

'On purpose... just a little bit.'

'Just a teeny tiny bit!'

'Who told Big Sis to bully the dragon today!'

'The dragon was just taking a little revenge!'

Catworm pitifully glanced at Asher, then at Little Raven with the same pitiful eyes.

Asher didn't say a word.

Little Raven didn't even glance at Catworm, carrying its food and turning its back on it, with its tail feathers facing Catworm's direction.

Catworm: QWO

'Crying. Dragon is really about to cry!'

"Since Catworm made a mistake, we need to punish it, don't we?" Asher looked at Little Raven's angry back with amusement, then cleared his throat and said in a serious tone.

Little Raven, gracefully eating, slowed its movements, as if listening to Asher.

Asher pretended not to notice Little Raven's reaction and continued.

"Hmm… Since it stole its sister's food, Catworm shouldn't be allowed to eat for a whole day. How about that?"

Catworm: ｡⁠:ﾟ⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠`⁠;⁠)ﾟ⁠:⁠｡

'No food for a day?'

'Might as well not live!'

'Dragon can't survive this!'

Catworm burst into tears.

"Chirp… chirp chirp…"

'Fine… fine…'

But it didn't argue against Asher's punishment.

"Chirp chirp… chirp howl…"

'A dragon owns up to its actions. This time, the dragon was wrong…'

Just as Catworm hung its head and wept, Little Raven angrily turned around. It stopped eating, strutted towards Asher with determination, and spread its wings aggressively, slapping Asher and Catworm on either side.

￣へ￣

'Hmph!'

'Bird has spoken!'

'Bird is no longer angry!'

Then Little Raven quickly turned back around, pretending nothing had happened, and resumed eating its food in big bites.

Asher smiled.

The crying Catworm froze.

"Chirp… chirp howl?"

'What does Big Sis mean by this...?'

Little Raven raised its head, looking at Asher with its teary, almost smudged eyes. Strangely, those unfocused eyes still managed to accurately convey a sense of confusion.

Asher rubbed Catworm's head and its antennae hard, speaking in a voice that seemed quiet but was sure to be overheard by Little Raven. "Your sister means she's done scolding you and doesn't want me to punish you anymore."

Catworm: "!"

It looked at Little Raven and saw its body stiffen suddenly.

Catworm: *Blossoming joy*

The next second, its watery eyes sparkled brightly.

"Chirp chirp!"

"Chirp howl!"

'Big Sis, Big Sis!'

'Let's cuddle!'

Catworm leaped at Little Raven, rubbing against it affectionately.

Little Raven seemed to push it away in disgust, but in reality, it didn't use any strength.

Asher thought: 'With the power gap between Little Raven and Catworm, if Little Raven wanted to shake off Catworm, she ould do so effortlessly.'

'So is this disdain or feigned resistance?' Asher chuckled, watching the relationship between his two pets improve.

His mood was great.

A beautiful day starts with family harmony.

Even when Lara called that evening to report what had happened during the day, Asher wasn't very angry.

His good mood was so obvious it could be felt through the phone.

———

[On call with Lara]

"You sound like you're in a great mood, Boss! Did something good happen?" Lara asked curiously.

"Let's stick to business. You said earlier that person woke up?" Asher interrupted her.

Otherwise, their conversations often wandered off-topic. It was better for him to ask directly and have her answer.

"What's the deal with his ability?"

Asher was most concerned about this.

How did he make Professor Hugo's Gale Spirit Cat suddenly fight with Little Raven? How was that possible?

To manipulate a contracted beast to disobey its Beast Master and even seem controlled by someone else?

"Don't get me started." Lara sounded exasperated. "Boss, you wouldn't believe the chaos after that guy woke up. At least a third of our security team's beasts were restrained."

Asher: "?"

This sounded like quite the story.

"I'm exaggerating a bit, but three or four beasts did act like they were drunk, ignoring their Beast Masters and fighting with other beasts."

"Can you believe it?"

"Turning on their own teammates? Even temporary alliances shouldn't fall apart like that... It was a mess."

"Luckily, we pinpointed the issue later. That guy's talent is hypnosis."

'What?'

'Hypnosis?'

'What kind of hypnosis is this?'

Asher's mind filled with countless inappropriate and appropriate thoughts.

Cough.

Clearing his mind, Asher asked, "Hypnosis... There must be limitations, right? Otherwise, how could we have captured him?"

"There are limitations. First, it only works on beasts. Aggressive or highly vigilant ones are harder to hypnotize and require prolonged contact. Even after hypnosis succeeds, he can't control them. At most, he makes them see others as enemies or puts them in a dazed state. Both effects are time-limited—about ten minutes for redirected aggression and thirty for dazing."

"There are also many other conditions... Apparently, he doesn't fully understand it himself. Often, it's up to chance."

It sounded like a complex and underdeveloped ability.

But if refined, it might yield surprising results.

"What was he trying to do by hypnotizing the Bakeneko and the Moonlight Eagle chick into a dazed state?" Asher asked another question.

On the other end, Lara paused.

Thinking she hadn't heard him clearly, Asher repeated his question.

"To sell them."

Asher: "?"

He was drowning in confusion.

With such a rare talent, and the potential to be a Beast Master, why resort to something so stupid?

It was so easy to get caught.

Stealing beasts... Again, the consequences were clearly outlined in the law.

"I don't believe you're serious."

"I knew you wouldn't. But we asked him several times, and that's what he said," Lara replied helplessly. "Tiger Bro and the amusement park manager were so shocked they couldn't speak."

"If he needed money, as someone awakened with Beast Master potential, countless legitimate opportunities were available. With even a bit of effort and the state's support, earning money would've been easy."

Asher and Lara knew this well.

Their own circumstances hadn't been great either, yet they weren't struggling.

Asher's situation wasn't the best benchmark.

But what about Lara? She worked hard through school and took on multiple part-time jobs.

And because she was a Beast Master, her pay was quite generous.

Why did so many ordinary people envy those with Beast Master potential?

Because awakening this ability meant having a brighter path forward, regardless of one's background.

The journey to the top was dauntingly far, but improving one's life was entirely achievable with effort.

This wasn't a motivational cliché; it was a reality rooted in how resources were allocated in society.

"He awakened mid-last year," Lara said. "He'd already dropped out of high school and taken the wrong path, surviving by swindling ordinary people. He didn't expect to awaken Beast Master potential at 21."

Asher was surprised.

Twenty-one?

That was pushing the age limit.

Such cases weren't unheard of, but they were rare.

"When he discovered his innate skill was hypnosis, he even considered… well…" Lara clicked her tongue and skipped over the topic. "Anyway, he experimented with his ability, found it didn't work on humans but only on transcendent creatures, and was really angry about it."

"Then, egged on by his scammer buddies, he decided to go big."

"Wild beasts were too wary, and he didn't have time to bond with them, so they targeted breeding facilities and nurseries."

"But he couldn't get hired."

Breeding facilities and nurseries are lucrative, stable jobs.

Even for Beast Masters, they hire experienced professionals.

You can't just waltz in and get hired.

"Eventually, he wandered through several cities and finally targeted Wanyuan City's amusement park, which shelters defective beasts ."

"Every winter and summer break, the park hires temporary workers."

"Although he hadn't contracted any beasts, he marketed his talent as a calming ability for beasts. Since the park's vetting process for temp workers wasn't stringent, he slipped in."

The rest is history…

Asher was at a loss for words.

"Didn't he know those creatures had defects? Even if he managed to smuggle them out, no one would buy them."

If any Beast Master wanted to contract those creatures, they wouldn't be in the park in the first place.

Lara: "Exactly. And they couldn't have escaped anyway. Every creature working in the park has a chip implanted in their outer layer. If they leave, alarms go off, and catching him would've taken no time at all."

"But that would've caused a huge fuss. The management was glad the issue was resolved in-house."

"Let's not talk about brainless, lazy scammers anymore," Lara said, wrapping up the park story. She then changed the subject: "The park's manager wants to thank you in person, boss. They even prepared some money as a token of gratitude. What do you think?"

Asher refused outright.

Forget about the in-person thanks.

"As for the money... use it to take better care of the park's beasts. Pay extra attention to the Bakeneko and Moonlight Hawk cub," Asher said.

If he were still broke, he might have accepted.

But now, with the NY City Beast Master Alliance's allowance, money wasn't an issue.

"Alright, I'll let them know later," Lara agreed. "Didn't expect you to be so kind, boss."

Asher chuckled.

Kind?

Not really.

It was just a small effort.

He didn't explain further.

Better to let Lara keep her optimistic misunderstanding.

And hopefully, the Bakeneko and Moonlight Hawk cub won't encounter more brainless scumbags in the future.

Let's not forget, beasts also get exhausted from all the unnecessary trouble.

———

The Next Day.

Professor Hugo personally drove to the hotel to pick up Asher and head to the laboratory.

"My lab is located in the outskirts of Thousand Springs City. It's a bit far from here. If you're feeling sleepy, Little Professor Asherim, you can take a nap in the car," Professor Hugo said with a smile to Asher, who was seated in the passenger seat.

Asher shook his head. "No need, I'm already awake."

However, because the car's heater was too warm and the music too soothing, the hour-and-a-half drive left Asher drowsy.

As the car pulled into the laboratory garage and the door opened, the cold wind rushed in, jolting Asher wide awake.

Asher: "..."

What a rough start. He'd just confidently claimed he wasn't sleepy, only to nearly fall asleep.

Shaking his head to clear it, Asher still looked a bit groggy.

"Hah!"

At that moment, a scoffing sound came from the side.

A sharp, mocking voice rang out: "Hugo, you've really fallen. You brought along this wet-behind-the-ears little punk? Are you seriously counting on him?"

"What can a snot-nosed kid like this possibly know?"

Asher snapped to full alertness.

Oh, wow.

It had been a long time since he'd encountered someone this obnoxious.

The overly harmonious and friendly atmosphere of this field had almost made Asher believe the whole world was full of good people.

Especially after being publicly thanked by high-ranking figures, everyone treated him with nothing but respect and compliments. Terms like "rising star" and "genius" had practically become his nicknames.

But someone openly insulting him to his face? That was rare indeed.

He never expected to run into such a face-slapping plotline.

Asher felt a thrill of excitement.

He turned his head to look at the speaker.

The first thing he noticed was a flashy red sports car. The person opposite wasn't unattractive—one might even generously describe him as "moderately handsome," thanks to the halo of wealth surrounding him.

Unfortunately for him.

There were two even more handsome men present.

Asher and Professor Hugo.

Asher was young, and while his style was different from the other man's, one could at least say they had their own unique appeals.

But comparing the man to Professor Hugo… Both shared a peacock-like flair for showing off, but Professor Hugo exuded a bright, confident charm and impeccable elegance.

The man across from them, however, came off as greasy and cringeworthy.

Especially when standing in the same space as Professor Hugo.

It was like a dimensional downgrade. The contrast was painfully stark.

The handsome seemed more handsome.

And the moderately handsome? A mere human grease stain.

Catching the meaning in Asher's gaze, Franklin: "!"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Franklin barked, veins popping on his forehead as he gritted his teeth. "Hah! Annoying brat, clueless about your own abilities."

Before Asher could retort, Professor Hugo countered without hesitation. "Franklin, what's got you acting like a lunatic all by yourself?"

"You don't have any projects on hand, with nothing but free time to waste. I don't have the luxury to bicker with you here," Professor Hugo shot back bluntly, going straight for the jugular.

No projects, idle, wasting time.

Every word was a direct hit to Franklin's sore spots.

"It's all because of you!" Franklin glared daggers at Professor Hugo.

"The new evolution path for Rabbit Dogs was supposed to be my research topic." Franklin stepped forward angrily, jabbing a finger at Professor Hugo. "If you hadn't stolen it from me, would I even be stuck here?"

As he spoke, Franklin calmed down a little, his tone growing mocking and disdainful.

"But from the looks of it, your research hasn't gone anywhere."

"Two whole years, and no progress at all. The Association contacted me to help you out." Franklin smirked, shaking out his jacket. "Seems the Association knows you're incompetent and had no choice but to call me in to clean up your mess."

"Hurry up and kneel to thank me."

"If it weren't for me, your project might've been axed this year."

Franklin grew increasingly arrogant, practically tilting his chin to the sky.

Professor Hugo frowned. "Since when? I didn't receive any notification. Don't tell me you're making this up."

"Professor Asher, please wait a moment while I confirm this," Professor Hugo said, turning to Asher with an apologetic expression. "If it's true… that would be my failure."

Today was his invitation to Asher, only to unexpectedly run into the Association's so-called new team member. To outsiders, it might look like he and the Association had conspired to embarrass Asher.

Fortunately, Franklin had made his hostility abundantly clear from the start.

Still, this situation was inherently disrespectful to Asher.

Normally, no one would invite two people simultaneously for help with the same project.

Asher didn't speak.

He wasn't bothered by this incident, but Professor Hugo offering an explanation was a sign of respect.

If Professor Hugo had pretended nothing had happened, Asher would still have looked into the new Rabbit Dog evolution path. However, the final credit for the results might not have gone to Professor Hugo.

Neither of them paid any attention to the barking Franklin.

After a brief phone call, Professor Hugo's face darkened slightly.

"Confirmed, then," Franklin said smugly. "I wasn't lying."

"You also didn't mention that you reported me to the Association, accusing me of slacking off, spending two years with no results, and suggesting the project leader be replaced by you," Professor Hugo shot back, unflinchingly exposing Franklin's actions.

Franklin's expression faltered for a moment before regaining composure.

"What's wrong with that?" Franklin crossed his arms, head held high with righteous indignation. "Two whole years! It's been two years since we first discovered the clues, yet you've achieved nothing. Reporting you is perfectly reasonable."

"You're just wasting time! Wasting resources! Pursuing the wrong path."

"If you'd just listened to me, we'd have finished researching the new evolution path for Rabbit Dogs ages ago."

Professor Hugo was speechless.

Asher was speechless.

If two years with no results counted as wasting time… what about Professor Jorge, who spent four years researching the new evolution path for Noise Flowers?

Or Henry and Marie, who'd already spent six years—and might need two more—on the new evolution path for Fire Foxes?

Without Asher's unique talent, it was common for studies on a new beast's evolution path to take anywhere from two to ten years.

Snitching on someone just because they didn't take your advice? This was a first for Asher.

And the Association actually sent this guy over… Asher had mixed feelings about the Thousand Springs City Beastmaster Association.

Disgusted, mostly.

Franklin, apparently convinced he held the upper hand, demanded, "Take me to your lab right now! Let's see what useless junk you've been working on for the past two years."

Then he pointed at Asher. "Oh, and I'm allergic to worthless brats like him. Get rid of him immediately."

Professor Hugo shook his head at Asher.

"The Association only said you could observe. They didn't say I had to hand over leadership to you," Professor Hugo replied, his expression icy. He exuded such an imposing aura that the previously cocky Franklin was momentarily stunned. "Which means I'm still the project leader. You have no right to boss around the professor I invited."

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