The next morning, Sam, along with other candidates and Watt are assembled at the Duke's mansion.

That day, the Duke looked at Sam in a completely different light. At first, he was worried about Sam only on the condition that he would use the whatever future influence he would get and take revenge on them.

But the yesterday's fireworks are something that gave him a new understanding. He doesn't know how Sam did this, but the threat was real and even doesn't have enough confidence if he was caught up in that spiritual energy explosion.

He visited the Van family estate which was almost completely destroyed and saw that the spiritual energy was in a complete turmoil. An acolyte would die just entering the place.

He was in a complete astonishment and when he heard about the letter from the General, he couldn't help but think back to the situations and recall if he had offended Sam in anyway.

He was also thankful that his son and Sam has some sort of friendship, which made him feel at ease.

After everyone gathered, Duke took out ten cards which are in the size of a credit card.

He gave a card to each of the candidates.

Sam looked at the card, there was his name on one side and the other side has a number.

It showed 46307. It is the number of points he got plus ten thousand.

Duke then said to them.

"These cards are important for you guys for the rest of the competition and you cannot keep it in your spatial rings, so make sure they are safe.

The number behind is your current number of points and you got extra points based on your ranking."

After that he led them to the yard of the Duke's estate and said.

"The imperial capital is not that far from this place and we have a week to report so, I prepared some flying type beasts for your journey. I will be accompanying you to the imperial, so you don't have to worry about the safety.

Now, pick a beast you want."

He clapped his hands and some attendants led some beasts from the woods. There are all kinds of beasts there, there is even a whirl wind Falcon which Watt possess.

There are mostly Level 4 and each person can pick one.

There are only four people who are not interested. Sam, Watt, Nicholas and Josh.

"Aren't you going to pick?" Nicholas asked Sam.

"Why aren't you picking then?"

"Well, we have our own ones." Even before he finished the sentence, three huge creatures came out of the yard, which frightened the beasts candidates are examining.

Three tigers with golden winds came out of the forest, the one in the lead is ten times the size of a usual tiger and from its aura, Sam could sense that it is at least Level 6.

The two remaining are Level 4.

As soon as they came out, they ran towards Josh and Nicholas.

Nicholas hugged the head of the tiger and smiled at Sam.

Sam just nodded and stayed silent. He just observed the beasts that the candidates are trying to select.

At this moment, Duke said.

"Try to pick a beast you are comfortable with, they can be handy in the imperial capital, you might be needed to move often in the capital and it would be tough to walk always as the capital is too big. This would be a present for you from me."

At these words, Philip immediately ran back to Sam and asked.

"Which beast is the best here?"

"Why?"

"It is going to be free, so why shouldn't I get one that is most valuable?"

"I advise you to get one that is most suitable."

"Okay, then tell which is most suitable at the same time, most valuable."

Sam rolled his eyes at this and looked at the beasts. After some thorough look, he saw that the beasts although not too high grade, are still pretty decent.

He pointed at a Hawk like beast with wind and metal elements and said. "Steel winged Hawk, that is more suitable for you."

"How valuable is it?"

"What is with this value you are obsessed about? that is a level 4 beast and it has a good blood line; it is pretty valuable."

"Then how does it do when you compare it to Sky or Yanwu?"

"That is at most on the level of Panthers."

"Then it is not that good."

Sam almost wanted to smack this guy to death.

"You better pick that before someone takes it away."

"Okay, I will just adjust."

This time, Sam really smacked this guy on his head.

After they picked their beasts, Sam and Watt didn't bother to pick one as they have their hover boards and if the beast is completely necessary, he didn't have any problem with that. He has more than one that could make all these level 4 beasts disappear in a jiffy.

If he really did take one in, they might lose all their might and confidence when they stay with the beasts he had.

After repeatedly confirming he doesn't need a beast, the group took off.

Duke rode the Level 6 Golden Winged tiger, which his two sons, rode their level 4 ones.

The rest rode the beasts they picked.

Sam observed one thing, these beasts don't belong to wild, they are caught as infants and then bred and trained by men.

These people who train them are Beast tamers, which is a profession that doesn't have as much popularity as the four major towers.

Because, the pets people get from these beast tamers, might be tame and mellow, but the buyer must spend great effort in truly forming a connection with those pets.

Sam didn't really like them as the beasts would some of their wild nature which would be buried deep in them.

Sam and Watt, followed the group on their boards.

Even though, the journey is long, they would stop often, standing on a board doesn't take much effort than sitting on a beast. So, they perfectly landed in the imperial capital.

There is a toll fee to enter, Sam and the other candidates have special privilege which also applied to the beasts but Sam has to pay for the watt and the remaining beasts.

But it turned out that he doesn't have to pay for his personal beasts, all he has to pay is for Watt and Falck and that credit is for the new scholar artisan badge he got.

After that process, now they have permit to enter the city through flight.

They landed in an estate which is similar to the estate they had in the Southern Star, there are other Dukedoms who are just arriving.

Duke left their assigned residence to report their arrival to the relevant authorities.

That night Duke just gave them some advice on how to get by in the capital.

He particularly stressed about not offending any noble families and exceptionally warning them to not piss off the scions from the four towers and even more about the princes and princesses of the Imperial family which are the result of the debauchery of the current emperor.

Their competition would be tomorrow and that would go on for a month.

Sam is very much looking forward to it, as after this month, he would be closer finding out what these people behind the scenes exactly want.

He is also planning on what kind of measures he should take in order to increase his scope of business and earn more wealth.

At the same time, he also has to find a way to deal with the Black water.

From what he observed, the Black water's main head quarters will be in this city and the organisation has a very detailed information transfer among themselves and he is sure that all the information will be in the capital headquarters.

If he could get his hands on that, he would be able to deal with the organisation more easily.

Sam laid on the bed in his room. He is thinking about the things he is going to encounter in the capital and from the card he was given, he could predict some things which might or might not be right.

He looked at the horizon and drifted to sleep.