Three kids around five years old could be seen half squatting with both hands parallel pointing straight to their front. Sweat dripping down their forehead, grinding their teeth, trying hard to maintain the the position they looked extremely exhausted but determined at the same time. They were none other than Adrian and his two close friends he'd made these past years.

“Ah, I’m so tired, I want to eat 4 servings of smoked meat and potatoes, yummy! Mom said if I could complete todays training, I would get to eat till I can’t stand, fufufu!”. Imagining the food she was so eager to devour she took a big gulp and tightened herself to endure further. With a body that was more than a little plump and a face as round as the moon, hair cut in shape of a mushroom, this girl was the first ever friend Adrian made. Sizuna Plancius was the only daughter of the town’s merchant Hugo Plancius and loved two things mostly in her life, to eat lots and lots of tasty food and to bully Adrian. Ever since she found Adrian was the reason behind her fathers sour face that she saw for the first time in life two years back, she has been trying to teach this cute boy a lesson and finding every chance to do so.

“Hah, hah…I can hold ..hah.. much longer, I’m not tired.. hah.. at all. Look at you Adrian, you can’t even ..hah.. take this simple training, hah, hah!” said the other boy with brown hair, blue eyes and freckled face. This thin and frail looking boy was Niall Smith, Adrian’s only other friend who was a boy and his self claimed rival. Rumor had it that the Smiths ancestors migrated from the Baum continent. His father was the top blacksmith in town and a close friend to both Sizuna’s and Adrain’s parents thus the three of them often met and came to be friends.

Adrian looked to his left at the round girl with gleaming eyes and hungry looking grin, muttering something about how she would like to chew her food bit by bit. Having known this chubby and watching her futile antics for two years now, he was used to her company. On the other side was the son of smith who ever since meeting Adrian wanted to be better than him at everything. Over the years, he’s gotten quite close to both of them. Being the only ones with similar age, be it sneaking around, playing, training, they’d always been together.

“KER-CHAKK!!!”

The crack of the whip snapped all three back to reality. Straightening their backs, they shut their mouths tight and expressed their sincerity to the training. The scar-faced tall trainer already looked intimidating enough for them to show even a slight negligence.

“I just went out for a minute and you lot start yapping and slacking off. Three months, doing the same thing and you can’t even finish the basic endurance training, PEI!! What type of cultivators can such weaklings become I wonder! Now hold it for half an hour more and then do three laps of the training ground before going off”. Then giving another crack of his short whip at empty air, he announced his authority and walked off, his assistant following him.

As they reached a distance far enough where the kids couldn’t hear them the assistant asked curiously - “Aren’t they doing great for the beginner body training? 5 hours of total endurance is quite an impressive feat for even someone two years older than them”.

“SsshhH! Don’t let them hear you. It is indeed quite impressive. But it doesn’t matter, for these three who had the pleasure of having the lesser vitality pill before 8 years old, if I can’t even squeeze a few hours extra from them then whats the use of being called an expert trainer, hmmff!!”. The trainer showed a proud and unyielding face but soon remembering something he shivered a little with fear and said “Besides, I’ve to get much more out of these kids than this. The Silvermoon clan head declared his son would have the best foundation, along with the crafty merchant and that bull of a smith, I really have no choice, I’ll have no place in this town or even a life if theres even a little dissatisfaction. Damn! what misfortune!”.

To this the assistant nodded vigorously as he realized he was tied together with his boss. Sighing, both went on forward.

—————————————————

“Hahaha, I’m first, I’m first, finally, I’m fir.. ??” Shouted Niall at the top of his lungs running with his might but right then…. “SWOOSH” - A shadow flashed by and he saw Adrian pass him by taking the lead, a smirk hung on his face. Seeing the taunt, Niall bit his lower lip harder and tried to bring out the last of his energy in an effort to overtake his rival.

Adrian noticed the extra effort Niall was making out of the corner of his eye and couldn’t help sigh inside. Every gesture he made was like issuing a challenge to this boy. He had trained hard these few months even by his own whenever he had a chance and seems like it was paying off, his speed and endurance was increasing slowly but certainly, he couldn't help smile.

Just then an anxious sound came by - “Wait! you guys, you can’t go too fast, I need to catch up, I’ll mess my appetite if I drain out my energy. Wait! Adrian, your pant’s about to fall, look!”.

“Hah, Nice try chubbs! I’m not falling for that again, haha!”- Shouted Adrain turning back which made his acceleration slow down a notch.

Like this the trio finished their third lap around the training graound. The sun was low by now, red and orange filled the sky and the wind was carrying a slight chill with it. Sizuna was irritably trying to lecture Adrian with him ignoring her, Niall was showing a smirk and making winning poses trying to entice Adrain for the win he had over Adrain at the last lap.

Suddenly, out of nowhere they heard a thumping sound like that of something heavy falling. When they caught the sight of it, their eyes gape wide in shock. A giant covered with silver and black fur all over tis body with four legs, teeth sharp as knife, eyes deep yellow, was staring at them menacingly, a sight that made them tremble in fear.

“GGRRRRR… GRROOOWWWWRRRR”. They were dumbfounded with fear and utter shock.

“…..”

“……..”

“…………”

“OH MY GOD! Its a vicious BEAST!...... MOMMY!!!!”