Afterwards, their group searched the mountain tops for a while, but after a thorough search, they had given up on finding any more potential tames.

The small group of four came down the mountain a short while later, accompanied by the laughter of Calculus at Kairos’ apparent failure to tame any Contract Beasts and a fuming Relestia. No one enjoys seeing their hero ridiculed, and ladies remember these things better than guys, even a ten-year-old one.

This day, the Devilheart heir did not know he had earned the irk of a little princess. An offence he will one day come to regret.

“You’re more useless than I thought," Calculus chuckled, "Even beasts refused to be tamed by you.”

“I don’t see you doing better by much,” Jim spat. The two had worked up quite a feud on their trip up the mountain.

They were barely civilised from the start; only made worse when Jim started remembering how Calculus had discarded his subordinates during the final first years’ exam.

He had almost forgotten after the Snowdrifts’ expedition to the Silent Lambs Empire. The thrill and tension he experienced then had made his school life seem trifling, but talking with the young arrogant noble jolted his memories.

Jim scolded himself harshly for that, “How could I forget what we experienced together, and the memories of those who gave up their lives for us?! Didn't Kairos create the Snowdrifts to prevent any more unnecessary deaths?”

Many were sacrificed in Calculus’ quest to prove himself. There were those commoners he led in a raid on the Orc Village, and those that fell in battle subsequently because of the Orcs that marched for blood. Those that survived had all joined the Snowdrifts, even those wounded were not rejected, like the one that had his leg gnawed off.

But while Jim contended with Calculus at every turn, the latter did not attempt to leave. His curiosity chained him to Kairos, despite his ego nudging him the other way.

It was evening by the time they came down the mountain, and the four who had climbed to the highest point was also the last to return.

With everyone gathered, the instructor asked each student to present the Contract Beast they found.

Most of them had merely tamed monsters between the 50th meters to 100th meters mark and returned with beasts like the Snow wind demons, the Moon Imps or the Crescent Sickle Goats. Comparing to the other Tamers on Gaia, their tames are already considered exceptional.

A few more ambitious ones sought out the stronger beasts, but most stayed below the 150th meters mark. Alucard, George and Luciette, however, chose to venture even higher. Nearly reaching the peak at 180 meters, they returned with the best selections in Sanctuary. Their status as Heir Apparent of high ranking Hundred Nobles families meant that they have much more treasures on their persons, and it enabled them to be a little more daring than the rest.

At that place, they stumbled upon a rare Life Vine, a vicious plant demon which could entangle prey and absorb their life force. The three of them fought hard against it, using everything they had until they finally subdued it after a three hours battle. They barely survived, but it was worth every effort.

They presented the bounties from that battle to the instructor. Alucard who used the most expensive items, talismans that protected the three of them, received the Life Vine Sprout by the insistence of his two friends.

Luciette gained a Death Thorn, a harmless looking hedgehog that cohabits with the plant demon. Its cutesiness instantly enamoured the young heiress of the White Snow Clan.

Whereas George, who was at E rank, felt that he had been leeching off his friends and contented with freeing a Dew Spider from the Life Vines’s entanglement. Although, he ended up being surprised that it turned out to be quite formidable. A beast that was able to survive being trapped by the plant demon is doubtlessly a high-ranking monster.

Lux and Von, likewise, managed to reach the same height and appeared to have found suitable beasts, but when they saw what was brought back by the Angelheart, Mountain Cat, and White Snow families, they quietly faded away into the background.

Though the differences were slight, they have, no doubt, lost.

Von, especially, gritted his teeth in regret. In his heart, he attributed their loss due to the lack of artefacts.

After all, even if the two of them are from the Three Great Nobles, neither cousins were Heir Apparent and did not receive enough life-saving treasures to take risks to reap better rewards.

Before losing to Kairos, he was already vying for the place of the second heir in the family. After being beaten in business management, academic, then combat, his position had fallen and now barely clinging on to third place. Many resources, including a large chunk of his monthly pocket-money, had been taken away. It was lucky that he had somehow tamed the Winged Unicorn that Kairos had met.

But Von and Lux did not think that the actual reason was that they were unable to judge that they could win. With their superior cultivation and movement techniques, it is unsurprising that the cousins had found the plant demon before those three but chose to change their route and go another way.

Granted, one is at Peak B rank, and the other is at Mid A, but having a higher cultivation doesn’t mean much if one does not know how to use it.

Lux surrendered to Kairos without trying anything after this Molten Walker technique was defeated, whereas, Von having a Ki stone yet losing so completely is a testament to their inexperience. In truth, their combat sense was even poorer than Luciette, George and Alucard, having never experienced the life-and-death situation last year.

Because the danger increases when scaling up the mountain, only Kairos, Jim, Relestia, and Calculus went above the 180 meters mark and reached the peak. They have not yet realised, but it's astonishing that they did not face any danger along the way.

.....

At this time, the Frost Kirin they met is still shivering in its cave; reminiscing about its encounter with the four.

It had woken up to a pure wave of energy in its lair, but instead of feeling alarmed, it was refreshing like a ray of sunlight.

When it found the one giving off that pleasant energy, it noticed the differences between its existence and his. Its first instinct was to follow him, but a bestial snarl warned it to stay back.

It wasn’t a physical sound and there were no words, but it could tell that it had been warned.

*Stay away, you are not worthy*

As the ruler of this mountain, the Frost Kirin had overwhelming power. Except for the strange humans living within the mountain, it commands absolute respect from all creatures in this place.

Yet, it immediately bowed its head to Kairos.

Regardless how young the voice sounded, it is doubtless that it faced one with an unsurmountable might.

It stood petrified, even when it saw its child taken.

.....

When Instructor Lalhal called Calculus' name, he walked forward presenting a baby Frost Kirin in his arms.

Kairos and Jim looked at each other with shock and confusion. Though they had sealed their Soul Perception, their awareness did not leave Calculus for even a second. Yet, this happened under their noses without them knowing.

The instructor laughed with great delight and praised the boy, “Impressive. This is a young of the Queen of Beast Sanctuary Mountain. You’ve managed to get one without losing your life. Remarkable.

But, tell me, why have you not form a contract with it yet?”

“I have a pardon,” He replied simply, then walking forward with his chest held high, he took out something and flashed it to Lalhal.

“A royal pardon? Does this mean that the Vestimore family does not want the boy to be bounded by the class rules?

.

.

.

He probably has a Contract Beast even stronger than a Frost Kirin, and one that is sensitive enough for the Emperor to step in.”

Lalhal quickly formed a decision to judge Calculus by the Frost Kirin that was brought back. Needless to say, it was a perfect score. There exist no beast harder to tame than a Frost Kirin on this mountain.

With a prideful smile, Calculus walked back to his line then looked at Kairos with a challenge.

Next, Jim was called up.

When he was told to present his contract beast, he shook his head.

“Y… you!” Lalhal recognised Jim as one of Alan’s teammates and his anger instantly exploded once again, “How dare you came back last, making all of us wait, and yet have no results! If you cannot tame the stronger ones, then stay near the foot of the mountain. Are you a fool that wasted the entire day panning for beasts that you can never tame?

You failed.

Now, return to your line.

Kairos! Step forward. And you better have something good to show.”

As his name was called, he stepped forward with an uneasy look on his face, but he had no Contract Beast to show. All the ones he encountered on the mountain, from the weakest to the strongest species, had denied him.

He thought to show the crystal eggs he has but instantly quelled that thought as too dangerous.

From what Snow said, any of those five crystal eggs he bought from the Beast Shop are spawns of Divine Beasts. The sixth and last egg that he owns is the reward which he won in a bet after his Star Runes Sword chipped the Devilheart's Seal Sword-

A golden crystal egg that Calculus took from the Orc Village.

-but, it felt no weaker than the five, and he trusts in his judgement.

With a sigh, Kairos shook his head as well.

“A SECOND FOOL!" Lalhal shouted with his face beet red, "Nay! All five of you are idiots! You are all expelled from my class, get out!”

Calculus snickered from the side, watching the spectacle. He whispered in a soft voice, “Commoners will always be commoners. They should learn their places and not try to challenge their betters.

You plebeians are no better than sheep and if the shepherd tells you to get out. Then get the hell out. If the shepherd asks you to roll over. You should just kill yourself and save us the trouble.”

“Perhaps we commoners are like sheep, but you are certainly no shepherd,” Jim suddenly rebuked, then, against Kairos wishes he summoned his Zhu Que before everyone’s eyes.