Chapter 9: The First Battle

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Two hours later.

Shi Yu left the Iron Bamboo Breeding Base in satisfaction.

Page six of the index.

[Skill]: Hardening

[Skill Level]: Low

<Notes> It’s a metal skill that can harden the body. Its effect is like invisible armor and can be evolved into attack power.

[Status]: No Target Set

The process of Shi Yu copying Hardening was still very easy and smooth. He only did one simple thing, which was to feed a wild iron-eating beast.

Unlike the small Iron Eaters that had yet to awaken their hardening abilities, the adults didn’t nibble Iron Bamboo like bones. They would first use their hardening skills to equip their teeth when eating.

Then, they would eat the Iron Bamboo that was as hard as steel. This way, their eating efficiency would increase by several times, bite by bite.

Shi Yu fed a metal-eating beast an Iron Bamboo and gently caressed it afterward. He had thus obtained the skill.

“I won’t be coming back for at least a month.”

Shi Yu, who had become a true Beast Tamer, left the Iron Bamboo Breeding Base.

At this moment, apart from taking away the Iron Eater cub, he also carried a bag of premium bamboo shoots. This was Eleven’s food for tomorrow.

Unlike the bamboo on Earth, the mutated plants here were still very nutritious. Their nutritional value was not inferior to some meats. Moreover, the iron-eating beast’s digestive organs were completely different from those of ordinary giant pandas. Therefore, as long as the quality of the bamboo was good, the iron-eating beast might not need to eat dozens of kilograms a day to replenish its nutrients.

However, no matter what, the Iron Bamboo was only the most basic food of the iron-eating beasts. There were definitely many more-expensive upgrades, but Shi Yu might not be able to supply them for the time being.

Earning money!

After becoming a Beast Tamer, he had to find a way to earn money first.

It was enough for him as long as he did not starve to death. However, if he wanted the iron-eating beast to grow quickly, having all kinds of skills was not enough. It had to have enough nutrition.

Before that, he had to hurry home and settle down with Eleven.

Food, drink, and accommodation were all very important.

Soon, Shi Yu arrived home.

There were already many tall buildings in Ping Cheng, but Shi Yu’s hometown was a large bungalow area.

To Shi Yu, a single-story house was actually better than living in a tall building.

After all, now that he had become a Beast Tamer, it was not convenient for him to train his pets in a building.

If he had lived in one, he would have to rent a separate place. It would be troublesome and a waste of money.

On the other hand, although this place was a little old, it was empty and would make a very good training ground.

After returning home, Shi Yu casually threw his luggage down. When he realized that the place was covered in dust, he decided to clean it up first.

But how could he work alone…?

Panda Eleven, my partner!

It’s time! Summon!

A transparent circular formation appeared in front of Shi Yu. Under the water-like ripples, Iron Eater Eleven crawled out.

According to the level of the Beast Space, the color of the Spatial Barrier and the summoning array would be different.

For apprentice beastmasters like Shi Yu, the spatial barrier and summoning array were transparent, almost colorless.

Eleven, who was summoned out of the Beast-Taming Space, looked rather lost, as if it had just woken up.

It first shook its body quickly a few times, swaying its soft black and white fur. After its entire body relaxed, it began to turn its head to look at Shi Yu, who had summoned it.

Eleven swayed its short tail slightly. Having become Shi Yu’s pet, it was no longer as “never be a slave” or “fearless” as it was before. There was a natural sense of closeness between them.

This spiritual connection was even more intimate than between one’s own family.

Eleven subconsciously walked to Shi Yu’s side and rubbed against his leg, melting Shi Yu’s heart.

It seemed like… it had become much more obedient!

Shi Yu was gratified and revealed a fatherly smile.

“Come, let me teach you Hardening!”

It was enough to clean by himself. The iron-eating beast was just so cute.

How could he let it be tired? Training was already very tiring!

Well, he should first establish his excellent image in the heart of the Iron Eater.

“Ow?” Iron Eater Eleven stood up.

Hardening?

Speaking of which…

It stretched out its fist, and in the next second, the fist with black hair immediately became darker and harder, with a layer of metal texture. It was the hardening ability.

After sleeping in the Beast-Taming Space, Eleven had finally awakened it.

It was really comfortable there. Eleven no longer felt hungry and slept better. Its body was warm, and its head was clearer.

The Hardening that could not be awakened previously was mastered after sleeping there.

Shi Yu: “?”

Shi Yu: “?”

Shi Yu rubbed his eyes and looked at Eleven’s fist.

What?!

It had awakened?

I just said I was going to teach you, but you learned it in advance?

Shi Yu was silent.

Was that Lin Xiuzhu reliable? Didn’t she say that it would take about a week for it to awaken the Hardening skill? How could it be so fast?

Shi Yu was happy, but his stomach hurt. To think that he was looking forward to the look of worship on the metal-eating beast’s face after it hardened.

“Let’s clean the courtyard.”

Eleven: o((⊙_⊙))o??

C—Clean?

“Forget it, forget it.” Seeing Eleven’s blank expression, Shi Yu decided to let it go.

He was not in a hurry to clean up. He suddenly remembered that the Skill Index could teach skills that had already been learned.

Teaching it skills it had already learned could increase the skill’s proficiency!

Skill proficiency was also very important. For example, if it was a skill where one pet had just mastered it and the other pet had been using it for 10 years… the effect would definitely be different.

It was not impossible for low-level skills with high proficiency to crush high-level skills with low proficiency.

Shi Yu found the basic beast training manual of the iron-eating beast that Lin Xiuzhu had given him.

The hardening ability… No, all the skills mastered by the Iron Eater could basically be divided into five stages.

The manual had already concluded that the skill proficiency could be described in five words.

Learn, Familiarize, Improve, Master, and Transform!

They represented initial, proficient, expert, perfected, and transcendent.

For example, Eleven’s hardening ability was at the beginner stage. It had just learned it and could only harden a part of its body.

According to the manual, one could harden their entire body after reaching the proficiency stage.

Generally speaking, it would take at least a month of serious training to practice a low-level skill from the beginner stage to the proficient stage.

Shi Yu was very curious.

If he used the skill index to teach once, would it be equivalent to a few days of training?

He looked at Eleven, who was observing the surroundings, and fell into deep thought.

Speaking of which, using the skill index to teach seemed to be physically exhausting.

How much stamina would it take to teach the low-level Hardening skill?

Shi Yu, who had never tried it before, was really uncertain. He seemed to have been a little anxious just now.

What if he died of exhaustion from teaching a low-level skill?

“Why don’t I use the most useless skill in the skill guide, Worm Silk, to test the consumption?”

After all, the lower the skill level, the lower the consumption.

It seemed like he should give it a try…

However, it was a pity that Shi Yu would have to find other experimental subjects because the iron-eating beast and the Worm Silk skill did not have any compatibility at all and could not be taught.

It was too difficult to make the Iron Eater spit silk.

“Since you have the Hardening skill, why don’t we have you… fight something for the first time?”

Shi Yu then suddenly looked at the two persimmon trees in his courtyard.

To be precise, he was looking at a green figure on one of the persimmon trees.

A green caterpillar was lying on a branch, resting leisurely. It was very bold and was not afraid of being eaten by passing birds.

As a disgrace to the supernatural world, the combat power of the green caterpillar was very low. Even if it was not a supernatural creature, but an ordinary sparrow that had not undergone any evolution, it had a chance of killing the caterpillar.

At the same time, they could be found everywhere. When Shi Yu saw it, he immediately felt that it was the only experimental subject.

It was obvious that the green caterpillar was malnourished. It was thinner than the one raised in the pet base.

Usually, such a green silk insect would never be able to evolve… Most of them would end up as food for birds… However, this green-colored insect should be considered lucky to have met Shi Yu.

I’ll give you a chance to increase your mastery of the silk skill!

“Grab it. And be gentle.”

After Shi Yu gave the order, Eleven looked at the green caterpillar and was slightly stunned.

Its first opponent was this little guy?

However, it still had to carry out the beastmaster’s orders. It immediately climbed up the tree and broke the branch the green caterpillar was standing on with a slap. Its hardening skill wasn’t even needed, and the green caterpillar fell down along with the branch.

The fall stunned the green caterpillar.

“Ow.”

“We won, we won!” Iron Eater Eleven shouted happily.

A victory is a victory for this first battle, no matter the opponent!

“Well done!” After all, the iron-eating beast was still a child, so Shi Yu also praised it slightly.

Training a pet was the same as raising a child. He had to praise it more and not criticize it all the time.

The green caterpillar was speechless.